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Home My WebLink About2022-11-16 Town Board Minutes Regular Town Board Meeting Held on 16 November 2022 at 6:00pm Roll Call: Town Board Joel Gagnon, Super visor Leslie Connors Katharine Hunter Patricia Woodworth [Vacant Board Seat] Town Bookkeeper Laura Shawley Recording Secretary Janice Adelman, Town Clerk (via videoconference in Town Hall office) Transcript and audio recording are available online. 1.Called to Order at 18:07 2.Additions/Deletions to Agenda 2.1.Schedule Public Hearing for Code Enforcement Local Law 2.2.Add Warrant Approvals to Friday’s meeting agenda 2.3.Delete Warrant Approvals from this meeting’s consent agenda 2.4.Authorize Water District Relevy 2.5.Add Correspondence 2.6. Add Chair of CAC to fulfill the year 2.7. Execuve Session Re Lawyer Advice Move all of this to head of business 3. Privilege of the Floor 3.1. Ronda Roaring, resident: 1. Everyone to know that she wrote Joel an email stating that she had discussed the matter of exec session with the committee on open govt quoting the atty that she spoke to and telling him exactly what needed to happen to go into es. That email was totally disregarded. The last es was totally bogus. It did not do what you must do and say concerning elected officials. 2) disappointed in the applications that we’ve gotten. They want to be on these boards and committees and have never been to a meeting. These are important Mary Ann Barr 2021 T he Town of Danby 1830 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850 danby.ny.gov Janice Adelman, Town Clerk Cindy Katz, Deputy Town Clerk +1-607-277-4788 | clerkoffice@danby.ny.gov Town Board Regular Business Meeting Wednesday 16 November 2022 at 6PM positions. Thinks we need to try to get more people who have been coming to meetings and understand the commitment. 3.2. Ted Crane, resident. Search for opinion number 2565 from the coog, attached to the end of the email. Had painful afternoon, thought he would end up in emergency surgery, but he didn’t. He’s going to say some things that are painful to say and may be painful to hear. But important to hear. Start in roundabout way with the last meeting and emails going back and forth about it, regarding the OSC report that the town misplaced possibly $1k, possibly in cash. It isn’t to point fingers or place blame but the fact that the board knew about it and never let anyone else know. This is an example of how the TB has operated in a non- transparent manner. From that, there was a discussion at TB meeting a few meetings ago with a member of the public, that discussion continued in email, the member of the public felt they were never going to apply for a position again because the TB would only choose friends. There are what you could call the facts and those interpretations of the facts. Rather there are 3 categories that the TB uses, there are some people that the TB will never appoint. The TB is shortchanging the town by not selecting the people who are the most skilled. Referenced Abe Lincoln book discussing his war cabinet. There are people who did not apply simply because they know that they are not liked by the town board. 4. Correspondence 4.1.Letter from NYS Department of Transportation re Annual Maintenance Permit Expiring on 1/1/2023. 4.2.Investigation Report from Tompkins County Director of Assessment Claimed Error in Danby Final Roll for 2022 Parcel 333.-2006-9 4.3.Investigation Report from Tompkins County Director of Assessment Claimed Error in Danby Final Roll for 2022 Parcel 333.-2006-9 4.4.Woodworth noted the letter received from CDBG program that awarded the town a $500k grant to address local affordable housing needs. 5. Announcements 5.1.Update on Board and Committee Positions to Fill 5.1.1.Vacancies to be filled ASAP Town Board CAC Planning Board 5.1.2.Terms to begin January 1, 2023 Board of Zoning Appeals Page 2 of 8 Town Board Regular Business Meeting Wednesday 16 November 2022 at 6PM Conservation Advisory Council Danby Recreation Partnership Rep Danby Youth Commission Planning Board TC Youth Services Board Rep West Danby Water District Advisory Committee 6. Interviews for Vacancies on Town Board, Planning Board, and CAC 6.1.Town Board 6.1.1.Tim Merritt 6.1.2.Steve Weissburg 6.2.Planning Board 6.2.1.Shannan Hall 6.2.2.Jacob Colbert interviewed at subsequent meeting 6.3.CAC 6.3.1.Renee Owens 6.3.2.Margaret Corbit, current CAC member asked about accepting the interim Chair position; she accepted and wished to add Jonathan Zisk as co-chair. 7.Reports & Presentations 7.1.Dan Klein – not present 7.2.Keith Shipman – not present, Laura Shawley spoke in his absence 7.2.1.Opening bids for the West Jersey Culvert project on Friday 18 November at 10am 7.2.2.Councilperson Connors asked about putting road closure announcements on the South Hill Facebook page 7.2.2.1.Clerk Adelman noted posting to the website and sending an email blast to residents would also be helpful. 8.Consent Agenda 8.1.Meeting Minutes 8.1.1. 3 Oct 2022 Public Hearing + Board Meeting 8.1.2.12 Oct 2022 Budget Workshop 8.1.3.19 Oct 2022 Regular Board Meeting 8.1.4.25 Oct 2022 Budget Workshop 8.1.5.28 Oct 2022 Budget Workshop 8.1.6. 1 Nov 2022 Regular Meeting Resolution 214 of 2022 to Move the 19 October 2022 Minutes. [All Other Page 3 of 8 Town Board Regular Business Meeting Wednesday 16 November 2022 at 6PM Minutes in the Consent Agenda Are Tabled Until Next Meeting.] Moved By: Hunter Seconded By: Woodworth Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Absent Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 214 Approved on 16 November 2022 8.2.Warrants Tabled until Friday 18 November 2022 9.Business 9.1.Resolution 215 of 2022 to Schedule Public Hearing for Code Enforcement Local Law on December 6 at 6:00 pm. Moved By:Gagnon Seconded By:Woodworth Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 215 of 2022 passed on 16 November 2022 9.2.Resolution 216 of 2022 to Authorize Water District Relevy Added to 2023 Town Property Tax Bills Moved By:Woodworth Seconded By:Connors RESOLVED: The Town Board approves the submission of the relevy of unpaid water bills from the West Danby Water District to be added to the 2023 property tax bills. The total amount of the relevy is $2,946.58. Page 4 of 8 Town Board Regular Business Meeting Wednesday 16 November 2022 at 6PM Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 216 of 2022 passed on 16 November 2022 9.3.Resolution 217 of 2022 to Appoint Margaret Corbit as Interim Chair of the CAC through Dec 31, 2022 Moved By:Connors Seconded By:Gagnon Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 217 of 2022 passed on 16 November 2022 9.4.Consider Filling Vacancies to TB, PB, CAC 9.4.1.Supervisor Gagnon asked if the Board wanted to appoint any of the applicants that were interviewed. 9.4.2.Since the Planning Board has another applicant interview scheduled for Friday 18 November, the Board will hold off on making that appointment. 9.4.3.Resolution 218 of 2022 to Appoint Renee Owens to the CAC through Dec 31, 2024. Moved By: Woodworth Seconded By: Connors Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Connors X Page 5 of 8 Town Board Regular Business Meeting Wednesday 16 November 2022 at 6PM Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 218 of 2022 passed on 16 November 2022 9.5. Updated Question on Providing Partial Payment for Tree Removal at Valley View Cemeter y 9.5.1.The estimate that was given last year was for the wrong tree which was the $1000 estimate. The correct tree is an estimate of $2400. Going back to the recording of this particular Town Board meeting (9 Aug Resolution 150 of 2021 approved $500 or half of the cost. The 2021), question is whether the increased cost estimate is included in the previously approved resolution. The Board consensus was yes. No need to formalize. 9.6.Resolution 219 of 2022 to Enter Executive Session on Lawyer’s Advice Moved By:Gagnon Seconded By:Connors Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 219 of 2022 passed on 16 November 2022 9.6.1.Board entered executive session at 19:53. 9.6.2.Board returned from executive session at 20:16. Resolution 220 of 2022 to Extend the Meeting By 15 minutes Moved By: Connors Seconded By: Gagnon Vote: Councilperson Aye Nay Abstain Page 6 of 8 Town Board Regular Business Meeting Wednesday 16 November 2022 at 6PM Connors X Hunter X Woodworth X Gagnon X Resolution 220 of 2022 passed on 16 November 2022 9.6.3.Supervisor Gagnon stated that the Board had a huddle about the IT services and the Town Clerk's unwillingness to Work with SCT. 9.6.4.Councilperson Hunter stated that the computers in the Clerk Office are town equipment and the Clerk is not able to protect them by keeping SCT away. They would have SCT out to assess the Deputy Clerk computer issues and would alert the Clerk ahead of time so that she did not have to be present when SCT was in the office. 9.6.5.Clerk Adelman said she couldn't believe that the Board would even entertain the idea of continuing with a company that ghosted the town and failed to hold up their end of their contract, initially refusing to help Bookkeeper Shawley gain access to the server at the end of August when it was taken down by a crypto-virus. After being reminded that we are indeed under contract with them through Dec 4, 2022, SCT assisted Shawley by restoring a previous backup and claiming everything was fine without providing any further details or background on the incident, whether or not we are still at risk, nor what SCT plans to do to increase security through the end of our contract. Clerk Adelman added that as Records Management Officer, she could not in good conscience allow the Board to put residents’ data at risk by staying with SCT and would resign if the Board was willing to not have the best interests of the residents driving their decisions around computer security. 9.6.6.After more contentious back-and-forth, the Clerk stated that she would resign rather than allow SCT to continue to put Town data at risk. The topic was closed to further comment. 10.Discussion of Next Meeting Agendas 10.1.Next Special Meeting on 18 November Page 7 of 8 Town Board Regular Business Meeting Wednesday 16 November 2022 at 6PM 10.1.1.W. Jersey Culvert Bid Package Deadline 10.1.2.Warrant Abstracts 22 10.2.Next Regular Meeting on 6 December 2022 11. Meeting adjourned at 20:25 Recorded by Janice Adelman Town Clerk Page 8 of 8