Council approves consent agenda including sanctuary reaffirmation, tax-exemption changes and appointments; ethics-board vote 10-1

Ithaca — The Ithaca Common Council on Feb. 5 approved a consent agenda that included reaffirming the city’s sanctuary policies, passed local tax-exemption changes and confirmed several appointments and search-committee memberships.

Highlights

Votes at a glance

- Approval of January 8, January 15 and January 22 meeting minutes: motion moved by Alderperson Saint Perez, seconded by Alderperson Shapiro; outcome: carries (recorded as 10 in favor in the meeting announcements).

- Consent agenda (which included the sanctuary-city reaffirmation): moved and seconded by council; outcome: carries unanimously (no recorded opposition) as part of the consent process.

- Local law amending Article 5 of Chapter 300 of the Ithaca City Code (disability exemption expansion): mover stated as Alderperson Letterman; second not clearly specified in the record. Vote: roll-call recorded as yes — 11; outcome: adopted.

- Ordinance amending Article 1 of Chapter 300 of the Ithaca City Code (senior-citizen partial tax-exemption income threshold increase): mover and second recorded on the floor; outcome: carried unanimously (no recorded opposition).

- Appointment to TCAT board: Mayor’s recommendation of Professor Nick Klein (Cornell University) to fill the city-representative vacancy for a three-year term ending Dec. 31, 2027; outcome: carried unanimously.

- Search committees: mayoral appointees to the city-controller hiring committee and the superintendent of public works searches were approved as named (controller search committee: Mayor, Alderperson Wynne, Alderperson Fabrizio; public-works search: Alderpersons Haynes Sharp, Saint Perez and Letterman); outcome: carried unanimously.

- Appointment to the Ethics Advisory Board: Lisa Nicholas nominated to fill a seat; the council voted in favor; result: carried 10-1 with Alderperson Brown recorded as opposed.

- Motion to enter executive session regarding a potential real-estate transaction: moved and seconded on the floor; outcome: carried unanimously; council stated no vote would follow the executive session.

Meeting procedure notes

Several items were handled by roll call and recorded votes; the disability-exemption local law passed on a roll-call vote (the meeting transcript recorded each member voting yes). The ethics-board appointment drew the only recorded dissenting vote (Alderperson Brown) and an unsuccessful motion to reconsider that appointment.

All motions, roll-call outcomes and appointments described above are recorded in the meeting transcript and were announced on the public record at the Feb. 5 meeting.