The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About2024-06-17 Town Board Minutes Board Members Present:Joel Gagnon, Town Supervisor Leslie Connors Katharine Hunter Patricia Woodworth Paul Hansen Town Staff: Mariah Dillon, Town Clerk Steve Cortright, Code Officer Kieth Shipman, Highway Supervisor Other Attendees: Ted Crane Jim Holahan Garry Huddle Jonathan Zisk Theresa Klinger Erin Caruth Warren Cross Zach Larkins Charlie Woodworth 1.Call to Order 6:00 2.Additions/Deletions to Agenda 2.1. Agreement to Spend Highway Funds 2.2. 2024 Amendments to Municipal Cooperative Agreement (Health Consortium) 3.Privilege of the Floor Ted Crane Apologized for misspeaking at an earlier Town Board meeting regarding a committee member using their town email on Facebook. 4.Correspondence - None 5.Announcements - Connors mentioned that the Danby Community Council and Community Park Association published legal noticed in a local paper a meeting to be held at the Museum of the Earth in Ithaca. Supervisor Gagnon asked Crane for an explanation. Crane responded that they were looking for a neutral space. 6.Reports & Presentations 6.1.County Legislature Representative Dan Klein 6.2.Highway Superintendent Keith Shipman Shipman presented the Highway Department's request to spend funds on the following: General Repairs ● A sum not to exceed $6,000 shall be spent on Curtis Road on a section at the very top of the hill. There will be paving of three inches of compacted binder to save the surface from deterioration. The funding for this project will be from the Highway Road Repair Line, DA5110.400. ●A sum not to exceed $35,000 shall be spent on Maple Avenue from Rt. 34-96 to the seasonal section of the road. The surface will be paved with three inches of compacted pavement. The funding for this project will come from the CHIPS allotment from New York State. ●A sum not to exceed $45,000 shall be spent on Valley View Road from Maple Avenue to Rt. 34-96. The 1 Mary Ann Barr 2021 T he Town of Danby 1830 Danby Road Ithaca, NY 14850 Town Board Regular Meeting Monday June 17, 2024 at 6:00PM surface will be paved with three inches of compacted pavement. The funding for this project will come from the CHIPS allotment from New York State. ●A sum not to exceed $70,000 shall be spent on Gunderman Road from Rt. 96B to Comfort Rd. The surface will be paved with three inches of compacted pavement. The funding for this project will come from the CHIPS allotment from New York State. ●A sum not exceed $20,000 shall be spent on Short Road from Rt. 34-96 to Brown Road. The surface will be paved with three inches of compacted pavement. The funding for this project will come from the Highway Road Repair Line, DA5110.400. 6.3. Microsoft 365 update – Dillon reported that the email migration is nearing completion, and the next phase is migrating documents to MS Teams/ Sharepoint, rewriting all online forms and developing the process for embedding shared documents online. 7.Resolution 162 of 2024 to Approve May 20th and June 3rd Town Board Meeting Minutes Moved By Connors Seconded by Woodworth Roll Call: Connors Yes Hansen Yes Hunter Yes Woodworth Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 162 of 2024 passed on June 17, 2024 8.Warrants Abstract 11 of 2024 8.1.Resolution 163 of 2024 to Approve General Fund Vouchers 174 - 193 for $38,952.34 Moved By Connors Seconded by Woodworth Roll Call: Connors Yes Hansen Yes Hunter Yes Woodworth Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 163 of 2024 passed on June 17, 2024 8.2.Resolution 164 of 2024 to Approve Highway Fund Vouchers 99 - 107 for $21,292.35 Moved By Connors Seconded by Hansen Roll Call: Connors Yes Hansen Yes Hunter Yes Woodworth Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 164 of 2024 passed on June 17, 2024 8.3.Resolution 165 of 2024 to Approve Water Fund Vouchers 14 - 18 for $743.34 2 Moved By Connors Seconded by Woodworth Roll Call: Connors Yes Hansen Yes Hunter Yes Woodworth Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 165 of 2024 passed on June 17, 2024 9.Business 9.1.Resolution 166 of 2024 to Approve Ithaca Youth Bureau 2024 Agreement Moved By Woodworth Seconded by Connors Roll Call: Connors Yes Hansen Yes Hunter Yes Woodworth Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 166 of 2024 passed on June 17, 2024 9.2.Town Email Users - Policy Revision Proposal was made to make Town of Danby email available to all committee members who want town email, and allow others to use personal email, provided that any and all town business communications include someone with a town email address or (by copy) the committee chair's Town of Danby email. A sub committee of Gagnon, Connors, and Dillon will write up and bring back a revised policy for consideration. 9.3.Resolution 167 of 2024 to Approve the Agreement to Spend Highway Funds Moved By Woodworth Seconded by Connors Roll Call: Connors Yes Hansen Yes Hunter Yes Woodworth Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 167 of 2024 passed on June 17, 2024 9.4.Resolution 168 of 2024 to Agree to Amendments to the Municipal Cooperative Agreement (Health Consortium) Moved By Gagnon Seconded by Woodworth Roll Call: Connors Yes Hansen Yes Hunter Yes Woodworth Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 168 of 2024 passed on June 17, 2024 3 9.5. Discussion With Warren Cross on Noise Warren Cross spoke about the past Noise Law Proposal and the problems and obstacles that were encountered trying to get it passed. Cross believes the way forward is through updating and amending the zoning laws rather than with a free-standing law administered by the sheriff. He emphasized that any legal process must be very clear, not at all “squishy” and further, that a Town should never write a law that they do not intend to enforce. Discussion ensued regarding how an unreasonable amount of noise might be determined, how noise is subjective, and how any noise regulation might be enforced. There was consensus to put together a panel of Cross, Woodworth, Hansen, Hutnik as needed, and possibly one or two others to understand all the complexities of the noise issues in Danby and come up with possible scenarios for an objective noise law or zoning revision proposal for the board to review. Resolution 169 of 2024 to Create a Panel of Cross, Woodworth, Hansen, and possibly others, with Hutnik as Needed, to Come Up With Either a Proposal for a Noise Law, or Proposed Revisions to Zoning Code to Incorporate Noise Provisions. Moved By Gagnon Seconded by Woodworth Roll Call: Connors Yes Hansen Yes Hunter Yes Woodworth Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 169 of 2024 passed on June 17, 2024 9.6. Junk and Code Enforcement Discussion This discussion developed primarily due to complaints about the derelict property next to the Town Hall. Code Enforcement Office Cortright spoke about the many past complaints that have been acted on and then dropped. He mentioned that occasionally these issues do make it to court, and if the property owners are fined, then fines are not paid, and the court has challenges forcing people to pay their fines. Cortright noted: “The court cannot direct the town to clean them up using town employees and town equipment because there's nothing in our laws that provides for that. I am told that there is a way to collect fines by adding them to your property taxes, and your property taxes cannot be paid until the fines are collected. So let's say you have a $3,500 tax bill ...You come to the window to pay your taxes, and you came with $3,500 cash or a $3,500 check. Technically, the tax collector would have to know that you have fines against your property, number one, and number two, she would have to know that she can't collect taxes until those fines are paid. Number three, that makes an irate citizen because they can't pay the taxes, and it puts it all in the tax collectors' face.” Discussion ensued regarding the option of demolishing houses that have been deemed unsafe. Hansen asked Shipman if he was opposed to taking down a building. Shipman responded that it would depend on several factors, including available equipment, the presence of asbestos, septic issues, and other safety issues. Connors added that there may be grant money available for demolishing zombie properties. Further discussion ensued about the possibility of placing NYS Fire Code placards on derelict property, and what might be available to deal with abandoned cars and garbage bags piled up on properties. It was noted that some of these properties are a health risk. Connors agreed to check with the Association of Towns to inquire about the possibility of grants or other funding to help with these issues. More discussion ensued regarding the need for new junk laws and who can take down a house. If the Town takes 4 one down, it would typically cost about $20k. Shipman thought he might be able to do it for about $10k, depending on the house. Resolution 170 of 2024 to Extend the Meeting by 15 Minutes Moved By Connors Seconded by Hansen Roll Call: Connors Yes Hansen Yes Hunter Yes Woodworth Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 170 of 2024 passed on June 17, 2024 The Town Board supports Cortright's efforts to reach out to the Elmira Zombie Property Code Officer, and put together a letter campaign for derelict property owners. 9.7. ARPA Info Update ●Market value of the Norbut Solar Array – Holahan met with L Shawley and has started putting together the value of the solar panels. He is looking for the actual panel manufacturer. ●Town Hall Ramp and new entry draft drawing is underway by Paul Hansen. Larkins will begin getting quotes for complementary work (like a door opener for the entry door)s. The Town is still hoping to keep the cost around $30k. Hansen believes it would be beneficial financially to do the work in-house, but he has concluded that he’s not currently capable of doing it himself, and Larkins has issues as well that limit his ability to participate. ●Off ice for the West Danby Water District – No update. ●Holahan mentioned there are many energy efficiency projects that would benefit from ARPA funding. He will provide a list of options before the next Town Board Meeting. 10.Discussion of Next Meeting Agenda Social media rules/policy. 11.Adjourn 8:20 PM 5