Chair Mink called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and Roll Call of Members

Members and guests participated in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Present: 14 Representatives. Excused – 1 (Representative Koplinka-Loehr).

Ms. Mink asked that members of the Board take a minute to reflect on a former Board member, Jack Clynes, who recently passed away. She said he was a good Board member who was very active in the community and this loss will be mourned by many.

Privilege of the Floor by the Public

Ron Flynn, Deputy Chief of the Dryden Fire and Ambulance Company and also the elected President of the newly formed Fire and EMS Chiefs Association of Tompkins County, explained the Association was formed to create cohesiveness between fire and ambulance departments throughout Tompkins County. It also provides a forum for chiefs to speak openly in a non-political arena. The Association was formed in August and meets once per month and is in the process of being recognized by the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs. In addition to discussing the County’s paging and communication system, they exchange ideas in an open forum to help each department deal with every- day problems. Mr. Flynn emphasized that the Association was not organized to undermine or replace the existing long-standing Tompkins County Fire, Disaster, and EMS Advisory Board, but to assist wherever possible. He said the goals of the Association are to establish and maintain a working relationship with the Fire, Disaster, and EMS Coordinator and assist that office whenever possible, and increase and maintain communication among all departments in the County.

Privilege of the Floor by Board Members

Mr. Proto, District No. 7 Representative, thanked Board members who participated in the recent Veteran’s Day parade. Mr. Proto said in the most recent issue of the Ithaca Times there was an article that deals with the Cayuga Green project. He referred to the portion of the article that addressed the Library’s solar panels being moved, and asked if any Board member had the opportunity to listen to the presentation. Mr. Stein said he attended the presentation at the request of Chair Mink. He said he didn’t recall any mention of the solar panels being moved; however, another presentation will be made to the Library Board of Trustees and he will follow-up on Mr. Proto’s question at that time.

Mr. Lane, District No. 14 Representative, welcomed Representative Leslyn McBean to the Board, and stated he is glad all the residents of Tompkins County are once again represented on the Board.

Presentation on the Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan

Lee Shurtleff, Deputy Fire, Disaster, and EMS Coordinator, said the Emergency Planning Committee was formed a little over a year ago. At that time they had no idea that the events of September 11^th would move to the forefront; however, those tragic events underscore the need for a comprehensive plan for Tompkins County.

Mr. Shurtleff explained the history behind Tompkins County’s creation of an emergency plan, stating that the original plan was first developed in the mid 1980s and focused on events such as airplane crashes. The interest in developing a more comprehensive plan was spurred two years ago with the Y2K events. At that time there was a large group of public safety, public health providers, and municipalities who participated in a week-long emergency management program that was sponsored by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Association). At that time needs were identified to develop a comprehensive plan and expand the County’s resource database and improve communications among agencies. Soon thereafter a plan was developed that addressed resource databases, mutual-aid agreements, hazardous- materials plans, and identified the need to update and to eventually develop additional plans and agreements as appropriate.

Mr. Shurtleff said the membership is comprised of representatives from several organizations involved in local government and include public works, public safety, law enforcement, health, and various other groups. He said the group meets on a monthly basis since 2000 and is probably one of the most effective and involved groups he has been involved with in Tompkins County.

Mr. Shurtleff said there are four strategies contained in the plan:

• Mitigation - being able to make communities disaster resistant; (for example, flood control)
• Preparedness – preparing both responders and the public, and proper training
• Response – developing strategies for dealing with various situations
• Recovery – developing a plan for returning the community to normal after an event has taken place

He explained the various functions: managing emergency operations, situation reporting, damage assessments, terrorism response, alert warning notification, and resource management. He said there are many organizations and agencies who are involved, and a number of task groups are working with them on a number of components. One of those groups is the public information and emergency alerting group. A comprehensive group that includes local governments and the universities is putting together a public information program that can be implemented in case of an emergency. There are also police, public works, and health groups who are also formalizing plans and developing strategies to deal with emergencies.

Mr. Shurtleff spoke of terrorism and the events of September 11. He assured everyone that when the events of that day transpired, the emergency response community in Tompkins County was together in a matter of minutes reacting to the circumstances and devising a course of action to protect vulnerable facilities. Since that time there have been numerous meetings between agencies and many plans have been reviewed. Mr. Shurtleff said the State of New York recently sent in representatives from the Weapons of Mass Destruction Task Force. He also attended a meeting in Syracuse last week that was coordinated by the State Health Department that was for the sole purpose of informing counties of what resources and equipment are existing at the state and federal level to assist counties should there be some type of bioterriorism event. Mr. Shurtleff spoke of how well Tompkins County is prepared for an event, and said there is an Emergency Planning Committee and a number of dedicated agencies who converse frequently and have good communicational abilities and are well coordinated in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Mr. Proto asked about the creation of a hazardous-materials team. Mr. Shurtleff said that is in the works.

Chair's Report and Appointment(s)

Ms. Mink welcomed Representative McBean, and stated for the remainder of the year Ms. McBean will be serving on those standing committees that Representative Davis served on.

Ms. Mink made appointment(s) following the adoption of Resolution No. 294.

Report from the County Administrator

Mr. Whicher reported departments have been reporting on communications they have received from the State on the budget and it appears that the $1 billion shortfall that the State is experiencing will be passed down to the counties. Mr. Whicher said the Assessment Department has already received notification of the loss of approximately $60,000 in State Aid. He announced the selection of Edward Marks of Oswego County, for the position of Tompkins County Planning Commissioner. Mr. Marks will begin employment the first of January.

It was MOVED by Ms. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Totman, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to approve the County Administrator's recommended the appointment of Edward Marks to the position of Planning Commissioner. APPOINTMENT CARRIED, unanimously.

Mr. Whicher announced that he regrettfully had to accept the resignation of George McClure as Director of Information Technology Services. Greg Potter has been appointed Interim Director.

Report from the County Attorney

Mr. Wood reported on the decision in the Redistricting litigation and said the Town and the plaintiffs had the three following claims:

• The County improperly drew the boundaries, which was harmful to the Town; this was rejected by the Appellate Division, which ruled that the County had acted in good faith.
• The County improperly conspired with the City of Ithaca; this was rejected by the Appellate Division as they found no evidence of this.
• The County corrected an obvious error by the Census and Judge Mulvey dismissed that claim by the Town. The Appellate Court ruled he was premature in doing that and that the County should wait for the Census Bureau to act.

Mr. Wood said he and the County Administrator were asked at the last Board meeting to contact municipalities with regard to how much they have spent on this legal action. He said all of the towns have been cooperative but do not have complete information at this time. Mr. Whicher noted that they attempted to do this informally; however, the Town of Ithaca has asked the County to file a Freedom of Information request.

Mr. Lane said he understood the Town of Ithaca had filed an appeal on the Bostwick Road portion of the other lawsuit; Mr. Wood said he has receive nothing on that yet.

Report from the Finance Director

Mr. Squires had no report.

Resolution(s) Added to the Agenda

On motion and duly seconded and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, the following resolution(s) were added to the agenda:
 

• Making a Negative Determination of Environmental Significance in Relation to Resolution No. 295 of 2001
• Finalizing the Re-Programming of Unused Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Funds – Environmental Associates, Ltd.
• Authorizing the County Administrator to Enter into an Agreement Granting New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) an Easement Along the South Side of Cherry Road
• Award of Bid – Passenger Boarding Bridge – Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport
• Audit of Final Payment – Runway 14/32 Edge Lighting Rehabilitation – Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport
• Authorizing the County Administrator and Commissioner of Personnel to Continue the Enforcement of a Soft-Hiring Freeze

No resolution(s) were withdrawn from the agenda.

Approval of Appointment(s) and Resolution(s) Under the Consent Agenda

MOVED by Ms. Kiefer, seconded by Mr. Totman, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to approve the following appointments under the Consent Agenda.

Appointment(s)

Library Board of Trustees
Tonya Engst Miller – term to expire December 31, 2002

STOP-DWI Advisory Board
David Barnes – Ithaca City Police Department – term to expire December 31, 2003
James Steinmetz – Village Police Department – term to expire December 31, 2002

RESOLUTION NO. 277 - AUTHORIZING A MULTIPLE-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH TOMPKINS TRUST COMPANY FOR PAYROLL BANKING SERVICES

MOVED by Ms. Kiefer, seconded by Mr. Totman, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to approve the following resolution under the Consent Agenda. Mr. Proto disclosed that his wife is an employee of the Tompkins County Trust Company.

WHEREAS, the Finance Department issued an RFP for banking services related to payroll and direct deposit origination, and
WHEREAS, all qualified financial institutions domiciled within the County were solicited for such service, and
WHEREAS, four proposals were received and evaluated by staff representing Payroll, Treasury, and Information Technology Services operation, and
WHEREAS, the evaluation group unanimously recommended that the proposal submitted by Tompkins Trust Company as the most complete, responsive, and financially advantageous be accepted, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee, That the Director of Finance is authorized to enter into a multi-year agreement with the Tompkins Trust Company to provide payroll banking services, and that such services will be provided without application of fees or service charges.
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Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Budget and Capital Committee

Mr. Joseph, Chairman, reported the Committee spent time at the last Committee meeting discussing proposed amendments to the Tompkins County Budget.

RESOLUTION NO. 278 - ADOPTION OF 2002 TOMPKINS COUNTY BUDGET

MOVED by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Lalley. Mr. Joseph said that he had intended to bring another amendment forward; however, he has decided against bringing it forward. It was MOVED by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Proto, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to amend the 2002 Tompkins County Budget as follows:

Budget Amendment No. 1 – Increase Unallocated Revenues and Contingent Fund

WHEREAS, based on current 2001 Tobacco Settlement proceeds, an estimate of $615,000 is included in the 2002 Proposed Budget, and
WHEREAS, anticipated proceeds for 2001 are approximately $695,000, and
WHEREAS, an $80,000 increase in the Contingent Fund will provide additional resources for essential services threatened by revenue shortfalls or inadequate funding, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee, That Page 5 of the 2002 Proposed Budget, Line 12 "Other General Revenues" is increased by $80,000 as a result of the refined estimate for Tobacco proceeds,
RESOLVED, further, That Page 5 of the 2002 Proposed Budget, Line 7 "Contingent Fund" is increased by $80,000.

Mr. Penniman said that with the increase in proposed revenue, it is tempting to look for other places to spend the funds especially with all the cuts that have been made. However, given the outlook of the State budget he does not feel it would be wise to find alternative uses for this money at this time.

Ms. Mink read the following statement submitted by Representative Koplinka-Loehr:

"Thank you Barbara for allowing me the opportunity to make a statement for you and my other Board colleagues. Regrettably, a prior family commitment that was finalized three months before the budget calendar was established, will prevent me from voting with you this evening. Were I at the table tonight I would join those who stay the course in the face of compelling and heartbreaking pleas to either increase allocations to either very worthy programs or decrease the tax rate required to balance our budget for 2002.

This has not been an easy budget season for anyone and I know we all share an uneasy sense that deeper fiscal challenges are ahead. A laudable unanimous vote was achieved out of Budget Committee due to the fact that every member of the Board gave up support for some very important personal priorities at the exact same time that others agreed to do the same. This alliance is our best thinking at the present time given the uncertainty. Challenging times require uncommon solutions. I stand with those who continue to stand by the agreement that we achieved in Budget Committee. I thank each of my colleagues and every resident of Tompkins County for the very real impacts we must all endure for the foreseeable future due to this delicate budget balancing action we must take. Finally, an annual budget is a tangible summary of thousands of policy decisions weighed throughout the year. I have complete confidence in the public discussion and deliberative process now in your hands no matter what the outcome since I trust your best judgements".

A voice vote on the resolution as amended resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused - 1 (Representative Koplinka-Loehr). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.

WHEREAS, a proposed budget for the year 2002 was recommended by the Budget and Capital Committee and a public hearing has been duly called and held on November 13, 2001, pursuant to the provision of Section 5.06 of the County Charter and Code, and all persons desiring to be heard concerning same have been heard, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee, That pursuant to Section 5.07 of the County Charter and Code, the said proposed budget as amended is adopted, subject to the correction of manifest errors by the Clerk of the Board and Budget Officer, as the budget of Tompkins County for the year 2002,
RESOLVED, further, That pursuant to Section 5.03, 5.04 and 5.05 of the County Charter and Code, the several amounts specified in such budget opposite each item of expenditure set forth in the column adopted are appropriated for the objects and purposes specified, effective January 1, 2002,
RESOLVED, further, That the sum of $21,319,784 required to meet expenses and costs of county government in Tompkins County for the fiscal year 2002 as set forth in the budget be assessed against, levied upon, and collected from the taxable property of the nine towns and the city liable therefore.
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MOVED by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Winch. It was MOVED by Mr. Lane, seconded by Mr. Todd, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to amend the 2002-2006 Tompkins County Capital Program as follows:

Budget Amendment No. 2 - Add Capital Project – Sander Truck - Airport

WHEREAS, as part of required equipment to ensure safe winter operations, the Airport is requesting replacement of their existing 1986 Sander Truck / Plow, and
WHEREAS, the cost the of the equipment is $100,000 with 90% supported by the FAA, 5% supported by the NYSDOT and 5% ($5,000) reflected in the Airport’s 2002 proposed operating budget, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Works and Budget and Capital Committees, That Schedule A of the 2002-2006 Proposed Capital Program is revised to include the Airport Truck with Sander, Plow and Underbelly Scraper.

A voice vote on the resolution as amended resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused - 1 (Representative Koplinka-Loehr). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.

WHEREAS, the proposed Budget for the year 2002 and the proposed 2002-2006 Capital Program have been presented to the Board by the Budget Officer and a public hearing has been duly called and held on November 13, 2001, pursuant to the provision of Section 5.06 of the County Charter and Code and all persons desiring to be heard concerning same have been heard, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee, That pursuant to Section 5.07 of the County Charter and Code, the said proposed capital program as amended is adopted, subject to the correction of manifest errors by the Clerk of the Board and Budget Officer, as the capital program of Tompkins County for the years 2002-2006.
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RESOLUTION NO. 280 - IMPLEMENTATION OF 2002 TOMPKINS COUNTY BUDGET – MEMBERSHIPS
MOVED by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Lalley. It was MOVED by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Lalley, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to add $120 for American Public Works Association dues to the list. At the request of Mr. Proto, the list of memberships will be amended to include departmental titles rather than names. A voice vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused - 1 (Representative Koplinka-Loehr). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the appropriate program committees, That memberships in all municipal organizations specifically listed in 2002 budget requests, approved by the appropriate program committee, and included in the 2002 budget adopted by the Board of Representatives, are hereby authorized and approved.
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RESOLUTION NO. 281 - IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2002 BUDGET - DEPARTMENTAL FEES

MOVED by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Winch, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee, That all increases in fees and changes in methods of charging fees specifically identified in the departmental budget requests, recommended by the Budget and Capital Committee for 2002, and included in the 2002 budget adopted by the Board of Representatives, are hereby authorized and approved.
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Mr. Lane commended Representative Joseph, County Administration, and County department heads for all of the time and hard work that was put into this budget process. Chair Mink commended the tremendous spirit in which the 2002 budget was put together. She thinks all Board members and everyone throughout the organization is to be commended.

RESOLUTION NO. 282 – AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND COMMISSIONER OF PERSONNEL TO CONTINUE THE ENFORCEMENT OF A SOFT-HIRING FREEZE

Moved by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Proto. Mr. Joseph said this lays out the manner in which the hiring freeze will be implemented. He said in order for a department to fill any position it will need the approval of the relevant program committee. He said some concerns have been raised by department heads that this approval process may slow things down. He suggested withdrawing this resolution at this time and having it discussed further by Committee. Mr. Proto said if a department has a need to take something out of sequence, it can do so. It was agreed the Board would take action on this resolution now and discuss it at the next Committee meeting if necessary. A voice vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 12, Noes - 2 (Representatives Kiefer and Schuler); Excused - 1 (Representative Koplinka-Loehr). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.

WHEREAS, in March of 2001, the County Administrator and Commissioner of Personnel implemented a soft-hiring freeze requiring Department Heads to request and provide justification for filling vacant positions, and
WHEREAS, the County Administrator and Commissioner of Personnel reviewed the information and made a joint determination, and
WHEREAS, the Board of Representatives wishes to continue the soft-hiring freeze with requests being submitted to and further reviewed by the appropriate program committee, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Program Committee, That the Board of Representatives hereby authorizes and directs the County Administrator and Commissioner of Personnel to continue the soft-hiring freeze for an indefinite period as described below:

• In order to fill any vacant position, Department Heads will first submit their request and justification to the Commissioner of Personnel and to the County Administrator.
• The Commissioner of Personnel will submit her recommendation to the County Administrator.
• The County Administrator will submit the request, justification, and his recommendation to the appropriate program committee for their determination.
• If the County Administrator and program committee agree that the position should be filled, authorization will be recorded in the committee minutes. The Commissioner of Personnel will be notified and will contact the Department Head.
• If the County Administrator and program committee disagree as to whether the position should be filled or not, the request and justification along with the County Administrator and program committee recommendations will be forwarded to the Board of Representatives for final determination. The Commissioner of Personnel will be notified and will contact the department head.

Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Public Safety Committee

Mr. Totman, Chairman, reported the Committee met on October 8 and heard from Judge Marjorie Olds about a proposal to create a court day care program for the children of individuals attending court proceedings. He said the Probation Department reported to the Committee they have the highest caseloads they have ever had. The Assigned Counsel program reported the Dryden Town Court has had a busy week with nine felonies.

RESOLUTION NO. 283 - AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT THREE GRANTS FROM THE STATE OF NEW YORK GOVERNOR’S TRAFFIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE FOR THE "BUCKLE UP NEW YORK", "STEP ENFORCEMENT GRANT TO REDUCE UNSAFE DRIVING" AND "CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY PROGRAM"

MOVED by Mr. Totman, seconded by Mrs. Schuler, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.

WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office applied for grant monies from the New York State Governor’s Traffic for participation in the "BUCKLE UP NEW YORK", "STEP ENFORCEMENT GRANT TO REDUCE UNSAFE DRIVING" AND "CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY PROGRAM" campaigns for October 1, 2001 – September 30, 2002, and
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded the grants from the New York Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee in the following amounts: "BUCKLE UP NEW YORK" - $9,720, "STEP ENFORCEMENT GRANT TO REDUCE UNSAFE DRIVING" - $24,500 and "CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY PROGRAM" - $10,200, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, That the County accept the grants for the "BUCKLE UP NEW YORK", "STEP ENFORCEMENT GRANT TO REDUCE UNSAFE DRIVING" and "CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY PROGRAM" to be used for the purpose of the aforementioned traffic safety programs,
RESOLVED, further, That the monies be added to the following accounts in 2002:

TO: A3113.44389 $ 9,720
A3113.44389 24,500
A3113.44389 10,200
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RESOLUTION NO. 284 - AUTHORIZATION TO MOVE MONEY FROM ACCOUNT T20830000 (DRUG FORFEITURE) TO THE OPERATING BUDGET

MOVED by Mr. Totman, seconded by Mr. Penniman, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.

WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office has a special account consisting of monies received from drug law enforcement, and
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Sheriff is allowed to use the monies to enhance drug law enforcement in the County, and
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Sheriff is currently in the process of issuing a contract for a drug education program, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, That the Director of Finance make the following adjustment to his books for 2001:

BUDGET ADJUSTMENT

Revenue T20830000 $5,000
Appropriation A3113.54442 $5,000

RESOLVED, further, That monies not expended will be returned to the special account.
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RESOLUTION NO. 285 - APPROPRIATION FROM CONTINGENT FUND FOR TERMINAL PAY AT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE

MOVED by Mr. Totman, seconded by Ms. Blanchard. A short roll call vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused - 1 (Representative Koplinka-Loehr). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.

WHEREAS, during 2001 the Sheriff’s Office had the following five employees retire: Deputy Scott Ferris, September 27, 2001 - $6,736.48, Deputy Gerald Pallace, September 13, 2001 - $2,503.54, Deputy Gary Shippos, October 14, 2001 - $7,747.04 and Deputy Janet Hulbert, October 13, 2001 - $6,104.68 and Corrections Officer Marjorie Griffen, October 20, 2001 – $4,187.06, and
WHEREAS, Sergeant Jeffrey Norman retired April 20, 2001 ($5,434), and Corrections Officer Matthew Haney resigned August 1, 2001 ($1,077), and the Sheriff’s Office asked only for the regular pay, and
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety and the Budget and Capital Committees, That the Director of Finance appropriate a total of $35,727 to the Sheriff’s budget for terminal pay,
RESOLVED, further, That the money be distributed to the following accounts:

FROM:		A1990.54440	$35,727
TO:		A3113.51000	$16,987
		A3113.58800	5,606
		A3150.51000	10,292
		A3150.58800	2,842

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RESOLUTION NO. 286 - AUTHORIZATION FOR MANDATE CLASSIFICATION

WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office is mandated by the New York State Commission of Corrections to provide adequate medical care to the inmates housed at the Tompkins County Jail, and
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office is mandated to provide the medical care with very little control over the manner in which part of the service is provided, namely the cost of medicines and case-by-case contracted medical services, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of Public and Safety and Budget and Capital Program Committees, That programs within the Sheriff’s Department Corrections Division be reconfigured as follows:

FROM:

Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Government Operations Committee

Ms. Kiefer, Vice Chair, said she did not have a report.

RESOLUTION NO. 287 - DATE OF ORGANIZATION MEETING

MOVED by Ms. Kiefer, seconded by Mr. Penniman, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee, That in accordance with Section 151 of County Law, the organization meeting of the Board of Representatives shall be held in the Board of Representatives Chambers of the Tompkins County Courthouse, Ithaca, New York on Wednesday, January 2, 2002 at 5:30 o’clock in the evening thereof.
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Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Public Works Committee

Mr. Lane, Chairman, reported the Committee has been discussing the Beach Road Bridge in Newfield. He said discussions have taken place between the County Attorney's office and the Town's attorney as to whose responsibility it is to maintain that bridge. Mr. Lane said there is a difference of opinion on that issue; however, both parties are trying to work together to resolve the issue. Mr. Lane said a report on the inspection that was performed by Labella Engineers has been received and it states the bridge is in desperate need of immediate repair. The Public Works Committee authorized the County to spend jointly with the Town of Newfield, up to $5,000 to make stabilizing repairs. Mr. Lane said the County will continue to work with the Town of Newfield to find a solution that will provide for future maintenance without Tompkins County being responsible for it.

Mr. Lane said individuals from the Ellis Hollow Road community were in attendance at that meeting to discuss their concerns about some of the intersections. Mr. Lane said now that the 2002 budget has been adopted, they will be proceeding to hire the engineering firm to look at the Ellis Hollow Road project and the information that the County has on intersections will be given to that firm for recommendations. Mr. Lane said they will report back to the Ellis Hollow Road community about the recommendations at the next public meeting in the spring.

Mr. Lane said they are moving forward with the award of bid for the bridge painting projects. He said they were concerned about State funding; however, all indications show funding will be received.

RESOLUTION NO. 288 - APPROPRIATION FROM CONTINGENT FUND FOR REPLACEMENT PAY – FACILITIES DIVISION

MOVED by Mr. Lane, seconded by Mr. Joseph. A short roll call vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused - 1 (Representative Koplinka-Loehr). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.

WHEREAS, a Cleaner in the Facilities Division has been absent from work longer than two months, and
WHEREAS, County Fiscal Policy requires the appropriation of contingency funds for the cost of replacing this employee, and
WHEREAS, the cost of unbudgeted replacement pay in the amount of $4,036 has been incurred by the Facilities Division for the period of August 5, 2001 – October 4, 2001, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Works and Budget and Capital Committees, That the following budget appropriation be made:

FROM: A1990.54400 Contingency Fund $4,036
TO: A1620.51000 Regular Pay $3,229
A1620.58800 Fringes $ 807
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RESOLUTION NO. 289 - AWARD OF BID – PASSENGER BOARDING BRIDGE – ITHACA-TOMPKINS REGIONAL AIRPORT

MOVED by Mr. Lane, seconded by Mr. Winch, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.

WHEREAS, the Finance Department has duly advertised for bids to purchase and install a Passenger Boarding Bridge at the Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport, and
WHEREAS, three (3) bids were received for Contract – 1 (General Construction) and one (1) bid was received for Contract – 2 (Electrical) and publicly read on October 25, 2001, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Works Committee, That subject to grants being received from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the bid be awarded to Dew Engineering & Development, Ltd., of Ottawa, Canada for Contract – 1, as the lowest responsible bidder with a bid of $294,900.00, and Matco Electric of Vestal, NY for Contract – 2, as the only responsible bidder with a bid of $4,690,
RESOLVED, further, That the funding sources for Contracts 1 and 2 for the Passenger Boarding Bridge are as follows:

FAA Share (90.0%) $269,631.00
NYSDOT Share ( 5.0%) $ 14,979.00
Local Share (Airport Operating Budget) ( 5.0%) $ 14,980.00
TOTAL $299,590.00

RESOLVED, further, That the County Administrator be and hereby is authorized to execute contracts with Dew Engineering & Development, Ltd, Matco Electric Corp. and with the FAA and NYSDOT when said grant offers are received,
RESOLVED, further, That the Finance Director be authorized to borrow monies if necessary, until reimbursement is received from the FAA and NYSDOT.
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RESOLUTION NO. 290 - AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT GRANTING NEW YORK STATE ELECTRIC AND GAS (NYSEG) AN EASEMENT ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHERRY ROAD

MOVED by Mr. Lane, seconded by Mr. Totman, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.

WHEREAS, New York State Electric and Gas (NYSEG) has requested that the County grant an easement along Cherry Road on County Airport property to allow NYSEG to install a natural gas main along the right-of-way, and
WHEREAS, the installation of such a gas line would improve service and reliability to gas customers in the area, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Works Committee, That the County Administrator is authorized to enter into an Agreement granting an easement to NYSEG for the purpose of installing and maintaining a gas line along the south side of Cherry Road in the Town of Lansing.

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MOVED by Mr. Lane, seconded by Mr. Stein, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Works Committee, That the following claim against the County of Tompkins be and hereby is audited by the Board of Representatives:

VENDOR PAYMENT REQUEST ACCOUNT NO. AMOUNT

Power Line Constructors, Inc. #3 HT5601.59239 $40,969.80

RESOLVED, further, That the Finance Director be and hereby is authorized and directed to pay said claim from Account No. HT5601.59239.
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Report from the Planning Committee

Mr. Penniman, Chairman, reported the Committee has not met since the last Board meeting. The next meeting will be November 28 at 11:30 a.m. This will be a joint meeting with the Health and Human Services Committee to discuss the Pesticide Notification Law.

Report from the Health and Human Services Committee

Mrs. Schuler, Chair, reported the next Committee meeting will be November 28 at 10 a.m.

Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Economic and Workforce Development Committee

Mr. Stein, Chairman, reported the Committee met today. He said they met with the Common Good Coalition, which is a group of people from various community and labor organizations, to discuss issues relating to contracting and the workforce. He said the Coalition advocated several principles and asked that they be incorporated into the actions that both the County and the IDA take for contracting projects. Mr. Stein reported the Committee also received a monthly review from Tompkins County Area Development. That report will be distributed to all Board members. Mr. Stein said the Committee also discussed and approved refinancing of the Cornell Lakesource Cooling project. The purpose of refinancing is to take advantage of lower interest rates which will save Cornell University money and also yield the IDA an additional fee. Mr. Stein reported the Committee reviewed the final report for the Business Innovation Center, which has decided to terminate its operations. He asked Representative Blanchard to provide the Board with a brief summary of that initiative.

Ms. Blanchard said she has served on the Business Innovation Center Board of Directors for three years. Although there were many goals established and a lot of effort put forth, they were not able to accomplish them and decided to terminate the project. They decided that this may be something that should be pursued in the future under different circumstances.

RESOLUTION NO. 292 - FUNDING OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT GRANTS – SCIENCENTER AND HISTORIC ITHACA - BUDGET APPROPRIATION

MOVED by Mr. Stein, seconded by Mr. Proto. A short roll call vote resulted as follows: Ayes – 14, Noes – 0, Excused – 1 (Representative Koplinka-Loehr). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.

WHEREAS, Tompkins County has a grant program for tourism development using funds drawn entirely from the Room Occupancy Tax, and
WHEREAS, Tompkins County has requested and reviewed grant applications for recommendation to the Tompkins County Board of Representatives through the Budget and Capital Committee and Economic and Workforce Development Committee, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Strategic Tourism Planning Board, the Economic and Workforce Development Committee and the Budget and Capital Committee, That the following grants be approved:

Historic Ithaca - State Theater Reopening: $25,000
Sciencenter - Phase III Expansion: $25,000

RESOLVED, further, That $50,000 shall be appropriated from the 2000 Room Tax Fund Balance,
RESOLVED, further, That the Director of Finance be authorized and directed to make the following budget appropriation:
FROM: 0908.00000 Room Tax Fund Balance $50,000
TO: 6475.54444 Development Grants $50,000
RESOLVED, further, That the County Administrator or designee shall be authorized to sign any documents related to the aforementioned projects.
SEQR ACTION: TYPE II-20

RESOLUTION NO. 293 - APPROVAL OF CONTRACT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE/CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU FOR TOURISM SERVICES

MOVED by Mr. Stein, seconded by Mr. Proto. Ms. Kiefer referred to the contract and said it contains a section that states that additional payments will be made to the Finger Lakes Association and the Central Finger Lakes Marketing program. She asked why those are not included in the lump sum payment to the Chamber of Commerce rather than being made as additional payments. Mr. Stein responded this is the way it has been for several years. He said these contracts have always been separate; the Chamber of Commerce has been asked to take care of these and oversee these contracts.

Ms. Kiefer questioned the date of the audit requirement of August 30. She asked if it would be possible to obtain an audited report before that date in order to use it for budgeting purposes. Jean McPheeters, Chamber of Commerce President, said it is much more expensive to obtain auditing reports early in the year because of Internal Revenue Filing dates. She said she will look into having this date moved to a time earlier than August 30^th.

A voice vote on the resolution resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused -1 (Representative Koplinka-Loehr). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.

WHEREAS, the Board of Representatives has contracted with the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce (the "Chamber") for the past six years to carry out services as part of the County's tourism program, and
WHEREAS, that contract will expire on December 31, 2001, and
WHEREAS, the County has provided funding for this contract entirely from the Room Tax account, and
WHEREAS, a new three-year contract for tourism services has been negotiated and agreed upon between the Chamber and the County, and the Strategic Tourism Planning Board approved it, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Economic and Workforce Development Committee, That the contract between the Chamber and the County for the period January 1, 2002 through December 31, 2004 is hereby approved,
RESOLVED, further, That all funds for this contract shall be taken from 6475.54497 Room Tax account as approved in the 2002 County Budget, or as approved each subsequent year.
SEQR ACTION: TYPE II-20

RESOLUTION NO. 294 - ADOPTION OF AMENDED BYLAWS – TOMPKINS COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD

MOVED by Mr. Stein, seconded by Ms. Blanchard, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present. Ms. Kiefer thanked Mr. Stein for postponing these until this meeting, noting that she was able to various clarifications from the Director, who will check into the allowing Workforce Development Board members to participate in a meeting or a long-distance phone hookup as the Tompkins County Public Library Board does, to help with quorum problems.

WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Workforce Development Board wishes to amend its bylaws, and
WHEREAS, such amendments include but are not limited to inclusion of the Board’s Mission Statement, clarification of board membership, and establishment of staggered term limits, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Economic and Workforce Development Committee, That the proposed amended bylaws of the Tompkins County Workforce Development Board be and hereby are adopted, said bylaws are on file with the Clerk of the Board.
SEQR ACTION: TYPE II-20

Chair's Appointment(s)

At this time Chair Mink made the following appointment(s):

Workforce Development Board

The following individuals were approved for an extension of term for the period of January 1, 2002 through June 30, 2002.

Ivy Allen – term to expire June 30, 2002
Paul Gardner – term to expire June 30, 2002
Mary Gould – term to expire June 30, 2002
Doug Czerwonka – term to expire June 30, 2002
Jack Little– term to expire June 30, 2002
Joyce Maglione– term to expire June 30, 2002
Dennis Mastro– term to expire June 30, 2002
Cindy Miles– term to expire June 30, 2002
Mary Opperman– term to expire June 30, 2002
Lisa Patz– term to expire June 30, 2002
Alan Pedersen– term to expire June 30, 2002
Kevin Rhodes– term to expire June 30, 2002
Martha Turnbull– term to expire June 30, 2002
John Rossi– term to expire June 30, 2002
Richard Bohman– term to expire June 30, 2002
Nathan Carlisle– term to expire June 30, 2002
Dammi Heath– term to expire June 30, 2002
Milton Goldstein– term to expire June 30, 2002
Timothy O’Neill– term to expire June 30, 2002
Melissa Brous– term to expire June 30, 2002
Mark Babbage– term to expire June 30, 2002
Thomas Colbert– term to expire June 30, 2002
Lee Dillon– term to expire June 30, 2002
Carl Haynes– term to expire June 30, 2002
Douglas McDonald– term to expire June 30, 2002
Michael Stamm– term to expire June 30, 2002
Steve White– term to expire June 30, 2002
Jean McPheeters– term to expire June 30, 2002
Mary Pat Dolan– term to expire June 30, 2002
Irene Stein– term to expire June 30, 2002
Barbara Blanchard– term to expire June 30, 2002
Nancy Zahler– term to expire June 30, 2002
Connie Sowards– term to expire June 30, 2002
Todd Mallinson– term to expire June 30, 2002

RESOLUTION NO. 295 - MAKING A NEGATIVE DETERMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SIGNIFICANCE IN RELATION TO
RESOLUTION NO. 296 OF 2001

MOVED by Mr. Stein, seconded by Mr. Lalley, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 296 of 2001 finalizes the re-programming of unused small cities community development block grant funds for the Environmental Associates Expansion Project, and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Assessment Form and Negative Declaration statement has been reviewed and considered by the County Board of Representatives, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Economic and Workforce Development Committee, That Resolution No. 296 of 2001 is an unlisted action,
RESOLVED, further, That the Board of Representatives hereby makes a negative determination of the environmental significance in regard to Resolution No. 296 of 2001, contingent upon the Town of Dryden issuing all required permits for the building construction.
SEQR ACTION: Unlisted

RESOLUTION NO. 296 – FINALIZING THE RE-PROGRAMMING OF UNUSED SMALL CITIES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDS – ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATES, LTD.

MOVED by Mr. Stein, seconded by Mr. Penniman, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present. Ms. Kiefer asked what, if any, other projects were considered, no one could supply that information.

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 165 of 2001, authorized the County to submit an amendment to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to re-program unused monies previously allocated under the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program to the Environmental Associates Expansion Project, and

WHEREAS, HUD has approved the re-programming of those funds, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Economic and Workforce Development Committee, That Tompkins County is authorized to sign a Loan and Development Agreement with Environmental Associates,
RESOLVED, further, That the County Administrator be authorized to sign all documents related to this loan, and that the County Administrator be authorized to adjust the budget in the following manner:
REVENUE: CD8691.44959 Federal Aid $338,385.27
EXPENDITURE: CD8691.54400 Program Expense $338,385.27
SEQR ACTION: Unlisted

Report from the Charter Review Committee

Mr. Lane, Chairman, reported the Committee met and spent a lot of time talking about Section 2.04 of the Charter that addresses how to replace people when there are vacancies on the Board. He said the Committee met with the County Attorney and discussed the process for special elections. Mr. Lane said prior to the end of the year the Committee will be bringing forward proposals to amend two sections of the Charter that will make the Assessment Division and Information Technology Services individual departments. Currently, they each fall under the Department of Administration.

Report from the Communications Capital Projects Committee

Ms. Blanchard, Chair, reported the Committee met prior to the Board meeting. She said the final scope for the Environmental Impact Statement is complete and will be posted on the County's website and the usual places. Those individuals who commented on the draft scope will also be notified that this is available. Ms. Blanchard said the Committee also learned that United Radio, who was authorized to move forward with obtaining additional information about the paging system upgrade will have their work completed near the end of January. Finally, she reported the requests for proposals for the entire system upgrade will be available to be issued at the end of this month.

Report from the Information Management Committee

Ms. Kiefer, Chair, said there had been no meeting and therefore, had no report.

Adjournment

On motion the meeting adjourned at 7:20 p.m.