City Council

City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY COUNCIL ROOM TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2006 5:15 P.M. PRESENT : Valerie Keehn, Mayor Commissioner John Franck, Accounts Commissioner Ron Kim, DPS Commissioner Matthew McCabe, Finance Commissioner Thomas McTygue, DPW SUPERVISORS: Cheryl Keyrouze (arrived 7:00 p.m.) Joanne Yepsen (arrived 7:00 p.m.) STAFF PRESENT : Lynn Bachner, Deputy Commissioner Finance Michele Boxley, Deputy Commissioner Accounts Frank Dudla, Deputy Commissioner, DPS Eileen Finneran, Deputy Mayor Michael Englert, City Attorney Tony Izzo, Assistant City Attorney PUBLIC HEARINGS Washington Street – Parking Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the public hearing on the Washington Street Parking. Father Thomas Park, 28 Washington Street, said he was very concerned about the handicapped access parking in this area. He was also concerned with the loss of the spaces in front of the church. There has been an unusual amount of cars parking in this area because of the construction projects. He asked that weekends be excluded from this proposal. He noted that the south side of Washington Street has more parking spaces than the north side. He then suggested two hour parking. Commissioner Ron Kim said he understood his concerns but the street is narrow and with the large trucks traveling this designated route, there are many instances of rearview mirrors being taken off. Father Thomas Park’s agreed that there are many rearview mirrors taken off cars in this area, but he said his concern was for wedding and funerals and the lack of being able to park on that side of the street for those events. Commissioner Ron Kim said that timed parking would not help this matter. The street is simply too narrow. Commissioner Thomas McTygue suggested that some thought be given to a permit process for funeral parking. Father Thomas Park asked about the third lane. Deputy Commissioner Frank Dudla said there is no third lane. He said it’s not possible to have alternate side parking and handicapped parking. Commissioner Ron Kim said it’s a narrowness issue. Commissioner Thomas McTygue suggested that a meeting be held with DPW, DPS and Father Thomas Parks to come to some sort of understanding. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the public hearing. Granite Street – One Way and Alternate Side Parking Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the public hearing on the Granite Street one way and alternate side parking. 1 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Commissioner Ron Kim said this is another narrowness issue and they are proposing to make this a one way street and alternate parking. Mike Wilson & father, 57 Granite Street, said that they already park off of the street as much as possible. The problem with narrowness is at the other end. There is not a problem nearer to his house. The problem is closer to Elger Street. Thomas Reilly, 41 Middle Avenue (mother-in-law lives at 47 Granite Street) said their concern was one way. He said his father-in-law uses a cane and if the street is made one way, he will have to get out of the car and walk around the car to get to the house. He said they have parking in the rear, but when the curbs were installed for the entranceway, it was made too narrow. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said his department could take a look at those curbs. He said two way traffic was not really an issue except at the lower end of Granite Street. Commissioner Ron Kim asked that everyone with concerns on this matter leave their name and phone number and a meeting would be set up to resolve this issue. He said that he understood everyone’s concerns, but there was a narrowness issue for fire trucks going down the street. Bruce Cranston, 48 Granite Street, suggested that there be no parking on one side all the time. He said that would help some people. Alternate parking for the elderly residents would be a great burden. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the public hearing. Webster Street – Four Way Stop Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the public hearing on the Webster Street four way stop. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the public hearing. Greenfield Avenue – Alternate Side Parking Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the public hearing on the Greenfield Avenue alternate side parking. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said his office received some telephone calls on having one side only parking on this street rather than alternate side parking. He said the residents have agreed that the cars would be moved for snowplowing, therefore, he is willing to try that for one season. Commissioner Ron Kim said he would look into making that a temporary measure. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the public hearing. Water Treatment Plant Disinfection System – Capital Budget Amendment Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the public hearing on the Water Treatment Plant Disinfection System Capital Budget Amendment matter. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said this is a 2006 capital budget amendment to reflect a $125,000 increase in the water treatment plant disinfection system project. The original budget was for $1,300,000 and it will now be $1,425,000. $106,369 will be put back into the water budget because the engineer’s fees were mistakenly charged there. There were about $9,000 in change orders which includes a 10 percent contingency. It was agreed the vote on this matter would be moved from the DPW agenda to the Finance agenda. Wilma Koss, Kaydeross Park Road, said she didn’t care where the money came from. She only cared that the project was completed. Bill McTygue said this is an ongoing project that is well underway. There being no one else wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the public hearing. Excelsior Spring Avenue Culvert Capital Budget Amendment Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the public hearing on the Excelsior Spring Avenue Culvert Capital Budget Amendment. 2 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Commissioner Thomas McTygue said this item would be pulled from tonight’s agenda because the low bidder was unable to fulfill the terms of his proposal and the other bidders were too high. This bid would be rejected and rebid. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the public hearing. Ritchie Place/Street Name Change Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the public hearing on the Ritchie Place/Street name change. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said this was a proposal to delete Ritchie Court and rename it to Ritchie place. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the public hearing. Lillian’s Parking Lot – RFP Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the public hearing on the Lillian’s Parking Lot RFP. Bill McTygue said this bid would be ready for release on September 21. Mayor Valerie Keehn said she was happy to see that a review committee with seven members would be established. Bill McTygue said the responses were due by November 30. Commissioner John Franck asked what happened to the proposal for the parking lot behind City Hall. Bill McTygue said that priorities have changed and they are now focusing on the Lillian’s parking lot. He said the DPS proposal for their facilities was also part of that decision to pull back on that project. He said that when the dust settles, that project would be brought forward again. Bill McTygue said he would like to have a certain amount of blessing from the Council on proceeding with this project. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the public hearing. Local Law #5 – Adult Use Moratorium Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the public hearing on the extension of the Adult Use Moratorium – Local Law #5. Commissioner John Franck said this was a simple extension of the previous adult use moratorium based on a request by the Planning Board. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the public hearing. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Valerie Keehn called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the public comment period. John Kraus, 227 Grand Avenue, Saratoga Citizens for Affordable Taxes, said not enough attention was being paid to the 2007 budget. He said the proposed charter has become too much of a distraction. No one even knows if the new charter will save money. He hoped the Council was reviewing the budget and strategizing. There are additional revenues and savings including the $3 million from the VLT, insurance savings, legal savings, PBA contract savings, etc., which all will have positive impacts on for the City. The $4.50 per thousand is a reachable target. There needs to be a visual budget presentation. There should be no strategy to raise the tax rate this year and then to lower it next year in an election year. Wilma Koss, 160 Kaydeross Park Road, said the Council needs to be fiscally responsible on the water permitting process. The permit is not good forever – it is only good until the water source or quality changes. The fear that the County may not treat the City fairly is not based on reality. There is no way to know when the 3 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 makeup of the County Board of Supervisors may or may not change. The City needs a new police station not a water project. Teena Willard, Southern Adirondack Independent Living, said she appeared before the Council awhile ago concerning the curb cuts for handicapped access in the downtown area. She said two of curb cuts were repaired, but no others. She previously asked for a three to five year plan on this matter. There could be some CDBG funding. She asked that the City be brought into compliance and the curb cuts addressed. Dave Bronner, 5 Royal Henley Court, said that under the public comment period, it was his understanding that it was for the public to make comments, not third level management. He said it’s inappropriate for City employees to be jumping in during the public comment period. He was very concerned with the level of discourse among parties in connection with the proposed charter. It’s important to have good discussion so that voters can make a knowledgeable decision. Discussions should be based on fact. Bonnie Sellers, Hyde Street, said that Commissioner Matthew McCabe should be knowledgeable on the budget. She said that Mayor Valerie Keehn quoted Commissioner Matthew McCabe saying the City is in trouble. However, Commissioner Matthew McCabe then voted to raise the debt limit. She asked if the City was doing okay or not. The City’s 2005 audit said the City is doing fine. She said that citizens deserve clarification on whether the City was in financial trouble or not. Remigia Foy, 95 Oak Street, said that during the last weekend of racing there was a broken window at the senior center. The police department called her, she called Commissioner Thomas McTygue and within 45 minutes the glass was cleared and boards placed over the windows. This shows that our form of government works. Early yesterday morning campaign signs were stolen around the City. She called the police and she hoped that Commissioner Ron Kim acted as quickly as Commissioner Thomas McTygue to bring those thugs to justice and to also prove that this form of government responds to citizen’s needs. Kyle York, 59 Railroad Place, said it was still important to talk about the water issue. There was a good article in the Times Union newspaper about the AMD Corporation. AMD is expected to sign a contract by 2008. If they don’t sign, the entire water situation could change. Also he said it was time to look at the section of Route 50 where there was another fatality. Carrie Woerner, Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, encouraged the Council to get a contract in place for the stabilization of the Rip VanDam Hotel. She said it was time for the Council to enforce the laws and require property owners who buy in the historic district to maintain their structures.. Mark Lawton, Nelson Avenue, said he has previously requested that all costs for labor contracts be included in the upcoming budgets. There are a number of special items that come up such as the Behan Contract and the Administrator of Parks Recreation and Open Space that should be included. He noted that there needed to be coordination with departments on training and land acquisition. The Rip Van Dam was an issue. He said that he was ashamed that the city recognized the urgency, but then took no action. It shows how this form of government does not work. Susan Boken, said there is a problem with trucks on Broadway and the Council needs to take some action. They are big, ugly, and noisy and they should be ticketed. There needs to be more long term solutions, but in the mean time they should be ticketed. Commissioner Thomas McTygue reminded everyone that water pays for water. All expenditures in connection with water related items are paid for from the water budget. He asked for Mark Lawton’s documentation that training throughout the City is not being coordinated. He said the City has done quite a bit of training recently and he asked for the details from Mark Lawton on why he thinks there is no coordination. He also encouraged Teena Willard to stop by his office to talk about the handicapped access issue. He said he would like to show her the amount of work done within the City on sidewalk renovations. Commissioner Matthew McCabe said that when the Mayor made her comments at the press conference concerning the City’s budget, they were taken out of context. His office has had more meetings, more budget workshops, and more public hearings on the budget than any previous Commissioner. He has met with the Commissioners. His job is to stem the rate of escalation of the budget. The City has lost the one time $2.5 4 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 million revenue source. He is still talking to the state on what the City will receive for the VLT revenue. His staff will continue to do a high quality job. The City will survive because of the citizens. Mayor Valerie Keehn read from the September 5 City Council minutes where Commissioner Matthew McCabe said the City’s financial condition was dire. Commissioner Matthew McCabe said he did say that, however, he is a conservative when it comes to numbers. The initial budget requests from departments asked for the sky. It is his job to review those requests and to improve the City’s financial future. Commissioner Ron Kim said he learned of the signs being stolen at 11:00 a.m. yesterday. He talked to chief in the police department about this matter and it is being investigated. The police will arrest those perpetrating the crime. He said this year the City has had the highest rate of stopping trucks within the City. There have been a number of joint ventures with DOT. DPS has been very active with truck traffic. Most of the trucks are coming through the City as a shortcut from Amsterdam to the Northway. The City is losing its truck weighing station because of development, but they are looking for another place. There being no one else wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the public comment period. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Valerie Keehn moved and Commissioner John Franck seconded to approve the consent agenda as shown on the final agenda. 1. Approval of Minutes: August 15 & September 5 2. Rescind Bid: Granite Curb – Williams Stone Company – unable to fulfill terms on contract 3. Award of Bid: a) Granite Curb – Syrstone – various prices – second lowest bidder b) Underground Sprinklers at East Side Rec Field: AJ Lawn Sprinkler Company, Inc. $22,507 (lowest bidder) c) Parking Ticket Management System: Complus (lowest acceptable bidder) 4. Reject Bid: Excelsior Avenue Culvert – bids came in over budget 5. Approve Payrolls: Payroll of 9/8/06 $400,415.02 Payroll of 9/15/06 $436,551.69 6. Approve Warrants: 2006 Mini Warrant: 9/13/06 MC1SEP06 $ 96,641.93 2006 Regular Warrant 9/19/06 2SEP06 $2,747,828.89 7. Approve Budget Transfers – Payroll (Attachment A) 8. Approve Budget Transfers – Regular (Attachment B) 9. Approve Budget Amendments (Attachment C) 10. Discussion & Vote: Accept Donations for Athlete ’s Banquet – Ayco Company $1,000; Fine Affairs $2,500 Ayes all. MAYOR’S DEPARTMENT Proclamation – International Day of Peace (06-158) Laurie Dawson, Saratoga Peace Alliance, said they planned to recognize International Peace Day. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed by resolution September 21 as the permanent day for peace. The resolution was amended in 2001 to include a global day of cease fire and nonviolence. Saratoga Springs Peace Alliance has recognized this day since 2002 with many varying activities. This past year, in collaboration with students, bookmarks were created. Events will be held this year on September 21 & 22 with an event called Eyes Wide Open in New York. This event will recognize those lost in the Iraq War. It will also recognize the Iraqi citizens lost in the war. There will be reading of names, a film and a walk. There will be 3,500 events in more than 183 countries. She encouraged all to visit their website. Mayor Valerie Keehn then read the following proclamation. 5 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 PROCLAMATION CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS WHEREAS, the issue of peace embraces the deepest hopes of all peoples and remains humanity’s guiding inspiration; and WHEREAS, in 1981 the United Nations proclaimed the International Day of Peace be “devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples”; and WHEREAS, the United Nations expanded the observance of the International Day of Peace in 2001 to include the call for a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, and invited all nations and people to honor a cessation of hostilities for the duration of the Day; and WHEREAS, there is growing support within our city for the observance of the International Day of Peace, which affirms a vision of our world at peace, and fosters cooperation between individuals, organizations and nations; and WHEREAS, global crises impel all citizens to work toward converting humanity’s noblest aspirations for world peace into a practical reality for future generations, NOW, THEREFORE, I, Valerie Keehn, Mayor of the City of Saratoga Springs, do hereby proclaim September 21, 2006 as The International Day of Peace Throughout the City of Saratoga Springs and urge all government departments and agencies, organizations, schools, places of worship and individuals in our city to commemorate, in an appropriate manner, the International Day of Peace. This may include community service projects, cultural exhibits and performances, a moment of silence, ringing of bells sharing the universal wish ‘May Peace Prevail On Earth’ at noon, vigils, religious services in our places of worship, and other education and public awareness activities in order to help establish a global day of peace in our homes, our communities and between nations. Telecom Ordinance – Set Public Hearing Mayor Valerie Keehn requested that a public hearing on the proposed Telecom Ordinance be set for October 17 at 6:50 p.m. She said that although Jacki Pardon is no longer working on this project, she is available to meet with Council members. Council members commended her on her work. Smart Growth Mayor Valerie Keehn announced that in the latest Smart Growth publication, the City was identified as a community for all ages. She said the article was distributed and she encouraged all to read it. She said it was good to see the planning staff and boards recognized for their hard work. Behan Associates – Extension of Contract Mayor Valerie Keehn said the Behan contract extension was updated and modified to include an additional $10,000. She said she continues to advocate for the new POSH position, therefore, did not want to allocate a lot of funds to Behan. She pointed out that there are nine mandates in the existing charter that have not been met because that position has not been filled. Mayor Valerie Keehn moved and Commissioner Ron Kim seconded to authorize the Mayor to sign the contract with Behan Associates in the amount of $10,000. The funds will come from the Open Space Bond fund. Ayes all. Biddy Basketball – Greenfield Residents Mayor Valerie Keehn said this is not a change in basketball fees, but rather a change to the billing process. She said residents from within the City pay $40 for basketball registration, while citizens from outside the City pay $55. The Town of Greenfield wishes to pay the $15 above the $40. The City will receive the same amount of funds, but will receive $40 from the family and $15 from the Town. Commissioner Matthew McCabe said this was for 2006 and he is looking at fees for 2007 and 2008. Mayor Valerie Keehn moved and Commissioner Ron Kim seconded to accept the change to the billing process for the biddy basketball for the Town of Greenfield residents. Ayes all. 6 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Recreation Commission Appointment Mayor Valerie Keehn announced the appointment of Derrick Legall to the Recreation Commission with a seven year term to expire on September 30, 2013. She also thanked Clayton Chubb for his years of service to the City as a member of the Recreation Commission. Community Development Block Grant 2005 Annual Report – Announcement Mayor Valerie Keehn announced that the annual 2005 Annual Report is available for public review in the Community Development Office, the public library and at the Housing Authority. They will receive comments on the report until September 22 when the report will then be submitted to HUD. ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT Senior Housing Zoning Amendment (06-159) Commissioner John Franck said that over the past few months the Planning Board has received an increased number of special use permit applications for senior housing developments. This has prompted the Board to review the current zoning regulations, pertaining to senior housing. As a result of their review, they believe that the current ordinance fails to meet the original intent to achieve the public benefit of senior housing with the provision of a density bonus. Therefore, they have recommended a set of zoning text amendments that will strengthen the public benefit aspects of the existing process. At their June 7, 2006, meeting the Planning Board voted 7-0 to forward the zoning amendments to the Council for our consideration. They also voted 7-0 to issue a favorable advisory opinion on the amendments. The Board found those amendments in accord with the Comprehensive Plan and the general purposes and intent of the zoning ordinance. The County Planning Board has reviewed and approved the proposed amendments. Therefore, Commissioner John Franck moved and Mayor Valerie Keehn seconded to issue a negative SEQR determination and to adopt the amendments as presented. Ayes all. Local Law #5 Extension of Adult Use Current Moratorium (06-160) On April 11, 2006, the Council adopted an eight-month moratorium on the establishment of any adult uses within the City to allow time for the development of a new ordinance that fully complied with constitutional requirements. Shortly thereafter, the Council asked the Planning Board to develop proposed amendments to the zoning ordinance relating to adult uses. The Council specifically asked that the Planning Board “undertake a study of the potential secondary effects of adult uses in the City and produce recommendations for amendments to the City code for the suitable siting, land use and zoning standards and controls thereof”. In May, the Planning Board began work on developing a new ordinance. In early June, City Attorney Michael Englert reviewed the legal parameters for adult uses. They learned that the City cannot prohibit adult uses, but it can regulate the uses to mitigate their secondary impacts. The Board then undertook an analysis to evaluate secondary impacts of adult uses. They reviewed studies from other communities and identified a list of possible negative impacts that adult uses might have on our City. They have identified and mapped a list of sensitive sites such as schools, libraries, day care facilities, parks, playgrounds, places of worship, tourist sites, entranceways to the City, residential areas, etc., which might be negatively impacted by adult uses. They have also started to identify potential areas within the City where such uses might have the least adverse impacts. Their next step will be to prepare the details for the new ordinance that will include definitions, separation distances, special design features, licensing requirements, etc. Unfortunately, the Planning Board will not be able to complete this task prior to the expiration of the current moratorium on September 30, 2006. They believe they need three or four months to produce the final documents that will be presented to the City Council. They recommend that the Council extend the current moratorium from September 30, 2006 to January 31, 2007. The Saratoga County Planning Board has previously reviewed and approved the moratorium to September 30, 2006. The Saratoga County Planning Board has reviewed the proposed extension and issued a decision of no significant county wide or intercommunity impact. 7 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Therefore, Commissioner John Franck moved and Commissioner Matthew McCabe seconded to adopt Local Law #5 – Extension of Adult Use Moratorium as proposed. Ayes all. Training Initiatives Marilyn Rivers reported that CPR training was held today with 14 employees attending. Tom Knight volunteered his time and is willing to do so again. She said the Right to Know training was completed this week for civilian employees. She noted that the MSDS sheets are now on line and they should be bookmarked in the favorites program. The City recently joined the Northeastern New York National Safety Council. The City will be offering the defensive driving course which will ultimately have a positive financial impact to the City and its employees. She also said that the MUNIS system will be utilized for personnel information on training and she would be undergoing that training. Insurance Renewal Commissioner John Franck said he planned to change the City’s insurance coverage to the calendar year and Marilyn Rivers has been working with the insurance company on making that happen. Marilyn Rivers said that if any department planned to take possession of new vehicles, they should contact her. She said she expected a positive renewal process. The insurance company would be available to make a presentation to the Council. The City’s Risk & Safety program have been recognized at the national level by Trident and she has been asked to present the City’s program in June 2007 for the law enforcement and DPW portions. There have been positive effects on claims and litigation with only a few old cases remaining. All of this will have a positive impact in the City’s insurance renewal process. Council members commended Marilyn Rivers for a job well done and for being recognized at the national level. FINANCE DEPARTMENT Water Treatment Plant Disinfection System – Capital Budget Amendment Commissioner Thomas McTygue moved and Commissioner Ron Kim seconded that the 2006 capital budget be amended to reflect a $125,000 increase in the water treatment plant disinfection system project. The original budget was for $1,300,000 and it will now be $1,425,000. $106,369 will be put back into the water budget because the engineer ’s fees were mistakenly charged there. There were over $9,000 in change orders and this also includes a 10 percent contingency. Ayes all. Parking Commissioner Matthew McCabe said he would hold his comments until later in the agenda. Budget Commissioner Matthew McCabe updated the Council on the 2007 budget and the process. He has met with the Council members. He will submit a budget to the Council on October 3. The first public hearing will be on October 17, workshops on October 10, 6:30 p.m. (capital budget and county sewer rate), October 16, 9:30 a.m.; October 24, 6:30 p.m.; November 1, 9:30 and November 8, 5:00 p.m. A special Council meting could be held on November 14 if necessary. Bond Resolution – 2006 Capital Budget Amendment (06-161) Commissioner Matthew McCabe moved and Mayor Valerie Keehn seconded to approve the bond resolution supplementing a bond resolution dated August 16,2005, authorizing the issuance of additional serial bonds of the City of Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, New York in a aggregate principal amount not to exceed $125,000 pursuant to the local financial law to finance the upgrade of the Excelsior Avenue Water Treatment Plan and delegating the power to issue bond anticipate notes in anticipate of the sale of such bonds to the commissioner of Finance (Attachment D). Roll call vote: Ayes all. 8 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Water Treatment Plant Disinfection System – Capital Budget Amendment Previously discussed. Lillian’s Parking Lot RFP Bill McTygue, Director Public Works, said they are prepared to release this RFP on Thursday, September 21. He said the return date was November 30. Commissioner Matthew McCabe said there needs to be some focus on revenues from this project, perhaps through one time revenue sources. The funds realized from this proposal should be designated to the parking solutions fund. Compost Screen Rental Commissioner Thomas McTygue moved and Commissioner Matthew McCabe seconded to rent a compost screen from Nyne Vermeer Equipment Company for one month for $15,000. This is necessary so that we will have compost ready to sell in the spring. The only bidder for this rental was unable to supply us with the machine at this time. The money is in the DPW budget. Ayes all. Court Cleaning Contract Commissioner Thomas McTygue moved and Commissioner Ron Kim seconded to authorize the Mayor to sign the contract with the NYS Court Administration for cleaning the court and court offices in City Hall for the year 2006-2007 in the amount of $31,178. This is the same as the previous year ’s contract. Ayes all. Stewart’s Property Purchase Commissioner Thomas McTygue said he was looking for some assistance from the City Attorney’s office to carry through on the proposed purchase of the former Healy property which borders Loughberry Lake. Bill Dake currently owns the parcel and has agreed to sell it to the City for $50,000 per year for five years. The County has awarded the City a $100,000 land purchase grant that is a matching grant. The City now needs to move around some funds to cover the $100,000 and carry through on the paperwork. Mayor Valerie Keehn said Michael Englert spoke to Bill Dake today on this matter and she hoped that a closing date would be set very soon. Sidewalk Contract Commissioner Thomas McTygue moved and Commissioner John Franck seconded to authorize the Mayor to sign a sidewalk contract with the property owner on East Broadway and Cleveland Avenue for 1400 square feet of sidewalk at $6 per square foot for a lump sum of $8,400. Also for the same property an additional 100 lineal feet of curb at $16 per lineal foot for a lump sum of $1,600. The money is in a special account for this purpose. Ayes all. Paving Commissioner Thomas McTygue said Monday, September 18 Warren Street would be milled, Tuesday, September 19 prepare Warren Street for paving and Wednesday, September 20, pave Warren Street. He said all four corners would be made handicapped accessible. He said his department is focusing on correcting the old grades and he sympathized with Teena Willard concerns. He said, though, that Caroline Street at Broadway and the intersection in front of City Hall were major areas where the grade needs to be reviewed. He noted that there is a short window of opportunity downtown for projects because of the racing season and all of the special activities. He said he would meet with Teena Willard and bring her up to date. Saratoga County Sewer Billing 9 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Commissioner Thomas McTygue said the workshop had been set for October 10 to discuss the county sewer billing process. Ritchie Court/Place Street Name Change (06-162) Commissioner Thomas McTygue moved and Commissioner Ron Kim seconded to adopt the following resolution: AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 201 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK, ENTITLED “STREET NAMING AND NUMBERING ” BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York, as follows: SECTION 1. Chapter 201 of the Code of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York, entitled “Street Naming and Numbering ”, is hereby amended as follows: A. The following street is hereby deleted from the official list of streets in Section 201-7: - Ritchie Court (private) B. The description of Ritchie Place on the official list of streets in Section 201- 7 is amended to read: STREET NAME/OWNERSHIP BEGINNING AND ENDING POINT Ritchie Place From the centerline of York Avenue through parcel #19 to the southerly lot line of parcel #23, being approximately 157 feet. SECTION 2. This ordinance shall take effect the day after publication as provided by the provisions of the City Charter of the city of Saratoga Springs, New York. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said there was a public meeting held on August 29 with property owners of those streets, the City Engineer, and the Fire Department and all agreed to this change. Ayes all. Household Hazardous Waste Day Commissioner Thomas McTygue said that DPW is now accepting reservations for the household hazardous waste day on Saturday, October 7, to be held at the Weibel Avenue Ice Rink. This is open only to residents of Saratoga Springs. Residents must call and make a reservation at the DPW office before dropping off material. 587-03550, ext. 507. Fowler Lane – Set Public Hearing Commissioner Thomas McTygue requested a public hearing be set for 6:55 p.m. on October 3 for the Fowler Lane street name. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY Greenfield Avenue – Alternate Side Parking Commissioner Ron Kim pulled this item from his agenda. Webster Street & Monroe Street – Four Way Stop (06-163) Commissioner Ron Kim moved and Mayor Valerie Keehn seconded to adopt the following ordinance . AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 225, SECTION 225-77 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS, NEW YORK, ENTITLED "VEHICLE AND TRAFFIC - SCHEDULE XII: STOP INTERSECTIONS " BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York, as follows: 10 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 SECTION 1. Section 225-77 of the Code of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York, entitled "Vehicle and Traffic - Schedule XII: Stop Intersections", is hereby amended to add the following: STOP SIGN ON DIRECTION OF TRAVEL AT INTERSECTION OF Monroe Street Both Webster Street SECTION 2. This ordinance shall take effect the day after publication as provided by the provisions of the City Charter of the City of Saratoga Springs, New York. Ayes all. Granite Street – One Way (S to N) and Alternate Side Parking Commissioner Ron Kim pulled this item from the agenda. Washington Street – Parking Commissioner Ron Kim pulled this item from the agenda. PBA Contract (06-164) Commissioner Ron Kim moved and Mayor Valerie Keehn seconded to approve the terms and conditions of the PBA, Police Lieutenants and Police Administrative union contracts as reflected in the information as previously distributed. This is contingent upon the City Attorney reviewing the terms and conditions . Commissioner Ron Kim said this contract has been discussed in detail for quite some time. It is a three year contract with annual increases of 1 percent, 1.5 percent and 2 percent. The 384e and 385e(b) retirement programs will be implemented in 2007. This retirement program was approved by the state legislature in 2001 which guarantees the retirees 3/4 pension after 35 years of service. The 384e is a benefit to the uniform services. The City previously gave this benefit to the firefighters. This is a fair contract based on several give backs by the union. There will be an annual savings of $100,000 in staffing matters. In addition there is a $26,000 saving in health insurance. They have agreed to contribute $10 per pay period for every employee after 7 years of service. He recommended this contract be approved based on these terms and conditions. Commissioner Matthew McCabe said that this was more like a Memorandum of Understanding and the contract would then be brought back to the Council for approval. Commissioner Ron Kim also pointed out that this contract was negotiated with a team comprised of himself, Deputy Commissioner Frank Dudla, Human Resources Administrator Marcy Brydges and City Attorney Michael Englert over the last eight months. There were no attorney’s fees. They did have one expenditure of $4,000 for an economist. The retirement benefit is a fairly complicated item. This is a superior product. Mayor Valerie Keehn commended Commissioner Ron Kim and the team. She said she appreciated all of the work done on this matter. She clarified that the $10 contributed begins after seven years of service. There is a 15 percent contribution by new employees with a maximum of $1,000. Commissioner Matthew McCabe said that some of the concessions were good. He said he wasn’t convinced that the concessions were enough for the 384e program. The City currently pays more than $4 million in health insurance and all that the City collects from employees $45,000. He said the increase in premiums outweighs the concessions Mayor Valerie Keehn said the Council grappled with this matter, but the overriding thought was arbitration. The Council charged Commissioner Ron Kim to develop a comparative chart with what the City would pay by going through arbitration and by not going through arbitration. The analysis was done assuming a 4 percent pay increase across the board. She said Commissioner Ron Kim was able to show that without arbitration there would be a small savings in the first and second years and the third year was about even. If the City was mandated a 4 percent across the board pay increase the numbers were about the same. She said they had to be very mindful of the binding arbitration. 11 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 Commissioner John Franck said he understood that the City was going to pay more, but there were other factors such as legal fees that needed to be considered. He said the City missed the actuarial table date which changed on March 31 and that would have been an opportunity to save some money. He said he understood that he was going to loose things in his office including new positions and any upgrades, but it was necessary for all departments to give up a little so this contract could be approved. He said this contract was costing more but he was willing to accept it. Ayes: four; Nays: one ( Commissioner Matthew McCabe). Motion carried. Animal Control Officer to Animal Control/Parking Enforcement Officer (06-165) Commissioner Ron Kim said he wanted to reclassify the animal control officer to animal control officer/PEO. There are no budgetary implications. This is a requirement from the Civil Service Commission so that the Animal Control Officer can serve under the secondary function of PEO. Commissioner Ron Kim moved and Commissioner Thomas McTygue seconded to add this new position to the contract. Ayes all. Sgt. King and SSPD for Trooper Longobardo’s Wake/Funeral Commissioner Ron Kim said there were more than 7,000 people in the City on Monday for the Trooper Longobardo funeral. He said Sgt. Jack King should be commended for the coordination efforts. The firefighters also deserve to be commended for all of their efforts that day. Commissioner Thomas McTygue said he hoped that no one has to go through this again. City staff did a wonderful job with the logistics. They had no idea until they left the church that there were so many police officers waiting outside. There were 31 states represented. He said he had never seen anything so large. Council members agreed. Sgt. Crandall and Traffic Division during Track Season Commissioner Ron Kim also thanked Sgt. Crandell and the traffic division for a job well done during the racing season. He said they had the lowest number of parking problems at the track this year. SUPERVISORS Joanne Yepsen New County Legislation: There are no signed contracts for the water project. The members of the county water committee will not be appointed until later this fall. Radio towers: The full board will vote soon on the new lake view location. Bridge: The County will accept a new bridge over the Sacandaga to replace the Batchlerville Bridge Open space: There were five open space grants totaling $450,000. There were no applications from the City this year, however, the City did get $100,000 last year. The County’s Open Space Plan is located on Behan Associates web site and comments can be forwarded to her. The full Board will vote on the plan in November. Funding available for Not-for-Profits 2007 Budgets: It is a priority for her to secure funding for not-for-profit agencies in the City. There are several mechanisms for funding including the County’s general budget. By mid November the decisions for funding for 2007 will be approved under the County’s general budget. Saratoga Gaming & Raceway will accept applications through November 1 when $40,000 will be awarded to not-for-profit agencies with particular emphases on gambling not-for-profits. The third program is the Saratoga Grants to You. This is a ten hour seminar which provides training for grant writers. The program will be 12 of 13 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Tuesday, September 19, 2006 offered on September 29 and 30 at the Masie Center. Assemblyman Tedisco offered to fund this program as $7,500 member item. Frederick Allen Lodge Jazz Bar-b-que and West Side Restoration: She thanked the community for supporting this fundraiser. They raised $7,000 towards their $10,000 match that they need for a grant. Cheryl Keyrouze CV Whitney Memorial Highway Meeting: She said there was a third fatality on the Route 50 arterial. She said one month ago there was a meeting with Paul Male, City Engineer; Tom Werner, NYSDOT; David Redig, NYSDOT; Dan Tagliento, Town of Wilton; and staff members from Assemblyman Roy McDonald’s office and James Tedisco’s office. The purpose of that meeting was to discuss the restoration project for that stretch of the highway and why it had been put on hold. Tom Werner said there were fiscal constraints with other projects taking precedent. She then read the minutes from that meeting. It was noted that all in attendance were in agreement that the road needed to be redesigned and the intersection needed to be made safer. Tom Werner said that perhaps there was some funding available in the safety budget. They told her to get a list together and forward all of the details to them. She has not heard from anyone since that meeting. She said she was frustrated that the Assemblymen did not show up and only sent staff. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Mayor Valerie Keehn opened the second public comment period. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Valerie Keehn closed the second public comment period. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Valerie Keehn moved and Commissioner Thomas McTygue seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:55 p.m. Ayes all. There being no further business, Mayor Valerie Keehn adjourned the meeting at 8:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kathy Moran Approved: Clerk 13 of 13