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Home My WebLink About2026-09-01 Town Board Meeting Minutes 1 | P a g e Town of Danby Town Board Regular Meeting Minutes Held Tuesday, September 1st, 2026, at the Danby Town Hall Board Members Present: Joel Gagnon, Town Supervisor Mariah Dillon Leslie Connors Zachary Larkins, via Zoom Mark Pruce Town Staff and Officials: Blake Savoy, Town Clerk Greg Hutnik, Town Planner George Frantz, Planning Consultant Ted Jones, Town Bookkeeper Other Attendees: Marnie Kirchgessner Steve Selin Toby Dean Brad Rauch Jennifer Tiffany Ted Crane Ronda Roaring Pat Woodworth Cap’t Tilton Julie Clougherty Katharine Hunter Theresa Garry Meeting Called to Order at 6:00pm Public Hearing- Local Law to Override the Tax Cap for Budget Year 2027 Marnie Kirschgessner spoke in favor of the law. Ted Crane spoke in favor of the law. Katharine Hunter spoke in favor of the law. The public hearing was closed at 6:05pm. Additions/Deletions to the Agenda -None Privilege of the Floor Marnie Kirchgessner spoke about her work on the County Recreation Partnership Board and on the Danby Youth Commission. She stated that she would like to be added to a future agenda to go over her report on the participation of youth programming. Ted Crane announced that there would be a flower workshop at Dotson Park on Sunday, September 5th and a singalong on Sunday, September 6th. He also stated that he was against changing the Town zoning definition of agriculture to match the one from NYSDAM because it could be overly lenient. Steve Selin announced that South Hill Cider would be holding live music events on their patio at a low volume on Thursday, September 3rd and Friday, September 4th and that he would be available if anyone wanted to ask his input on zoning regulations relating to agriculture and events. 2 | P a g e Gary Huddle asked about the extent of the e-bike local law and whether it would apply only to Town roads or all roads in the Town, such as 96B, and if there were any helmet requirements. Board Member Dillon replied that the law would apply to public roads in Danby and it defaulted to State law regarding helmet use. She reiterated that the purpose of this law was to treat e-bikes as bikes, liable to the same rules. Julie Clougherty expressed concern regarding events at South Hill Cider, specifically pending an appealto the BZA. Ronda Roaring stated that bikes should not ride in the emergency lane on 96B. Katharine Hunter expressed support for e-bikes in Danby and concerns about townspeople involved in the potential changes to agriculture definitions in the Town’s zoning law. Ted Crane expressed curiosity as to why the Town is putting itself in a position to incur more legal fees. Correspondence 1. Letter from Town of Caroline providing notice of public hearing for a Site Plan Review for the former Celebrations facility 2. Letter from the American Legion Post #221 providing notice of their intent to renew their liquor license 3. Email from Hunter Grigg "Ag Def" 4. Email from Kelly Morris "Supporting Immigrants in Our Community" (Meeting Room Use Request) 5. Email from Ronda Roaring "Letter to TB" with responses from Board Member Pruce 6. Email from Ronda Roaring "Danby getting involved in the immigration issue" 7. Email from Jennifer Tiffany "Agriculture in Danby - Updating definitions" 8. Email from Brad Rauch "Comments concerning Ag zoning definitions" Announcements Clerk Savoy announced that County Legislator Irene Weiser would be holding a county budget discussion at Town Hall on Saturday, September 12th at 11am-12 noon. Meeting Minutes Due to uncertainty regarding regulations about voting via Zoom, Board Member Larkins was not polled for his vote until later in the meeting. His abstention is recorded as “not counted due to circumstance” to reflect this. Resolution 241 of 2026 to Approve the 8/4/26 Town Board Meeting Minutes Vote Moved by Connors Seconded by Pruce Vote: Connors Yes Dillon Yes Larkins Not counted due to circumstance Pruce Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 241 of 2026 passed on September 1st, 2026 Reports and Presentations • Clerk’s Monthly Report • No Code Enforcement Officer’s report was submitted, the absence of which was discussed. 3 | P a g e Warrant Abstract 20 of 2026 Resolution 242 of 2026 to Approve General Fund Vouchers #319-332 for $6,033.93 Vote Moved by Connors Seconded by Pruce Vote: Connors Yes Dillon Yes Larkins Not counted due to circumstance Pruce Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 242 of 2026 passed on September 1st, 2026 Resolution 243 of 2026 to Approve Highway Fund Vouchers #150-156 for $62,143.17 Vote Moved by Connors Seconded by Pruce Vote: Connors Yes Dillon Yes Larkins Not counted due to circumstance Pruce Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 243 of 2026 passed on September 1st, 2026 Resolution 244 of 2026 to Approve Water Fund Vouchers #22-28 for $827.85 Vote Moved by Connors Seconded by Pruce Vote: Connors Yes Dillon Yes Larkins Not counted due to circumstance Pruce Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 244 of 2026 passed on September 1st, 2026 Business Schedule Public Hearing on e-Bike Local Law Resolution 245 of 2026 to Schedule the Public Hearing for the E-Bike Local Law for the Start of the First Town Board Meeting of October 6th, 2026 at 6pm Vote Moved by Connors Seconded by Pruce Vote: Connors Yes Dillon Yes Larkins Not counted due to circumstance Pruce Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 245 of 2026 passed on September 1st, 2026 4 | P a g e Action on the Tax Cap Override Local Law Resolution 246 of 2026 to Approve Tax Cap Override Local Law Vote Moved by Gagnon Seconded by Pruce Vote: Connors Yes Dillon Yes Larkins Not counted due to circumstance Pruce Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 246 of 2026 passed on September 1st, 2026 After the vote, Clerk Savoy stated that he had reviewed the relevant Town of Danby law relating to videoconferencing (LL #3 of 2022), and that it allowed Board Member Larkins full participation in meetings when a physical quorum of the Board is met. Board Member Larkins stated that he would have voted “Yes” on the Tax Cap Override Local Law. NYAOT Resolutions for the September Legislative Conference The Board discussed whether to go over them at the meeting but decided to add the item to next meeting’s agenda so they could review them more. No formal action was taken. Meeting Room Use Request A request was made by the Migrant Advocacy and Support Group to use the Town Hall Meeting Room on September 14th at 7pm for a presentation. Resolution 247 of 2026 to Approve the Meeting Room Use Request for the Migrant Advocacy and Support Group to Meet on September 14th Discussion: the Board discussed approvals for meeting room use, and particularly the fact that allowing meeting room use is not endorsement of an idea, group, or value. Vote Moved by Dillon Seconded by Gagnon Vote: Connors Yes Dillon Yes Larkins Yes Pruce Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 247 of 2026 passed on September 1st, 2026 Discussion of Proposal to Revise Agriculture Definition and Additon of Site Plan Review within the Town Zoning Law Town Planner Hutnik and Former Interim Planner Frantz reviewed proposed revisions to the definition of agriculture in the zoning law, particularly to match the definition of agriculture held by NYSDAM. Wastewater Study- Rescind Contract Supervisor Gagnon explained that the Water and Wastewater Working Group had found that the project of creating wastewater infrastructure (sewers) in the Danby and West Danby hamlets was cost-prohibitive with the recommended treatment and that the contract with Hunt Engineers should be rescinded. 5 | P a g e Resolution 248 of 2026 to Rescind the Contract with Hunt Engineers Vote Moved by Gagnon Seconded by Connors Vote: Connors Yes Dillon Yes Larkins Yes Pruce Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 248 of 2026 passed on September 1st, 2026 Fill BZA and Planning Board Vacancies It was explained that because Elizabeth Lamb and Pacific Austin had not filed their oaths of office within 30 days of appointment, they would need to be reappointed to their seats. The term length would be the same as at the time of initial appointment. Resolution 249 of 2026 to Appoint Pacific Austin to the Planning Board for a Term Ending on December 31st, 2030 Vote Moved by Connors Seconded by Dillon Vote: Connors Yes Dillon Yes Larkins Yes Pruce Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 249 of 2026 passed on September 1st, 2026 Resolution 250 of 2026 to Appoint Elizabeth Lamb to the BZA for a Term Ending on December 31st, 2030 Vote Moved by Connors Seconded by Dillon Vote: Connors Yes Dillon Yes Larkins Yes Pruce Yes Gagnon Yes Resolution 250 of 2026 passed on September 1st, 2026 Next meeting’s agenda -NYAOT Resolutions for September Legislative Conference -Town contractors and budget -General code update The meeting adjourned at 7:46 PM.