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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-03-17TB 3-17-21 D R A F T Page 1 of 8 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING March 17, 2022 Zoom Hybrid Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl James Skaley, Cl Leonardo Vargas-Mendez Absent: Cl Loren Sparling Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Rick Young, Highway/DPW Superintendent Other Town Staff: Ray Burger, Planning Director Cassie Byrnes, Secretary to Supervisor Supv Leifer called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Board members and audience recited the pledge of allegiance. TOWN CLERK RESOLUTION #66 (2022) – APPROVAL OF MINUTES Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the meeting minutes of February 10 and February 17, 2022. 2nd Cl Skaley Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes ANNOUNCEMENTS None HIGHWAY/DPW DEPARTMENT Highway Superintendent Rick Young would like to establish training budget line, using $15,000 from the snowplow money received from Tompkins County this year and fund it in the budget process next year. He said a contract with the employee will be required for CDL training whereby the employee would have to reimburse the town for the expense should they leave the town’s employ within a specified period of time. RESOLUTION #67 (2022) – ESTABLISH A TRAINING BUDGET LINE FOR HIGHWAY/DPW Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the establishment of a training budget line for Highway/DPW for 2022 using $15,000 from DA -2302. 2nd Cl Lamb TB 3-17-21 D R A F T Page 2 of 8 Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes PLANNING DEPARTMENT The monthly update is available on the town’s website. RMS Gravel has a permit pending with DEC to expand their operation to southwest quadrant at the intersection of Hart Road and Mott Road. DEC gives the town 30 days to hold a hearing and comment. The town’s agenda meeting falls 1 day after the 30 period. R Burger has requested an extension of the 30 days. There are only five areas that town can provide comment on to DEC. There is a special use permit required by the town. R Burger will let the board know whether the extension of time to comment is granted. COUNTY UPDATE None. The county legislature is meeting tonight. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS Resolution Urging the Department of Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs to Heed Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ Removal of Clint Halftown from Representative Role This proposed resolution was brought to the board last week and board members have received emails in support of its adoption. Kathy Russell read the following statement: Good evening. Thank you for giving me time to speak. I am Kathy Russell; I’ve lived here for 24 years. I’m representing the Dryden Groton Plus - Human Dignity Coalition. We’ve endorsed the resolution before you because it conforms to our mission of being accountable to and acting in solidarity with people of color; to centering the voices, judgments, leadership and positions of people of color. Endorsing this resolution is in line with the Board’s passage of the Two Row Wampum Campaign Resolution in August 2013. Then you affirmed “the need to respect and honor native people,” calling on the US government to fully implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. You encouraged us all “to build positive and respectful relations with our Native neighbors,” to value their “cultures, spiritual traditions, histories, philosophies and their political and social structures.” The Haudenosaunee Confederacy follows the long-established Great Law of Peace. Chiefs are chosen by Clanmothers in a consensus process known as coming to “one mind.” Their role is then confirmed through a “process of condolence.” Clint Halftown was serving as a point person for the Gayogohono simply for the convenience of the US government until a chief was condoled. That happened. After that, Halftown had no standing. He was even officially removed by his Clanmother and the Council of Chiefs, who are now served by Sachem Chief Sam George. Halftown has no claim to legitimacy, but the US is continuing to give him authority. It awards him status as a “federal representative” and designates him as the overall leader of the Nation. He receives funds through contracts & grants. But he’s usurped his authority, He set up his TB 3-17-21 D R A F T Page 3 of 8 own court system and hired a non-native mercenary police force. They physically treat Native individuals brutally. They used aggressive, violent actions to bulldoze the Gayogohono longhouse, school, & gardens. They continue to destroy native businesses. They are trying to forcibly evict people from their homes. Serious harm is being done, human rights are being violated. We can help. We can ask our government to stop giving Clint Halftown the right to use nefarious force against Gayogohono citizens. We ask the Town Board of Dryden to urge the DOI and BIA to immediately cease recognizing Clint Halftown as a “representative” of the Nation. Ken Wolkin read the following statement: Good evening everyone, thanks for this opportunity to speak, my name’s Ken Wolkin, I am a graduate student at the University of Washington in the department of Geography, I study governance politics and relationships broadly between Indigenous Nations and the US, but specifically, between the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ or, the Cayuga Nation, and all the different levels of the US government, so from Fed Dept Interior, to NYS, to Counties, and towns. I also grew up spending my summers on Cayuga Lake at a family lake house near Union Springs, and so have bene attuned to and studying for many years now, the quote unquote ‘leadership dispute’ that has been playing out for the past twenty years. And I have spent over 200 hours which feels like a conservative estimate reading through the 20+year archive of both administrative and judicial decisions, news coverage, and official Cayuga Nation statements relative to this supposed leadership dispute. I recognize this issue is one that for folks hearing about it for the first time, and on top of that, being asked to take a particular position on that issue, might seem a bit daunting or overwhelming – as though you don’t have enough information. And so, I’m here to say that, as complicated as this issue is made to seem by the tens of thousands of pages of decisions and document production, that the issue is actually fairly simple, and it’s this: the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ have a set of governance processes that they follow and that are based on the Great Law of Peace, which is essentially their constitution. In 2004, the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ removed Clint Halftown from his position on Nation Council, and from his representative position as a liaison to the US government. The US government has, to this day, refused to honor that decision. Yet, the principles of sovereignty and self-determination require that outcome. It’s not our role or position to complicate Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ governance processes by insisting that they meet certain conditions that we set, which is what the Fed government has done. When the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ make decisions based on their governance processes that have been around long before ours, we simply receive and respect them, because that’s how sovereignty and self - determination work. So, in order to address our federal government’s failure to respect Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ sovereignty and decision-making, a group of activists, but also, other professors, attorneys, have worked diligently and carefully on crafting the resolution before you, in direct dialogue with the Council of Chiefs, who in a May 2021 letter, explicitly asked non-Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ people to hold their federal government accountable for their recognition decision. I invite to view it as an opportunity not just for solidarity with the Indigenous peoples on whose lands you live, but a s a slam-dunk political win for the Town of Dryden. You can be the first municipality to pass this resolution that simply tells the federal government that based on your proximity to and relationships w/ this Nation, that you believe they ought to respect the Council of Chiefs and Clan Mothers governance prerogatives, rather than those of the tyrant whose power flows only from his recognition by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. TB 3-17-21 D R A F T Page 4 of 8 I didn’t get into academia to do activist research, but, the more I learned, the clearer it became that taking action in this way is an ethical imperative for anyone who takes seriously the principles of sovereignty and self-determination, as well as the ongoing governance of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ Council of Chiefs and Clanmothers. Resolution #68 (2022) -Urging the Department of Interior and Bureau of Indian Affairs to Heed Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ Removal of Clint Halftown from Representative Role Cl Lamb offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the sovereign nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy lived sustainably since time immemorial in the region that now includes most of New York State, before the arrival of European colonists, and WHEREAS, the Two Row Wampum Treaty¹ (the first agreement between the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and European settlers in 1613, the principles of which were later extended to the United States) commits to noninterference in one another’s governance affairs while proceeding in relationships of peace and friendship, and WHEREAS, according to the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s Great Law of Peace, the governing body of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ (Cayuga Nation) is the Council of Chiefs, and WHEREAS, according to the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s Great Law of Peace, Chiefs are chosen by Clanmothers in a consensus process known as coming to “one mind” amongst Nation citizens, Clanmothers, and Chiefs, with their role then confirmed through a “large condolence” process, and WHEREAS, as the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ Council of Chiefs and Clanmothers has reminded the federal government, within the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ system of governance, “there is no role of ‘Nation Representative’”; however, as a courtesy to help ease the U.S. government’s administrative burden of carrying out its contractual and treaty obligations to Indigenous Nations, the Nation’s governing body has previously designated such a representative to serve as a point of contact, and WHEREAS, the person currently recognized by the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as the above-described representative of the Cayuga Nation, Clint Halftown, had been acting as a temporary clan representative during an interim period until a Chief was condoled to serve on the Council, but was removed from his representative position by his Clanmother and the Council of Chiefs through governance processes of the Great Law of Peace, as publicly described by the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ on multiple occasions, and WHEREAS, in open contradiction of the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ Council of Chiefs and Clanmothers, the DOI and BIA continue to recognize Clint Halftown as a representative of the Cayuga Nation, and WHEREAS, Clint Halftown ordered the February 22, 2020 overnight demolition of Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ community buildings in Seneca Falls, including a schoolhouse used for learning language and longhouse ways, and gardens, and WHEREAS, in accordance with the principles of the Two Row Wampum, the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫ’ have put forth requests for help (including within a May 15, 2021 letter from the Council of TB 3-17-21 D R A F T Page 5 of 8 Chiefs), asking those within the U.S. to hold the U.S. government accountable for its failure to heed the Council of Chiefs and Clanmothers’ removal of Halftown, and WHEREAS, in 2013 the Town of Dryden passed a resolution in support of the Two-Row Wampum Renewal campaign, calling on citizens of the Town and on the State of New York to build positive and respectful relations with their Native neighbors and all Native Peoples, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Town Board of Dryden urges the DOI and BIA to immediately cease recognizing Clint Halftown as a representative of the Nation RESOLVED, further, that the Town of Dryden will engage with the Gayogo̱hó꞉nǫʼ Council of Chiefs and Clanmothers in all matters pertaining to the Town’s government-to-government relationship with the Nation RESOLVED, further, that a copy of this resolution will be sent to the following officials: US President Joe Biden US Secretary of the Interior Debra Anne Haaland US Department of Interior Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary -- Indian Affairs Bryan Newland US BIA Director Darryl LaCounte US Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) -- Eastern Regional Director Kimberly Bouchard NY Governor Kathy Hochul US Senator Charles Schumer US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand US Congressperson John Katko US Congressperson Tom Reed NYS Assemblyperson Anna Kelles NYS Senator Thomas O’Mara This resolution will take effect immediately 2nd Cl Vargas-Mendez Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Youth Services Agreement The board has reviewed a proposed agreement between the town and Cornell Cooperative Extension to provide services for the 2022 calendar year. RESOLUTION #69 (2022) – APPROVE AGREEMENT WITH CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION FOR YOUTH SERVICES Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the agreement with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County to provide youth services for the 2022 calendar year at a cost of $112,216.00.00. 2nd Cl Lamb TB 3-17-21 D R A F T Page 6 of 8 Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Affordable and Workforce Housing Committee Appointments to the committee were discussed. RESOLUTION #70 (2022) – APPOINTMENTS TO AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING COMMITTEE Cl Skaley offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that the following shall be appointed to the Affordable and Workforce Housing Committee: Mayor Michael Murphy representing the Village of Dryden, Mayor Miles McCarty representing the Village of Freeville, Diane Tessaglia-Hymes liaison from the Planning Board and from the Hamlet of Etna, Martha Robertson, and Town Board members Leonardo Vargas-Mendez and James Skaley. 2nd Cl Vargas-Mendez Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Town Fire Coordinator Duties and Qualifications Statement The board reviewed and discussed the job description and duties of the Town Fire Coordinator as most recently revised after consultation with the town attorney. RESOLUTION #71 (2022) – ADOPT FIRE COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby adopts the job description for Town Fire Coordinator as attached. 2nd Cl Vargas-Mendez Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes ADVISORY BOARD UPDATES Planning Board – The Planning Board has been focused on release of the draft Comp Plan and will hold a public hearing on March 24th at 6:00 p.m. The hearing has been noticed and comments are coming in. The board will review the comments and may make revisions to the draft. When they are done, the draft plan will then come to the Town Board for a public hearing, possible revisions and adoption. TB 3-17-21 D R A F T Page 7 of 8 Conservation Board – Met on February 22, and basically had three topics of discussion. Topic 1 revolved around the public review draft of the Comprehensive Plan, specifically the maps that have been utilized. It would seem that the maps are based on data that is out -of- date. The data is out there, as is the software, so if maps are at issue and there is no one on staff who is expert at GIS, the Conservation Board needs to find someone to provide support. Topic 2 centered around a resolution of support for employing bio -sequestration and regenerative agricultural practices, the same resolution that was presented to the Ag Committee last month. This resolution was tabled for a resolution rewrite in light of the discussion over the matter and (NYS) grant availability that would fund regenerative farming projects. Topic 3 involved stormwater assessments. The CB acknowledged the problem in the Town regarding stormwater management/oversight, and the chair will reach out to R Burger and D Sprout to see if either one would be able to address the CB on this subject in th e near future. Recreation & Youth Commission - Met on March 22. They held discussions on completing an updated Needs Assessment. This should be a priority for the DRYC as it should help direct their 2022 efforts. The DRYC is also helping Tompkins County Youth Services with their Needs Assessment by providing feedback on extant questions and being given the option to add questions, if desired. The DRYC will also help out with the dissemination of this Needs Assessment. Agricultural Advisory Committee - Met on Mar 9 and primarily discussed the ag- relevant sections of the public review draft of the Comprehensive Plan, specifically the sections entitled "Farmland Protection and Agriculture" (p 56ff) and "Goal OS 3 - Preserve, Promote, and Support the Town's Agricultural Lands" (p 63). Notice was also given that after two years of being on hiatus due to COVID, Dryden Dairy Day will be coming back for in-person events this year (Saturday, June 11). The Dairy Princess Program has been rebranded as the Dairy Ambassador Program of NY. Dryden Historical Society's Homestead Heritage Fair Day will be making its return on Sep 24. Rail Trail Task Force – A crossing plan will be coming for Game Farm Road soon. Without the speed limit reduction, it will be a challenge to get the county to agree to an at grade crossing without some road work (possible regrading). The county does not want any parking on Game Farm Road. The RTTF would like to direct people to Stevenson Road, on the east side of the compost driveway, and would like signs for that. A property swap has been agreed to between Cornell and the Game Farm and when that is completed, plans for parking can be implemented. The official agreement is still held up in Albany. Everyone agrees it will get done, but is taking forever. Safety & Preparedness Committee – Met on March 7 via zoom. Ellie Cramer said there have been a few Swift 911 alerts for blowdowns at the Borger Station as upgrades are being finished. That project is pretty much done. The committee met with the county’s preparedness and disaster folks and have talked about shared resources and ordered materials for distribution. They are trying to get the CERT training going again. The county is also interested in what the committee is doing with that. TB 3-17-21 D R A F T Page 8 of 8 Climate Smart Communities Task Force – Met on March 1. Guests included Ella Bormet, our new clean energy intern, and two students from the Dryden High School Sustainability Club, who are contemplating joining the task force. One point of discussion centered on what project to next apply expected grant monies. DPW building improvements was the suggestion that kept bubbling up. Another point of discussion focused on how to better involve Dryden High School students in the Task Force, given that DHS has both a Sustainability Club and a Climate Change course offering. The presence of the two students was one step toward this, as we ll as plans to involve students in community outreach and education in regard to Dryden's Climate Action Plan. Broadband Committee – The revised easement from village of Dryden has been shared. That will allow us to lay fiber in the village when underground connections are needed. There is a kickoff meeting on Monday to prepare for the initial parts of construction. The pilot is slated for April near Pinckney Road. They are applying for a ReConnect grant again this year. They will be talking with Anna Kelles’ office about some things. They are preparing for construction and containers have been secured for holding materials. Bob Beck expressed concerns about a couple of areas in the Hall Woods Road area. He will email Supv Leifer so those concerns can be shared with the broadband committee. CITIZENS PRIVILEGE Shirley Price said Kelly at Dryden Agway is trying to get small businesses in Dryden together to see if we can keep businesses Dryden. She has been told the Town of Dryden doesn’t buy trophies locally and would like to make sure that town supports local businesses. Water/Sewer Update – D Harner will be ordering pipe now for the water project because it will be 9 months before we get delivery. There is no markup for the contractor to secure the pipe. They will be telescoping some of the sewer lines this summer. Water will have to be done next year. They are still waiting to hear on two more grants, probably waiting for the state budget to be approved. They are still working on necessary easements and hope to have that complete by June 15. There is some tree cutting going on in Varna along the road. It may be connected to the scheduled work by the state. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:23 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk