Called to Order

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

Pledge of Allegiance and Roll Call of Members

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

Present: 14 Representatives. Excused: 1 (Representative Evans).

STOP-DWI - Recognition of Officers

John Beach, STOP-DWI Coordinator, said the Program was created in 1981, and in the 19 years since its inception there have been over 9,000 DWI arrests, 1,800 alcohol-related crashes that have resulted in 2,200 injuries and over 75 County residents being killed. He said these figures reflect a steady improvement in the ongoing efforts to reduce alcohol crashes, injuries, and fatalities in the County. Mr. Beach said the purpose of the presentation of awards this evening is to recognize the efforts of the Tompkins County Sheriff's Department. In 1999 the Sheriff's Department made 219 drunk-driving arrests which is the most ever by the Sheriff's Department and the second highest agency total in the history of the STOP-DWI program. Mr. Beach thanked Mr. Meskill and the entire Sheriff's Department for their hard work and dedication to DWI enforcement in Tompkins County.

Peter Meskill, Tompkins County Sheriff, said each of the deputies being honored has made personal commitments to stop drunk driving in the County. He complimented all the employees in the Department and said almost everyone on staff has contributed towards this effort.

Mr. Meskill presented awards to the following deputies:

Deputy Ann Woods - 12 arrests

Sargent Dan Donahue - 15 arrests

Sargeant Sean Lansing - 24 arrests

Deputy Joe Manning - 50 arrests

Deputy Shane Spencer - 28 arrests

Deputy Greg Vestal - 16 arrests

Deputy Mike StAngelo - 38 arrests

At this time, Chair Mink presented an award to Sheriff Meskill and the Sheriff''s Department for their hard work in making Tompkins County a safer community. The entire Board expressed its gratitude to these deputies for their fine work and dedication to the safety of Tompkins County.

Privilege of the Floor by the Public

Elaine Leeder, Professor of Sociology at Ithaca College, said for the last two years she has been working at the Elmira Correctional Facility in an educational program. She spoke concerning the proposed expansion of the Tompkins County Public Safety Building. She said a number of years ago the Governor cut higher education programs in state prisons. For two years she has been running a higher education program at the Prison that brings in college lecturers in order to educate the inmates. Ms. Leeder suggested that Tompkins County put more money into alternative to incarceration programs and placing emphasis on education programs rather than trying to increase the size of the Jail.

Fay Gougakis, City of Ithaca, spoke of the Old Library building and the future of that structure. She said there needs to be a place for the youth and the elderly to go, and suggested that the building be used to house the YMCA. She feels it does not belong in Lansing and should be moved downtown. Ms. Gougakis also spoke of the proposed solar panels for the Library and feels it would be a wise decision for the Board to choose to use them.

Privilege of the Floor by Board Members

Mr. Joseph, District No. 12 Representative, responded to the comments made by Ms. Leeder Under Privilege of the Floor by the Public. He spoke of his past experiences when he worked at the Jail and said he found that almost all inmates had been a childhood victim of child abuse or neglect. When a child has been a victim of abuse there is a great chance that they will grow up and become an abuser themselves. He noted how our attitudes depend so much on a person's age. When a child is abused or neglected the child gets sympathy, but when that child grows up he gets no sympathy. He said he would like this Board to take a different attitude and recognize the damage child abuse can do and try to correct it and help those who are older but are still suffering the consequences of that victimization.

Ms. Davis, District No. 2 Representative, announced a forum will be held on Friday, March 24^th, at the Southside Community Center to discuss the death penalty. Ron Hampton, Executive Director of the National Black Police Association, will be keynote speaker and there will be a panel of experts in this field available to answer questions on this subject.

Mr. Proto, District No. 7 Representative, announced this summer the County will be participating in a blood drive and urged all Board members to donate.

Mr. Penniman, District No. 15 Representative, reported on the Public Information Advisory Board and said there will be a graduate student who will be interviewing Board members to find out how information is obtained from constituents. The goal of this is to help the advisory board produce a strategy to help all Board members obtain information.

Mr. Lane, District No. 14 Representative, announced today is election day in five of the villages and urged everyone to get out and support the candidates who are running for election. Mr. Lane also spoke of the Board's annual responsibility to designate an official County newspaper. He said the Ithaca Journal who is the official newspaper of the County, has moved the legal advertising section from the beginning of the classified section to the middle. Mr. Lane said this change makes legal notices virtually impossible to find. He said he does not feel this is where they belong and hopes the Ithaca Journal will reconsider this decision.

Mr. Proto, Member of the TCAT Board of Directors, spoke of the unfortunate bus accident that occurred on the Cornell campus last week that claimed the life of a student, Michelle Evans, and asked for a moment of silence in her memory.

Special Presentation - Solar Panels/Tompkins County Library

The Solar Library Panel Sub-Committee of the Environmental Management Council presented its conclusions and recommendations on solar panel energy use for the new Tompkins County Public Library

Tom Leyden, Representative of Power Light, said there are hundreds of thousands of solar systems around the world and these systems function very well. He said with deregulation people are now able to choose a premium environmental product for the first time, and in states where deregulation takes hold there is a lot of solar activity. Mr. Leyden said Power Light has been in existence since 1991 and has developed a powerguard product. This is a very simple and low-cost way to mount solar on a flat roof that carries many benefits such as protecting and extending the life of the roof and thermal benefits such as the heating and air conditioning in the building. All of these factors have led to building a lower cost system and has made Power Light a premier commercial PV company in the country. He said they are very committed to a solar panel project for the Public Library and feel it would be a very worthwhile project to invest in that would be very beneficial to Tompkins County.

Susan Brock, Environmental Management Council Chair, said the Council formed a Solar Panel Committee that has worked with James Kazda, Senior Civil Engineer for Tompkins County, on this project. She said as one result of the sub-committee’s work, the EMC passed a resolution recommending that the Board approve this project.

Steven Nicholson, Member of the Committee distributed a packet of information on solar power. He said three of the committee members live in homes that have solar power. He spoke of his solar system at home that allows his family to lead a comfortable, modern, and extremely energy-efficient lifestyle and use one-tenth of the energy used by an average American home. He said for the last three years they have welcomed the public into their home as part of the national tour of solar homes. He said he has calculated the amount of electricity that will be produced by this proposal and agrees with Power Light’s projections. He said using their projections, this system will pay for itself in twelve years and will save the County in thirty years two million dollars in electric costs.

Mr. Nicholson said some criticisms have been raised concerning this system’s high initial cost and also the significant amount of grant money involved. He said market penetration by solar energy is expected to be twenty-five percent of our total energy production in twenty-five years and will be difficult without government subsidies. He said another concern over this system is based on the lack of sunshine in Ithaca. He agrees that this is one of the cloudier climates in the country; however, the electrical output for the Library system is based on thirty-year averages of sunshine so the cloudy weather has already been taken into account.

Mr. Nicholson explained the three R’s of photovoltaics:

Reliable: 20-year guarantee with no moving parts and no maintenance;

He said based on EPA emissions reports, to generate 5.9 megawatts hours of electricity which is the amount the 147 kW system will produce in thirty years, Miliken Station will emit almost seven tons of nitrogen oxides, twenty-five tons of sulfer dioxide, and 4,500 tons of carbon dioxide. Mr. Nicholson said since the mid-1970’s there have been substantial reductions in air pollution; however, the EPA reports that 90 million Americans still breath air below minimum quality standards. In the United States, air pollution kills over 50,000 people each year. He stated that last week it was announced that this winter was the warmest on record in the United States, followed only by last year and the year before that. The recent protocol to the United Nations would, if ratified, require developed nations to reduce their net carbon emission in the next ten years to less than was emitted in 1990. The challenge to reducing carbon emissions is not technical or economic, but political. Strong opposition from industries deeply vested IN the fossil fuel economy has slowed progress in some nations while those countries that lack large oil and coal industries have the strongest climate protection plans. He said large oil and gas companies have considerable clout in Congress and in state legislature. They raise the fear of job and tax revenue losses whenever renewables are discussed; however, in actuality data suggest that for every job lost to fossil fuels, three are created in the renewable industry. Mr. Nicholson said investing in renewable energy sources will help ease dependence on foreign oil, reduce the trade deficit, and facilitate the inevitable weaning from oil that needs to occur.

Mr. Nicholson said a photovoltaic system installed on the roof of the County’s most public building will send a message to all County residents that says we have chosen to take a step towards a sustainable energy future and that protection of our environmental is an overriding concern. Mr. Nicholson volunteered his committee to help serve as advisors and public educators for this project.

Ken Christianson, who teaches economics and Ithaca College and Binghamton University, and is member of the EMC Subcommittee, said the solar panels for the Library will provide direct benefits such as reduction of consumed electricity. He said there are many benefits such as the one’s mentioned by Mr. Nicholson. Mr. Christianson reviewed information contained in the following document:

Benefits

The installation of solar panels on the Tompkins County Public Library will provide both direct and indirect benefits.

Dir ect benefits - dollars saved in reduced electricity purchased, demand charge savings, and electric line savings. Also re-roofing and HVAC savings.

Indirect benefits - reduced harm to the environment, educational benefits, and economic development benefits. Also "warm fuzzies". (i.e., people passing the Library and feeling good knowing Tompkins County is doing the "right thing".)

Electricity prices

The measurement of direct benefits depends crucially on assumptions about the future prices of electricity. Electricity prices exhibit seasonal variability, with a range of about 10 percent per year. On average, Northeast electricity prices have increased by 1.4 percent in the 1990s.

average growth 1990-99 1.4 percent

average growth 1990-93 4.6 percent

average growth 1990-96 2.8 percent

average growth 1997-99 -1.3 percent

Several sources, including the Energy Information Administration, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and the 1998 New York State Energy Plan, forecast that electricity prices will decline by 1 percent per year well into the 21^st centrury, due to increased competition from deregulation and lower coal prices.

Therefore, this analysis assumes that electricity prices will decline by 1 percent annually, which is the most conservative estimate.

Environmental benefits

While the measurement of environmental benefits and costs is difficult, ignoring them sets their value at zero. These indirect benefits occur due to the reduction in electricity generated by burning fossil fuels or by nuclear power. The current production of electricity imposes costs to human health; damages flora, fauna, crops, forests and fisheries; causes material damages to public structures and infrastructure; and creates visibility and aesthetic damages. These costs are known as external costs or externalities.

To gain a rough approximation of the environmental benefits of solar panels, this committee examined three alternative approaches: mitigation costs, damage costs, and revealed preference.

Estimates of environmental benefits range from $1400 - $3800 for the first full year of operation.

Mitigation costs are estimated as the least cost method of reducing the emissions which are causing harm, even after all regulatory requirements are met and emissions trading is allowed. Before deregulation, the New York Public Service Commission (PSC) required New York utilities to consider external costs in integrated planning, all source bidding evaluation, and in quantifying the benefits of demand-side management programs. Table 2, as quantified by the PSC, gives the costs of reducing the following emissions per kilowatt hour, based on a modem coal-burning plant:

nitrogen oxides 0.55

carbon dioxide 0.1

particulates 0.1

other 0.005

Total air emissions 0.905

Total water discharges 0.10

Total land use impacts 0.40

TOTAL COST OF EXTERNALITIES 1.405 cents/kWh, $1990

PVWATTS, a website of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, estimates the annual energy output of a 147-kW photovoltaic system at 184,949 kWh. This figure would result in a $3,334.63 environmental saving in the first year.

Damage costs are estimates of the harm that an activity imposes on human health and the natural and man-made environment. The PSC required the electric industry to conduct an exhaustive study to quantify such external costs that was completed in 1995. This study developed the EXMOD (for Externality Modeling) program which allows the calculation of electricity externalities for any type of power plant anywhere in New York State. The types of damages included in EXMOD are listed in Table 3. This analysis uses data from a modem coal-burning facility north of Ithaca, New York.

Emissions data are from the AES Cayuga (ex-Milliken) generating station wherever possible (for NO, SO, and Co2)NO, or from state averages for a modem ., S02, and C02), pulverized coal plant otherwise. The estimates approximate the damage that would be caused if the library purchased all of its electricity from AES Cayuga, instead of using solar power.

ANNUAL DAMAGE TOTAL

sulpher dioxide, SO2 0.87205 tons $ 172.19 $150.16

carbon dioxide, CO2 211.859 tons $1.49 $315.67

particulates 0. 13686 tons $3,990.00 $546.07

mercury (lbs) 0.015092 lbs $47.50 $ 7.17

Total annual damage costs $1,436.46

Souces:

National Resources Defense Council (www.nrdc.org/nrdcpro); PVWATTS (ffedc.nrel.gov/solar); Ottinger, pages 29, 113; Rowe, Smolinsky, and Lang, pages 10,15.

The environmental damage caused by generating 184.949 kWh per year at AES Cayuga is approximately $1436. The environmental benefits from producing the power through photovoltaics instead would be the same.

Revealed preference estimates of the value of environmentally friendly electricity could be obtained through a comparison of "green" electricity prices with average electricity prices in the state. Since markets for "green" electricity are not yet well developed it was not possible to obtain an estimate of the environmental benefits through this procedure.

This analysis uses the lower damage cost estimate of $1436 in the first year to measure the environmental benefits of library solar panels. This is the most conservative estimate of avoided damages that was reasonably defensible.

Education benefits

Since no good estimates of the educational benefits of solar power exist in the literature, these benefits were derived from a travel cost study within Tompkins County. Many individuals have visited Steve Nicholson's solar home in Caroline to learn about solar power. While no admission is charged, people do spend real money and time to gain education about solar power by visiting there. From information on visitors, a demand curve was derived for solar power education in Tompkins County. The value of solar power education is approximately $15 per person based on this method.

Library attendance in 1999 was 380,686. Assuming the average patron visits once per month, the number of patrons would have been 31,723. If 5 percent of these patrons actually spend the time to learn about the solar panels, education benefits would be gained by 1586 people.

This analysis assumes that the value of educational benefits is $15 x 1586 = $23,790 in the first year.

Economic-development benefits

Like most benefits economic-development benefits are difficult to calculate. It is impossible to foresee what effects a solar power demonstration might have on the local economy. How many jobs will be created? Will other enterprises be encouraged to use solar power? What are the effects on tax revenue, tourism, technology, etc? Any estimate of the economic-development benefits must be conservative due to the inherent uncertainty of the effects of the project.

The 1994 New York State Energy Plan addressed the economic development potential of various energy technologies. The report estimated that $1 million in spending on photovoltaic power (close to TCPL price tag) in the year 2000 would generate 7.4 jobs statewide with $209,000 in annual earnings and $93,000 in annual tax revenue. With 0.528 percent of the state population, the Tompkins County share of tax revenue would be $491.04.

This report conservatively estimates the economic development benefits at $491.04 for the first year.

Omissions

Damage costs are only estimated for the final burning stage of the coal fuel cycle (not mining, processing, and transportation.

Additional benefits may include improved appliance efficiency and the use of PV power on other county buildings.

Additional costs include indirect costs of PV power. These include the "risk of electric shock or other task-related accidents such as falling off of the roof' (Ottinger page 428) when maintaining the system. These costs are estimated at 0.004 cents/kWh and are ignored here.

Decommissioning costs are ignored. These are estimated at $9600 at the end of 25 years. Their inclusion does not significantly alter the analysis.

A discount rate of 5.7 percent is reasonable for private projects, it may be too high for public projects in that the benefits to future generations may be given too little significance.

Summary of Indirect Benefits

environmental benefits $ 1,436.46

educational benefits $23,790.00

economic development benefits $491.04

TOTAL annual indirect benefits $25,717.50

James Kazda, Senior Civile Engineer for Tompkins County, distributed an updated spreadsheet showing the beneficial savings that would result from the project. He explained the figures contained in the spreadsheet and stated the project makes financial sense from the beginning. He spoke of the roof structure and stated they do not have to compromise any safety factors to put this on the roof. He stated the roof is alright to put the 4.5 pound per square foot Power Guard system on it and that it would cover one-third of the roof. The only way that they can do P.V. is to use that system because any other system for photovoltaics requires more structure to be built to support the panels which add an additional load to the roof. Including the snow loads, he said this would be well within New York State building code requirements.

Following the presentation, Board members were given the opportunity to comment on the proposal and asked many questions. The Board agreed to continue this discussion at the next meeting with Mr. Kazda providing additional financial information.
 
 

Chair's Report and Appointment(s)

Chair Mink had no report or appointments.

Recess

Chair Mink declared recess from 7:19 p.m. to 7:31 p.m.

Report from the County Administrator

Mr. Erb had no report.

Report from the County Attorney

Mr. Theisen had no report.

Report from the Finance Director

Mr. Squires had no report.

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:

- Authorizing Public Hearings for Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program for 2000 Round of Funding

- Amending Resolution No. 39 of 2000 - A Local Law Amending Chapter 80 of the Tompkins County Charter and Code Regarding the County Traffic Safety Board

Withdrawal of Resolution(s) from the Agenda

There were no resolution(s) withdrawn from the agenda.

Approval of Appointment(s) Under the Consent Agenda

It was MOVED by Mr. Totman, seconded by Ms. Blanchard, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to approve the following appointment(s) under the Consent Agenda:

Traffic Safety Board

Barbara Blanchard (Member, Public Safety Committee) - Term expires December 31, 2000

Peter Meskill (Tompkins County Sheriff) - Term expires December 31, 2000

Edward Abruzzo (New York State Police) - Term expires December 31, 2000

Nancy Schuler (Member, Public Safety Committee) - Term expires December 31, 2001

Charles Evans (Member, Public Safety Committee)- Term expires December 31, 2001

Fernando DeAragon (Metropolitan Planning Organization) Term expires December 31, 2001

George Totman (Member, Public Safety Committee) - Term expires December 31, 2002

Tim Joseph (Member, Public Safety Committee) - Term expires December 31, 2002

Criminal Justice Advisory/Alternatives to Incarceration Board

Nancy Zahler - At-large Representative - Term expires December 31, 2002

Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Facilities and Infrastructure Committee

Ms. Blanchard, Chair, reported the Committee met on March 14^th. At that meeting the Committee discussed how the County might participate in the installation of a signal light at the Warren Road, Uptown Road, and Arrowood Intersection. Discussion on this will continue when information is received on what costs are involved. At that meeting there was also discussion on the status of the Landing Restaurant at the old Airport terminal, and staff was directed to investigate the costs for deconstructing those buildings and how the County could proceed with removal of those structures. This would allow the Airport Master Plan to move forward with some of its private operations that are important economic-development activities. Ms. Blanchard reported the Committee authorized the bidding for the Household Hazardous Waste Facility and authorized the filing of a grant application that will help support that operation. The Committee received an update on the testing at the Hillview Road Landfill site and discussed placing an additional well there to see if any further evaluation is needed. She reported on emplanement statistics at the Airport and said both January and February showed increased Airport traffic; however, she noted figures may go down as a result of the pending US Air strike.

Mr. Proto reported on the presentation that was held last week in his district on the Lounsberry Road Bridge and said it went very well. He thanked Ms. Blanchard and Public Works staff that were involved in this.

WHEREAS, it has been deemed operationally necessary to effect a change to the manpower structure at the Airport, and

WHEREAS, provision has been made in the Airport's operational budget for 2000, now therefore be it

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Facilities and Infrastructure Committee, That the position of Assistant Airport Operations Technician, labor grade G (7), competitive class, be abolished effective February 29, 2000,

RESOLVED, further, That one position of Airport Firefighter/Operations Technician Trainee, labor grade H (8), be created effective March 1, 2000.

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WHEREAS, the State of New York provides financial aid for household hazardous waste programs, and

WHEREAS, Tompkins County, herein called the MUNICIPALITY, has examined and duly considered the applicable laws of the State of New York and the MUNICIPALITY deems it to be in the public interest and benefit to file an application under these laws, and

WHEREAS, it is necessary that a Contract by and between THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, herein called the STATE, and the MUNICIPALITY be executed for such STATE Aid, now therefore be it

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Facilities and Infrastructure Committee:

1. That the filing of an application in the form required by the State of New York in conformity with the applicable laws of the State of New York including all understanding and assurances contained in said application is hereby authorized.
2. That the Tompkins County Solid Waste Manager, or his/her designee is directed and authorized as the official representative of the MUNICIPALITY to act in connection with the application and to provide such additional information as may be required and to sign the resulting contract if said application is approved by the STATE.
3. That the MUNICIPALITY agrees that it will fund the entire cost of said household hazardous waste program and will be reimbursed by the State for the State share of such costs.
4. That five (5) certified copies of this resolution be prepared and sent to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) together with a complete application.
5. That this resolution shall take effect immediately.

Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Budget and Fiscal Policy Committee

Mr. Joseph, Chairman, had no report.

RESOLUTION NO. 54 - AMENDING THE RULES OF THE BOARD OF REPRESENTATIVES

MOVED by Mr. Joseph, seconded by Mr. Penniman. A voice vote resulted as follows: Ayes - 13, Noes - 1 (Representative Proto); Excused - 1 (Representative Evans). RESOLUTION APPROVED.

WHEREAS, it is desirable the order of business at Budget Committee review sessions each fall be reordered, now therefore be it

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Budget and Fiscal Policy and Government Operations Committees, That Rule XIII, Standing and Special Committees, of the Rules of the Board of Representatives is hereby amended as follows:

RULE XIII – STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES – New Paragraph

For the purposes of making recommendations on the Proposed Tompkins County Budget and Capital Program, the Budget Committee shall be expanded to include all Board members. A quorum shall consist of a majority of Board members and decisions shall be made by a majority of those in attendance at any given meeting.

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

Mr. Koplinka-Loehr, Chairman, had no report.

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee, That a public hearing be held before the Board of Representatives in Board Chambers of the Tompkins County Courthouse, 320 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, New York, on Tuesday, April 4, 2000, at 5:30 o’clock in the evening thereof concerning proposed Local Law No. c of 2000 - Amending Chapter 150, Article I of the Tompkins County Charter and Code to Implement Section 467 of the Real Property Tax Law. At such time and place all persons interested in the subject matter will be heard concerning the same,

RESOLVED, further, That the Clerk of the Board is hereby authorized and directed to place proper notice of such public hearing in the official newspaper of the County.

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RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Government Operations Committee, That a public hearing be held before the Board of Representatives in Board Chambers of the Tompkins County Courthouse, 320 North Tioga Street, Ithaca, New York, on Tuesday, April 4, 2000, at 5:30 o’clock in the evening thereof concerning proposed Local Law No. d of 2000 - Amending Chapter 150, Article VI of the Tompkins County Charter and Code to Implement Section 459-c of the Real Property Tax Law. At such time and place all persons interested in the subject matter will be heard concerning the same,

RESOLVED, further, That the Clerk of the Board is hereby authorized and directed to place proper notice of such public hearing in the official newspaper of the County.

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Report and Presentation of Resolution(s) from the Planning and Intermunicipal Coordination Committee

Mr. Lane, Chairman, reported the Committee met on March 15^th. The Committee invited Fred Wilcox, Planning Federation Chairman, and David Kay, former Planning Federation Chairman, to discuss difficulties the Federation is having. Mr. Lane said when that board was established it was decided that it would include Planning Board members of towns, villages, and the City, or elected officials. The intention of having these members was to make it a "super" group so that it could better help with the education of planning boards throughout the County. The Committee discussed the Federation's problem with attaining quorum at meetings and decided to allow each entity to appoint an alternate. The Committee will take another look at this at the end of the year to see how this is working.

Mr. Lane said a major amount of the Committee's time was spent on the proposed restructuring of the Water Resources Council which combines the Technical Committee and the Council into one group with an added seat for the Environmental Management Council (EMC) and proposes a total membership of nineteen. The Public Information Committee will begin its outreach meetings in May with the proposed first site being in the Town of Lansing. Mr. Lane complimented the EMC on the work surrounding the issue of solar panels for the new Library.

RESOLUTION NO. 57 - RESTRUCTURING OF COUNTY WATER RESOURCES COUNCIL

MOVED by Mr. Lane, seconded by Mr. Totman.

Mr. Winch said he is concerned that many municipalities will lose their designated seats due to the restructuring of this Board. It was MOVED by Mr. Proto and seconded by Mr. Winch to remove the Department of Health and the Department of Planning from category 2 a.i. (voting) and put them into category 2 b. (no vote) and to expand the number of at-large members in category 2 a.i. from three to five. Mr. Lane addressed Mr. Winch's comment that there was a lack of municipal representation, and said this is the recommendation that was submitted by the subcommittee. A voice vote on the amendment resulted as follows: Ayes - 3 (Representatives Proto, Todd, and Winch); Noes - 11; Excused - 1 (Representative Evans). MOTION FAILED. A voice vote on the original resolution resulted as follows: Ayes - 12, Noes - 2 (Representatives Proto and Winch); Excused - 1 (Representative Evans). RESOLUTION ADOPTED.

WHEREAS, preservation and improvement of the waters of the County of Tompkins are of increasing and vital importance to the health, welfare and economic well-being of the present and future inhabitants of the County, and

WHEREAS, it is recognized that the County’s water resources serve as the County’s supply of fresh, healthy and potable water, they are an economic resource serving as an attraction to visitors and as a resource for water-based businesses, and they add to residents quality of life, and

WHEREAS, the quality of our waters cannot be adequately protected without the coordination of local, state and county agencies and organizations, and

WHEREAS, establishment and support by the County of Tompkins of a council for water resources continue to be a needed step in fostering unified action on water-related issues among agencies and organizations located within the County, and

WHEREAS, the purpose of the council shall be to identify problems, propose priorities and promote coordination of activities in the development and management of the County’s water resources and to provide a public forum for the discussion and resolution of these problems and completion of proposed projects, now therefore be it

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Planning and Intermunicipal Coordination Committee, That the Water Resources Council and Technical Committee, established by Resolution No. 181 of 1997, is hereby restructured as follows,

RESOLVED, further, That:

a. The Council shall consist of nineteen (19) voting members. These shall be:

1. Three (3) at large members

 

 

b. The Council shall also include six (6) special advisors and non-voting members, one representing each of the following state or federal agencies:

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

U. S. Army Corps of Engineers

U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U. S. Geologic Survey

U. S. Natural Resources Conservation Service

c. Associate, non-voting members may be appointed by the Council in order to take advantage of special expertise, to involve a related organization, or to serve on committees of the Council.

d. The County Board of Representatives shall appoint members to the County Water Resources Council. Vacancies on the Council shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

e. The term of the office of the members shall be two years with half of the initial appointments to have one-year terms.

3. Chair and Meetings. The Council shall, at its first meeting annually, elect from among its members a Chair and at least one Vice-Chair. The Council shall recommend bylaws, rules and procedures for its operations for the approval of the County Board of Representatives. It shall keep accurate records of its meetings and activities and shall submit reports as provided hereinafter. All meetings of the Council shall be open to the public.

4. Powers and Duties. The powers and duties of the Council shall be to:

(i) Advise the County Board of Representatives, through the appropriate committee of the Board of Representatives, on matters affecting the preservation, enhancement, and use of water resources in the county.

(ii) Develop and recommend programs to improve the coordination and effectiveness of water resources programs.

2. Establish priorities among water resource projects as needed for funding sources.
3. Develop and conduct a program of public information in the County that shall be designed to foster increased understanding of the nature of water resources, related problems and issues, and their solutions.

5. Issues to be Addressed. Issues for discussion and eventual action or inaction may originate with:

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WHEREAS, the New York State Empire State Community Development Corporation (ESCDC) has announced its 2000 round of funding for the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, and

WHEREAS, Tompkins County is required to have two public hearings pursuant to any 2000 applications for funding, now therefore be it

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Planning and Intermunicipal Coordination Committee, That two public hearing dates be set, one for April 4, 2000, and one for April 18, 2000,

RESOLVED, further, That the Clerk of the Board of Representatives is authorized to place proper notice of these public hearings in the official newspaper of the County, identifying the hearing as on the 2000 Small Cities CDBG program.

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Report from the Health and Human Services Committee

Mrs. Schuler, Chair, said the Committee will meet on March 23rd at 9:30 a.m. in the Courthouse Conference Room.

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

Mr. Stein, Chairman, reported the Committee met this afternoon and discussed the tourism and celebration issues. He reported the Committee spent a lot of time discussing tourism and approved the bylaws for the Strategic Tourism Planning Board. They are scheduled to come to the Board for approval at the next meeting. Bridgett Dibelle of the Convention and Tourism Bureau distributed copies of the new Ithaca Visitor's Guide and reported on the Clearly Cayuga Program that was supported almost entirely by local private businesses. The purpose of this two-year program was to bring journalists and media individuals to tour the County. The final report claims to have reached 14,600,000 potential visitors through the editorial coverage through 89 articles. The County received $605,000 worth of publicity and there was a $4.04 return on each dollar invested in the program. Mr. Stein said copies of the final report are available. He said the Committee also had a lengthy discussion about improving the downtown visitors and ticket center at the Clinton House. He said this is a project that a special committee of the Strategic Tourism Planning Board has been working on who is proposing $20,000 worth of improvements that will come from the Room Tax fund.

Mr. Penniman reported on the Committee's unanimous recommendation on celebrations funding and reviewed the following guidelines for allocating celebrations funding.

The Tompkins County Board has budgeted $10,000 for community celebrations for year 2000. Applications for celebrations will be considered on the basis of:

• strengthening community identification (e.g. Ithaca Festival, municipal old home days)
• bridging gaps between different constituencies in the County (e.g. Farm City Day, Latino Festival)
• increasing neighborhood solidarity (e.g. GIAC harvest festival, fire department celebrations)

The requests can be for supplementary funding only, and should not constitute the main part of the festival's resources. Amounts allocated should bear some relation to scale and size of celebration, and should not exceed 25 percent of actual expenditures. (After the event, a final list of expenditures must be submitted. In-kind donations will not be counted as "actual expenditures".)

All applications for funding should be received by one, clearly advertised and specified date and will be allocated by the Economic and Workforce Development Committee within the amount set aside for this purpose. Recommendations for funding will be put in resolution form for full Board approval.

Who is eligible: Municipalities and non-profit organizations.

Deadline for applications this year: May 1, 2000.

WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Board of Representatives (the "Board of Representatives"), as the elected legislative body of Tompkins County, New York (the "County") has been advised by the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency (the "Issuer") that, in order to assist in the financing of a certain Project (as defined below) for the benefit of Wilcox Press, Inc. (the "Company") the Issuer proposes to issue, contingent upon the adoption of this Resolution, its Industrial Development Revenue Bonds (Wilcox Press, Inc. Project), Series 2000, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $5,000,000 (the "Bonds"), and

WHEREAS, the project (the "Project") shall consist of (1) the acquisition and installation in and around the Company’s approximately 240,000 square-foot existing manufacturing facility located at 17 Hall Woods Road in the Town of Dryden, New York (the "Facility"), of certain items of machinery and equipment, including but not limited to a perfect binder, saddle stitcher, sheetfed press, web blanket washers, pollution control equipment and other miscellaneous printing equipment (the "Equipment"); (2) paying certain costs and expenses incidental to the issuance of the Bonds (the costs associated with items (1) and (2) above being hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Project Costs"); (3) the financing of all or a portion of the costs of the foregoing by the issuance of its Bonds; and (4) the sale of the Equipment financed with the Bonds to the Company or such other person as may be designated by the Company and agreed upon by the Issuer, and

WHEREAS, on February 17, 2000, the Issuer determined that the Project will not have a significant effect on the environment within the meaning of SEQRA, and

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 147(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), interest on the Bonds will not be excluded from gross income for Federal income tax purposes unless the issuance of the Bonds is approved by the Board of Representatives after a public hearing to consider both the issuance of the Bonds and the nature and location of the facilities financed therewith has been conducted following reasonable public notice, and

WHEREAS, on March 17, 2000, the Issuer held such a public hearing upon proper notice in compliance with the Code, and

WHEREAS, to aid the Board of Representatives in its deliberations, the Issuer has made available to the members of the Board of Representatives prior to this meeting (a) the Company's application to the Issuer for financial assistance; (b) the notice of public hearing published by the Issuer on February 16, 2000 in The Ithaca Journal, along with the affidavits of publication of such newspaper, (c) the minutes of such public hearing held on March 17, 2000; and (d) the Issuer’s Inducement Resolution, dated February 17, 2000, with respect to the proposed issuance of the Bonds, and

WHEREAS, the Board of Representatives, after due consideration of the foregoing, as the "applicable elected representative" of Tompkins County, New York, within the meaning of Section 147(f)(2)(E) of the Code, desires to approve the issuance of the Bonds and the location of the Facility, provided the principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Bonds shall be special obligations of the Issuer and shall never be a debt of the State of New York (the "State") or any political subdivision thereof, including without limitation the County, and neither the State nor any political subdivision thereof, including without limitation the County, shall be liable thereon.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNTY BOARD OF REPRESENTATIVES OF TOMPKINS COUNTY:

Section 1. For the purpose of satisfying the approval requirement of Section 147(f) of the Code, on the recommendation of the Economic and Workforce Development Committee, the Board of Representatives hereby gives its approval of the Project and the issuance by the Issuer of its Bonds and related acts to be taken by the Issuer as part of the Project, provided that the Bonds, and the premium (if any) and interest thereon, shall be special obligations of the Issuer and shall never be a debt of the State or any political subdivision thereof, including without limitation Tompkins County, and neither the State nor any political subdivision thereof, including without limitation Tompkins County, shall be liable thereon. This approval is given pursuant to Section 147(f) of the Code for the sole purpose of qualifying the interest payable on the Bonds for exclusion from gross income for Federal income tax purposes pursuant to the provisions of Sections 103 and 141-150 of the Code.

Section 2. This Resolution shall be deemed to be made for the benefit of the holders of the Bonds.

Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect immediately.

SEQR ACTION: TYPE II-20

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

Mr. Totman, Chairman, reported the Committee met on March 9^th. Julia Hughes, Assigned Counsel, reported the program's Annual Report was completed. She stated that at this time there are only 35 cases. Michelle Putney reported the new OAR Director has been hired. She also said to date they have had 65 intakes, 11 bails, 1 bail returns, and there are still 23 bails out. Kathy Leinthall, Director of Probation, reported the electronic-monitoring program is going well and has shown a $54,000 cost savings. Peter Meskill, Sheriff, reported the Department is considering acquiring a snowmobile, and is looking at forming a canine unit. John Beach provided the Committee with DWI statistics for the previous year and discussed his goals for the coming year.

WHEREAS, a paragraph in the Advisory Board on Indigent Representation bylaws Article II, Part 4., Attorney Membership, was submitted incorrectly, as approved by Resolution No. 7 of 2000, and

WHEREAS, the Advisory Board on Indigent Representation wishes the attorney membership be a majority of the voting members and not two voting members of the board, now therefore be it

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, That the following paragraph replace the language in Article II, Part 4., Attorney Membership:

"The majority of the Board shall consist of attorneys recommended for membership by the Tompkins County Bar Association",

RESOLVED, further, That the proposed amendment to the bylaws of the Advisory Board on Indigent Representation be and hereby are adopted, said bylaws are on file with the Clerk of the Board.

SEQR ACTION: TYPE II-20

WHEREAS, the Deputy County Administrator for Criminal Justice has been notified of a grant award from the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services in the amount of $60,000 and referred to as the STOP grant, and

WHEREAS, the STOP grant, represents a collaborative effort between Tompkins County, Cayuga Medical Center, and Ithaca Rape Crisis and will fund the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program, Rape Aggression Defense Training, hardware for the Juris Monitor system (monitored by the Probation Department), cell phones, pagers, and a lock change program for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, now therefore be it

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, That the County Administrator or his designee shall execute all contracts related to this award,

RESOLVED, further, That the Director of Finance is directed to make the following adjustments to his books for 2000:

BUDGET ADJUSTMENT

REVENUE A3990.43389 State Aid $60,000

APPROPRIATION A3990.51000 Payroll $ 5,000

A3990.58800 Fringes $ 1,250

A3990.54303 Supplies $ 150

A3990.54412 Travel/Training $ 700

A3990.54472 Telephone $ 2,480

A3990.54442 Professional Services $50,420

SEQR ACTION: TYPE II-20

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 39 adopted Local Law No. 1 of 2000, Amending Chapter 80 of the Tompkins County Charter and Code to reestablish a County Traffic Safety Board, and

WHEREAS, the Traffic Safety Board is required to submit a report to the State, and

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the Board of Representatives to receive a written annual report, now therefore be it

RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Public Safety Committee, That the Traffic Safety Board shall submit a written annual report to the Board of Representatives no later than March 15^th of each year.

Report from the Census 2000 Committee

Mr. Proto, Chairman, reported the committee met on March 7^th and met again as the full Complete Count Committee on March 15^th. He reported on TC3's outreach effort and said they are doing a fantastic job. Mr. Proto said the Committee has been informed by Congressman Hinchey's office that they have available to them the special counts location sheet. Earlier this week he had Wendy Skinner, Public Information Coordinator, send all Board members a list of the most commonly asked questions. He said there have been some questions about individuals who have postal boxes as their legal addresses, and announced forms will be sent to post offices boxes. Mr. Proto also reported on publicity that has taken place and said that is going very well. The next meeting of the regular Committee will be April 4^th and the full Complete Count Committee will meet April 12^th.

Report from the Communications Capital Projects Committee

Ms. Blanchard, Chair, reported the Committee has not met since the last Board meeting. The next will be March 28^th at 2 p.m. She said Tim Joseph's working group on financing and some of the other elements of financing are moving forward. Ms. Blanchard reported the presentation team has completed its tour of all the town boards and feels it was well worth the time spent doing that. Mr. Penniman said he attended the Ulysses and Enfield meetings during these presentations and thanked Ms. Blanchard and others that were involved for their hard work on this.

Report from the Intermunicipal Sharing Committee

Ms. Mink, Chair, reported the Committee met last Friday and will continue to meet on the first and third Fridays of each month. She said they will be Hosting a web site. She said they are continuing to look at various configurations including how does intermunicipal tax sharing fit into regional land use.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Report from the Old Library/New Futures Committee

Mr. Lane, Chairman, reported the Committee met and spent a considerable amount of time reviewing the request for proposals. The Committee also took a tour of the Courthouse that was led by Russ Oeschele from the Office of Court Administration. Mr. Oeschele explained what the court system's needs are going to be in the coming years.

Report from the Public Safety Building Space Committee

Mr. Joseph, Chairman, said he did not have a report.

Report from the Tompkins 2020 Committee

Mr. Koplinka-Loehr, Chairman, said the Tompkins Quality-of-Life 2000 Committee will meet for the first time March 27^th at 7 p.m. in the Sherman Peer Room.

Approval of Minutes of March 7, 2000

It was MOVED by Mr. Proto, seconded by Mr. Totman, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to approve the minutes of the March 7, 2000 meeting as submitted. MINUTES APPROVED.

Adjournment

On motion the meeting adjourned at 8:53 p.m.

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