HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-03-05TB 3 -5 -03
TOWN OF DRYDEN
TOWN BOARD MEETING
March 5, 2003
Board Members Present: Supv Mark Varvayanis, Cl Stephen Stelick, Jr., Cl Deborah
Grantham, Cl Christopher Michaels
Absent: Cl Charles Hatfield
Other Elected Officials: ]:iambi L. Hollenbeck, Town Clerk
Other Town Staff: Mahlon R. Perkins, Town Attorney
Henry Slater, Zoning Office
David Putnam (TG Millers), Town Engineer
Supv Varvayanis opened the meeting at 9:03 p.m. and led board members and guests
in the pledge of allegiance.
Prior to the meeting the board had toured the Varna Fire Department. Supv Varvayanis
said that they had insisted that the NFPA standards are law in New York State. Atty Perkins
said they are published by the National Fire Protective Association. They create certain •
standards which can or can not be adopted or incorporated by reference. Supv Varvayanis ()►
said they are concerned about paragraph 12 of the proposed fire contract and said they cannot e
meet NFPA standards and the fire department believes it is law in New York State. Cl
Grantham said they need to know exactly what they are required to comply with under
paragraph 12. They also had a question about why Worker's Compensation Insurance was so
high for Varna and Etna, and Supv Varvayanis said he will check on that with Dianne McFall. e
The Board reviewed a letter drafted by Atty Perkins to be sent to the Fire Departments
explainuzg that the Town will pay for the audits, but will not waive its rights with respect to
future audits. The Board suggested some wording changes which Atty Perkins will make
before sending the letter.
Supv Varvayanis reminded the board that they had recently raised the hourly rate paid
Randy Marcus, the attorney for the Zoning Board of Appeals. He suggested that they raise the
rate paid to Atty Perkins for non - reimbursable business from $125 per hour to $150 per hour.
(Reimbursable is currently billed at $150 per hour.) Cl Michaels said he had no objection.
RESOLUTION #45 - INCREASE ATTORNEY'S HOURLY RATE
Cl Michaels offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby increase the hourly rate paid Mahlon R.
Perkins for non - reimbursable business to $150.00 per hour.
2nd Cl Stelick
Roll Call Vote
Cl Stelick Yes
Supv Varvayanis Yes
Cl Michaels Yes
Cl Grantham Yes
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Jennifer Glaab, Recreation Coordinator, informed the Board that she would like to
® attend a annual conference of the New York State Recreation and Park Society. Members of
the Recreation Commission are in favor of her attending this to further her education. She has
been able to get a discount on the membership and $100 toward travel reimbursement (to be
used toward hotel, registration, etc. expenses). She would like the board to authorize the
expenditure of a sum not to exceed $482.85 hotel $282, registration $185, travel by bus
$90.85 and $25 toward meals).
RESOLUTION #46 - AUTHORIZE CONFERENCE EXPENSES FOR RECREATION
COORDINATOR
Supv Varvayanis offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorize the expenditure of a sum not to
exceed $482.85 in connection with the Recreation Coordinator's attendance at a conference by
the New York State Recreation and Park Society,
2nd Cl Stelick V
Roll Call Vote C1 Stelick Yes
Supv Varvayanis Yes
Cl Michaels Yes
Cl Grantham Yes
'rhe Town has received a resume from Eric McConnell who is would like to serve on the
Youth Commission and has attended a few of the meetings.
RESOLUTION #47 - APPOINT YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSION ME
Cl Grantham offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby appoints Eric McConnell to serve on Youth
Services Commission for a term to expire December 31, 2005.
2rid Cl Michaels
Roll Call Vote Cl Stelick Yes
Supv Varvayanis Yes
Cl Michaels Yes
Cl Grantham Yes
Cl Grantham said that the application the County uses for committees is better than
our current form and after discussion the Board asked that the Town's form be revised.
Supv Varvayanis told the board that the Town has the right to adopt a building code
that is a different than the new State code if it desires. ZO Slater said that a lot of the things
make sense, but some of it doesn't. He'd like to have an opportunity to operate under the new
State code before deciding whether the To%vn should adopt an amended version.
The Planning Board has reviewed the request of Cor Drost to have his parcel of property
on Royal Road rezoned and it is their recommendation that: the request be approved. They
examined the surrounding land use and the impact that the master plan might have on the
zoning in the area and decided that it would be all right: to change it now rather than waiting
for the completion of the master plan because the uses in the area would remain essentially
the same. Atty Perkins will prepare the necessary paper work and next week a proposal can be
introduced and a public hearing set for April on the matter. Cl Michaels said that Cor Drost is
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one of the officers of Transonic, a client of his firm. He does not believe it: is a conflict, but is
disclosing it.
Supv Varvayanis has served on the board of Cayuga Medical Center for the past two
years. His term is expiring and will need to be renewed.
RESOLUTION #48 - APPOINT REPRESENTATIVE TO CAYUGA MEDICAL CENTER
Cl Grantham offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board does hereby appoint Mark Varvayanis to serve as its
representative to Cayuga Medical Center.
211d Cl Michaels
Roll Call Vote Cl Stelick Yes
Supv Varvayanis Yes
C1 Michaels Yes
Cl Grantham Yes
C1 Grantham said that the Conservation Advisory Council has a complete draft of the
Open Space Inventory and would like to make it available for public comment. There are no
requirements for public hearings. Atty Perkins said the board should formally accept their
inventory and map, but it would not be a bad idea to make a public presentation of it. The
CAC would like to have one at the Dryden Town Hall and one at the Varna Community
Association to present the inventory and gather comments. They will try to get those set up
prior to April.
Cl Grantham has prepared and distributed to board members and others the notice of
intent that is required with respect to the new storm water regulations. Board members and
Dave Putnam commented on the draft and Cl Grantham will contact the Highway
Superintendent for comments. The storm water management plan (a five year plan) that
accompanies the notice of intent will be reviewed for acceptability. Acceptability makes the
municipality for environmental protection funding. Previous to preparation of this document
Cl Grantham attended a video conference by the DEC and a meeting was held at the Town Hall
with the Supervisor, Highway Superintendent, Zoning Officers, 'town Engineer and a
representative from County Planning. Cl Grantham asked that the board authorize the
Supervisor to file the Notice of Intent.
RESOLUTION #49 - AUTHORIZE FILING OF NOTICE OF INTENT
Cl Grantham offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the filing of a Notice of Intent and
accompanying storm water management plan as presented with respect to the State's new
Storm Water Regulations by March 10, 2003.
211d Supv Varvayanis
Roll Call Vote Cl Stelick Yes
Supv Varvayanis Yes
Cl Michaels Yes
Cl Grantham Yes
With respect to the new town hall, Cl Grantham reported that an appraisal of the `box
car site' on Dryden road had been received. It came in at $170,000 and the property is listed
for sale for $275,000. She said she thinks it is a good site and has a lot of parking space and
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Pam Kingsbury thinks it is a good site. She would like to make the owner an offer. Cl Stelick
said he would like to discuss it at the next meeting. Ct Michaels said in general the appraisal
sounds reasonable and it seems to be a pretty good location, but there had been discussion
about locating near the new DOT site. Cl Grantham said a new building on the current site
would cause problems because of drainage, the space available and because the Highway
Superintendent has expressed an interest in expanding that building. At Atty Perkins's
suggestion and after further discussion, it was decided to try and secure an option to purchase
the Dryden Road site for $170,000, and not put the matter on the agenda unless an option has
been secured.
RESOLUTION #i50 - AUTHORIZE OPTION TO PURCHASE
Cl Grantham offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption:
RESOLVED, that this Town Board does hereby authorize the Supervisor to negotiate an
option to purchase the Dryden Road site at a price of $170,000.
2n<1 Cl Michaels
Roll Call Vote Cl Stelick Yes
Supv Varvayanis Yes
Cl Michaels Yes
Cl Grantham Yes
Cl Michaels asked D Putnam when his report would be ready with respect to
development of a water district in the Ellis /Enterprise Drive area and he responded that he
would have it by the first April board meeting.
Cl Stelick said that the Town's current employee handbook was dated October 1996
and in reviewing it he felt: there were some inconsistencies, such as the requirements for
alcohol and substance abuse testing. He would like to form a committee to review the
handbook and policies. Cl Michaels suggested that Joe Stelick review the matter and make
recommendations. Cl Stelick asked how the Union would affect the policy and Atty Perkins
said the collective bargaining unit will govern the relationship between the Town and the
Highway /DPW Departments, and they need not necessarily be the same. Cl Grantham said
there needs to be a grievance procedure for employees of the Town to follow. Cl Michaels said
he would be in favor of pooling the vacation, sick and personal days.
Atty Perkins presented the Board with a reap showing the customers that currently are
hooked up to Village water in the Town's sewer district, together with maps of the boundaries
which were proposed for a water district in 1985, 1991 and 1999. The 1999 version excludes
the TC3 and TC3 Foundation property and includes the mobile home parks. Supv Varvayanis
asked why TC3 would not be included in a water district and Dave Putnam said that because
of it's location on the hill there would need to be pumps and a water tank, which TC3 has
done, and there is not a need for it now. It is an engineering issue; it is not needed anymore.
But if the Town wanted to clean up the problem with the Village servicing parcels outside the
Village, then a separate water district could be formed that only included the parcels serviced
by the water tank. Cl Michaels suggested the Town let TC3 la-low that the Town is thinking of
forming a water district.
Atty Perkins updated the Board on the Moore Subdivision matter. Mr Moore filed a plat
years ago, abandoned the subdivision, came to the Zoning Officer last summer and made some
representations and got some questions answered about: two logs, then went and filed the plat
again, which he had not discussed with the Zoning Officer. That was an unlawful filing. Mr.
Moore has sold a parcel to Peck and to Stotz, and before today was still offering for sale via
multiple listing service, lots 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 on the map. Atty Perkins has talked with his
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attorney and with the attorney for the Ithaca Board of Realtors and advised them that Mr
Moore had abandoned the subdivision then unlawfully refiled the plat. Mr Moore has gone to
the Assessment Department and filed another hand drawn map which results in him having
two very irregularly shaped tax parcels (20.3 and 20.2). Until today Mr Moore was still offering
the lots for sale, but has now withdrawn them from the listing. Atty Perkins said that he had
explained to Mr. Moore's attorney (Michael May) that he may sell one more lot if he retains the
rest of the property, or he can go through subdivision again.
Atty Perkins said the County Clerk had taken the plat because it had all the signatures
and seals, and he feels the Town should write a letter to her advising her that she does have an
obligation to make sure that the maps are current and that the owner has complied with the
local municipality's requirements. He said the Assessment Department also needs to address
the situation in that being able to simply adjust lot lines in their office seems to be a violation
of the Town's Subdivision Ordinance. The Board asked Atty Perkins to write to the County
Clerk and to the Division of Assessment, and copy the County Representatives.
Cl Grantham suggested that the subdivision ordinance may need to be revised. ZO
Slater said the Planning Board had discussed the matter and will probably make a
recommendation to the Board at some point regarding a major subdivision and minor
subdivision policy.
Cl Stelick asked if the local law for the recreation commission needed to be revised to
include the recreation coordinator position. He would like some indication with respect to the
hierarchy and where the rec coordinator sits. Supv Varvayanis noted that the Rec Coordinator
does not work for the Recreation Commission, but is a resource for them. Cl Grantham said
the recreation commission is an advisory committee to the Town.
On motion of C1 Stelick, seconded by Cl Michaels, and unanimously carried, the board
moved into executive session to discuss the employment history of a particular individual at
10:18 p.m. No action was taken and the meeting was adjourned at 10:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Arth /' '41
Bambi L. Hollenbeck
Town Clerk
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