HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-10-10TB 10 -10 -01
TOWN OF DRYDEN
TOWN BOARD MEETING
October 10, 2001
Board Members Present: Supv Mark Varvayanis, Cl Ronald Beck, Cl Thomas Hatfield,
Cl Charles Hatfield, Cl Deborah Grantham
Other Elected Officials: Bambi L. I•Iollenbeck, Town Clerk
Jack Bush, Highway Superintendent
Other Town Staff* Mahlon R. Perkins, Town Attorney
Henry Slater, Zoning Officer
David Putnam (TG Millers), Town Engineer
Supv
Varvayanis opened the meeting at
7:05
p.m. Board members and guests
participated
in the pledge of allegiance followed
by a
moment of silence.
CITIZENS PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR
None,
COUNCIL PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR
Cl T Hatfield reported that Joe Lalley had contacted him to say that he may not be able
to attend tonight's meeting.
Cl Grantham reported that the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization
has completed it's management plan. A copy is available at: the Town Clerk's Office and copies
will be sent to the Villages of Dryden and Freeville.
Cl Grantham stated that the Conservation Advisory Council passed a resolution last
night recommending that Joyce Gerbasi continue to represent the Town on the Emergency
Management Council. That recommendation will be fowarded along with the Town Board's
when Joyce's application is received.
Supv Varvayanis reported that he is meeting with Carl Haynes at TC3 tomorrow at 9:00
a.m. for a presentation of the sports complex that TC3 has planned.
TOWN ATTORNEY
Atty Perkins reported that he had reviewed the agreement between the New York State
Emergency Management Office and the Town for the Virgil Creek Project and it is in suitable
form to be signed, but he pointed out that the agreement doesn't necessarily obligate the State
to give the Town any money until the federal government has given the State money. It is
subject to the State Attorney General and the Comptroller, which is standard with agreements
made on behalf of the State of New York. The Town would receive funds after the work was
completed and reports were submitted. He sees no reason why the board should not authorize
the Supervisor to sign the agreement:. The Town would be required to maintain the project
after it was completed. There is some language in the agreement that so long as all the
requirements are met, if there is a problem in the future the Town will still be eligible for
federal money to repair it.
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® Monthly report has been distributed to board members and board is not: prepared to
approve minutes. Nothing further.
ENGINEERING
Nothing.
ZONING OFFICER
Monthly report has been distributed to board members. Nothing further.
COUNTY BRIEFING
Mike Lane reported with respect to Ellis Hollow Road that there was a public works
committee meeting yesterday and they are still proceeding with the capital program which if it
comes to fruition will have a county expenditure of about 1.6 million dollars to rebuild the road
(a little over three miles). Construction will probably not occur until 2003. The County Board
has designated an engineering firm for the project. There were eight responses to the request:
for proposals, four were interviewed and Fischer Associates of Rochester was chosen. One of
the reasons they were hired was because of their commitment to solutions that include traffic
calming and other things that are important to the people in Ellis Hollow. Representatives of
the firm will be attending the first meeting regarding the project at the Ellis Hollow Community
Center on October 18. The road is eligible for federal funding although it has been turned
down twice previously. They will attempt to obtain federal funding again. It will probably be a
more expensive project if they go the federal route, but it would mean less money locally.
® The recycling contract with Superior will be extended for another 3 year period. The
price was right and Superior has promised to obtain new trucks which will make the drop off
process easier.
The second expanded budget committee review was held this afternoon, with all but one
board member attending. The capital program was reviewed as well as the human services
budget, health department budget and mental health department budget. Agencies are
concerned because they are not only receiving cuts from the County, but from the State. About
50% of the County budget is for human service programs. Much of that comes from State and
Federal funding and because of September 11 the news is not likely to be good next: year.
There are National Guard on duty at t:he airport: and are expected to be there for
approximately six months, after which the federal government will probably have put into
motion some kind of federal employees for the airports. 'There are new restrictions at the
airport, including that you can't park within 300' of the terminal which limits the short-term
parking.
Cl T Ratlield asked Mike Lane to provide him with the budget figures for the last year
Emery Guest was Sheriff, the current Sheriffs budget, and the projected figure for 2002.
Peter Meskill, Tompkins County Sheriff, arrived and gave the board a presentation and
information regarding the Sheriffs Department. Information was presented regarding the
number of staff in all different categories. He stated it is evident that his Department "does a
lot with a little." Uniform Crime Reporting statistics for Tompkins County January through
March 2001 were distributed indicating that the Sheriff's Department was the busiest law
enforcement agency in the County during that: tame.
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Sheriff Meskill explained that in order to put together his budget this year as proposed
by the county administrator, they had to absorb contractual payroll increases, a
® reclassification of wage increase which was not done when the rest of the County re- classed in
1989 and 1990 in the Sheriffs office, and benefit increases, together with a 2% decrease. What
the Sheriff presented to the County was a budget to maintain what they currently have, with
no additional staffing or equipment. He stated that if the budget stands as it was approved by
the public safety committee, they will lose two road deputies off the force (a 10% reduction),
two corrections officers, and a clerk. Sheriff Meskill has discovered a report that was prepared
in 1995 that recommended the Sheriff have at least 21 deputies besides the supervisors and
other personnel and noted that the department is stall short of the recommendations from ten
years ago. The Sheriff is trying to do the best he can with the amount of money the County
gave him. The amount of time it takes to process a call has increased dramatically in the last
ten years because the laws have changed and more paperwork is required. A DAtI arrest can
take two to two and half hours to process. Maps were distributed showing the zones that have
been established for patrol and there currently is not always one deputy for each of the zones,
which is their goal. Sheriff' Meskill asked board members to speak with the Town's County
Board Representatives on his behalf if they agree that he needs more monetary assistance.
Sheriff Meskill stated that he tries to get to each Town once a year and see if there are
any issues or concerns and asked board members if there were any. Supv Varvayanis stated
that he hears complaints about speeding constantly and wondered what was being done about
that. Sheriff Meskill stated they have written a. lot more tickets in the last few years and were
awarded an Award of Excellence from the Department of Criminal Justice for work in traffic
enforcement. They have obtained a second speed trailer with grant funds and that should
arrive soon. They help in obtaining data to be used by the department. Sheriff Meskill stated
that if they receive information regarding certain times of the day on a particular road, they can
try to put a. car there.
® Sheriff Meskill stated the jail is currently full. Normal capacity is 72 people. They have
2 variances, 1 for a double bunking variance in a block (bringing the total to 91), and the other
is for bunk beds in the dorm areas with additional beds in the day areas (bringing the total to
104 or 105). He is going to Albany next week to try and maintain that variance.
Cl T Hatfield stated that it seems that the Department: has lost some effectiveness as a
road patrol as it has wandered off in other areas. Sheriff Meskill stated they are not just road
patrol, though in a rural community it is one of the best things they can do to make a positive
difference for the citizens. They currently have 5 sergeants and 19 deputies (only 17 positions
are filled), and it takes 5.3 people to cover a shift on a 24 -7 basis, and the sergeant needs to be
a supervisor on the shift not doing road patrol, so they are able to give advice to the deputies
and serve as backup if necessary. Cl T Hatfield suggested that perhaps they could use some
part time retired people to do things such as the DARE program and other prevention or
education programs.
COUNTY BRIEFING (continued)
Joe Lalley reported that the public safety communication project is being funded for
next year at zero, not because they are not going to be doing it, but they have $700,000 in the
project this year that has not been spent. They are hoping to go out with a request for
proposals and having them back by the end of January. An environmental impact statement
process will then begin. They are committed to engage in discussion with the Towns because
by March they will have a project description with towers and transmission sites. They will be
going back to square one with the environmental review and expect that process to be done
around the end of September. They would then need another month or so to digest that and
are trying to see what the state information network is doing. The committee does not expect
® to be in a position to spend money until January 2003. This will reduce the impact on taxes
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this year by 2%. J Lalley stated that it is important to remember that on the voice side of the
two -way radios, they are currently operating on the UHF band and they can continue to get
parts for that side of the system. There are holes in the coverage so the voice data is not the
most critical need, although it is important. The most critical need that has been identified by
the EMS community is paging, which is running in low band VHS that they are not building
the transmitters for. It is hard to get parts for the pagers. They are moving ahead with
development of project called simulcast paging and that is being funded next year in the capital
plan. They have requests for qualifications out now. It: could be handled by the two -way
system but they think it may be more economical to have it be stand alone system. He expects
it will cost: about $800,000, but they will know more when the RfQ's are back on October 15.
The EMS community has identified this as their most critical need. They think it is simpler
and may be a very economical approach to solving a critical need. The $800,000 is for the
system only, and there is discussion about who should fund the cost: of the pagers for the fire
and EMS communities. The subcommittee feels that since the fire and EMS communities
have always funded those in the past, they should do it again. J Lalley asked for the board's
feeling on this since the cost to replace the pagers will be approximately a quarter million
dollars.
J Lalley asked for feedback from the board on the aquifer study. That is a 1.650 million
county share with the Town's picking up an equal share and USGS handing about 30% of the
total cost. There is some question regarding the impact of towns that don't have zoning
ordinances and how would they be able to enact any regulations from that study. He is
puzzled because from the law suit basis, the Town's have declared that land use is their issue,
so he is wondering why the County should fund a project like this. He doesn't doubt the
importance of the project. He is asking for ideas and a -mails.
Supv Varvayanis stated that it is the County's responsibility to provide information on
natural resources by the Charter as he understands it, and if the County waits for Towns to
4D enact zoning and then tells them which areas to protect it is asking them to do it backwards.
Cl Grantham stated the County has responsibility for public; health, and drinking water directly
impacts public health, both quality and quantity, and the only way you can protect the wager is
if you know where it is and how much there is and what the potential threats to it are.
Aquifers, watersheds, streams, etc do not follow municipal boundaries and it has to be handled
on more of a regional level. The study would characterize the aquifers and identify potential
threats. Once that is done the Towns can work together to protect shared aquifers. Cl Beck
pointed out there is a lot of people in the city who wouldn't: have much of the aquifer, but
certainly use the water and if the Towns funded it they wouldn't be sharing in the cost whereas
if the County funded it they would be sharing more proportionally to their use of it. All the
aquifers and streams run to the lake.
Cl Grantham stated that the Town has said that the aqui.f'er study is important and
should be conducted at a county level and the Town has put money in the tentative budget for
2002 anticipating that there would need to be more set aside each year. Some of the
Supervisors have already talked to County Reps about the idea of taking it right off the top of
the sales tax so that it is distributed across the Towns on a population basis, meaning that it: is
distributed across people on the basis that they all drink and use about the same amount of
water. There is already a formula to distribute the sales tax by population so if you just take it
off the top of that before distribution to the Towns, you've essentially distributed the cost of the
aquifer study by the same formula. J Lalley noted that if it was distributed in that manner the
county's share would be about 9/ 10 of a percent distributed in that manner, as opposed to the
50 -50 split. M Lane noted that a 50 -50 split has not been determined and they plan to
negotiate that and the issue of what aquifers might be looked a1: first over the next year. Supv
Varvayanis stated there is one pool of money, the citizens', whether they pay through the
Village, City, Town or County. M Lane staged that taking the funds from the sales tax has not
been discussed by the full board or any committee yet.
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Cl Grantham - It's a suggestion, and I don't think anyone on this board is saying 50 -50.
is We were saying we're willing to pay part: of it. And I'm guessing that most of the Towns would
be willing to pay part of it. What the formula is, I'm not saying, but I do think that it belongs at:
a County level in order for it to be comprehensive and well done.
J Lalley - From the Town's perspective is there is an issue about doing it next year
versus deferring it to 2003?
CI Grantham - No, but our Conservation Advisory Council has a suggestion and I think
they will be writing that up in the next month and sending it to you. There is a source of data
that is essentially free, or pretty close to free, that the County could tap into. Cortland County
requires data to be filed on all wells that are drilled in the County. It's very simple, pretty much
depth to the water table and depth to the bedrock. That's basic, simple data that could be
already collected without involving USGS. You could have somebody collecting these reports.
It doesn't have to be anything very complicated, but it builds a basis of data you could start
with that's essentially free.
J Lalley - Hight now, as 1 understand it, the project is not funded for next year, but is
currently slated to be funded for 2003 and I'm not: sure I heard an answer to the question. Is
there a reason why we should be doing it in 2002 versus 2003?
Supv Varvayanis - It's important data and the sooner you get: started the happier I am.
Would 1 call that an issue? I don't know if that's the right term, but I'm encouraging all the
speed you guys can possibly get.
J Lalley - As I look at it, 2003 for the County is going to be even worse than 2002.
What was shaky for us in terms of the presentation last Friday was the uncertainly of the
is participation of the Towns, at what level, so it's still an open question in my mind and I wanted
to get some feedback from you.
The Board explained that: the Town of Dryden would like to see the study go forth, has
put $30,000 in this year's budget to indicate it's commitment to the study, and does not want
to bond for the study and have to pay interest. The Board would like the County to avoid
bonding and take the funds from the sales tax revenues. Mike Lane stated that they have had
feedback, mostly positive, from other Towns in the County, but that some Towns may not have
any aquifers. Supv Varvayanis informed him that the Town of Ithaca has agreed to the sales
tax revenue method of payment. Cl Beck explained that the sales tax issue takes care of the
splits as you spend the money before it gets distributed, and everybody gets a smaller piece of
the same pie they had before.
Mike Lane - The problem from the County level, is that that assumes that is the only
capital project we have to think about, and we have all the other capital projects we have to
think about.
Cl Beck - I thought of that, that you could take any capital project of a county nature
and spend it out of the sales tax, but I think probably this one is more appropriate.
J Lalley stated the issue again is whether you fund the project by bonding it for ten
years at $183,000 a year or you divert it from the sales tax of the top, you've still got to make
it up, because it's coming out of the County revenues and that's the dilemma. There are just
questions about that. I wasn't comfortable with the decision and I learned a bit more tonight.
If you have some other things to let me know about, 1'd appreciate it.
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Supv Varvayanis noted that. it's not just the lake. Cornell gets its water from Six Mile
Creek, and that is fed by aquifers. So if aquifers are polluted, the City gets polluted water and
they should care.
J Lalley stated that the reason he had voted no for the aquifer study for this year was
because of the questions that had been unanswered, and there was still opportunity to revisit
it.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
Supv Varvayanis explained that the Town had an opportunity to purchase recycled
asphalt, 400 tons at $6 per ton, and has done that.
DISCUSSION
CI Grantham wondered if the Better Housing mortgages had been indexed with a
notation of the appropriate mailing address for the Town of Dryden. Atty Perkins staged that
he is waiting for the recording information from Dianne McFall.
Cl Grantham stated that the bill for erosion control work on the Harvey /Hoag property
is in the abstract. It was a total of $1,500 and the Town's share is $500. The original contract
stated the Town's share was a third of $3,000 and Atty Perkins had suggested that the contract
be changed to reflect 1/3 of the total cost up to $1,000. Atty Perkins is not aware of the status
of the contract, but will check on it.. A discussion was previously had about using the
remainder of the Town's share that didn't get used to buy the easement from Hardesty since he
has to remove some fill that he put there. There is now $500 left to use for that and Cl
Grantham wanted to make sure that the board was still in agreement and they are. Atty
Perkins suggested that she approach Mr. Hardesty, and if he is agreeable, Atty Perkins will
draw up the appropriate paperwork.
RESOLUTION #202 - AUTHORIZE AGREEMENT WITH NYS EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT OFFICE
Cl Grantham offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Supervisor to execute an
agreement: with the New York State Emergency Management Office in connection with work to
be done on Virg Creek.
2 °,' Cl C Hatfield
Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes
Cl T Hatfield Yes
Supv Varvayanis Yes
Cl C Hatfield Yes
Cl Grantham Yes
RESOLUTION #203 - APPROVE ABSTRACT # 110
Cl T Hatfield offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #I 10, vouchers #712
through #811, excepting #760, as audited, totaling $481,644.96.
2nd Cl Grantham
Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes
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Cl T Hatfield Yes
Supv Varvayanis Yes
Cl C Hatfield Yes
Cl Grantham Yes
On motion made, seconded and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at
8:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
.A/7t4;' X)Nn
Bambi L. Hollenbeck
Town Clerk
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