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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-06-14 113 6- 14- 12 • TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING June 14, 2012 Present: Supervisor Mary Ann Sumner, Cl Stephen Stelick , Cl Jason Leifer, Cl Linda Lavine , Cl Joseph Solomon Other Town Staff: Dan Kwasnowski , Director of Planning; Patty Millard , Deputy Town Clerk • Supv Sumner opened the meeting at 7 : 30 p. m . RESOLUTION # 115 (2012 ) - WATER DISTRICT CALLING PUBLIC HEARING Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption : In the Matter of The Joint increase and Improvement of the ORDER Facilities of the Water District No . 1 , Snyder Hill CALLING Water District, Monkey Run Water District, Hall PUBLIC 41 Road Water District, Turkey Hill Water District, HEARING and Royal Road Water Districts in the Town of Dryden., Tompkins County, New York WHEREAS , the Town Board of the Town of Dryden, Tompkins County, New York, in conjunction with the Village of Lansing and the Village of Cayuga Heights, and the Towns of Lansing and Ithaca, has determined and agreed to participate in the provision of a joint water project for construction of a new water tank at Burdick Hill Road and construction of a new water transmission main at North Triphammer Road and to contract joint indebtedness therefor in accordance with Section 1 5 . 00 of the Local Finance Law pursuant an Agreement of Municipal Cooperation for Construction , Financing and Operation of an Inter-Municipal Water Supply and Transmission System (the "Interniunicipal Agreement") ; and WHEREAS , the Town Board of the Town of Dryden, Tompkins County, New York, has • had under consideration for said purpose the joint increase and improvement of the facilities of Page l nr7 TB 6- 14- I2 the Water District No . 1 , Snyder Hill Water District, Monkey Run Water District, Hall Road Water District, Turkey Hill Water District, and Royal Road Water Districts in and for said Town, consisting of (i) the construction of a new water tank at Burdick Hill Road; and (ii) and construction of a new water transmission main at North Triphammer Road ; and WI-IEREAS , a map, plan and report including an estimate of cost, relating to said joint increase and improvement of facilities has been duly prepared ; and WHEREAS , the maximum estimated cost to said Districts of such joint increase and improvement is initially determined to be $76,600, it being further determined that the remaining $ 1 ,923 ,400 of the overall $2 ,000,000 cost of this project, shall be initially apportioned and allocated to the Villages of ilansing and Cayuga Heights and the Consolidated Water District (including Consolidated Water District Extensions # 1 and 142) in the Town of Lansing and water improvement areas in the Town of Ithaca and that joint indebtedness shall be issued therefor and that the ultimate share of the cost to be allocated to the Town of Dryden pursuant to the aforedescribed intermunicipal Agreement shall be determined on the basis of benefits received or conferred or to be received or conferred from the aforesaid improvement; and WHEREAS , the cost shall be annually apportioned and the amounts so apportioned shall be annually assessed upon all the taxable real property in each such District at the same time and in the same manner as other Town charges, in an amount sufficient to pay said principal and interest as the same become due and payable, but if not paid from such source, all the taxable real property within said Town shall be subject to the levy of ad valorem taxes without limitation as to rate or amount sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on said bonds ; and WHEREAS , said $2 ,000,000 maximum estimated cost shall be authorized to be financed • by the joint issuance by the Town of Ithaca, with the Towns of Lansing and Dryden and the Page 2 of 7 TB b- 14- 12 Village of Cayuga Heights and Lansing, of joint serial bonds with a maximum not in excess of the forty year period prescribed by the Local Finance Law; and WHEREAS, the aforesaid project has been determined to be an Unlisted Action pursuant to the regulations of the New York. State Department of Environmental Conservation promulgated pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act, the implementation of which as proposed, it has been determined will not result in any significant environmental effects ; and WHEREAS , it is now desired to call a public hearing on said proposed joint increase and improvement and the map, plan and report including estimate of cost pursuant to Section 202 -b of the Town Law; NOW, THEREFORE, BE. IT ORDERED, by the Town Board of the Town of Dryden, Tompkins County, New York, as follows : Section 1 . A meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Dryden, Tompkins County. New York, shall be held at 93 East Main Street, in Dryden, New York , in said Town, on the 12th day of July, 2012, at 7 : 30 o ' clock p . m . , Prevailing Time, for the purpose of conducting a public hearing on the proposed joint increase and improvement of the facilities of Water District No. 1 , Snyder Hill Water District, Monkey Run Water District, Hall Road Water District, Turkey Hill Water District, and Royal Road Water Districts in said Town and the map, plan and report including estimate of cost as described in the preambles hereof, at which time and place said Town Board will hear all persons interested in the subject thereof concerning the same . Section 2 . The Town Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to cause a notice of said public hearing to be published in the official newspaper of said Town , and posted in the manner • Page 34117 TB 6- 14- 12 prescribed by law, which notice shall be in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and hereby made a part hereof. Section 3 . This Order shall take effect immediately . 210 CI Stelick Roll Call Vote Cl Stelick Yes Cl Solomon Absent Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Absent Cl Lavine Yes The Order was thereupon declared duly adopted . Cl Leifer and Cl Solomon arrived at 7 : 36 p. m . Personnel Committee - J Case Insurance Buyout Policy If the policy is adopted , if a town employee opted to not participate in the insurance plan , there would be a savings to the town . The employee would need to submit proof they are covered under another plan . Employees now receive health insurance paid for by the town with newer employees having to contribute 10% towards their health insurance premiums. This policy would allow them to opt out of this coverage , receive a portion of the premiums back as an incentive , and the town would save money in the difference between what the employee's • incentive is and the total that would have been paid out in premiums . This will be on the agenda next week. The proposed policy was distributed . Part-time Insurance Change Now the town pays 50% of individual coverage for employees who work over 20 hours. The suggested new policy would apply to both individual and family coverage . The percentage would be 45% to be comparable to the 90% premium coverage benefit that full-time employees have . The language should be ready for next week's meeting. Retirement Resolution The Board tabled this for now. The Town Clerk has more information on the necessary requirements for this to be fulfilled . Varna property foreclosure Dan handed out excerpts from the Varna plan . There is a house on the corner of Freese Road that is in foreclosure status with Tornpldns County . If the Town is in interested in buying it in order to improve this intersection by tearing it down , the County may decline to put it up for auction if they knew the town is interested . It has been identified as being in the way for a number of reasons. Removing this house would make a safer intersection - better lines of site . It would allow the intersection to be widened and turned in to a round about traffic control device . The back taxes owed are approximately $ 12 , 000 . The County is asking for a letter of interest from the Town Board so that they can keep it out of the auction for now stating that the Town is willing to enter in to negotiations to purchase this house. RESOLUTION # 116 (2012) - Authorize Supervisor to write Letter of Interest to Tompkins County regarding transfer of ownership of a property home in foreclosure • Supv Sumner offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption : Page 4 of 7 TA 6- 14- 12 • Whereas the house located at 980 Dryden Road is effectively abandoned , and Whereas Tompkins County is in preparation to auction said property at the end of this month for back tax payments, and Whereas the house has been identified as a traffic impediment, and Whereas the house is effectively not suitable for occupancy , and Whereas redevelopment of the property is unlikely due to the nonconforming nature of the lot , and the road right of way infringements, and Whereas , the Town of Dryden Planning Department has drafted a Varna Community Development Plan that targets this house for removal , Now , therefore be it resolved that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor to express in a letter of interest to the Tompkins County Legislature the willingness of the Town Board to enter into negotiation with Tompkins County for the transfer of ownership of the property at 980 Dryden Road in the Town of Dryden . 2nd Cl Solomon Roll Call Vote Cl Stelick Yes Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes • CI Lavine Yes M lane arrived and discussed the property and the upcoming vote on this subject at the next Legislature Meeting. The TC Planning Department backs the position that the Town should be allowed to negotiate for the property. The TC Finance Department wants the property put in to the auction and suggested the Town bid on the property if they are interested in acquiring it. Supervisor Sumner said they are willing to negotiate for the property , but do not have enough information or enough time prior to the auction, which is next week, to responsibly bid on the property . Clarity Connect C Bartosch said next month would be better for an update. This topic was tabled until next month 's agenda meeting. Unsafe Structures - Ellen Ross Supv Sumner has been in touch with the social worker and her supervisor assigned to this and Code Enforcement Officer D Sprout. There is one more piece of information Supv Sumner needs from Attorney Perkins and then she will schedule a team meeting; tentatively in 2 weeks. The goal of that meeting is to establish a timeline for all parties involved . Sewer/Water districts Supv Sumner has been trying to put information together. Sewer troubles have delayed that project. These agreements need to be updated . Budget Goals Next month , the Board should decide what their budget goals are for the 2013 budget in order to communicate this information with department heads prior to requesting preliminary budget requests that will be due the end of August. Page 5of7 TB 6- 14- 12 • I Love Dryden Video Supv Sumner was approached by a company to produce a video for the cost of $ 19 , 000 . This is not a project the town would be interested in paying that sum for. L Lavine has a colleague that has a grant that may be able to produce something for the Town in conjunction with other work he is doing. L Lavine expressed dissatisfaction with the payments to Attorney Perkins . She feels we should have a town attorney on staff. She would like to have a committee formed to investigate whether the town could save money by having a staff attorney instead of paying the amount of money in recent years. Other Board members felt the increase in attorney fees was directly related to projects the town had been working on in recent years . Supv Sumner pointed out that hiring a staff attorney does not just include salary . It also includes benefits, secretarial support (salary and benefits) , office space , etc . Consultants often cost more by the hour than staff if you only look at the salary line because consultants cover their own benefits, support staff, and office expenses . Public Hearings for June 21st SUP for Grass Masters CEAs 01 , 02 and 05 D Kwasnowski stated the Planning Department mailed about 60 packets out to landowners in regards to the CEA public hearings . They received a few phone calls with support and questions . There were no negative comments received from these property owners. Next set of CEAs for review CEAs 06- 12 will be the next batch to be reviewed by the Town Board . The final versions are on • the web. They will be discussed next week and a public hearing will be scheduled at that time . Pavilion reservation pricing policy amendment There is a proposed amendment to the pavilion pricing policy to exempt other municipalities from having to pay rental fees. RESOLUTION # 117 (2012 ) - Approve Vouchers • Cl Stelick offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED , that this Town Board hereby approves payment of Abstract #6 , vouchers #460 through #588, in the amount of $ 789 ,461 . 49 . 2nd Supv Sumner Roll Call Vote CI Stelick Yes Cl Solomon Yes Supv Sumner Yes Cl Leifer Yes Cl Lavine Yes Dept of Ag & Markets D Kwasnowski - The Jerry Dell Farm grant application needs an extension . This has been extended before . The state is now requiring that certain items be completed prior to the contract extension being granted . A copy of the letter was distributed to the Town Board . Some of the delays have been due to the state taking months to respond to the town 's requests for • information . The deadline for a commitment to fulfilling the items on this list was due June 150 , so Supv Sumner signed a form committing us to do this - and D Kwasnowski sent that and a letter (a copy of which was distributed) to Ag & Markets . Page 6 of 7 TB 6- 14- 12 • Fracking L Lavine will be going to Albany on Monday as a municipal representative to present ourselves as caring about what Albany does about fracking. She has a written statement Kathleen helped us draft. The press release given recently to the media. Someone offered to take a statement for Supv Sumner which she will be working on tomorrow. Adjourned at 9 pm Respectfully submitted , Patricia C . Millard • • Pagc 7 or 7