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Home My WebLink AboutTB 2025-07-10 TB 7-10-25 Page 1 of 6 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING July 10, 2025 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: Amanda Anderson, Bookkeeper Ray Burger, Planning Director *Cassie Byrnes, Secretary to the Supervisor *Indicates attendance via Zoom Supv Leifer opened the meeting at 6:04 p.m. Financials & Human Resources RESOLUTION #109 (2025) – APPROVE ABSTRACT #7 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #7, as audited, general vouchers #634 through #720 ($1,739,852.56) and TA vouchers #81 through #84 ($8,904.30), totaling $1,748,756.86. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Discussion/Action Items Amanda Anderson explained there are three proposed resolutions for the board to consider that will ensure that the town remains in compliance with state recommendations and so that the board is aware of how business is conducted. These resolutions authorize pre- payment/electronic payment, authorize transfers to and from NYClass to maximize interest earnings, and authorize moving interest earned on the DA NYClass budget line to the DA Equipment Reserve budget line. These will need to be adopted each year. RESOLUTION #110 (2025) - Authorization for Pre-payment/Electronic Payment Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas, all payments issued require town board approval; and Whereas, pre-payment of utilities is authorized via Resolution #12,1/9/25 to be made outside the abstract; and TB 7-10-25 Page 2 of 6 Whereas, current technology makes electronic payments timelier than issuing/sending a paper check; and Whereas, there may be reduced costs for paying electronically; and Whereas, some vendors require payment via automatic, ACH withdrawal. Whereas, the list of approved payments and vendors will be reviewed annually at organizational meeting. Be it therefore resolved and understood that: • The town Finance staff are authorized to initiate payments electronically to meet payment deadlines and/or reduce cost to the Town • Approved vendors: o Energy o Telephone service and telephone equipment o Cell phone service o Internet service o Employee benefit providers o Credit card processing providers o BAN/Bond payments • Any electronic payments made (automatic ACH and/or staff initiated) will be included in the existing voucher process for review and abstract approval even though the date of payment may have preceded the date of abstract. 2nd Cl Dravis Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION 111 (2025) - General Authorization for Funds Transfer between NYCLASS and Custodial Bank Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas, there currently exists an investment policy that is reviewed and passed annually at the organizational meeting; and Whereas, current banking systems for the Town provide investment opportunity without time restraints that typical Certificate of Deposits (CD) require; and Whereas, NYCLASS offers higher interest rates than the Town’s custodial bank can offer, It is therefore resolved, that the town finance staff are authorized to transfer funds into NYCLASS, and authorized to transfer NYCLASS funds back to custodial bank as needed to meet abstract and payroll obligations with the goal of maximizing interest earnings. 2nd Cl Dravis Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes TB 7-10-25 Page 3 of 6 RESOLUTION #112 (2025) - Transfer of DA NYCLASS Interest to DA Equipment Reserve Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas, in the current year budget, the Highway Superintendent budgeted to contribute the budgeted interest to the DA Equipment Reserve, Be it therefore resolved, the town finance staff are hereby authorized to move the DA Fund NYCLASS interest earned to the DA Equipment Reserve. 2nd Cl Dravis Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Drawdown for CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Grant – Approval is needed to approve payment to Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services. RESOLUTION #113 (2025) - Drawdown #1 for CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Grant Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the Town has received invoice #1 from Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services for $24,960.97 for work completed on the Dryden Housing Rehabilitation Project 336HR307 -23 through June 26, 2025; WHEREAS, the invoice will be paid from CDBG funds (Project #336HR307-23) awarded to the Town for homeownership rehabilitation; Therefore, be resolved, the Board approves the payment of $24,960.97 to Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services to be paid in a timely manner when the funds are received. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Authorize Yellow Barn Forest Temporary Revocable Permit Application – Dryden Fiber needs a permit to put fiber along Yellow Barn Road in the Yellow Barn State Forest. Supv Leifer said he intends to add authorization for these types of instances in the Organizational Meeting in January. RESOLUTION #114 (2025) – AUTHORIZE APPLICATION FOR TEMPORARY REVOCABLE PERMIT FOR DRYDEN FIBER Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board authorizes the Town Supervisor to execute a NYS DEC Temporary Revocable Permit Application for placement of Dryden Fiber along Yellow Barn Road and the Yellow Barn State Forest. TB 7-10-25 Page 4 of 6 2nd Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Knollwood Drive Streambank Stabilization Project – Bids were opened for this project on July 2, 2025, and have been reviewed and evaluated by TG Miller, PC. This project will be 75% covered by a DEC grant. Work should be completed in the fall. RESOLUTION #115 (2025) – AWARD CONTRACT FOR KNOLLWOOD DRIVE STREAMBANK STABILIZATION PROJECT Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, two bids were received for the Knollwood Drive Streambank Stabilization and opened on July 2, 2025, and WHEREAS, those bids were reviewed and evaluated by TG Miller, PC, who provided the town with a recommendation dated July 9, 2025, now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby awards the contract for the Knollwood Drive Streambank Stabilization to JB’s Excavation Service, Inc. for a total contract value of $311,914.00. 2nd Cl Vargas Mendez Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Varna Sanitary Sewer Improvements (Contract B) & Varna Water Improvements (Contract C) – Bids were opened on June 20, 2025 for these two projects, and have been reviewed and evaluated by TG Miller, PC. RESOLUTION #116 (2025) – AWARD CONTRACT FOR VARNA SANITARY IMPROVEMENTS (CONTRACT B) AND VARNA WATER IMPROVEMENTS (CONTRACT C) Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, four bids were received for the Varna Sanitary Sewer Improvements (Contract B) and the Varna Water Improvements (Contract C) and opened on June 2 0, 2025, and WHEREAS, those bids were reviewed and evaluated by TG Miller, PC who provided the town with a recommendation dated July 7, 2025, now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby awards the contracts for the Varna Sanitary Improvements (Contract B) and the Varna Water Improvements (Contract C) to G. DeVincentis & Son Construction Co., Inc. for a total contract value of $2,777,000.00. 2nd Cl Lamb TB 7-10-25 Page 5 of 6 Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Varna Sanitary Sewer Improvements (Contract B) & Varna Water Improvements (Contract C) Material Purchase – Bids were opened on June 20, 2025 for materials for these two projects, and have been reviewed and evaluated by TG Miller, PC. RESOLUTION #117 (2025) – AWARD CONTRACT FOR VARNA SANITARY IMPROVEMENTS (CONTRACT B) AND VARNA WATER IMPROVEMENTS (CONTRACT C) MATERIALS PURCHASE Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, four bids were received for the Varna Sanitary Sewer Improvements (Contract B) and the Varna Water Improvements (Contract C) Material Purchase and opened on June 20, 2025, and WHEREAS, those bids were reviewed and evaluated by TG Miller, PC who provided the town with a recommendation dated July 7, 2025, now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby awards the contracts for the Varna Sanitary Improvements (Contract B) and the Varna Water Improvements (Contract C) Material Purchase to Core & Main, LP for a total contract value of $995,459.10. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes There is a company that would like to conduct a cable television franchise fee compliance audit for the town to verify the accuracy of franchise fees paid or due to the town. They would get a commission of the recovery. The board will review the material and discuss it next week. Kim Klein of 14 Freese Road spoke to the board about a drainage issue that has flooded her basement during the recent storms. She has reached out to Dave Sprout and Rick Young. Water from THE ditch at 10 Freese Road came across their yard and into her basement. She has lived there for over 30 years, and it has never happened before. The basement at 10 Freese Road was filled with water and the tenants had to get out for a week while it was cleared. She understands that the highway department is busy but is pleading her case to make this a priority. Cl Vargas-Mendez said the Affordable Housing Committee would like to increase their membership number by adding two knowledgeable members of the community , preferably from the eastern side of town. There is also no Planning Board representation on their committee presently. Supv Leifer asked that they bring a proposal next week. There has been no word on the fire district study funding. TB 7-10-25 Page 6 of 6 There is no decision yet on the Etna Fire Department court case. There is no word from NYS DOT on the bids for the pedestrian bridge over Route 13. Supv Leifer and Cl Lamb met with DEC representatives about the Dryden Lake dam. DEC has committed a million dollars, but that will not be enough to replace it. The town could choose to do something less ambitious and still preserve the wildlife diversity. Supv Leifer said those present at the meeting need to have discussions internally and bring options to the board and perhaps involve the Conservation Board. Ray Burger reported the Planning Board has exhausted its training budget for this year. There will be some one-day training courses that members may want to attend, and he wondered whether to do a budget modification from another line. Amanda Anderson will prepare a budget modification for the August meeting. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk