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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB 2024-08-08 attTB 8-8-24 Page 1 of 6 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING August 8, 2024 Zoom Hybrid Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl Leonardo Vargas- Mendez, Cl Christina Dravis, Cl Spring Buck Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Other Town Staff: Ray Burger, Planning Director *Cassie Byrnes, Secretary to the Supervisor Amanda Anderson, Bookkeeper *Indicates attendance via Zoom Supv Leifer called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m. Financials & Human Resources RESOLUTION #128 (2024) – APPROVE ABSTRACT #8 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #8, as audited, general vouchers #761 through #871 ($1,505,123.75) and TA vouchers #34 through #37 ($6,958.16), totaling $1,512,081.91. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes An agreement with the Village of Dryden for code enforcement services is still being negotiated for renewal this year. The town asked for an increase of $10,000. The Village would like to split that increase over two years. The board indicated a willingness to do that. Presentations Southworth Library – Library Director Diane Pamel introduced their board members present this evening: Michael Lane, Clint Brooks, Paul Streeter, Randy Stewart, and Bambi Avery. She thanked the town for its support for so many years and reviewed the presentation attached. The Southworth Library was started through a bequest from Jennie McGraw Fiske in 1883. Their original building opened in 1894 and has been operating since then. In 2009 the library sold the Lincoln victory speech document of 1864 at a Christie’s auction providing the funding to building the addition that tripled space. That space provided a reading area, fourteen public access computers, and increased circulation by 300%, computer use by 500% and visitors by 500%. TB 8-8-24 Page 2 of 6 The library today is more than a collection of books. It is a place to meet, use a computer, research old papers, do a puzzle, attend an event or discussion series, get the latest movies, or borrow a microscope, cake pan or something else from the Library of Things. Twenty percent of users are residents of the Village of Dryden, fifty percent are residents of the Town of Dryden, ten percent from outside that area in Tompkins County, and the rest from all five counties that are connected through the Finger Lakes Library System. The library also provides access to over 30,000 digital items through the Libby app. Prior to Covid, that number was 7,000. Seventy percent of the total library circulation is books. Through the library’s website there is access to old newspapers and ar chival materials. The Southworth Library is part of the Finger Lakes System, which is thirty-four libraries in five counties, and has access to all of their materials. Southworth has 4 3,000 catalogued items and adding those other libraries greatly increases that number. They also provide services outside of that system to libraries throughout the United States through an out of system interlibrary loan. In 2023 over 30,000 visitors came to the library and checked out over 85,000 items. In that year they offered 421 programs with 10,469 attendees. So far this year they’ve had 157 programs with almost 5,000 participants. Library programs include offerings for children and adults. The library is often the first literacy experience for little ones and Southworth generally has thirty to fifty participants for story time. They have a parenting section for resources and the one thousand books before kindergarten program. They connect literacy to activities through various clubs and programs including graphic novels, historical fiction, horse diaries, STEM events, game nights and teen takeovers. D Pamel noted that when the school could not provide bus transportation to the library after school, the town’s recreation director, Marty Conger, drove participants. They offer family programs on Saturdays to encourage people intergenerationally to learn things and have activities that are fun. Adult programs include a lunch and learn program every Wednesday, reading and discussion groups, and book clubs. This summer they have had a program every day of the week and occasionally two programs in a day. There have been 555 kids and teens who signed up for the summer reading challenge. A number of people are participating in the road trip to libraries in the Finger Lakes System. Local businesses have offered coupons for products as prizes. The library collaborates with other organizations to bring in different types of offerings including Cornell University and the Johnson Art Museum. This year the Racker Center brings their residents to the library to have a social space outside their homes on Mondays. Challenge Industries utilizes the library for their workforce training three times a week. Outreach includes visits to Willowbrook Senior Housing, a book club with the William George Agency at the library, and visits to Head Start with books and programs. Other events they engage in include a summer event at the park, a holiday event that ties into the village tree lighting and participating with the village for an Arbor Day celebration and tree planting. They look for ways to engage with the community and for the community to engage with each other with events that make people want to come to Dryden. Computer instruction programs have been provided with 115 attendees over twenty-one sessions and they will continue in the fall. TB 8-8-24 Page 3 of 6 Staff includes a full-time library director, a full-time senior librarian, three other staff, teen workers in the summer through Dryden Rural Youth Services and the Student Youth Employment Program, and countless volunteers and community members that help with the programs. The library has received a grant in the amount of $20,000 in order to create a more accessible library for people with disabilities. With the new building they have already addressed ADA compliance, but there are lots of things to discover about serving people with differing disabilities in the community. They have done a survey of community members and families and held community meetings to gather information about what they want to see at the library and hope to bring the necessary changes in the next year. D Pamel reviewed the library’s 2023 budget and expenses and noted that their income now includes a line on the school district property tax bill. They have been able to supplement their income with over $30,000 in additional funding in the form of grants in 2023 and 2024. Challenges the library faces include staffing and wages, changing technology, reduced funding, increased need for services and the cost of internet access. Cl Lamb said this board is proud to have the library as a budget line and having this background and information is helpful. He is glad that D Pamel is the face of the library. Insero Audit Presentation – Evan Cleveland, Matthew Ball, and Sarah Buckley of Insero & Co. CPAs, LLP, gave a presentation of their recent audit of the town’s finances. See attached slide deck of the executive summary, report, and findings. No material weaknesses or significant deficiencies were noted. They are required to communicate certain things to those in charge of governance, and at the conclusion of the audit they are also required to communicate planning stages. They do that through a specific letter and that letter contains no comments or concerns. There were no difficulties in performing the audit. The assets and liabilities over the past three years have been relatively steady. They noted the town’s investments in NYClass and the $67,000 earned by that investment and the 1.1 million dollars received from ARPA and then spent and its effect on the general fund in 2022. How the broadband fund was treated and associated transfers was explained. It is treated as a business activity. Overall, the audit went very well and they appreciate the efforts of Amanda Anderson in conducting the audit and thanked her for that. At this point, the town has met the federal threshold for a single audit but can expect that in 2024 and 2025. Looking at the town’s unassigned fund balance compared to annual expenditures, the town is in a good situation. The board may contact them about any questions, and if satisfied can accept the report next week. HIGHWAY/DPW DEPARTMENT No report. COUNTY UPDATE Mike Lane said it is nice to hear it was a clean audit. The county has a lot of money coming in from the state and federal governments, particularly in the social services area. Insero also does their audit, and does a good job for them. TB 8-8-24 Page 4 of 6 He is pleased to see that a streetlight at Livermore Road and Route 392 has been installed and thanked Highway Superintendent Rick Young for his work in that regard. The addition of the streetlight makes that intersection safer. The county continues to look for more shelter for the homeless and other people in the county. There are a lot of folks that need mental health services. They continue to review their capital programs and are getting ready for budget season. The process starts in September. They are expecting a lot of over target requests because the legislature instructed their county administrator to come in with a 2% increase on the tax levy. It will be very, very hard to do that. Their t ax cap is 4.45%. The cost of health insurance is increasing substantially, maybe 15-20% statewide. The Consortium may see a double digit increase and there is an increase in the pension rate. The section of Peruville Road between McLean and Route 38 will be closed and detoured for about 60 days while the county replaces culverts. This is a project funded by the state culvert program a couple of years ago. In response to a question, M Lane said all rural libraries and agencies are looking at a 5% reduction, the same as the county’s departments, but they can submit an over target request. He said it is largely due to the cost of labor and inflation. It is similar to the situation after the recession in 2008 when they asked departments to submit 0% increase budgets. The County has spent half of this year’s contingency budget. He indicated they are having better luck filling vacancies now than in the recent past. M Lane said the County currently pays a living wage of $18.45 per hour. The legislature was approached by the local UAW and the Workers Center asking the county to pass a local law mandating a minimum wage for employers in Tompkins County. They would like that minimum wage to be the living wage that is promulgated. The county doesn’t think it has the right under state law that would mandate employers in Tompkins County to pay a county-designated minimum wage that they would have to enforce. There was a request to the legislature last night and M Lane doesn’t think that making a test case in Tompkins County is the right thing to do. Cl Vargas-Mendez said he understands that the county may not be paying the living wage that was established last year. He and M Lane will discuss this privately. Cl Lamb said he understands there is a request that the county pass a resolution to establish a collaborative process and methodology to determine what the living wage should be. M Lane said the county went through the same process about six years ago. He said it would be troublesome for employers and some employers may go instead to a county that doesn’t have the same mandate. He didn’t support the effort at the county legislature meeting because he doesn’t believe that the county should spend $50,000 to hire a consultant for it. Cl Vargas-Mendez said the county is spending a lot of money on social services for people who are being left behind precisely because the wages they are making are not enough to cover the needs of their families. Cl Buck said it is a complex issue. In relation to the countywide emergency response effort, Cl Lamb noted that about a third of Dryden Ambulance’s responses are outside of their certificate of need. He is trying to get neighboring towns and TCCOG to think about that. The town pays about 1.2 million dollars a year to Dryden Ambulance and is being asked to subsidize the other municipalities. He thinks that ultimately the state is going to have to get involved. He expects TCCOG to pass a resolution requesting that the state designate EMS as an essential service. TB 8-8-24 Page 5 of 6 Discussion/Action Items Resolution #129 (2024) - Appointment of Allison Kjellander-Cantu as Deputy Town Clerk Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby acknowledges the appointment of Allison Kjellander-Cantu to the position of Deputy Town Clerk with a start date of August 6, 2024, and approves a pay rate of $22.50/hour. 2nd Cl Dravis Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Resolution #130 (2024) - Authorize Signers on Bank Accounts Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby appoints and authorizes the following individuals as signers on the Supervisors Fund, Trust & Agency, CD, Health Reimbursement Account, Broadband, and Combined CDBG Sewer bank accounts at The First National Bank of Dryden: Jason Leifer, Bambi L. Avery, Allison Kjellander-Cantu, and Loren Sparling. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Charge to Planning Board – Cryptocurrency and data processing centers need to be studied during the moratorium and considered in the zoning update. Cl Lamb will draft a charge to the Planning Board for next week asking them to consider the implications of crypto- mining and like businesses in the town of Dryden. Considerations might include noise, energy use, whether it reflects where the town wants to go, servers for AI used in large scale operations and other impacts. He said it seems in conflict with what was decided as the direction for this town for the next 20 years. Other items to consider are water cooling systems, power draw, fire protection systems that may be required, amount of battery usage, and the safety of firefighters. Next week’s agenda will include a public hearing for a special use permit for a large dwelling unit that is part of the plan for the INHS project at 9 Freese Road. The SEQR won’t be done until the 22nd by the Planning Board, so the public hearing will need to be left open for decision on September 12. There will also be action needed by the Town Board related to a PILOT for the project. Easements from the Villages for the trail are still being worked on by the attorneys. The action for next week will be to set a public hearing for September 19. TB 8-8-24 Page 6 of 6 There will be a presentation on the solar project on Morris Road next week and the board will set the public hearing for September 19. The Planning Board has reviewed this at their last few meetings and they will be making their recommendations. Cl Lamb said there has been some communication with NYS DOT about documentation needed for the Freese Road Bridge. He thinks they have what they need and we are waiting for DOT to let us put that out for bid. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:46 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk The Southworth Library 1883-2024 Lincoln Center Addition Our library today Libby ebooks and digital services Over 30,000 digital items are available including audio books Digitized newspaper and archival materials from 1790 -1949 Libraries connect communities Library Programs Early Literacy Programs Programs for Kids •Afterschool book clubs •Game nights •Teen takeovers Family programs Adult ProgramsAdult Programs Summer Programs Collaborations and Special Programs Outreach Community events Computer instruction How do we do ALL this? Future Plans 2023 income Public Funding Village of Dryden $10,000 Town of Dryden $15,500 Tompkins County $38,655 State Aid & grants $4380 School district funding $50,000 Investment Income $75,000 Donations & gifts $36,000 Other $1,590 Total $231,125 Expenses 2023 Staff $152,197 Support Services $10,863 Supplies $5,122 Library Materials $11,960 Operations & maintenance $48,030 Programs & Miscellaneous $2,953 Total $231,125 Grants and additional funding In 2024 we supplemented our income with over $30,000 in additional funding Our Challenges ▪Staffing and wages ▪Changing Technology ▪Reduced funding from Tompkins County ▪Increased need for our services ▪Internet access costs -