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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CA-2017-04-19CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK Regular Meeting 6:00 p.m. April 19, 2017 PRESENT: Alderperson Mohlenhoff – Chair Alderpersons (3): Fleming, McGonigal, Nguyen EXCUSED: Alderpersons (1): Kerslick OTHERS PRESENT: Alderperson (1) – Brock Chief of Staff – Cogan GIAC Director – McBean-Clairborne Deputy GIAC Director – Phillips GIAC Program Administrator – Brooks Planning Director – Cornish City Clerk – Holcomb Manager of Organizational Development – Moskowitz City Attorney – Lavine Superintendent of Public Works – Thorne Bridge Systems Engineer – Gebre HR Director – Michell-Nunn Controller - Thayer Deputy Controller – Andrew Sustainability Coordinator – Goldsmith 1. Call to Order 1.1 Agenda Review. None. 1.2 Review/Approval of Minutes: Alderperson Nguyen made a motion to approve the minutes from the February 15, 2017 meeting of the City Administration Committee. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. Motion carried unanimously. 1.3 Statements from the Public Mary Anne Grady Flores of Ithaca reported that President Trump is requesting to add $54 billion dollars to the military budget. Ms. Grady Flores asked the Mayor and Common Council to join the national campaign by passing a resolution in opposition to this increase. Board of Fire Commissioners (Robert Sparks, Larry Sullinger & Bill Gilligan) thanked the City for their efforts to streamline the process for City Boards/Committees. They expressed their concerns about the Board of Fire Commissioners being disbanded and its responsibilities given solely to the Public Safety and Information Commission, which would be comprised of only seven (7) voting members. They want to know more about the skills/abilities of the members on this Commission and asked the City to include the current Board of Fire Commissioners in their decision making. City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 2 1.4 Statements from Employees. None. 1.5 Council Response Chairperson Mohlenhoff thanked everyone for attending the meeting and offering their comments. She mentioned that the Committees Working Group is open to comments/suggestions. There is a meeting on May 2, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. in the 2nd Floor Conference Room – City Hall. At this meeting, the Working Group will review the suggested changes to the recommendations. More information will be provided prior to this meeting. All are invited. Alderperson Fleming stated that she would support a resolution opposing the increase to the military budget. 2. Consent Agenda Items 2.1 Standard Work Day (SWD) and Reporting Resolution for Elected and Appointed Officials Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca hereby establishes the following standard workdays for the Mayor and Common Council and will report these officials to the New York State and Local Retirement System based on their record of activities: Name SWD Term Record of Activity Svante L. Myrick, Mayor 8 1/1/16-12/31/19 26.56 Cynthia Brock, Alderperson 6 1/1/16-12/31/17 20.75 George McGonigal, Alderperson 6 1/1/16-12/31/19 8.03 Joseph Murtagh, Alderperson 6 1/1/16-12/31/17 10.00 Stephen Smith, Alderperson 6 1/1/16-12/31/19 5.03 A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2.2 Request to Amend 2017 Authorized Budget for Grant for Art Program (GAP) Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, the City received a $2,100 grant from the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County, Inc. as part of their Grants for Arts Program, and WHEREAS, the $2,100 grant will allow a First Street Mosaic Project on First Street called “IthAque” to be completed; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby accepts the Community Arts Partnership Grant for the purposes of completing said Mosaic Project on First Street and amends the 2017 Authorized Budget as follows: City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 3 Increase Revenue Account: A1012-2379 Community Services $2,100 Increase Appropriation Account: A1012-5435 Community Services Contracts $2,100 A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2.3 IFD – Request to Amend 2017 Budget Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, in May of 2016, The Ithaca Fire Department received a FEMA Assistance Firefighters Grant to purchase a new breathing air compressor, and WHEREAS, the budgeted amount for the replacement of the breathing air compressor is fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), and WHEREAS, ten percent (10%) of the of the total cost of the breathing air compressor, estimated at four thousand five hundred forty-five dollars ($4,545), will be paid from the 2017 fire department operating budget, and WHEREAS, up to forty-five thousand four hundred and fifty-five dollars ($45,455) for the purchase of the breathing air compressor is funded through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby amends the 2017 Fire Department Budget as follows: Increase Expenses: A3410-225 Equipment $ 45,455 Increase Revenues: A3410-4389 Public Safety $45,455 A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 2.4 Finance/Controller’s Office – Amendment to Personnel Roster Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, the Controller’s Office requests that the workweek for the Deputy Controller be reduced from 40 hours to 35 hours per week; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That effective May 8, 2017, the workweek for the Deputy Controller position be and hereby is reduced from forty (40) hours/week to thirty-five (35) hours per week pursuant to the employee’s request, and be it further City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 4 RESOLVED, That the sole purpose of determining days worked reportable to the New York State and Local Employee’s Retirement System, the standard workday for this position shall be established at seven (7) hours per day (thirty-five (35) hours per week). A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3. City Administration, Human Resources, and Policy 3.1 GIAC – Request to Amend 2017 Personnel Roster Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, the Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) has proposed to add one (1) full time (40- hours) Administrative Coordinator to the roster, and WHEREAS, this position will provide an opportunity for GIAC to realign staff to meet its needs, particularly for financial management and payroll, and WHEREAS, GIAC’s Financial Clerk position has been vacant since November 2016 creating a huge void at GIAC, and WHEREAS, GIAC Administration sees the opportunity to reorganize staff with the skill sets to fulfill the duties of the Financial Clerk and other systems management needs within the organization, and WHEREAS, GIAC’s 2017 budget as approved has funding to support this position, and WHEREAS, no additional funds are being requested for this position; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the personnel roster of GIAC shall be amended as follows: Add: One (1) Administrative Coordinator (40 hours) Delete: GIAC Financial Clerk (25 hours) and be it further RESOLVED, That said roster amendment will be made within the existing funds of the 2017 authorized GIAC budget. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.2 GIAC – Request to Amend 2017 Personnel Roster Moved by Alderperson McGonigal. Seconded by Alderperson Nguyen. City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 5 WHEREAS, after careful deliberation and discussion with Human Resources, it was determined that the scope of responsibilities of the My Brother’s Keeper Ithaca (MBKI) manager is on the same level as a GIAC Deputy Director, and WHEREAS, this position has been reviewed and approved by the Civil Service Commission, and WHEREAS the roster amendment aligns with the program and staffing adjustments being made at GIAC that will best meet the department’s needs and ensure that all areas are covered; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the personnel roster of GIAC shall be amended as follows: Add: One (1) Deputy GIAC Director (40 hours) Delete: One (1) GIAC Program Administrator and be it further RESOLVED, That said roster amendment will be made within the existing funds of the 2017 authorized GIAC budget with grant funds. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.3 Request to Amend 2017 Roster of the Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson Nguyen. WHEREAS, the Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC) has proposed to add one (1) full time (35- hours) GIAC Program Coordinator to the roster, and WHEREAS, this position will provide an opportunity for GIAC to realign staff to meet its needs, particularly in the Youth Division, and WHEREAS, GIAC’s Youth Division has expanded in scope of programs offered and number of participants served, and WHEREAS, coordination of this division has grown beyond the responsibility of a single person as multiple age groups and specialized programs are served during the afterschool hours and summer camp, and WHEREAS, GIAC’s Administration deemed it necessary to restructure staffing and programming to ensure maximum compliance with regulations and efficiency in program delivery, and WHEREAS, it is also necessary to balance the work load of staff as program needs, community needs and state regulations change, and WHEREAS, GIAC’s 2017 budget as approved has funding to support this position, and City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 6 WHEREAS, no additional funds are being requested for this position; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the personnel roster of GIAC shall be amended as follows: Add: One (1) GIAC Program Coordinator (35 hours) and be it further, RESOLVED, That said roster amendment will be made within the existing funds of the 2017 authorized GIAC budget. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.4 Planning, Building, Zoning, and Economic Development Department - Amendment to Personnel Roster Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, in anticipation of the future retirement of the Director of Planning and Development (within 5 years), the department recommends filling the vacant Deputy Director of Planning and Development position, and WHEREAS, a deputy would allow the current director to delegate responsibilities, affording more time to supervise and plan for the department and assist with the transition process by providing continuity upon the Director’s retirement, and WHEREAS, the new position of Zoning Administrator is being created to transition from the Director of Zoning Administration (retired January, 2017) to a supervisory position, able to take on certain responsibilities of the Director of Zoning Administration, specifically responsible for the enforcement, administration, compliance and maintenance of the City of Ithaca Zoning Ordinance and other applicable regulations related to the use and development of land, property and buildings within the City of Ithaca, overseeing a system to digitize and store all paper records and the automation of routine tasks as they relate to buildings and properties; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Personnel Roster for the Department of Planning and Development be amended as follows: Add: One (1) Deputy Director of Planning and Development (40 hours) One (1) Zoning Administrator (40 hours) Delete: One (1) Director of Zoning Administration (40 hours) One (1) Housing and Land-use Supervisor (40 hours) and be it further City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 7 RESOLVED, That the position of Deputy Director of Planning and Development shall be assigned to the Management Compensation Plan at salary grade 8, and be it further RESOLVED, That the position of Zoning Administrator shall be assigned to the City Executive Association bargaining unit at salary grade B, and be it further RESOLVED, That for the sole purpose of determining days worked reportable to the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System, the standard workday for both these positions shall be established at eight (8) hours per day, forty (40) hours per week, and be it further RESOLVED, That funding for this roster change shall be derived from existing funds within the Department of Planning and Development’s budget. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.5 Support of the Exploration of Community Choice Aggregation Moved by Alderperson McGonigal. Seconded by Alderperson Nguyen. WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca is interested in promoting energy efficiency and local renewable energy generation, and also in reducing energy costs for its residents, and WHEREAS, the NY State Public Service Commission, in April 2016, authorized the development of Community Choice Aggregation programs, that allows participating local governments to work together through a shared purchasing agreement to procure natural gas and/or electric energy supply on behalf of their residents and small businesses, and WHEREAS, Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is a means to provide lower, more stable and predictable energy costs, while also promoting energy efficiency, local renewable energy development and local job growth, and WHEREAS, residents and small businesses that are not interested in participating in CCA energy procurement are able to opt out, and WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Council of Governments (TCCOG) works to identify shared services and procurement opportunities to provide better service and lower costs to our residents; and WHEREAS, TCCOG has established a CCA Advisory Committee made up of elected/appointed officials plus community members to explore CCA and advise interested municipalities on CCA administrative and procurement models, and to search for and recommend a program administrator, and WHEREAS, participation in the TCCOG CCA Committee does not obligate the MUNICIPALITY to participating in CCA, (which requires passage of a local law), but rather indicates the MUNICIPALITY's interest in exploring the option of CCA; now, therefore, be it City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 8 RESOLVED, That the Common Council selects Nick Goldsmith to serve on the TCCOG CCA Advisory Committee, and be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council appoints Sarah Hess to serve on the TCCOG CCA Advisory Committee. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.6 Co-Sponsorship of the Stewart Park Fourth of July Fireworks Display with the Rotary Club of Ithaca Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, the City wishes to continue the tradition of hosting fireworks in Stewart Park for the community to enjoy and celebrate the Fourth of July, and WHEREAS, the Rotary Club has expressed interest in developing the fireworks into an annual event in Stewart and Cass Parks as a co-sponsor with the City, and WHEREAS, the City would provide traditional municipal services and the Rotary Club would plan and fund the event details in coordination with the City’s existing special event process, and WHEREAS, City staff and Rotary Club representatives have discussed the division of responsibilities and will memorialize such in a memorandum of understanding with an anticipated event date of July 3rd, and WHEREAS, as co-sponsor of the fireworks display event, the Rotary Club of Ithaca would commit to funding the cost of fireworks, concessions, vendors, entertainment, traffic and safety measures and sanitary amenities, and WHEREAS, as co-sponsor of the fireworks display event, the City would commit to contracting for the fireworks display and providing City insurance coverage, equipment, facilities and staff time of the Ithaca Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Public Works, Youth Bureau, and any other relevant City department to support the event at no cost to the Rotary Club; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council supports the City’s co-sponsorship of the fireworks event and authorizes the City to provide in kind services at no charge to service the event, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Mayor, upon the advice of the City Attorney, is authorized to execute a memorandum of understanding with the Rotary Club to co-sponsor the event and memorialize the roles and responsibilities with respect to the fireworks event. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.7 HR- Establishment of Acting Department Head and Department Head Salaries Upon Promotion Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 9 WHEREAS, in 2015, Common Council adopted the Management Compensation Plan, and WHEREAS, the newly adopted Management Compensation Plan did not include a procedure for providing a salary increase to an employee who is acting in a department head role, nor did it repeal the procedure established in 2009, and WHEREAS, the 2009 procedure for calculating a salary increase for an acting department head does not align with the 2015 procedure for calculating a salary increase for a newly appointed department head; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That after acting in the role of a department head for thirty (30) days, a deputy department head shall be assigned to the lowest salary step for the department head position that results in a salary increase for the deputy, and be it further RESOLVED, That if an employee other than a deputy department head is appointed to serve in an acting department head role, the employee shall immediately be assigned to the lowest salary step for the department head position that results in a salary increase for the employee, and be it further RESOLVED, That an employee acting as a department head shall not be entitled to annual salary step increases for the acting title, but shall remain eligible for any step increases the employee would have otherwise received in the employee’s permanent title; provided, however, that if a step increase in the employee’s permanent title results in a higher salary than the employee’s current acting department head salary, the acting department head salary shall be recalculated as specified above, and be it further RESOLVED, That employees who are promoted to or within the Managerial Compensation Plan shall be assigned to the lowest salary step that provides at least an eight (8%) percent increase in the employee’s base salary, with subsequent step movement occurring annually on the employee’s anniversary date in the current job title, until the employee reaches the maximum step, at which time step movement shall cease, and be it further RESOLVED, That under no circumstances shall a managerial employee earn a salary greater than the maximum step for the employee’s position, or the position in which the employee is acting, whichever is higher. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 3.8 DPW - Authorization to Use City Parkland for Mobile Vending Moved by Alderperson McGonigal. Seconded by Alderperson Fleming. WHEREAS, in 2014, Board of Public Works established a City Street Vending (Food Truck) policy, and revised the policy in 2015, and WHEREAS, among other locations, the Street Vending policy included several locations in Cass and Stewart Parks as shown in the attached Appendix A, and City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 10 WHEREAS, pursuant to City Code Chapter 170 “Use of City Real Property,” any concessionary or other nontransitory use of City parkland requires a license, and WHEREAS, Section 170-5(G) vests in the Common Council sole authority to grant approval of any license to make nontransitory use of City parkland, and WHEREAS, City Code Chapter 336 authorizes the Superintendent of Public Works to execute concession agreements within City parks; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council finds that the proposed mobile vending concessions constitute a public recreation-related use of Stewart and Cass Parks, are not expected to significantly compromise the public’s ability to enjoy the parks as intended, and in fact are expected to enhance the overall quality of the parks’ appeal and benefit to the public by offering additional amenities in the park, and be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby authorizes the use of the locations shown in the attached Appendix A; and be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby authorizes the Superintendent of Public Works to advertise, now and in the future, the mobile vending concession locations, and select and license eligible vendors for such concessions at the locations authorized by this resolution, and be it further RESOLVED, That as the City has not established a regular, fair-market fee for such seasonal use of its parkland, Council hereby authorizes the fee for this concessionary use of parkland to be established as set forth in Appendix A, and be it further RESOLVED, That fees and seasonal dates for subsequent years shall be established by the Board of Public Works prior to January 31st of each year, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Superintendent, upon the advice of the City Attorney, is authorized to issue a revocable license to each eligible vendor selected for mobile vending concessions containing standard terms and conditions with regard to liability insurance coverage, indemnification of the City, health and fire precautions, and other pertinent matters. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 4. Finance, Budget and Appropriations 4.1 GIAC - Request for Contingency Fund Appropriation and Amendment of 2017 Budget Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson Nguyen. WHEREAS, in September 2014, President Obama issued the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Community Challenge to municipalities across the country in order to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color in the United States, and City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 11 WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca accepted this challenge with great interest and a desire to help foster long term change within the community, and WHEREAS, Ithaca is one of 200 cities to accept the challenge so far, and WHEREAS, after some preliminary work on the program, Mayor Myrick asked GIAC to assume responsibilities for developing and implementing the My Brother’s Keeper Ithaca (MBKI) program, and WHEREAS, GIAC accepted this request in June 2016, and assigned coordination of MBKI to its Program Administrator as a temporary measure through December 2016 in order to leverage grants and other funding opportunities because having a designated MBK program coordinator is a necessary requirement of many of the funding streams, and WHEREAS, since June 2016, the amount of collaboration and activities done with MBKI was impressive enough to garner us an invitation to the final White House MBK Summit under President Obama in December 2016, and WHEREAS, the program continues to move rapidly forward without any additional funding and is leaving a void in fulfilling the prior responsibilities of the GIAC Program Administrator, and WHEREAS, the City and the Ithaca City School District, in partnership, applied for and were recently awarded a New York State Education Department (NYSED) grant for MBKI, and WHEREAS, a budget for the MBKI program was developed, totaling $57,000 per year, and WHEREAS, it is likely that as the program continues to develop, additional grants and fundraising will further reduce the City’s contribution, and WHEREAS, during the budget review in 2016, GIAC Administration alerted Common Council that contingency funding could possibly be required to continue the program for 2017; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby amends the 2017 Authorized GIAC Budget to account for a nine (9) month MBKI program budget as follows: Increase Revenue Accounts: A7311-2070-1159 Donations $11,600 A7311-3820-1159 State Aid 30,763 $42,363 Increase Appropriation Accounts: A7311-5105 Administration $10,000 A7311-5110 Staff 5,000 A7311-5115 Hourly P/T 9,250 A7311-5125 Overtime 750 A7311-5425 Office Expense 225 City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 12 A7311-5430 Fees 450 A7311-5435 Contracts 1,125 A7311-5445 Travel 4,500 A7311-5460 Program Surplus 3,700 A7311-9010 Retirement 4,700 A7311-9030 FICA/Medicare 1,913 A7311-9040 Workers Comp 750 $42,363 And be it further RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca accepts and commits to funding MBKI in the amount of $57,000 per year. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 4.2 North Aurora Street Bridge Replacement Project - Authorizing the implementation, and funding in the first instance 100% of the Federal-aid and State-aid eligible costs, of a federal-aid and/or state-aid transportation project, and appropriating funds therefore Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, Sponsor will design, let and construct the “project”; and WHEREAS, a Project for the N Aurora St. over Cascadilla Creek Bridge Replacement, P.I.N. 375423 (the “Project”) is eligible for funding under Title 23 U.S. Code , as amended, that calls for the apportionment of the costs such program to be borne at the ratio of 95% Federal funds and 5% non- Federal funds; and WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca desires to advance the Project by making a commitment of 100% of the non-Federal share of Design, Construction and Inspection; and WHEREAS, as part of the approved 2016 budget, Common Council established Capital Project #826 and authorized $214,000 funding for the Project; and WHEREAS, On January 13, 2017, additional $1,178,000 (95% of $1,240,000) of BRIDGE NY funding was made available by New York State Department of Transportation for Project; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Common Council hereby approves the above-subject project; and be it further RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Common Council hereby authorizes the City of Ithaca to pay in the first instance 100% of the federal and non-federal share of the cost of all work for the Project or portions thereof, and be it further City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 13 RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Common Council hereby agrees that the City of Ithaca shall be responsible for all cost of the Project which exceed the amount of the BRIDGE NY funding awarded to the City of Ithaca, and be it further RESOLVED, That the City of Ithaca Common Council hereby amends CP#826 to add $1,178,000 for a total of $1,392,000, and be it further RESOLVED, That this project be undertaken with the understanding that the final cost of the Project to the City of Ithaca will be 5% of project costs up to a total project cost of $1,240,000 and 100% of additional costs thereafter, and be it further RESOLVED, That funds needed for said amendment shall be derived from serial bonds, with understanding that these funds are available to the Project and that the final cost to the City will be $214,000, and be it further RESOLVED, That in the event of full federal and non-federal share cost of the project exceeds the amount appropriated above, the City of Ithaca shall convene as soon as possible to appropriate said excess amount immediately upon the notification by the New York State Department of Transportation thereof, and be it further RESOLVED, That City of Ithaca hereby agrees that construction of the Project shall begin no later than eighteen (18) months after award and that the project shall be completed within three years of commencing construction, and be it further RESOLVED, That the Mayor of the City of Ithaca be and is hereby authorized to execute all necessary Agreements and the Superintendent of Public Works is hereby authorized to execute all the necessary Certifications or reimbursement requests for Federal Aid and /or State-Aid on behalf of the City of Ithaca with the New York State Department of Transportation in connection with the advancement or approval of the Project and providing for the administration of the Project and the municipality’s first instance funding of project costs and permanent funding of the local share of federal-aid and state-aid eligible Project costs and all Project costs within appropriations therefore that are not so eligible, and be it further RESOLVED, That a certified copy of this resolution be filed with the New York State Commissioner of Transportation by attaching it to any necessary Agreement in connection with the Project, and be it further RESOLVED, This Resolution shall take effect immediately. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 4.3 Funding for Watercraft Storage Shed in Stewart Park Moved by Alderperson McGonigal. Seconded by Alderperson Nguyen. City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 14 WHEREAS, on March 2, 2016, Common Council approved four locations at Stewart Park and Cass Park for the purpose of non-motorized watercraft concessions, and during the summer months of 2016 a vendor was granted a license and operated a concession in Stewart Park near the Cascadilla Boat House location, and WHEREAS, the kayak and paddleboard rental concession proved to be a popular feature in Stewart Park supporting the public’s access to recreational opportunities on the water, but proved difficult to operate due to lack of overnight storage, to the point that the vendor will no longer operate without such a storage facility, and WHEREAS, in its 2016 submissions to Common Council, the Water Recreation Committee recommended an operations/storage building similar to the building used at Taughannock State Park, if needed, to help support concession operations, and WHEREAS, the Department of Public Works and Ithaca Youth Bureau have also expressed an interest in additional wintertime storage facilities for recreational equipment at Stewart Park, and WHEREAS, the cost of a shed that will support both summertime vendor operations and wintertime storage is estimated to be less than $10,000, which City staff are confident can be recouped over time through an increase in the concession fee based on the Pomeroy appraisal for square footage and increased concession revenue, of which the City receives 8 percent, and WHEREAS, in 2016, Common Council resolved that the concession constituted a public recreation- related use of parkland, and that the concession was expected to enhance the parks’ appeal and benefit to the public; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Common Council finds that the installation of a multi-use shed as described above fosters the public’s ability to access recreational and athletic opportunities in Stewart Park, and thereby fulfills a valid park purpose, and be it further RESOLVED, That Common Council authorizes the transfer of up to $10,000 from Unrestricted Contingency to account A7111-5483 to purchase and install the operations/storage shed near the Cascadilla Boat House. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 4.4 Approval of Engineering Assessment of Alternatives to Reconnect Cornell Heights to City of Ithaca’s Water System Moved by Alderperson Fleming. Seconded by Alderperson McGonigal. WHEREAS, the Cornell Heights neighborhood, roughly the area north of University Avenue, has been served by water supplied by the Cornell Water Filtration Plant since 1993, and City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 15 WHEREAS, this arrangement was implemented at Cornell’s request to enable them to utilize the City’s water main running through campus, down East Avenue, which had supplied Cornell Heights up to that time, and WHEREAS, in the original letter of understanding, Cornell and the City agreed that the City would supply an equal volume of water to Cornell at one of several possible locations on their campus to offset the water supplied by Cornell; that there would be little to no financial exchange for the arrangement; that Cornell Heights water users would remain City customers and would continue to be billed by the City; and that Cornell water users would continue to be billed by Cornell, and WHEREAS, the original letter of understanding was never converted to a formal legal agreement, but the water system changes were made immediately, and WHEREAS, the City saw and continues to see some benefits from this arrangement, including higher water pressures in Cornell Heights, which provide better fire protection, and WHEREAS, the City supplied the West Campus area of Cornell from Stewart Avenue for some period of time during the initial years of this arrangement, but the City’s water pressure and fire flow were eventually deemed unacceptable, and West Campus was switched back to Cornell’s water system in 1996, and WHEREAS, the City has more than enough capacity at its newly constructed water treatment plant to supply the required quantity of water, and WHEREAS, the City has been and remains willing to supply water to Cornell to offset the water supplied to Cornell Heights, but Cornell has heretofore not provided the City with an alternative location for the delivery of water, and WHEREAS, the City has offered and remains willing to pay Cornell the marginal cost of producing that amount of water, since the City sees minor savings in chemical and electricity costs by not treating and pumping that volume of water, and WHEREAS, Cornell has instead requested that the City pay a rate discounted by 45% from the their retail price for water, a rate approximately ten times higher than the City’s marginal cost of water, and WHEREAS, Cornell wishes to pursue the option of switching Cornell Heights back to the City’s water system, but the original water main down East Avenue is no longer available, and therefore a new connection will have to be planned and constructed, and WHEREAS, the City is interested to also explore the option of reconnecting the City’s water supply to West Campus, to allow the exchange of water to occur as originally conceived, and WHEREAS, the City has received from O’Brien and Gere a proposal to evaluate, for feasibility and cost, seven different alternatives for reconnecting Cornell Heights to the City’s water system and one option for serving West Campus, and City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 16 WHEREAS, this evaluation will cost $26,000, an amount the City is willing to pay, in partial recognition of the marginal water savings from not supplying Cornell with an offsetting amount of water since 1996; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby authorizes the expenditure, in an amount not to exceed $26,000, to be derived from existing funds in Capital Reserve #16 Water Sources Development for the purposes of evaluating costs for the reconnection of Cornell Heights to the City’s water system. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 4.5 Finance – Chamberlain – Request to Waive Penalty on Taxes Moved by Alderperson Nguyen. Seconded by Alderperson Fleming. WHEREAS, the owner of property at 205-207 W Yates Street and 327 & 329 W Court Street stated they sent in a check in the amount of $5,258.12 on January 19, 2017 for payment of the City and County taxes on the property, and WHEREAS, the check was never received by the Chamberlain’s Office, and WHEREAS, a replacement check has been sent and received by the Chamberlain’s Office for $5,258.12, but needs committee approval to accept the check and waive the penalty of $187.23; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the request to waive penalty on the 2017 City of Ithaca, First Installment and Tompkins County Taxes for 205-207 W. Yates Street and 327 & 329 W. Court Street in the amount of $187.23 is hereby approved. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Passed unanimously. 4.6 Amend Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Tesla for Solar Farm Moved by Alderperson McGonigal. Seconded by Alderperson Fleming. WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Solar City (now Tesla) on February 10, 2015 to buy all of the electricity produced by a large scale solar array located at the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport at a cost of $0.079 (7.9 cents) per kilowatt-hour of electricity, and WHEREAS, the solar array development process has been slowed down by a number of different issues, including solar array location and design changes; FAA requirements; and changes to New York State regulations pertaining to solar arrays, resulting in increased project costs that make the existing rate of 7.9 cents financially infeasible for Tesla to advance the project, and WHEREAS, Tesla has proposed a new PPA rate not to exceed $0.0915 (9.15 cents) per kilowatt-hour of electricity generated, with $0.0865 (8.65 cents) paid to Tesla (previously Solar City) and $0.005 (0.5 cents) paid to Tompkins County for the lease of the land, and City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 17 WHEREAS, the new size of the solar array is approximately 1,500 kilowatts DC, which would produce an estimated 1.8 million kilowatt hours in its first year of operation (as compared with the previous system size/production of 2,400 kw and 2.8 million kwh), and WHEREAS, for Tesla to retain the existing NYSERDA financial incentives, and for the City of Ithaca to retain the financial credit structure necessary for this project, Tesla must provide a down payment to NYSEG for utility upgrades by May 31, 2017. and WHEREAS, an amendment to the PPA is necessary to enable payment to NYSEG, and WHEREAS, the amendment and associated documents are currently under negotiation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council is supportive of entering into an amended Power Purchase Agreement with Tesla, provided that the City can come to mutually agreeable terms with Tesla at a rate not to exceed 9.15¢ (9.15 cents) per kilowatt-hour; and be it further RESOLVED, That the Mayor, subject to review by the City Attorney, City Controller, and Sustainability Coordinator, is hereby authorized to execute all necessary documents to effect such amendment. A vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Yes (3): Fleming, McGonigal, Mohlenhoff No (0): Abstained (1): Nguyen Motion passed 3-0-1. 5. Committee Working Group 5.1 Legislative Process Walk Through Chairperson Mohlenhoff and City Attorney Lavine mentioned that the Committees Working Group will meet on May 2, 2017, to discuss feedback from the members of City Boards/Committees and make any changes to the proposed new structure. After this meeting, legislation will be drafted and put on the agenda for the May meeting of the City Administration Committee. Some of the items that were discussed when drafting this language:  How many members should there be on each Commission? Currently, the number is seven (7).  What would be the makeup of the Commission (residents and/or non-residents)?  Should the Chairperson of the Commission be a City resident?  Will volunteers be able to commit to meetings that are held at night?  Staff working overtime if meetings are held at night. City Administration Committee Meeting April 19, 2017 Page 18  There will be no subgroups of the Commissions. But, staff can call people together to talk about a specific topic.  What are the meeting dates and times? How often will the meetings be held?  The reorganization is eliminating Committees/Boards, not topics. The City Attorney will draft the appropriate legislation to be considered by Common Council regarding the replacing of the Boards/Committees with Commissions. 6. 2018 Budget Discussion The Committee continues to discuss what items to put on the agenda for each month; such as:  Dogs on the Commons: There have been complaints about dogs being on the Commons. What is the law regarding this issue? Why are there no signs posted that list the rules of the Commons? The Committee asked that this item be put on the agenda in May and to invite the Police Department to the meeting to discuss what enforcement efforts are being conducted to address this issue.  Spectrum: Spectrum has replaced Time Warner Cable. The Committee discussed the channels that have been removed and that they want returned. A letter could be drafted and circulated to Common Council for interested members to sign;  TCAT Presentation: Chief of Staff Cogan has invited TCAT to attend a meeting and is working with them to finalize a date. 7. Meeting Wrap-up 7.1 Announcements. None. 7.2 Next Meeting Date: May 17, 2017. 7.3 Review, Agenda Items for Next Meeting. None. 7.4 Adjourn: With no further business and on a motion by Alderperson McGonigal, the meeting was adjourned at 8:28 p.m.