The meeting was called to order at 2:00pm.

Dan Winch made a motion to approve the minutes from the December 8, 2004 meeting. Nancy Schuler seconded the motion. The minutes were approved unanimously.

Jonathan Wood, County Attorney, provided a memo and reviewed with the committee the procedure for disposal of County-owned property currently being used for a public purpose. Dan Winch asked if the County could ask for proposals and choose the preferred one even if it is a lower money offer.  Jonathan Wood said there is a NYS law that says property no longer needed for public use must be put out to bid, but the County can adopt a local law saying they need not take the highest bid.

Dan Winch made a motion to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of Real Estate Negotiations. Nancy Schuler seconded the motion. The committee entered executive session at 2:25 pm.

Nancy Schuler made a motion to exit Executive Session, Dan Winch seconded, and the committee exited Executive Session at 2:35 pm.

Kathy Luz Herrera arrived and Jonathan Wood left at 2:35 pm.

The Committee spoke of the new meeting schedule. Beginning in February, the Committee will meet the second Wednesday at 2:30pm and Karen Fuller, Clerk of the Legislature, will provide support to the committee.  The meeting scheduled for January 19, 2005 has been pushed back to January 26th, 2005.

Crystal Buck, Planner, informed the committee that she, Arel LeMaro, Facilities Director, and Kevin Marren of Labella Associates, met with Pat Buechel and Desiree Rogers at the Community Justice Center and Penny McGuire and Aurora Valenti at the DMV.  Kevin Marren also met with Alice Cole, Public Health Director, and the staff at the Health Department.  Alice Cole wanted it noted that there was a communication issue with Kevin Marren. The Committee agreed that Sergio Esteban of Labella Associates needed to know about the difficulties Alice Cole was having setting up meetings with Kevin Marren and Ed Marx would contact Mr. Esteban.

Kevin Marren, Labella Associates, arrived at 3:00 pm.

Kevin Marren updated the committee on his progress thus far.  He has worked on schematics/flow diagrams of the Health Department.  He suggested that a clinic be on the first floor near the front door to serve WIC/MOMS and On-Site Vaccinations, near the Rice Conference Room so that the space could be used for any necessary overflow.  On a second floor, Health Administration, Community Health Nurses, Environmental Health, and Health Promotion.  Records would be separated from public traffic.

After discussions with the DMV, Mr. Marren noted that they like their current location. If they were to move they would need to have it easily accessible, if they are hidden away or have limited parking the traffic would go down and their revenue comes from the traffic in and out of the office.  If they were to share a building with the Health Department they would have to have an entrance that was separate because they are a bonded facility. Also, if they moved to a new location the State would have to create a new drivers test route for that location.

Dooley Kiefer asked for clarification that housing the DMV in the same building with the Health Department was not an absolute requirement.  Having the DMV housed with the Health Department is an option not a criterion and the DMV would not drive the site choice in looking at new sites for the Health Department.

Prior to joining the meeting Mr. Marren had met with Desiree Rogers, Dave Wolf, Kathy Leinthall, Pat Buechel, and Dave Benson at the Probation Department in the Human Services Building.  He did not walk through the whole building but he noted one problem was records storage.
Dan Winch left at 3:30 pm.

Building security was also an issue for the staff when approached with the idea of moving Day Reporting into the Human Services Building.  With Day Reporting, young people are in and out of the building frequently; with Probation, no one gets beyond the first floor.  Kevin Marren was asked to check with Arel LeMaro, Facilities Director about the plan he had on how to combine the Justice Center with the Probation Department.

Dan Winch left the meeting at 3:30pm.

Kevin Marren noted that a member of the LaBella team has left LaBella and has been replaced with Bill Merkovsky. Mr. Merkovsky worked with MRB when they did the analysis on Biggs B so he is familiar with Tompkins County.  He will be working as an assistant to Mr. Marren.

Mr. Marren was asked to supply the committee with Mr. Merkovsky’s résumé.

Next Meeting: January 26, 2005 at 2:00pm
The meeting adjourned at 3:50 pm.
Respectfully submitted by Heather Stewart