Reporter:  Kelly Buck

Lisa Holmes, Tompkins County Administrator

 

COLTIVARE and on Zoom

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President Mary opened the meeting at Coltivare by welcoming all those on Zoom.  She then talked a bit about how powerful and impactful words can be, and then thoughtfully led the Four-Way Test.

 

A treasured member of the Coltivare team, Tatiana David was abducted and died during the struggle her abductor had with police in Virginia.  Ms. David will be returned home soon, but her four-year-old son has lost his mother, and the Coltivare staff has lost a warm and hardworking colleague.  The restaurant posted a GoFundMe link if anyone wants to make a contribution for Tatiana’s son.

 

President Mary then recognized guests:

Frank Towner announced that we will host a second Visitors Day on May 24^th.  All Rotarians are asked to bring a potential new club member to lunch that day.

 

Linda Brisson asked if anyone going the District Conference would be able to give exchange students Emma and Bernardo a ride back.  Angela Sullivan graciously agreed to do so.  Thanks Angela!

 

Kelly Buck didn’t make a verbal announcement at the meeting, but is putting it out there now:  the 10^th annual (!) Rotary Road Rally will take place on Sunday, August 6^th!  Mark your calendar now and spread the word!

 

Bob Gravani put out the call for more highway clean-up artists!  The Spring Highway Cleanup will take place on Earth Day, Saturday, April 22^nd.  Meet in the parking lot of Top’s Friendly Market at 8:45 AM and work until 11:00 AM.  Wear sturdy shoes and bring water.  Hard hats, colorful vests, gloves, and bags will be provided.  Please come out and help pick up along Route 13!  Register here.

 

President Mary read of a list of ELEVEN new members!

 

George Gull, Nancy Potter, and Paul Martin reported to the club their time in Costa Rica working on the global/district grant for clean water.  Costa Rica has a wonderful water system—it just doesn’t reach to the remote locations where our team was working.  In partnership with Agua Viva, the group worked for ten days in January in San Isidro de Pocosol to fix a polluted water problem at the local school well.  Past projects have resulted in a drop in the number of hepatitis cases.  This good work promotes clean water sanitation, hygiene, and conservation.

 

Contact Ray Brisson or Nancy Potter if you’d like to be involved in the next international grant project committee.

 

George Ferrari delivered thoughts from Oscar Wilde:  

 

Geoff Dunn introduced this week’s speaker, Ithaca Mayor Laura Lewis.  She has lived in Fall Creek for 40 years and worked at the ILR School for 30 before retiring, something Laura says she’s failed miserably at.  She has announced that she will not run for re-election this year and will give retirement another try.

 

In 2017, Laura was elected to Common Council.  She was then appointed as Acting Mayor in February 2022 when Svante Myrick left the position.  She ran for and was elected last November for the final year of the term.

 

Laura is committed to community service and sees the importance of connections and relationships.  She said:  “We are not ‘in government;’ we are in community service.”  Laura’s honored to serve in this role and recognized the “incredibly smart and dedicated staff” at the city.  She indicated that there are a number of changes coming at city hall, many from anticipated retirements.  In an effort to provide better service to the citizens of Ithaca (about 33,000), they are researching effective roles and seeking to hire a full-time city council manager, who will effectively be the CEO of the City of Ithaca.  (The mayor’s role is supposed to be part time, but Laura attests that this is NOT the case!).  This new role will be supported by the Chief of Staff, our own Rotarian Deb Mohlenhoff.  Common Council believes that this is the most feasible form of government and will start the search in January 2024.

 

With all of the upcoming retirements come big change and a loss of institutional memory and knowledge.  But with big change comes tremendous opportunity, and the Council will take advantage of that.  Top priorities include public safety, police reform, and Ithaca’s Green New Deal.

 

Happy Dollars were offered in support of our Community Grants program:

 

Newsletter Reporter:  Kelly Buck

Photographer:  Mike Brown

Greeter:  Kelly Buck

Newsletter Editor:  Loralyn Light

 

Setup/Teardown:  Brad Carruth, Harlin McEwen, Steve Johnson, Ravi Walsh

Audio/Visual Setup:  Bez Thomas

Recording Archive:  Paul Martin; click here

Club Service Facilitator:  June Losurdo