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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB 2023-12-14TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 1 of 12 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING December 14, 2023 Zoom Hybrid Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl Spring Buck, Cl Leonardo Vargas-Mendez, Cl Christina Dravis Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Other Town Staff: Ray Burger, Planning Director Cassie Byrnes, Secretary to Supervisor Amanda Anderson, Bookkeeper Chris O’Connor, Fire Coordinator Supv Leifer opened the meeting at 6:00 p.m. RESOLUTION #185 (2023) – APPROVE ABSTRACT #12 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #12, as audited, general vouchers #1144 through #1268 ($1,601,356.32) and TA vouchers #108 through #111 ($6,567.73), totaling $1,607,924.05. 2nd Cl Dravis Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED LOCAL LAW TO EXTEND THE BILLBOARD OVERLAY DISTRICT Supv Leifer opened the public hearing at 6:04 p.m. Ray Burger explained this local law provides a minor amendment adding a 25’ strip along the previous 300’ strip on Route 13 near the NYSEG intersection. The width of the DOT right-of-way left no area for billboards in one area and this amendment will take care of that. Cl Lamb said that Route 13 isn’t placed in the middle of the right-of-way and that wasn’t considered when the law was drafted. There were no comments or questions and the hearing was left open at 6:06 p.m. FIRE COORDINATOR Chris O’Connor reported that Varna Fire Department has signed a contract with Emergency Vehicle Response to do an analysis of Varna’s fleet. They will consider the fleet’s suitability, what might need to be replaced or refurbished, and take a close look at maintenance issues. He will also look at other departments’ apparatus with an eye towards suitability for mutual aid. If all goes well with that process, Varna will likely then hire them as an expert consultant to assist with plans for replacement of apparatus. C O’Connor said he has recommended that all departments engage experts to look at their fleets. TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 2 of 12 Varna is also considering bringing in a PESH inspector for another voluntary compliance inspection. There are three scenarios when PESH shows up at a department: when a volunteer is killed or badly injured, if someone has filed a safety complaint, or to invite them in. When PESH was last there they were concerned with lack of training and experience among the officers. They expect a better review due to their record of training and record keeping. Varna is also considering bringing in an Office of Fire Prevention and Control specialist to help them identify training course needs appropriate for positions. Tompkins County will be offering significantly more NYS courses in 2024 and have hired two new state fire instructors and two skills instructors. Other good news from the state (though not yet effective and in the comment period) is that stipends for new members to take training courses will be available. This is a good incentive for people to join and learn the job. The amount for taking the basic exterior firefighting course of $750. If they then take the interior firefighter course, they will get $1250. In addition, they are offering $1,000 for members that take the fire officer 1 course. There is a lack of people townwide that are willing to become officers, and this may help. The rapid medical response pilot program in the county is still moving ahead. Don’t know yet what towns will need to contribute, if anything. But there is a good possibility that early next year there will be a response vehicle based at the DOER building on Brown Road. This is mostly intended to help out with the low response rates of Lansing and Etna. Cl Lamb said the county has a budget of $300,000 to use to set up the program and more contingent on whether they receive a shared services grant. The county is willing to fund it for 2024. Towns will be asked to contribute and they are trying to figure out a formula for that. If we actually figure out what municipalities are paying for emergency response, we may find some interesting data. Our town is a donor when it comes to first response, particularly for ambulance service. C O’Connor said that effective January 1, 2025, NYS will require insurance companies to send funds directly to the ambulance service instead of to the patient. Dryden Ambulance currently has about $250,000 in the hands of debt collectors. They believe that the direct payment change could reduce the amounts turned over for collection. All town fire departments have had their annual elections. All four chiefs were re- elected with most other line and administrative officers also re-elected. There were very few contested elections. C O’Connor met with all departments to wrap up the 2023 mutually agreed upon plans. Etna still really doesn’t have ideas on how to improve response rates, has no new members, and has lost one EMT to Freeville. They don’t see the possibility of a bunker program or requiring standby times for their members. There is no progress on writing SOPs, but they will work on it this month. They are thinking about instituting an incentive program for members. They were advised to contact other departments to see what works and what doesn’t. They will contact Nancy Tenkate about applying for an Assistance to Firefighters grant for cancer prevention. Etna has planned repairs to the kitchen and dining room floor at the firehouse. Their treasurer is still gathering info on the license event notification system and dash cams. Chief Lobdell will be the new training officer in 2024. They are not interested in phasing in purchase of 5” hose and SCBA equipment compatible with other departments. They have been getting grants from DEC for the past five years ($5,000 with $2,500 paid up front) for equipment. TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 3 of 12 They will know in January or February whether they were successful this year. They have just completed a joint training with Dryden. They see no need for a health and safety committee in the department. When C O’Connor met with Freeville in July, they were already doing half of the things on the list, were working on almost everything else, and there are six items they are considering. As of this month 47 items have already been done or they are doing them. They are working on 23 others and will consider the six. They will work on an initial fire attack policy and are working on a new member handbook. They have been encouraging members to take leadership courses and are working on maps showing all the drafting sites in their area. They have contacted Nancy Tenkate about the Plymovent system grant, and are becoming more interested in instituting a bunker program. C O’Connor has submitted the first SAFER grant payment request for September through November. This pays firefighters $3 per call for each call responded to. Each department submitted names and numbers of calls to him, he attaches other required information and submits it. FEMA rep has approved the request that was submitted December 8. It turns out that Freeville’s System for Award Management account just expired (due to the chief having a new email address) and they will work through that and get the SAM account reactivated or a new one. He shared with the board a list of the number of responders and calls for each department and said that those numbers will translate to some responders getting checks of over $100. With respect to travel and procurement policies, the ones that were provided to FEMA were not sufficient. Reimbursement requests for anything else cannot be made until those are in place and approved by FEMA. The FEMA rep has provided sample travel and procurement policies that are acceptable. C O’Connor will send those on to the departments and ask that they adopt them as soon as possible. The FEMA rep also suggested that all four departments adopt a common set of specs for purchases, particularly PPE, and combine orders from the lowest bid vendor. The departments are not interested in doing that, so he is trying to work out a compromise. The only departments that have verbally agreed to work on an AFG grant for Plymovent systems are Freeville and Varna. The others have told C O’Connor they will contact Nancy Ten Kate about the grant application, but she hasn’t heard from them yet. Anne Marie Sheridan said she contests some information in the Fire Coordinator’s report and on advice of Supv Leifer, will speak directly with C O’Connor about it. Supv Leifer closed the public hearing on the local law to extend the billboard overlay district at 6:33 pm. COUNTY BRIEFING Mike Lane reported that he had no news on the shared cost of the emergency response project. The public safety committee has met, but he hasn’t had a report. The facilities and infrastructure committee spent a good deal of time at their meeting talking about the new green building policy they are updating. It talks about when projects exceed $500,000 for a building that will be occupied by people that the county go for LEED gold for those buildings. If people will not occupy it, they will probably go for LEED silver. It is especially important since they are talking about construction of a center of government building on the 300 block of Tioga Street. They are proud of what they are doing with the green initiatives. The airport has been green, and if they build a new center of government building, they hope to do it with geothermal and get off of natural gas as much as possible. TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 4 of 12 The Assessment Department was represented at the government operations meeting last week and spoke about moving from annual to triennial reassessment. It isn’t what they like, but doing annual reassessment with so many parcels having changed in value has been difficult for the staff. The committee didn’t seem excited about moving away from the annual assessment, because it has been in place for almost 20 years, but it is being discussed. The last time they did a triennial assessment, the increase at the end of three years had a lot of people very upset. The county approved a bonding resolution for funding for a new culvert on Midline Road and hopefully that will proceed next year. Cl Lamb inquired about the RFP process for the county’s broadband activity. M Lane said he had relayed comments from Dryden and that this could mean double the cost for Dryden since Dryden has its own program, so they are aware of it. Cl Lamb said the Town is concerned about having to compete with a private provider subsidized by the county. Extension of Billboard Overlay District – The board reviewed the SEQR documents. R Burger noted this is a small amendment, and would result in a small impact in the land category. RESOLUTION #186 (2023) - DETERMINATION OF TYPE OF ACTION AND SIGNIFICANCE UNDER THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY REVIEW ACT FOR PROPOSED LOCAL LAW Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Dryden is proposing to adopt a LOCAL LAW EXTENDING THE BILLBOARD OVERLAY DISTRICT TO ADDITIONAL PORTIONS OF TAX MAP NUMBERS 52.-1-4.31, and 52.-1-4.6, which was presented to the Town Board at said meeting; and WHEREAS, the Local Law has been discussed by the Town Board at length, and the Town Board has carefully considered the nature and scope of the proposed Local Law, and the Town Board now wishes to fully comply with its obligations under SEQRA and the regulations thereunder with respect to the proposed Local Law; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the regulations, the Town Board has considered the significance of the potential environmental impacts of the Local Law by using the criteria specified in Section 617.4 of the Regulations, and examined the Environmental Assessment Form prepared herewith, together with other available supporting information, to identify the relevant areas of environmental concern, and thoroughly analyzing the identified areas of relevant environmental concern. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Board of the Town of Dryden as follows: RESOLVED that the Town Board hereby declares itself lead agency pursuant to SEQRA for this action, finds and concludes that the proposed action is an unlisted action within the meaning of 6 NYCRR 617.4 and therefore is subject to review under SEQRA and the regulations thereunder, and determines that the review is an uncoordinated review; and be it further RESOLVED that because this action is an amendment of the Town’s local laws, no other agencies are interested or involved parties to this action; and be it further TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 5 of 12 RESOLVED that based upon an examination of the Environmental Assessment Form and other available supporting information, and considering both the magnitude and importance of each relevant area of environmental concern, and based further upon the Town Board’s knowledge of the action and such further investigation of the Local law and its respective potential environmental impacts as the Town Board has deemed appropriate, the Town Board finds and determines that no significant adverse environmental impacts are noted in the Environmental Assessment Form for the Local Law and none are known to the Town Board and, therefore, the Local Law will not have a significant adverse environmental impact as a consequence of the foregoing. This resolution shall serve as the Negative Declaration for adoption of the Local Law; and be it further RESOLVED this resolution shall take effect immediately. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #187 (2023) – ADOPTION OF LOCAL LAW EXTENDING THE BILLBOARD OVERLAY DISTRICT Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the Town of Dryden scheduled a public hearing for December 14, 2023, at 6:05 p.m. for Local Law No. 8 of 2023 entitled “A LOCAL LAW EXTENDING THE BILLBOARD OVERLAY DISTRICT TO ADDITIONAL PORTIONS OF TAX MAP NUMBERS 52.-1-4.31, and 52.- 1-4.6”; and WHEREAS, notice of said public hearing was duly advertised in the official newspaper of the Town and posted on the Town Clerk’s signboard; and WHEREAS, said public hearing was duly held on the 14th day of December 2023 at 6:05 p.m. and all parties in attendance were permitted an opportunity to speak on behalf of or in opposition to said proposed Local Law, or any part thereof; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Part 617 of the implementing regulations of the State Environmental Quality Review Act, it is determined by the Town Board that adoption of the proposed Local Law constitutes an unlisted Action, as defined under said regulations. The Town Board has considered the possible environmental impacts of the Local Law. The adoption of said Local Law will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment and the Town Board adopted a negative declaration with respect to the Local Law; and WHEREAS, the Town Board, after due deliberation, finds it in the best interest of the Town to adopt said Local Law. NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board hereby adopts said local law as Local Law No. 8 of 2023 entitled “A LOCAL LAW EXTENDING THE BILLBOARD OVERLAY DISTRICT TO ADDITIONAL PORTIONS OF TAX MAP NUMBERS 52.-1-4.31, and 52.- 1-4.6”; a copy of which is attached hereto and made a part hereof; and be it further RESOLVED that the Town Clerk be and hereby is directed to enter said Local Law in the minutes of this meeting and to give due notice of the adoption of said Local Law to TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 6 of 12 the Secretary of State; and be it further RESOLVED that this resolution will take effect upon filing with the Department of State. 2nd Cl Vargas-Mendez Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Text of Local Law #8 of 2023: Section 1. Extension of the Billboard Overlay (BO) District. The Billboard Overlay (BO) District is hereby extended an additional Twenty-five (25) feet from the centerline of New York State Route 13, such that those portions of the below listed parcels within One-Hundred and Seventy-five (175) feet of the centerline of New York State Route 13 are within the Billboard Overlay (BO) District. The Town of Dryden Zoning Map shall be amended accordingly. Tax Map Numbers: 52.-1-4.31 52.-1-4.6 Section 2. Remainder. Except as hereinabove amended, the remainder of the Code of the Town of Dryden shall remain in full force and effect. Section 3. Separability. The provisions of this Local Law are separable and if any provision, clause, sentence, subsection, word or part thereof is held illegal, invalid, unconstitutional, or inapplicable to any person or circumstance, such illegality, invalidity or unconstitutionality, or inapplicability shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, clauses, sentences, subsections, words, or parts of this local law or their application to other persons or circumstances. It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent that this local law would have been adopted if such illegal, invalid, or unconstitutional provision, clause, sentence, subsection, word or part had not been included therein, and as if such person or circumstance, to which the local law or part thereof is held inapplicable, had been specifically exempt therefrom. Section 4. Effective Date. This Local Law shall take effect immediately upon filing with the New York State Secretary of State in accordance with Section 27 of the Municipal Home Rule Law. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS 2024 Pay Rates – Pay rates were considered in preparing the 2024 budget. RESOLUTION #188 (2023) – APPROVE 2024 PAY RATES Supervisor Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas certain employees’ salaries are not reflected on an exclusive budget line; and TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 7 of 12 Whereas certain employees’ budget lines are estimated due to flex in number of hours worked; and Whereas annual payroll certification to Civil Service must show why employees receive a change in their rate of pay, be it therefore RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves 2024 pay rates for non-union Highway/DPW and Town Hall employees who work a varied number of hours per week as follows: Name Title Hire Date 2023 rate 2024 rate % Increase Town Hall Employees: John Arsenault PT Court Attendant 11/25/19 49.36 51.83 5 Derek Barr PT Court Attendant 05/03/21 49.36 51.83 5 Cassandra Byrnes Confid Sec’y to Supv 11/19 /18 22.50 23.63 5 Sherri Crispell Senior Account Clerk 05/17/12 26.39 27.71 5 Marty Conger Rec Director 03/29/21 30.03 31.53 5 Christopher Greene Rec Assistant 09/13/22 15.00 15.00 0 William Knickerbocker Enforcement Officer PT 01/24/23 27.00 28.35 5 James Niemi PT Court Attendant 06/01/14 49.36 51.83 5 Christopher O’Connor Fire Coordinator 11/28/22 28.85 30.29 5 Lee Parker Deputy Clerk 12/30/09 16.45 17.27 5 Dillon Shults Planner 08/28/23 32.21 32.21* 0 *rate increase is pending 6-month anniversary performance review Peter Tyler PT Court Attendant 2/07/22 49.36 51.83 5 Highway/DPW Employees: ($ increase matches contract raise for union employees) Shawn Flynn MEO Seasonal/PT as needed 01/13/15 25.81 27.81 7 Richard TenKate MEO Seasonal/PT as needed 08/02/22 28.00 30.00 7 2nd Cl Buck Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Establish Standard Work Day for Positions – This is needed for the retirement system. RESOLUTION #189 (2023) – ESTABLISH STANDARD WORK DAY FOR POSITIONS Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas, the NYS Retirement System credits service using a calculation with one factor being the standard number of hours in the work day; and Whereas, the number of hours for each position is determined by the Town Board; Be it resolved, that the Town of Dryden, Location code 30690, hereby establishes the following standard work days, by position, and directs reporting of days worked to the New TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 8 of 12 York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System based on the time keeping system or record of activities maintained and submitted by these members: Title Standard Work Day (hours/day) Assistant Super of Public Works 8 Assistant Camp Director 8 Bookkeeper 8 Camp Counselor 8 Camp Counselor in Training 8 Camp Director 8 Code Enforcement Officer 8 Confidential Secretary to the Supervisor 7 Court Attendant PT 6 Court Clerk 8 Deputy Highway Superintendent 8 Deputy Town Clerk 8 Deputy Town Clerk PT 6 Director of Planning 8 Enforcement Officer 8 Fire Coordinator 6 Heavy Equipment Mechanic 8 Keyboard Specialist 8 Laborer 8 Maintenance/MEO 8 Maintenance Worker/Assist to Supt 8 MEO 8 MEO PT 6 Planner 8 Recreation Assistant 6 Recreation Coordinator 7 Seasonal MEO 6 Secretary to Highway Superintendent 7 Senior Account Clerk Typist 7 Senior Court Clerk 8 Working Supervisor of DPW 8 2nd Cl Vargas-Mendez Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Set 2024 Water and Sewer Rates – Amanda Anderson noted that the rates set by these resolutions were used in calculating revenue for the 2024 budget. TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 9 of 12 Resolution #190 (2023) - Amend Town 2024 Water Rate – SW8 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the water districts served by Bolton Point (SCLIWC) are part of a single water district; and WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Dryden enacted the 2024 Budget on November 2, 2023; and WHEREAS, no revenues will be generated from property taxes or assessments for the consolidated water district for the 2024 budget cycle; therefore RESOLVED, that effective January 1, 2024, this Town Board hereby establishes the Town of Dryden water rate at $8.65 per 1,000 gallons with a 5,000-gallon minimum per unit for 2024 for water districts served by Bolton Point (SCLIWC). 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #191 (2023) - Amend Town 2024 Yellow Barn Water Rate – SW7 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Dryden enacted the 2024 Budget on November 2, 2023; and WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Dryden budgeted $102,537 in anticipated revenue from user rent, property tax, and interest; and WHEREAS, the water rate was last adjusted for the 2023 budget year; therefore RESOLVED, that effective January 1, 2024, this Town Board hereby establishes the Town of Dryden water rate at $16.35 per 1,000 gallons with a 5,000-gallon minimum per unit charge for the units served by the Yellow Barn Water District. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #192 (2023) - Amend Town 2024 Sewer Rate – SS8 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the sewer districts served by Bolton Point (SCLIWC) are part of a single sewer district; and TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 10 of 12 WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Dryden enacted the 2024 Budget on November 2, 2023; and WHEREAS, no revenues will be generated from property taxes or assessments for the consolidated sewer district for the 2024 budget cycle; therefore RESOLVED, that effective January 1, 2024, this Town Board hereby establishes the Town of Dryden sewer rate at $6.56 per 1,000 gallons with a 5,000-gallon minimum per unit for 2024 for sewer districts served by Bolton Point (SCLIWC). 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #193 (2023) - Amend Town 2024 Sapsucker Sewer Rate – SS1 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the sewer district served by Village of Cayuga Heights; and WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Dryden enacted the 2024 Budget on November 2, 2023; and WHEREAS, no revenues will be generated from property taxes or assessments for the Sapsucker sewer district (SS1) for the 2024 budget cycle; therefore RESOLVED, that effective January 1, 2024, this Town Board hereby establishes the Town of Dryden sewer rate at $7.41 per 1,000 gallons with a 5,000-gallon minimum for 2024 for sewer district served by Village of Cayuga Heights. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #194 (2023) - Amend Cortland Road Sewer District 2024 Sewer Rate – SS3 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the sewer districts served by Cortland Road Sewer District are part of a single sewer district; and WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Dryden enacted the 2024 Budget on November 2, 2023; and WHEREAS, no revenues will be generated from property taxes or assessments for the sewer district for the 2024 budget cycle; therefore RESOLVED, that effective January 1, 2024, this Town Board hereby establishes the Cortland Road Sewer District sewer rate according to the table below. TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 11 of 12 Usage Sewer Rate 0 -1,000 gal (minimum) 82.50 1,001 -15,000 gal (per thousand) 6.88 15,001 - 40,000 gal (per thousand) 9.88 40,001 - 60,000 gal (per thousand) 10.63 60,001 -100,000 gal (per thousand) 11.38 100,001 - 150,000 gal (per thousand) 12.13 150,001 - 200,000 gal (per thousand) 12.88 200,001 - 300,000 gal (per thousand) 13.63 300,001 - 1,000,000 gal (per thousand) 14.38 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Right of Access Agreements – Supv Leifer explained that this agreement, that board members have reviewed, is to be used in cases where there are renters on the real property. The owner of the property needs to give Dryden Fiber access to the property in order to serve the units there. The item will be added to the annual authorizations at the board’s organizational meeting. Resolution #195 (2023) - Permitting the Town Supervisor to review, approve, and sign Dryden Fiber Right of Access Agreements with Property Owners Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas, the Town of Dryden has established a municipal internet service doing business as Dryden Fiber; and Whereas, Dryden Fiber is being operated as a public utility, in a similar manner to the special districts operated by the Town of Dryden to offer water, sewer, and street lighting services to businesses and residents; and Whereas, at the Organizational Meeting on January 5, 2023, Resolution #5, the Town Board delegated the authority of administration and supervision for Dryden Fiber to the Town Supervisor; and Whereas, to install fiber to locations where the resident or business is not the property owner, Dryden Fiber is requiring the property owner sign a Right of Access Agreement, therefore be it Resolved, that the Town Board of the Town of Dryden permits the Town Supervisor to review, approve, and sign Right of Access Agreements without seeking further approval of the board. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes TB 12-14-23 APPROVED Page 12 of 12 Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Phillips Lytle Engage Letter – Supv Leifer has shared with the board a proposed letter of engagement with Phillips Lytle LLP for services in connection with Dryden Fiber. They are a nationally known telecommunications practice and have offices in Rochester, Buffalo, and New York City. There are items that we are likely to encounter that are telecom-related and our town attorney does not specialize in that area. On the recommendation of others, Supv Leifer reached out to this firm and is asking the board for authorization to execute the letter of engagement on the terms contained in it. The firm will assign an associate to us who went to Cornell Law School and is familiar with the area. They have reduced their hourly rate for us and are requiring a retainer of $7,500, and Supv Leifer said he believes this will be a good relationship for the town. RESOLUTION #196 (2023) – AUTHORIZE AGREEMENT WITH PHILLIPS LYTLE LLP Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board has reviewed the letter of engagement provided by Phillips Lytle LLP dated November 17, 2023, hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor to execute the same and provide a retainer in the amount of $7,500.00. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Next week’s agenda will include a special use permit for 1620 Dryden Road, the SEQR for the Fall Creek water quality improvement/stabilization project, and a new collective bargaining agreement for Bolton Point. The board will hold its organizational meeting on January 11, 2024. Supv Leifer will share the resolutions and appointments prior to the meeting. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:06 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk