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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-03-21TB 3-21-19 Page 1 of 13 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING March 21, 2019 Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl Linda Lavine, Cl Kathrin Servoss, Cl Alice Green Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Rick Young, Highway/DPW Superintendent Other Town Staff: Ray Burger, Planning Director Khandi Sokoni, Town Attorney Supv Leifer opened the meeting at 6:08 p.m. Board members and audience recited the pledge of allegiance. HIGHWAY/DPW DEPARTMENT R Young reported it will be a few weeks before the new plow truck (purchased last year) is completely outfitted. He attended Advocacy Day in Albany to support retention of the Winter Recovery and PaveNY programs. CLIMATE SMART TASK FORCE Cl Green explained the Task Force’s main objective is to gather data about what the town already is doing to save energy. So far they have two products. The intern from Cooperative Extension assigned to work with the Town has taken some of our internal documents (open space inventory and other planning documents) and has created a draft natural resources inventory. That has gone to the Planning Board and Conservation Board for their review. There are good maps and the latest research incorporated into this inventory. When comments are received from the Planning Board and Conservation Board, it will come to the Town Board for approval. The second thing the intern has been working on is a review of the plans the town has already in place in case of emergencies and also to plan for resiliency. The data collected and draft report that comes out of that may be good information for the Emergency Preparedness Committee. She thanked Ray Burger for spending time with the intern explaining the plans in place including efforts to look at flood plain management. They are looking at a July deadline for gathering data about what the town is already doing and hopefully this work will lead to greater eligibility for grants to be used to help the town be more energy efficient. SAFETY & PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE Janet Bretscher of the Safety & Preparedness Committee gave a presentation on what a Community Emergency Response Team can do for a community and what it would take to form one in Dryden (see attached). A CERT is a trained volunteer gr oup that can be called on to assist first responders in time of need. Information was shared with the board about the cost of training equipment and is hoping that the town might be able to provide $500.00 in start -up costs. They would like to have a course in the spring for the committee and first responders TB 3-21-19 Page 2 of 13 and then offer it to the public in the fall. The board will discuss this at the April agenda meeting. AMBULANCE MEDICAID FUNDING CHANGES Supv Leifer explained that the Governor’s executive budget currently contains a proposal to cut Medicaid reimbursement to rural ambulance services, having a negative affect on our ambulance service and others across the state. About 66% of the ambulance calls in Dryden are Medicaid calls and the current reimbursement isn’t close to covering the cost. This is another instance of the Governor shifting costs to local municipalities. He presented a proposed resolution for the board’s approval and after discussion the board passed the resolution. RESOLUTION #66 (2019) – OPPOSING PROPOSED CUTS TO MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT RATES FOR RURAL AMBULANCE SERVICES Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas the Governor has proposed cuts to Medicaid Reimbursement rates in the 2019 -2020 Executive Budget. Whereas the United New York Ambulance Network has stated that the proposed Medicaid reimbursement cuts will lower the existing reimbursement rates for Ambulance transport of Medicaid patients by approximately 22 percent. Whereas answering an emergency call for a Medicaid patient in New York is already a money - losing proposition because of the state's reimbursement rate combined with insurance reimbursements does not cover the cost of a Medicaid call. Whereas Gov. Cuomo's proposed elimination of Medicaid supplemental and secondary payments. Based on 2018 Medicaid patient response figures, this would have resulted in approx. $36,000 lost revenue to Dryden Ambulance. Whereas existing Medicaid payments do not cover Dryden Ambulance's base overhead costs of providing pre-hospital emergency care and transport. Whereas Approximately 66% of Dryden Ambulance's 1725 total calls in 2018 were Medicaid patients and Medicaid's reimbursement was approximately $350 for each those calls. The cost to Dryden Ambulance for each Medicaid call is approximately $600. Therefore, be it resolved that the Town Board of the Town of Dryden opposes any cuts in Medicaid reimbursement that negatively affects the ability of Ambulance Services in New York State to effectively maintain their operations, hire well-trained staff, and provide for the public safety. A copy of this resolution shall be transmitted to Governor. Andrew Cuomo, Senator James Seward, Assemblyperson Barbara Lifton, and Tompkins County Legisla ture Chair Martha Robertson. 2nd Cl Green Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Green Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes TB 3-21-19 Page 3 of 13 AIM CUTS Cl Lamb also presented a resolution in reaction to the Governor’s proposed budget with respect to elimination of AIM funding. The proposal would affect 91% of the villages and towns in the state. The AIM funding has been flat since it was introduced in 2018. It means a loss of about $53,000 to the town and would also hurt the Villages. The town faces increased costs yearly and there is no increase to CHIPS funding and the Winter Recovering Program is going to be discontinued. RESOLUTION #67 (2019) – RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO THE ELIMINATION OF AID AND INCENTIVES TO MUNICIPALITIES IN THE NEW YORK STATE BUDGET Cl Lamb offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposed 2020 NYS Budget includes an unwarranted cut to unrestricted state revenue sharing program known as Aid and Incentives to Municipalities (AIM) that will effectivity eliminate this funding for 91% of villages and town in New York state. WHEREAS, funding has not been increased since the program’s inception in 2008, and has not been indexed to inflation, while unfunded mandates from the state and the costs of town and village services have risen significantly; and WHEREAS, if the proposal remains in the state budget, the Governor’s proposal would create a $53,000 loss for the town of Dryden, and losses of $11,000 and $4,000 for the villages of Dryden and Freeville respectively, and WHEREAS, the proposal arbitrarily and irrationally maintains funding for municipalities that depend on AIM for more than 2 percent of their budgets, WHEREAS, the Governor is proposing items in his budget that will further stress municipalities, including making the state tax cap permanent, discontinuing the Extreme Winter Recovery Program and no increase for CHIPs funding; and WHEREAS, the Governor in his 30 Day Budget Amendments has proposed that municipalities would effectively have AIM cuts restored by new sales tax revenues, if and when, New York State begins taxing internet sales, WHEREAS, the Town of Dryden rejects the notion that AIM funding is no longer needed because new internet sales taxes, with unpredictable revenues for towns, are enacted by th e state, WHEREAS, both houses of the New York State Legislature recently passed budget resolutions that maintain AIM funding, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: The town of Dryden joins Tompkins County and numerous other towns and villages to strongly oppose the elimination of AIM funding; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution be forwarded to Honorable Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, Honorable Speaker of the Assembly Carl E. Heastie, Honorable Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and the New York Delegation representing the town of Dryden. 2nd Cl Servoss TB 3-21-19 Page 4 of 13 Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Green Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes S GEORGE ROAD BRIDGE Cl Servoss presented an updated version of the resolution adopted in 2017, the difference being the cost in the 4th resolved. That estimated cost has been adjusted to 1.4 million dollars. The estimate that was provided in the grant application was the figure from the County and their figures are lower than putting it out to bid for federal funding. Federally funded projects require prevailing wages which are usually higher than county wages and it requires onsite inspectors every day. That wouldn’t be required under a locally funded project. This updated resolution will be sent to NYS DOT so that the project can move forward. The true cost won’t be known until bids are received. This allows the project to go to bid. Cl Lamb said he expects the county will cover the gap. BRIDGE NY RESOLUTION SOUTH GEORGE ROAD BRIDGE REPLACEMENT (Locally Administered Project) RESOLUTION #68 (2019) - Authorizing the implementation, and funding in the first instance 100% of the Federal-aid and State-aid eligible costs, of a transportation federal- aid project, and appropriating funds therefore. Cl Servoss offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, a Project for the South George Road Bridge Replacement, P.I.N. 375642 (the Project) is eligible for funding under Title 23 U.S. Code, as amended, that calls for the apportionment of the costs such program to be borne at the ratio of 95% Federal funds and 5% non-federal funds; and WHEREAS, the Town of Dryden desires to advance the Project by making a commitment of 100% of the non-federal share of the costs of Preliminary Engineering and Right -of-way Incident work; Right-of-way acquisition; Construction and Construction Supervision and Inspection. NOW, THEREFORE, the Dryden Town Board, duly convened does hereby RESOLVE, that the Dryden Town Board hereby approves the above-subject project; and it is hereby further RESOLVED, that the Dryden Town Board hereby authorizes the Town of Dryden to pay in the first instance 100% of the federal and non-federal share of the cost of all work for the Project or portions thereof; and it is further RESOLVED, that the Dryden Town Board hereby agrees that the Town of Dryden shall be responsible for all cost of the project which exceed the amount of the NY Bridge Funding awarded to the Town of Dryden. RESOLVED, that the sum of One Million Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,400,000) is hereby committed and will be bonded for and made available to cover the cost of participation TB 3-21-19 Page 5 of 13 in the above phase of the Project; and it is further RESOLVED, that in the event the full federal and non-federal share costs of the project exceeds the amount appropriated above, the Town of Dryden shall convene as soon as possible to appropriate said excess amount immediately upon the notification by the Town of Dryden Highway Superintendent thereof, and it is further RESOLVED, that the Supervisor of the Town of Dryden be and is hereby authorized to execute all necessary Agreements, certifications or reimbursement requests for Federal Aid and/or State-Aid on behalf of the Town of Dryden with the New York State Department of Transportation in connection with the advancement or approval of the Project and providing for the administration of the Project and the municipality's first instance funding of project costs and permanent funding of the local share of federal-aid and state-aid eligible Project costs and all Project costs within appropriations therefore that are not so eligible, and it is further RESOLVED, that a certified copy of this resolution be filed with the New York State Commissioner of Transportation by attaching it to any necessary Agreement in connection with the Project; and it is further RESOLVED, this Resolution shall take effect immediately. 2nd Cl Supv Leifer Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Green Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes ITHACA AREA WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY – There is an amendment to the contract with GHD Consulting Services, Inc. Some services were omitted from the original agreement. This amendment adds them. The cost will be paid for from original funds set aside in the capital funds. Atty Sokoni has prepared a resolution. RESOLUTION #69 (2019) – AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT FOR DESIGN SERVICES FOR EFFLUENT WATER SYSTEM (GRIT REMOVAL PROJECT) Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility (“IAWWTF”) is owned and operated by the City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca, and Town of Dryden (“Municipal Owners”), with oversight provided through this Special Joint Committee (“SJC”) composed of representatives from the three Municipal Owners, and WHEREAS, the Municipal Owners signed an agreement dated 16th February, 2018 with GHD Consulting Services, Inc. (“Contractor”), pursuant to which Contractor would provide certain engineering and design services in connection with the bidding process for the Grit Removal Project, and WHEREAS, the Municipal Owners now need to amend the above-referenced Agreement to include additional Services that were omitted from the Agreement, TB 3-21-19 Page 6 of 13 NOW BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Dryden approves the signing of the attached Amendment No. 1 to the February 16, 2018 Agreement with Contractor, and be it further RESOLVED, that the above-described amendment does not require any additional payment of funds from the Town of Dryden, but would simply authorize payment to Contract or for the additional services outlined in this amendment from funds already set aside in the Capital Fund for this project. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Green Yes Cl Servoss Abstain Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes There is a proposal to eliminate the chair limits of the Special Joint Committee. This would require an amendment of the underlying agreement. After review and discussion , the board passed the following resolution and members signed the amendment. RESOLUTION #70 (2019) – APPROVING JOINT SEWER AGREEMENT AMENDMENT TO ELIMINATE CHAIRPERSON TERM LIMIT Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility (“IAWWTF”) is owned and operated by the City of Ithaca, Town of Ithaca, and Town of Dr yden (“Municipal Owners”), with oversight provided through this Special Joint Committee (“SJC”) composed of representatives from the three Municipal Owners, WHEREAS, the Municipal Owners entered into a December 31, 2003 Joint Sewer Agreement that governs IAWWTF administration and operations, WHEREAS, Section 13.3 of the Joint Sewer Agreement provides as follows: “13.3 The SJC will elect its own chairperson annually and shall establish scheduled monthly meeting dates to provide for timely referrals to the Parties’ respective boards or governing bodies. No chairperson shall serve for more than two consecutive one-year terms but may be re- elected after a minimum of a one-term period has elapsed since that person last served as chairperson.” WHEREAS, at its meeting on February 20, 2019, the SJC adopted a resolution recommending elimination of the limit on a chairperson serving more than two consecutive terms, because it often takes an SJC chairperson more than a year to develop enough understanding of the IAWWTF and the chairperson role to function efficiently and effectively with the other SJC members and staff, WHEREAS, Section 17.1 of the Joint Sewer Agreement provides that it may be amended as follows: “17.1 This Agreement may be modified or amended by an instrument in writing, duly executed and acknowledged by the duly authorized TB 3-21-19 Page 7 of 13 representatives of each Party, upon approval by majority vote of the voting strength of the respective governing bodies of said Party.” RESOLVED, that the Town of Dryden approves and authorizes the Dryden Town Board to execute an amendment to the Joint Sewer Agreement, subject to the approval of the Attorney for the Town, that eliminates the chairperson term limit by deleting the second sentence in Section 13.3, so that Section 13.3 reads as follows: “13.3 The SJC will elect its own chairperson annually and shall establish scheduled monthly meeting dates to provide for timely referrals to the Parties’ respective boards or governing bodies.” 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Green Yes Cl Servoss Abstain Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes TEAMSTERS CONTRACT Supv Leifer said the Highway Department’s labor union has voted on this contract and approved it. It is a 4-year agreement. Every employee now will be contributing toward their health care premium. The raises will bring employees to an hourly wage that is still lower than neighboring towns. It averages out to about 3.5% per year. There is larger increase the first year and then it drops. Cl Green asked whether an analysis of the impact of this 4-year contract on the town budget and tax rate had been completed. Supv Leifer said the wage compensation study would likely have called for more. Cl Green is concerned that a formal analysis of the impact has not been done. She is also concerned because she has been working on the compensation study and been looking at the total compensation package (including wage and benefits). She has been asking questions about consistencies between the union contract and non-union staff. She would like to table approval until further investigation of impact of this contract on the budget and on the tax rate and for opportunities to consider more consistency for policies for non-union staff. Cl Lavine seconded the motion. Supv Leifer said consideration of non-union staff has nothing to do with this contract. Cl Green is concerned because she had asked that the HR director be included and that the board get a report of her review of this contract for its impact on budget. That has not happened yet, and she is not satisfied that the board has done an adequate job of looking at the financial implications of the proposal. As a member of the finance committee, she takes it as her responsibility to look at the implications of these and within the last 2 days she has learned of some implications. She believes there should be further discussion and expects that the contract could be voted on next month. The issues of inconsistencies are missed opportunities if we don’t clean up language that we could have in this proposal. But the issues of tax implications are the important ones and that is why she is asking to table this while these questions are answered. She doesn’t believe that the board received adequate counsel from the HR person when developing this agreement. There are implications for payroll in the future. She wants to know that they have been considered. She wants to pay attention to what this means for our taxpayers. TB 3-21-19 Page 8 of 13 RESOLUTION #71 (2019) – TABLE VOTE ON LABOR CONTRACT Cl Green offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby tables a vote on the labor contract between Teamsters and the Town until next month. 2nd Cl Lavine Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Green Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #72 (2019) – APPROVE MINUTES Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the meeting minutes of February 14 and February 21, 2019. 2nd Cl Green Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Green Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes BUDGET MODIFICATIONS The bookkeeper is preparing to close the books for 2018 and year -end budget modifications are necessary to complete that process. RESOLUTION #73 (2019) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATIONS Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the attached budget modifications for the 2018 fiscal year. 2nd Cl Servoss Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Green Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes The Rec Department received a $500 grant from Walmart for track equipment and a budget mod is necessary to move those funds so that they can be spent. RESOLUTION #74 (2019) APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATION Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the following budget modification: TB 3-21-19 Page 9 of 13 From To A2005 Grants A7330.4 Recreation Contractual 500.00 2nd Cl Green Roll Call Vote Cl Lavine Yes Cl Green Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes CITIZENS PRIVILEGE Joe Osmeloski, 2180 Dryden Road, made a formal request that the Town Board do everything in its power to dissolve the subcommittee of the Planning Board known as the Building Energy Committee. He would like all documents that they have produced up to this point declared obsolete. He asks on the basis that that board has violated Public Officers Law Article 7, the Open Meetings Law. Many people have contacted Robert Freeman, Executive Director of the NYS Committee on Open Government. He supplied Mr Osmeloski with case law that shows that they violated open meetings laws and advised him that he could file an Article 78 proceeding. J Osmeloski doesn’t want the town to spend taxpayer money on this and would like to avoid it. Town Law Section 272-a was also violated in the same manner. The subcommittee never involved the public from the beginning. They met multiple times with no announcement of those meetings. He would like to see the committee dissolved and started over with formation of a new committee. Eliminate the three people currently on it because they are kind of tainted and eliminate the person on the town board that was involved because she is kind of tainted too and start over. Involve the public from day one and don’t violate open meetings law and don’t violate the comprehensive plan laws and form the committee again and do it right. And we avoid the unnecessary expenditure of taxpayer funds that it is going to take if someone does file an Article 78. We are well aware in this town that this group is not afraid to file an Article 78. Someone will do it. Freeman, who is the expert, has said that we have an airtight case. It’s a win-win for everyone if you form a new committee and start over. Cl Lamb thanked J Osmeloski for bringing this to the board’s attention. He reminded him that these are volunteers and they may not have followed the letter of law but he doesn’t think they did anything intentionally. The board is happy to look into this and make sure that they are following the open meetings law. They are citizens that want to be involved in the community and he doesn’t think there was any ill intent. Craig Schutt, 69 Schutt Road, addressed the proposed Town of Dryden Comprehensive Plan amendments regarding sustainability. The Tompkins County Planning 239 Review sent by Katherine Borgella, Commissioner of Planning & Sustainability, said that the propos al may have negative inter-community or county-wide impacts. It says “While we support consideration of energy and sustainability in the Dryden Comprehensive Plan, the reason for our recommending this modification is that we believe that some of the language being proposed would create confusion in the town when it comes to implementation. We believe that incorporating the points identified in the Tompkins County Energy Recommendations (2018) into local law use practices may make sense for municipalities to consider, however, we think it important for the town to understand our purpose in preparing this document. The Tompkins County Energy Recommendations (2018) for new construction are written with the intention of starting a conversation between the m unicipality and the applicant about methods to reduce energy usage in new construction projects. There is often more than one TB 3-21-19 Page 10 of 13 way to reduce energy use and the items that are specifically listed are not always appropriate or adequate in particular proposals. In addition, we intend to update the Tompkins County Energy Recommendations frequently as various technologies evolve in the fast-changing field. If municipalities want to use the document, we suggest it be in a form that is flexible and easily updated rather than codified in regulations. You may want to consider, for example, using the Tompkins County Energy Recommendations as a kind of checklist for the community to use as they meet with developers during the early stages of review of site plans and other development proposals.” The Ithaca Green Building Policy is still being codified and has not yet been adopted by the Town or City of Ithaca. It is referred to over and over again in the document. It seems we’re putting the cart before the horse. There are other suggestions on page 2 about things to delete. Supv Leifer said it seems they are giving us some good advice. Cl Lamb - This is a long way off from anything coming before the Town Board. This is something that a subcommittee worked on. It has not been vetted by the Town Board or have their stamp of approval. Supv Leifer said the guidance provided in the 239 will help the Planning Board because it is suggesting that we not codify this because these documents are not (1) completed and (2) you don’t want to codify these types of standards in something that is not flexible. Cl Lamb – There are a number of checks in place to keep extraordinary things from turning into law. The checks are working, and this is far from anything permanent. J Osmeloski pointed out that the Comprehensive Plan is not law. Supv Leifer – It is used to formulate zoning. Laurie Snyder, 36 Freese Road, as neighbor of the Freese Road bridge she is concerned that she hasn’t heard anything in a while. It has been over a year since they started to have meetings and many people wrote to the board with concerns about the Freese Road bridge. Nothing has been heard recently. What’s happening? Cl Servoss said it is still under state and federal review. Residents will be notified as soon as any agency decisions from DOT or Federal Highway Administration or new information is available, it will go out to everyone. Supv Leifer added that any documents go into the projects Dropbox. Bruno Schickel, 210 Schutt Road, with respect to the building energy subcommittee, he encouraged the board to understand that the whole concept with the comp plan is to have a community consensus around that plan. The way you are going about this with this subcommittee trying to push forward just this one little piece is misplaced. You are starting to embark on a rewrite of the entire comprehensive plan as he understands it. This should be folded into that entire rewrite so that you aren’t looking at pieces in isolation but are looking at them as a whole and taking a little more wholistic approach to it. The process matters. You must have a broader group of people working on this, rather than three people who are basically zealots when it comes to one particular part, in this case energy. It would serve you well. The way the amendment to the plan having to do with climate and energy is currently crafted, it is a pathway, if fully implemented into law, that will basically prevent, obstruct, and TB 3-21-19 Page 11 of 13 discourage and probably ban people from using all the different fossil fuel energies that are available. The whole push is to make everything go to electric. That is the whole focus of it. To great protest they say no, that’s not the case, that isn’t what it says. If that is not the intention it needs to be stated clearly that it is not the intention to put any laws in place that prevent, obstruct or inhibit people from using the legal fuel of their choice. Additionally, if that was fully implemented as law, it would do four things. It will drive up the cost of housing significantly. It will drive up the cost for the town to enforce. It will make the affordability problem more difficult in the town of Dryden because of the cost increases. It will have extremely limited impact on energy savings. Current building code has extremely high insulation and air infiltration standards that are already being met by builders now. If this is driving it, you are just going to take a little bit more. He encouraged the board to focus on existing construction, which is where the areas of greatest need are in terms of energy efficiencies. There is huge savings to be had there. He asked the board to head in a more positive direction for everyone. Supv Leifer – Zoning covers the use of land, not building construction. B Schickel – this is veering into the building code arena. The building code is a New York State Code and can only be changed by the NYS Building Code Council. If Dryden tried to insert a change in the building code without their approval, it would absolutely invite a lawsuit. There is a procedure, but you need to get approval. The test is that if they are going to give a special enhancement for a community, there has to be a reason, something unique about this community that doesn’t exist in other communities. Otherwise, they would make it state-wide building code. Supv Leifer – Some of these concerns aren’t going to show up in zoning. Cl Lamb – We are concerned that somehow a narrative went out that the town is out to ban certain fuel sources, and I can assure you that is not on our agenda. The Town Board did not write that. It didn’t emanate from us. If it isn’t something we support, we aren’t going to turn it into law. J Osmeloski – …anything that causes greenhouse gas emissions… Cl Lamb – That is not on our agenda. RECREATION DEPARTMENT The monthly report is on the web. They continue to get grants for programs. PLANNING DEPARTMENT The monthly report is on the web. Ray Burger said the update on proposed TIP schedule shows the sidewalk and repaving for Varna has been revised to 5.5 million dollars and the work is now projected for 2021-22. COUNTY BRIEFING No report. Supv Leifer said Highway Superintendent Rick Young has spoken with the County Highway Manager and Mike Lane about the county’s contribution for both George Road and Freese Road bridges. The county will eventually consider a resolution for this. ADVISORY BOARD UPDATES TB 3-21-19 Page 12 of 13 Planning Board – had a training session by the Town Attorney at their last meeting. Conservation Board – no report. Recreation & Youth Commission – The February meeting was cancelled due to bad weather. Ag Committee – Is working with Ryan McHugh on updating the virtual farmers market. It will take time to compile the information. That committee will also be involved in the comp plan update. Rail Trail Task Force – has received a $5,000 Parks & Trails grant from Tompkins County that will be used to purchase two more solar powered flashing signals for crossings. They have applied for another capital grant from Tompkins County Tourism in the amount of $65,000. They expect to hear within a month or so about that. It would go toward improvements to bridges along the trail depending on receipt of a transportation alternatives grant they are also awaiting word on. They are working on being explicit about policies for people who would like to donate to the trail. They have a policy for memorial benches and suggested amounts for those and kiosks. Cl Green will probably be bringing a resolution to the board in April to change the suggested amount for contribution for a kiosk. She has also asked the Task Force to make recommendations on a proposal to offer naming rights for various sections of the trail at a higher contribution level. This needs careful consideration because they want to make sure that the contributions made to dedicate certai n distances along the trail are consistent. They have some more work to do on that. Emergency Services Committee – Has not met. They will probably meet in April. They will be looking to apply for a Local Government Efficiency Grant to study efficiencies across the fire departments. OLD BUSINESS Fiber to Home Study – This was approved last week. Supv Leifer will keep the board updated as he gets reports from Hunt Engineers. Compensation Study – They are moving forward in two areas. One is a review of job titles in Dryden with other comparable municipalities. It was suggested the team look at the towns of Lansing, Cortlandville, Ithaca, Dickinson and Homer as comparable municipalities. The team will be gathering data and looking at the range of responsibilities for folks who have similar titles, how much they are paid and what the benefits packages are. They will try to give us an apples to apples comparison. That will give guidance when se tting salaries for staff in Dryden. The team is also looking to update all the job descriptions of all non-union staff who work for the town. Department heads will now be asked to review the position analysis questionnaires completed by their staff members. Those will be compared to the civil service job descriptions and ultimately a job description created that is consistent with the civil service job description and also describes any special responsibilities assigned to staff in Dryden. David Weinstein announced that FEMA is redoing the area flood maps. Some of Dryden is done or in draft stage. They have put out a general call for any information we may have that may affect their evaluation, particularly southeast of the village. Cl Servoss said that more documents have been placed in the Dropbox for Freese Road bridge. Linda Fenner asked if the job description for the emergency services coordinator had been prepared. Supv Leifer said it has not. He will be working on that with th e fire chiefs. He TB 3-21-19 Page 13 of 13 will ask the board to appoint one of the chiefs as Fire Warden. All departments will be involved in development of the emergency services job description. There being no further business, on motion made, seconded and unanimously carr ied, the meeting was adjourned at 7:47 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk