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Home My WebLink About2024-12-16 Town Board Minutes1 | P a g e Town of Danby Town Board Meeting Minutes Held Monday, December 16, 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 Steve Cortright, Code Olficer Greg Hutnik, Town Planner Other Attendees: Ted Crane Zach Larkins Ronda Roaring Jim Holahan Captain Charles Tilton Vera Schilling Public Hearing A public hearing to provide feedback on the CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Grant program. Public Hearing Opened at 6:07 PM For Against Other Vera Schilling Ted Crane * Anonymous (Several) Ronda Roaring** Supervisor Gagnon noted that there were a number of emails and phone conversations conveyed by Hutnik that were attached to the agenda. *Crane had a question about the availability of identifying information of grant recipients and the money they received or spent. Privacy concerns were discussed. Planner Hutnik will investigate whether this information can/should be shared . **Roaring: I called Thoma and had a long talk with the person there. And it seemed to me that people are misspeaking in that the person who just spoke said that she was glad to have the grant, but she didn't receive the grant. Thoma received the grant. She was a recipient. It's an important issue, because she has this money that was used on her house that put her into what's similar to a second mortgage on her property. So if she should, for whatever reason, sell her house tomorrow, she has to pay the money back to Thoma , and so it's not a grant. It's not a grant to her, until she has lived with this whole thing for years, and it actually has a negative effect on anyone who was participating in this program . It has a negative effect on their credit rating, so that if she tried to buy a car and take out a loan to buy a car, then she wouldn't be able to do that because her credit rating has been negatively affected by this money that's attached to her mortgage. So, I think that, of course, it's the responsibility of the participant to really check all these things out and make 2 | P a g e sure that they understand what they're engaging in ffnancially. I think that it's been misrepresented by implying that it's the homeowner that's receiving the grant when it's not, and that that was just my big complaint about that. I'm glad that all these people were able to participate in this and that they were able to get repairs on their houses. We certainly need more of that. I think it's become so expensive to just keep up an older house that I think there are a lot of people who are in trouble. But anyway, I just want people to understand that it's not a grant to the homeowner. Supervisor Gannon responded to Roaring’s comment: I believe that that's incorrect. It is a grant to the homeowner after a certain number of years. Given , there is indeed a mortgage associated if the property is sold within ffve years . Th oma administered the grant, they didn't receive it. It was not a grant to Thoma . Public Hearing Closed at 6:23 PM Meeting Called to Order 6:24 Additions/Deletions to the Agenda ~ None Privilege of the Floor Ronda Roaring: I'm really opposed to this contract with Cooperative Extension. There is absolutely nothing in the contract that indicates what kind of enrichment they are going to be providing to the children of Danby. I think it's an outrageous amount of money. I've sai d before, the parents’ ought to be involved in this and that the contract is nothing but a contract to hire a person, and we have no idea what they're going to be doing. It sounds more to me like they're going to be enriching themselves through various programs they'll attend . Anyway, I'm opposed to it. Steve Cortright Responding to questions from Gagnon regarding ARPA Funds status update: Hurd Energy will do the electrical work for the WDWD Olfice Building. Cortright will get any invoices to the Town before the end of the year. Correspondence ~ None Announcements Connors mentioned some confusion about an article in the Tompkins Weekly paper about the Rhize Up Community Farm. Hutnik elaborated on the concerns about the article and will include a statement about it in his monthly writeup in the Danby Town News. Hutnik announced a CDBG Grant of $695,000 for additional Housing rehabilitation. Reports and Presentations – None 3 | P a g e Meeting Minutes Resolution 2 71 of 2024 To Accept the December 2 , 2024, Town Board Meeting Minutes Moved by Hunter Seconded by Connors Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Abstain         Resolution 271 of 2024 passed on December 16, 2024  Warrant Abstract 24 of 2024 Resolution 2 72 of 2024 To Approve Budget Transfers Between Accounts FROM TO AMOUNT A1420.400 Attorney, Contr. A1620.410 Information Tech. $928.00 A1420.400 Attorney, Contr. A1620.420 Website $100.00 A9060.800 Health Insurance A9070.800 Drug Testing $107.00 A1410.113 Project Assistant A1410.100 Dept. Town Clerk $600.00 Moved by Connors     Seconded by Gagnon Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 2 72 of 2024 passed on December 16, 2024   Resolution 2 73 of 2024 To Accept General Fund Vouchers 459 - 496 $35,618.25 Moved by Connors     Seconded by Gagnon Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 2 73 of 2024 passed on December 16, 2024   4 | P a g e Resolution 2 74 of 2024 To Accept Highway Fund Vouchers 226 - 234 for $224,630.80 Moved by Connors     Seconded by Gagnon Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 2 74 of 2024 passed on December 16, 2024   Resolution 2 75 of 2024 To Accept WD Water District Fund Vouchers 35 - 37 for $453.74 Moved by Connors     Seconded by Woodworth Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 2 75 of 2024 passed on December 16, 2024   Business ARPA Closeout Decisions ARPA FUNDS RECONCILIATION 12/16/2024 TOTAL AWARD $343,520.00 PROJECTS: Participation in Broad Band Study $4,000.00 REPORTED Upgrade of Town's Information Technology Services 18,146.87 REPORTED Building for Water Administration 14,599.80 SPENT Cloud Permit Software 6,500.00 SPENT Additional Charges 3,500.00 COMMITTED Roller for Highway 150,592.00 SPENT Security System for Highway 11,200.00 INSTALLED Drainage Project at Highway 7,208.00 BOARD APPROVAL - ORDER PLACED Highway - Loader Forks 5,500.00 BOARD APPROVAL -ORDER TOMORROW Highway - West Jersey Hill Culvert 17,292.00 PROJECT COMPLETE Codification - General Code 16,000.00 COMMITTED 5 | P a g e TOTAL REPORTED, COMMITTED, SPENT $254,538.67 OTHER PROJECTS Solar Array Purchase $73,100.00 WAITING FOR APPROVAL OF CONTRACT BY SUNVESTMENT Bldg for Water Admin - Additional Exp. $5,000.00 WAITING FOR EXPENSES AND CONTRACT DEDICATED BUILDING RESERVE $14,881.33 AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENER FOR TOWN HALL , ACCESSABILITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR TOWN HALL, SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS FOR TOWN CLERK AND CODE OFFICES TOTAL OTHER PROJECTS $92,981.33 TOTAL ARPA FUNDS $347,520.00 Discussion ensued regarding use of the building capital reserve fund to commit ARPA funds for projects still needing contracts. Resolution 2 7 6 of 2024 To Spend ARPA Money out of the Building Capital Reserve Fund to Finish up the listed ARPA Projects Moved by Gagnon     Seconded by Connors Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 27 6 of 2024 passed on December 16, 2024   Authorize $60,000 NYSERDA Grant Signing for Town Hall Energy Improvements Holahan went over the recommended energy updates from the building audit report. Speciffcally, a point of use hot water heater, pipe insulation and WI FI controlled thermostat , and heat pumps. The money will be used toward what’s been documented in the report, although some changes could occur as long as they are geared towards energy improvements to the building. Resolution 2 77 of 2024 To Authorize $60,000 NYSERDA Grant Signing for Town Hall Energy Improvements Moved by Hansen    Seconded by Connors Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  6 | P a g e Gagnon Yes         Resolution 2 77 of 2024 passed on December 16, 2024   Resolution to Correct Misidentification of Tax Parcel 11.-1-21 in Resolution Accepting the Curtiss Easement It was recently discovered that the ffling for the Curtis easement was not done completely. The body of the easement was ffled with the County Clerk, but the associated schedules were not. And, the resolution that the town board passed accepting the easement misidentiffed the tax p arcel. This resolution is to correct those deffciencies. Resolution 278 of 2024 – Corrective Resolution for the Curtiss Conservation Easement Whereas in 2019, the Town Board approved and accepted a Deed of Conservation Easement for a 4.22 -acre parcel owned by Joan and Rich Curtiss (Resolution No. 64 of 2019); and Whereas Resolution No. 64 of 2019 misidentiffes the tax parcel number of the conservation easement as 11.-1 -19, which is the tax parcel number of the property immediately to the south; and Whereas the correct tax parcel number of the Curtiss Conservation Easement is 11.-1-21; and Whereas Schedules A, B, and C of the Deed of Conservation Easement were not ffled with the Tompkins County Clerk; and Whereas the Town Board wishes to correct these ministerial errors; Now therefore be it Resolved that the Town Board of the Town of Danby corrects for the record that the Curtiss Conservation Easement as approved by the Town Board at Resolution 64 of 2019 is for Tax Parcel No. 11.-1 -21; and Resolved that the Town Board authorizes the ffling of this Resolution and Schedules A, B, and C, as approved at Resolution No. 64 of 2019, with the Tompkins County Clerk, and indexing them to Instrument #2019 -13847. Moved by Hansen    Seconded by Connors Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 2 78 of 2024 passed on December 16, 2024   Authorize Signing 2025 Rural Youth Services Contract with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County Resolution 2 79 of 2024 To Authorize Signing 2025 Rural Youth Services Contract with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County Moved by Woodworth   Seconded by Connors Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  7 | P a g e Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 2 79 of 2024 passed on December 16, 2024   Resolution in Support of Additional Time for Public Comment on Salt Mine Infiltration Water Disposal Application Resolution 280 of 2024 In support of a Digital Time Frame for Public Comment on Salt Mine Infiltration for the Cayuga Salt Mine WHEREAS, Cargill Incorporated has submitted a permit application (0 -9999-00075/00001) to renew and modify its Mined Land Reclamation Permit for the Cayuga Salt Mine, which includes plans to ifood the abandoned S3 Zone of the mine beneath Cayuga Lake with wastewater, potentially impacting the environment and the community; WHEREAS, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has declared itself the lead agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) and issued a Negative Declaration despite the application being classiffed as a Type I action, which typically requires a more thorough environmental review; WHEREAS, signiffcant concerns have been raised regarding the adequacy of Cargill’s application, including compliance with the Mined Land Reclamation Law, monit oring and treatment of waste materials, the potential for groundwater pollution, the stability of the mine, and the long -term reclamation of the affected areas; WHEREAS, the proposed ifooding of the S3 Zone raises serious questions about the safety and environmental integrity of Cayuga Lake, particularly in light of prior instability noted in this area and the implications of storing not -fully-saturated brine beneath the lake; WHEREAS, various stakeholders, including environmental groups and local olfi cials, have expressed concerns regarding the potential adverse impacts of Cargill’s proposed activities, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive environmental impact statement and public engagement; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town o f Danby formally requests that the DEC: 1. Deny Cargill’s permit application or, alternatively, rescind the Negative Declaration and require the preparation of a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement to assess all potential environmental risks associated with the proposed activities. 2. Conduct a public hearing to allow for community input and address the substantive concerns raised by residents and stakeholders regarding the application. 3. Ensure that Cargill’s Reclamation Plan and accompa nying bond are revised to adequately address environmental protection and public safety, and that sulficient measures are implemented to prevent potential pollution and ensure the long -term stability of the mine and surrounding 8 | P a g e areas. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to Comment.CayugaSaltMine2023@dec.ny.gov, DEC Commissioner Dereth Glance (dereth.glance@dec.ny.gov), OGS Commissioner Jeanette Moy (olficeofthecommissioner@ogs.ny.gov), and  DEC Permit Administrator Jonathan Stercho (jonathan.stercho@dec.ny.gov) to ensure that the voices of the Town of Danby’s residents are heard in this critical decision -making process. Moved by Gagnon    Seconded by Connors Vote:  Connors Yes  Hansen    Yes Hunter Yes  Woodworth Yes  Gagnon Yes         Resolution 2 80 of 2024 passed on December 16, 2024   Decommissioning Bond Agreements for Norbut Solar Farm Discussion regarding who the agreement is between. No action was taken. Discussion of Next Meeting Agenda Interviews, if any, with new applicants for boards and committees Adjourn 7:30 PM