HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CLC-2019-05-20
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Community Life Commission
May 20, 2019
2
Shopping Cart Ban Policy: CLC received Commission Project Plan from Common
Council to work on Shopping Cart Ban Policy. Ducson Nguyen came to discuss this-
The background is 4 years ago shopping cart ban was brought up and not only are they
a nuisance to residences; currently, Jeanne Grace and her staff are tasked with picking
up shopping carts and they find the current law ineffective. The current law is that
shopping carts are collected at DPW by golf course, the owner is to come pick up and
they do not pick up; Jeanne has gone to retailers with large amount of carts and gives
them a bill, but not sure if these actually ever get paid. 2015 former council person,
Eddie Rook was first person that took interest in this, and he drafted changes to current
law. Ducson stated he sat down with Jeanne Grace and City Attorney and came up
with a pared-down version of this policy and it was brought to City Administration.
Ducson also reached out to 25 retailers in the area, only 2 retailers came to meeting.
Current proposal suggests there would be a $50 fee per day that the carts are stored
and retailers said this fee was too high; Wegmans and Home Depot are two of the
retailers that came. They mentioned other municipalities have retention system in place
using radio/electronic barrier, where you cannot take the cart past a barrier and Aldi has
their coin system currently.
There was a discussion that people are taking carts for a reason and currently those
people that take them are not punished, there are transportation issues and without
providing some kind of solution for these vulnerable people who have this need, this will
continue.
Example was given of Titus Tower which is greatest concentration of carts/need for
them; there was a suggestion of possibly partnering with Ithaca Housing Authority or
other non-profits to get personal use carts for the people that need them and be able to
have personal use carts on hand to borrow them.
Questions from CLC: What if there was a centrally located cart return area/station? A
place where all carts contained in one area. The Titus Tower residents getting those
kinds of carts doesn’t help with mobility issue and we need to come up with something
that they can use as shopping cart/walking aide as they lean forward on it for
support/aide yet still have room for groceries/supplies. If somehow someone came up
with someone that made something up to assist elderly/mobility issues that can make
some kind of carts. This could be a project for Cornell or at IC Gerontology Department
to add to this conversation or give insight? And we should reach out to these groups to
regarding this. Other suggestions is that there is a population that gets shopping carts
that don’t have car/transportation, and low income residents receive benefits once a
month and do the bulk of their shopping and cannot use bus as large amount of items;
What other models of small cities that has this ban went to no shopping carts in city?
What are the cities and what if this does go through then what if shopping cart taken
and what are the repercussions/consequences? Who is going to enforce this? Ducson
stated that Santa Clara CA is one of the models he used/looked at and wanted to
address CLC, creating brainstorming: what happens is retailer is charged $50 per
cart/per day, have retailers phone number on each cart to call and have to retrieve the
cart within 24 hours; thought of enterprising individual could set up shopping cart bounty
to contract with retailers to get carts but there are concerns, be ways to scheme to get
Community Life Commission
May 20, 2019
3
carts and then get money for return of these. Task of CLC examine from all angles and
come up with some examples. How does retailer keep track and if customer takes cart?
Why is it their responsibility? This needs to be researched by Commission for these
many reasons, taking work already done, the research and now have time line of
August and few months later. Any questions can be directed to Ducson. There was a
question of whether there is a budget for this i.e., building of shopping cart return rack,
etc., and it was pointed out that this is already costing the City time and money for staff,
as well as the retailers. Wegmans was concerned with the suggested $50 per day/per
cart daily fee and their liability in retrieving on private property, in creeks, etc.; Tops has
barrier system now, how much was this? The cost of $200-$250 is what a new cart cost
to buy for retailers; talk to retailers and dig in deeper how to solve people needing
these? Does Wegmans have any shopping cart return requirements already in place?
They have many locations and their main concern was amount of fee and liability
questions for under -18 retrieving carts, etc. Two sides: need/ transportation as well as
need of people to their home/residence. There will be a need for Subcommittee to work
on this.
Public Art Working Group: Chair gave update on 1st round of murals – new system in
place w/Planning Department and have created subcommittee; there was community
complaint after 1st round that subcommittee wasn’t diverse enough and impression in
diversity in choices of art we chose; Workforce Diversity Committee Meeting this week;
Alex @ Planning, Keeler and Chair to give diverse list to start and who they reached out
to and not sure that it wasn’t diverse to begin with, but CLC will be working on this for
future; we will make sure extra effort to make working group, public art funding and
making effort on all fronts as well as the Planning Department. Public Art Working
Group and looking at different people and recommendations on list.
Question of why the public art sculpture (John Spence) isn’t through City? Community
Arts Partnership is not City of Ithaca organization, they are a non-profit group – this
sculpture being placed on city/county property and its county funded; doesn’t matter
where funding comes from CLC has to approve of this. CLC our role and the
subcommittee’s role the same for all city art regardless of where funding comes from.
Chair will run it by Alex @ Planning and that we were notified of this sculpture, asked to
approve all City Art? Initial review already done, CLC to ask John Spence for follow up
in terms of his dates and his request for qualifications of those and as well as the 6
proposals and how the decision was made. What is the role of CLC is regarding this
county funded art on City property? Chair to have conversation w/John Spence and
Alex w/Planning regarding this, she will send us info from those conversations. This is
how we learn from different processes and come up with practical solutions. Having
some clarity on this art process? This is a topic that spans more than one commission
(CLC and Parks) and Chair will bring up at the next Commission Chairs Meeting and let
us know.
Keeler said group looking at city public art, support or advocacy; permission to public to
use city buildings if art could have funding; research or outreach; goal of having some
artists on committee, some people for economic development, grants, funding and
administration; diversity of people and opinions and ideas; He spoke with the Director of
Community Life Commission
May 20, 2019
4
Southside who has recently accepted job out of state and will give other names; Fe Nun
he spoke with and will get together to brainstorm for other names as well for the
subcommittee; including students, haven’t yet but Tom Knipe gave names; There
should be high school students included and Keeler to check in with Southside because
of the mural project and all of the young women involved in this and working on project
for that had a lot to do with empowerment; Chair to set time line have group created by
would like to have group together in a month and just protocols for appointment of
advisors and once together what we will be doing to create a form going in other
direction that goes to Counsel and to keep them in the loop and any suggestions of
people should be given to Keeler.
Follow Up Cornell Conversations: We got a lot of info, and question now is: What
does CLC want to do? Who and what key points are we looking into/thoughts: Want to
know that this isn’t all for nothing and have some kind of updated numbers and updated
survey and he could do some work on this good to bounce ideas – data; what wasn’t in
that report; new ideas; helping by funding; other piece from Mayor was real life stories
to back up actually talk to people and get people to present to us and share what it is all
about make It powerful; more research, crunching numbers researching on alternative
ways to get funding and stories; CLC members have all agreed to do more research on
this and both Byrne & Hillson have volunteered to be on this working group. Fleming
noted that the current MOU runs through 2024 and has CLC actually seen that MOU?
and we should have solid understanding and what was written in past; key points now
and recommendations; we will need to have public info sessions; CU refute and Gary at
Cornell – finding common ground is more likely way to get them to talk (possible
contribute to public art?). Moving forward to invite CU to present to us and their side of
the story; making sure that’s there and be more knowledgeable of issues; Cornell
wanting to make Ithaca better place; staff, students, professors; why Ithaca? as
business owner/you can come to Ithaca to own a bookstore; we are a cooperative – It
might be helpful to talk with some people from the employees assembly at CU also
reach out to collective bargain units at CU like dining staff and people who could benefit
from enhanced contributions that CU could make;
The Cornell Follow Up Working Group reviewing everything and dig in are they fulfilling
MOU research how other universities are doing and update info; look at alternative
fundings in the community; etc., start outlining what we are going to do and if need be,
fill those needs with more CLC or go outside, etc. Should be fairly soon we invite CU;
Flag Policy – Chair gave update of flag policy – came to City Admin 5/15– reviewed
proposal they had a questions and a couple of procedural recommendations; Chair will
forward questions; and get done before next meeting; she will forward questions to Hall
and Hillson before next City Admin mtg on June 19. Need to know whether the county
policy passed? Hall & Hillson to follow up at next meeting – Chair or subcommittee need
to go to City Admin Meeting or committee?
We had talked about plastic bag ban that was then passed by NYS on March 2020,
Lewis brought question of banning the use of single use plastic utensils, if CLC would
Community Life Commission
May 20, 2019
5
be interested in recommendation to the City of banning the purchases of single use
plastic utensils for events/meetings. We would like further information to further support
that or can we just go forward with recommendation? There was mention regarding
straws as well. Lewis will get more information urging City into banning purchases of
single use plastic utensils for meetings/ youth programs/GIAC/ IYB?
June Meeting – Did MATCOM approve ADA Coordinator? Chair will get an update on
commissioner’s meeting; follow up on flags from Hall & Hillson; check in from Byrne &
Hillson regarding Cornell research; info from Keeler on Public Art Working Group; Byrne
will send members the existing Cornell MOU; shopping carts research by Scriber, wants
to have assistance and Chair to do follow up email to join in on the shopping carts
working group; Joy Das should be appointed to CLC by next meeting;
Chair has asked that lateness will be noted at each meeting;
7:42 Adjourned
Next Meeting:
Monday, June 17, 2019, 6:00 p.m., Common Council Chambers, 3rd Floor
Adjournment:
On a motion, the meeting was adjourned at 7:42 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted by,
Jody Hallett-Harris, Executive Assistant