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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM7198DRAFT TOWN OF ENFIELD TOWN BOARD MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 1998 6:30 P.M. The regular monthly meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Enfield was held Wednesday, July 1st, 1998 at the Enfield Community Building, 182 Enfield Main Road, Ithaca, NY at 6:30 p.m. Supervisor Owens presiding. Present: Supervisor, Jean Owens; Town Councilman, Tom Drew; Town Councilman, Donald Lovelace. Town Councilman Fisher, absent; Town Councilman Stevenson, absent. Others present, Highway Superintendent, Ron Updike; Bookkeeper, Pat Podufalski; Town Clerk, Alice Laue. Pledge of Allegiance - Supervisor Owens led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Privilege of the Floor - Liz Thorndike and Jim White of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network spoke on the purpose of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network and solicited memberships for anyone wishing to join. Approval of the June 3rd, 1998 Minutes Under present correct Town Councilman Donald Fisher to read Town Councilman Donald Lovelace. Motion made by Councilman Lovelace, seconded by Councilman Drew that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield approve for adoption the June 3rd, 1998 regular Town Board meeting as corrected. Vote: Supervisor Owens, yes; Town Councilman Drew, yes; Town Councilman Lovelace, yes. Town Councilman Fisher, absent; Town Councilman Stevenson, absent. Correspondence - A letter from Paul Ciglia expressing an interest in opening a cemetery in the Town of Enfield. Marty Luster holding a town meeting, Tuesday, August 11th, 1998 at the Town Hall at 7:00 p.m. Town Councilman Gary Fisher arrived at 6:40 p.m. Town Board Meeting Minutes 7-1-98 2 Tompkins County Planning - Karl Heck Supervisor Owens presented Ana Kastenhuber’s request for a Subordination of the Diminishing Lien Agreement to Beneficial Home Owners Service Corporation. Karl Heck reported on status of Mobile Home Survey which Supervisor Owens has reviewed. 266 parcels to be surveyed. Survey doesn’t include commercial mobile home parks. Motion made by Councilman Drew, seconded by Councilman Lovelace that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield approve the Subordination of the Diminishing Lien Agreement of the Ana Kastenhuber HUD Grant I loan to Beneficial Homeowner Service Corporation. Discussion - Vote: Supervisor Owens, yes; Town Councilman Drew, yes; Town Councilman Lovelace, yes; Town Councilman Fisher, abstained. HUD Grant I completed. Moving forward on HUD Grant II. Committees - Enfield Community Council - Joe Schehr Month of June projects - Summer Camp, Youth Program, rewriting of manual. clean up of building. 7/1/98 second day of Summer Camp’s three day training. Mr. Schehr attended a meeting of the Inter Ring (Towns Serviced by the Ithaca City School District). At this meeting it was approved that each of the Inter Ring’s communities would have a youth worker, paid for by the County Youth Bureau. This was also approved by the County Youth Board and will be part of the County Youth Bureau’s budget to the County. Next year this part of the Enfield Community Council budget can be assumed by County finances. Harvest Festival - Rosemary Pelligrino and Marnie Kirchgessner- Co-chairpersons. Highway - Highway Superintendent Updike Highway Superintendent Updike expressed his concerns about lack of coverage in town’s Blue Cross/Blue Shield Health Insurance plan. Blue Cross/Blue Shield pays only 43% under town’s plan. Recently hospitalized town employee’s hospital bill was only covered for 43%. Employee contacted Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and a representative from Blue Cross/Blue Shield stated town’s policy pays the least amount of coverage Blue Cross/Blue Shield has to offer. Superintendent feels that for premiums paid and the amount of coverage paid town needs to look into either what Blue Cross/Blue Shield has to offer or some other insurance. When policy first taken out it covered everything. Town Board Meeting Minutes 7-1-98 3 Councilman Lovelace asked (1) if one of major problems was mainly because of Blue Cross/Blue Shield not having an agreement with Cayuga Medical. Almost every place in county running into same problem. (2) Is there a deductible per year, per employee or employee and family and if so were they met? Councilman Fisher asked if policy had a catastrophic cap? Supervisor Owens stated because of policy changes, Personnel Committee needs to meet and look at this issue. Highway Department - Superintendent Updike Doing routine maintenance work, laid 750’ of tile on Griffin Road and also Black Oak Road. Installing driveway pipes. Looking at end of the month of July to start Bostwick Road project. Road will be closed for a period of time, from Johnson’s driveway up the hill. Road definitely closed during work day. Cemetery Committee - Peggy Hubbell Clarke Marshall will be doing second part of Christian Cemetery. Work to be done by the end of July. William Meeker, Jr., doing John Meeker’s work in Budd, Rolfe and Presebtrian Cemeteries for the rest of the summer while John Meeker is recovering from injuries received in a motor vehicle accident. Budget Transfers - To date Deputy Clerk has been paid $1250.00 from Clerk’s Contractual expenses resulting in an over extension. Supervisor would like to transfer from Contingency A1990.4 to A 1410.1 $1,650.00 for salary to cover what has been paid Deputy Clerk to date as well as for rest of year. This would require a journal entry indicating that these charges would be made to .1 account, leaving a balance of a little over $600.00 in the .4 account which is the Clerk’s Contractual expenses. Councilman Fisher asked what has changed from last year to this year requiring more money? Answer - Clerk’s Contractual 1998 budget was reduced by $1,000.00. Deputy Clerk’s salary came out of Clerk’s Contractual which is supposed to be used for postage, clerk’s schooling, etc., instead of out of Personnel expense. Supervisor Owens stated that Deputy Clerk’s salary should come out of Personnel, not Clerk’s Contractual. Board also discussed the paying of Deputy Clerk/ Cemetery Workers as salaried personal. Supervisor, also, requested the following transfers: Town Board Meeting Minutes 7-1-98 4 Budget Transfers (cont’d) A8810.4 - Cemetery to A8810.1 $16500.00 Cemetery Salaries A1990.4 Contingency to A1014.4 $12.62 Town Board Councilman Fisher expressed his concern of adding more employees to town payroll. Discussed were paying of Deputy Clerk, Cemetery Workers and Court Clerks as employees. Motion made by Councilman Lovelace, seconded by Councilman Drew that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield approve the Budget Transfers as follows: A 1990.4 to A1410.1 $1650.00 Clerks Salaries (Amended to A1410.11 Clerk’s Salary -- A1410.12 Deputy Clerk’s Salary.) A8810.4 Cemetery to A8810.1 $1650.00 Cemetery Slurries A1990.4 Contingency to A1010.4 $12.62 Town Board. Discussion - Councilman Fisher recommended that as A1410.1 was same line Clerk’s salary was paid from that the following amendment be made: A1410.11 Clerk’s Salary A1410.12 Deputy Clerk’s Salary. Councilman Fisher would like to see it budgeted as separate line items in the budget then the Town Board will know what salaries they are talking about in regard to the two offices. Motion amended. Vote: Supervisor Owens, yes; Town Councilman Drew, yes; Town Councilman Fisher, yes; Town Councilman Lovelace, yes. Town Councilman Stevenson, absent. Town Councilman Fisher comment about Budget Transfers. “I objected last month to adjourning the meeting without taking some action to insure that there was appropriations on the line. Town Law is very specific in that actually a liability will note be incurred unless there is appropriations of appropriated funds available to pay for that. And, to dismiss the meeting without taking action to insure that there were funds available on those appropriated lines was inappropriate and I would like this added to the minutes of this July 1, 1998 meeting.” Unfinished Business Financial Report Supervisor Owens introduced Scott, CPA from the Ciaschi, Dietershagen, Little, Mickelson, LLPfirm. Supervisor Owens requested the Town Board to adopt the 1996 Financial Report in a timely fashion. HUD has been requesting the financial report for several months. Scott Andrews stated -Issue being brought up is the balance of the Equipment Reserve in the Highway Fund. Report doesn’t reflect a balance of Equipment Reserve. Town Board Meeting Minutes 7-1-98 5 Financial Report (cont’d) Total included in total fund balance, but not broken out specifically as to the amount. Need to come up with a number that represents the balance as of 12/31/96. Suggest going back as far as board can and come up with a number Boarad is comfortable with, go through what has been approved at board meetings subsequent to that particular date and subtract whatever and come up with a reasonable balance. Highway Superintendent Updike gave the following information: Expenditures - dates used are Town Board meeting that expenditures were approved at. 12/1/93 Chipper $13,600.00 3/1/95 Used bucket for Drott 1,000.00 5/3/95 Swapped used bucket in, got full credit of $1,000.00 toward a new bucket. Spent 1,260.00 for new bucket 10/4/95 Chain Saw 211.96 11/1/95 John Deere Flail Mower 2,215.00 12/31/96 John Deere Loader Superintendent didn’t have concrete figure on down payment, written in 1997. 12/3/97 Spreader 5,700.00 All purchases Superintendent has recorded he has made in the last six and one half years. 1/1/92 Equipment Reserve down to -0-, allocation of $12,000.00 made to Equipment Reserve that year. Good time to start from. Greg Stevenson arrived at 7:35 p.m. Motion made by Councilman Drew, seconded by Councilman Lovelace that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield approve the adoption of the 1996 Financial Report presented by Scott Andrews with the stipulation that there will be a Equipment Reserve balance for the August 5th, 1998 Town Board meeting. Discussion - 1995 Audit - Money not transferred, should there have been a liability to other funds? If nothing is shown to reflect the fact a transfer to Equipment Reserve had not been made, but should have been, that it was an appropriation to transfer to the Equipment fund? Because it happened all within the Highway Fund, nothing shows up, if something doesn’t happen only thing you will see is an increase in the reserve. Town Board Meeting Minutes 7-1-98 6 Financial Report (cont’d) If money is appropriated to be put in Equipment Reserve and you don’t account for it on accounting records, nothing changes. If you do, and everything goes proper the only change is going to be the amount of cash between restricted and unrestricted monies put into Equipment Reserve account reallocates fund balance. Operating statement doesn’t change. Coming into office 1/96 how do I know that there was a transfer that was supposed to be done would come out of the fourth quarterly sales tax received in January/ February 1996? It should have been recorded as a receivable, run through the income statement and increased the fund balance for Equipment Reserve. When cash came in, receivable account is eliminated.. Supervisor stated councilman is asking how on 2/5/96 that transfer was indicated on Equipment Reserve account. Money from one cash account to another within the fund doesn’t change financial statement, other than an allocation of fund balance and classification of cash to restricted or unrestricted. Question still not answered. Look at Equipment Reserve balance, if it is not increased, then it hasn’t happened. Addition/deletions to Equipment Reserve need to be board authorized. If you are going to appropriate additional fund balance it need to be done by board authorization. If you are spending from Equipment Reserve it needs to be done by board authorization. Councilman Fisher - According to auditors report dated 12/31/94 there was supposed to be $37,800.00 in Equipment Reserve account. Vote: Supervisor Owens, yes; Town Councilman Drew, yes; Town Councilman Lovelace, yes; Town Councilman Fisher, no; Town Councilman Stevenson, abstained. Fire Company submitted a written report. Monthly Bills - Supervisor Owens presented monthly bills and Supervisor’s Report. Discussed Non-payment of sales tax, late charges, need for authorized pre-paid bills to be paid on time so late charges are eliminated. Motion made by Councilman Lovelace, seconded by Councilman Drew that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield authorize the supervisor to pay General Fund vouchers 127 - 142, dated 7/1/98, in the amount of $3566.55. Highway Fund vouchers 71 -103, dated 7/1/98, in the amount of $73,281.57. Small Cities Grant II voucher #9, dated 7/1/98 in the amount of $163.52 and the Enfield Fire Department voucher SF-7, dated 7/1/98 in the amount of $10,000.00. Discussion - Vote: Supervisor Owens, yes; Town Councilman Drew, yes; Town Councilman Lovelace, yes; Town Councilman Fisher, yes; Town Councilman Stevenson, yes. Town Board Meeting Minutes 7/1/98 7 Reissuance of Check - Supervisor Owens asked for a board resolution to reissued a check payable to Gerhardt Achilles to replace check issued in October 1997, in the amount of $128.64. Money to come from Trust and Agency fund. After a discussion as to how check should be made payable, Estate of Gerhardt Achilles or Mildred Achilles it was decided wait on this matter until who or how check is made payable has been determined. SARA Grant Supervisor Owens read a letter from the New York State Archives and Records Administration authorizing a Local Government Records Grant of $7,177.00 for microfilming project to the Town of Enfield. Grant monies are to be used for purchased services $1600.00, BOCES services $12.00, Equipment $5,565.00. Indexing of remaining minutes was not funded. To accept grant Supervisor Owens requested a resolution from the board granting authorization to sign an agreement for the grant in the amount of $7,177.00. Motion made by Councilman Fisher, seconded by Councilman Lovelace, that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield grant authorization to Supervisor Owens to complete and sign the SARA Grant acceptance form and send it to the State Archives Record Administration no later than 7/22/98. Discussion - Vote: Supervisor Owens, yes; Town Councilman Drew, yes; Town Councilman Fisher, yes; Town Councilman Lovelace, yes; Town Councilman Stevenson, yes. File Cabinet Board previously discussed purchasing a two drawer file cabinet for the bookkeeper to use in her home. Town Clerk reported that there was a two drawer file cabinet with a fire resistant drawer at the town hall that isn’t being used. Suggestion was made that the Board make a motion to move this file cabinet to the bookkeeper’s residence for her use. Motion made by Councilman Drew, seconded by Councilman Stevenson, that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield approve the moving of a two drawer file cabinet from the Town Hall to the bookkeeper, Mrs. Podufalski’s residence. Discussion - Who is moving file. Tony. Vote: Supervisor Owens, yes; Town Councilman Drew, yes; Town Councilman Lovelace, yes; Town Councilman Stevenson, yes; Town Councilman Fisher, abstained. Town Board Meeting Minutes 7-1-98 8 Tele-Communication Towers Councilman Drew has been advised that the property on E. Enfield Center Road is ready to be sold for the radio antennas, but there are hitches in the financing of the people who want to put up the radio antennas, which the sole benefit is for the people in Lansing. We need to get the Planning Board together and have them take a look at the antenna resolutions being adopted in various communities and put a stop to this before we get more “blinking red lights” then we need in this town. After the discussion of not being able to stop it, influence of where they go. What Town Government can do about tele-communication towers such as cellular towers versus private enterprise tower, i.e. radio. Town Government can’t say they can’t put them up, but they can have some say over where located and height. Filing fee - can only cover town’s expenses in examining application. Planning Board’s need to look at this matter, reviewing it in regards to height, etc., and what we can do. Conjectiveness to airports, Usability by Enfield residents. Need of knowing where everything is coming from and where we can go. Feasibility of a moratorium on the construction of new cellular towers. Rights to formulate a plan of how we are going to deal with proposed construction. Rights to establish a moratorium to stop new construction for a period of time while we work out a plan. FCC approval. Building permit from Code Enforcement Officer. SEQR involvement. Can we enact a moratorium while under exploration. What regulations can be considered. Proposing legal questions to Association of Town Attorney. Supervisor to contact Planning Board with Town Board’s concerns. Quittance to Planning Board - Where they stand with environmental issues that they have to resolve with SEQR. How far along is project? Site Plan Review Law doesn’t appear to cover tele-communication towers, feasibility of amending current law to include tele-communication tower project. Qualifiers in current law are based on projects that spread out, not projects that spread up. Are we off base on the proposed 4 290’ towers on E. Enfield Center Road? People on E. Enfield Center Road not wanting it at all, feel wit will hurt their assessed property value if they want to sell. Rapid growth in area. Location - Corner of S. Van Dorn Road and southwest side of E. Enfield Center Road. Councilman Fisher recommended that the Town Board ask the Planning Board where proposed site is, current status of the development and from the Planning Board’s stand point what issues, we as a Town Boarad, can do as influence as far as citing the radio towers. Seconded by Councilman Lovelace. Supervisor Owens called for discussion and vote. Vote: Supervisor Owens, yes; Town Councilman Drew, yes; Town Councilman Fisher, yes; Town Councilman Lovelace, yes; Town Councilman Stevenson, yes. This was not made into a motion, only a recommendation by Councilman Fisher. Town Board Meeting Minutes 7-1-98 9 Motion made by Councilman Stevenson, seconded by Councilman Drew, that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield direct the Supervisor to contact the Association of Towns attorney about the feasibility, research discussion, recourse and possibility of a moratorium on tower construction and what can we accomplish in that time. Discussion - Councilman Fisher, if we are looking into a moratorium specifically what are we going to accomplish during the time frame believed to be limited to 180 days. Councilman Drew ask that question and add what can we accomplish in that time to motion. Councilman Drew Town of Dryden passed a tower ordinance recently. Town of Newfield has moratorium. Town needs to obtain copies of these. Vote: Supervisor Owens, yes; Town Councilman Drew, yes; Town Councilman Fisher, yes; Town Councilman Lovelace, yes; Town Councilman Stevenson, yes. Quilt Councilman Fisher stated that last month he asked the question concerning the quilt and would like an answer. Supervisor Owens talked with numerous people, unable to track down proceeds of quilt or what proceeds were. Talked with Linda VanNederynen, she felt monies used for quilt where monies that were given to the Commemorative Committee to use at their discretion. One of the original Commemorative Committee members reported that when the Commemorative Committee was first formed they proposed certain projects to raise money for the events of 1996 and the quilt project was one of those. Quilt was to be raffled off and the proceeds were to be used for the events of 1996. The town paid for the material by voucher. Town didn’t vote on as a project, voted to pay by voucher. Councilman Fisher stated he started attending Commemorative Committee meetings in 1992-93. It was his understanding that the quilt was going to be made, raffled off and proceeds where to help pay for the celebration. Understanding from discussion with Commemorative Committee members prior to his joining Beyond that the issue of the quilt was discussion of where quilt was and who had it. Quilt raffled off, proceeds not turned over to Commomerative Committee that is why he asked where the money was given and what agreement was made. Quilt raffled at Harvest Festival Fall of 1996. Town Board Meeting Minutes 7/1/98 10 Cookbooks - Question asked what is going to happen to excess proceeds from selling of cookbooks? Councilman Fisher - $3,000 sub-financed by the people who bought ads for historical purposes to document they had a business in the town. Total bill around $4,000, if we sell 130 books we will be at the break even point. Beyond that, there should be some excess fund. Original intention for excess cookbook money was for publication of the history book which is 2 1/2 years late. Need to do something. When we hit the break even point there will be some funds generated and suggest these funds continue to go into the Celebration revenue line set up and be held there. Adjournment - Motion made by Councilman Drew, seconded by Councilman Stevenson that the July 1, 1998 regular Town Board meeting of the Town of Enfold adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 9:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Alice Laue Town Clerk