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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-B&A-1994-02-21 BUDGET AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE REGULAR MEETING 7 :30 P.M. FEBRUARY 21, 1994 MINUTES Present: Committee Members: Booth, Johnson, Shenk, Gray Others Present: Mayor - Nichols City Controller - Cafferillo Deputy Controller - Thayer City Attorney - Guttman Fire Chief - Wilbur Planning Director - VanCort Members of the media 1 . Opening Comments: Chairperson Booth stated that the following changes were made to the agenda: A. An additional item related to the Community Lay Advocates Program - Discussion B. An additional Controller item for payment of unpaid overtime - Executive Session C. An additional Controller item relative to the Ithaca Post Office - Executive Session D. An additional item to discuss the Pay Equity Study E. An additional Fire Department item to fill a vacancy Members of the Public were asked to speak; no members spoke. 2 . Fire Department A. Request to Amend 1994 Budget Fire Chief Wilbur presented a request to amend the Fire Department' s 1994 budget by $30, 237 to repair the damaged Aerialscope. Wilbur explained that one of their vehicles was damaged at the fire station, and the City received 1 f t BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 1994 repair estimates of $30, 787 . He stated that the City received an insurance recovery check in the amount of $30, 237 which was placed in a General Fund revenue account. Wilbur explained that he would like to transfer the insurance check to the Fire Department Equipment Maintenance account to cover the cost of the repair. After a brief discussion, the following motion was made: WHEREAS, the Fire Department damaged Baker Aerialscope #933 in an accident, and WHEREAS, the cost to repair the Aerialscope has been estimated at $30, 737, and WHEREAS, the City received an insurance reimbursement for the accident of $30, 237; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the insurance reimbursement of $30,237 be transferred from Account A2680 Insurance Revenues to Account A3410-476 Fire Department Equipment Maintenance for repair of said apparatus . The motion passed 3-0. Alderperson Johnson was out of the room when the vote was taken. B. Request to Fill Fire Department Vacancy Fire Chief Wilbur stated that an officers retirement is forthcoming in his department, and he would like to hire a new individual to fill the position prior to the retirement. There were some affirmative action concerns that needed to be addressed prior to the hiring. The Committee agreed that the Vacancy Review Committee should hear the request. No action was taken. 3 . Mayor A. Request to Release Contingency Funds for Mayor's Awards for Exceptional Service Program This request was discussed at the January B & A meeting, and the Committee requested that some of the outstanding questions be clarified and brought back for Committee action. 2 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 1994 Mayor Nichols presented the Committee with a revised version of the award program. He explained that this draft was posted around the City buildings for employees to make comments. He stated that only five comments were received including two favorable, two negative, and one favorable with minor changes . Mayor Nichols explained that he incorporated the Committee' s changes from last month and the five comments from employees into this version of the award program. The changes were as follows : A. Department heads would not be eligible for awards . B. Any person can nominate an employee. C. Awards in any one year could add up to $10,000 with a maximum individual award of $1, 000. D. No one person can receive a second award within three years from the previous award. E. A group of City employees is eligible. After a discussion regarding the program, the following motion was made. WHEREAS, the 1994 Adopted Budget included $10, 000 placed in the Restricted Contingency Account for the purpose of funding an employee awards program, and WHEREAS, the Mayor and the Attorney' s Office, with input from City employees, have proposed an awards program for exceptional service by City employees; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the attached Mayor' s Awards for Exceptional Service program (dated February 24, 1994) be approved for implementation in 1994; and be it further RESOLVED, That $10,000 be released from the Restricted Contingency Account A1990 and transferred to Account A1210-435 for purposes of funding the Mayor' s Awards for Exceptional Service program. The motion passed 4-0 . B. Lay Advocates Program Mayor Nichols presented a new proposal for the Lay Advocates Program which now includes the involvement of 3 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 1994 the Community Dispute Resolution Center. It was noted that the Community Police Board and PBA have not reviewed the new proposal, which includes the following: 1 . Goals are similar to the prior proposals . 2 . All citizens can be involved. 3. Volunteers will be trained by CDRC. 4 . The program will focus on attempting to facilitate direct conciliation of individual police officers with citizens. 5 . CDRC will report back to City with outcomes . 6. The budget is now $10, 150, which is a $150 increase 7 . The name of the program may change. It was the consensus of the Committee to review the new proposal and allow the PBA and Community Police Board to review the proposal, and bring all concerns back next month to the B&A for approval . No formal action was taken. 4 . Department of Public Works A. Request -to Amend 1994 Budget for SBA Grant Deputy Controller Thayer presented a request to amend the 1994 DPW Parks and Forestry Budget by $11, 000 to account for the receipt of a grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the National Small Business Tree Planting Program. Thayer explained that this was the second SBA grant the City has received. He noted that in 1991, the City received a similar SBA grant in which trees were planted along the old Elmira Road. It was stated that the new grant will continue that planting process . After a short discussion regarding the grant, the following motion was made: WHEREAS, the City has applied for and received an $11, 000 grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the National Small Business Tree Planting Program; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the City' s 1994 Budget be amended to reflect 4 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 1994 the Small Business Tree Planting Program Grant of $11 , 000 as follows: Increase Revenue Account: A-3989 Home & Community Service $11, 000 Increase Appropriations Account: A-7111-435 Parks & Forestry Contractual $11,000 The motion passed 4-0 . B. Snow Removal Report City Controller Cafferillo stated that the snow removal budget will easily be over-expended in 1994 due to the unusual amount of snow this winter. He stated that budget amounts and possible transfers will be brought forward next month to the B & A Committee. No formal action was taken. 5 . Finance Department/Chamberlain A. Request Extension of County Tax Warrant City Controller Cafferillo presented a resolution to authorize the City Chamberlain to extend the warrant for collection of 1994 taxes. He explained that this is an annual resolution by Council. The following motion was made: RESOLVED, That the City Chamberlain be authorized to request the County of Tompkins to extend its warrant for collection of the 1994 taxes until May 27, 1994. The motion passed 4-0. B. Request Partial Expungement of Tax Penalties City Controller Cafferillo presented a request from the City Chamberlain to authorize partial expungement of the penalties on the property owner of 605 S. Albany Street. Cafferillo stated that the Chamberlain recommended a partial expungement of the tax penalty. He explained that the total tax penalty owed the City was $57 . 32 . The recommendation was to waive $40 of the $57 . 32, based on the documentation provided by the property owner to the City. The remaining $17 . 32 would be used to offset the 5 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 1994 City' s fee for the transaction. The Committee reviewed the documentation and concurred with the Chamberlain. The following motion was made: WHEREAS, the property owner of 605 S. Albany Street has requested expungement of tax penalties in the amount of $57 . 32 owed to the City for late payment of City school taxes in October of 1993, and WHEREAS, the City Chamberlain and the Budget and Administration Committee have reviewed written documentation from the property owner relating to the late payment of school taxes; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That based on the recommendation of the City Chamberlain, a partial expungement of tax penalty in the amount of $40 be granted to the property owner of 605 S. Albany Street, and be it further RESOLVED, That the City Chamberlain be authorized to collect $17 . 32 of tax penalty from the property owner of 605 S. Albany Street to cover the City' s cost of said transaction. The motion passed 4-0. C. Clerk - Request to Support Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund City Controller Cafferillo presented a request to support New York State' s continued funding for the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund. He explained that this fund was established by the State in 1989, and has a sunset clause of December 31, 1995 . The City has benefitted from the three grants already received through this fund. However, the City still has a number of items yet to accomplish involving records management. Cafferillo explained that this resolution would support continuation of the fund past the sunset clause date of December 31, 1995 . After a brief discussion, the following motion was made: WHEREAS, the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund was established in Chapter 78, Laws of 1989, with a sunset date of December 31, 1995, to benefit the local governments of New York State through grants for records management and through establishment of a program of regionally-based technical assistance administered by the New York State Archives and Records Administration of the New York State Education Department, and 6 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 1994 WHEREAS, these needs are served and programs sustained through modest surcharges on fees for records filed and recorded by County Clerks of the State of New York and the Register of the City of New York, without the use of state tax revenues, and WHEREAS, the grants, consultations, workshops, and other services to municipalities supported by the Fund have contributed significantly to the improved management of its records, to the availability and accessibility of those records to its officials and citizens, and to economical and responsive administration saving taxpayers , dollars, and WHEREAS, the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund has enormously benefitted the City of Ithaca through three (3) grants totalling $100, 809 . , and grants exceeding $200, 000 . to Tompkins County municipalities, and WHEREAS, there is much more to be accomplished in the City, County and other local governments in New York State, where the needs will continue as the volume of records increase, and information technologies present new challenges; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Common Council of the City of Ithaca fully supports the perpetuation of the Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund through the elimination of its sunset provision and supports its continued administration b the New York -State Archives and Records Administration of the New York State Education Department, and, be it further RESOLVED, That the City Clerk be directed to forward copies of this Resolution to the State legislators, and to the Governor of the State of New York. The motion passed 4-0 . D. Pay Equity Study - Report Chairperson Booth stated that all members of Council have now received the final Pay Equity report. He suggested that a sub-committee be formed from the B & A Committee to review the Pay Equity Study and bring back recommendations based on the study. The Committee concurred with the suggestions . The sub-committee was appointed as follows : 7 F BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 1994 Alderperson Shenk Alderperson Johnson Alderperson Booth (occasional participant) Mayor Nichols Controller Cafferillo (staff) The sub-committee will meet and review the Pay Equity report and make recommendations to be brought back to the B & A Committee at future meetings . 6 . Committee to Proceed Into Executive Session The Committee voted, 4-0, to move into executive session to discuss possible litigation, purchase of property issues, and personnel issues . 7 . Report from Executive Session After the Committee voted, 4-0, to move back into regular session, Chairperson Booth reported that the following actions were taken in executive session: A. Attorney - Request Funds for Services Related to Acquisition of Real Estate WHEREAS, the City has determined that the acquisition of the so-called Mancini property, which adjoins Cass Park, would be favorable to- the City, and WHEREAS, the City needs to proceed with the acquisition of the Mancini property by the process of condemnation and an updated appraisal of said property must be completed; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the City enter into the process of the acquisition of the Mancini property by condemnation, and be it further RESOLVED, That an amount not to exceed $2, 500 be transferred from Account A1990 Unrestricted Contingency to Account A1420- 435 Law Contractual for purposes of funding an updated appraisal for said property. The motion passed 4-0 . B. Attorney - Call for Public Hearing RESOLVED, That the Common Council of the City of Ithaca shall hold a public hearing at the Common Council Chambers, City 8 BUDGET & ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 1994 Hall, 108 East Green Street, in the City of Ithaca on Wednesday, April 6, 1994 at 7 : 00 p.m. for the purpose of describing and soliciting public comment on a proposal for the City to acquire, under the Eminent Domain Procedure Law, a 5 . 363 acre parcel of land known as Tax Parcel No. 42-2-2 . 2, further known as the reapportion of 401 Cliff Street, now or formerly owned by Earland D. Mancini and Robert R. Mancini, and be it further RESOLVED, That the City Clerk give notice of such public hearing by the publication of the notice in the official newspaper as prescribed by Article 2 of the Eminent Domain Procedure Law and by further mailing a copy of said notice to the owners of the property and to their attorneys, Harris, Beach, Wilcox, and be it further RESOLVED, That the City Attorney is hereby authorized and directed to make an offer to acquire the property through negotiations for 100% of a appraised value of the property as provided in Section 303 of the Eminent Domain Procedure Law. The motion passed 4-0 . C. Attorney - Request Funds for Litigation Fees RESOLVED, That an amount not to exceed $1, 000 be transferred from Account A1990 Unrestricted Contingency to Account A1420- 425 Law Office Expense for the purpose of funding litigation fees relating to future litigation by the City. The motion passed 4-0. D. Controller - Payment of Unpaid Overtime - Discussion A discussion took place in executive session relating to the payment of unpaid overtime for City employees . The Committee concurred to direct City staff to calculate the total financial implications of this issue and report back. No formal action was taken. The next B & A meeting will be March 22, 1994 . The meeting adjourned at 9 :45 P.M. NOTE: In many cases the actual texts of the resolutions presented in these minutes were prepared following the Committee' s deliberations and decisions on the matters involved. The resolutions presented here are in complete accord with decisions made by the Committee. 9