Date: 05-05-2021 COMMON COUNCIL Time: 6:00 PM Location: City of Ithaca Public AGENDA ITEMS Meetings YouTube Channel Item Voting Presenter(s) Time Allotted Item Call to Order No Mayor Svante L. Myrick 10 Mins 1.1 Additions to or Deletions from the Agenda 1.2 Proclamations/Awards 1.3 Special Presentations Before Council No Deputy Director of 15 Mins - Report on the status of the City’s economic Economic Development – development efforts including pandemic response Knipe and recovery. 1.4 Reports of Municipal Officials 2.1 Petitions and Hearings of Persons before Council No *Note: See instructions 60 Mins 2.2 Privilege of the Floor – Mayor and Council No on how to participate on page 2 of the agenda. Consent Agenda Items 3.1 DPW – Reallocation of Position – Chief Water Yes Common Council 5 Mins Treatment Plant Operator 3.2 DPW - Request to Allocate Contingency Funds to Community Beautification Program 3.3 IFD - Amendment to Personnel Roster 3.4 IURA – Community Housing Development Fund, Round #20 – Authorize Disbursement of Funds Pursuant to an Executed MOU 3.4A Third MOU with Tompkins County and Cornell University to Continue the Community Housing Development Fund Thru 2027 – Declaration of Lead Agency 3.4B IURA - Third MOU with Tompkins County and Cornell University to Continue the Community Housing Development Fund Thru 2027 – Environmental Review 3.4C IURA – Third MOU with Tompkins County and Cornell University to Continue the Community Housing Development Fund Thru 2027 – Action Item Voting Presenter(s) Time Allotted Item Consent Agenda Items- Continued Yes Common Council 5 Mins 3.5 DPW – Walkable Ithaca: Giles Street Sidewalk Project 3.6 DPW – South Albany Street Bridge Project 3.7 WWTP – Approval of Permanent Water and Access Easements and Rights-of-Way for City of Ithaca Water Main 3.8 Mayor – Increase in Hours for Certain Positions 3.9 A Local Law to Amend Section C-24 of the City of Ithaca Charter Regarding the Examining Board of Electricians City Administration Committee Items 4.1 Resolution for Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Yes Asst. Supt. of W&S 5 Mins Facility Emergency Repairs – Activated Sludge Blowers Gibson 4.2 Resolution for Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Yes Asst. Supt. of W&S 5 Mins Facility Emergency Repairs – Primary Digester Gibson 4.3 Common Council - Extension of TCAT Yes 10 Mins Transportation Agreement for One Year 4.4 Report of the City Controller No City Controller Thayer 10 Mins Planning & Economic Development Committee Items 5.1 An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 146 of the City of Planning Division Staff 30 Mins Ithaca Municipal Code Entitled “Building Code Enforcement” A. Declaration of Lead Agency Yes B. Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance Yes C. An Ordinance to Establish the Ithaca Energy Code Yes Supplement 5.2 An Ordinance to Exchange Lands for and Lease Yes City Attorney Lavine 20 Mins Exchanged Lands to the Ithaca Community Gardens 5.3 East Hill Fire Station Discussion of RFEI No Planning Division Staff 20 Mins Responses-Possible Executive Session Individual Member Filed Resolutions 6.1 Resolution in Support of the NY Health Act Yes Alderperson Murtagh 5 Mins Item Voting Presenter(s) Time Allotted Item Reports from Council and Staff 7.1 Reports of Special Committees No Common Council 15 Mins 7.2 Reports of Common Council Liaisons 7.3 Report of City Clerk Staff 7.4 Report of City Attorney Meeting Wrap-Up 8.1 Approval of Minutes No Common Council 5 Mins 8.2 Adjournment No How to Participate in Public Comment Virtually You are welcome to participate in the public comment portion of the meeting in one of the following ways: Email Common Council Through the Agenda Link Written comments can be submitted to Common Council using this form: Common Council Public Comment Form Comments should be submitted no later than 5:00 pm on the day of the meeting. These comments will not be read into the record but will be included as an attachment to the meeting minutes. Any comments received after 5:00 pm will be saved for the next meeting. Register to Speak at a Meeting Via Zoom At 9:00 am on the day of the Common Council meeting, a link will be opened on the Common Council webpage to register for speaking at the beginning of the Zoom meeting. Up to 40 people can register to speak and the first hour of the meeting will be dedicated to public speaking. Registration will close at 3:00 pm in order to allow time to calculate how long each person will be allowed to speak. If you register, you will be emailed the Zoom link later that day. Use that link to sign in and enter the Zoom meeting. You will be selected to speak in the order that you were registered. You must be present in the meeting when it is your turn to speak or you will forfeit your time. You can use video or telephone to participate. Get Creative: Send us a Social Media Link Send us a social media video with your thoughts and ideas. You can send it in using the public comment link found on each agenda and then the URL to your video will also be included in the public record. Questions about the meeting protocol can be forwarded to City Clerk Julie Conley Holcomb at (607) 274-6570 or [email protected] in advance of the meeting. CONSENT AGENDA: CITY ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE: 3.1 DPW – Reallocation of Position – Chief Water Treatment Plant Operator WHEREAS, the Superintendent of Public Works requested a review of the Chief Water Treatment Plant Operator position pursuant to the terms of the City Executive Association labor contract, and WHEREAS, the review determined that a permanent and material growth in the position’s responsibilities has occurred, and WHEREAS, the Human Resources Department reviewed the point factor evaluation of the Chief Water Treatment Plant Operator position and determined that the growth in responsibilities merits an increased point factor rating, which results in the reallocation of the position to a higher salary grade; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the position of Chief Water Treatment Plant Operator be reallocated from Grade 7 to Grade 8 of the City Executive Association Compensation Plan, and, be it further RESOLVED, That funding in the amount of $5,820.85 to cover the resulting salary increase retroactive to February 3, 2021 shall be derived from Account # F8330-5110 3.2 DPW - Request to Allocate Contingency Funds to Community Beautification Program WHEREAS, the aesthetics of our community are important for the quality of life for City of Ithaca residents as well as providing a positive impression for tourists to our city, and WHEREAS, Public Works projects in the City often have a landscaping component as part of the design and these additions have outpaced the City staff’s ability to keep up with the associated need for skilled maintenance, and WHEREAS, Park and greenspace use has seen a vast increase during this past year and it is imperative these areas of respite remain attractive, inviting, well maintained and safe spaces, and WHEREAS, the City has partnered with the Tompkins County Community Beautification Program for years in the maintenance of public green spaces and gardens, however their budget is largely dependent on Tourism tax funding which has drastically decreased since 2020 and they are unable to provide additional maintenance to City gardens without additional financial support, and WHEREAS, contributing financially to this program in return for additional support in City gardens is the most efficient use of City funds to solve this maintenance need, and WHEREAS, the current City Parks and Forestry Budget does not have funds available to contribute to said program, and WHEREAS, the current balance in the Unrestricted Contingency Account is $120,000; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That Common Council hereby transfers an amount not to exceed $7000 from Account A1990-5000 Unrestricted Contingency to Account A7111-5435 Parks Contracts to contribute to the County Beautification Program for the purpose of adding one seasonal staff position to incorporate maintenance of 10 gardens locations (38 garden beds) in City parks, along the waterfront trail, or within traffic calming features around the City. CITY OF ITHACA 245 Pier Rd., Ithaca, New York 14850 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, STREETS & FACILITIES Telephone: 607/272-1718 Fax: 607/272-4374 From: Jeanne Grace, City Forester To: City Administration Date: 3/30/2021 Re: Additional Funding for City Gardens The aesthetics of our community are important for the quality of life for City of Ithaca residents as well as providing a positive impression for visitors to our city. Public Works projects in the City often have a landscaping component as part of the project. Everything from bridge projects and traffic calming measures to trail installation and park improvements have a garden component in the design. As these features have been added, there has been no resources allocated for maintaining these new amenities. No matter what the garden design, regardless of the plants selected for a garden, no garden is truly without maintenance. Routine weeding and mulching is required to keep out the invasive weeds that overtake a planted garden if not managed. Over the past year our parks have seen a vast increase in use and it is imperative the parks remain attractive, inviting, well maintained safe spaces. I have worked with existing parks seasonal staff and the County Beautification Program to try to maintain these areas but the number of areas in need of regular maintenance has outpaced city staff’s ability to keep these gardens well maintained. There are several locations where gardens were installed as part of a project but due to inadequate maintenance, the gardens have been removed and replaced with turf.