Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB 2025-04-17TB 4-17-25 Page 1 of 8 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING April 17, 2025 Zoom Hybrid Present: Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl Leonardo Vargas-Mendez, Cl Christina Dravis, Cl Spring Buck Absent: Supervisor Jason Leifer Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Rick Young, Highway/DPW Superintendent Other Town Staff: Amanda Anderson, Bookkeeper Ray Burger, Planning Director *Cassie Byrnes, Secretary to the Supervisor David Makar, Dryden Fiber Executive Director *Indicates attendance via Zoom Deputy Supervisor Daniel Lamb opened the meeting at 6:02 p.m. Board members and attendees recited the pledge of allegiance. TOWN CLERK RESOLUTION #76 (2025) – APPROVE MINUTES Cl Lamb offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the minutes of March 13 and March 20, 2025. 2nd Cl Dravis Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes PUBLIC HEARING SPECIAL USE APPLICATION VARNA AUTO, 933 DRYDEN ROAD Cl Lamb opened the hearing at 6:04 p.m. Board members have received and reviewed the application documents. Ray Burger explained that zoning in Varna requires a special use permit for any building larger than 5,000 square feet. The Planning Board is conducting site plan review for the project and the applicant will be going to the Zoning Board of Appeals on May 6 for a couple of variances. There were no public comments on the matter. Cl Lamb said Varna Auto has been a great local business; he refers students to them and is happy to have them in town. Cl Buck was present for discussions at the Planning Board and believes this is a well-thought-out plan. The hearing was left open at 6:06 p.m. TB 4-17-25 Page 2 of 8 BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY ENERGY PRESENTATION ANNUAL REPORT TO TOWN BOARD Don Houser of Berkshire Hathaway Energy Gas Transmission and Supply presented the company’s annual report as required by their special use permit. (Slide deck is attached and on the town website.) He gave an overview of the company and then focused on the network in the eastern part of the country. The vision and mission of the BHE Pipeline Group as well as its core values were pointed out. The company has 900 miles of pipeline in New York State, 75 employees, 2 natural gas storage fields and 8 compressor stations. In 2024 Eastern Gas Transmission and Storage ranked 4th among 38 pipelines in customer satisfaction. A significant portion of the presentation focused on BHEGT &S's commitment and success in reducing methane intensity. Their goal was 0.05%, and they have consistently outperformed this, reporting 0.022% in April 2023. This reduction is achieved through technology upgrades like pressurized blowdowns and the use of Z EVAC machines to capture gas during pipeline maintenance. D Houser called attention to the company’s community engagement program that can fund up to $30,000 under philanthropy to organizations. Charts showing potential to emit (per their air permit) vs actual emissions for NOx, SOx, VOCs, particulate matter, CO2, CH4, CO2e, CO, total HAPs and formaldehyde were presented. D Houser pointed out the immediate reduction after the new engines were installed at the Borger Station. There has been a slight increase in recent years due to increased demand for gas, but the actual emissions are well below the potential to emit. This is typical of every station, as they set records on flow this year. D Houser invited the board to tour the station. Cl Lamb said this report each year adds to transparency for residents and there is less doubt about what goes on with this big entity. PUBLIC HEARING There were no further comments regarding Varna Auto’s special use permit and Cl Lamb closed the public hearing at 6:39 p.m. R Burger reviewed the proposed resolution with the board. The Planning Board will do a final site plan approval next week and the Zoning Board of Appeals will hear the variance application on May 6. RESOLUTION #77 (2025) - Special Use Permit for an addition to automotive repair garage at 933 Dryden Road, Tax Parcel 56.-5-5 Cl Lamb offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, A. Angie and William Chen of Varna Automotive Repair have applied for a Special Use Permit (SUP) approval to enlarge an existing automotive repair garage by adding two work bays resulting in a building size of 5,354 sq ft, and B. Town of Dryden Code §270-7.3 Varna Use Regulations indicates that (C)(1) In the Varna districts, no use shall include a structure larger than 5,000 square feet without a special use TB 4-17-25 Page 3 of 8 permit, and the proposed automotive repair garage/office building would exceed this limit after the proposed project by 354 square feet, and C. An application, sketch plan, and short EAF have been submitted on February 13, 2025 and updated on April 16, 2025, and D. The Town Planning Department considers the application complete, and E. The Town Planning Board reviewed this application at their March 27, 2025 meeting and recommended approval, contingent upon a full landscape plan being submitted, an improved plan for garbage and dumpsters, applicants contact DOT for moving of the bus sto p and for a crosswalk, a full Stormwater Plan submittal, and F. The applicant provided a full landscape plan, improved a plan for garbage and dumpsters, contacted NYS DOT for moving of the bus stop and for a crosswalk, and submitted a full Stormwater Plan, and G.The Stormwater Management Officer reviewed the proposal and finds the proposed Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) adequate, and H. The Tompkins County Planning Department has reviewed the application pursuant §239 –l, -m, and –n of the New York State General Municipal Law and determined that the proposed action will have no significant county-wide or inter-community impacts, but recommended that the Town encourage the applicant to work closely with NYSDOT to ensure that the proposal provides safe points of ingress and egress and that there is appropriate space for continued bus service, and that the Town encourage the applicant to work closely with TCAT to ensure that the proposal will not negatively impact current and continued bus service, and I. The Town has encouraged the applicant to work closely with NYSDOT to ensure that the proposal provides safe points of ingress and egress and that there is appropriate space for continued bus service, and the Town has encouraged the applicant to work closely with TCAT to ensure that the proposal will not negatively impact current and continued bus service. J. A public hearing was held on April 17, 2025 with public comments registered in the meeting minutes and considered by this board, and K. Pursuant to the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (“SEQRA”) and its implementing regulations at 6 NYCRR Part 617, the Planning Board of the Town of Dryden did, on March 27, 2025, make a negative determination of environmental significance, after having reviewed and accepted as adequate the Short Environmental Assessment Form Parts 1, 2, and 3, and L. The Town Board has reviewed this application relative to the considerations and standards found in Code §270-7 for Varna-specific regulations, §270-13.10 for automotive repair garage regulations, §270-9.3 for off-street parking regulations, §270-11 for site plan review, and §270- 12 for Special Use Permit. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS: 1. The Town Board hereby finds that the considerations for approval of the requested Special Use Permit listed in Code Section 270 -12 have been met, specifically that: a. The proposed use is compatible with the other permitted uses in the Varna Mixed Use District (VHMUD), as “automotive repair garage” is allowed with a Special Use Permit (SUP) in this district, and it is located along Dryden Road (Route 366) in an area nea r other commercial businesses; b. The proposed use is compatible with adjoining properties and with the natural and manmade environment, as this proposal is for an addition to a long -standing, continuously operating automotive repair garage with a second automotive repair garage (with a different owner) and a community center within 500 feet; TB 4-17-25 Page 4 of 8 c. Parking, vehicular circulation, and infrastructure for the proposed use is adequate, so long as it is mitigated by the continuing use of the applicant-owned second lot across Dryden Road in the Varna Hamlet Traditional District (VHTD) as a parking area for the business so long as the business exists; d. The overall impact on the site and its surroundings considering Code §270-13.3: proposed use will not produce conditions that are noxious, offensive or hazardous to the health, safety or general welfare of the community, a special use permit may be approved … No odors, vibration or glare will be evident at a point more than 150 feet from the source of said odor, vibration or light., or any other nuisances has been considered and found to be negligible. Impact concerns are primarily repair equipment noise during business hours. e. Restrictions and/or conditions on design of structures or operation of the use necessary to ensure compatibility with the surrounding uses have been incorporated into the site plan; f. The project complies with the requirements for site plan review and conforms to the Town’s Commercial Design Guidelines to the maximum extent practicable. 2. The Town Board, finding that the applicant is in compliance with all other provisions of the Code and other applicable ordinances, approves this Special Use Permit for expansion of an automotive repair business that results in a building exceeding 5,000 s q ft in size at 933 Dryden Road conditioned on: a. the 0.47 acre parcel on the north side of Route 366 across from the garage (former Tax Parcel 56.-3-2.3) continuing to be owned and maintained by the owners of the auto repair business and continuing to serve as parking for that business, and b. final site plan approval by the Planning Board, and c. the Town of Dryden Standard Conditions of Approval as amended August 14, 2008. 2nd Cl Dravis Roll Call Vote: Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes PLANNING DEPARTMENT The monthly Planning Department update has been provided to board members and is on the website. R Burger reported authorization has been received from NYS DOT to put the pedestrian bridge over Route 13 project out for bid. The bid opening will be May 8. He is hopeful there can be a quick turnaround and a recommendation to approve a contract can be made at the May 15 board meeting. HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT R Young reported that Dryden Fiber deliveries have become problematic, and his department will no longer accept Dryden Fiber deliveries unless he is notified in advance. His department has been doing snowplow cleanup, has done some pipes and ditches, and are doing some roadside mowing and prepping some roads for paving. They made a little over $100,000 from their last sales through Auctions International. Bids for the streambank TB 4-17-25 Page 5 of 8 stabilization project and water/sewer projects are due for release on May 1. R Young has talked with the engineer about the town ordering some of the necessary materials to save money. When asked, he said they used more salt this year and did not run out. He was able to loan some to other municipalities who were running out. He is getting bids on stone dust for trail work and will use grant funds from Tompkins County that must be spent by the end of May. Alice Green said the stone dust is intended for the Monkey Run area and she will talk with him about that. COUNTY BRIEFING No report. Cl Lamb reported that there has been an overall 10% reduction in ambulance calls due to the Rural Medical Response service. It continues to be h eavily supported by the county in terms of meeting its objectives. It will need a more dedicated funding stream in the future. DRYDEN FIBER Executive Director David Makar presented his monthly report to the board (attached). The new engineering firm, Vantage, has requested a two-week work stoppage to evaluate the plans and work done to date. As of April 15, the estimated restart is May 1, due to substantial and widespread issues with the design and implementation of the design. No new green zone parcels have been added since February, which slows down subscriber rate. There are a number of audits underway. The goal is to finish the MIP pr oject on time and then bring fiber to everyone else. The grant disbursement agreement for the MIP grant is in place. The team has found seven locations that they are now challenging with New York State because they are not residential and/or because more funding is needed to reach them. They are also r eviewing the total budget, and the initial assessment is that it would bring the total project cost to $11.5 million to include those locations. Dryden Fiber is now able to serve 1700 parcels (29.6% of the Town), mostly in the Villages of Dryden and Freeville. There are now 364 paying customers (38 were added in March). There was an outage on March 16 due to a windstorm for about 115 minutes. Door-to- door visits to 25 businesses resulted in interest from 20. Dryden Fiber participated in the Community Connections event. The map on the Dryden Fiber website is now hosted by Vantage and is easier to navigate. They are meeting with Vantage weekly, and Vantage helps with the multiple dwelling unit properties. Dryden Fiber is looking to hire an administrative position as planned (part- time) and hopes to have someone in place by May 31. They are looking at insurance for the project and working through that process. Regarding the MIP with the Town of Caroline, they have discovered missing addresses. In Dryden there were 61 unserved/underserved addresses missing in the initial identification method. They also identified four non-residential locations in Dryden which are FCC eligible but expensive and difficult to reach and are asking the state to remove those from the required scope. Some are structures that are 500’ or more from the road and Hunt excluded these addresses from the design. These would be awarded to another ISP, and Dryden wants these addresses. There was a plan to reach most of those anyway. TB 4-17-25 Page 6 of 8 In Caroline there are 106 addresses not close to the network, with an estimated cost of about $1.05 million dollars to reach. There are also three locations near the Town of Candor border. One can only be reached by going through a state forest and the other two would have to be accessed by leaving the town border. The estimate to service those three is about $500,000. The grant disbursement agreement can’t be signed until this is resolved. Cl Lamb commented this should be a practical adjustment. D Makar has provided the board with an agreement to extend the back haul provider partnership with First Light. It has been renegotiated down to $3,000 per month for the remainder of the term, resulting in savings for the project of over $120,000 for the remainder of the term (42 months). He noted that this would make the network more rock solid. RESOLUTION #78 (2025) – AUTHORIZE AMENDED AGREEMENT WITH FIRST LIGHT Cl Lamb offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor to execute an amended agreement with First Light for back haul provider service for Dryden Fiber at a cost of $3,000.00 per month for 42 months. 2nd Cl Buck Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes D Makar announced that the public broadband committee is meeting tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m. Vantage’s manager of our project will be in town next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evaluating portions of the project, if anyone would like to meet with him. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS Dog Enumeration Contract – B Avery reviewed the terms of the contract proposed by the dog control officer. RESOLUTION #79 (2025) – AUTHORIZE DOG ENUMERATION CONTRACT Cl Lamb offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor to execute a contract with Amaretta Beardslee for dog enumeration in the town at a cost of $2 .30 per dog counted and mileage at $.70 per mile, commencing April 25, 2025, with a target completion date of October 1, 2025. 2nd Cl Vargas-Mendez Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes TB 4-17-25 Page 7 of 8 Climate Smart Task Force – Alice Green has resigned as the Climate Smart Coordinator and recommends Gina Cassidy for the position . RESOLUTION #80 (2025) – CLIMATE SMART COORDINATOR Cl Lamb offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby accepts the resignation of Alice Green as Climate Smart Coordinator and appoints Gina Cassidy to the position. 2nd Cl Dravis Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Freeville Housing PILOT Agreement – R Burger explained that this is a PILOT agreement that was originally negotiated by the Village of Freeville that had expired . The town has taken over the lead on the matter. Freeville Housing has asked for a lower tax burden in order to continue to provide affordable housing. RESOLUTION #81 (2025) – AUTHORIZE PILOT AGREEMENT WITH FREEVILLE HOUSING Cl Lamb offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption : RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor to execute a Payment in Lieu of Taxes Agreement with Freeville Housing Development Fund Corp. and Freeville Housing Group, L.P. providing payments outlined in Exhibit B of said agreement. 2nd Cl Vargas-Mendez Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Introduction of 2150 Dryden Road Auto Garage – Ray Burger explained this project is being reviewed by the Planning Board and the purpose tonight is to schedule a public hearing for a special use permit. This is a two-acre sublease of a portion of a tax parcel that contains solar arrays. The property is leased from Ron Symanski and the b usiness owner (sole proprietor) is present. He has been in business in Cortland for six years and five or six years in Trumansburg. He primarily works on German vehicles. The public hearing was set for May 15 at 6:15 p.m. ADVISORY BOARD UPDATES Affordable Housing Committee – There was no action. Conservation Board – The Bob Beck memorial tree planting will take place in the fall. The group had a brainstorming session on newsletter information items from the Conservation Board. Climate Smart – Cl Dravis reported the electric truck has been delivered to DPW and the van is on its way. Gina Cassidy was able to save money by putting it out for competitive TB 4-17-25 Page 8 of 8 bid. The DPW weatherization project is complete. An EV charging station has been ordered. The group is working on its submission for silver certification. Planning Board – Cl Lamb said he attended the zoning rewrite meeting, and they had robust discussion. Cl Buck said the board has reviewed a series of applications and it is wonderful to see what is going on. She noted the need to have a water source near solar facilities as a water source for goats. Rail Trail Task Force – They have gone out to bid for the pedestrian bridge project and the opening is scheduled for May 8. They are hoping bids come in lower than estimated. There will be a press release. Cl Lamb said a grant application has been submitted to Anna Kelles for funds to close the gap on the town share. Ag Committee – No report. DRYC – No report. CITIZENS PRIVILEGE Mark Bell provided a report on March activity for Neptune Hose. There were 38 calls and 12 were EMS related. Average out the door times were 3.04 minutes and on-scene times were 7.07 minutes. They acquired four new recruits from the Community Connections event. The Recruit NY event is on April 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. He added that there was a fire event in Freeville today that was called in as a smoke event. It was a fire that got into the wall, apparently started by a candle left on a stove. They had difficulty getting the smoke out because the windows were ones that could not be opened. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:04 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk ` 1 Town of Dryden Borger Operations 2024 April 17, 2025 2 23,700 Employees 13 MILLION Customers and end-users 213,200 Circuit miles of electric transmission and distribution 49,500 Pipeline miles of natural gas transmission and distribution 28 STATES With customers and end- users served by regulated energy businesses 50 STATES With mortgage, brokerage and franchise businesses 3 4 MILES OF PIPELINE 21,000 TOTAL DESIGN CAPACITY Approximately 21.1 billion cubic feet per day STORAGE FACILITIES 22 STATES WITH ASSETS 27 WHO WE ARE: 10 States of Operation 1,600 Employees 5,400 miles of transmission line 5 A subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, BHE GT&S is committed to providing customers with safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable solutions through its interstate natural gas transmission, storage and liquefied natural gas (LNG) assets. 420 bcf of working storage LNG operations in Lusby, MD, Jacksonville, FL Trussville, AL, Wyalusing, PA OUR BUSINESS STRUCTURE Towanda LNG Trussville LNG Pivotal LNG owns 50% of JAX LNG REV LNG owns 10% of Pivotal LNG BHE GT&S owns 75% of Cove Point LNG and has full operational control Brookfield owns 25% of Cove Point LNG Iroquois EGTS owns 50% of Iroquois 6 Seaside LNG owns 50% of JAX LNG BHE GT&S BUSINESSES 7 Cove Point LNG •14.6 BCF storage capacity; 1.8 BCF daily send-out capacity and 9.1 million gallons per day of export capacity •415+ LNG cargoes since 2018 to 30 countries Carolina Gas Transmission •Transportation-only service provider •70% of SC’s natural gas •Owns and operates nearly 1,500 miles of transmission pipeline •Wholesale customers including power generators, industrials, LDC’s, municipalities, and energy marketers. Eastern Gathering & Processing •220,000 Mcf/day processing capacity •560,000 gal/day fractionation capacity •Products extracted: propane, butane, iso butane, natural gasoline •Flexible loading onto pipe, rail, truck, barge PIVOTAL LNG •JAX LNG in Jacksonville, FL: 360,000 gallons per day of liquefaction capacity. 4 million gallons of on-site storage serving maritime and on-road trucking •Trussville LNG in Trussville, AL: 60,000 gallons per day of liquefaction capacity. 4.8 million gallons of on-site storage •Towanda LNG in Wyalusing, PA: 50,000 gallons per day of liquefaction capacity. 180,000 gallons of on-site storage Eastern Gas Transmission & Storage •4,000 miles of pipeline across six states (MD, NY, OH, PA, VA, WV) •9.5 bcf of natural gas designed availability •420 bcf of working storage •Provides natural gas transportation and storage services with one of the largest underground natural gas storage systems in the U.S. PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS VISION MISSION We are in business to serve our customers. Fairly, Efficiently and Reliably. These statements mean that we will: •Deliver on time what we promise •Share the purpose behind our actions •Commit to making it easy to do business with us •Negotiate and perform in good faith •Invest in the pipeline to provide our customers with highly reliable service and to meet their future growth needs To be the preferred provider of natural gas transportation, storage and LNG services based on our integrity, operational excellence, financial strength and environmental responsibility. •Deliver highly reliable and low-cost transportation and storage services to our customers •Create a culture to achieve balanced outcomes through the application of our core principles •Develop an exceptional employee base, which safely operates and maintains our business •Identify internal growth and deliver on capital opportunities Demonstrate our vision of being the best by leading the natural gas industry and BHE in all relevant metrics and delivering sustainable business solutions which reduce our risk. 8 9 EMPLOYEE COMMITMENT: We equip employees with the resources and support they need to be successful. We make no compromise when it comes to safety and security. ENVIRONMENTAL RESPECT: We use natural resources wisely, protecting our environment and striving to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. REGULATORY INTEGRITY: We pursue frequent, open communication with regulators and policymakers regarding our business performance. CUSTOMER SERVICE: We are committed to providing innovative solutions that our customers want and need. FINANCIAL STRENGTH: Backed by Berkshire Hathaway, we invest in hard assets and pursue long-term opportunities to strengthen the future of the company. CORE PRINCIPLES OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE: Our high standards for operations enable us to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations, perform our work safely, and preserve our assets. NY FOCUS 900 miles of pipeline 75 employees 10 BHE GT&S, through its operating company Eastern Gas Transmission and Storage, LLC (EGTS), provides natural gas transportation and storage services in NY. EGTS system links to other major pipeline markets in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. It provides reliable energy for large customers including power generators and local distribution companies. EGTS’s underground natural gas storage system is the largest in the northeast and one of the largest in the United States. Our system provides reliable energy for a variety of industrial customers, power generators, and local distribution companies. Thanks to our proximity to the Marcellus & Utica shale gas production region, we have the capability to deliver gas when and where it is needed the most. 8 compressor stations with more than 102K hp In 2024 EGTS ranked 4th among 38 other pipelines in the customer satisfaction 2 natural gas storage fields 11 Storage Fields: Woodhull Storage Quinlan Storage Stations: Silver Springs Sheds Borger Utica Brookman Corners Horseheads QUINLAN WOODHULL NEW YORK SHEDS UTICA SILVER SPRINGS BORGER HORSEHEADS BROOKMAN CORNERS ENVIRONMENT *Numbers above are for EGTS, CGT, and CP transmission assets Methane Reduction Initiatives include: •Portable compression to drawdown gas prior to pig, pipeline or station maintenance •Installation of vapor recovery at Oakford Station We are committed to using natural resources wisely and protecting our environment for the benefit of future generations. COMMITMENT Our Environmental RESPECT Policy details our commitment in the areas of Responsibility, Efficiency, Stewardship, Performance, Evaluation, Communication and Training. COLLABORATION Part of the ONE Future Coalition,a group of more than 45 natural gas companies working together to voluntarily reduce methane emissions across the natural gas value chain to 1% or less by 2025— a goal BHE GT&S has already reached. ACTION 12 0.000% 0.010% 0.020% 0.030% 0.040% 0.050% 0.040%0.039% 0.036%0.033% 0.030%0.028%0.026%0.025%0.024%0.023%0.023%0.022% BHE GT&S Transmission & Storage - 12 Month Rolling Methane Intensity (%) GOAL - 0.050% As we continually work to achieve balanced outcomes for all stakeholders, we share insight into the energy of our customers and work cooperatively with regulators, legislators and other stakeholders to build a secure, sustainable energy future for those we serve. By pursuing frequent, open communication with regulators regarding our business performance, we adhere to a policy of strict regulatory compliance. Some of our regulatory bodies included here. REGULATORY INTEGRITY 13*This list is not exhaustive •$1.1M philanthropy budget allocated through Community Investment Board (CIB) in each state. Areas of giving are: ✓Environment ✓Community Enhancement ✓Arts & Culture ✓Education/STEM ✓Safety & Wellness •BHE Foundation supports our causes with additional $100K into BHE GT&S charitable giving program •Annual United Way campaign •Employee led Community Councils that coordinate local volunteer events •New York Focus: ✓$30,000 donation to Town of Dryden to complete the Dryden Rail Trail COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Emissions - NOx In atmospheric chemistry, NOx is a generic term for the nitrogen oxides that are most relevant for air pollution, namely nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). These gases contribute to the formation of smog and acid rain, as well as affecting tropospheric ozone. PTE = Potential to Emit 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 PTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 Em i s s i o n s ( t p y ) NOX Emissions - SOx Sulfur oxides (SOx) are compounds of sulfur and oxygen molecules. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is the pre- dominant form found in the lower atmosphere. It is a colorless gas that can be detected by taste and smell in the range of 1,000 to 3,000 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3). 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 PTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 Em i s s i o n s ( t p y ) SOX Emissions - VOCs Volatile organic compounds, VOCs for short, are a common type of EPA-regulated drinking water contaminant. Even today,VOCs can be found in a number of products that are used on a daily basis, like paint thinners, pesticides and insect sprays. 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 PTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 Em i s s i o n s ( t p y ) VOCs Emissions - PM “Particulate matter” (PM) is the general term used to describe solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. The composition and size of these airborne particles and droplets vary. PM can be emitted directly or formed in the atmosphere. “Primary” particles are those released directly to the atmosphere. These include dust from roads and black and/or elemental carbon from combustion sources. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 PTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 Em i s s i o n s ( t p y ) PM Emissions – CO2 Carbon dioxide is an acidic colorless gas with a density about 53% higher than that of dry air. 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 PTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 Em i s s i o n s ( t p y ) CO2 Emissions – CH4 Methane is a colorless, odorless gas that occurs abundantly in nature and as a product of certain human activities. Natural Gas is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane (97%). BHE GT&S has a methane intensity rate of 0.021%, which is one of the best in the industry. 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 PTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 Em i s s i o n s ( t p y ) CH4 Emissions – CO2e CO2e is the shorthand for carbon dioxide equivalents. It is the standard unit in carbon accounting to quantify greenhouse gas emissions 0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 PTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 Em i s s i o n s ( t p y ) CO2e Emissions - CO CO is a colorless, odorless gas that can be harmful when inhaled in large amounts. CO is released when something is burned. The greatest sources of CO to outdoor air are cars, trucks and other vehicles or machinery that burn fossil fuels. A variety of items in your home such as unvented kerosene and gas space heaters, leaking chimneys and furnaces, and gas stoves also release CO and can affect air quality indoors. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 PTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 Em i s s i o n s ( t p y ) CO Emissions – Total HAPs Hazardous air pollutants, also known as toxic air pollutants or air toxics. Examples of toxic air pollutants include: •benzene, which is found in gasoline; •perchloroethylene, which is emitted from some dry-cleaning facilities; and •methylene chloride, which is used as a solvent and paint stripper by several industries. 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 PTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 Em i s s i o n s ( t p y ) Total HAPS Emissions - Formaldehyde A colorless, pungent-smelling gas; an important hazardous air pollutant. Sources include environmental tobacco smoke and other combustion sources; pressed wood products (such as particle board); and certain textiles, foams, and glues. 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 PTE 2021 2022 2023 2024 Em i s s i o n s ( t p y ) Formaldehyde Borger Station Pumped Gas Volume in *MSCF *mscf = thousands of standard cubic feet of gas 0 20,000,000 40,000,000 60,000,000 80,000,000 100,000,000 120,000,000 140,000,000 160,000,000 180,000,000 200,000,000 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Volume in MSCF 26 THANK YOU Follow us on LinkedIn bhegts.com DRYDEN FIBER MONTHLY REPORT for MARCH 2025 TOWN OF DRYDEN BROADBAND COMMITTEE MEETING on April 4th, 2025 And DRYDEN TOWN BOARD on April 17th, 2025 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY –4/15/2025 ▪Work Stoppage has Impacted Subscriber Growth o Feb. 28th –Preliminary report and request for 10 -14 day construction stoppage during deeper evaluation and potential design changes o Apr. 15th –Estimated restart 5/1/25 o Substantial and widespread issues with design and implementation of design (construction) o No new green zone parcels since February o Audits underway: existing outside plant (exterior); network; timeline/schedule; total budget; permits ▪The Municipal Infrastructure Program (MIP)Updates: o We have a GDA ready for processing o We've identified at least 7 locations that we are now challenging o We are reviewing total MIP budget ($9.9M total; $8.9M grant) ▪We are now able to serve 1,729 parcels (29.6% of the Town of Dryden) ▪We have 364 paying customers (+38 in March);We had 65 in-bound requests in February ▪3/16/25 -Sunday, Outage for 115 minutes during windstorm (4:34pm-6:29pm) ▪4/3/25 -Door to Door Business Tier Sales:Visited 25 businesses, found verbal interest from 20 visits EXECUTIVE SUMMARY –4/3/2025 ▪Community Connections 3/29/25 at Dryden Neptune Fire Department o Spoke to about 25-30 residents o Public Broadband Committee members Arthur, Graham, Jason, and Tony volunteered at booth to answer questions ▪We've removed 35 locations from the network, Baker Hill Road and parts of Mount Pleasant Road o This directly impacts two customers o We are working on removing splitters from the Point Broadband Network ▪We've terminated our first subscriber for lack of payment. o We turned off service; they paid; we turned service back on; payment failed; then was successful; service is currently on ▪We've launched the updated map at DrydenFiber.com ▪Coming Up: o Weekly Meetings with Vantage Point (Wednesdays) o MDU Planning and Support (we have at least 8 Multiple Dwelling Units with prospects) ▪Admin: Hiring Admin, Insurance, Department of Labor Reporting Draft Goals for 2025 –2/1/2025 ▪As of 4/1/25, we have 364 customers live on the platform ▪Current estimates: o 65 more each month 2025 o 949 total by 12/31/25 (-68 from initial goal) Month Projected New Goal Totals Actual New Actual Totals Diff December 65 240 65 240 0 January 62 302 54 294 -8 February 65 367 42 336 -31 March 65 432 28 364 -68 April 65 497 May 65 562 June 65 627 July 65 692 August 65 757 September 65 822 October 65 887 November 65 952 December 65 1017  Project Highlights (June 2024) Project Name:Dryden Fiber Expansion for Towns of Dryden and Caroline Applicant and Partner(s):Town of Dryden dba, Dryden Fiber and Town of Caroline Construction Miles (Fiber): 124.6 Total Locations Served:2,674 ConnectALL Grant Amount:$ 8,995,979.00 Local Contribution:$ 906,321.00 Total Project Investment: $9,902,300.00  Project Highlights (Sept. 2024 + BEAD) Project Name:Dryden Fiber Expansion for Towns of Dryden and Caroline Applicant and Partner(s):Town of Dryden dba, Dryden Fiber and Town of Caroline Construction Miles (Fiber): 124.6 Total Locations Served:2,674 ConnectALL Grant Amount:$ 8,995,979.00 Local Contribution:$ 906,321.00 Total Project Investment: $9,902,300.00  Project Highlights (Mar. '25: Missing Network) Project Name:Dryden Fiber Expansion for Towns of Dryden and Caroline Applicant and Partner(s):Town of Dryden dba, Dryden Fiber and Town of Caroline Construction Miles (Fiber): 124.6 Total Locations Served:2,674 ConnectALL Grant Amount:$ 8,995,979.00 Local Contribution:$ 906,321.00 Total Project Investment: $9,902,300.00 MIP Scoreboard Months to go: 10~ ---------- 150~ (6.6%) MIP Miles Completed 210 ---------- 2,735 (7.6%) # of Parcels Reached X ---------- 471 (X%) # of Unserved Reached X ---------- 74 (X%) # of Underserved Reached 34 ---------- 400 (8.5%) # of MIP Installs 21 -------- 30 (70%) Team Reports ▪Customer Base – Amanda, Town of Dryden Bookkeeper ▪Construction Permitting Updates – On Hold ▪Construction Implementation Updates – Exec. Dir.,Syracuse Utilities,Lightspeed ▪Installations – Clarity Connect, Netegrity, Gleamon ▪Sales Operations – Gleamon ▪Finance – Amanda,Town of Dryden Bookkeeper ▪Customer Service - Netegrity ▪Marketing – Exec. Dir. Dave Makar ▪Facilities and Grounds - Department of Public Works  Customer Base As of April 1st, 2025 (billing date is 1st of month) Speed Number of Subscriptions Billed Monthly Revenue Net Change from Prior month Average Monthly Revenue Residential Silver ($45)400 Mbps 278 12,510 +20/-1 Gold ($75)700 Mbps 34 2,550 +4/-1 Platinum ($90)1 Gbps 34 3,060 6 Static IP ($20)2 40 Total Residential Customers 346 18,160 28 52.49 Commerical Standard ($75)500 Mbps 14 1,050 Preferred ($150)1 Gbps 3 450 Enhanced ($250)2 Gbps 1 250 Total Commerical Customers 18 1,750 97.22 Total of ALL Customers 364 19,910 54.70  Items of Note: 1.Highland/Hilton/Goodrich now live! 2.All other construction and splicing is on hold pending audit and potential redesign Next Two Weeks 1.Audit and Assessment 2.Vantage Point Kick-off Session with Construction team (Syracuse Utilites, Lightspeed) Address Availability Updates (As of April 1st, 2025) Coverage Parcels Households New (March 1, 2025)+56 +56 Total w/ coverage 1,729 1,624 Total 5,832 6,036 Coverage %29.6% (+1%)*27% (+1%)* New Fiber Aerial Underground New (January 1, 2025)+8 miles +.2 mile Total 47.25 miles 26.7 miles Installations As of April 1st, 2025 (billing date is 1st of month) ▪December Install Summary o Number of installations completed this month: 30 o Number of installations pending (as of April 1st): 15 o Installation blockers / questions: ▪Construction continuing   Financial Reporting as of March 31, 2025 Revenue and Expenses Balance Sheet Mar-25 2025 to date 2021 to 2024 3/31/2025 Revenue Assets Customer Subscriptions 18,350.00 48,950.00 62,500.45 Cash 2,961,226.62 Grants and ARPA funds 624,614.00 624,614.00 1,278,067.17 Accounts Receivable 814.50 Other Revenue Sources 9,984.07 12,909.72 233,326.49 Grants Receivable - ARC - Total 652,948.07 686,473.72 1,340,567.62 Grants Receivable - MIP 992,072.03 Total Assets 3,954,113.15 Expenses Construction 173,226.39 993,072.99 8,710,189.87 Liabilities Installation 14,340.30 106,987.47 687,482.12 Accounts Payable (est)800,000.00 Operations 16,528.97 49,951.81 306,365.23 BAN 9,460,000.00 Total 204,095.66 1,150,012.27 9,704,037.21 Loan from Town 235,705.64 Total Liabilities 10,495,705.64  - 2,000.00 4,000.00 6,000.00 8,000.00 10,000.00 12,000.00 14,000.00 16,000.00 18,000.00 20,000.00 22,000.00 24,000.00 Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Dryden Fiber Revenue and Operating Exp. - 12 months Commercial Residential Operating Expenses  Sales Operations As of April 1, 2025 (billing date is 1st of month) ▪Prospects visited on April 3rd around the village of Dryden: East Main, West Main, Elm, South St., North St., Enterprise, Lewis •Total businesses / organizations visited: 25 •Interested (verbal feedback): 20 •Work and research: 4 (follow-up to find the right decision maker) ▪Worked with Syracuse Utilities and Clarity Connect and Graybar to make sure we have inventory stock to continue moving forward with the project ▪Multi-Use Development –working on getting agreements with Apartments and Mobile home parks throughout the town •Apartments: 1062 Dryden Road (Pineridge / Wawak); 12-14-16 Lake Street; 8 Library Street •Mobile Home Parks: Lower Creek Park (Etna); Little Creek Manufactured Home Community; Mott Road ▪Renters – We now have 31 signed agreements and 12 more that are pending. We have a total of 56 possible agreements that we are keeping track of ▪Prospects - We had 30 new installs and 15 scheduled. Also 30 signups that have been contacted and we are waiting for a response ▪Our inventory situation is really good currently Item Description Quantity on hand (1/28/25) Re-order Threshold Lead Time (weeks) Notes Ciena ONUs Ciena devices needed for each customer at their home 480 (6)50 6 We are installing 50 per month. Growth plan has us reaching 75 per month NIDs NIDs needed for each customer at their home to transition the Drop cable to the Prem cable 305 (29)50 X See above for installs per month Plume Devices Optional Wi-Fi Routers for each customer 133 (15)35 X See above, note: 75% of customers take a plume device Drop Cables (25ft-199ft) Used by installation team from MST to NID. 21 (9)10 2 See above for installs per month Drop Cables (200ft+) Used by installation team from MST to NID. 149 (9)50 4 See above for installs per month Prem Cables (100ft) Used by installation team from NID to ONU inside home. 300 (9)50 See above for installs per month Prem Cables (25ft & 50ft) Used by installation team from NID to ONU inside home. 360 (29)50 See above for installs per month Customer Service As of April 1st, 2025 (billing date is 1st of month) Helpdesk Call Report March 2025 •Bandwidth Complaint (Speed Concerns) •14 •Billing Related Call •11 •Downed Drop (Damaged Service Line) •0 •Email (Calls related to email difficulties) •0 •No Connectivity •12 •ONT / Power Cycle (Calls related to the ONT where unplugging or rebooting equipment was necessary) •2 •Other / Unrelated (Calls looking for unrelated departments or information) •18 •Outage •34 •Install Orders / Create Service •18 •Router Issue •5 •PC / Laptop Issue •0 •Sporadic Connection •4 •Streaming Related Issue •0 •User Error / Education •24 •Wireless •3 Sum: 145 Note: Install Orders denote an incoming install scheduling request – not a completed install One caller can generate numerous tickets for a single issue (i.e. calls in 5x for same problem) Support@drydenfiber.com 607-391-3500 (direct support number) User Error / Education: User Error / Education: Service inquiry (non-green) Hardware Q's Range Extenders Network Operations ▪Outage Configuration Change •Changed to allow for backhaul outage to send traffic to secondary provider, as needed •Reconfigured on 16 March 2025 •Notes: Tested failover with both providers - successful ▪Cogent Backhaul Provider Change •Started on 27 March 2025 •Issues: None ▪CO Ethernet Switches (2) •Reasoning: This was needed to connect servers and various network equipment using copper instead of fiber. •Cost: $870.50 + Labor •Issues: None ▪Vantage Point Network Audit •Kickoff: 31 March 2025 with VPS team •Notes: Providing network documentation to VPS  HR, Admin, and Insurance April 2025 ▪Administrative resources are being stretched thin: We budgeted hiring a part -time accounting clerk to support the project in the 2025 budget •We need to begin this search this month and have someone join the team in May or June 2025 ▪Department of Labor Administration •We are required to have all subcontractors report job titles and demographic information project to date (through 31 March 2025) •We will need each sub to complete paperwork and submit it to us, so we can pass it along to NY State before the April 30 deadline ▪Insurance •Dryden Fiber Insurance search has started •We expect insurance coverage to start 1 June 2025, to be aligned with the other coverage across the Town of Dryden •We are comparing potential providers  Marketing: Inbound Requests; Website As of April 1st, 2025 (billing date is 1st of month) 9/1/23 12/1/23 3/1/24 6/1/24 9/1/24 10/1/24 11/1/24 12/1/24 1/1/25 2/1/25 3/1/25 4/1/25 Total Under Contract 22 28 (+6) Sept- Nov 32 (+4) Dec-Feb 44 (+12) Mar- May 91 (+47) Jun- Aug 126 (+35) Sept. 165 (+39) Oct. 180 (+15) Nov. 245 (+65) Dec. 294 (+49) Jan. 336 (+42) Feb. 364 (+30;-2) Mar. Requests (since 1/1/23) 174 (+11) 274 (+100) 363 (+89) 429 (+66) 638 (+209) 681 (+43) 760 (+79) 875 (+115) 999 (+124) 1152 (+153) 1217 (+65) 1251 (+34) Available 38 44**TBD 87 172 (+85)197 (+25)241 (+44)292 (+51)341 (+49)392 (+51)425 (+33)453 (+28) Not Available 136 226 TBD 342 466 484 515 579 658 760 792 798 Serviceable Live 76.3%72%TBD 51% (44/87) 53% (91/172) 64% (126/197) 68% (165/241) 62% 180/292 72% 245/341 75% 294/392 79% 336 / 425 80% 364/453 Website Visits 8/25-9/7 11/17-11/30 2/1-2/29 5/1-5/31 8/1-31 9/1-30 10/1-31 11/1-30 12/1-31 1/1-1/31 2/1-2/28 3/1-3/31 Users 226 140 392 516 661 713 808 801 945 1k 866 717 New Users 211 115 346 471 567 619 727 707 852 880 760 597 Sessions 324 194 617 739 1104 1110 1424 1281 1444 1741 1323 1250 Engagement (secs.) 0m 46s 42s 1m 30s 58 s 1m 13s 1m 10s 1m 25s 1 m 21s 1 m 20 s 1 m 28 s 1m 14s 1m 29s  ▪Door to Door Campaign o Marketing and Sales: Businesses in Green Zone (Dryden Village) o In-person door knocking and conversations o Very positive reception, left green "commercial services" postcards o Shared and dispelled inaccuracies in word -of-mouth ▪Community Connections Event o Printed out map; shared stickers; shared residential and business postcards o Shared and dispelled inaccuracies in word-of-mouth ▪New Spring 2025 Postcards o 1,000 Postcards to all residents in green zone who haven't signed up for service (going back to 2023 mailings) o Quotes from customers ▪Website Updates o A number of website updates focused on "Contact" and "Support" Marketing As of April 1st, 2025 APPENDIX A Meeting Schedule ▪Dryden Fiber Public Broadband Committee – Public reporting on project o 1st and 3rd Friday morning, 10:30am-11:30am (except July and August, 2nd and 4th Friday morning) ▪Dryden Fiber Operations Team Meeting – Construction and Install Collaboration o Every other Wednesday, 10am-11:15am ▪Dryden Fiber MIP Status Call – Meet with Connect All Office to stay on track o Every Tuesday, 1pm-1:45pm ▪Dryden Fiber MIP Steering Committee – Implementation of the Grant o Monthly (Town of Dryden, Town of Caroline) ▪Dryden Fiber Policy Committee – Advise and Recommend on Policy o Monthly  Financial Reporting Review of Construction Costs from beginning of project Subcontractors (Syr. Util., Lghtspd, etc.), 50%Equipment Purchases, 28% Professional Fees (Leg., Eng., etc.), 13% Permit and Pole Applications, 5% Loan interest, 2% Misc Constru ction Exp, 1% Construction Costs 1/1/21 to 12/31/24 Subcontractors (Syr. Util., Lghtspd, etc.) Equipment Purchases Professional Fees (Leg., Eng., etc.) Permit and Pole Applications Loan interest Misc Construction Exp Permitting Steps 1.Final Design Edits = Survey has occurred and Prelim in is design edits 2.Prelim Sent = Sent to Hunt to review/approve and then to NYSEG/Frontier to review 3.Final NYSEG Design Sent = NYSEG reviewing final design before sending the Final Make Ready Package 4.Telco Recon = Telco Review prelim design 5.Frontier Billing Outstanding = Frontier awaiting payment to proceed 6.RFB = Request for Bid sent to contractors 7.MR Construction = Make Ready Contruction - Moves are in progress Other Statuses (from slide 8): ▪Attached – definition... ▪Elec make-ready in process – definition... ▪Telco make-ready in process – definition... ▪Final ELEC Design Input – definition...