HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnnual Mtg. Minutes- 3/17/1941142
MINUTES of the annual meeting of the residents of the
Village of Cayuga Heights held at the•Schoo].house at 8:00 P.M.
on March 17, 1941.
1. Mayor Kenerson called the meeting to order with 16
persons present and asked for nominations for Chairman.
2. Mayor Kenerson was elected Chairman of the meeting and
J. B. Trousdale was elected Secretary.
3. It was decided that the minutes of the annual meeting
of last year would not be read as there was no demand.
4. Mayor Kenerson reported on the activities of the Village
Board during the past year and brought up in particular the
action of the Board in recommending that provision.be made for
establishing a police department within the Village. Some:df the
items which he mentioned that required the attention'of a police
officer are as follows: burglary of houses, stealing from cars,
property damage on Hallowe'en, excessive speeding, breaking of
street lights, molestation of women, illegal driving by minors,
illegal parking of cars, abandonment of old cars on Village
property, stealing of street signs. He stated that an opportunity
would be given later in the meeting for further consideration of
the proposed police department after the budget had been presented.
Mayor Kenerson commented on the efficient service being
rendered by the Village Engineer, Treasurer, and Clerk.
5. Treasurer Guise presented a financial report for-the,
past year showing e. summary of income and expense anti a balance.
of Sr4,099.28. He pointed out that most of this balance was
necessary to operate the Village from March let until tax money
comes in in June.
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Prof. Heinicke notedthe- expenditure for spraying trees;"
and called attention'to the fact that the spraying of some
trees such as "evergreens does more. harm than good.',' It was
suggested that before, spraying be done another :year_lhe" TioIder
of the contract for,spraying be required to consult
qualified entomologist so that the. damage to•trees by improper_:
spraying.might be ',obviated.
IT. WAS VOTED to accept and place on file the- .Treasurerls"
report.
6. The Engineer reported.that the.,relatione between :the ' ,
Village and City authorities. were now _of the;best and "that "all..'
matters that had been under discussion a'year ago had been'
ironed out amicably. He also mentioned.that,the,0500 for fire
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protection had been omitted in lieu of '.a raise of a, similar•
amount for - hydrant service: The Engineer called " "attent.ion to "
some minor improvements that had been-mades during the year -in
connection with the culverts and storm sewers.. He recalled''.
that at the meeting.last year the question.had, been rail "sd as
to the dangerous intersection at Cayuga Heights Road'and'Devon`' f.
Road and that the Trustees had inspected this.corner..and. had
decided that the principal'difficulty, lay in'th6 large hump
in Cayuga Heights Road just south of the'Antersection-and.
that this would be a very difficult matter to..correct. To
make a' fill on Devon Road•would interfere somewhat with,the
property of Mr. Silcox. He said some shrubbery'had been out
back which gave more visibility'and'he did not,think;theicorner
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was particularly dangerous if care was ekercised in,crossing
Cayuga Heights Road at this p..
oint..
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Prof. Heinieke Inquired as to the arrangements made with the
Town for the removal.of.snow, and Engineer Crandall stated that
)j Si CG a -Ccwzm po:..d (rM"C�a �tvo:J.MA.a .t�nl U+1�Q c
inasmuch as a` portion of the,�_tax)�wasallocated,to the,
town^for. their machinery budget we were able to "secure "snow removal
from the town at, no- ctdditi6nal expense to,the Village
Mr. Newman inquired about, the sewerage c,ontract,and the
Engineer explained that.the..contract , was:s: 25 year contract :and
provided for charges of $15,per house and increased charges for
larger dwellings such as $50 for•_a. fraternity house. '•A change
in the rates may „be.made if either party .. demands.a hearing on the
subject.' The charges for houses. outs,ide.the',.V.ill,age amount: to
$27 per year, #12 of which is retained by_ the; Village ;and; 15� .
turned over to the City. Replacement .of sewers..is done at,,r,;
Village expense.but the City bears; the :.cost: of: :sew,est;frlushIng.
Mayor Kenerson. commented on.the efficiency of Mr.tHas,1;Jns S
and Mr. Collins who work for the, Village :under,,.the;din@g-tl- pn,•ofI
Engineer Crandall.,
7. Treasurer Guise presented the proposed budget for the
year starting March 1, 1941.• The residents noted with satie
faction that the proposed budget contained a tax decrease from
6 mills to 52 mills which is the lowest tax rate that has been
in effect in many years.
Mayor Kenerson again .brought up,the subject of police,,
protection for the Villa Se, ,and .Pr of. Heinicke raised,,a- 'question
as to whether a. policeman.would.be, able to de crease' crime In' the
Village and stated.. that he doubted' that..crime was on the increase
He thought that the.benefit would lie largely psychological and'
questioned whether the expense would justify a bnn,ef it': of: this
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145.
kind. He said he looked forward to.increased state and ", .
federal taxes and wondered.if we should.not lower,our tax.rate
still more instead of supplying police.protection. Mayor.
Kenerson mentioned that .the,,police,provision wasabeingfm'adel .
largely because .of: the demand for, -such service`. - from; the: tax
or
payers and stated that.he felt the Trustees.were.under : bbligation
to,do something about it inasmuch as there had been _ sormany -.
burglaries and so many complaints because of the...lack of po] -Ice
protection. He also stated that this.was in the nature.of,an..
experiment which he hoped would work out successfully.::.'_
Prof. Heinicke raised the.question if,it would not be better
to take the same money and establish a.fund for the ;reimbursement
of persons whose property Was stolen. Mr. Robertson,said there
were.many things for which such a fund could not.reitburse the
loss, such as injury to a person by an auto or the molestation
of women on the streets.
Mr. Newman moved that the item in the'budget,for the
establishment.of police protection amounting to 01,750'be"
approved. Seconded by Mr. Robertson. Mr. Shirey,spoke in favor
of the establishment of a police department mentioning that
many women hesitated to stay at home alone nights in their.°
houses realizing that there was no police, protection. Mr.
Crandall spoke in favor of the proposition, mentioning that..
approximately 100 street lights were broken per;:year and.that
the state police will not•render,and cannot be expected to
render detailed service in outlying villages.;.He: called..
attention to the fact that the present aheriff!,a office will be
the headquarters for 'the village policeman. He felt that the:
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Trustees owe a duty to the residents to make some effort to
provide protection.
IT WAS VOTED that the "item for:,$1,750 for police service as
indicated in the budget be approved:
B. Mr. Newman asked why it would not be possible-to :reduce
the contingency fund by,,$1,000 and allocate "an edditional,.''$1,000.,.
for reduction of the indebtedness.. Mr. Crandall.said it-was
customary for the Trustees.to pay an "additional amount on the''
indebtedness over and above the amount indicated.in. the budget
if the financial situation permitted it."
9. Discussion followed as to the construction of,a concrete .
sidewalk on'Triphammer Road. No action.was.taken,.the matter
being eft to the 1
g judgment of the Trustees.
10. Mr. Heinicke suggested the installation of slow or .
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stop signs at the intersection of Iroquois and Triphammer Roads.
11. Mr. Newman made his report as Chairman of the nominating
committee, stating that Sherwood Holt and T. B. Maxfield had been
designated for re- nomination.
IT WAS VOTED that the nominations be closed.
12: The meeting adjourned at 9:45 P.M.
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