HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB Minutes 2026-03-23MEETING OF THE ITHACA TOWN BOARD
March 23, 2026
215 N. Tioga St., 4:30 p.m.
This meeting will also be on ZOOM (ID 98910958241)
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AGENDA
1. Consider naming of the Sage Preserve
2. Town of Ithaca’s Stormwater Management Plan
3. Committee Reports
a. Budget
b. Codes & Ordinances
c. Personnel and Organization/ERC
d. Planning
e. Public Works
f. Other
• CWIO
• Economic Development
• Parks, Trails, Preserves & Recreation
• TCCOG
4. Consent Agenda
a. Approval of Town Board Minutes
b. Approval of the Town of Ithaca Abstract
c. Approval of revised Director of Engineering job description
d. Approval of revised Public Works Dept job descriptions
e. Ratify appointment of Motor Equipment Operator - Zifchock
f. Authorization to sign Teamsters MOU
g. Authorization to create Court Attendant position
h. Ratify appointment – Acting General Manager – SCLIWC
i. Approval of revised Deputy Finance Officer job description
j. Approval of designation and sale of Surplus Equipment
k. Acknowledgement of revised Board & Committee assignments
5. Reports of Town Officials & Review of Correspondence
TBS 2023-03-23 (Filed 3/30) Pg. 1
MEETING OF THE ITHACA TOWN BOARD
March 23, 2026
MINUTES
Present: Board Members; Rod Howe, Supervisor; Eric Levine, Rich DePaolo, Susie
Gutenberger, Pamela Bleiwas, David McCune and Diana Sinton
Present: Judy Drake, Marty Moseley, CJ Randall, Paulette Rosa, Joe Slater, Kelly Anderson,
and Justin McNeal
Mr. Howe opened the meeting at 4:30 p.m.
1. Consider naming of the Sage Preserve
Mr. Howe noted that the name “Sage Preserve” meets all the criteria of our naming policy and
has been the working name throughout the process.
TB Resolution 2026 - 021: Naming of the Sage Preserve
Whereas, on March 9, 2026, the Town of Ithaca purchased approximately 137 acres of land
encompassed by King Road East, Chase Lane, Ridgecrest Road, and Schickel Road from Tessa
Sage Flores and Ira Goldstein, and
Whereas, the land consists of woods, streams, wetlands, and several existing walking trails, and
will be maintained by the Town as a passive recreational facility, and
Whereas, the landowners have requested that it be named “Sage Preserve” in honor of Tessa
Sage Flores and her family, and
Whereas, the Town Board has determined that the name “Sage Preserve” meets the criteria of the
Town of Ithaca Policy on Naming Town Parks (July 8, 2002), now therefore be it
Resolved, that the Town Board hereby designates that the name of the newly acquired 137 acres
shall be “Sage Preserve.”
Moved: Pamela Bleiwas Seconded: Diana Sinton
Vote: ayes- Howe, DePaolo, Bleiwas, Levine, Gutenberger, Sinton and McCune
2. Town of Ithaca’s Stormwater Management Plan
Mr. McNeil explained that the review and public availability of the Town’s Stormwater
Management Plan is required under the MS4 permit. The Plan explains how we handle each of
the six minimum control measures and requirements outlined in the permit. He noted the website
information was sent via the packet and is available for public review as required.
TBS 2023-03-23 (Filed 3/30) Pg. 2
There were a few questions from the Board; answers summarized:
The Town inspects discharge locations and submits annual reports to the State. We usually have
interns do monitoring and reporting and then if there is a problem called in or reported by the
public, we go out and inspect and monitor, essentially it is on the honor system unless you get
audited, which we were years ago, but not recently.
He added that the heavy lift was last year, updating our Plan, but the inspections do take a lot of
time, especially given the locations of the outfalls all over town means a lot of traveling here and
there, which goes into our required annual report to the State.
3. Committee Reports
a. Budget – Mr. Levine - No meeting but involved in the search and interviews of
potential new legal counsel. We received 4 responses to our RFQ.
b. Codes & Ordinances – Ms. Gutenberger - Presentation on the draft revisions to the
Subdivision regulations; she added that she is very impressed with Staff and how they
go through this process, looking at it from multiple views. Next month we will review
the draft work plan, and we might be changing the day of the meetings.
c. Personnel and Organization/ERC – Ms. Bleiwas – Discussed fees to capture costs
associated with outside engineering services associated with Engineering and Public
Works projects among others and SWPPP reviews; a presentation that will be coming
up on instituting Use and Occupancy fees in our ROW’s; editing the Director of
Engineering job description and package, modifying the requirement for licensure
and associated compensation; approved for consideration changes to the Weather
Related Time Off procedure; discussed a new Court Attendant position and an MOU
with the Teamsters Union regarding additional compensation for taking on
supervisory roles.
d. Planning – Ms. Randall – Recommendation of an additional property in the Ag
District #2; drafting a RFP associated with the Pro Housing Communities Technical
Assistance grant money we received to create a model of our TND and high density
areas.
e. Public Works – Mr. Howe – Project updates and the Mezzanine project is beginning
next week. Mr. O’Neil gave an overview.
f. Other
Training – Mr. Moseley reported on the training offered here at Town Hall and
remotely on the Energy Code which was very well attended and received. There were
approximately 150 attendees with a mix of NYSERDA and DOS representatives,
engineers, code officials, architects and contractors.
TBS 2023-03-23 (Filed 3/30) Pg. 3
CWIO – Meets next week.
Parks, Trails, Preserves & Recreation – South Hill Trail Extension kickoff
meeting with the consultants to discuss known issues, crossings etc.
TCCOG – No report
IAWWTF – Mr. DePaolo – Working with Community Science Institute to
develop an in-lake monitoring program to support the dilution study that will
hopefully allow us to support our counter argument to the forthcoming permit
modifications from the DEC.
TGEN – Community Choice Aggregation and Tompkins Green Energy Network
education sessions have begun and the first 2 were well attended.
Educational and outreach articles – Ms. Sinton stated that she has been talking to
Mr. Howe about writing articles about topics of interest or questions she hears
about out in the public and community.
4. Consent Agenda
TB Resolution 2026 – 022: Adopt Consent Agenda
Resolved, that the Town Board approves and/or adopts the following Consent Agenda items:
a. Approval of Town Board Minutes
b. Approval of the Town of Ithaca Abstract
c. Approval of revised Director of Engineering job description
d. Approval of revised Public Works Dept job descriptions
e. Ratify appointment of Motor Equipment Operator - Zifchock
f. Authorization to sign Teamsters MOU
g. Authorization to create Court Attendant position
h. Ratify appointment – Acting General Manager – SCLIWC
i. Approval of revised Deputy Finance Officer job description
j. Approval of designation and sale of Surplus Equipment
k. Acknowledge revised Board and Committee Assignments
Moved: Rich DePaolo Seconded: Eric Levine
Vote: ayes- Howe, DePaolo, Bleiwas, Levine, Sinton, Gutenberger and McCune
TB Resolution 2026 – 022a: Approval of Town Board Minutes
Resolved that the Town Board approves the minutes of March 9, 2026, as final with any non-
substantive changes made.
TB Resolution 2026 - 022b: Town of Ithaca Abstract No. 6 for FY-2026
Resolved that the Town Board authorizes the payment of the following audited vouchers in total
for the amounts indicated:
VOUCHER NOS. 2026 214 – 266
TBS 2023-03-23 (Filed 3/30) Pg. 4
General Fund Town Wide 64,215.35
General Fund Part-Town 9,453.19
Highway Fund Town Wide DA 1,946.53
Highway Fund Part Town DB 36,023.90
Water Fund 13,134.99
Sewer Fund 3,542.47
Risk Retention Fund 2,270.00
Fire Protection Fund 122.00
TOTAL 130,708.43
TB Resolution 2026 - 022c: Approval of revised Director of Engineering Job descriptions
Whereas, the Personnel and Organization Committee reviewed the revisions made to the
Director of Engineering job description to bring it up to date and recommends approving the
revised job descriptions; and
Whereas, the position will remain on the “I” classification, with the change that if the incumbent
does not have the preferred Professional Engineering (P.E.) then the salary will be $10,000 less
at each step than the salary listed for all the other positions in the “I” classification; now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, the Town Board approves the revised job description for Director of Engineering and
the revised salary structure for incumbents without the preferred P.E. license.
TB Resolution 2026 - 022d: Approval of revised Public Works Department Job
Descriptions
Whereas, due to Town moving to all automatic transmission vehicles the Motor Equipment
Operator, Heavy Equipment Operator and Working Supervisor job requirements needed to be
revised; and
Whereas, the Working Supervisor job description adding a Class A CDL requirement within 18
months instead of just a Class B was discussed with Teamsters representatives and Directo of
Public Works; and
Whereas, the Personnel and Organization Committee reviewed the revisions made and
recommended approving the revised job descriptions; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca does hereby approve the revised job description
for Motor Equipment Operator, Heavy Equipment Operator and Working Supervisor.
TB Resolution 2026 – 022e: Ratify Promotional Appointment to Motor Equipment Operator
Whereas, there is a vacant full time Motor Equipment Operator position due to retirement in
2025; and
TBS 2023-03-23 (Filed 3/30) Pg. 5
Whereas, the Director of Public Works/ Highway Superintendent (Director) has determined
through interviews and evaluation that Dylan Zifchock, Laborer, possesses the necessary
knowledge, skills, and ability to satisfactorily perform the duties of the Motor Equipment
Operator position; and
Whereas, the Director appointed Dylan Zifchock to the Motor Equipment Operator position,
effective March 22, 2026; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Town Board ratifies the Director’s promotional appointment of Dylan
Zifchock as Motor Equipment Operator for the Public Works Department, effective March 22,
2026; and be it further
Resolved, this is a 40 hour a week position, at the hourly wage of $31.53 in Job Classification
“III”, with no change in the full-time benefits; and be it further
Resolved, if Mr. Zifchock successfully completes the mandatory eight (8) week probationary
period, there will be no further action required by the Town Board.
TB Resolution 2026 – 022f: Authorization to sign MOU Agreement with Teamsters Local
317
Resolved that the Town Board accepts the recommendation of the Personnel Committee to
authorize the Town Supervisor and Human Resources Manager to sign the Memorandum of
Understanding agreement between the Town of Ithaca and Teamsters Local 317 regarding the
addition of a Night Crew Lead Pay Rate.
TB Resolution 2026 – 022g: Creation of Court Attendant position under Civil Service
Whereas, the Town of Ithaca established compliance under the New York State Civil Service
Agency to qualify employment positions in the Town of Ithaca in accordance with Section 22 of
Civil Service Laws, Rules and Regulations; and
Whereas, by regulation of Civil Service Law the Town must create a position and approve the job
description before making an appointment; and
Whereas, the Town has determined the need to create a Court Attendant position; now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca does hereby establish the additional following
position in accordance with the applicable New York State and Tompkins County Civil Service
rules:
1. The following position is established in the non-competitive class pursuant to Section 42 of
the Civil Service Law:
TBS 2023-03-23 (Filed 3/30) Pg. 6
2-(two) – Court Attendant (part time)
and be it further
Resolved, the Town Board approves the job description for said position as created and monitored
by Tompkins County Civil Service; and be it further
Resolved, that the position will not be placed in the Office Job Classification system but will be
listed with others positions like Crossing Guards and Interns, where specific pay rates are
established in budget.
TB Resolution 2026 - 022h: Ratify Appointment of Acting General Manager at SCLIWC
Whereas, on March 5, 2026, the Southern Cayuga Lake Intermunicipal Water Commission
(SCLIWC) appointed Glenn Ratajczak as the Acting General Manager and established a stipend
for the duties, retroactive to March 8, 2026; now, therefore be it
Resolved, the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca ratifies SCLIWC’s appointment of Glenn
Ratajczak as the Acting General Manager and the established stipend for the duties, retro-active to
March 8, 2026, with no change to full-time benefits.
TB Resolution 2026 - 022i: Approval of Revised Deputy Finance Officer Job Description
Whereas, the Personnel and Organization Committee reviewed the revisions made to the Deputy
Finance Officer job description to bring it up to date and recommends approving the revised job
description; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, the Town Board of the Town of Ithaca does hereby approve the revised job description
for Deputy Finance Officer.
TB Resolution 2026 - 022j: Designation and approval of sale of Surplus Equipment
Resolved that the Town Board declares the following equipment surplus and authorizes the sale
of said equipment to the Town of Hector for the amount listed:
Road Tractor $35,000
10-Wheel Plow Truck $35,000
F450 with plow and dump box $25,000
Single directional plows (3) $2,500 ea
TB Resolution 2026 – 022k: Acknowledge revised Board and Committee assignments
Resolved that the Town Board acknowledges the revised Board and Committee assignments due
to the recent vacancy and subsequent appointment of Rich DePaolo as Town Board member.
5. Reports of Town Officials & Review of Correspondence
TBS 2023-03-23 (Filed 3/30) Pg. 7
Mr. Howe noted the County is doing a study about creating its own minimum wage, more
to come on that.
Dryden is considering a prohibition on data centers. The town does not have any
appropriate vacant land of the size needed near water sources, so it is not a concern for
us.
The meeting was adjourned upon a motion by Mr. Howe, seconded by Ms. Bleiwas; unanimous.
Submitted by
Paulette Rosa
Town Clerk