| COUNTY COST FOR STORM DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT $75,000 - $100,000 County Administrator Steve Whicher reported that, as a result of the heavy rains over the past weekend, the County Highway Division has estimated the County's cost for repairs to roads and bridges to be $75,000 to $100,000. Roads needing repairs as a direct result of the flooding include portions of Stevens Road in Groton; North Triphammer Road in Lansing; Coddington Road in Caroline; and Lewis Street, Ringwood Road, and Fall Creek Road in Dryden. Erosion and log jams at various bridges also need attention. Acting Highway Manager John Lampman estimates the work will take about three weeks. Contacts: Steve Whicher, County Administrator, 274-5551; John Lampman, Acting Highway Manager, 274-0300. COUNTY TO HIRE FIRM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS The Legislature voted unanimously (12 members present) to approve up to $330,000 for professional and legal services related to environmental assessment and review for the Public Safety Communications System. The County will contract for the services of the Rochester, NY office of ENSR International, a firm with extensive expertise in the environmental review process. Approximately $40,000 of the approved amount will be used for outside legal services directly relating to the environmental considerations of the project. The communications system will involve emergency radio transmission sites to be built or renovated at various locations around the county. Contact: Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Chair, Public Safety Committee, 277-5104. DIVERSITY PLANNING TAKES STEP FORWARD By unanimous vote (12 - 0; three Legislators were absent) the Legislature affirmed the County's commitment to a renewed effort to recruit and retain a diverse workforce and to outline steps for the development of a diversity plan for County government. An internal management team and an advisory group consisting of diversity and organizational experts from the community and organizations will work together to increase diversity and inclusion in the County's workforce. Contact: Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, Chair, Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Committee, 277-5104; Steve Whicher, County Administrator, 274-5551. AIRPORT MARKETING CONTRACT APPROVED The County will contract with Cornell University for staff to do business development at the Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport and to market existing and new air service at the airport. Cornell donated the cost of staff services to the County's Air Service Task Force for much of 2004 and through March 31, 2005. Northwest Airlines will begin offering flights between Ithaca and its Detroit hub on May 2. USAirways continues to operate eastbound service through its hub in Philadelphia. A contract of up to $100,000 for one year, starting April 1, 2005, was approved by a 10 - 1 vote (Frank Proto was opposed; four Legislators were absent). Grant funding is being sought to recoup about half the cost of the contract. Contact: Peter Penniman, Chair, Chair, Facilities and Infrastructure Committee, 387-3928. |