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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTB 2025-09-18TB 9-18-25 Page 1 of 7 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING September 18, 2025 Zoom Hybrid Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl Christina Dravis, Cl Spring Buck Absent: Cl Leonardo Vargas-Mendez 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 *Indicates attendance via Zoom Supv Leifer opened the meeting at 6:04 p.m. Board members and audience recited the pledge of allegiance. RESOLUTION #154 (2025) – APPROVE MINUTES Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the meeting minutes of August 14, 2025 and August 21, 2025. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Public hearings have been left open for a few months for special use permit action for 2150 Dryden Road and 1400 Dryden Road. Applicants have failed to provide items necessary to move forward and the hearings will be closed. Applicants may file again wh en they are prepared. Resolution #155 (2025) - Close the Public Hearing for the Special Use Permit Application for Speedline Garage at 2150 Dryden Road Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas: 1. Emil Gevorgyan of Speedline Garage applied for a Special Use Permit (SUP) on March 7, 2025 for an automotive garage at 2150 Dryden Road, Tax map parcel 38.-1-3.12, and 2. A public hearing was opened by the Town Board on May 15, 2025 and 3. Issues were raised concerning the site plan and driveway not meeting code and safety requirements, and TB 9-18-25 Page 2 of 7 4. The hearing has been continued at each monthly Second Town Board meeting since that time to allow the applicant time to address these issues, and 5. The applicant was notified on August 20, 2025 that if they did not supplement their application to address these issues by September 2, then the Town would consider the application withdrawn, and 6. The applicant has not submitted further application materials to address these issues. Therefore, be it resolved that: The Town Board closes the public hearing for this application and denies the application without prejudice, allowing the applicant to reapply at a time when they are able to address all issues in a complete application. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Resolution #156 (2025) - Close the Public Hearing for the Special Use Permit Amendment Application for Four Seasons Storage at 1400 Dryden Road Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas: 1. Michael Moore of Four Seasons Storage applied for a Special Use Permit (SUP) on November 16, 2024 to add a fourth building at 1400 Dryden Road, Tax map parcel 52.- 1-7, and 2. A public hearing was opened by the Town Board on June 19, 2025 and 3. Issues were raised concerning the site plan and driveway not meeting code and safety requirements, and 4. The hearing has been continued at each monthly Second Town Board meeting since that time to allow the applicant time to address these issues, and 5. The applicant was notified on August 20, 2025 that if they did not supplement their application to address these issues by September 2, then the Town would consider the application withdrawn, and 6. The applicant has not submitted further application materials to address these issues. Therefore, be it resolved that: The Town Board closes the public hearing for this application and denies the application without prejudice, allowing the applicant to reapply at a time when they are able to address all issues in a complete application. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes ANNOUNCEMENTS – The Dryden Town Historical Society will hold a Homestead Heritage Fair Day at the Southworth House this weekend. TB 9-18-25 Page 3 of 7 HIGHWAY/DPW DEPARTMENT Highway Superintendent Rick Young reported they have completed 95% of the work listed in the 284 Agreement and most recently put shoulders on many of the roads. The trail washout by the water pump station in Varna has been repaired. A handrail was installed. The cost for trail repairs is tracked so it can be funded by appropriate grant funds. The pump station driveway was also repaired. The Yellow Barn Road and NYSEG water tanks were recently inspected. The Yellow Barn tank needs some repair that DPW can take care of. The newer NYSEG tank is in poor shape and when the report is received Bolton Point will help determine how to proceed. The Varna pump station has two pumps that put out 350 gall ons per minute and there is talk of the need to upgrade those. The expense of that will likely not be covered by current CDBG water grant funds. He has been working with someone regarding the access points to the water tanks when the area is fenced in. R Young said he has done some mowing on the lot on Wood Road, has put a driveway pipe in and ordered a survey, with the idea of possibly putting a dog shelter there. PLANNING DEPARTMENT Ray Burger has submitted the department’s monthly report and pointed out that the building inspection numbers are higher now with additional staff on board. The applicant on Deerhaven Drive did not appear at the ZBA hearing for his variance application, so the application was denied. He will have to move the fence or reapply for a variance. He will be cited again for the violation. Supv Leifer asked R Burger to share any comments the Ag Committee had on a proposed animal confinement law with the Planning Board. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS JCAP Grant Application – Court Clerk Nicole Knapp said the Court would like to apply again this year for a JCAP grant for tables again, as well as a stand for the printer and a fireproof filing cabinet. The board can approve an application for up to $30,000. RESOLUTION #157 (2025) – AUTHORIZE JCAP GRANT APPLICATION Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, Town of Dryden Justice Court is in need of certain equipment for its offices and has made the Town Board aware of a grant opportunity to cover the expense of that equipment, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Dryden hereby authorizes the Dryden Town Court to apply for a JCAP grant in the 2025 -26 grant cycle up to $30,000.00. 2nd Cl Dravis Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes TB 9-18-25 Page 4 of 7 DRYDEN FIBER Executive Director Dave Makar reviewed slides 2 through 7 of the attached presentation. Dryden Fiber is approaching 500 customers and is on track to reach $290,000 in revenue for 2025. Eight parcels were added, making the total number of parcels reach 1,815. Seven of the eight parcels on Hanford Drive have already been connected. There was one response to the Freeville Extension RFP (over 900 new parcels, over 20 miles of fiber with a 60-day build plan). That bid was higher than the estimate due to boring vs trenching/plowing costs. Negotiations will bring the cost somewhere between the estimate and the bid and Vantage is recommending we move forward in this manner. The MIP board has reviewed the project plan and requested increase and has approved an additional 2.6 million dollars to complete the project. The original plan lacked 14 miles to cover the area and underquoted the cost. After a couple more public meetings the grant disbursement agreement can be signed, and we can make the first reimbursement request for this grant. Work at the Caroline central office will begin next week. A groundbreaking ceremony is tentatively planned for October 14, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. The building will arrive at the end of this year or early 2026. The Broadband Committee has approved a refer a neighbor program. If a customer refers a friend and they sign up, the referring customer will get a $25 credit on their customer bill. Customers will receive an email about the program next week. There are about 75 lawn signs in the community; those are being moved around to new customers. The legal update and project highlights were reviewed. There are currently 544 unserved or underserved properties in the project area. When Dryden Fiber switched engineers, it was discovered that there is not a complete network map, diagram, or database of named nodes and fiber count. It made it difficult for construction and installations. On recommendation of the engineering company, quotes were obtained for a network audit. A quote was received from Clarity Connect to perform an audit and provide this information for the sum of $30,000.00. The work is to be completed within 60 days. RESOLUTION #158 (2025) - Authorize the Supervisor to Sign the Dryden Fiber Network Audit Agreement with Clarity Connect Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas, Dryden Fiber does not have a complete network map, diagram, or database of named nodes and fiber count, Whereas, Dryden Fiber’s engineering partner has found that this lack of documentation is hampering construction and installations, Whereas, Dryden Fiber has received a quote from Clarity Connect to perform an audit over the next 60 days, Therefore, be it resolved that the Town Board authorizes the Supervisor to sign a Network Audit Agreement with Clarity Connect not to exceed $30,000. 2nd Cl Lamb TB 9-18-25 Page 5 of 7 Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes After reviewing quotes for construction of the Freeville connection, Vantage recommended Syracuse Utilities. Resolution #159 (2025) - Award Contract for Dryden Fiber Freeville Construction Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas, one bid was received for the Dryden Fiber Freeville Construction project and was opened on September 16, 2025 and Whereas, the bid was reviewed and evaluated by Vantage Point Solutions, who provided the town with a recommendation dated September 18, 2025 and Whereas, this construction bid has a mix of MIP grant locations and non -MIP grant funded location, now therefore, be it Resolved, that this Town Board hereby awards the contract for the Dryden Fiber Freeville Construction Project to Syracuse Utilities for a total contract value of $2,018,551.42 and authorizes the Town Supervisor to sign the contract. Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes D Makar requested an executive session for pending litigation. Discussion/Action Items (continued) Supv Leifer said there has been a request for a crosswalk similar to the one at the Mineah Road/Route 13/Kirk Road intersection to be installed at the Yellow Barn/Route 13/Johnson Road intersection. It is a busy intersection with a lot of homes in the area and a bus stop. He suggested the request be made before someone is injured. RESOLUTION #160 (2025) – REQUEST A CROSSWALK ON ROUTE 13 AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH YELLOW BARN ROAD AND JOHNSON ROAD Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor to request that New York State Department of Transportation install a crosswalk with pedestrian activated lights on Route 13 at its intersection with Yellow Barn Road and Johnson Road. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes TB 9-18-25 Page 6 of 7 ADVISORY BOARD UPDATES Affordable Housing – The town was awarded a Housing Affordability and Supportive Infrastructure grant for $9,900 by Tompkins County. The committee is looking to do a feasibility study for an undeveloped parcel of land near NYSEG. There was also discussion about having a land bank. Conservation Board – Did not meet. Planning Board – They would like to gauge town board interest in supporting another Design Connect application to do a study of feeder trails going into the rail trail to improve access. The cost to the town would be $500 for the application. The b oard agrees it is a good idea. There was discussion on how to manage the moratorium on data centers and crypto mining that ends at the end of this year. It is a priority, and they discussed getting proposals to the town board. If the town does not permit this activity, Dryden would be the first town in New York to outright ban it. The town could also choose to limit it as to location and size and put other restrictions in place. Some communities in other states are looking at a 25% increase in energy use over the next five years. The moratorium can be extended if the town continues to work on the topic. There will be further updates from the Planning Board. Climate Action Committee – An EV charging station has been installed at the DPW. $175,000 has been received to cover the cost of the three electric vehicle purchases. The Repair Café scheduled for October 4 is getting a lot of attention. Tompkins Weekly did an article about that. The committee is working on its mission statement and bylaws. Rail Trail Task Force – A lot of work has been done in the Varna section, and it is getting more use than ever before. They are still working on a way to connect the Freeville and Etna sections and are recruiting trail stewards for specific sections. They received a pproval for the peace pole placement. Cl Lamb reported he attended the project subcommittee meeting. DOT had told them it would hold off on approving the next bid package. Cl Lamb sent a letter and did a response this week. They gave a lot of feedback, and the committee is hoping to get the bid approved and a contractor selected this month or early October so the project can move forward. Recreation & Youth Commission – They will meet next week and Supv Leifer said he is hoping that quotes have been secured so a grant writer can be selected, and they can begin to look for funding for development of the fields. Ag Committee – Supv Leifer said they were looking at a draft of an animal confinement law to address issues that occur on Deerhaven Drive and potentially elsewhere in the town. He will also share that with the Planning Board. At 7:14 p.m. the board moved into executive session to discuss potential litigation related to Dryden Fiber. No action was taken and the board moved back to regular session at 7:57 p.m. CITIZENS PRIVILEGE None. TB 9-18-25 Page 7 of 7 Supv Leifer said the board received a letter from WB Strong Fire Department inquiring about additional funds for covering the former Etna Fire Department territory that they are splitting with Varna. He understands that no additional resources were needed to make those calls and would like to recognize that they have been covering the area. He said there was no impact on Dryden, and they continue to respond to MVA calls. He would like to propose $25,000 each for WB Strong and Varna. Cl Lamb said Varna felt this was a fair amount when he talked with them and agreed Freeville should receive the same amount. The funds would come from the fire prevention budget. RESOLUTION #161 (2025) – AUTHORIZE PAYMENTS TO VARNA AND FREEVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENTS Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the payment of an additional $25,000 each from this year’s fire prevention budget to WB Strong Fire Department and Varna Volunteer Fire Department. 2nd Cl Buck Roll Call Vote Cl Buck Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:01 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Dryden Town Clerk