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Home My WebLink About2022-10-19 Town Board Minutes Meeting Minutes Roll Call: Town Board Joel Gagnon, Supervisor Leslie Connors Katharine Hunter Patricia Woodworth (via videoconference) Town Planner David West (via videoconference) Town Bookkeeper Laura Shawley (via phone) Recording Secretary Janice Adelman, Town Clerk (via videoconference in Town Hall office) Transcript and audio recording are available online. 1. Regular Meeting Called to Order at 18:06 by Supervisor Gagnon 2. Additions/Deletions to Agenda 2.1.Interview Town Board Appointee Candidate(s). 2.1.1.Board decided to wait until others who wish to apply have applied. 2.2.Review Board and Committee Openings 2.3.Schedule Planning Board Interviews to Fill Vacancy 2.4.Highway Resolution to Authorize Auction of Equipment 2.5.Reset Submission Deadline for Vacancies on TB and PB (and CAC?) 3. Privilege of the Floor 3.1. Cindy Ceracche, Resident: Asked about why the town would override the tax cap when her assessment value has already increased 13%. She also wondered about the public hearing for passing the tax cap override. Super visor Gagnon noted that it was at the last meeting though she could tell the Board what she thought about it right now. 3.2. Steve Weissburg, Resident: Asked if the interviews for the vacant board seat would Mary Ann Barr 2021 T he Town of Danby, New York 1830 Danby Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 https://danby.ny.gov Town Board Regular Business Meeting Wednesday 19 October 2022 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 19 October 2022 at 6:00PM not be tonight, when would they be? Supervisor Gagnon suggested that the interviews would likely be the third week of November. 3.3. Ronda Roaring, Resident: Voiced her objection to muting people in Zoom. She also stated that because she could not unmute herself she could not tell anyone that the links to the documents in the agenda did not go anywhere. Clerk Adelman responded that this was an oversight with the documents being published internally rather than externally and was fixed a few minutes prior to her speaking after another resident messaged the clerk in the Zoom chat. Supervisor Gagnon then explained why the muting of videoconferencing participants was in effect. 3.4. Ted Crane, Resident: Crane also commented on the “muting business”. Commented on searching for information perhaps missed 2 things on the agenda. 3.5. Judy Bargher, Resident: Asked two questions: (1) if the town does go over the tax cap and then doesn’t use all of the money does it go into a slush fund the next year or does the town just keep adding more on residents’ taxes? (2) Is West Danby part of the Danby taxation and is why we pay for their water? 3.5.1. Bargher asked why we have to pay the SPCA $12,000. Supervisor Gagnon replied that the SPCA is the dog control program that we pay for. 3.5.2. Bargher asked why we contract out for snow removal and lawn mowing at the Town Hall when we have the Highway Department. 3.5.3. Bargher asked if the park system gives us money for the Danby pond since the pond is part of the park system. When told that the town rents it from the park she responded that the NY State Parks should take it over instead, foregoing the summer swimming program. 3.6. Katharine Hunter as Resident: Stated that she was glad when people come to meetings and learn about what’s going on in town and how it is to run a town. It’s not always very pleasant or very nice. Hunter wishes that we all learn to be aware of the strife that’s going on in the world, in the country, in our neighborhoods, and where people have a tendency to get angry and take out their frustrations on each other which is not good for us. She asked people to be kind to each other and work together. 4. Correspondence — none 5. Announcements — none 6. Reports & Presentations 6.1. County Legislature Rep Dan Klein not present but submitted written report Hello Town Board, Page 2 of 7 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 19 October 2022 at 6:00PM Here is a preview of my submission to the November Town News. It’s all about the County budget, which was in very good shape this year. We funded a lot of new initiatives and kept the tax levy flat for the second year in a row. I wanted to draw your attention to the renewal of the mini-grant program for municipalities for parks and trails. This ran for one or two years, was suspended during the pandemic, and now is back. It runs through the County Planning Department. The total amount available is $50,000, so any individual grant is likely to be in the $5,000 range. It is first come, first ser ved, so start thinking about if and how you might be able to use this money, and keep it on your radar when the program officially launches. -Dan Tompkins County Legislature Update Dan Klein, danbydan@hotmail.com We have wrapped up most of the work on the County’s 2023 budget. I would say that the budget represents both good financial health for the County, but also an attempt to address multiple issues that threaten our quality of life. I don’t have space to give details, but here is a list of just some of the new items that were added to County services this year. Feel free to contact me if you want more information. ● Created a new position of Emergency Management Services Coordinator ● Funded a one-year project to gather information about addressing issues facing youth in Tompkins County ● Created a Homeless Outreach Coordinator position ● Funded a field nurse to work with behavioral health issues with homeless people ● Set aside money to hire professional grant writers to help har vest some of the large amounts of federal and state funds currently available ● Funded 2 more Sheriff’s Deputy positions ● Funded a mental health worker for the Mental Health Association ● Funded a strategic recovery business plan for the airport ● Re-established a small grants program for parks and trails ● Funded a grant program for local arts programming ● Funded numerous initiatives related to Reimagining Public Safety In addition to funding so many new items, we were also able to use our fund balance to establish a zero percent change in the tax levy for the second year in a Page 3 of 7 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 19 October 2022 at 6:00PM row. This is quite an accomplishment for any government. I’m sure it has happened before, but I can’t recall anyone in our area accomplishing this. There are many factors that affect your tax bill, but keeping the tax levy (the total amount of property taxes the County takes in) flat is something that puts money back into the pockets of property owners. 6.2. Highway Superintendent Keith Shipman 7. Consent Agenda 7.1. Warrants 7.1.1. General Fund Abstract 20 Vouchers 303–315 for $9,362.99 7.1.2. Highway Fund Abstract 20 Vouchers for $177–185 for $202,124.40 7.1.3. Water Fund Abstract 17 Voucher 74 for $133.20 Resolution 196 of 2022 To Approve the Consent Agenda For Water Fund Abstracts Moved By:Connors Seconded By:Woodworth Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 196 approved 8. Business 8.1.Review the Open Positions for Boards and Committees 8.1.1.West Danby Water District Advisory Committee - One (1) open position to start a new 5-year term 8.1.2.Planning Board - One (1) vacant position to fulfill term through 12/2024 - One (1) open position to start a new 7-year term 8.1.3.Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) - One (1) open position to start a new 5-year term 8.1.4.Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) - One (1) vacant position to fulfill term through 12/2023 Page 4 of 7 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 19 October 2022 at 6:00PM - Four (4) open positions to start new 2-year terms 8.1.5.Town Board - One (1) vacant position to fulfill term through 12/2023 8.1.6.Danby Recreation Partnership Representative - One (1) open position to start a new 2-year term 8.1.7.Tompkins County Youth Services Board Representative - One (1) open position to start a new 3-year term 8.2.Resolution 197 of 2022 To Set a Nov 14 2022 deadline for submission of applications for f illing vacancies on CAC, PB, and TB and a Dec 2 2022 deadline for f illing expiring-term vacancies that roll over at the start of the year. Moved By: Gagnon Seconded By: Hunter Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 197 of 2022 approved 8.3.Resolution 198 of 2022 To Authorize Auction of Highway Equipment Moved By: Gagnon Seconded By: Connors Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Page 5 of 7 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 19 October 2022 at 6:00PM Gagnon X Resolution 198 of 2022 approved 8.4.Resolution 199 of 2022 To Adopt the Tax Cap Override Law Moved By: Gagnon Seconded By: Hunter Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 199 of 2022 approved 8.5. Review of Proposed Constraints on Cannabis Sales/Consumption Sites 8.6. Reaffirmation/Adoption of Sexual Harassment Policy 8.6.1. Some things need to be cleaned up and then bring it back for passage. Tabled until next time. 8.7. Tentative Budget Review 8.7.1. Danby Community Park Association asked for $7450 8.7.2. West Danby Community Association asked for $600 8.7.3. Danby Seniors asked for $5000 8.7.4. Jennings Pond 8.8. Resolution 200 of 2022 To Schedule next budget meeting for Tuesday 25 October at 4:30pm, to also include review and approval the Gen and Hwy Abstracts- Moved By: Gagnon Seconded By: Connors Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Page 6 of 7 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 19 October 2022 at 6:00PM Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 200 of 2022 approved 8.9. Resolution 201 of 2022 To Schedule 2023 Budget Public Hearing for 1 November at 6pm Moved By: Gagnon Seconded By: Connors Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 201 of 2022 approved 8.10. Review Proposed Constraints for Cannabis Sales 9. Discussion of Next Meeting Agenda 9.1. Sexual Harassment 9.2. Cannabis Consumption 9.3. Review Application procedure if there’s time. 10. Meeting Adjourned at 20:05. Recorded by Janice R. Adelman Town Clerk Page 7 of 7