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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-02-09TB 2-9-17 Page 1 of 5 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING February 9, 2017 Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl Linda Lavine, Cl Deborah Cipolla-Dennis, Cl Kathrin Servoss Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Other Town Staff: Ray Burger, Director of Planning Jennifer Case, Bookkeeper Rick Young, Highway/DPW Superintendent Supv Leifer opened the meeting at 7:05 p.m. RESOLUTION #34 (2017) – APPROVE ABSTRACT #2 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its ad option: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #2, as audited, general vouchers #16 through #116 ($1,261,534.34) and TA vouchers #3 through #5 ($77,262.88), totaling $1,338,797.22. 2nd Cl Cipolla-Dennis Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Cipolla-Dennis Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes The board reviewed budget modifications for 2016. RESOLUTION #35 (2017) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATIONS Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this town board hereby approves the following 2016 budget year modifications: From To A1220.453 Supv Mileage A1220.450 Supv Contr Misc $ 408.41 A1420.402 Legal A1430.1 Pers General Time $ 12,832.75 A1620.402 Buildings-Util A1620.401 DPW Purch Town Hall $ 83.43 A1680.2 IT Equip A1680.401 IT Serv Contracts $ 1,829.17 A1990.4 Contingency A1910.4 Unallocated Ins $ 2,350.89 A3510.100 DCO Pers Serv A3510.401 Dog Contr Enumeration $ 330.00 A3510.405 DCO Vet Fees/Supp A3510.401 Dog Contr Enumeration $ 226.23 A5010.2 Supt Hwy Equip A5010.4 Supt Hwy Contr $ 434.36 A7020.101 Rec Coord A7020.102 Rec Part Timers $ 9,150.33 TB 2-9-17 Page 2 of 5 A8020.412 Varna Dev. Impl. A8020.457 Water/Sewer Consol. $ 10,120.00 A9030.8 Soc Sec A9040.8 Workers Comp $ 994.31 B3620.201 Code Enf. Equip B1430.1 Pers Serv $ 2,000.00 B3620.403 CEO 1 Contr. B1430.1 Pers Serv $ 509.05 B3620.402 CEO 2 Contr B1430.1 Pers Serv $ 48.66 B3620.405 Car Maint B3620.406 Software Ann. Upkeep $ 495.00 B9010.8 Retirement B8020.403 Plan/Zone Impl. $ 2,017.50 B9010.8 Retirement B9030.8 Soc Sec $ 158.40 B9010.8 Retirement B9040.8 Workers Comp $ 177.69 B9010.8 Retirement B9060.8 Medical Insurance $ 1,039.26 B9010.8 Retirement B9089.8 Medicare $ 37.13 DA9010.8 Retirement DA9030.8 Soc Sec $ 640.25 DA9010.8 Retirement DA9040.8 Workers Comp $ 479.00 DA9010.8 Retirement DA9089.8 Medicare $ 149.97 DB9010.8 Retirement DB9030.8 Soc Sec $ 3,130.15 DB9010.8 Retirement DB9040.8 Workers Comp $ 478.00 DB9010.8 Retirement DB9089.8 Medicare $ 732.28 2nd Cl Servoss Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Cipolla-Dennis Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Waiver of Moratorium - Distributed Sun has submitted a request for a waiver of the limits imposed by the current moratorium on construction of utility infrastructure. R Burger said there are proposals for two large solar arrays at Turkey Hill Road and 2150 Dryden Road. They want to have the application submitted and part of the process completed prior to their April 1 deadline with NYSEG. Distributed Sun is investing more than a million dollars in this interconnection in preparation for putting the farms up. The board will hear this matter next week at 7:30 p.m. Freese Road Bridge and George Road Bridge – Supv Leifer explained he and Rick Young are learning about the process to be followed with this grant award and attended a meeting with Jeff Smith and Carl Martel. It is an 18 month process with the start date beginning when the state and town have a signed agreement. We can start the design consultant selection now with a committee. A list of consultants approved through the state selection process has been provided and Supv Leifer will be sending RFPs to those consultants. The design consultant chosen will review the 1 lane vs 2 lane options. It will get designated standard vs non-standard and the traffic volume count will drive how it is classified. R Young said the part of the planning for a two lane bridge has been done. In 1981, when the bridge was washed out, the north side was improved to provide for two lanes. John Lampman has provided about 370 pages of information and Supv Leifer will share that with the board. Supv Leifer said the consultant will look at both options and traffic counts will drive the design decision. They will choose a standard or non-standard design. The way the money is TB 2-9-17 Page 3 of 5 set up, it will fund the standard design. I f you want them to fund a non-standard design, there must be a good reason. R Young noted that a bridge is not used for traffic calming, and they may not fund a one-lane bridge. The traffic count there was 2500 cars per day 3 or 4 years ago. Supv Leifer reminded that board that when the county was going to be paying for this bridge it was going to be a two-lane bridge. The Forest Home bridge was mentioned and it was noted that bridge was done with "enhancement money" and a new bridge was built and the old trusses retained on the sides. The town, not the county, pays to maintain those trusses. R Young said the county does not do single lane bridges anymore. Supv Leifer said he will prepare resolutions for March, but in the meantime we n eed a committee (our Infrastructure Committee plus someone from Highway) to select a consultant and recommend to the board. The committee should include someone with experience dealing with historic bridges. The cost of the consultant is not a driving factor; there is a scoring system, and you go by highest score. This is a reimbursement grant so we will have to bond for the expenses for both bridges up front, then bill against the grant funds and be reimbursed. The town can hire someone like John Lampman who works part-time for the County and has a lot of experience with these types of things to manage the project. The county will help with the process after the consultant comes back with designs. We only have 18 months once the commitment is made to be ready to build. This is federal funding so federal standards will apply. There is a grant opportunity to make up for what was not funded. Jeff Smith is recommending the county help with what isn't covered by grant. The board agreed that Supv Leifer should move ahead and send the RFP to the list of potential consultants. Each bridge will have its own process. Supv Leifer noted that this grant translates to 3.6 million dollars in property tax savings to our residents. We should have responses to the RFP by mid-March and then can compare, choose and have a consultant in place by May 1. Supv Leifer will share the information he received at the meeting and will talk with Joe Mareane regarding bonding for Red Mill, Malloryville, Freese and George Road bridges. Dodge Road bridge is also on the schedule. Review preliminary 2016 year end financials – J Case reported that between the A & B fund we used about $390,000 of fund balance. DA added $11,000 to its fund balance and DB’s fund balance increased by almost $80,000. $670,000 of fund balance was budgeted for 2016 and $390,000 was used for A and B. Fund balance in the B fund will be down to abou t $70,000, which is a cash flow problem. About $75,000 was used from that fund because sales tax was less than what was budgeted. About $740,000 remains in the A fund at end of 2016, and $200,000 of that is budgeted for 2017. The board noted the results are better than expected. Recreation Department Staffing Update – The board discussed a salary range for the vacant position and after discussion determined that $40,000 to $46,000 was reasonable and within the 2017 amount budgeted for salaries for the department ($76,588.00). The search committee was chosen to do the job description, the search and make a recommendation of top candidates to the board. Supv Leifer said the board will vote next week on the salary range and choose a time to start advertising (through the Supervisors Office). He would like to wait until the final financials to determine whether we will actually have enough funds to hire someone. His vote will be driven by money. Cl Lavine wants to be sure to cast a wide net to get someone good in the position. Jennifer Case was added to the search committee. South Hill Recreation Way – The County is getting a license from NYSEG to go from Burns Road to Middaugh Road. The County wants an MOU with the Towns of Ithaca, TB 2-9-17 Page 4 of 5 Caroline, Dryden, and Danby for contribution toward maintenance. The portion in Dryden is very small. If there is a property rights fight, it is with NYSEG and perhaps the County. Agenda items for next week include: Public hearings for amendments to the Subdivision Law, Solar Energy Law, and a petition for a waiver of the public utilities moratorium. Introduction of an amendment to the local law establishing the Conservation Board to allow for alternates and schedule a public hearing for March 16. Appointment of a new member for the Recreation & Youth Commission. Shared Services Tax Savings Plan – Mike Lane explained that as he understands this, the chief administrative officer in each county puts together a plan that shows consolidation of services that will save money. If it is rejected by the county legislature, it goes on the ballot in November to be voted on by the public. If it involves the towns, it has to go through the process of having some kind of agreement and perhaps some kind of vote in those to wns. TCCOG is discussing this with respect to what kinds of things they can do, such as back office services like IT, tax collection or other things. They will try to come up with something. The Governor saw this as a way of empowering the counties to get towns, village and cities to go along with consolidations because they have been dragging their feet. Tompkins County has a history of doing these kinds of things. He met with Barbara Lifton today and she and Tom O'Mara are opposed to this. Senator Helming is opposed to it and he hasn’t yet spoken with Senator Seward. Unfortunately, this is written in the budget as legislation. Cl Cipolla-Dennis will attend the February 23 TCCOG meeting to discuss this consolidation mandate and the solar PILOT. Supv Leifer understands the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency PILOT proposal is because of one project in Newfield and should not bind other towns. The Enfield Supervisor wrote an email opposing this. A resolution may come out of TCCOG. This board may do a resolution next week. Supv Leifer said this town intends to negotiate a PILOT or charge regular property tax. TC IDA’s proposal could eliminate our ability to negotiate a PILOT. There may be a need next week to authorize a payment outside the abstract to Cornell Cooperative Extension. There are some things that need to be sorted through. Funding request from VCA – The Varna Community Association has submitted a request for assistance in funding the expense of having to construct a fen ce. K Servoss said they had discussed this at a DRYC meeting. The DRYC had asked for another quote that listed the supplies and labor detail and had requested that the VCA provide some sort of match. There was some discussion about the DRYC wanting to develop a grant program and process to be used for this type of request. Having a match by the applicant is important. There was discussion about these funds coming from the Recreation Reserve fund, whether it was subject to permissive referendum and whether that was the way to proceed with this request. Supv Leifer said we need to check on the legality of granting this funding and where the money would come from. Cl Cipolla-Dennis agreed that the board would like to do this, but need to talk with our attorneys about the legality and the best way to do this. She would like an idea from the DRYC about what such a grant process might look like, and in the spirit of having a process, start to apply the same concepts. Cl Lavine would like the board to vote to take the funds from the Rec Reserve and come up with an alternate source of funding if a petition is received to avoid the expense of an election. VCA representatives will provide a quote with greater detail and a plan for a match on their part, such as in-kind labor. TB 2-9-17 Page 5 of 5 County Historic Marker – Mike Lane asked the board to determine a location for a marker commemorating when the town became part of the county and commemorating the county’s bicentennial. He said they want to have a little ceremony in each town when the sign is unveiled. Locations suggested include the town hall, Dryden Lake, Time Square in the village, along the trail, or at the Southworth Library. M Lane asked that the board let him know next week where the town would like it placed. There being no further business, on motion made, seconded and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk