January 21, 2015
City finds engineer for pool plans
City officials have chosen an Albany-area engineer based out of Voorheesville to help design the renovation of Wickwire Pool, advancing the project and renewing hopes the pool will be in use this summer.
The Common Council voted Tuesday for Mayor Brian Tobin to sign a contract with Aquattica Pools and Water Parks Inc. of Voorheesville after Youth Bureau Executive Director John McNerney said he and others felt it was the best choice to design the pool’s anticipated renovation project.
The city announced plans to close the pool in August, but city engineer Ken Teter told the council in October it would be possible to keep it open this summer, provided the city found companies to do design work and construction by fall 2015.
Request for proposals were sent out shortly after that meeting and McNerney, Teter and Chris Bistocchi, superintendent of the Department of Public Works, reviewed responses from six engineers in November.
McNerney said Aquattica was ultimately chosen based on its knowledge, experience and checking the references of people it had done business with, including SUNY Cortland, adding the company also submitted the lowest priced proposal, keeping the city well under budget.
“They came in at $49,500 — about $20,000 less than any other of the other engineering firms,” McNerney said. “Ken Teter’s original proposal ... came in at engineering at around $75,000.”
After the meeting, Mayor Brian Tobin said as it stands, the pool is likely to open this summer, with work likely to begin right after it closes.
“Right now it’s looking very good that the facility will be open again this year, and we’re excited about that,” Tobin said. “Hats off to John McNerney. He’s done a great job of managing this difficult and large project from the start.”
Aquattica will be doing the design work and overseeing renovations, but will not be doing the actual construction. McNerney said bids for the work would be sought, but he did not say when it would happen.
The city has about $820,000 raised for the more than $900,000 project.
In other business, the council approved Police Chief F. Michael Catalano’s request to install two more surveillance cameras downtown at the intersection of Main Street and Tompkins/Port Watson streets.
During the meeting, Catalano said existing cameras at the intersection of Main and Court streets have helped assist officers’ investigations.
In June 2013, an increase in crimes downtown led the council to allow police to install cameras at the intersection of Main and Court streets, provided it came before the council whenever police were considering adding additional cameras.
At that time, the first two cameras were approved, with plans to install a total of 26 in an area covering north of William Street and south of Clinton Avenue in the city.
During the meeting, Catalano said this is a continuation of those efforts, and that while existing cameras have helped assist officers’ investigations, more cameras means they will be able to cover more of downtown Cortland.
“We only have two cameras in such a way where the resolution is not very good because we’re trying to capture so much,” Catalano said. “The more cameras that we could put in, the better we get the resolution.”
Catalano said the two cameras will cost a total of approximately $20,000, but that the department already has the money set aside in its budget.
The council also agreed to receive and review information submitted by landlord Gerry Ruggiero, and possibly seeking out a third-party to examine his claims the city is treating him and other landlords unfairly.
Last Thursday, Ruggiero submitted information to the council which he says shows the city’s zoning laws and tax assessments have not been enforced equally over the past few decades.
“I’ve submitted over 300 pages of documents,” Ruggiero said, “emails people have written, transcripts of tape recordings that people have said. The tax assessments. There are issues that need to be discussed.”
Alderman Tom Michales (R-8th Ward) suggested the city look into finding a neutral party willing to examine all of the information and report back to the council.
But the council ended up agreeing with Alderman Clif Dutcher (R-5th Ward) who moved to table all discussions until the material is reviewed.
After the meeting, Ruggiero said he would be sending the same information to the state comptroller for review.
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