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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.16.2024 Minutes1 VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHT October 16, 2024 Zoom ID # 4118425407 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 7:00 p.m. MONTHLY MEETING Present: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Rennekamp (Zoom), Robinson, and Salton; Fire Superintendent Tamborelle, Treasurer Dolch, Police Chief Wright, Superintendent of Public Works Cross; Village Attorney R. Marcus; Village Clerk Walker. 1. Call to Order: Mayor Woodard calls the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 2. Approval of the September 18, 2024 Meeting Minutes (Exhibit 2025-060) Resolution: 9701 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees approves the September 18, 2024 Board Meeting Minutes as presented. Motion: Trustee Conway Second: Trustee Hubbell Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried 3. Report of Fire Superintendent Tamborelle: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2025-061) •Fire Superintendent Tamborelle states that thirteen people are joining the fall recruitment classes. •Fire Superintendent Tamborelle states they have implemented a Field Training Officer Program (FTO) which is designed to help each specific recruit be successful in finishing their training. •Fire Superintendent Tamborelle states that there will be an CHFD open house this Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. •Fire Superintendent Tamborelle states that CHFD will spend time handing out candy for Halloween at various locations in the Village. •Fire Superintendent Tamborelle states that they had to close Hanshaw Road this afternoon after a vehicle rear- ended an ICSD bus. 4. Privilege of the Floor: Village resident Joy Barr wished to speak. •J. Barr states that she understands there have been some complaints about the noise from leaf blowers. She feels that residents could use earplugs if it bothers them. 2 •J. Barr states that Village residents should let the elected officials decide on what to do with our Village. •J. Barr states that she has noticed several Village properties that need to be kept up. People are losing pride and need to be reminded that this is the Village of Cayuga Heights. •J. Barr states that she has lived in the Village for 64 years and for years she has raked and swept the leaves off her driveway. Leaf blowers are a time saver and do not make that much noise. 5. Report of Treasurer Dolch: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2025-062) •Treasurer Dolch states that the September bank-to-book reconciliations are complete. •Treasurer Dolch states that INSERO CPA Firm will be in on Monday, October 21, 2024, to start the Village Annual Audit. •Treasurer Dolch states that the only action item she has for the Board is the approval of Abstract 5. Approval of Abstract 5: Resolution: 9702 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves Abstract #5 for FYE2025 consisting of TA vouchers 30-37 in the amount of $14,970.46 and Consolidated Fund vouchers 291-372 in the amount of $554,877.68 and the Treasurer is instructed to make payments thereon. Motion: Trustee Robinson Second: Trustee Biloski Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried •Mayor Woodard asks if INSERO will need to open and edit the Annual Update Document (AUD) that was submitted with New York State. •Treasurer Dolch states that we typically do after the audit is completed. 6. Report of Mayor Woodard a. Annual Newsletter Update: •Mayor Woodard states that the final edits are taking place and Deputy Clerk Perkins should be able to send it to print next week. b. Comprehensive Plan Update: 3 •Mayor Woodard states that the Village Planning Board will begin discussing in more detail changes. She does not expect this process to be quick. •Mayor Woodard states that we will present some surveys and recruit some Village residents to participate in this discussion. *Trustee Salton arrives at 7:15 p.m. c. Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance: •Mayor Woodard states that the Village will see a 14% increase in the 2025 health care premiums and is expecting double-digit increases the following year as well. •Trustee Salton states that there needs to be insight at the consortium level on the budgetary assumptions. It does not seem that we have a clear understanding of costs and how to accurately plan year to year. •Trustee Salton states that for many years the consortium was able to hold increases to 4-5% and now you wonder if that should have been more. •Trustee Robinson states that he also wondered, in healthcare, where it is a dynamic situation with so many different environmental forces at work why we had not seen larger annual increases. •Trustee Robinson states that it seems like they have been kicking the can down the road. •Trustee Salton states that is part of it but if you look at Excellus BCBS outside the consortium, we are still 18% lower in premiums for a small group plan. •Mayor Woodard states that the consortium lacks the right people in place to make accurate decisions. Or is there a way this Board could influence or bring to light our concerns? •Trustee Salton states that the Executive Board is the one who makes all the decisions. There are benefit coordinators who handle the day-to-day. He has recommended hiring someone who has insurance background. •Clerk Walker states that he sits on the design committee and confirms what Trustee Salton had stated last month. The 14% increase is truly due to the pharmaceutical cost increase, followed by pent-up joint replacement surgeries and expensive cancer and diabetes treatments. •Clerk Walker states that now the consortium has used up all the reserves which is required to do in order to carry stop loss insurance. The significant increase in premium rates is to help replenish reserves and cover projected costs. •Trustee Hubbell suggests that once we work through the pent-up COVID surgical caseload then maybe rates will steady. •Trustee Salton states that he believes it will be a while, hospitals and other healthcare providers have yet to catch up to the cost increases passed on. 4 d. Bolton Point Lead Pipe Letter: •Mayor Woodard states that there are twenty-five water lateral lines on the Village side and thirteen on the resident’s side that need to be replaced. •Mayor Woodard states that she has not seen the Bolton Point letter to residents yet, but hopes to soon. •Mayor Woodard states that then there are eleven lines where it is considered “non-copper” (galvanized) lines either on the Village side or residential side that are considered legal under this current federal law. 6. Report of the Trustees: a. Village Administrative Committee Update: •Trustee Biloski states that we will be sending out performance review procedures and timelines next week. •Trustee Biloski states that we have received over two hundred gas leaf blower survey responses, and we will break down the comments once the survey closes. •Trustee Biloski states that the Administrative Committee moved forward with the MEGA utility vendor Constellation with a mix of fixed and variable rates for the next two years. b. Village Public Works Committee Update: •Trustee Robinson states that on the subject of the Cayuga Heights Road Sidewalk Project, there will be some manholes moved that would have interfered with the future sidewalk once the project closes. •Trustee Salton states that the reflective glow is blinding at night. We should take that vertical tape off at least. •Trustee Robinson states that there are no new updates on the Cayuga Heights Road Sidewalk Project. •Trustee Salton states that the new garbage truck does not have the weight capacity of the old garbage truck. We will need to find a different truck and then sell the current one in order to increase our load capacity. •Trustee Robinson states the last section of Sunset Park sidewalk is complete. •Trustee Robinson states the Village streetlights are going to be dimmed for the upcoming winter season. e. Village Wastewater Treatment Plant Committee Update: •Trustee Robinson states that the trickling filter arms have been repaired and we are waiting for the parts to complete the work on the rail system. •Trustee Robinson states that the WWTP open house will take place after the paving is done. •Trustee Hubbell states that he missed the Cayuga Lake Watershed Collation meeting this month. 5 b. Village Public Safety Committee Update: •Trustee Salton states that the Village Public Safety Committee met, and the new vehicle arrived and is now out for fitting and then lettering. •Trustee Salton states that we discussed the reduction of funds for the County Justice System with Reimagining Public Safety. The main focus of this discussion was the ability to trust the databases out there when confronting citizens in a probationary setting. 8. Report of Superintendent of Public Works Cross: •Village Engineer B. Cross states that he has two action items that he needs Board approval. •B. Cross states that we have two contracts that require change orders from the original contract. One for King and King Mechanical Inc. and the other for Matco Electric Corporation. Resolution: 9703 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves Mayor Woodard to sign the King and King Mechanical Inc. Change Order #H-002 for Contract #3 HVAC of the Village Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades in the amount of $2,448.60. Motion: Trustee Robinson Second: Trustee Salton Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Rennekamp, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Resolution: 9704 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves Mayor Woodard to sign the Matco Electric Corporation Change Order #E-003 for Contract 2 of the Village Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades in the amount of $14,733. Motion: Trustee Biloski Second: Trustee Robinson Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Rennekamp, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried •Mayor Woodard asks where we are with closing out the Walking Safe Cayuga Heights Sidewalk Project. 6 •B. Cross states that he has been in touch with Fisher and Associates, and they are finalizing the paperwork. •Trustee Conway states that he is reading increasingly about the forever chemicals (PFAS). Do we test our wastewater or sludge for PFAS? •Mayor Woodard states that Bolton Point does test the drinking water but not our sewage. •B. Cross states that he is aware of the growing concerns of PFAS but there is no clear path yet. If you think about it, eliminating it in drinking water would then eliminate it in sewage. 9. Report of Police Chief Wright: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2025-065) •Chief Wright states that all officers have low and no light training at the range on October 21st and 22nd. •Chief Wright states that the new patrol car is actually in a bay getting outfitted already. •Chief Wright states that they are still waiting for the new portable radios they purchased with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Grant money. He also used some of the remaining money for a new radar. •Mayor Woodard asks about the ten calls for service outside the Village. •Chief Wright states that those calls for support, are not actual calls that other agencies could not or want to cover. •Trustee Hubbell states that he was appreciative of the handling of a sick raccoon. •Chief Wright states that the officers involved were able to handle the situation and dispose of the sick animal. As a precaution, Chief Wright informed the school that they might hear gunshots. 11. Report of Clerk Walker: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2025-066) •Clerk Walker states that Deputy Clerk Perkins has done a fantastic job of Village Property Tax Collection. We always have a goal of 100% but there are a few residents year after year who just relevy. •Clerk Walker states that he has emailed the elected officials the NYS Sexual Harassment Module that needs to be completed by the end of October. •Clerk Walker states that he was busy working on the recruitment of the vacant Assistant Superintendent of Public Works position. 12. Report of Attorney R. Marcus: No report at this time. 13. Executive Session: Resolution: 9705 7 WHEREAS: The NYS Open Meeting Law §105 prescribes matters for which a public body may conduct an executive session; and, WHEREAS: Upon a majority vote of its total membership, taken in an open meeting under a motion identifying the general area or areas of the subject or subjects to be considered; and, WHEREAS: The conduct an executive session for these enumerated purposes only, provided, however, that no action by formal vote shall be taken to appropriate public money: THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT An Executive Session of the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees is conducted for subsection and (F) the medical, financial, credit, or employment history of a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, prometon, demotion, disciple, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation. Motion: Trustee Biloski Second: Trustee Robinson Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Rennekamp, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried Resolution: 9706 BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Village Board of Trustees Exit An Executive Session and return to a public meeting at 8:57 p.m. Motion: Trustee Salton Second: Trustee Hubbell Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Rennekamp, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried Resolution: 9707 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees approves and authorizes hiring Aaron Cowder to fill the first vacancy of Assistant Superintendent of Public Works for the Village of Cayuga Heights at an annual rate of $90,000 and when successfully passes the NYS Civil Service Exam for this position it will increase $4000. As subject to a successful background check. 14. Adjournment: Mayor Woodard adjourns the meeting at 8:59 p.m.