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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-17 Town Board MinutesRoll Call: The Town of Danby 1830 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850 danby.ny.gov Town Board Regular Meeting Wednesday 17 November 2021 at 7:0013M Meeting Minutes Venue: Zoom Videoconferencing Town Board County Legislator Town Justice(s) Town Planner Town Code Enforcement Officer Town Bookkeeper Recording Secretary Absent: Guest Presenters: 1. Call to Order at 19:07 Joel Gagnon, Supervisor Leslie Connors Jim Holahan Sarah Schnabel Matt Ulinski Dan Klein Garry Huddle David West Steve Cortright Laura Shawley Janice Adelman, Town Clerk 2. Additions/Deletions to Agenda 2.1. Additions 2.1.1. Possibility of part-time as -needed Motor Equipment Operator for Highway 2.1.2. Network Security Needs 2.1.3. Budget Transfer 2.1.4. Cannabis Resolution Public Hearing 2.2. Deletions 3. Privilege of the Floor 3.1. Ronda Roaring read a letter to the Danby Town Board regarding planning, subdivisions, building permits, and certificates of occupancy. Roaring's letter was not submitted to the Town Clerk and therefore does not appear here. 3.2. Ted Crane politely re -stated that there are ongoing problems with the town Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 17 November 2027 at 7:OOPM website, specifically that documents that are displayed in windows within the website itself (iframes) sometimes take minutes to load and can be incredibly slow. Suggests it be looked at as it is not only one resident affected or one citizen's inability to view it, it seems to be happening to many people. At best, can easily demonstrate that it is not at the receiving or transmission end, but at the sending end at the server. Crane stated that he has provided such information to the Town. Crane also noted that he would really appreciate being able to see documents that are relevant to the meeting well before the meeting starts; earlier he saw nothing on the website that looked like an agenda for tonight. 4. Interview Applicants for West Danby Water Advisory Committee 4.1. Benjamin Coakley_ 4.2. Marie Monroe 5. Correspondence 5.1. Library Entrance Sign to be provided by TCPL 5.2. Resident on Larue Rd hopes to get internet at home with the help of infrastructure money from the town. Resident is contacting the town directly for support per Hafele's suggestion. Resident is requesting a return call. 5.2.1. The supervisor will respond to this person. 6. Announcements 6.1. Board/Committee Positions to be Filled 6.1.1. Vacancies will be filled for the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Conservation Advisory Council, the Planning Board, and the West Danby Water District Advisory Council. 6.1.2. Applications for positions on these Boards and Councils to be submitted to the Town Clerk; application forms are available online at https: danby.ny_.gov depts/boards-and-committees/ 6.2. Danby Code Enforcement Officer, Steve Cortright, will provide Code Enforcement duties for the Town of Caroline on an interim basis, as requested by Caroline Town Supervisor Mark Whitmer, and agreed to by Cortright and Gagnon. 6.3. COVID at Highway Briefing 6.3.1. 2 employees in the Danby Highway Department tested positive for COVID-19. 6.3.2. The Department closed for the remainder of the current week and will remain closed next week for the holiday. 7. Reports & Presentations Page 2 of 70 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 77 November 2027 at 7:OOPM 7.1. Dan Klein, County Legislature 7.1.1. Klein expressed congratulations to everyone who won their election. 7.1.2. Station Road Stream Restoration Project that has been continuously delayed for years; latest update is that it is scheduled for Summer 2022. 7.1.3. Convening shared services panel: suggestions to share resources and save money include 7.1.3.1. buying of snow and ice cutting edges for highway departments throughout the county; 7.1.3.2. expansion of municipal health insurance consortium outside of Tompkins County. The more municipalities that get added, it drives costs down for everyone. 7.1.3.3. A study will be done to investigate county -wide coding enforcement. A simple study to determine what county -wide code enforcement would look like and whether it would save towns money. Klein reiterated that it is simply a study, and does not indicate what will happen in the future. 7.1.4. Although broadband availability has been discussed a lot, cell phone reception hasn't. Klein is trying to get this topic on the table. It will be on the next TCOOG meeting agenda. 7.1.5. County Budget was finalized and adopted; no change in the tax levy this year. Although there was no increase in the tax levy, it does not automatically mean that your taxes will not change as there are other factors that go into that assessment. 7.1.6. Southern Tier 8 (a regional planning organization made up of eight contiguous regions including Tompkins County) submitted a grant application for broadband expansion that includes 78 houses in Danby to be covered by Point Broadband/Clarity Connect. 8. Budget Transfer Request Resolution 165 of 2021 To Approve Budget Transfers Moved By: Connors Seconded By: Holahan RESOLVED, the Town Board of the Town of Danby approves the following budget transfers: Page 3of70 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 77 November 2027 at 7 OOPM Fund Transfer from Transfer to Amount Gen A9040.8 Workers Comp A9060.800 Health Insurance $5,140 Gen A5132.4 Garage Contractual A9060.800 Health Insurance $1,881 Hwy DA9040.8 Workers Comp DA9060.800 Health Insurance $10,851 Hwy DA9040.8 Workers Comp DA5110.400 General Repairs $5,000 Vote: Councilperson Aye No Absent Connors X Holahan X Schnabel X Ulinski X Gagnon X Resolution 165 approved 9. Consent Agenda 9.1. Warrants 9.1.1. General Fund No 21 Vouchers 360-387 for $64,503.82 9.1.2. Highway Fund No 21 Vouchers 254-269 for $71,661.95 9.1.3. Water Fund No 21 Voucher 35 for $33.35 Resolution 166 of 2021 To Approve Consent Agenda Moved By: Connors Vote: Councilperson Seconded By: Holahan Aye No Absent Connors X Holahan X Schnabel X Ulinski X Gagnon X Resolution 166 approved Page 4 of 70 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 17 November 2027 at 7:OOPM 10.0Id Business 10.1. Review of submissions for environmental review of Solar Farm 10.1.1. There is an updated application packet (version 3) on the website through the Planning Department's page. However, it is still not a completed application. 10.1.1.1. Norbut has another wetlands delineation planned. 10.1.1.2. Planner West also commissioned a consultant 10.1.1.3. Norbut is reviewing the concerns around the location of the interconnect facility and moving it farther back from Rte 96b 10.1.1.4. Norbut is also wokring on clarifiyng the design around wetlands and streams 10.2. Consider COVID Response Level and adjust if desired 10.2.1. Currently all buildings are open and masks are required. 10.2.2. Consensus among staff and officials was that all were comfortable leaving the level as is. 10.3.Work Place Violence Resolutions 10.3.1. Report with recommendations is available online 10.3.2. At the next meeting, Councilperson Ulinski will bring a resolution to approve the report and its recommendations be adopted, and to create the Threat Assessment Team. A second resolution will seek to authorize safety and security building upgrades. 11. New Business 11.1. Possible Part-time as -needed Motor Equipment Operator for Highway 11.1.1. The rationale is to have a back-up operator available in the wings to cover as needed; this has happened on an informal basis but Highway would like to make this more formal. 11.1.2. Current operations include 6 people with CDLs and 1 mechanic. One person has resigned. It's not to put anyone on staff on a regular part-time basis, but to have this line approved by Civil Service so that Highway could get someone when needed. 11.1.3. Although the 6th position will remain vacant for now, Highway would like to keep this position on the books while trying to make it work with five employees. 11.1.4. A resident suggested checking with NYS funding options that would enable the employer to get reimbursed for wages paid out to employees who are out sick with COVID. Page 5 of 70 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 17 November 2027 at 7:OOPM Resolution 167 of 2021 To Approve a Possible Part -Time As -Needed Motor Equipment Operator for the Highway Department Moved By: Schnabel Seconded By: Connors Vote: Councilperson Aye No Absent Connors X Holahan X Schnabel X Ulinski X Gagnon X Resolution 167 approved 11.2. Cannabis Resolution Public Hearing 11.2.1. We are required to pass a local law by December 31 to opt -out of allowing retail marijuana dispensaries in Danby. If we opt - out, we can change it back in the future. If we do nothing and opt -in, we cannot choose to opt out later. 11.2.2. The question is whether we want to do this or not and if so, to schedule the public hearing. 11.2.3. Planner West chimed in regarding revenue being shared based on the percentage of sales in the municipality. If the town opts - out, there is no revenue; but we will only benefit if there are sales in the town. 11.2.4. Most board members did not have a strong opinion either way, but also did not feel the need to opt -out. 11.2.5. Many felt that the board did not have enough information to make an informed decision. 11.2.6. Councilperson Connors will do further research and report back at the next meeting. 11.3. Appointment(s) to Fill Vacancies on Water District Advisory Committee Resolution 168 of 2021 To Appoint Ben Coakley to Fill the Remainder of Anna Finley's Term Through the End of 2021 Page 6 of 70 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 17 November 2027 at 7:OOPM Moved By: Gagnon Seconded By: Holahan Vote: Councilperson Aye No Absent Connors X Holahan X Schnabel X Ulinski X Gagnon X Resolution 168 approved Resolution 169 of 2021 To Appoint Marie Monroe to Fill the Remainder of Bruce Richards' Term Through the End of 2022 Moved By: Gagnon Seconded By: Holahan Vote: Councilperson Aye No Absent Connors X Holahan X Schnabel X Ulinski X Gagnon X Resolution 169 approved 11.4. Resolution 170 of 2021 To Nominate George Adams to Represent Town of Danby on the County Environmental Management Council Moved By: Connors Seconded By: Schnabel Vote: Page 7 of 70 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 17 November 2027 at 7:OOPM Councilperson Aye Connors X Holahan X Schnabel X Ulinski X Gagnon X Resolution 170 approved No Absent 11.5. Agreements/Contracts with NGOs in 2022 11.5.1. Supervisor Gagnon clarified that the previous Board meetings that created a Town Policy that the town not disseminate money to non -governmental organizations without a contract in place only applies to funding requests in 2022, not 2021. 11.6. Consider Authorizing Purchase of Beacon Cloud -Based Interface for Meter Reading in Water District 11.6.1. Around 120 meters are located throughout the Water District with electronic readers. The data from these readers should interface with the billing software. To date, this functionality has not been implemented. The meter reader company, Badger, is sunsetting the old software and moving to a cloud -based system precipitating the need to use their proprietary Beacon Cloud -based interface software with an estimated cost of $10,000. 11.6.2. Recommendation from Water District Committee is to approve the $10,000 costs 11.6.3. Some questions remain: 11.6.3.1. We need something that will read the Badger Meters Automated Meter Application; does this exist? 11.6.3.2. Will this work offline as there is spotty networking options? 11.6.4. The Board tabled this discussion without approving the purchase. 11.7. Resolution 171 of 2021 To Grant Access Through Water District Property for Cleanup on Adjacent Finger Lakes Land Trust Property Moved By: Gagnon Seconded By: Ulinski Page 8 of 70 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 17 November 2027 at 7:OOPM Vote: Councilperson Aye Connors X Holahan X Schnabel X Ulinski X Gagnon X Resolution 171 approved No Absent 11.8. Consider Adding $500 to $4000 Authorization of Wired Broadband Survey 11.8.1. The contract provided was at a cost of $4000 plus expenses up to $500 consisting of preparing the report and mileage incurred. 11.8.2. Ulinksi noted the $4500 was the original quoted price. 11.8.3. Gagnon requested that a completion date be included in the contract. Moved By: Ulinski Seconded By: Holahan Vote: Councilperson Aye No Absent Connors X Holahan X Schnabel X Ulinski X Gagnon X Resolution 172 approved 11.9. Network Security Needs 11.9.1. Our current network setup needs to be addressed given that we are not currently protected against high-level attacks. 11.9.2. Town Clerk Adelman reached out to vendors, one of whom Page P of 70 Town of Danby Board Meeting Wednesday 77 November 2027 at 7:OOPM came recommended by the Town's new phone management team, All -Mode Communication, to discuss our recent shifts to more network -based solutions (i.e., cloud -based office suites, VOIP phone service). 11.9.3. The types of service provided by network solutions providers covers mulitple layers of security, 24-hour monitoring, and essentially the abliity to detect and intercept any threats before it reaches any of the Town's end -users. This kind of service obviously comes with a higher price tag. 11.9.4. Supervisor Gagnon pulled from the agenda the detailed price quotes from vendors that Adelman had submitted so that the Board could have an initial discussion about it. 11.9.5. Clerk Adelman will continue to research this topic and come back at the next meeting with additional information, including comparisons with other towns in Tompkins County. 12.Discussion of Next Meeting Agenda 12.1. Workplace Violence Resolution 12.2. Facility Upgrade Resolution 12.3. Cannabis Report from Councilperson Leslie Connors 12.4. Water Meters Update regarding the system and what they are bringing up for approval 12.5. Network Security Options from Clerk Adelman 13.Adjourn at 21:30 Submitted by Janice Adelman Town Clerk Page 70 of 70