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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpec Mtg. Minutes 12/7/1954; 12/12/195461� MINUTES of a Special Meeting of the Village Board held on December 7, 1954 at 5:00 P. M. at the Village Office. Notice of meeting was given by phone call on Monday, December 6, 1954. 2. The Board, acting as Assessors, agreed to have Mayor Shirey and Engineer Crandall review the Russo assessment and report any change by December 15, 1954. 3. On the matter of annexation policy, informal referendum ballot, and letter of transmittal, the Board came to the following conclusions: The Trustees felt that a public meeting was unnecessary. Regarding timing, the Trustees approved of the dates for mailing the material, (not later•than December 11), and receiving the ballots at the Office', as shown on the ballot.. Several changes and additions were made in the letter of transmittal, as follows: IT WAS VOTED to add the following paragraph to the letter of transmittal: "The Board finds it is impossible to set down exact and reliable cost estimates for future fire and sewer services in the.Village due to many intangible factors involved. It is certain, however, that if the Village continues as a separate entity,,the cost of, living in the Village is Scheduled for substantial increases,' IT WAS VOTED to delete the paragraph "The Village Board recommends that you vote yes, which is's vote in favor of merging with the City of Ithaca. ", In its place insert, "The Village Board recommends that you give careful consideration . to this important question. The Board itself is in favor of annexa- tion upon the terms now proposed.!' PRESENT: Henry J. Shirey, Mayor Lincoln Reid, Trustee T. F. Sharp, Trustee E. A. Whiting; Trustee Carl Crandall, Engineer, R. E. Oliver, Treasurer` 1. The following bills were approved for payment: GENERAL: Paul Bradford 11/24 - 6 months audit $35.00 N. Y. S. Electric & Gas - November Office Lights 5.19 New York Telephone - November phones 15.00 , Norton Printing Company - .11/27 Treasurer stamp 2.10 Williamson Law Book Co. - 12/1 Assessment Roll books • 15,01 POLICE; _ Lester A. Fowler - November car expense 76.00., SANITATION: Socony- Vacuum Oil Company - November truck . 31.00 City of Ithaca - 11/23 - use of City Dump 1954 500.00 HIGHWAYS:' Socony- Vacuum Oil Company - November truck 31.01 N. Y. S. Electric & Gas - November street lights . 451.73, PETTY CASH: W. S. Randel - Reimb. 12/6 24.39 2. The Board, acting as Assessors, agreed to have Mayor Shirey and Engineer Crandall review the Russo assessment and report any change by December 15, 1954. 3. On the matter of annexation policy, informal referendum ballot, and letter of transmittal, the Board came to the following conclusions: The Trustees felt that a public meeting was unnecessary. Regarding timing, the Trustees approved of the dates for mailing the material, (not later•than December 11), and receiving the ballots at the Office', as shown on the ballot.. Several changes and additions were made in the letter of transmittal, as follows: IT WAS VOTED to add the following paragraph to the letter of transmittal: "The Board finds it is impossible to set down exact and reliable cost estimates for future fire and sewer services in the.Village due to many intangible factors involved. It is certain, however, that if the Village continues as a separate entity,,the cost of, living in the Village is Scheduled for substantial increases,' IT WAS VOTED to delete the paragraph "The Village Board recommends that you vote yes, which is's vote in favor of merging with the City of Ithaca. ", In its place insert, "The Village Board recommends that you give careful consideration . to this important question. The Board itself is in favor of annexa- tion upon the terms now proposed.!' 62. On the Ballot IT WAS VOTED to delete "recommended favorably" from the first paragraph and insert "approved" in its place. Copies of the ballot, letter of Transmittal and "Annexation Policy" are in- cluded in.the minutes of this meeting for the record. The following tellers were appointed and,approved by the Board of Trustees: James F. O'Connor, Charles Treman, Jr., Dr. Reginald Farrow; and - Foster Coffin. Adjourned at 6:05 P. M. MINUTES of a Special Meeting of the Village Board held at the.Village Office on December 15,• 1954 at 5:30 P. M. Notice was given:by phone the same afternoon. PRESENT: Henry J. Shirey, Mayor S. S. Atwood, Trustee F. G. Marcham, Trustee E. A. Whiting, Trustee T. F. Sharp, Trustee Carl Crandall, Engineer 1. The following bills were approved by the Trustees for payment: GENERAL :. Norton Printing Co. (3 items) "Annex. Policy ", ballots, gnvps. $61.50 POLICE: L. T. George - reimb, for practice ammunition 12/15 20.00 John M. Mulligan.- radio service contract 9/15 - 12/15/54 24.00 HIGHWAYS: James Stark - plowing snow, 11/3 18.00 Cayuga Salt Sales - 12/6 rock salt 24.80 Cornell University - 11 115 cinders for October 14.4Q Ralph C. Garvin- hurricane cleanup 11/30 - 12/15 P.R. 41.722 Frank J. Haskins - 11 ". 11 11 ' 11 48.48 2. The Mayor explained that this Special Meeting had been called, at the request of Trustee Sharp. Trustee Sharp stated that he had been electioneering.on behalf of annexation and found that a majority of the villagers were disappointed that there had been no public meeting of the residents called to discuss the "Annexation Policy" prior to the-call for the vote on this question., The Mayor stated that the Trustees ' at the Special Meeting of December 7, 1954, called for the.purpose of 'final review and approval of the policy statement,.letter of transmittal and ballots, had d: cussed the advisability of a public meeting, and had.agreed that no purpose would be served by such a meeting. On call for expressions of opinions by the Trustees and the Engineer, the following points were made: 1 1 r F� 63 . Trustee Marcham - opposed - "Changing the rules in the middle of the game ". Trustee Whiting - If people want a public meeting, it is our obligation to call same. Engineer Crandall - made two points, as follows: 1. He feels it would be poor policy to change the rules at this late date., It would throw the whole vote count into challenge, and would hold the Board up to ridicule, regardless of whether the previous decision to have no meeting was the wrong decision. We are obligated to go through with what we started. 2. People are disappointed that they cannot get "teeth" into this matter of "annexation ", and would like further facts. However, no further facts are available.' Decisions must be made on basis of judgment. There is a great possibility that a public meeting would degenerate into acrimonius debate. Feelings are running high and there is no need to add fuel to the fires.:' Mayor Shirey - If no further facts are available, then another meeting would do more harm than good. Trustee Atwood - Feels that up to this point the Board has handled this matter in a manner that would warrant little criticism, but that the Board had made a mistake in not calling a public meeting, and he favored having a meeting on Friday or Monday. Trustee Sharp - In light of the discussion, he would withdraw his request for a public meeting and would suggest a supplementary letter from the Board to the residents, giving "official exact and precise" cost figures, or a range of figures, that would be a part of the 'official annexation policy" of the Board. The idea was discussed at length. Engineer Crandall felt that no further figures were available. He did agree to frame a letter for release to the press amplifying some of the "intangible factors ", and the Board VOTED to hold no public meeting at this time, and to request Engineer Crandall to write a press release on the "intangibles" of the annexation problem. Copy is included in the minutes of this meeting for the record. 3. Adjourned at 7 :00 P. M. W. S. Randel Clerk