HomeMy WebLinkAbout1999-11-03 1 Public Hearing Minutes
Preliminary Budget
November 3 , 1999
TOWN OF DANBY
TOWN BOARD MINUTES
PUBLIC HEARING PRELIMINARY BUDGET
NOVEMBER 3 , 1999
PRESENT :
Supervisor Kenneth Horst
Councilpersons : Joel Gagnon, Edward Inman, Howard Steiner, Naomi Strichartz
Others Present :
Highway Superintendent - William Hall
Town Clerk - Carol Sczepanski
Code Enforcement Officer - Susan Beeners
Members of the Public :
Sue Howe, Lauren Bishop, Gladys Varona-Lacey, Pat Woodworth, Karen Nocera, Eileen B . Wright,
Ted Jones, Norbert Nolte, Mary Casterline , Roy Casterline
Public Hearing Declared Open
Supervisor Horst declared the public hearing open at 6 : 47 p . m . and read the following "Notice of
Publication" :
"NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Town of Danby Preliminary Budget for the Fiscal Year
2000 will be completed and filed in the office of the Town Clerk at 1830 Danby Road, Town of
Danby, County of Tompkins , Ithaca, New York where it will be available for inspection on
Wednesday, November 3 , 1999 from 9 a. m . to 4 : 00 p .m .
FURTHER NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Town Board will meet and review said
Preliminary Budget and hold a Public Hearing thereon at the Town of Danby Town Hall, 1830 i
Danby Road, Ithaca, New York, County of Tompkins at 6 :45 p .m. on the 3rd day of November 1999 .
Citizens attending the hearing have the right to provide written and/or oral comments and ask
questions concerning the entire budget .
Pursuant to Section 108 of the Town Law that the following are the proposed yearly salaries of
elected Town officials of the Town of Danby :
Supervisor $ 10 , 609
Town Clerk/Tax Collector $ 15 ,000
Highway Superintendent $ 35 , 360
Town Justices (2) each $ 4 ,680
Town Councilpersons (4) each $ 1 ,781
Carol W . Sczepanski
Town Clerk
Dated : October 25 , 1999
Published : October 28 , 1999 "
Members of the Public :
Mary Oltz - Bookkeeper asked if the amount of $ 10 , 000 . 00 in Capitol Projects for a community
center appears to have been removed and asked the Board to consider the funding be returned to E .
account A9950 . 900 . The building committee is considering a purchase offer for a property.
Community Council President Dan Klein has been involved in the details of the project.
1 4
Karen Nocera - 709 Comfort Road - Believes the report for the purchase of property for a community
center is a wonderful synopsis of intent and ideas . She does not think it constitutes a substantial
enough analysis to warrant the return of funds .
Susan Beeners - Code Enforcement Officer - reported that the list she submitted to the supervisor
of miscellaneous topics for funding has been revised for budget purposes. She would like to insure
that adequate funds have been included in the budget for the heating system , alarm system for the
TOWN OF DANBY
AGENDA MEETING MINUTES
NOVEMBER 3, 1999
PRESENT :
Supervisor Kenneth Horst
Councilpersons : Joel Gagnon, Edward Inman, Howard Steiner, Naomi Strichartz
Others Present:
Highway Superintendent - William Hall
Town Clerk - Carol Sczepanski
Code Enforcement Officer - Susan Beeners
Members of the Public:
Sue Howe, Lauren Bishop, Gladys Varona-Lacey, Pat Woodworth, Karen Nocera, Eileen B . Wright,
Ted Jones, Norbert Nolte, Mary Casterline, Roy Casterline
Supervisor Horst called the Agenda Meeting to order at 7 : 25 p . m.
The following items were discussed and placed on the November 8 , 1999 Agenda.
1 ) Heating System - Attorney John Barney, Ian Shipiro, and Patti Van De Bogart will attend the
meeting to discuss inadequacies and recommendations for correction. All communications
between the Town, the consultants, the contractor, the architect and the attorney should be
made available for the Board to review. The Code Enforcement Officer reported that she
had sent letters on her own initiative to the contractor to get things moving.
2) Modified Grant Application - Town Hall Building Project Status Report
3 ) Extension of the Comprehensive Plan Project Agreement with Tompkins County through
March 31 , 1999 . Councilperson Gagnon asked that the amount of additional funds were
added to the original contract with the County for comprehensive plan assistance be
submitted.
4) Board and Committee appointment policy - discussion
5) Petition for Street Lighting - Buttermilk Lane
6) Danby Area News Publication - discussion
7) Noise Ordinance Information - Update
8) Highway Department - request for transfer of funds .
2 Agenda Meeting Minutes
November 3 . 1999
9) Request to scrap Highway Department Truck No . 35 for salvage.
10) Funds for Community Center - consideration
11 ) Request from Community Council to secure the Town Hall meeting room for December 18,
1999 for a holiday party.
12) Amendment of resolution to amend the Title of the Building Capitol Reserve Fund .
The Town Clerk will contact the Town Attorney for details of how to amend the resolution
and title of the account . The Board wants to make the funds available as Town Building
Capitol Reserve Funds .
13 ) Dates for Budget Workshops suggested as - Wednesday, November 10, 1999 and additional
meetings on Tuesday, November 11 , 1999 and Monday, November 15, 1999 if necessary.
A Special Meeting to adopt the budget will be set for Monday, November 15 , 1999 .
Deferred Compensation Plan materials were sent to the Highway Department .
Budget Items :
1 ) A copy of the request from Olivia Vent to set aside $2,000 . 00 for a historical grant applications.
2) Number of issues for Danby Area News publications for 1999 - modification
ADJOURNMENT :
On a motion the meeting adjourned at 8 : 30 P .M.
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Carol W. Sczepan ' own Clerk
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2 Public Hearing Minutes
Preliminary Budget
November 3 , 1999
community center but no land should be purchased until there has been a public meeting for the
public to respond . Community Council did pass a motion to present the plan to obtain views from
the Town Board and no money figures were presented in that motion.
Mary Oltz reported that there would be a question and answer item included in the next issue of the
Danby Area News asking the residents what they want in a community center.
Pat Woodworth - does not think that it is appropriate to set aside funds in advance until a community
center has been approved. The Playground Committee submitted a grant for $ 10 , 000 . 00 to build a
playground and that grant was approved . Community Council has requested that the grant be
administered through the Community Council budget. Where is the $ 10, 000 . 00 in the budget .
Supervisor Horst reported that he has passed the forms for the grant to the community council
president that must be submitted to the State to Community Council . They have not been returned
for submission. The Grant for the playground is a Member Grant that comes to the Town.
Sue Howe - West Miller Road - said that a community center and site has been talked about and
researched since 1996 . Tom Davis chaired a committee and a flyer was sent out to residents . She
said that Town should set aside funds and consider a permissive referendum or public forum for
public response from as many residents as possible. Many residents do not receive the Danby Area
News and many do not read the publication .
Gladys Varona-Lacy - 1882 Danby Road - if a purchase order is placed on land what commitment
must you follow through.
Mary Oltz said the purchase offer was made for $40,000 . 00 and requires $ 1 , 000 . 00 down payment .
If not accepted the funds would be returned . Purchase of the property would need residents approval
through a permissive referendum .
Councilperson Strichartz received information from Tom Bodden from the Association of Towns
related to the purchase of property. A Town Board cannot give money to an open ended capitol
project . A plan must be formulated very carefully making sure that the vast majority of residents are
in favor because taxpayers would be burdened for thirty years or more . Project and financial analysis
is necessary before any commitment can be made by the Town Board . The Town would have to own
and carefully manage a community center if this becomes a reality. She submitted a copy of the
information she presented to the Supervisor.
Carol Sczepanski, Town Clerk asked the Board to add funding of approximately $ 1 ,200 . 00 for the
beginning of restoration of one of the Town minute books that is in very poor condition. An
evaluation and assessment on the condition of the books has been submitted . She would like to see
one book per year of the five books that are in very poor condition restored .
Pat Woodworth said that she didn ' t see the money for the playground was included in the budget and
asked how realistic the $40, 000 . 00 unexpended fund balance was realistic .
Public Hearing Declared Closed :
Supervisor Horst declared the public hearing closed at 7 : 22 p . m . •
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Lai Carol W . Sczepan t own Clerk
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