Ithaca council advances reorganization to create Department of Information and Community Engagement

The Ithaca Common Council in committee of the whole voted Aug. 20 to send a proposed local law reorganizing the Department of Information and Technology to the regular September meeting for formal consideration. Alderperson Saint Perez moved the measure, seconded by Alderperson Matos; the committee approved sending it forward unanimously, 9-0.

Supporters say the reorganization will formalize a new Department of Information and Community Engagement (DICE) and realign communications, event permitting and website content functions while preserving the technical work of the information technology division. “This is a reorganization internal to the city of the current Department of Information and Technology into a new dice or department of information and community engagement,” a staff presenter said during the discussion.

The change responds to council direction last year to limit the addition of new positions while improving proactive public information and outreach. “Council has made it clear over the last year that they are very desirous of seeing, more proactive and better, public information and engagement and communication,” Alderperson Saint Perez said during preliminary comments.

Under the proposal, content management and public-facing messaging would sit in the new communications/convening side of the reorg, while technical site maintenance, security and back-end systems would remain with the information technology division. Alan (staff member) explained the split: content and public information would be part of the community engagement division and the technical aspects would remain with IT; the divisions would “work in collaboration.”

The reorg document identifies a job title of public information specialist who would be responsible for website updates, news releases and “news flashes.” The proposal also references two event-permitting roles already in place — an event permit coordinator (policy and large-event work) and a specialist (day-to-day permitting and SeeClickFix oversight) — and states those positions will remain but will coordinate under the new structure.

Officials told council the personnel impact on the budget is limited. The staff presenter said two positions were noted for salary changes including a new IT director post and changes to the existing department head’s compensation; those impacts were offset in part by funding the standalone clerk position for nine months instead of 12 and by leaving an information-systems manager position unfunded for most of 2026. The presenter declined to discuss individual salaries on the open floor.

Council members pressed for operational clarity. Alderperson Fabrizio asked who would be responsible for SeeClickFix and whether exterior property maintenance complaints could be filed there; the city attorney said the office is “working through some stuff with the building division” and will provide an update. Fabrizio also pressed whether the city was ready to publicize SeeClickFix and ensure reporters receive feedback rather than items disappearing into a “black hole.” Staff said the tool had a soft launch in 2025 and changes are being made to expand its coverage and to ensure reporters receive follow-up.

Alderperson Brizio asked whether website editing would fall to the new DICE director; staff said content changes would be handled by the communications division (including the public information specialist and existing staff who currently update the site) while technical fixes and security would remain with IT. “Website will absolutely fall under that, but it’s much more broad than that in terms of the plans that we have here,” a staff presenter said.

The committee vote sends the proposed local law to the council’s regular September meeting for final action. No final policy was adopted at the committee meeting; the record shows the matter was advanced for a later vote.

Questions left for the September meeting include final budgetary impacts, the precise job descriptions for new or reallocated positions, and an update from the city attorney and building division on whether exterior property maintenance complaints will be routed through SeeClickFix.