ANTHRAX INFORMATION
The County Board and Administrator made clear that procedures are in
place to respond to the current threat of anthrax or other biological threats.
The emergency response plan is prepared to answer calls to 911, and will
screen calls to prioritize them. Public Health Director, Alice Cole, has
issued the following guidelines:
Anthrax is not easily contracted and is not spread form person to person.
Examine unopened envelopes for foreign bodies or powder; do not open
letter with your hands, use a letter opener; open with a minimum of movement
to avoid spilling any contents.
What types of letters may be suspect: any letter or package that has
suspicious or threatening messages written on it; letter with oily stains;
envelopes that are lopsided, rigid, bulky, discolored or have a strange
odor; envelopes with no return address; unexpected envelopes from foreign
countries; no postage or non- cancelled postage; improper spelling of common
names, places or titles.
For suspect envelopes: Do not open - call 911 or Health Department
at 274-6674.
PUBLIC HEARING TO EXTEND THE TIME FOR FILLING VACANCY ON THE BOARD
The Board approved a resolution 12-2 (Proto and Todd) to hold a public
hearing on November 7 at 5:30 p.m. in Board Chambers amending its Charter
to fill a vacancy on the Board of Representatives. The proposed local law
will allow the City in the year 2001 to fill the vacancy within 90 days
by appointing the winner of the November general election. . Contact: Michael
Koplinka-Loehr, Chair, Government Operations Committee, 255-6668, 257-2329.
COUNTY TO PROVIDE PAY AND BENEFITS TO WORKERS CALLED TO DUTY
The Board unanimously authorized salary and benefit compensation to
any County government employee called into active military service as a
result of the attacks of September 11. The employees will receive the difference
in wages between their military pay and their County salaries for a period
not to exceed 90 work days, and health insurance and other benefits will
be continued. The policy will be in effect until the end of 2002. Contact:
Michael Koplinka-Loehr, Chair, Government Operations Committee, 255-6668,
257-2329; Personnel Director Anita Fitzpatrick, 274-5526.
TC-3 PRESIDENT SPEAKS ON THE STATE OF THE COLLEGE
Tompkins-Cortland Community College President Carl Haynes gave the
Board a progress report on the college, which receives about $2 million
in County taxpayer support annually. Haynes mentioned the addition of residence
halls at the college, allowing more out-of-state and international students
to attend. Future development at the college, which graduated 410 students
this year, include a new athletic center. Contact: TC-3 President Carl
Haynes, 844-8211, ext. 4368.
COUNTY HIRES FIRM FOR ELLIS HOLLOW DESIGN; PUBLIC MEETING THURSDAY
By unanimous vote, the Board approved, contingent upon approval of
a Capital Project budget, a $128,700 contract with a Rochester- based engineering
firm for preliminary design of Ellis Hollow Road reconstruction. Fisher
Associates was selected from among eight competing firms by the County
Highway Department and approved by the Public Works Committee. None of
the bidders for the job was local. Fisher was chosen, Public Works officials
state, because of its expertise and because it alone “demonstrated an ability
and willingness to creatively address issues of traffic calming and community
sensitivity.” The design phase is expected to extend to the end of next
year, with possible construction starting in 2003. A public input meeting
on the project is scheduled for 7 p.m., October 18, at the Ellis Hollow
Community Center. County highway and elected officials and representatives
from Fisher Associates will be on hand to listen to public comments on
the proposed project. Contacts: Michael Lane, Chair, Public Works Committee,
844-8444; Representative Joe Lalley, 255- 6651, 273-1605.
SUPERIOR WILL CONTINUE AS COLLECTOR OF COUNTY’S RECYCLABLES
The Board approved 11-3 (Kiefer, Proto and Schuler) a three- year contract
with Superior Disposal, Inc., of Newfield, to pick up recyclables throughout
the county, including the City of Ithaca. The annual cost of the service
is set at $487,834 for the first year and will increase by 3 percent a
year for the remainder of the contract. Superior has handled the recyclables
pick-up for the County’s Solid Waste Management Division since the program
began in 1989. Contacts: Michael Lane, Chair, Public Works Committee, 844-8444;
Solid Waste Manager Barbara Eckstrom, 273-6632.
BOARD AGREES TO PAY AIRPORT ENGINEERING FEE
A resolution to contract with C & S Engineers for construction
oversight was reconsidered and passed by a vote of 8 (Blanchard, Koplinka-Loehr,
Lalley, Lane, Penniman, Proto, Todd, and Winch), to 6 (Joseph, Kiefer,
Mink, Schuler, Stein, and Totman). Previously the Board rejected the idea
of paying $236,303 to the firm for construction observation and administration
for work at the airport. Contact: Mike Lane, Chair, Public Works Committee,
844-8440; Bob Nicholas, Airport Manager, 257- 0456.
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