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Home My WebLink About2025-03-11-TB-FINAL-minutes1 TOWN BOARD MEETING Town of Ulysses March 11, 2025 The meeting was held in person at the Town Hall at 10 Elm St., Trumansburg NY as well as via Zoom videoconference. Notice of Town Board meetings are posted on the Town’s website and Clerk’s board. Video recordings of meetings are available on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWVIs--g9CpHIxdk9YxZyPw. CALL TO ORDER: Ms. Olson called the meeting to order at 7pm. ATTENDANCE: TOWN OFFICIALS: In person- Supervisor- Katelin Olson Board members- Mary Bouchard, Liz Weatherby, Michael Boggs, Rich Goldman Town Clerk- Carissa Parlato WSPPC (Water Source Protection Plan Committee) member & CSAC (Conservation & Sustainability Advisory Committee) chair- Roxanne Marino Youth Development Coordinator- Rachel Kennedy Highway Superintendent/DPW Director- Scott Stewart OTHERS: Mark Sherman, Beth Veca, Jyll Strothman, Diane & Sam Vann, Sandy Harrington Via Zoom- Tyler Sherman, Alex Acuna, Mark Veca, Steve Manley APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Motion: Ms. Olson requested the addition of an executive session at the end of meeting. Mr. Boggs moved to approve the agenda with this amendment. This was seconded by Ms. Bouchard and passed unanimously. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR (3 minutes per person): Ms. Kennedy spoke on behalf of her position as the Youth Services Coordinator for the town. She coordinates the Youth Employment Program, organizes college tours, and leads the Civics Internship program. She hears from teens often that they would like more spaces to gather. Mr. Acuna of 5250 Cold Springs Road said that no one wants this sports arena to be built and this was noted in the newspaper during the last vote. He is concerned about the lack of information/details of cost, etc. He believes that traffic and congestion will increase and the project will cost $3-5 million. 2 Ms. Strothmann from 5291 Cold Springs Road saw the stakes that indicate where the road will be and maybe the sidewalk. She is concerned about emergency vehicles having enough space. Ms. Olson said that she will respond to questions later in the meeting. Ms. Vann of 5271 Cold Springs Road said that she sees both sides of the issue and thinks the Cold Springs residents stand to lose a lot if the town accepts the donation. She doesn’t believe it is right or fair for the town to force the issue. She thinks that this will make it hard for people to pay bills and that their privacy is being stolen. Ms. Harrington of 110 Tamarack Lane asked if the trail would be included in the grant. Ms. Weatherby said that no grant has been applied for at this time. Ms. Harrington expressed concern about taxes already being very high. Mr. T. Sherman of 5250 Cold Springs Road asked questions regarding the following: •grants/funding •traffic study •whether there is enough staff to maintain •other Cold Springs Road issues: shoulders, paving, Podunk bridge replacement Ms. Marino of 4144 Reynolds Road wants to advocate again for creation of a recreation plan to help make the process and decision-making more transparent and clearer. Ms. Vann said that she thinks the people who live on Cold Springs Road should be offered an opportunity to buy some of the land to help make a buffer. Mr. M. Sherman asked who will be issuing the variance to allow a narrower road and how close you can build to the property line. MUNICIPAL BOARD & STAFF REPORTS: Ms. Olson shared the following updates: •Camp Barton/LDC- o Ribbon cutting and a name coming soon o Planning and grant-writing needed before opening Ms. Weatherby shared the following Youth Commission updates: •Interviewed for a new youth services person •Civic Internship began Ms. Olson shared Rec program updates: •Spring program registration opened •Summer camp reg opens on 3/15 and ius in high demand •CIT prog starting Ms. Weatherby shared the following Comp Plan information: 3 •Public open house 3/19 4-7 at school lib •Hopefully will have another visioning session with the Town Board on 4/2 at 4:30pm Mr. Bogg shared the following WSPPC updates: •Working on draft- hoping to finish on 3/24 •Thanked the committee members for pushing this forward Ms. Marino shared the following updates: •Hoping to share the WSPPC draft at a Town Board meeting after completion •CSAC- Earthcare Day will be on 11-2 on 5/4 with road cleanup, etc… Mr. Stewart shared that he received a request for a streetlight on Krums Corners Road. OLD BUSINESS: POTENTIAL PARK DONATION UPDATE Ms. Olson said that the Town Board approved initial FEAF and submitted their intention to be the lead agency on the environmental review to Town of Ulysses BZA & PB, and TC Planning. Ms. Olson responded to the following questions raised earlier on the recreation land donation: •The pink stakes on Cold Springs Road indicate a survey and land boundaries for proposed subdivision rather than a road or sidewalk •The trail to school property is owned by NYS Parks so any expense would be borne by NYS •Re: fundraising- towns are not allowed to fundraise but can grantwrite. The Three Falls LDC is a is a 501(C)3 legal entity created to help manage Camp Barton and can be used for fundraising •The need for a traffic study will be determined by the Planning Board •There is no plan for a “sports complex”. The land is being donated for broad recreational purposes. Specific plans will be made through a community engagement process. •DPW labor and insurance to maintain the land will cost about $2000/yr if the land stays vacant •Mr. Stewart said that road work gets reimbursed by CHIPS (NYS annual funding) so anything to be done on Cold Springs would be done using these funds •If the donation is accepted, the Town cannot sell it- can only use it for recreation or it would be returned to original owners. •Wants neighbors to be partners in a plan for mitigation- trees/fences… to make a good experience for all. •Setbacks are related to fire code/building construction and can be found in Town zoning code. Driveways don’t require a setback. •Acceptance of the land will be dependent on subdivision approval. •Street width requirements vary from town to town. •The next step is to finalize the environmental review after interested agencies respond (probably in April). •Re: insurance costs- there is no additional insurance cost for town-owned vacant land. •When it becomes a park, the insurance company estimated $1000 cost. 4 TOWN HALL PARKING LOT PROJECT PROGRAMMING (moved- see below) NEW BUSINESS: Mr. Stewart said that NYS Parks, Sheriffs, and Park Police and all support a speed study given the probability of increased tourism. SPEED STUDY FOR JACKSONVILLE, RICE, GORGE, AND TAUGHANNOCK PARK RDS. RESOLUTION #62 OF 2025: REQUESTING A SPEED STUDY FOR DESIGNATED ROADS IN THE TOWN OF ULYSSES WHEREAS, the Town of Ulysses Town Board is committed to ensuring the safety of residents and visitors on all roadways within the Town; and WHEREAS, concerns have been raised regarding the appropriateness of current speed limits on certain roads within the Town of Ulysses, particularly those connected to Taughannock State Park, which welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year and which has developed a new parking area accessible via Gorge Road; and WHEREAS, the Ulysses Highway Superintendent has endorsed and recommended that speed studies be conducted on specific roads to determine if current speed limits are appropriate for existing conditions; and WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Transportation has the authority and expertise to conduct official speed studies; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses hereby formally requests that the New York State Department of Transportation conduct comprehensive speed studies on the following roads within the Town of Ulysses: Jacksonville Road from Taughannock Park Road to Route 96 Taughannock Park Road Gorge Road Rice Road BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these speed studies shall evaluate current traffic patterns, road conditions, residential density, pedestrian activity, accident history, and other relevant factors to determine appropriate speed limits for these roadways; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk is directed to forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Tompkins County Department of Transportation for consideration and recommendation to the New York State Department of Transportation; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this resolution shall take effect immediately. Moved: Ms. Olson Seconded: Mr. Goldman Mr. Boggs asked about specifying where on Jville Rd. Friendly amendment made. Olson aye Boggs aye Bouchard aye 5 Goldman aye Weatherby aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 3/11/25 SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT- IRADELL RD. DISCUSSION Ms. Olson shared a draft agreement created by the town attorney. Mr. Stewart said that Iradell Road has been maintained by the Town of Ulysses although half of the road is owned by Enfield. The issue was triggered by a property owner on the Enfield side asking for a driveway pipe. Mr. Stewart did not feel that this was Ulysses’ responsibility. No documents have been found to clarify the original agreement so this draft would do this. The next step is to get input from Enfield. PARKING LOT: Ms. Olson shared the draft parking lot plan that specifies parking times and spaces for staff, the public, EV charging, and disabled. It will be enforced by Mr. Stewart. NYCLASS INVESTMENTS Ms. Taetzsch shared information about an investment opportunity. NYCLASS is a local government investment pool that allows municipalities better liquidity (easier access to investments) than most. The board discussed it in comparison to current investments with Tompkins Community Bank. UPCOMING EVENTS March 25- Regular Town Board Meeting, 7pm @ Town Hall April 2- Town Board meet with CPSC 4:30-5:30pm April 8 – Regular Town Board Meeting, 7pm @ Town Hall APPROVAL OF MINUTES: RESOLUTION #63 OF 2025: APPROVAL OF MINUTES RESOLVED, that the Ulysses Town Board approve the meeting minutes as presented from February 25, 2025 regular meeting. Moved: Ms. Weatherby Seconded: Ms. Bouchard Olson aye Boggs aye Bouchard aye Goldman aye Weatherby aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 3/11/25 PAYMENT OF AUDITED CLAIMS: 6 RESOLUTION #64 OF 2025: PAYMENT OF CLAIMS RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board has reviewed and approves payment of claims for the following vouchers: •A-SW Funds- vouchers numbered 98 through 169 in the amount of $242,376.93 •HA Fund voucher #8 in the amount of $7273.77 Moved: Ms. Olson Seconded: Ms. Bouchard Discussion- Mr. Boggs asked about the status of the Curry Road bridge project. Ms. Olson said that the project is delayed because our rep at the DOT passed away. Olson aye Boggs aye Bouchard aye Goldman aye Weatherby aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 3/11/25 PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR (3 min limit per person): Ms. Marino asked whether NYCLASS was insured or guaranteed. She added that for the $100,000 NYSERDA grant, the town needs an engineering evaluation to assess whether remote solar metering is possible. EXECUTIVE SESSION: The board exited the room for an Executive Session at 8:59pm. Ms. Bouchard moved to end Executive Session at 9:10pm. This was seconded by Mr. Boggs and passed unanimously. ADJOURN: Mr. Goldman made a motion to adjourn at 9:10pm. This was seconded by Ms. Bouchard and passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted by Carissa Parlato, Town Clerk, 3/20/25 7 APPENDIX: Attached: staff reports February 2025 TOU Youth Services Report College Visits: Suny Cortland- Feb 4 Great visit with a great group. 5 kids – 2 Juniors, 3 Sophomores. There was a good deal of enthusiasm about Cortland State in general, and one student who has been with me on a number of tours was very excited to have found the courses of study and extracurriculars she wants and decent cafeteria food all in one place. Civics Internship: Spring 2025 session to start up Monday, March 10. 14 Teens Registered, a few will participate as volunteers. Marie and I are enthused to start with a new group, a number of whom are returning for a second or even third time. Middle School: Stage Combat Workshop, Feb 26 15 kids participated. Fun workshop, from my POV. A few were a little disappointed that they couldn't improvise as much as they preferred- the emphasis was on learning some technique and choreography- but all in all it was great. Currently planning a cooking/baking workshop series with Sarah Brainard. She is a teacher, and I shared the “Positive Youth Outcomes- 6 C’s” with her- she’ll be using that as she plans. Youth Employment: Line-up of employers ready to receive youth employees this summer. Other: Job Fair- This will be a simple, no-frills event on Thursday, April 10 during the High-School Lunch/Advisory period, featuring reps from local unions as well as local businesses that hire teens- so an assortment of different opportunities for summer jobs and beyond. It’s coming together, I have confirmation from a few places already. pg 1 Building & Codes Monthly Report Building & Code Updates Mark Washburn, NYS CEO, Certification No. 1020-0364 February 1 -February 28, 2025 Plan Reviews  5 discussions about upcoming projects  4 permit review  3 pre permit site visit Site Visits  8 Site visits, Updates by contractors  Multiple Site visit for the CARS project, CEO Activity • 3 Permits issued/ Projects Cost= $193,200. / Fees collected= $1,687. • 4 Foundation/Footer inspections/ Slab / Backfill 0 reinspection’s • 2 Framing inspections/ 0 Issue resolved during inspection • 1 Plumbing inspections/ 0 reinspection • 3 Final inspection/0 Reinspection • Code research for 13 different issues approximately 8 hours • Fire code research regarding change of occupancy • Fire code research regarding Fire alarm requirements for different building use/ occupancy class • Outreach regarding Fire inspections ongoing and multiple appointments scheduled • Multiple erosion control inspection site visits to the CARS project • Meeting with Whole Health and Office of Emergency Management to discuss hazards and Emergency Response Plan for Grassroots • Multiple site visits on open projects for job status Town of Ulysses Clerk’s Office MONTHLY REPORT for Feb. 2025 Submitted by Carissa Parlato LICENSES/PERMITS issued: # Sporting licenses 2 Disabled parking permits 8 Dog licenses and renewals 35 Marriage licenses 4 Notarizations 5 FOIL requests-received 0 FOIL requests-completed 0 CLERK’s OFFICE TASKS: General/routine tasks: • mail, answered inquiries on various topics, attended town board meetings and took minutes, made website updates, notary services, licensing (marriage, dog, sporting), disabled parking permits, collected building & zoning fees, participated in weekly Supervisor/Clerks office meetings, managed building use/equipment sign out, responded to FOIL requests, ordered supplies, posted meetings & videos • Facilities: o Installation of cameras at front and back entrances o Replacement of fire/emergency panels o Troubleshoot HVAC temperature issues • Taxes: o Collected ~$5.2 million to date o Send weekly pmts to Tompkins County o Reconciled accounts • Water: o Implemented new online bill view & pay portal o Work with DPW on quarterly readings & billing o Work on reconciling with bookkeeper • Social media & website o Continued to share town updates on FB o Sent weekly e-newsletters • IT: o Checked spam filter weekly o Interfaced with IT consultant on upgrades and issues • Safety Committee o Met on 2/13 and discussed the following:  Emergency communications  Facilities safety  Staff training FINANCIAL REPORT: $4420.32 TOTAL fees collected $3385.39 stays in the town $1034.93 goes to the state Planning & Zoning February 2025 Report to Town Board Town Board Meeting Date, 03.11.2025 Submitted by Niels Tygesen, 03.06.2025 Planning Board The Planning Board held a meeting on February 4 to discuss the following items: • The Board conducted final plat review with a public hearing and approved the ‘Koskinen Subdivision’, a proposal to subdivide the existing 37.9 acre lot into two lots. • The Board conducted final plat review with a public hearing and approved the ‘Smith Subdivision’, a proposal to subdivide the existing 117.77 acre lot into two lots. • The Board discussed training requirements for 2025. • Draft minutes link; recorded meeting video link. The Planning Board held a meeting on February 18 to discuss the following item: • The Board conducted sketch plan review of the ‘Crossmore Tram’ a proposal to construct a 50’ tram, and scheduled final site plan review pending BZA approval. • Draft minutes link; recorded meeting video link. Comp Plan Steering Committee The Committee held a meeting on February 5 to discuss the following items: • Review of draft visioning statements. • Planning for Focus Group #4 and associated SWOT analysis for Rural Issues and Land Use, the first public open house workshop, and the second joint visioning exercise with the Town Board. • Draft minutes link; recorded meeting video link. Board of Zoning Appeals The BZA held a meeting on February 19 to discuss the following items: • The Board conducted a public hearing and approved two area variances associated with the ‘Crossmore Tram’ project noted above. • The Board discussed training requirements for 2025. • Draft minutes link; recorded meeting video link. Planning Projects • 2025-45 Comp Plan Update o 2025 1Q report tracking for CSC grant. o Coordination and ongoing work with Consultant . o Community Survey. o First Public Open House 03.19.2025. o External Project Website. Zoning Enforcement • Ongoing research on code enforcement cases. • Town Court on February 11 related to two accusatory instruments filed for two code violators: o Joseph Allen, 6200 & 6211 Brook Road (parcels 23.-1-12 and 23.-2-4 respectively) and parcels 23.-1- 14.4 and 23.-2-5.2. 39 Counts of violations against the Fire Code of New York State, New York State Property Maintenance Code, Ulysses Zoning Code, and breaches of Board of Zoning Appeals Special Permit Determination and Use Variance Determination. o Keith Dodge, 1942 Trumansburg Road (parcel 20.-3-9.22). 35 Counts of violations against the Fire Code of New York State, New York State Property Maintenance Code, and Ulysses Zoning Code. Miscellaneous • NYS DEC regulatory amendments to State jurisdictional wetlands . • FEMA FIRM updates and Flood Damage Prevention Law update review. • Safety Committee Meeting. • Building, Planning, and Zoning permit reviews. • Customer support pertaining zoning information and permitting process. • Continued outreach for members for boards and committees. • Updates to webpages and applications. • Continued training with Office Project Assistant. 2025-2 Recreation Monthly Report March 6, 2025 Created by: Will Glennon, Recreation Director Adult Recreation Programming ● Pickleball program will begin April 6th ● Nightly timing of adult recreation programs will move up one hour beginning in April. Current youth programming ● The youth basketball clinic ended on February 15th ● The youth basketball team program will end with a tournament in Newfield the weekend of March 7-9. Only four teams will take part in the tournament with both 3rd/4th boys and girls teams combining rosters respectively. ● Youth track will end March 9th with the final race at Barton Hall, Cornell University. Future youth programming ● Spring youth sports program registration opened on March 1st. ● Summer camp programming will open on March 15th at 8:00 am. Registration is expected to sell out very quickly for the majority of the camp weeks. ○ The camp director for the past several years will be returning to the same position this summer. ○ The job posting for the camp positions opened the week of March 3rd. The projected timeline for interviews will begin in April. ○ The application for the camp is due at the end of March. General administration ● Planning has started for summer camp 2025. The camp will begin on June 30th and will operate for six weeks at the Tburg middle school facility. ● A new recreation directors meeting has been set by Kate Shanks-Booth, Director of Tompkins County Youth Development for Rec Directors monthly to come together and discuss current issues in the area. The meetings will be monthly on the second Monday of each month. ● Spring and summer space reservations have been submitted and approved for programming by the school. ● Umpires will need to be recruited for upcoming baseball program. ● Communicated summer camp registration start date (March 15th). ● Recruitment of youth volunteer coaches for spring programs has begun. ● Spring program instructors for the track and tennis program have been secured. Town of Ulysses March 2025 Bookkeeper Board Report 3/11/2025, Town Board Meeting Prepared by Blixy Taetzsch, 3/5/2025 1 Greetings Board Members: December 2024 Financial Statements and the Annual Financial Report filed with the NYS Comptroller’s Office are now available for your review and are included with your Board packet. I plan to attend the March 25th Board meeting to provide a detailed review of the 2024 financial statements. I also plan to have January and February 2025 financial statements available for your review at that time. Bookkeeper/Budget Officer Activities Below are some highlights of monthly activities: • Audit: Staff from Insero were on site February 19th and 20th to conduct their fieldwork. Much of their work also is conducted remotely, with me uploading necessary documents to their portal. I am not aware of any adjustments or findings at this time. There are only a few of outstanding items that I am following up on, and I expect to see a draft of the financial statements in the next couple of weeks. • Financial Statements and Annual Report: As noted above, I have provided you with the final 2024 financial statements and the Certified Annual Report, which was filed by the 3/1 deadline. • Finance Committee: The first Finance Committee meeting for 2025 is scheduled for 3/20/25 at 8:00am. As a reminder, members of the Finance Committee include me, Mary Bouchard, Rich Goldman, and Mollie Duell. • General Accounting and Budget Support: Now that the audit fieldwork is complete, I am working to get caught up with monthly accounting and reconciliations for January and February. • Personnel: Summer Camp positions (Director, Assistant Director, Counselor, and Recreation Assistant are now posted on the Tompkins County website. These will be open until mid-June. The 2025 payroll certification has been filed with the County. • Other Administrative Support: I continue to submit claims for reimbursement to DOT for the Curry Road project; I also support a variety of data requests and provide administrative support for Town initiatives.