CITY OF GENEVA
COLLEGE AREA LIVABILITY TASK FORCE

REGULAR MEETING
SEPTEMBER 19, 2016
6:00 P.M.

GENEVA CITY HALL

MINUTES


Members in Attendance
Angelina Marino, Chair
Robb Flowers, Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Walter Gage, Resident

Kate Morse, Resident
Dan Ofstein, Resident

Barb Roesch, Resident
Gordon Eddington, Councilor at Large

Staff in Attendance
Rhonda Everdyke, Office of Neighborhood Initiatives

Sage Gerling, Director of Neighborhood Initiatives
Matt Horn, City Manager
Chief Jeff Trickler, Geneva Police Department

Call to Order

Councilor Marino called the meeting to order at 6:00

Review of Meeting Minutes (8-22-2016)

Mr. Horn noted that minutes were distributed for the August meeting. There were no questions or clarifications.

Public Comment

Brian Olson, a neighborhood resident, advised the Task Force that the behavior of College students has been especially poor this year. He suggested that the Police Department should be enforcing the County’s social host law. Mr. Horn noted that Chief Trickler can provide an overview of the law, and the advantages for using existing City ordinances to achieve the same objectives.

Derek Lustig advised the Task Force that noise and garbage issues persist in the neighborhood. He is appreciative of the City and College efforts to curb these issues, but the challenges remain and need to continue receiving attention.

Discussion Regarding 2016-2017 Priorities

Mr. Horn provided an overview of the priorities set by the Task Force at its August meeting. They include:


Understanding the Scope of the Challenge

·  What is the total number of students authorized to live off-campus?

·  What is the estimated total number of students actually living off-campus?

·  How many houses are offered on the market today for student housing, and where are they?

·  What is HWS’s long-term vision for the scope and scale of off-campus housing?

City and College Response to Discipline Issues

·  What is the standard (code of conduct) that off-campus students are expected to be held to?

·  What is the process that is followed when discipline issues arise?

·  What is the City’s process for dealing with suspected code and criminal violation issues?

·  What should neighbors expect to do when engaging with the College or GPD on code and/or criminal violations?

·  How can issues associated with transitory students (downtown to campus, house-to-house, etc.) be more effectively dealt with?

·  How can we influence the Court to consider mandating locally-served community service sentences?

·  How can the City get more engaged with issues of underage service in bars and restaurants downtown?

Student Housing Conditions

·  How can the City and Colleges work together to ensure that the initial product offered to students is in good condition?

·  How can the landlord hold students accountable for damage and other property maintenance issues?

Students as Neighbors

·  How do neighborhood associations reinforce the sense of neighborhood, such that it is evident to the students?

·  How can the Colleges, City, and neighborhood associations work together to facilitate student engagement with the neighbors?

·  How do we change the student image in the City and neighborhoods; particularly given the “legacy” left by previous poor performers?

·  Can we engage all off-campus students in a single collective community service project that is impactful to the neighborhoods, and does this go a long way toward building a sense of neighborhood ownership by the students and shaping the image of students?

·  Would the Colleges and neighborhood associations facilitate a “Sponsor-a-Student” model, where neighbors regularly engage (dinner, shopping, etc.) with a student or students?

Information Sharing

·  Would more publicity in the Finger Lakes Times and other media, showcasing the consequences of poor behavior, put pressure on students to re-evaluate their behavior?

·  Can we create a resource for neighbors and students that provides information on all of the subjects we identify as critical to the relationship?

Mr. Flowers distributed a communications piece distributed by the Colleges to students living off campus. It is intended to serve as a resource for expectations for students, and resources available to them. He also advised that the Colleges are supporting development of an app that can serve as a communications tool between the students, landlords, neighborhood residents, City, and Colleges to highlight issues and resolution.

Mr. Eddington inquired as to how we could remedy property maintenance. He suggesting enhancing City Code to require additional inspections. Mr. Horn noted that the City has been in discussion with the Colleges, regarding their ability/willingness to require that operating permits be issued for any home being used for off-campus housing. Mr. Flowers noted that the housing selection process is underway for 2017, but that we could start implementation now, and perfect it over the course of the first year. He also suggested that the Colleges may be able to weigh in on leases signed by students.

Mr. Horn suggested that, at the next Task Force meeting, Mr. Flowers may present on the long-term housing strategy for the Colleges. Mr. Flowers advised that he could do that, and may be able to demonstrate the app as well.

Next Meeting

The Task Force members agreed that the next meeting should be held on October 24th at 6 p.m.

Adjourn

Councilor Marino inquired as to any further business that needed to be discussed. Hearing none, the meeting was adjourned.

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