Monika Roth and Debbie Teeter of Cooperative Extension spoke on
behalf of the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board to explain the
review process and what has been done thus far on behalf of the County.
Ms. Teeter said the Agriculture District Review is a 300-day process that
began on July 1st. In August, there was a 30-day public comment period;
in September and October meetings were held with town planning boards and
committees to explain the process and discuss the property in the agriculture
district within the towns and to also identify anything that might impact
the district. In November the Agricultural and Farmland Protection
Board reviewed the recommended changes to the District and that information
was presented to the Legislature.
Ms. Kiefer asked what the total acreage is for parcels being
removed from the Agricultural District. Ms. Teeter could not
provide a specific answer; however, she said most of the residential properties
were small, typical housing lots and the agricultural parcels amount to
20 to 30 acres maximum. She estimated less than 200 acres were being
removed from the District.
No one else wished to speak and the public hearing was closed at 5:40 p.m.
Called to Order
Mr. Joseph called the regular meeting to order at 5:40 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 Legislators. Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman).
Privilege of the Floor by the Public
Laura Archer, a 4-H teen member, thanked the Legislature for its continued support of Cooperative Extension and the 4-H program.
Presentation of Distinguished Youth Award
Mr. Todd presented the Distinguished Youth Award to Diana Mackenzie of Lansing, New York. Michelle Stone, Lansing High School Principal, spoke of Ms. Mackenzie who is a 17-year old senior at the Lansing High School. Among Ms. Mackenzies many accomplishments, she participated in the recent Naturalization Ceremony held at the High School. As the winner of an essay contest on citizenship, Ms. Mackenize was the guest speaker and was asked to read her essay to those present.
Privilege of the Floor by Legislators
Ms. Robertson, District No. 13 Legislator, reported the Health Department recently finished holding a flu clinic and vaccinated over 200 people, of which many were children. She said the Public Health Director is stressing the importance of basic common sense and good hygiene and to reduce the risk of getting the flu. Ms. Robertson highlighted an article that appeared in today's Ithaca Journal that listed agencies and services for Tompkins County parents and children. She said a presentation will be given this evening on housing needs in Tompkins County by Rolf Pendall of the Office of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University. She stated an invitation has been sent to municipal officials, town supervisors, and board members to attend this presentation. Ms. Robertson said the Community Foundation of Tompkins County and the Chamber of Commerce are putting together a community roundtable discussion on housing in Tompkins County on February 12 at 7:30 a.m. Several hundred people are being invited to participate in this event that will focus on what can be done about the housing shortage in Tompkins County.
Mrs. McBean-Clairborne, District No. 2 Legislator, commented on the essay read by Diana Mackenzie, recipient of the Distinguished Youth Award, earlier this evening. Mrs. McBean-Clairborne said two of her relatives became United States Citizens at the Naturalization Ceremony where Ms. Mackenzie read the essay for the first time. Mrs. McBean-Clairborne said she has attended many naturalization ceremonies and was very moved to hear the essay read with great passion from a young person. She thanked Ms. Mackenzie for reading her well-written essay. Mrs. McBean-Clairborne encouraged folks to celebrate and become educated about Kwanzaa, which is not a religious holiday, but a cultural holiday. She also congratulated Legislator Robertson, who recently received a human rights award.
Mr. Lane, District No. 14 Legislator, spoke of the business of the holiday season and said it is very easy to forget America is at war. There are many people who cannot be with their families for the holidays because they are serving their country at many places throughout the world. Mr. Lane said there are still many people dying each day and a great deal of hatred still exists even with the capture of Sadaam Hussein. He said whether or not people agree with policy, those people are doing a job for the people of this country and need to be remembered during this time of year.
Mr. Todd, District No. 8 Legislator, commented again about the naturalization ceremony recently held at the Lansing High School. He said of the 31 individuals receiving United States citizenship, they represented 20 different countries, ranging in age from younger children to older adults.
Mr. Booth, District No. 3 Legislator, said in a couple of weeks a new government will be sworn into the City of Ithaca. He said the health of the City is critical to the County and asked everyone to join him in wishing the new City leadership well.
Mr. Proto, District No. 7 Legislator, thanked everyone who had the opportunity to send holiday cards to the men and women serving in the armed forces. He said with regard to the agricultural district review, he had the opportunity to attend and speak at the Town of Ithaca Board meeting at which the public hearing was held for their comprehensive plan revision which included some zoning revisions. He said while there was a laudable effort made to incorporate the pieces on open space, this Legislature needs to know that Ag and Markets raised 22 issues with the Town of Ithaca, of which only five were addressed. It was explained that evening that there was ample opportunity to amend the zoning changes. Mr. Proto said although there are not too many active farms left in the Town of Ithaca, there were approximately 30 people in attendance that asked the Town of Ithaca to move slowly on this particular piece because the agriculture and open space issue is important to them and because they didn't feel ample time had been given to this issue. Mr. Proto said the Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board will be reviewing this and will look into the concerns expressed at that meeting.
RESOLUTION NO. 261 - HONORING JOHN BEACH FOR SERVICE TO TOMPKINS COUNTY AS STOP-DWI COORDINATOR
MOVED by Ms. Blanchard and unanimously seconded and adopted by voice vote by members present. Mr. Beach thanked the Legislature for this recognition. He said over the thirty-three years of his relationship with County government he has worked with many wonderful people. He thanked Scott Heyman, former County Administrator, and the Board of Representatives in 1989 for giving him the opportunity to serve the County as the STOP-DWI Coordinator. Mr. Beach said the last fourteen years in that position has been gratifying both professionally and personally. During that time he has had the privilege to work with the men and women who work diligently in law enforcement agencies to protect the community. He said he is appreciative of this resolution and the fourteen years he was employed by Tompkins County.
WHEREAS, John Beach has served faithfully as Tompkins County STOP-DWI
Coordinator for fourteen and one-half years and, prior to that, as an employee
of the Probation Department, and
WHEREAS, his service to STOP-DWI dates back over twenty years
to the planning committee that developed the program followed by many years
as both a member of the STOP-DWI Advisory Board and as its Chairman, and
WHEREAS, as Coordinator of the program, John instituted many
initiatives to make the community aware of the consequences of drinking
and driving and worked with colleagues in the field to create a victims
panel in Tompkins County, and
WHEREAS, the energy and commitment he has brought to the program
have been inspiring to all who have worked with him in this important public
safety arena, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, That
the Tompkins County Legislature commends John for his efforts and wishes
him the best as he pursues new goals and opportunities.
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RESOLUTION NO. 262 - RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION, KATHY SMITHERS
MOVED by Mr. Koplinka-Loehr and unanimously seconded and adopted by voice vote by members present.
WHEREAS, Kathy Smithers served Tompkins County for twenty-three
years, and became the Budget and Finance Director in 1988, and
WHEREAS, Kathy was appointed Deputy County Administrator in 1992
and worked with four different Administrators to create an efficient and
up-to-date workplace, and
WHEREAS, Kathy's assistance in creating the Administrative Policies
Manual resulted in the uniform and organized administrative framework for
County government, and
WHEREAS, for the past seventeen years, Kathy has groomed the
County budget and worked tirelessly to provide accurate and relevant information
and analysis to the Legislators, Department Heads, and the public, and
WHEREAS, Kathy assisted the Legislators through multiple forms
of budgeting, facilitated computerization of financial calculation methods,
and formulated countless solutions to difficult problems, and
WHEREAS, Kathy's creative, outside-the-box thinking, and her
ability to find ways to make things happen combined with her infectious
enthusiasm and sense of humor has made her an inspiration to work with,
and
WHEREAS, Kathy enjoys a heritage of involvement with Tompkins
County, her father having served on the Board of Supervisors from 1962
through 1969, and her great-great-great grandfather having been a member
of the first Board of Supervisors, formed in 1817, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee,
That the Legislature, on behalf of Tompkins County, profoundly appreciates
Kathy Smithers' dedicated service to the County of Tompkins and thanks
her and wishes her well in her future endeavors.
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Presentation - James F. Walls One-Stop Employee of the Year Award Honoring a One-stop Employee
Connie Sowards, Director of Employment and Training, Tompkins Workforce New York, provided the Legislature with a presentation on the James F. Walls One-Stop Employee of the Year Award recipient, Gregory Gizewski, Information Specialist for the Tompkins County One-Stop Career Center. Ms. Sowards said Mr. Gizewski's nomination was presented to the State of New York; and they were later notified that Mr. Gizewski would be the recipient of the award being given in Seattle, Washington. She stated Mr. Gizewski is very motivational and inspires all of the staff and clients of Workforce New York.
Mr. Gizewski thanked the Legislature for recognizing him receiving this award and said he was pleased to represent Tompkins County in Seattle. At this time, he provided the Legislature with a Powerpoint presentation showing details of the awards presentation.
Presentation - Tompkins County's Housing Needs, Obstacles and Recommendations by Rolf Pendall, AICP, Associate Professor of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University
Mr. Rolf Pendall said over the past summer he began thinking about some of the trouble that affordable-housing proposals have been encountering in various locations across Tompkins County. In response to the few efforts that were going on Countywide to deal with planning and housing more generally, he decided to make a workshop out of this issue. He said workshops in his Department at Cornell are typically hands-on courses that involve graduate and undergraduate students in courses about practical topics. In this case there is not a client, but a couple of audiences -- the Health and Human Services Committee and the County Planning Department, which is working on the Comprehensive Plan.
Mr. Pendall said the first phase of the project included a needs assessment for the County that explored whether there are housing issues that need to be dealt with and what they would be. The second phase is looking at what is stopping the County from meeting that need. Mr. Pendall said he has condensed the work that the students have done into a much shorter presentation that he would now be providing to the Legislature.
Housing Needs Assessment
Mr. Pendall said the students looked at three main groups of concern (homeless, renters, and homeowners) and concluded that the homeless group suffers with the greatest need in the County. He said the bed-night capacity by the Red Cross has almost doubled between 2000 and 2002. The rental vacancy rate in Tompkins County is below the typical five percent clearing that most housing economists say is needed to have a healthy and well-functioning housing market. This is likely the result of student demand. In addition, the median gross rent that renters pay in Tompkins County is $50 to $100 higher than Schuyler or Tioga counties. One of the findings Mr. Pendall said is most important is that this not a problem for only students, but one that resonates throughout the County. If a look is taken at the lowest income renters (less than $35,000 per year); many pay over 35 percent of their income for housing. He spoke of homeowners and said like the renters they face a housing cost structure that makes homes a lot more expensive in Tompkins County than surrounding counties.
In the six or seven surrounding counties, the peak values happen between $60,000 to $80,000 as of 2000. In Tompkins County the peak value by comparison in the $80,000 to $100,000 range. Mr. Pendall said there are very few homes valued for less than $60,000.
Mr. Pendall said the class did a projection of population and households; instead of looking at only the number of people, they looked at the number of households they expect to live in Tompkins County between 2000 and 2010. He said with the aging of the baby boom they expect a large growth of the 55 to 64 age group.
Affordable Housing Development in Tompkins County
Mr. Pendall said the students looked at what obstacles might exist in meeting the needs for affordable housing in Tompkins County. He said they also looked at the regulations, infrastructure, and site availability, in a series of areas that were identified in the Vital Communities initiative that the Planning Department undertook a couple of years ago. Mr. Pendall displayed the map that was created during that initiative for future land use in that process. After they identified the nodes they looked at the regulatory and infrastructure constraints to development in the areas. He said a map of each of the areas will be included in the final report. Tompkins County GIS was also used to identify areas such as steep slopes and wetlands that might constrain the development of parcels.
Mr. Pendall said during the process, they found the main constraint to be primarily zoning. They looked at four types of affordable housing -- small-lot single family, apartment development, senior assisted living facility, and a manufactured-housing subdivision; and found the zoning in many of these areas to be restricted. Mr. Pendall said the problem with small-lot single-family residences is that there is not a zone in most of the towns that would accommodate them. Multi-family residences tend to be allowed in the towns and villages but there are practically no sights for these types of homes. He said there needs to be designation of such sites or there needs to be a more willingness on the part of the local elected officials to redesignate the sites to accommodate multi-family residences. Infrastructure is not seen as a big issue, especially given the planned agreement on sewage treatment that will serve a substantial portion of southern Lansing. However, it is an issue in the hamlet of Danby which has been upscaling quite a bit and could use some concentrated diverse housing types. Mr. Pendall said there is plenty of vacant land around the nodes and in every single one of them they found a large number of sites where the communities could accommodate a substantial number of housing units for homeowners and renters.
Mr. Pendall said the main issue within the City of Ithaca is that
the City is built out. The City would be the logical location for
a single-room occupancy facility or a senior assisted-living facility.
He said there are very few sites and whatever happens in the City would
be constrained by finding the established housing stock and either converting
it or demolishing it and replacing it with something else.
Mr. Pendall said the second team looked at the population moving
in the neighborhoods, and issues related to crime. He said there
is a big concern that property values go down when affordable housing goes
in; however, many studies have demonstrated that this is not true and that
there is no systematic connection between assisted housing and low property
values. He said in many cases, properly designed, maintained, and
managed affordable housing can raise neighboring property values.
This team concluded that the four "myths" that affordable housing brings
is the wrong people, raises crime rates, decreases property values, and
is ugly are not supported by facts.
Recommendations
Mr. Pendall outlined the three main recommendations his class has come up with.
1. The County's Comprehensive Plan process is a good opportunity to raise these issues and keep them in the forefront of planning new land uses for various parts of the County. The County can use that process to establish a process for diverse and walkable places that are all over the County.
2. The County can also educate the community and elected
officials about the values of affordable housing for everything from social
equity reasons to traffic reasons.
3. The County has a technical-assistance role to play with
many of the local governments around the County that do not have staff
who can identify the housing needs and help work out locally appropriate
solutions.
Municipalities can collect and share their expertise. He said there are many municipalities, such as the Town of Ithaca, who have been proactive in promoting and encouraging affordable housing. They should also use their comprehensive plan processes to encourage affordable housing and to change land- use regulations to accomdate a diverse range of housing styles and types.
There are advocates and experts throughout the County who can play a role in the comprehensive planning process. They can work to press local government about the importance of this issue. He said a coalition among builders, environmentalists, and affordable housing advocates is one that could be built. Finally, he said there are many personal testimonies that are being developed and they should be used to humanize who it is that lives in affordable housing.
Ms. Robertson, Health and Human Services Committee Chair, thanked Mr. Pendall for his presentation. She said she really hopes people will understand that this affects everyone in Tompkins County because everyone is impacted by the traffic and assessments. She said a 25-bed single room occupancy project is underway at the State level and progress will be reported in the coming months. She stated she asked Patricia Carey, Commissioner of Social Services, about homeless bed nights who informed her that Tompkins County is on track to have 13,000 homeless bed nights for this year.
Chair's Report and Appointment(s)
Mr. Joseph reported it has come to his attention that some legislators would like to look at the possibility of having a County Executive. He said he will be referring that issue to the appropriate committee once the 2004 committees are established.
Mr. Joseph had no appointments.
Report from the County Administrator
Mr. Whicher reported contract negotiations will begin early in 2004; he will request an executive session at the next meeting to talk about parameters for those negotiations. He stated he has distributed a tax rate chart for towns who apply sales tax to all legislators for information purposes. Mr. Whicher also reported a survey on the budget process was distributed to all members and responses are due by December 26th. He announced he received a resignation from Anthony DeLuca, Commissioner of Mental Health, effective mid-2004. Mr. Whicher said he will be starting a search process early in 2004 so that there can be an overlap.
Mr. Proto asked Mr. Whicher to provide all legislators with a one-page summary of the highlights of each contract.
Report from the County Attorney
Mr. Wood had no report.
Report from the Finance Director
Mr. Squires reported on sales tax receipts and stated the November income was up by five percent over last year. He said the estimate for this year was adjusted to $23.3 million and he now believes it may exceed that amount if the same amount is received in December as 2002.
Addition of Resolution(s) 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:
Creation of, Abolition of and Changes in Positions - Various Departments
Authorizing Changes in Charge Structure - Tompkins County Home
Health Care - Health Department
Implementation of 2004 Tompkins County Budget - Memberships
Implementation of the 2004 Budget - Departmental Fees
Withdrawal of Resolution(s) from the Agenda
There were no resolution(s) withdrawn from the agenda.
Approval of Resolution(s) and Appointment(s) Under the Consent Agenda
RESOLUTION NO. 263 - BUDGET ADJUSTMENT – VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously
adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety and Consumer and Community Affairs Committees, That the Director of Finance be directed to make the following budget adjustment on his books:
CONSUMER AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
County Clerk (#64)
Revenue Acct
Title Amt
Approp Acct
Title(s) ---------__________
1410.41255 Clerk Fees
$ 6,000 1410.52206
Computer Equipment
1411.41255 Clerk Fees
$ 2,000 1410.54303
Office Supplies
1412.41255 Clerk Fees
$13,000 1410.54442
Professional Services
1413.41255 Clerk Fees
$ 5,000 1410.51000
Regular Pay
Explanation: We needed to replace some old computers and server
and purchase a SQL server. Our expenditures were higher than expected.
We are updating our EDMS system in order to provide web services and migrate
our data from access to SQL. Our expenditures were higher than expected.
Department of Motor Vehicles (#65)
Revenue Acct
Title Amt
Approp Acct
Title(s) ---------__________
1411.41255 Clerk Fees
$30,000 1411.51000
Regular Pay
Explanation: We are repaying the salary account because we borrowed
from it earlier in the year to pay for the renovations at Department of
Motor Vehicles.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Emergency Response (#63)
Revenue Acct
Title Amt
Approp Acct Title(s) ---------__________
3410.41140 E-911 Revenues $22,000
3410.52206
Computer Equipment
Explanation: Additional 911 Surcharge Revenue to offset systems
expenses at Emergency Response Center.
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RESOLUTION NO. 264 – AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT PUBLIC HEALTH
PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE TO BIOTERRORISM
FUNDING, CREATION OF POSITION – HEALTH DEPARTMENT
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) has
received funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to assist county
health departments in developing a Public Health Preparedness and Response
Plan and to implement a variety of deliverables, as specified by the CDC
and New York State, for the period September 1, 2003 through August 30,
2004, and
WHEREAS, this grant funding may assist the Tompkins County Health
Department in determining infrastructure capacities for areas of strengths
and weaknesses, and
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Health Department is eligible for
$111,501 plus $36,170 designated as one-time funds for smallpox related
activities, and
WHEREAS, to accomplish the goals of this grant the Department
requests the creation of one full-time position of Bioterrorism Preparedness
Coordinator to provide assistance in the development and updating of the
Public Health Emergency Preparedness Plan, the development of related jurisdictional
programs, and other grant deliverables as outlined by the State and CDC,
and
WHEREAS, the funds may not be used to supplant existing public
health funding, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Health and Human Services
Committee, That the Health Department is authorized to accept the grant
funds,
RESOLVED, further, That one position of Bioterrorism Preparedness
Coordinator (13/780), labor grade M (13), competitive class, 35 hours per
week, be created effective January 1, 2004,
RESOLVED, further, That said position would only continue so
long as grant funding is available.
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RESOLUTION NO. 265 - AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT A GRANT FROM THE STATE
OF NEW YORK GOVERNOR’S TRAFFIC SAFETY
COMMITTEE FOR THE “CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY ” CAMPAIGN
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office applied for grant
monies from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee in the
amount of $10,400 for participation in the statewide “CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY”
campaign for October 1, 2003 - September 30, 2004, and
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded
a grant from the State of New York Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee
in the amount of $10,400 for participating in the statewide “CHILD PASSENGER
SAFETY” campaign, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, That
the County accept the grant of $10,400 to be used for the purpose of the
aforementioned campaign,
RESOLVED, further, That the Finance Director is hereby authorized
to make the following budget adjustment on his books in 2004:
REVENUE: A3113.43389 State Aid (Public
Safety) $10,400
APPROPRIATION: A3113.54319
Program Supplies
$10,400
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RESOLUTION NO. 266 - ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT - SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION LOCAL ALL-HAZARDS COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING PROGRAM
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, Tompkins County has been awarded $43,402 by the New York
State Emergency Management Office for participation in the 2002 Federal
fiscal year (FFY02) Supplemental Appropriation All-Hazards Comprehensive
Emergency Management Planning Program, and
WHEREAS, certain expenses related to the development of new
Comprehensive Emergency Management Plans (CEMP) are eligible for reimbursement
under this program, and
WHEREAS the Department of Emergency Response and other County
agencies have provided staff, materials, supplies, and equipment in the
development of the CEMP, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, That
Tompkins County does hereby accept this award of $43,402 and directs the
Director of Finance to make the following budget adjustment on his books:
REVENUE: 3410.43389 Other Public Safety $43,402
APPROPRIATION: 3410.54400 Program Expense $43,402
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RESOLUTION NO. 267 - AWARD OF BID - WIRELESS INTERNET SERVICE - ITHACA TOMPKINS REGIONAL AIRPORT
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, the Finance Department requested proposals for Wireless
Internet Service at the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport, and
WHEREAS, said Wireless Internet Service is intended to be a convenience
to users of the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport at no cost to the airport,
and
WHEREAS, four (4) proposals were received and the proposal of
Clarity Connect, Inc., of Ithaca, through a combination of service, price
to customers and commission to the airport, is deemed to be in the best
interests of the airport, airport users, and the County of Tompkins, now
therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Facilities and Infrastructure
Committee, That the bid be awarded to Clarity Connect, Inc., of Ithaca,
New York, for a three-year period beginning January 1, 2004, and that the
County Administrator or his designee be and hereby is authorized to execute
a contract with Clarity Connect, Inc.
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RESOLUTION NO. 268 - AUTHORIZING LEASE AGREEMENTS WITH AVIS AND
HERTZ RENTAL CARS - ITHACA TOMPKINS REGIONAL
AIRPORT
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, AVIS Renta-A-Car System, Inc. (AVIS), and Barret Driv-Ur-Self,
Inc., d/b/a HERTZ (HERTZ), have existing five-year agreements to operate
rental car facilities at the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport and said
agreements are due to expire on December 31, 2003, and
WHEREAS, both AVIS and HERTZ have indicated a desire to renew
said agreements for another five-year term from January 1, 2004, until
December 31, 2008, with terms similar to those contained in the existing
agreements, and
WHEREAS, all other major rental car companies have been notified
of the availability of space in the airport terminal and none have expressed
any interest at this time, and
WHEREAS, nothwithstanding the lack of response from other rental
car agencies, the County reserves the right to sign an agreement with other
rental car companies during the five-year period of the new agreements,
using terms the same as or similar to, those agreed with AVIS and HERTZ,
and utilizing existing space capacity in the terminal building and parking
lots, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Facilities and Infrastructure
Committee, That the County Administrator or his designee be and hereby
is authorized to sign agreements with AVIS and HERTZ to conduct rental
car businesses at the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport for the period January
1, 2004, until December 31, 2008.
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RESOLUTION NO. 269 – APPOINTMENT OF TEMPORARY BOARD OF ASSESSMENT
REVIEW HEARING MEMBERS TO SERVE ON
ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING PANELS - ASSESSMENT DEPARTMENT
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously
adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, the Department of Assessment has entered into an annual
reassessment program with the New York State Office of Real Property, and
WHEREAS, Real Property Tax Law 523-a permits the Tompkins County
Legislature to appoint up to six Temporary Board of Assessment Review members
to serve on Administrative Review Panels, and
WHEREAS, Real Property Tax Law 523-a permits the compensation
of Temporary Board of Assessment Review Members, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee,
That six Temporary Board of Assessment Review Members, namely Alice Moore,
Edward Laine, Robert Walpole, Edith Spaulding, Martha Preston, and Paul
Banfield, be appointed to serve on Administrative Review Panels,
RESOLVED, further, That Temporary Board of Assessment Review members
be compensated at a maximum annual compensation of $250.00.
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RESOLUTION NO. 270 - DESIGNATION OF NEWSPAPER
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee, That the official newspaper for the County of Tompkins for the publication of all local laws, notices and other matters required by law to be published pursuant to County Law, Article 5, Section 214, Subdivision (2), and Local Law No. 1 of 1992 be designated from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004, as follows:
The Ithaca Journal, Ithaca, New York
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RESOLUTION NO. 271 - CORRECTION OF ERRORS
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee,
That the Clerk of the Legislature be and hereby is authorized to correct
any manifest errors in the 2003 minutes of the Legislature or in reports
of any committees.
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RESOLUTION NO. 272- AUTHORIZING PUBLIC HEARINGS FOR HOUSING, PUBLIC FACILITIES, AND MICROENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS FOR THE SMALL CITIES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM FOR PROGRAM YEAR 2004 FUNDING
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, applications for housing, public facilities, and microenterprise
programs for the New York State Governor’s Office for Small Cities’ program
year 2004 funding for the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) program will be accepted in the spring of 2004, and
WHEREAS, Tompkins County would like to apply for these 2004 Small
Cities CDBG funds, and
WHEREAS, Tompkins County is required to have two public hearings
pursuant to any 2004 CDBG applications for funding, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Planning, Development, and
Environmental Quality Committee, That two public hearing dates be set:
one for January 6, 2004, to discuss general housing, public facilities,
and microenterprise needs in the County, and one for February 17, 2004,
to discuss submitting a specific application for funding under the CDBG
program. Both of these hearings will be held at a regularly scheduled
meeting of the Tompkins County Legislature,
RESOLVED, further, That the Clerk of the Tompkins County Legislature
is authorized to place proper notice of these public hearings in the official
newspaper of the County.
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RESOLUTION NO. 273 - TOWN BUDGETS
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, pursuant to New York State law, annual budgets adopted
by town boards of the County of Tompkins and by the City of Ithaca are
required to be filed in the office of the Clerk of the Legislature, and
WHEREAS, the Legislature is required to levy and collect the
sums contained in those budgets from taxable property of the several towns
of the County and the City of Ithaca, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee,
That in accordance with the laws of the State of New York and with budgets
adopted by the several town boards of the County of Tompkins and by the
City of Ithaca that are now on file with the Clerk of the Legislature there
be levied upon and collected from the taxable property of the several towns
of the County and the City of Ithaca the sums contained in those budgets,
RESOLVED, further, That said summaries of the budgets of the
several towns of the County and the City of Ithaca be printed in the 2003
Proceedings of the Tompkins County Legislature.
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RESOLUTION NO. 274 - AUTHORIZATION TO DISBURSE FUNDS - COUNTY ADMINISTRATION
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee,
That the County Administrator be and hereby is authorized and directed
to disburse all appropriated funds up to the amount of the appropriation
included in the 2004 budget, provided that whenever a contract is required
funds will be disbursed in accordance with the terms of said agreement.
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RESOLUTION NO. 275 - DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE CERTAIN
TAX ROLL CORRECTIONS AND TAX REFUNDS UNDER $2500
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously
adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, Section 554 of the Real Property Tax Law authorizes a tax-levying
body to delegate the correction of tax rolls due to a clerical error, an
error in essential fact, or an unlawful entry (an unlawful entry is any
information on the tax roll that violates the Real Property Tax Law), and
WHEREAS, Section 556 of the Real Property Tax Law authorizes
a tax-levying body to delegate the payment of tax refunds due to a clerical
error, an error in essential fact, or an unlawful entry, and
WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the Budget and Capital Committee,
that such delegation would be more efficient in processing said refunds
and therefore beneficial to the taxpayer, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee,
That the County Director of Assessment shall transmit corrections and/or
refund recommendations to the County Administrator,
RESOLVED, further, That the County Administrator is hereby authorized
to make Tax Roll corrections and /or payments of any refunds as if the
Tompkins County Legislature had performed this audit in compliance with
Paragraph 1-8 of Section 554 and 1-7 of Section 566 of the Real Property
Tax Law,
RESOLVED, further, That any Tax Roll correction and/or refund
of $2500 or more must be approved by the Tompkins County Legislature pursuant
to Paragraph 9(a) and Paragraph 8(a) of Section 556 of the Real Property
Tax Law,
RESOLVED, further, That the County Administrator shall transmit
on or before the 15th day of each month a report to the Tompkins County
Legislature of all the corrections and refunds processed,
RESOLVED, further, That this resolution shall only be in effect
during the calendar year 2004.
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RESOLUTION NO. 276 - DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY TO AUTHORIZE CERTAIN
TAX AND SOLID WASTE FEE REFUNDS UNDER $500
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously
adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, Section 556 of the Real Property Tax Law authorized
a tax levying body to delegate the payment of tax refunds due to a clerical
error of an unlawful entry (an unlawful entry is any information on the
tax roll that violates the Real Property Tax Law), and
WHEREAS, Solid Waste Fee refunds are authorized under Resolution
No. 181 of 1996, and
WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the Budget and Capital Committee,
that such delegation would be more efficient in processing said refunds
and therefore beneficial to the taxpayer, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee,
That the County Director of Assessment shall transmit refund recommendations
to the County Administrator,
RESOLVED, further, That the County Administrator is hereby authorized
to make payments of any refunds as if the Tompkins County Legislature had
performed this audit in compliance with Paragraph 1-7 of Section 566, of
the Real Property Tax Law,
RESOLVED, further, That any refund of $500 or more must be approved
by the Tompkins County Legislature pursuant to Paragraph 8(b) of Section
556 of the Real Property Tax Law,
RESOLVED, further, That the County Administrator shall transmit
on or before the 15th day of each month a report to the Tompkins County
Legislature of all the refunds processed,
RESOLVED, further, That this resolution shall only be in effect
during the calendar year 2004.
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RESOLUTION NO. 277 - SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE TOMPKINS CONSOLIDATED AREA TRANSIT (TCAT) CONSOLIDATION AGREEMENT
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, and Cornell University
(the “parties”) entered into a Consolidation Agreement dated April 1, 1998,
that formed Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (“TCAT”), and
WHEREAS, this agreement was amended in November, 2002, and
WHEREAS, the Consolidation Agreement states in Section 8.1(c): “At
any time during the sixth (6th) calendar year of this agreement, any party
may give written notice to the other parties that it will withdraw from
the joint venture without forfeiture of its share in the assets of TCAT,
such withdrawal to be effective at the end of the seventh (7th) calendar
year after the effective date of this agreement”, and
WHEREAS, the TCAT Board voted on October 30, 2003, to request the parties
to amend the Consolidation Agreement to change the dates by which such
notice of withdrawal can be given to the other parties, and
WHEREAS, the parties to the Consolidation Agreement agree that such
change is needed for the reasons set out in the TCAT Board’s resolution,
which is attached hereto, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee, That
in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein,
the parties agree as follows:
1. The first sentence of Section 8.1(c) of the Consolidation
Agreement is amended to read as
follows:
“At any time prior to June 30, 2005, any party may give written notice
to the other
parties that it will withdraw from the joint venture without forfeiture
of its share in the
assets of TCAT, such withdrawal to be effective on January 1, 2006.”
2. All other provisions of the Consolidation Agreement shall
remain unchanged and in full
force and effect.
3. This Amendment to the Consolidation Agreement shall become effective
as of the date it
is fully executed by all parties.
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RESOLUTION NO. 278 - AUTHORIZATION OF NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MASTER MASS TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT AGREEMENT - TOMPKINS CONSOLIDATED AREA TRANSIT
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, pursuant to State Finance Law Section 89-c, the New York State
Legislature authorizes mass transportation grants for capital projects
that are funded with ten percent up to one-hundred percent State funding,
and
WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Transportation desires to
execute a Master Mass Transportation Capital Construction Project Agreement
with Tompkins County, on behalf of Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT),
to rehabilitate/renovate TCAT’s Administration and Operations Facility
(PIN 3821.52.001) and to continue planning and design of the City Center
Project (PIN 3821.54.001), and
WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Transportation has authorized
the payment of $563,000 in State funds without any local share needed to
reimburse costs of these capital projects by TCAT, and
WHEREAS, these projects were approved by the TCAT Board of Directors
and included in the current TCAT Capital Budget, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee, That
the Tompkins County Legislature authorizes the Master Mass Transportation
Capital Construction Project Agreement be executed by the County, on behalf
of TCAT.
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RESOLUTION NO. 279 - AUTHORIZING 2004 FEDERAL SECTION 5309 GRANT - TOMPKINS CONSOLIDATED AREA TRANSIT
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation
is authorized to make grants for mass transportation projects pursuant
to Section 5309 of Chapter 53, Title 49 of the United States Code (formerly
Section 9, Federal Transit Act of 1964), and
WHEREAS, the County of Tompkins is the designated recipient of
Section 5309 urban formula transit funds and will apply on behalf of Tompkins
Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) to receive and use said funds, and
WHEREAS, the County of Tompkins agrees that TCAT shall function
as a Grantee under the Federal Grant Agreement to receive and dispense
the Federal assistance funds described in this Grant and that TCAT, as
the Grantee, shall assume all responsibilities for fulfilling all Federal
terms and conditions as set forth in this Grant, and
WHEREAS, the County of Tompkins desires to submit a request for
a grant of funds to the Federal Transit Administration, in the amount of
$457,778 for the City Center Project, to design, renovate, and replace
passenger shelters and to provide ADA-compliant pedestrian amenities in
Downtown Ithaca, and
WHEREAS, the project was approved by the Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation
Council and included in the 2001 - 2006 Transportation Improvement Program,
as amended, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee,
That the Tompkins County Legislature authorizes the County Contracts Coordinator
to execute and file an application on behalf of the County of Tompkins
with the United States Department of Transportation and the New York State
Department of Transportation for the 2004 Section 5309 Grant,
RESOLVED, further, That the County Contracts Coordinator is authorized
to execute a supplemental grant agreement on behalf of the County of Tompkins
with the United States Department of Transportation and TCAT to formally
designate TCAT as the Grantee for this grant and that the County is not
in any manner subject to or responsible for the terms and conditions of
this Grant Agreement and is a party to this Grant Agreement only to assign
the right to receive and dispense Federal funds to TCAT as Grantee.
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RESOLUTION NO. 280 - AUTHORIZING 2004 FEDERAL SECTION 5307 GRANT - TOMPKINS CONSOLIDATED AREA TRANSIT (TCAT)
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, under the Consent Agenda.
WHEREAS, the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation
is authorized to make grants for mass transportation projects pursuant
to Section 5307 of Chapter 53, Title 49 of the United States Code (formerly
Section 9, Federal Transit Act of 1964), and
WHEREAS, the County of Tompkins is the designated recipient of
Section 5307 urban formula transit funds and will apply on behalf of Tompkins
Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) to receive and use said funds, and
WHEREAS, the County of Tompkins agrees that TCAT shall function
as a Grantee under the Federal Grant Agreement to receive and dispense
the Federal assistance funds described in this Grant and that TCAT, as
the Grantee, shall assume all responsibilities for fulfilling all Federal
terms and conditions as set forth in this Grant, and
WHEREAS, the County of Tompkins desires to submit a request for
a grant of funds to the Federal Transit Administration, in the amount of
$660,200 to be used for operating assistance and capital projects for 2004
as approved by the Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council and included
in the 2004 - 2006 Transportation Improvement Program, as amended, now
therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee,
That the Tompkins County Legislature authorizes the County Contracts Coordinator
to execute and file an application on behalf of the County of Tompkins
with the United States Department of Transportation and the New York State
Department of Transportation for the 2004 Section 5307 Grant,
RESOLVED, further, That the County Contracts Coordinator is authorized
to execute a supplemental grant agreement on behalf of the County of Tompkins
with the United States Department of Transportation and TCAT to formally
designate TCAT as the Grantee for this grant and that the County is not
in any manner subject to or responsible for the terms and conditions of
this Grant Agreement and is a party to this Grant Agreement only to assign
the right to receive and dispense Federal funds to TCAT as Grantee.
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Approval of Appointment(s) Under the Consent Agenda
It was MOVED by Ms. Robertson, seconded by Ms. Schuler, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to approve the following appointment(s) under the Consent Agenda:
Environmental Management Council
William C. Kolberg - At-Large Representative; term expires December
31, 2004
Meira N. Hertzberg - At-Large Representative; term expires December
31, 2005
Daniel Pearlstein - At-Large Representative; term expires December
31, 2005
Ashley Miller - At-Large Representative; term expires December 31,
2005
Carolyn Shapiro - At-Large Representative; term expires December 31,
2005
Roger Yonkin - At-Large Representative; term expires December 31, 2005
Neha Khanna - At-Large Representative; term expires December 31, 2005
Steve Nicholson - Appointment as Chair, Environmental Management Council for 2004
Soil and Water Conservation District
Edward Laine - Grange Representative; term expires December 31, 2006
Strategic Tourism Planning Board
Charles Trautmann - Tourism Representative; term expires December 31,
2006
Beverly Baker - Travel/Industry Representative; term expires December
31, 2006
David E. Sparrow - Retail Representative; term expires December 31,
2006
Margie Malepe - Ithaca College Representative; term expires December
31, 2006
Jamie Grady - Arts Representative; term expires December 31, 2006
Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board
Daniel D. Konowalow - Farmer Representative; term expires December
31, 2007
Planning Advisory Board
Betty Falcao - Health and Human Services Representative; term expires
December 31, 2006
Monika Roth - Agriculture Representative; term expires December 31,
2006
Tompkins County Public Library Board of Trustees
Gary Woloszyn - Term expires December 31, 2006
Office for the Aging Advisory Committee
Frances T. Sovocool - Term expires December 31, 2006
Beena Kulkowitz - Term expires December 31, 2006
Criminal Justice Advisory/Alternatives to Incarceration Board
John P. Beach - At-Large Representative; term expires December 31,
2006
Family Court Advisory Council
Maureen Reedy - At-Large Representative; term expires December 31,
2006
Ms. Schuler asked if the various boards and commissions kept
an attendance record and whether that information was taken into consideration
for their reappointment. Mr. Joseph said he believes attendance information
is kept by those boards; however, he did not know to what extent the information
is used.
Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Health and Human Services Committee
Ms. Robertson, Chair, reported the Committee has met twice since the last meeting of the Legislature. On December 8 the Committee heard the second half of Professor Pendall's presentation on housing and had a lengthy discussion on the topic. At the meeting Ms. Robertson reported that in 1976 there were 400,000 new Section 8 vouchers made available from the federal government. In 2003, 34,000 new vouchers became available. Locally, Tompkins Community Action has 802 families with vouchers who all had apartments; however, 691 families were on the waiting list. Ms. Robertson said she later inquired at Ithaca Housing Authority, who also holds vouchers, and was told they have 530 families placed, 19 with vouchers are still looking, and there are 400 people on their waiting list. She noted some families on the waiting list may be duplicates of the other list.
Ms. Robertson said the Committee also heard from Betty Falcao, Health Planning Council, who said there is a State Senate Medicaid Reform Task Force that is holding meetings across the State. On behalf of Tompkins County Ms. Falcao traveled to Binghamton and reported on the state of Medicaid from Tompkins County's point of view. The Task Force has received a lot of information and hopes to have a recommendation in January.
At that meeting the Committee also began talking about the impacts of the 2004 budget on departments. During the discussion, the Department of Social Services reported that in looking at all of the programs that Department is responsible for, it appears there will be a year-end net local cost of $170,000 under the budget. Ms. Robertson said this shows the Departments projections are very accurate, as the Department manages a $41 million budget.
Ms. Robertson said the Committee met at 4 p.m. today and heard from the Office for the Aging, Mental Health, and Youth Services on budget impacts.
RESOLUTION NO. 281 – PERMANENT REGULATION OF MUNICIPAL CHILDREN’S CAMPS – HEALTH DEPARTMENT
MOVED by Ms. Robertson, seconded by Ms. Schuler. A voice vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 13, Noes - 1 (Legislature Lane); Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, it is the declared policy of the State of New York to
protect the health, safety, and welfare of the children attending what
are commonly called summer day and traveling summer day camps, and
WHEREAS, children attending municipally run camps should be protected
from potential health and safety hazards in the same way as children attending
camps operated by other entities, and
WHEREAS, municipally operated summer day and traveling summer day camps
have been continuously regulated by the Department of Health since 1984,
and
WHEREAS, the Governor’s State Camp Safety Advisory Council recommends
that municipally operated summer day and traveling summer day camps continue
to be regulated by the Department of Health and that the authority to do
so be made permanent, and
WHEREAS, legislation currently authorizing the Department of Health
to regulate municipally operated summer day and traveling summer day camps
is set to expire on December 31, 2004, and
WHEREAS, there is no reason to exempt municipally operated children’s
day or traveling summer day camps from Department of Health regulation,
now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Tompkins County Board of Health
and the Health and Human Services Committee, That the Tompkins County Legislature
calls on the New York State Legislature to enact legislation that permanently
authorizes the Department of Health to regulate municipally operated children’s
day and traveling summer day camps,
RESOLVED, further, That the Legislature shall forward copies
of this Resolution to the New York State Association of Counties, Governor
George E. Pataki, the New York State Legislature and all others deemed
necessary and proper.
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RESOLUTION NO. 282 - AUTHORIZING CHANGES IN CHARGE STRUCTURE - TOMPKINS COUNTY HOME HEALTH CARE - HEALTH DEPARTMENT
MOVED by Ms. Robertson, seconded by Mrs. McBean-Clairborne, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.
WHEREAS, Tompkins County’s accounting consultant, John Kropski,
CPA, of Freed Maxick & Battaglia, PC has recommended changes in the
Certified Home Health Agency fee structure to maximize Medicaid and Medicare
revenues, and
WHEREAS, New York State currently promulgates rates on the day
the County legislature approves them and it is therefore, desirable for
Tompkins County to adopt the 2004 rates in December 2003, and
WHEREAS, all changes proposed were made to align charges with
actual costs per unit of service as determined during Mr. Kropski’s most
recent review of our financial and statistical data, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Health, Human Services and
Education and Budget and Personnel Committee, That the Tompkins County
Health Department implements the charge structure below, as recommended
by John Kropski, CPA, in order to maximize Medicaid and Medicare revenues:
2004 Tompkins County Home Health Care Fee Schedule
2002 2003 2004
Skilled Nursing $110.00 $126.00 $140.00
High Tech Nursing $115.00 $135.00 $165.00
Physical Therapy $105.00 $105.00 $105.00
Speech Therapy $105.00 $105.00 $105.00
Occupational Therapy $105.00 $105.00 $105.00
Medical Social Work $105.00 $105.00 $105.00
Home Health Aide $ 36.00/hour $ 41.00/hour $ 45.00/hour
$ 70.00/visit $ 75.00/visit $ 90.00/visit
RESOLVED, further, That the Department sets the per hour Nursing
Administrative Charge at sixty dollars ($60.00) per hour, for services
as appropriate (i.e. rabies post exposure, hypertension screening clinics,
etc).
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Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Public Safety Committee
Ms. Blanchard, Chair, reported the Committee met on December 4 and discussed progress made on Committee goals during the year; she will present this information to the full Legislature in January. She announced the December 18 meeting has been canceled.
RESOLUTION NO. 283 - APPROPRIATION FROM CONTINGENT FUND FOR TERMINAL
AND REPLACEMENT PAY AT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE
MOVED by Ms. Blanchard, seconded by Mrs. McBean-Clairborne. A
short roll call vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused
- 1 (Legislator Penniman). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, the Sheriff’s Office had an employee, David Russell,
resign effective September 3, 2003, at a cost of $515; Michael Day, retire
effective September 27, 2003, at a cost of $10,874; Randolph Haus, vacate
his position effective October 10, 2003, at a cost of $2,669; and Mark
Dresser, retire effective November 5, 2003, at a cost of $8,743 for terminal
pay,
WHEREAS, the Sheriff’s Office has employees who were on disability
or worker’s compensation and unable to perform their duties, and
WHEREAS, the Fiscal Policy of Tompkins County allows for terminal
pay and replacement pay for employees who have been out longer than two
months from the Contingent Fund, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety Committee and
the Budget and Capital Committees, That the Director of Finance appropriate
a total of $22,801 for terminal pay and $55,262 for replacement pay
for employees who were on disability or worker’s compensation encompassing
the period of July 1, 2003 – December 31, 2003, to the following accounts
in the Sheriff's budget:
APPROPRIATION:
FROM: A1990.54440 Contingent Fund $78,063
TO: A3150.51000406 Regular Pay 14,034
A3150.58800 Fringe 3,789
A3112.51000417 Senior Criminal 6,884
A3112.58800 Fringe 1,859
A3113.51000419 Regular Pay 40,549
A3113.58800 Fringe 10,948
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RESOLUTION NO. 284 - APPROPRIATION FROM CONTINGENT FUND FOR REPLACEMENT PAY AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
MOVED by Ms. Blanchard, seconded by Ms. Herrera. A short roll call vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, the District Attorney’s Office has an employee who was
disabled and thus unable to perform her duties for more than two months,
specifically, from Monday, May 12, 2003, through Friday, August 15, 2003,
returning to work on Monday, August 18, 2003, and
WHEREAS, the District Attorney’s Office hired a replacement employee
for the period from Monday, July 14, 2003, through Friday, August 15, 2003,
receiving gross pay of $2,761.55 during that time, and
WHEREAS, the Fiscal Policy of Tompkins County (section 5.03[B][2])
allows for replacement pay for employees who have been out of work and
replaced under such circumstances, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety and Budget and Capital
Committees, That the Director of Finance appropriate a total of $2,761.55
for replacement pay encompassing the period of July 14, 2003, through August
15, 2003,
RESOLVED, further, That the funds be appropriated from and distributed
to the following accounts:
FROM: A1990.54440 Contingent Fund $2,761.55
TO: A1165.51000 Regular Pay $2,174.45
A1165.58800 Fringe $ 587.10
TOTAL $2,761.55
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RESOLUTION NO. 285 - ADOPTION OF COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN - EMERGENCY RESPONSE
MOVED by Ms. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Totman, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.
WHEREAS, Section 23 of the New York State Executive Law authorizes each
county to prepare disaster preparedness plans to minimize the effect of
disasters by (i) identifying appropriate local measures to prevent disasters,
(ii) developing mechanisms to coordinate the use of local resources and
manpower for service during and after disasters and the delivery of services
to aid citizens and reduce human suffering resulting from a disaster, and
(iii) providing for recovery and redevelopment after disasters, and
WHEREAS, the plans shall provide for the coordination of resources,
manpower and services and shall provide for a centralized coordination
and direction of requests for assistance, utilizing existing organizations
and lines of authority, and
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Emergency Action Plan (Administrative
Manual 01-19, updated June 2000) reorganized and directed the Emergency
Planning Committee “to prepare a comprehensive emergency management plan,
incorporating and updating existing response plans, mutual aid agreements,
hazardous materials plans,” and “additional plans as appropriate,” and
WHEREAS, the Emergency Planning Committee and assigned teams have submitted
to the County Legislature a draft Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan
that meets these objectives and provides for a coordinated response to
emergency situations, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, That the
Tompkins County Legislature does hereby officially adopt the Tompkins County
Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (the "Plan"),
RESOLVED, further, That the Department of Emergency Response shall
cause to publish and distribute the Plan and to provide appropriate training
to the many County departments, municipalities, and organizations incorporated
into the Plan.
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Report from the Facilities and Infrastructure Committee
Mr. Booth, Chair, reported the Committee will not meet on December 22 as previously scheduled; however, the Committee will be polled on some expenditures at the Airport. Mr. Booth said snow is an unfunded mandate and noted the budget had to be adjusted earlier this year and the Committee will have to look at the budget for snow removal for this winter. He stated he was not able to attend the last meeting due to a family illness and deferred to Ms. Robertson, Vice Chair, to give the Committee report.
Ms. Robertson, Vice Chair, reported at the last meeting the Committee heard from Fernando DeAragon of the Transportation Council about the process for classification of roads. Letters have been sent to municipal officials asking them to review their maps of roads and make suggestions to the Planning Council. Mr. Messmer, Highway Superintendant, was also present at the meeting to discuss ownership of and responsibility for County roads. Ms. Robertson reported an internal evaluation is underway and this will come back to the Committee in the coming year.
Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Consumer and Community Affairs Committee
Ms. Kiefer, Chair, reported the Committee will meet tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.
RESOLUTION NO. 286 - APPROPRIATION FROM CONTINGENT FUND - ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH (NEIGHBOR NOTIFICATION
LAW) - CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
MOVED by Ms. Kiefer, seconded by Mr. Proto. A short roll call vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, the Neighbor Notification Law became effective January
1, 2003, and
WHEREAS, the Environmental Health Division of the Public Health
Department and Department of Weights and Measures have been charged with
overseeing and enforcing the law, and
WHEREAS, no funds were allocated in the 2003 budget process to
cover the costs incurred for implementation of this law, including costs
incurred by the Cornell Cooperative Extension for educational outreach
training expenses, and
WHEREAS, Cornell Cooperative Extension has performed the educational
outreach services related to the Neighbor Notification Law as requested,
and
WHEREAS, the total cost of these services for 2003 is $2,975.38, now
therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Consumer and Community Affairs
and the Budget and Capital Committees, That the Director of Finance is
hereby authorized and directed to make a budget appropriation
to reimburse Cornell Cooperative Extension for the direct cost of Neighbor
Notification Law education and outreach:
FROM: A1990.54440 Contingent Fund $2,975.38
TO: A2981.54400 Program Expense $2,975.38
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Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Government Operations Committee
Mr. Koplinka-Loehr, Chairman, reported the Committee met with Mayor Alan Cohen to review the issue of capital improvements to residential buildings and possible tax exemptions. The Committee also conducted a brief review of draft changes to the County's financial disclosure forms. Mr. Koplinka-Loehr said the forms will be circulated to the full Legislature in January for review.
RESOLUTION NO. 287 - AUTHORIZING APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
MOVED by Mr. Koplinka-Loehr, seconded by Ms. Blanchard. Ms. Kiefer expressed concern that although half of the salary comes from Planning and half from Administration, there is no language is contained in the resolution that expresses this Legislature's intention to have the Planning Commissioner fill two jobs, splitting his time evenly over the course of the year. It was MOVED by Ms. Kiefer, seconded by Ms. Robertson, to add the following wording to the first Resolved: "with the understanding that the Administrator/Commissioner will split his time evenly between these assignments over the year". Mr. Lane said this was discussed by the Planning, Development and Environmental Quality Committee. The Committee did not want to add this language because from time-to-time there may be reasons why the Commissioner will need to have more time spent in either department. Ms. Herrera noted that the resolution contains language that ensures the position is evaluated in one year to determine if there have been any effects on the functions of either the Planning Department or County Administration. Concern was expressed that there are circumstances that happen from time-to-time that may make splitting time in half difficult and it was felt that specific language would be micromanaging this position.
A voice vote on the amendment resulted as follows: Ayes - 2 (Legislators Kiefer and Robertson); Noes - 12; Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman). MOTION FAILED. A voice vote on the original resolution resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, Article 3 of the Tompkins County Charter authorizes the
County Administrator to appoint the position of Deputy County Administrator
as authorized by this body, and
WHEREAS, the Charter further provides that a Deputy County Administrator
may be responsible for one or more divisions or major functions within
the Department of County Administration, and
WHEREAS, the position of Deputy County Administrator has been
previously authorized by this body and is now vacant due to resignation,
and
WHEREAS, it is the intent of the County Administrator to appoint
the Commissioner of Planning to the additional position and joint title
of Deputy County Administrator/Commissioner of Planning with initial responsibility
for administrative oversight of the Planning, Public Works, Economic Development,
and Community Affairs functions of County Government and other duties as
may be assigned, and
WHEREAS, the appointment will have no impact upon the 2003 or
proposed 2004 County budgets, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations and
Planning, Development, and Environmental Quality Committees, That the County
Administrator is hereby authorized to designate and appoint the Commissioner
of Planning to the joint position of Deputy County Administrator/Commissioner
of Planning,
RESOLVED, further, That the Deputy County Administrator/Commissioner
of Planning shall retain all the duties, responsibilities and authority
as provided in the Tompkins County Charter to the Commissioner of Planning
and such additional responsibilities and authority as provided to the Deputy
County Administrator,
RESOLVED, further, That after one year the Government Operations
and Planning, Development and Environmental Quality Committees (or their
successors) each review this action with the County Administrator and Deputy
County Administrator/Commissioner of Planning and determine any effects,
positive or negative, it may have had on the functions of the Planning
Department and County Administration,
RESOLVED, further, That this resolution shall take effect immediately.
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RESOLUTION NO. 288 - APPROPRIATION FROM CONTINGENT FUND FOR TERMINAL PAY - FINANCE DEPARTMENT
MOVED by Mr. Koplinka-Loehr, seconded by Mr. Booth. A short roll call vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 14, Noes - 0, Excused -1 (Legislator Penniman). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, the Finance Department had the employment of one employee,
Cindy Day, resign, effective September 26, 2003, at a cost of $4,320 for
terminal pay, and
WHEREAS, the Fiscal Policy of Tompkins County allows for terminal
pay from the Contingent Fund, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations and
Budget and Capital Committees, That the Director of Finance appropriate
a total of $4,320 for terminal pay for Cindy Day,
RESOLVED, further, That the money be distributed to the following
accounts:
FROM: A1990.54440 Contingent Fund $4,320
TO: A1315.51000 Regular Pay $3,402
A1315.58800 Fringes $ 918
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RESOLUTION NO. 289 - ESTABLISHING SALARIES AND BENEFITS OF MANAGEMENT
AND CONFIDENTIAL EMPLOYEES, 2004
MOVED by Mr. Koplinka-Loehr, seconded by Mrs. McBean-Clairborne.
Mr. Proto said he will vote no on this resolution in order to remain consistent
with the issues he raised during the budget process. However, he
said he does not want his no vote construed as him not being supportive
of management because he supported withdrawal of some of the proposals
to reduce those salaries during that process as well. A roll call vote
resulted as follows: Ayes - 10, Noes - 4 (Legislators Kiefer, Proto,
Totman, and Winch); Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman. RESOLUTION
ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, during 1988-1991, the Legislature reviewed the salary
schedules for Management and Confidential employees, and
WHEREAS, the schedule developed then to bring salaries into alignment
will still take several years to complete, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee,
That Management and Confidential employees newly hired, reclassified, or
who changed positions after January 1, 2001, are currently salaried based
upon the relevant County salary schedule,
RESOLVED, further, That the incumbents in Management positions on January
1, 2004, shall receive an increase not less than 3.1875 percent nor greater
than 4.25 percent effective January 1, 2004,
RESOLVED, further, That effective January 1, 2004, Confidential
employees shall receive an increase of 3.71875 percent if their salary
exceeds the salary schedule or 4.25 percent if their salary is equal to
the salary schedule,
RESOLVED, further, That Management and Confidential employees
shall continue to contribute 20 percent towards the cost of health insurance
and eligible employees shall be entitled to a VEBA (Voluntary Employee
Benefit Account) equal to the differential between the employee share of
health insurance at 15 percent and the employee share at 20 percent,
RESOLVED, further, That VEBA eligibility and entitlement shall
be limited to employees who received a VEBA in 2003 and are still enrolled
in health insurance on January 1, 2004,
RESOLVED, further, That Management and Confidential employees
shall receive longevity payments as provided for in a relevant compensation
schedule and shall be entitled to all other fringe benefits specified in
Administrative Policy 03-01, fringe benefits for non-unionized employees.
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RESOLUTION NO. 290 - AUTHORIZING SALARY INCREASES FOR PSYCHIATRISTS WITH SALARIES SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED BY LEGISLATURE RESOLUTION ABOVE THE SALARY RANGE
MOVED by Mr. Koplinka-Loehr, seconded by Mr. Lane. Ms. Kiefer said she is glad to see CPI being used, but will not support this resolution because it does not use the CPI appropriate for this rural area. A roll call vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 10, Noes - 4 (Legislators Kiefer, Proto, Totman, and Winch); Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, the Psychiatrists were established by separate resolution
of the Legislature with salaries placed at a rate above the corresponding
salary schedule, and
WHEREAS, the 2003 salary for this position is $134,030 (35.0
hrs/wk) and 153,196 (40.0 hrs/wk), and
WHEREAS, the reason for granting Psychiatrists a salary above the range
assigned in the Management salary scale is difficulty in recruitment of
psychiatric professionals at the rate of pay listed on the Management scale,
and
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 118 of 2002 requires that salary increases
can only be made by a resolution of the Legislature, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee,
That effective January 1, 2004, salaries for Psychiatrists will be increased
by the average of the Consumer Price Index for the previous three full
years (1999-2001), namely 2.77 percent,
RESOLVED, further, That upon vacancy, the salary of the above job title
shall be equal to the Management Salary sched000ule unless the Legislature
takes specific action.
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RESOLUTION NO. 291 - AUTHORIZING A SALARY INCREASE FOR THE MEDICAL
DIRECTOR - MENTAL HEALTH WITH A SALARY
SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED BY LEGISLATURE RESOLUTION TO BE ABOVE THE
SALARY RANGE
MOVED by Mr. Koplinka-Loehr, seconded by Mrs. McBean-Clairborne. A roll call vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 10, Noes - 4 (Legislators Kiefer, Proto, Totman, Winch); Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, the salary for Medical Director - Mental Health was established
by separate resolution of the Legislature to have a salary placed at a
rate above the corresponding salary schedule, and
WHEREAS, the 2003 salary for this position is $145,199, and
WHEREAS, the reason for granting the Medical Director - Mental
Health a salary above the range assigned in the Management salary scale
is difficulty in recruitment of psychiatric administrative personnel at
the rate of pay listed in the Management scale, and
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 118 of 2002 requires that salary increases
can only be made by a resolution of the Legislature, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee,
That effective January 1, 2004, the salary for Medical Director - Mental
Health will be increased by the average of the Consumer Price Index for
the previous three full years (1999-2001), namely 2.77 percent,
RESOLVED, further, That upon vacancy, the salary of the above job title
shall return to the Management Salary schedule unless the Legislature takes
specific action.
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RESOLUTION NO. 292 - AUTHORIZING A SALARY INCREASE FOR THE COUNTY ATTORNEY WITH A SALARY SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED BY LEGISLATURE RESOLUTION TO BE ABOVE THE SALARY RANGE
MOVED by Mr. Koplinka-Loehr, seconded by Ms. Herrera. A roll call vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 11, Noes - 3 (Legislators Kiefer, Proto, and Winch); Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, the salary for the County Attorney was established by
separate resolution of the Legislature to have a salary placed at a rate
above the corresponding salary schedule, and
WHEREAS, the 2003 salary for the County Attorney is $92,379,
and
WHEREAS, the reason for granting the County Attorney a salary
above the range assigned in the Management salary scale is difficulty in
recruitment of a qualified legal counsel at the rate of pay listed in the
Management scale, and
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 118 of 2002 requires that salary increases
can only be made by a resolution of the Legislature, and
WHEREAS, the County's white collar employees will receive a 4.25 percent
increase in salaries in 2003, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee,
That effective January 1, 2004, the salary for County Attorney will be
increased by 4.25 percent,
RESOLVED, further, That upon vacancy, the salary of the above job title
shall be equal to the Management Salary schedule unless the Legislature
takes specific action.
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Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Planning, Development and Environmental Quality Committee
Mr. Lane, Chair, had no report.
RESOLUTION NO. 293 - AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A ONE-YEAR LEASE
AGREEMENT FOR THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
BOARD
MOVED by Mr. Lane, seconded by Ms. Herrera, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.
WHEREAS, the lease agreement covering the offices of the Tompkins
County Workforce Development Board located at 171 East State Street, Center
Ithaca, in the City of Ithaca, County of Tompkins, State of New York, shall
expire on December 31, 2003, and
WHEREAS, a lease agreement has been satisfactorily negotiated
for space located at 200 East Buffalo Street, Ithaca, New York, for a one-year
term, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Planning, Development, and
Environmental Quality Committee, That the County Administrator is hereby
authorized to sign a lease agreement with Landlord, Sciarabba Walker &
Co., LLP, for the period of January 1, 2003, through December 31, 2003,
with an option to renew for an additional one-year term.
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Mr. Lane recognized the many County advisory boards and thanked them for the tremendous amount of work they do throughout the year.
Water Resources Appointments
The following appointment(s) were MOVED by Mr. Lane, seconded by Mr. Booth. Mr. Proto said he requested these appointment(s) be withdrawn from the Consent Agenda because there has been discussion about restructuring the Council which is the reason the appointments are proposed for six months rather than the full three-year term. Mr. Proto said there are no provisions in the Council's bylaws for shorter appointments and requested these individuals be appointed for three-year terms. He suggested the Planning, Development and Environmental Quality Committee consider reappointing new members at the appropriate time.
Mr. Lane said the Planning, Development and Environmental Quality Committee discussed this at the last meeting. The problem is the structure of a group that would be allowed to receive water resources grant funding. In order to qualify, Tompkins County needs to have participation and representation by the municipalities that would be receiving funds for stormwater grants. He said a couple of years ago municipal representation was removed from the Water Resources Council because of difficulty finding people to serve from the municipalities. Mr. Lane said it is the Committee's intention to take a look at the membership again and that it would make sense to make shorter-term appointments in the meantime.
It was MOVED by Mr. Proto, seconded by Mr. Totman, to amend the appointments from six-month terms to three-year terms. A voice vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 4 (Legislators Kiefer, Proto, Todd, and Totman); Noes - 10; Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman). MOTION FAILED.
It was MOVED by Mr. Proto, seconded by Ms. Blanchard, to postpone
action on these appointments until the next meeting because the bylaws
do not include a provision for shorter terms. A voice vote
resulted as follows: Ayes - 8 (Legislators Blanchard, Booth,
Kiefer, Proto, Schuler, Todd, Totman, and Winch); Noes - 6 (Legislators
Herrera, Joseph, Koplinka-Loehr, Lane, McBean, and Robertson); Excused
- 1 (Legislator Penniman). MOTION TO POSTPONE CARRIED.
Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Budget and Capital
Committee
Mr. Booth, Vice Chairman, announced the meeting of the Budget and Capital Committee meeting scheduled for December 22 has been cancelled.
RESOLUTION NO. 294 - AUTHORIZE APPLICATION AND AGREEMENT FOR FEDERAL SECTION 5311 AND NEW YORK STATE TRANSPORTATION FUNDING FOR A CAPITAL PROJECT TO PURCHASE FOUR BUSES AND ANCILLARY TRANSIT EQUIPMENT FOR RURAL TOMPKINS CONSOLIDATED AREA TRANSIT (TCAT) ROUTES
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Mr. Todd. A voice vote resulted as follows: Ayes -13; Noes - 1 (Legislator Kiefer); Excused - 1 (Legislator Penniman). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has
requested capital project proposals eligible to use federal rural transit
funding be submitted by counties, cities and Indian reservations for 2004
and 2005, and
WHEREAS, Tompkins County is submitting a request for a grant of funds
to the New York State Department of Transportation, pursuant to Section
5311, Title 49, United States Code, for a capital project to purchase:
four 40 ft. heavy duty, low-floor transit buses, twenty-two mobile radios,
four bus shelters and fifteen bus stop signs on behalf of Tompkins Consolidated
Area Transit (TCAT), and
WHEREAS, TCAT rural routes serve the Towns of Lansing, Danby, Ithaca,
Groton, Lansing, Newfield, Enfield, Dryden and Caroline and the City of
Ithaca in Tompkins County and the Towns of Richford, Berkshire and Newark
Valley in Tioga County, and
WHEREAS, the Project funding sources are as follows:
Federal Transit Authority Sec 5311 $
987,040
NYSDOT $
123,380
TCAT $
123,380
Total $ 1,233,800
WHEREAS, Tompkins County and the State of New York are entering into
an Agreement which authorizes the undertaking of the Project and payment
of Federal and State shares of the project, and the local share of the
project is incorporated in TCAT’s capital budget for 2005, now therefore
be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee, That
the Tompkins County Legislature authorizes said application and agreement
for this project and that the Contracts Coordinator/Risk Manager is authorized
to sign the application and
1. Any and all Agreements between Tompkins County and the State of New
York for the above named Project;
2. Any and all Agreements between Tompkins County and any third party
subcontractors necessary to complete the project, if applicable;
3. Any Municipality/Vendor Contracts for the purchase and or installation
of vehicles and equipment.
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RESOLUTION NO. 295 - AMENDMENT TO RESOLUTION NO. 241 OF 2003 - PROCEDURE FOR FILLING VACANT POSITIONS
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Mrs. McBean-Clairborne, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Legislature adopted Resolution No.
241 of 2003 - Procedure for Filling Vacant Positions on November 6, 2003,
and
WHEREAS, there has not been adequate time to develop procedures
to implement this resolution, now therefore be it
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Capital Committee,
That the effective date of this resolution be amended from January 15,
2004 to March 1, 2004.
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RESOLUTION NO. 296 - CREATION OF, ABOLITION OF AND CHANGES IN POSITIONS - VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Schuler, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the appropriate program committees of the Legislature, That the following positions be created effective January 1, 2004:
Finance
1.0 Senior Account Clerk Typist (59/320), labor
grade I(59), competitive class, 40 hours
RESOLVED, further, That the hours of the following positions be changed
as follows effective January 1, 2004:
Finance
1.0 Administrative Assistant, (62/326), labor grade L (62), competitive
class, increase from 35.0 to 40.0 hours per week
Board of Elections
2.0 Senior Election Clerks, (8/691), labor grade H(8), unclassified
class, increase each position from half-time to full-time
Assessment
1.0 Assessment Account Specialist, (9/768), labor grade
I(9), increase from 35.0 hours to 40.0 hours per week
Health Department
1.0 Account Clerk Typist, (6/513), labor grade G(7), decrease
from 37.5 hours to 35.0 hours per week
1.0 Public Health Sanitarian, (14/595), labor grade N(14),
increase from 35.0 hours to 37.5 hours per week
RESOLVED, further, That the following positions be abolished effective
December 31, 2003:
Assessment
1.0 Real Property System Supervisor, (13/500), labor grade M(13), competitive
class
Finance
1.0 Principal Account Clerk, (61/334), labor grade K(11),
competitive class
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RESOLUTION NO. 297 - IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2004 BUDGET - DEPARTMENTAL FEES
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Schuler, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the appropriate program committees,
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 2004, and included in the 2004 budget adopted
by the Tompkins County Legislature, are hereby authorized and approved.
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RESOLUTION NO. 298 - IMPLEMENTATION OF 2004 TOMPKINS COUNTY BUDGET – MEMBERSHIPS
MOVED by Mr. Booth, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present.
RESOLVED, on recommendation of the appropriate program committees, That
memberships in all municipal organizations specifically listed in 2004
budget requests, approved by the appropriate program committee, and included
in the 2004 budget adopted by the Tompkins County Legislature, are hereby
authorized and approved.
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Report from the Communications Capital Projects Committee
Ms. Blanchard, Chair, had no report. She announced the December 23 meeting has been cancelled.
Report from the Space Needs and Location Committee
Mr. Proto, Chairman, reported the Committee met last week and passed an amended resolution with regard to the space needs standardization and it has been forwarded to the Government Operations Committee. The Committee also discussed the review of alternatives and have reduced the number for the Health Department to two that will be brought to the full Legislature. The Committee has asked the Planning Department to prepare additional information before that happens. In terms of expansion of County space and the reconfiguration of various departments; those alternatives have been reduced to three. Mr. Proto said the next meeting will be January 14 at 2 p.m.
Approval of Minutes of December 2, 2003 Minutes
It was MOVED by Mr. Koplinka-Loehr, seconded by Mr. Booth, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to approve the minutes of the December 2, 2003 meeting as corrected. MINUTES APPROVED.
Adjournment
On motion the meeting adjourned at 8:05 p.m.
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