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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.19.2025 Minutes1 Zoom Link 4118425407 Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees Monthly Meeting March 19, 2025 7:00 p.m. 1. Call To Order EXHIBIT/PAGE a. Approval of February 19, 2025 Meeting Minutes 2025 - 096 pgs. 2-15 2. Report of Fire Superintendent Tamborelle: Submitted Report: 2025 - 097 pgs. 16-17 3. Privilege of the Floor: 4. Report of Treasurer Dolch: Submitted Report: 2025 - 098 pgs. 18-19 5. Report of Mayor Woodard: a. Public Hearing on Proposed Local Law A of 2025 - 2025 - 099 pgs. 20-21 b. Public Hearing on Proposed Local Law B of 2025 - 2025 - 100 pgs. 22-23 c. VCH Reserve Fund Policy 2025 - 101 pgs. 24-25 d. Reserve Fund Resolutions 2025 - 102 pgs. 26-28 e. Upland Estates PDZ Application 2025 - 103 pgs. 29 f. Budget Discussion g. Property Maintenance Violations 6. Report of the Trustees: 7. Report of Superintendent of Public Works Cross: 8. Report of Police Chief Wright: Submitted Report: 2025 - 104 pgs. 30-31 9. Report of Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Cowder: 2025 - 105 pg. 32 a. Declare Surplus F 650 10. Report of Clerk Walker: Submitted Report: 2025 - 106 pgs. 33-27 11. Report of Attorney VanDeMark: 12. Adjournment 2 EXHIBIT 2025 – 096 Present: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Robinson, and Salton; Fire Superintendent Tamborelle, Treasurer Dolch, Police Chief Wright; Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Cowder; Village Attorney R. Marcus; Village Clerk Walker. Absent: Trustee Rennekamp, Superintendent of Public Works Cross 1. Call to Order: Mayor Woodard calls the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. 2a. Approval of the December 18, 2024 Meeting Minutes (Exhibit 2025-088) Resolution: 9730 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees approves the December 18, 2024 Board Meeting Minutes as presented. Motion: Trustee Biloski Second: Trustee Hubbell Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried 2b. Approval of the January 15, 2025 Meeting Minutes (Exhibit 2025-089) Resolution: 9731 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees approves the January 15, 2025 Board Meeting Minutes as presented. Motion: Trustee Biloski Second: Trustee Robinson Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried 3 3. Report of Fire Superintendent Tamborelle: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2025-090) •Fire Superintendent Tamborelle states that all the fire station locks have been replaced and during the process of changing out all the station locks he found out that there are three core keys, not one. This resulted in changing the entire lock system not just the cylinder. •Fire Superintendent Tamborelle states that the recent New York Times Article related to Fire Equipment and the long delay in production rings true to our situation here at the Village. 4. Privilege of the Floor: No members of the Public wish to speak. 5. Report of Treasurer Dolch: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2025-083) •Treasurer Dolch states that the January bank-to-book reconciliations are complete. •Treasurer Dolch states that she thanked the department heads for updating their budgets. •Treasurer Dolch states that the only other action item she has tonight is Abstract 9. Approval of Abstract 9: Resolution: 9732 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves Abstract # 9 for FYE2025 consisting of TA vouchers 64-71 in the amount of $17,068.40 and Consolidated Fund vouchers 619-700 in the amount of $486,126.41 and the Treasurer is instructed to make payments thereon. Motion: Trustee Conway Second: Trustee Robinson Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried 6. Report of Mayor Woodard: a. Resolution Honoring Village Attorney Randy Marcus: Mayor Woodard states that tonight will be Village Attorney R. Marus’s last meeting before he retires. •Mayor Woodard states that all of us here at the Village will miss him deeply and reads a resolution honoring his seventeen years of service. Resolution: 9733 4 RECOGNITION OF VILLAGE ATTORNEY RANDALL MARCUS WHEREAS, Randy graduated from Cornell University earning a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in May of 1982 and received his Juris Doctor from NYU School of Law in May of 1985, and WHEREAS, after working in New York City, Randy moved to Ithaca, New York to continue his legal career, culminating as a partner of Barney, Grossman, Dubow, Marcus & Orkin, LLP, and WHEREAS, Randy joined the Village of Cayuga Heights in the fall of 2008 where he has acted as Village Attorney for the last seventeen years, and WHEREAS, Randy’s trial by fire with the Village came early in his tenure when he had to handle many public meetings concerning the sensitive issue of the Village’s Deer Management plan, and WHEREAS, Randy’s ability to smoothly, diplomatically and patiently interact with an ever-changing cast of Board of Trustees and Staff has proved to be invaluable, and WHEREAS, Randy’s humor and professionalism has always been front and center even when trying to form a consensus with a Board that had divergent opinions on a legal issue, and WHEREAS, Randy has contributed his unfailing good judgement and composure to the occasionally not so tranquil proceedings of the Village Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals, and WHEREAS, Randy also made his contribution to the drafting of the Village Comprehensive Plan (2014) and the revisions of the Village of Cayuga Heights Zoning law in 2018, and WHEREAS, Randy’s presence with us will be missed. THEREFORE, The Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees, the Village Police Department and Village Staff publicly state their appreciation for all the years of service to this community and the professionalism and integrity Randy has instilled in all of us with his leadership and compassion, advice and friendship, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees does hereby commend Randy for his dedication, commitment, and outstanding public service to the Village of Cayuga Heights and community. Motion: Trustee Robinson Second: Trustee Biloski Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried b. Budget Update for FYE 2025-2026: 5 •Mayor Woodard states that we have reviewed the Chief of Police and Village Clerk budgets and will finish up the other two sometime in the next two weeks. •Mayor Woodard states that she does need to speak to Fire Superintendent G. Tamborelle to determine the timing of the station kitchen upgrades. •Mayor Woodard states that this kitchen is the one upstairs where the bunkers reside. The plan is to budget for the design phase this coming fiscal year and the main remodeling the following year. •Mayor Woodard states that she would also like to talk about some of the budget items for the police department, so all the Board members are up to speed before the budget workshop. •Mayor Woodard states that Chief Wright has budgeted for a new patrol vehicle. •Trustee Salton who chairs the Public Safety Committee, states that the unforeseen delays with the two prior cars ordered has caused undue wear on the car that would have been rotated out a year or so ago. •Chief Wright states that he has circulated the breakdown of his fleet to all the Board Members outside of the committee earlier today. The car that was ordered in June has now been received and is in service. However, it has an air bag warning light on and will have to be looked at before returning to service. •Chief Wright states that the 2019 Dodge Charger would be the next car to be sent to auction. •Mayor Woodard states that the next thing that we should discuss is the VCHPD Body Worn Cameras. •Chief Wright states that the end of the first five-year program with AXOM will end during the next fiscal year. There are two price structures for the next generation of cameras. One is $89,000 for five years with a few new advancements and the second is $164,000 which utilizes technology for auto voice translation which will allow for an officer to hear in English any other language spoken as well as our officers speaking in that language back to the individual. •Chief Wright states that the new AI features available will be the norm in the future. We do qualify for a discount since we are already in a five-year program. As a breakdown the first year will be around $33,000 followed by $32,750 each year after. •Chief Wright states that this feature alone could pay for itself with one incident where you were able to understand what a person is saying in an emergency situation. •Mayor Woodard states that she hopes this will help the Board make better decisions at the budget workshop. •Trustee Biloski asks if we could split the number of cameras that have AI capabilities with those that do not in order to save money. •Trustee Salton states that the upgraded cameras will have facial recognition capabilities and that is a major benefit 6 •Chief Wright could supply a list with all the AXON components for each level of technology for the Board to review. •Trustee Conway states that he knows we will have to enter into a contract, but maybe we will should wait for a year before we upgrade and see what features will be rolled out. •Chief Wright states that we would be locking in our price points, and any upgrades will be included in that plan with no extra money due. •Trustee Robinson states that he would like to know if we purchase the five-year plan with all the AI features and more technology becomes available will we have to pay more. •Chief Wright states that the price will remain the same. •Trustee Conway states that he is curious if there is donations that could help offset the costs to go with the higher end plan. •Chief Wright states that he has no doubt that he will be receiving financial assistance in the future and he could use those funds for this cost. c: Plant to Plant Update: •Mayor Woodard states that there was a gang of six meetings but there is not much activity at this point. •Mayor Woodard states that next week we will be meeting with the Lansing’s to discuss sewer units for development. •Trustee Robinson states that we have a couple of options for more plant capacity, one the Town of Ithaca re- routing some of its sewage to IAWWTF and two, purchasing the vacant land next to our plant and having another capital improvement project to gain more capacity at our plant. d. Schedule a Public Hearing on Proposed Local Law A and B of the Year 2025- Amending Village Code to increase the income limits for partial exemption from Real Property Tax for Disabled Persons with Limited Incomes. •Mayor Woodard states that the Village has had this local law on the books for many years. New York State has finally increased these levels and the County Assessor Jay Franklin has now brought this to our attention. •Mayor Woodard states that his letter specifically addressing the Village is attached to the Exhibit 2025-092. •Trustee Conway states that as a financial planner he does not think taking into account someone’s income is the best measurement of a person’s wellbeing, but the sentiment is there. •Trustee Hubbell asks if the Village has the option or mandatory to increase these exemptions. 7 •Village Attorney R. Marcus states that these two laws regarding the partial exemptions or disable dan partial exemption for seniors have been on the books for a long, long time. All that we are doing now is we are updating the exemptions tiers. Resolution: 9734 DRAFT VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS PROPOSED LOCAL LAW A OF THE YEAR 2025 A Local Law to Amend Article V of Chapter 257 (Local Law No. 3-2011) of the Village Code To Increase the Income Limits for Partial Exemption from Real Property Tax for Disabled Persons with Limited Incomes SECTION I PURPOSE AND INTENT The purpose of this Local Law is to amend Village Code Chapter 257, Article V, Section 257-25(A) to increase the income brackets for partial exemption from real property taxes for disabled persons with limited incomes. The Village of Cayuga Heights (the “Village”) Board of Trustees (the “Board”) has determined that the Village should increase the income limits for such exemptions as are available under New York State Law. The intent of this Local Law is to benefit disabled persons with limited incomes by providing enhanced opportunities to take advantage of partial real property tax exemptions. SECTION II AUTHORITY This Local Law is enacted pursuant to the grant of powers to local governments provided in Section 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law to adopt and amend local laws not inconsistent with the provision of the New York State Constitution and not inconsistent with any general law relating to its property, affairs, government or other subjects provided for in said Section 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law. SECTION III AMENDMENT The chart at Village Code Section 257-25(A) of annual income brackets and percentages of available exemption from taxes is hereby replaced with the following chart: Annual Income of Owner or Combined Annual Income of Owners Exempt From Taxation Up to $36.500 50% 8 More than $36,500 but less than $37,500 45% $37,500 or more, but less than $38,500 40% $38,500 or more, but less than $39,500 35% $39,500 or more, but less than $40,400 30% $40,400 or more, but less than $41,300 25% $41,300 or more, but less than $42,200 20% $42,200 or more, but less than $43,100 15% $43,100 or more, but less than $44,000 10% SECTION IV SUPERSEDING EFFECT All Local Laws, Articles, resolutions, rules, regulations and other enactments of the Village of Cayuga Heights in conflict with the provisions of this Local Law are hereby superseded to the extent necessary to give this Local Law full force and effect. SECTION V PARTIAL INVALIDITY. In the event that any portion of this Local Law is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity of the remaining portions shall not be affected by such declaration of invalidity. SECTION IX EFFECTIVE DATE. This Local Law shall become effective immediately and shall apply to assessment rolls prepared on the basis of taxable status dates occurring on or after January 1, 2025. BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees does hereby schedule a Public Hearing on Proposed Local Law A of the year 2025 – To increase the income limits for partial exemption from real property tax for disabled persons with limited incomes on March 19, 2025, at 7:10 p.m. Motion: Trustee Salton Second: Trustee Conway Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried Resolution: 9735 9 DRAFT VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS PROPOSED LOCAL LAW B OF THE YEAR 2025 A Local Law to Amend Article II of Chapter 257 (adopted by Local Law No. 1-1995; amended by Local Law 2-2011) of the Village Code To Increase the Income Limits for Partial Exemption from Real Property Tax for Senior Citizens SECTION I PURPOSE AND INTENT The purpose of this Local Law is to amend Village Code Chapter 257, Article II, Section 257-2(A) to increase the income brackets for partial exemption from real property taxes for senior citizens. The Village of Cayuga Heights (the “Village”) Board of Trustees (the “Board”) has determined that the Village should increase the income limits for such exemptions as are available under New York State Law. The intent of this Local Law is to benefit senior citizens by providing enhanced opportunities to take advantage of partial real property tax exemptions. SECTION II AUTHORITY This Local Law is enacted pursuant to the grant of powers to local governments provided in Section 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law to adopt and amend local laws not inconsistent with the provision of the New York State Constitution and not inconsistent with any general law relating to its property, affairs, government or other subjects provided for in said Section 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law. SECTION III AMENDMENT The chart at Village Code Section 257-2(A) of annual income brackets and percentages of available exemption from taxes is hereby replaced with the following chart: Annual Income of Owner or Combined Annual Income of Owners Exempt From Taxation Up to $36.500 50% More than $36,500 but less than $37,500 45% $37,500 or more, but less than $38,500 40% $38,500 or more, but less than $39,500 35% $39,500 or more, but less than $40,400 30% $40,400 or more, but less than $41,300 25% $41,300 or more, but less than $42,200 20% $42,200 or more, but less than $43,100 15% $43,100 or more, but less than $44,000 10% 10 SECTION IV SUPERSEDING EFFECT All Local Laws, Articles, resolutions, rules, regulations and other enactments of the Village of Cayuga Heights in conflict with the provisions of this Local Law are hereby superseded to the extent necessary to give this Local Law full force and effect. SECTION V PARTIAL INVALIDITY. In the event that any portion of this Local Law is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity of the remaining portions shall not be affected by such declaration of invalidity. SECTION IX EFFECTIVE DATE. This Local Law shall become effective immediately and shall apply to assessment rolls prepared on the basis of taxable status dates occurring on or after January 1, 2025. BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees does hereby schedule a Public Hearing on Proposed Local Law B of the year 2025 – To increase the income limits for partial exemption from real property tax for senior citizens on March 19, 2025, at 7:20 p.m. Motion: Trustee Robinson Second: Trustee Biloski Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried 7. Report of the Trustees: a.Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium: •Trustee Salton states that the financial numbers are in from 2024. The Consortium was over budget by $2,310,887. Paid claims for medical treatment was over budget 8.9% and Rx was 9.2%. •Trustee Salton states that the high-cost claims are the biggest issue for the consortium. Catastrophic claims over $100,000 increased from 86 to 112. These types of claims use 21% of the total budget. •Trustee Salton states that enrollment into the consortium is still good, but it depends on the demographics of a municipality. 11 b. Village Public Works Committee Update: •Trustee Robinson states that there are not many updates, most of the time was spent going the budgets. •Trustee Robinson states that we had a water transmission line main break on Pleasant Grove Road on Christmas Eve. This water line carries water to the holding tank on Sheldon Road. After a meeting with Bolton Point it became clear that we own that line. •Trustee Robinson states that there is an option to move since we own and maintain that line. •Trustee Salton states that the Village has an easement for this water line does it not. •Village Attorney R. Marcus states that the Village has two easements, One that runs from Pleasant Grove Rd. across the Cornell property to the tank on Sheldon Rd. which is granted to the Village from Cornell University. The easement does not distinguish what type of water line is present. •Trustee Salton states that then we should be able to go in and clear that area out from any trees. •Mayor Woodard states that we are the owners of this water line and there is also a sewer line that also runs along that line. •Trustee Robinson states we need to move these lines and to make them manageable for future access but if we move them how do we seek compensation from Cornell for doing this and not disturbing Palmer Woods. •Mayor Woodard states that sometime in the spring we will hire T.G. Miller to evaluate our options and then we can discuss a plan with Cornell. •Village Attorney R. Marcus states that if the Village is going to move the water line and also a sewer line then it would require an amendment to the sewer easement depending on the definitions on the actual easement. •Trustee Hubbell states that it seems the easiest path would be to clear the trees and leave the lines where they are. •Trustee Salton asks how far apart the water and sewer lines are. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Cowder states that there are several code issues that need to be addressed if we were to move these lines c. Village Finance Committee: •Trustee Conway states that at the last committee meeting we discussed the need for a WWTP Reserve fund for projects spanning over the next ten years. •Trustee Robinson states that we will bring that to the Board at the March 19, 2025 meeting. •Trustee Conway states that the long-term debt was emailed to the Board members back on the 13th of February. 12 •Trustee Conway states that he has been working on forecasting long-term trends for our budgets to help us see future needs. d. Village Administrative Committee Update: •Trustee Biloski states that the committee met and wanted to bring to the Boards attention with the slimed down staffing in the Clerk’s office how will we handle a situation where someone is ill and the other is on vacation. Do we close the office or utilize the Village Treasurer to cover. Just something to think about. •Clerk Walker states that vacations will be scheduled appropriately so there is no loss of coverage in the office •Village Attorney R. Marcus states that for a Village this size we do a much better job of being open to the public. There are a lot of municipalities that are not even open five days a week. 8. Report of Superintendent of Public Works Cross: •B. Cross states was absent from tonight’s meeting. 9. Report of Police Chief Wright: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2025-093) •Chief Wright states that we discussed most of his topics under the Mayors report. He has submitted his report, and the Board had no further questions. 10. Report of Assistant Superintendent of Public Works Cowder: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2025-094) •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works A. Cowder states that things are going smoothly for a winter that we haven’t had in several years. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works A. Cowder states that the training is going well. 4 of the 6 sessions are completed. #5 Session is week of March 10th – 13th and exam the following week. The remaining classes are set for April in addition to the Civil Service Exam April 5th. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works A. Cowder states that winter plowing, salting and sidewalk cleaning are in full swing. See both regular and OT call in time for this. Averaging 3-4 call ins per week and or bi-week vs less last month. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works A. Cowder states that we assisted Bolton Point & the Town of Ithaca T-main water line leak repair on Pleasant Grove Road next to our line. They were not 100% sure of what line so that is why they dug it up and we helped. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works A. Cowder states that tracking devices have been installed in 5 various manholes in the village. These devices will be read every few weeks so the information can be analyzed by TG Miller in their continued efforts for I&I tracing for future repairs or notifications to others flowing into our system. This is ongoing and they may revisit the NE area not that the Town of Ithaca did some I&I repairs. 13 •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works A. Cowder states that we plan on moving some of the meters back up towards the Town of Ithaca where they have completed the repairs just to see if that changed the amount of I & I. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works A. Cowder states that Normal trash, bulky and brush pickup are occurring also with the ending of leaf pick up mid-December. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works A. Cowder states that Trucks were dropped off the Hacker’s Packers on Tuesday 1/14/2025. On 1/30/2025 the truck was done HP and picked up DMV & inspection are completed, and truck is now being used. The old truck and bed will be sold at auction soon and before this Fiscal Year ends. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works A. Cowder states that for the future budget we have a new truck coming and a new leaf vacuum. •Trustee Salton states that he saw that some salt was put down on some of the sidewalks. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works A. Cowder states that last Friday we had a flash freeze and there was a lot of ice on the sidewalks. It is not the norm, but we wanted to be proactive, and some areas needed to be safe. •Trustee Salton states that he was thankful for the DPW taking the initiative and salt. •Assistant Superintendent of Public Works, A. Cowder states that the new old truck can now be sent to an auction, and he needs the Board to declare it surplus and send it to an auction. BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves the sale of one (1) 2017 Ford F 650 Dump Truck Vin #1FDWF6DX4HDB11766 and declares it surplus. •The Village Board has some concerns that this particular truck is not the right truck to declare surplus. The Board tabled this action pending further research. 11. Report of Clerk Walker: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2025-095) •Clerk Walker states that the Village IT Committee met, and we discussed a new .GOV name of Cayugaheights.gov. Since that time, we were approved and will begin the transition away from the old domain name. •Clerk Walker states that the next step will be to work with Flourish Design Studio and begin the migration of the website. •Trustee Hubbell asks if this will change our work email address as well. •Clerk Walker states that yes, this will also change, for example mine will become jwalker@cayugaheights.gov 14 •Clerk Walker states that the office transition is going well, Deputy Clerk K. Perkins worked on the water billing this month and he completed the Abstract. •Trustee Salton states that there was also information discussed at the IT Committee meeting on the number of desktop computers that will need to be replaced as part of the Windows 11 conversion. •Clerk Walker states that he has included those numbers as part of the budget discussions. •Trustee Biloski inquires about what the Village will do with the old computers. •Clerk Walker states that once we clean the machines, then HPS Tech Services takes possession of them, destroys the hard drive and provides us with a certificate of destruction for our files. •Clerk Walker states that Deputy Clerk K. Perkins will be attending the Laserfiche Empower Expo in Las Vegas this April for three days. •Clerk Walker states that the Village Election signs are out and a sample ballot for the three Trustee position is not out yet. Since it is a uncontested election, we will only utilize the First Congregational Church of Ithaca as the sole polling place. •Trustee Salton states that he is not happy that we are only using one polling location for this election. This disenfranchises the Kendal of Ithaca, and he strenuously disagrees too that. •Mayor Woodard states that the decision was discussed, and we will have it at both locations (providing Kendal would like us to have a polling site there) in the future. •Trustee Robinson states that he agrees with Trustee Salton that having two locations is important. •Clerk Walker states that the last thing he has on his agenda is a request from a Village resident for relief of sewer charges stemming from a hot water tank leak that was undetected for a few days. •Trustee Robinson states that his only question pertains to drainage in the basement, and whether or not that drain might be connected to the sanitary sewer line. •Trustee Hubbell asks if there is a sump pump at all and if so, what is that connected to? •Clerk Walker states that he will table this decision until he can get answers to those questions. 12. Report of Attorney R. Marcus: No report at this time. 13. Executive Session Resolution: 9736 WHEREAS: The NYS Open Meeting Law §105 prescribes matters for which a public body may conduct an 15 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 (D) discussions regarding proposed, pending or current litigation; 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 Robinson Second: Trustee Hubbell Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Conway, Hubbell, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried •Mayor Woodard would like to appoint Allan VanDeMark of the Law firm Williamson, Clune and Stevens as Village Attorney for the current official year ending April 1, 2025. Resolution: 9737 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: The Board of Trustees approves the appointment of Allan VanDeMark of the Fim Williamson, Clune, and Stevens as the new Village of Cayuga Heights Attorney for the current official year (4/25) at a hourly rate of $325. 14. Adjournment: Mayor Woodard adjourns the meeting at 9:10 p.m. 16 EXHIBIT 2025 – 097 March 18, 2025 Honorable Linda Woodard Board of Trustees Village of Cayuga Heights Monthly Report February 2025 February is a short month, but we were busy with 47 calls. We had 31 calls in the Village of Cayuga Heights, 12 calls in the Town of Ithaca and 4 mutual aid requests. There were 27 EMS calls and 20 fire responses. Early in the month we were requested to the gas station in the village for a vehicle fire. Luckily, first arriving units found that the fire was not significant and had been extinguished with a fire extinguisher prior to the arrival of the first piece of apparatus. Later in the month we responded to a report of a motor vehicle crash on Devon Road. We arrived to the scene to find that the vehicles occupant was in cardiac arrest. Our members quickly provided defibrillation to the patient while still in the vehicle while other members used the new rescue tool to remove the door of the vehicle. We were able to extricate the victim quickly and moved him to the ambulance where life saving efforts were continued. Bangs Ambulance transported him to Cayuga Medical Center. We were requested to the City of Ithaca while they were out on a structure fire. While in the City we ran several calls to assist them. February was a busy month for training. Early in the month we did an Incident Size up training in the classroom that led to the next training. We followed up Size up training with Roll in Drills at the training tower. This tied the size up into the practical part of deploying crews at an incident. We then did a hands on drill night at the Etna training maze. Etna has an old Verizon building in their district that they have converted into an indoor maze. It has moveable walls and different areas to move around in to simulate difficult scenarios. It is a very strenuous training that all of our members love. The EMS training for the month was an ALS/BLS skills training. Our senior EMTs put together several situations that our newer EMTs had to evaluate and come up with treatment plans for. Myself and several of our lieutenants are going to attend the Fire Department Instructors Conference in Indianapolis in April. This is a great opportunity for our officers to take some fantastic training and pick up tips on new information for our members. We did not seem to have any problems with the station in February, which was a relief. We are still working with FLX to come up with the design for the kitchen in the bunker area. We did have several contractors come in to look at the scope of the project. At this time the estimates are coming in between 150k and 200k, which is where we thought the price would fall. We are hoping to have solid numbers for the budget workshop. We are still in the process of determining how we will advertise and recruit for a spring local resident recruit class. We do not want to appear to be excluding people who would like to join the department by limiting this class to a small demographic of people. We are not constrained by the end of the academic year for this class, so we have some time to figure out how to do this well. Our Annual Installation Dinner is set for April 26th. We will be returning to the RaNic Golf Club which is exciting for us. The club does not do its own catering at this time, so they contracted with Hope from Adams Café for the dinner. We have an uncontested slate of officers for this upcoming department election. 17 We are happy that the weather is warming and allowing us to start training and enjoying being outdoors (not that those of us with kids who ski haven’t been outside all winter). Sincerely, George Tamborelle Fire Chief/Fire Superintendent 18 EXHIBIT 2025 – 098 VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS TREASURER’S REPORT March 2025 Revenues and Expenses: February month end bank to book reconciliation is complete and has been signed off by Deputy Treasurer Rennekamp. The report from Williamson is attached to this report. Budget Planning for FY2025-2026 The budget workshop will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. • Fire Department 9:00 a.m. • Police Department 9:15 a.m. • Administration 9:30 a.m. • Public Works 9:45 a.m. Approval of Abstract 10: BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves Abstract 10 for FYE2025 consisting of: • TA vouchers 72-81 in the amount of $18,104.55 and • Consolidated Fund vouchers 701-781 in the amount of $251,854.00 and the Treasurer is instructed to make payments thereon. Respectfully Submitted Laura W. Dolch Laura W. Dolch Treasurer 19 20 21 EXHIBIT 2025 – 099 DRAFT VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS PROPOSED LOCAL LAW A OF THE YEAR 2025 A Local Law to Amend Article V of Chapter 257 (Local Law No. 3-2011) of the Village Code To Increase the Income Limits for Partial Exemption from Real Property Tax for Disabled Persons with Limited Incomes SECTION I PURPOSE AND INTENT The purpose of this Local Law is to amend Village Code Chapter 257, Article V, Section 257-25(A) to increase the income brackets for partial exemption from real property taxes for disabled persons with limited incomes. The Village of Cayuga Heights (the “Village”) Board of Trustees (the “Board”) has determined that the Village should increase the income limits for such exemptions as are available under New York State Law. The intent of this Local Law is to benefit disabled persons with limited incomes by providing enhanced opportunities to take advantage of partial real property tax exemptions. SECTION II AUTHORITY This Local Law is enacted pursuant to the grant of powers to local governments provided in Section 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law to adopt and amend local laws not inconsistent with the provision of the New York State Constitution and not inconsistent with any general law relating to its property, affairs, government or other subjects provided for in said Section 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law. SECTION III AMENDMENT The chart at Village Code Section 257-25(A) of annual income brackets and percentages of available exemption from taxes is hereby replaced with the following chart: Annual Income of Owner or Combined Annual Income of Owners Exempt From Taxation Up to $36.500 50% More than $36,500 but less than $37,500 45% $37,500 or more, but less than $38,500 40% $38,500 or more, but less than $39,500 35% $39,500 or more, but less than $40,400 30% 22 $40,400 or more, but less than $41,300 25% $41,300 or more, but less than $42,200 20% $42,200 or more, but less than $43,100 15% $43,100 or more, but less than $44,000 10% SECTION IV SUPERSEDING EFFECT All Local Laws, Articles, resolutions, rules, regulations and other enactments of the Village of Cayuga Heights in conflict with the provisions of this Local Law are hereby superseded to the extent necessary to give this Local Law full force and effect. SECTION V PARTIAL INVALIDITY. In the event that any portion of this Local Law is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity of the remaining portions shall not be affected by such declaration of invalidity. SECTION IX EFFECTIVE DATE. This Local Law shall become effective immediately and shall apply to assessment rolls prepared on the basis of taxable status dates occurring on or after January 1, 2025. 23 EXHIBIT 2025 – 100 DRAFT VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHTS PROPOSED LOCAL LAW B OF THE YEAR 2025 A Local Law to Amend Article II of Chapter 257 (adopted by Local Law No. 1-1995; amended by Local Law 2-2011) of the Village Code To Increase the Income Limits for Partial Exemption from Real Property Tax for Senior Citizens SECTION I PURPOSE AND INTENT The purpose of this Local Law is to amend Village Code Chapter 257, Article II, Section 257-2(A) to increase the income brackets for partial exemption from real property taxes for senior citizens. The Village of Cayuga Heights (the “Village”) Board of Trustees (the “Board”) has determined that the Village should increase the income limits for such exemptions as are available under New York State Law. The intent of this Local Law is to benefit senior citizens by providing enhanced opportunities to take advantage of partial real property tax exemptions. SECTION II AUTHORITY This Local Law is enacted pursuant to the grant of powers to local governments provided in Section 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law to adopt and amend local laws not inconsistent with the provision of the New York State Constitution and not inconsistent with any general law relating to its property, affairs, government or other subjects provided for in said Section 10 of the Municipal Home Rule Law. SECTION III AMENDMENT The chart at Village Code Section 257-2(A) of annual income brackets and percentages of available exemption from taxes is hereby replaced with the following chart: Annual Income of Owner or Combined Annual Income of Owners Exempt From Taxation Up to $36.500 50% More than $36,500 but less than $37,500 45% $37,500 or more, but less than $38,500 40% $38,500 or more, but less than $39,500 35% $39,500 or more, but less than $40,400 30% $40,400 or more, but less than $41,300 25% $41,300 or more, but less than $42,200 20% $42,200 or more, but less than $43,100 15% 24 $43,100 or more, but less than $44,000 10% SECTION IV SUPERSEDING EFFECT All Local Laws, Articles, resolutions, rules, regulations and other enactments of the Village of Cayuga Heights in conflict with the provisions of this Local Law are hereby superseded to the extent necessary to give this Local Law full force and effect. SECTION V PARTIAL INVALIDITY. In the event that any portion of this Local Law is declared invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the validity of the remaining portions shall not be affected by such declaration of invalidity. SECTION IX EFFECTIVE DATE. This Local Law shall become effective immediately and shall apply to assessment rolls prepared on the basis of taxable status dates occurring on or after January 1, 2025. 25 EXHIBIT 2025 – 101 Village of Cayuga Heights Reserve Fund Policy Purpose The Village of Cayuga Heights establishes this Reserve Fund Policy to ensure fiscal responsibility, maintain financial stability, and provide transparency to taxpayers. Reserve funds are designated for specific purposes to protect the Village’s financial health, fund future capital needs, and manage unforeseen expenses without imposing sudden tax increases or service reductions. Financial Objectives The objectives of the Village’s reserve funds are to: 1. Ensure the availability of funds for capital projects and infrastructure improvements. 2. Provide financial stability in the event of unforeseen circumstances, including economic downturns, emergencies, or natural disasters. 3. Manage future liabilities related to infrastructure and equipment replacement. 4. Stabilize tax rates by offsetting revenue fluctuations and funding long-term financial obligations. 5. Maintain a sound financial position to support the Village’s creditworthiness. Reserve Fund Categories and Optimal Funding Levels The Village maintains the following types of reserve funds with corresponding optimal funding levels: 1. “Specific” Capital Reserve Funds – Set aside for specific major capital expenditures such as the scheduled replacement of essential Village equipment and vehicles. o Optimal funding level: Based on long-term plans and estimated costs of the specific asset related to the reserve. 2. “Type” Capital Reserve Funds – Set aside for categories of repairs or necessary improvements to Village buildings or equipment. o Optimal funding level: Based on expected costs of repairs and improvements over the lifecycle of relevant Village assets. As an example of the difference in categories of reserve funds, a Fire Truck Reserve Fund related to the replacement of a fire truck would be a “specific” capital reserve fund, whereas a Fire Apparatus Fund related to the replacement of fire trucks and other firefighting equipment would be a “type” capital reserve fund. Conditions for Reserve Fund Use 1. General Conditions: Reserve funds shall only be used for their designated purposes, as approved by the Village Board. Withdrawals for capital projects or equipment purchases shall align with the Village’s budget priorities. 2. Emergency Use: In case of an unanticipated fiscal emergency, the Board may approve the use of reserve funds after a formal resolution is passed. Governance and Reporting 1. The Village Board shall review reserve fund balances at least annually as part of the budget process to determine appropriate contributions or withdrawals. 26 2. A brief report detailing the status, activity, and intended use of each reserve fund shall be made available annually in April as part of the budget process. 3. Reserve fund transactions shall comply with applicable New York State laws and regulations, ensuring proper oversight and accountability. Amendments and Review This policy shall be reviewed every five years or as necessary to reflect changes in financial conditions, regulatory requirements, or Village priorities. Amendments to the policy require approval by the Village Board. Adopted by the Village Board of Cayuga Heights on March 19, 2025. 27 EXHIBIT 2025 – 102 RESOLUTION: Garbage Truck Reserve Fund. RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 6-c [6-g for fire districts] of the General Municipal Law, as amended, there is hereby established a capital reserve fund to be known as the “Garbage Truck Reserve Fund” (hereinafter “Reserve Fund”). The purpose of this Reserve Fund is to accumulate moneys to finance the cost of a specific piece of equipment . The specific piece of equipment to be financed from the Reserve Fund is the acquisition of a Make Model Year The estimated maximum cost of this truck is X. . RESOVLED, that the chief fiscal officer is hereby directed to deposit and secure the moneys of this Reserve Fund in the manner provided by Section 10 of the General Municipal Law. The chief fiscal officer may invest the moneys in the Reserve Fund in the manner provided by Section 11 of the General Municipal Law, and consistent with the investment policy of the Village of Cayuga Heights. Any interest earned or capital gains realized on the moneys so deposited or invested shall accrue to and become part of the Reserve Fund. RESOLVED, that The chief fiscal officer shall account for the Reserve Fund in a manner which maintains the separate identity of the Reserve Fund and shows the date and amount of each sum paid into the fund, interest earned by the fund, capital gains or losses resulting from the sale of investments of the fund, the amount and date of each withdrawal from the fund and the total assets of the fund, showing cash balance and a schedule of investments, and shall, at the end of each fiscal year, render to the Board a detailed report of the operation and condition of the Reserve Fund. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that except as otherwise provided by law, expenditures from this Reserve Fund shall be made only for the purpose for which the Reserve Fund is established. No expenditure shall be made from this Reserve Fund without the approval of the Village Board of Trustees and such additional actions or proceedings as may be required by Section 6-c [6-g] of the General Municipal Law and any other law. Fire Apparatus Reserve Fund. RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 6-c [6-g for fire districts] of the General Municipal Law, as amended, there is hereby established a capital reserve fund to be known as the “Fire Apparatus Reserve Fund” (hereinafter “Reserve Fund”). The purpose of this Reserve Fund is to accumulate moneys to finance the cost of a type of capital improvement, and or equipment. The type of capital improvement, and equipment to be financed from the Reserve Fund is the construction, reconstruction, and or acquisition of fire apparatuses. 28 RESOVLED, that the chief fiscal officer is hereby directed to deposit and secure the moneys of this Reserve Fund in the manner provided by Section 10 of the General Municipal Law. The chief fiscal officer may invest the moneys in the Reserve Fund in the manner provided by Section 11 of the General Municipal Law, and consistent with the investment policy of the Village of Cayuga Heights. Any interest earned or capital gains realized on the moneys so deposited or invested shall accrue to and become part of the Reserve Fund. RESOLVED, that The chief fiscal officer shall account for the Reserve Fund in a manner which maintains the separate identity of the Reserve Fund and shows the date and amount of each sum paid into the fund, interest earned by the fund, capital gains or losses resulting from the sale of investments of the fund, the amount and date of each withdrawal from the fund and the total assets of the fund, showing cash balance and a schedule of investments, and shall, at the end of each fiscal year, render to the Board a detailed report of the operation and condition of the Reserve Fund. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that except as otherwise provided by law, expenditures from this Reserve Fund shall be made only for the purpose for which the Reserve Fund is established. No expenditure shall be made from this Reserve Fund without the approval of the Village Board of Trustees and such additional actions or proceedings as may be required by Section 6-c [6-g] of the General Municipal Law and any other law. Water Systems Capital Improvements Reserve Fund. RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 6-c [6-g for fire districts] of the General Municipal Law, as amended, there is hereby established a capital reserve fund to be known as the “Water Systems Capital Improvement Reserve Fund” (hereinafter “Reserve Fund”). The purpose of this Reserve Fund is to accumulate moneys to finance the cost of a type of capital improvement, and or equipment to water mains. The type of capital improvement, and or equipment to be financed from the Reserve Fund is the construction, reconstruction, and or acquisition of Water Main Repair/Replacements. RESOVLED, that the chief fiscal officer is hereby directed to deposit and secure the moneys of this Reserve Fund in the manner provided by Section 10 of the General Municipal Law. The chief fiscal officer may invest the moneys in the Reserve Fund in the manner provided by Section 11 of the General Municipal Law, and consistent with the investment policy of the Village of Cayuga Heights. Any interest earned or capital gains realized on the moneys so deposited or invested shall accrue to and become part of the Reserve Fund. RESOLVED, that The chief fiscal officer shall account for the Reserve Fund in a manner which maintains the separate identity of the Reserve Fund and shows the date and amount of each sum paid into the fund, interest earned by the fund, capital gains or losses resulting from the sale of investments of the fund, the amount and date of each withdrawal from the fund and the total assets of the fund, showing cash balance and a schedule of investments, and shall, at the end of each fiscal year, render to the Board a detailed report of the operation and condition of the Reserve Fund. 29 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that except as otherwise provided by law, expenditures from this Reserve Fund shall be made only for the purpose for which the Reserve Fund is established. No expenditure shall be made from this Reserve Fund without the approval of the Village Board of Trustees and such additional actions or proceedings as may be required by Section 6-c [6-g] of the General Municipal Law and any other law. Village Waste Water Capital Improvements Reserve Fund. RESOLVED, that pursuant to Section 6-c [6-g for fire districts] of the General Municipal Law, as amended, there is hereby established a capital reserve fund to be known as the “Village Waste Water Capital Improvements Reserve Fund” (hereinafter “Reserve Fund”). The purpose of this Reserve Fund is to accumulate moneys to finance the cost of anticipated updating and or maintaining assets related to the Village Waste Water Treatment Plant. RESOVLED, that the chief fiscal officer is hereby directed to deposit and secure the moneys of this Reserve Fund in the manner provided by Section 10 of the General Municipal Law. The chief fiscal officer may invest the moneys in the Reserve Fund in the manner provided by Section 11 of the General Municipal Law, and consistent with the investment policy of the Village of Cayuga Heights. Any interest earned or capital gains realized on the moneys so deposited or invested shall accrue to and become part of the Reserve Fund. RESOLVED, that The chief fiscal officer shall account for the Reserve Fund in a manner which maintains the separate identity of the Reserve Fund and shows the date and amount of each sum paid into the fund, interest earned by the fund, capital gains or losses resulting from the sale of investments of the fund, the amount and date of each withdrawal from the fund and the total assets of the fund, showing cash balance and a schedule of investments, and shall, at the end of each fiscal year, render to the Board a detailed report of the operation and condition of the Reserve Fund. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that except as otherwise provided by law, expenditures from this Reserve Fund shall be made only for the purpose for which the Reserve Fund is established. No expenditure shall be made from this Reserve Fund without the approval of the Village Board of Trustees and such additional actions or proceedings as may be required by Section 6-c [6-g] of the General Municipal Law and any other law. 30 EXHIBIT 2025 – 103 Upland Estates PDZ Proposal 31 EXHIBIT 2025 – 104 Village of Cayuga Heights Police Department __________________________________________________ Jerry L. Wright Chief of Police In the month of February the police department received 351 calls for service. In addition to these calls 48 uniform traffic tickets were issued and 5 parking violations were cited. The breakdowns of calls are as follows: There were no felony incidents handled in the month of February. There were five misdemeanor complaints received; one for sex offense, two for theft and two for fraud. The sex offense complaint was investigated and the suspect was arrested on a charge of forcible touching. The two theft complaints were of residents reporting packages being stolen from a mail room. These two cases are still under investigation. One of the fraud reports consisted of the complainant claiming an unknown person attempted to make a withdrawal from their bank account. The attempted withdrawal was contested by the bank and no loss of funds occurred. The complainant was advised to take further measures to secure their accounts in the future. The second report of fraud was made by a bank stating that an individual had deposited a check and was able to withdraw the money deposited immediately. It was determined later by the bank that the deposited check had been forged. There is a suspect in this case and the investigation is ongoing. There were seven traffic stops resulting in eight vehicle and traffic misdemeanor charges; three for Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle and five for Suspended Registration. There were no violations of the penal law complaints received. There were four violation of local law complaints handled; one for in the park after hours and three for dog control. The violation of In the Park After Hours occurred as the on duty officer observed an individual parked in their vehicle while the park was closed. The officer advised the individual of the local ordinance and they left the park without further incident. One of the incidents involving dog control occurred as a passerby rescued a loose dog wandering in the roadway in front of Community Corners. The individual came to CHPD to ask for advisement on what to do with the dog. CHPD made contact with the local SPCA and the complainant took the dog there without incident. It was later reported to CHPD that the dog had been reunited with it’s owner. Another loose dog incident was handled by the on duty officer as they observed a dog wandering on the sidewalk without a leash. Contact was made with the dog owner and they were warned of the village ordinance. A final loose dog complaint was made by an individual who stated their dog had escaped from their vehicle when they had opened the door to drop off an occupant. The on duty officer searched the area and located the dog, which was in the care of a passerby. The officer took the dog into custody and was able to reunite it with its owner at CHPD headquarters without further incident. There were no individuals taken into custody under the mental hygiene law. There were no warrant arrests made. There were two traffic accidents investigated, none involving deer. The first motor vehicle accident occurred at the intersection of Triphammer Road and East Upland Road. No injuries were reported. The second accident was a personal injury and occurred on Devon Road. 32 There were seven calls for service completed under the Tompkins County Mutual Aid Agreement; six for CHPD officers assisting other agencies and three for other agencies assisting CHPD officers. Over the course of the month, Officers took part in the following training and/or events: On the 4th Officers Manheim, Langlois, and Miller attended an Ebike and Escooter training offered by the NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. On the 26th Officer Langlois conducted a traffic safety detail as part of the 2024-2025 PTS grant. The full-time officers worked a total of 29 hours of overtime and the part-time officers worked a total of 152 hours. 33 EXHIBIT 2025 – 105 Village of Cayuga Heights Aaron Cowder – B.O.T Report Code Enforcement My training in code enforcement is going well. 5 of the 6 sessions have been completed. The final session is week of April 7th with the final exam the following week. Street & Sidewalks Winter plowing, salting and sidewalk cleaning are finishing up for the season. We have received 700+ tons of the contractual 1,000 tons for this winter. We have used about 600 tons to date and will place the balance of our allotment in barn stock for next winter (~1/2 of the barn capacity). Water We have experienced a number of water line breaks now that the ground is thawing. The crews have responded well and worked with Bolton Point and the Town of Ithaca on several repairs. This Spring, we will be starting on replacement of lead service lines on the Village side, as well as coordinating with residents who are replacing lead lines on their end. Sewer Tracking devices have been installed in 5 various manholes in the village. These devices will be monitored and data analyzed by TG Miller in their continued efforts for I&I tracing. The devices will be periodically moved within the system to identify and pinpoint problem areas. Surplus Equipment The truck used for garbage and old packer box will be sold at auction this fiscal year. Personal One of our newer laborers is resigning to take up other employment. We will need to advertise for a replacement soon, as we are going to be starting into the busy time of year. Resolution: BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees declares (1) 2017 Ford F 650 Dump Truck Vin #1FDWF6DX4HDB11766 as surplus. BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves the sale of one (1) 2017 Ford F 650 Dump Truck Vin #1FDWF6DX4HDB11766. 34 EXHIBIT 2025 – 106 Clerk’s Report: ●Our website domain name has been converted to Cayugaheights.gov ● CHES 5K Fun Run and Sigma Chi 5K run. Applications have been received, and they are asking for a permit fee waiver of $25.00 ●Updated requested information for Sewer Bill Relief Request for Account J3802: Here is the note: We are asking for the sewer charge on our most recent water bill to be reduced based on our historical usage. During the water billing cycle from 10/16/24 to 1/15/25 our hot water holding tank failed (cracked open) while we were away for a few days. The tank continually, and rapidly, leaked water into our basement till we returned home and shut off the water. The water did not enter the sewer pipes; instead it had to be cleaned out of our basement. The basement of our house is below the sewer line level, so we have a drainage pump for all the plumbing in the basement. That pump does have a floor drain (e.g., used for condensation from the boiler), so conceivably a small amount of the water did find its way to that drain. The "slope" of the house (as estimated by following the water) makes it unlikely much water went down that drain. Moreover, when we had the water tank replaced the folks doing the work found that the drain was fairly clogged. We had to have Servpro out to remove the water and clean up the damage. Thanks, Anil Damle and Milinda Lakkam 6 Lowell Pl, Ithaca, NY 14850 35 Adjustment of quarterly average would be a reduction of $179.66 if granted. ●Sewer Bill Relief Request for Account : J2131 36 37 Morning Brent and Jeff--- Just talked to Jeff Hall as he had alerted me that our house was using above normal water usage. I called him and told him that we have been told (as you know, I’ve lived in the house for 42 years) that during the cold winter months, we should run water continuously to prevent freezing of the water line (line was buried shallow). Again, historically there was to be an adjustment to the water bill for this extra usage. We are using about ½ gpm. So, Jeff Hall said that such approval must come from Cayuga Heights back to him. So I am asking for this adjustment on my Jan-March water bill. Thank you. Jeffrey Hall <jhall@boltonpoint.org> Mon 2/10/2025 1:40 PM Good afternoon, Mike, Thanks for the update about what you are doing with your water during the winter months. I can tell you that the Board has never granted relief or provided a "discount" or reduction of water consumption for a resident in this situation. If you want me to move forward and present this to the Board next week I will need you to let me know as soon as possible. Jeff Hall: If you can kindly give me some background on when you told Mr.Timmons to run his water and the Village will discount him. Sincerely, Jeff od afternoon Mike, Thanks for the update about what you are doing with your water during the winter months. I can tell you that t We used to get a letter each December from Bolton point to run our water once sustained freezing temperatures were present. In last 10 years I think the village had to excavate the water line in the street in front of 120 & 130. Keeping the water flowing is a preventative measure to reduce risk for the village and the homeowners. So yes please bring it up. Remember that I have 40 years of winter experience on the street. Mbt ard has never granted relief or provided a "discount" or reduction of eMr. Walker, To clarify, I never asked Mr. Timmons to run his water to keep from freezing, he did that on his own. Although, he is correct when he said BP used to send courtesy reminder letters to run the water to keep from freezing. I have attached a copy of a letter that was sent to Mr. Timmons back in 2009. My reasoning for reaching out to him recently is because I thought he had some internal plumbing issue that was using water continuously. 38 12/17/24 - I reached out to him letting him know that his water meter was registering 360 gallons per hour continuously 24/7, not sure what they found. 1/9/25 - I reached out again letting him know that the meter now was registering 20-30 gph, and that's when he said he was letting the water run to keep it from freezing. Let me know if you have any further questions, Jeff Hall Bolton Point Dear Jeff and Jeff, J. Hall’s email below is accurate. J.Hall did NOT ask me to run the water. I was following directions from previous communications from Bolton Point. The house was built in 1928 and I am the second owner since 1983. The conditions that prompted the previous communications from Bolton Point are still present. Keeping a slow steady flow of water (the J.Hall mentioned 20 to 30 gph flow) is to protect the street line connection from freezing, which is the most shallow part of the water line. Also, please note that there is only one more house downline from me, so flow in the street line can be zero at times. Freezing would incur a large expense to repair possible damage. My request remains the same and I think it is well justified. Sincerely, Michael B. Timmons, PhD and P.E. you to let me know as soon as possible. Jeff Hall: If you can kindly give me some background on when you told Sincerely, Jeff