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Home My WebLink About2024-12-02 Town Board Minutes1 | Page Town of Danby Town Board Meeting Minutes and Public Hearing Held Monday, December 2, 2024 Board Members Present: Joel Gagnon, Town Supervisor Leslie Connors Katharine Hunter Patricia Woodworth Paul Hansen Town Staff: Laura Shawley, Bookkeeper Mariah Dillon, Town Clerk Greg Hutnik. Town Planner Other Attendees: Ted Crane Zach Larkin Ronda Roaring Jim Holahan Captain Charles Tilton Public Hearing A public hearing on a proposal to amend the language of the Senior and Disability Tax Exemption law from “real property owned by husband and wife” to “real property owned by married couple”. Opened at 6:02 PM No one spoke at the public hearing. Closed at 6:03 PM Called to Order 6:03 Additions/Deletions to the Agenda ~ None Privilege of the Floor Ronda Roaring I understand that you don't think the town should support youth, the youth. Well, that's not at all the point, and I think Katharine, you don't really understand that. I'm a permanently certified New York state teacher. I have taught for many years. I spent a number of years, way back when, on the 4h board with Sharon Anderson and Tony Ingraham, and I have been involved in a lot of other activity concerning youth, and I received New York State Retirement, like most other teachers who qualify. I have spent a good deal of my personal time dealing with youth, and some of them from Danby, I'm trying to make sure that the town uses our money in the best possible way. You sent me the information from 2023 instead of 2024 which had been, as you stated in the town newsletter. So, it was old news, but 53 children from Danby participated. And let's just round everything off to $35,000 that comes out to $660 per child for a year, per year, yes, per year. So, when you go back to the last time, I looked was 2016 in the Ithaca city school district teachers were paid $35 an hour to work after school. Every school has an after-school program. There needs to be a teacher there just 2 | Page to supervise them, and at that time, the school district was paying $35. The point is, I don't think we're doing a good job on this. I think we need to get the parents involved. I don't think it's appropriate to be spending this kind of money for somebody to watch the kids play Dungeons and Dragons or make muffins or whatever, or art. And I think we need to really take a long, hard look at this program to see if there's a better way to do it. Why aren't the parents creating a program of their own, and paying for it? Ted Crane I would like to, I guess the correct word is congratulate you on making an excellent effort to notify the public about positions that are open within the town. Good for you. If assuming the list that is attached to the agenda is correct. I'm also a little disappointed that there are no applicants who are not already basically reapplying for the same positions, and I think that you should be somewhat looking inward and introspective and ask yourself, why are there no other applicants. And I know from previous experience, my own and those of others, that basically they feel that they're not given a fair shake, that certain people are simply, if I may use a quote, there are certain people we will never appoint to positions, and very often the people, when people who are not part of the current boards apply, they are basically passed over without regard to merit. That's all I have to say. I think it's disappointing, and it is also instructive that you have, shall we say, one person looking for three positions, one person looking for two positions. It really should give you some pause. Correspondence ~ None Announcements • Hunter announced that the Finger Lakes Mineral Club is having a show on December 8 from 1 – 5 at the Community Church in Danby. • Appointee Terms Expiring in 2024: Name Membership Name Membership Fairchild Water Adv Sorrentino DYC Chair Colbert Planning Board Kirchgessner DYC Member Jones BZA Member Hunter DYC Member Owens CAC Member Barr Historian Hunter CAC Member Kirchgessner Recreation Partnership Corbit CAC Co-Chair Zisk CAC Co-Chair Reports and Presentations – Town Clerk Report Code Enforcement Officer Report Town Planner Report: Development Review Planning Board Meeting 11/19/24 • 202 Jersey Hill Road Minor Subdivision approved to subdivide 10 acres from the 87-acre parcel • 1429 Danby Road Site Plan approved to re-use the building for a Cannabis Retail Dispensary 3 | Page • 104 Peter Road Site Plan approved to allow accessory structure coverage of 464 sf • 20 Nelson Road (Ithaca Waldorf School) Standard Subdivision Sketch Plat Review – proposal to subdivide the property into 3 lots; they will need Preliminary and Final Plat reviews, including a public hearing Board of Zoning Appeals • No Meeting in November (and likely not December) Ongoing projects Regulatory Review Committee – first meeting in December, date and time TBD Drainage District #1 (Beardsley Lane) Stormwater Facilities Restoration Project RFP – seeking qualified contractor to perform needed work; met with engineer onsite to confirm the extent of work needed Design Connect – The Town was awarded a design contract from Cornell’s Design Connect Program. A group of students in the planning, architecture, and landscape architecture programs will work with the Town in the spring of 2025 to design a Hamlet Neighborhood Plan at 1675 Danby Road (the “Dobson property”). More details to come including opportunities for public engagement. CAC support – joined a walking tour of 1041 Comfort Road for a possible conservation easement, awaiting requests for mapping if needed. Meeting Minutes Resolution 264 of 2024 To Accept the November 18, 2024, Town Board Meeting Minutes Moved by Connors Seconded by Hansen Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 264 of 2024 passed on December 2, 2024  Warrant Abstract 23 of 2024 Resolution 265 of 2024 To Accept General Fund Vouchers 449 - 458 for $38,157.57 Moved by Connors     Seconded by Gagnon Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 265 of 2024 passed on December 2, 2024  4 | Page Resolution 266 of 2024 To Accept Highway Fund Vouchers 219 - 225 for $74,473.29 Moved by Connors Seconded by Woodworth Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 266 of 2024 passed on December 2, 2024  Business Review Applications for Appointment and Decide Whether and Who to Interview Discussion ensued regarding the board and committee positions expiring, and the applicants for the expiring terms. Since no one new has applied for any position, there is no need for interviews. ARPA Commitment Update The Town does not have an agreement yet to purchase the solar array. Supervisor Gagnon agreed to oversee and sign the future agreement. Resolution 267 of 2024 To Authorize That Supervisor Gagnon Sign an Agreement (once drafted) to Purchase the Solar Array Moved by Gagnon Seconded by Hanson Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 267 of 2024 passed on December 2, 2024  WDWD Project Update: S Cortright estimated that the money required to complete the WDWD Office building is around $7,000. Larkins updated the Board on the Automatic Door Opener Project. Supervisor Gagnon mentioned that everything for ARPA needed to be submitted by the end of the month. 5 | Page Appoint Representative to Association of Towns Annual Meeting Resolution 268 of 2024 To Appoint Connors as Representative and Dillon the Alternate to Represent Danby at the Association of Towns Annual Meeting Moved by Gagnon Seconded by Hunter Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 268 of 2024 passed on December 2, 2024  Local Law #4 of 2024 to Amend Tax Exemption for Senior and Disabled Law Resolution 269 of 2024 Local Law 4 of 2024 To Amend Local Law No. 1 of 2024 - Real Property Tax Exemptions for Seniors and Disabled Persons Moved by Gagnon Seconded by Hunter § 1 TITLE - A Local Law Amending Local Law #1 of 2024, Real Property Tax Exemptions for Seniors and Disabled Persons §2 ENACTMENT - Be it enacted by the Town Board of the Town of Danby as follows: §3 - The TOWN OF DANBY hereby amends Local Law #1 of 2024, Section 3, Real Property Tax Exemptions for Seniors and Disabled Persons, substituting the following: Section 3: Senior and Disabled Citizen Exemptions (RPTL 459-c, 467): Real property located in the Town of Danby, County of Tompkins; owned by one or more persons, each of whom is 65 years of age or over, or real property owned by a married couple, one of whom is 65 years of age or over, or persons with disabilities, shall be partially exempt from taxation by said Town for the applicable taxes as specified in RPTL 459-c and 467 based upon the income of the owner or the combined income of the owners pursuant to the following table[...] §4 EFFECTIVE DATE - This local law shall take effect immediately after it is filed as provided in section twenty-seven of the Municipal Home Rule Law. Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 269 of 2024 passed on December 2, 2024  6 | Page Schedule Public Hearing for 2022 Housing Rehabilitation CDBG Grant Program Resolution 270 of 2024 To Schedule a Public Hearing for December 16, 2024, to Close Out the 2022 Housing Rehabilitation CDBG Grant Program Moved by Gagnon    Seconded by Woodworth Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 270 of 2024 passed on December 2, 2024  Discussion of Next Meeting Agenda ARPA Final Reconciliation Adjourn 6:50 PM