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HomeMy WebLinkAbout9-14-2005 Regular Meeting TB.pdfSeptember 14, 2005 Approved October 12, 2005 Enfield Town Board Regular Meeting September 14, 2005 at 7:00 PM Enfield Community Building -- 182 Enfield Main Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 Meeting called to order by Supervisor Gary Fisher at 7:00 PM. Present: Supervisor Gary Fisher Councilperson Peggy Hubbell Councilperson Jean Owens Town Clerk Alice Laue Councilperson Sandra Small Councilperson Greg Stevenson Others present: Deputy Town Clerk: Pat Dougherty, Enfield Community Council [ECC] President: Carolyn Tschanz, Legislator Dan Winch, Ashley Ellis (IHS Senior), Roy and Carol Barriere Pledge of Allegiance: Supervisor Fisher led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance. Privilege of the Floor: There was no one who wished to speak at this time. County Legislator’s Report: Legislator Dan Winch reported that the County is “deep” into the 2006 budget. Sales tax revenues are down for the Towns. Winch expressed concern about an agenda item regarding charge back of election expenses and asked for this Board’s input. The County wants to totally take over elections. Approval of Minutes: The August 10, 2005 minutes were approved. MOTIONED: Councilperson Hubbell SECONDED: Councilperson Small Discussion: On page 5, add Stevenson (after Councilperson). Add Ferrara and Sons (after Mancini). On page 8, correct Community Development Block Grant amount to read $4,671.79 instead of $4,698.76. September 14, 2005 2 Vote: Supervisor Fisher…aye. Councilperson Hubbell…aye. Councilperson Owens…aye. Councilperson Small…aye. Councilperson Stevenson…aye. Motion carried. The August 12, 2005 Special Town Board minutes were approved. MOTIONED: Councilperson Small SECONDED: Councilperson Hubbell Discussion: Vote: Supervisor Fisher…aye. Councilperson Hubbell…aye. Councilperson Owens…aye. Councilperson Small…aye. Councilperson Stevenson…aye. Motion carried. Community Development Grant amendment. A motion was made to authorize the Town Clerk to amend Community Development Block Grant Vouchers #11 - #13 to read $4,698.76 instead of $4,671.79. MOTIONED: Councilperson Owens SECONDED: Councilperson Small Discussion: Vote: Supervisor Fisher…aye. Councilperson Hubbell…aye. Councilperson Owens…aye. Councilperson Small…aye. Councilperson Stevenson…aye. Motion carried. Communications: * SPCA monthly report. * Tompkins County is no longer going to allow townships to collect property taxes beyond March 31st.. * Supervisor Fisher requested and received an extension from the Governor’s Office for a small cities rehabilitation grant to finish up three projects still underway. September 30 to November 30, 2005. * Environmental Management Council minutes. * Tompkins County Department of Administration 1995 -2005 property tax history which breaks down the Town of Enfield by school district taxes for each year. Odessa is the highest. Newfield is the lowest. * Community Foundation of Tompkins County round table meeting 9/29/2005 at 8 AM at Lifelong. “Aging and Long-Term Care.” September 14, 2005 3 * Fax from State Comptroller regarding finances of local municipalities. Revenues are down. Expenses are up. The State Comptroller cautioned municipalities not to go into debt to operate their towns. * Office of State Comptroller noting pending litigation against price fixing for anyone who purchased dynamic random access memory. * Michael Lane, Chair of Government Operations Committee, concerning charge back of election costs being no higher than 2004 costs. * Tompkins County Transportation Council improvement program report for 2005 – 2010. Route 79 bridge put off until 2009. * Department of Assessment re: passage of real property tax exemptions for historic barns, (American Disabilities Act), ADA and Alternative Veterans exemption. * NYS Public Service Commission holding hearings on telecommunications, etc., in Binghamton on 9/28/2005 and in Syracuse on 9/29/2005. * Financial report of the close out of the local government records grant report. * NYS Disabilities Benefit Law Insurance of 7/1/2005 being reduced. * Quarterly loss run from NYS Municipal Workers’ Compensation Alliance. Committee Reports: Code Enforcement. Supervisor Fisher received written reports from Code Enforcement Officers, Ed Hetherington and Ron Clark. Highway Superintendent. Written report from the Highway Superintendent, David Miller. Personnel. Councilperson Small has the paperwork appointing George Laue a laborer to mow Christian Cemetery. Technology Committee. See New Business. Cemetery Committee. Councilperson Hubbell says that the Town does not need to purchase a new mower. The existing mower still works fine. Larry Weaver, of Glenside Monument, wants the same price for fixing the cemetery stones as he cited last year…$30/hour. Hubbell also noted that Glenside will give her a quote to fix a large stone in danger of tipping. September 14, 2005 4 Supervisor Fisher motioned to spend up to $150.00, including time and materials, to have two stones from Christian Cemetery repaired at Glenside Monument. MOTIONED: Supervisor Fisher SECONDED: Councilperson Small Discussion: Vote: Supervisor Fisher…aye. Councilperson Hubbell…aye. Councilperson Owens…aye. Councilperson Small…aye. Councilperson Stevenson…aye. Motion carried. Economic Committee. Councilperson Owens discussed what a business directory might contain. It was decided to advertise in the Fall issue of The Enfield News for businesses to appear in the directory, with a deadline of October 30, 2005. Facilities Committee. The committee is still meeting twice a month. September meetings are the 15th and the 29th. They are discussing ways to utilize existing facilities. Planning Board. Supervisor Fisher reported that Richard Chase announced his resignation from the Planning Board. A motion was made to accept the resignation. Councilperson Owens suggested that the Board send a letter to Mr. Chase in recognition of his work and years of service on the Planning Board. Effective September 14, 2005 the Town Board of the Town of Enfield accepts the resignation of Richard Chase from the Enfield Planning Board. MOTIONED: Supervisor Fisher SECONDED: Councilperson Small Discussion: Vote: Supervisor Fisher…aye. Councilperson Hubbell…aye. Councilperson Owens…aye. Councilperson Small…aye. Councilperson Stevenson…aye. Motion carried. Councilperson Stevenson reported that the Tompkins County All-Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee, of which he is a member, is waiting to hear from SEMO and FEMA. They’re busy right now with Katrina. Old Business: Website – Digital Towpath. It was suggested that the newsletter, among other Town entities, go on line. Councilperson Small added that she presented Supervisor Fisher and Gene Lovelace with a description for the Personnel Committee, the “Our Heritage” section from the Personnel Handbook, the Town’s logo and the print of the Town Hall used in the Town’s newsletter for inclusion on the website. September 14, 2005 5 Dog Control Law. Supervisor Fisher gave the Board members copies of the dog control law. Several suggestions and changes were discussed and Councilperson Owens agreed to review the law, add the suggestions and changes, and bring it back to the Board. Farm Lease Contract. No action was taken on this matter. The earliest anything can happen at this point is 2006. 2006 Budget Workshops. Wednesdays, September 21 and 28, 2005 at 7:00 PM at the Enfield Town Hall. Highway Joint Operations Authorization. On the agenda for the Municipal Officers meeting next week. New Business: Building Permits. Supervisor Fisher has been perusing the building permits and feels some further review is needed. Real Property Tax Exemptions. Councilperson Hubbell has been working on getting information. Highway Superintendent Association Dues Resolution. Resolution Number 2005-45 Highway Superintendent Contractual Expenditures Budget Amendment No. 20 Whereas, the Town of Enfield Highway Superintendent desires to apply for membership in the NYS Association of Towns Superintendents of Highways, Inc. for the period October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006, and Whereas the dues are $75.00 per year, now therefore be it Resolved that the Town of Enfield 2005 General Fund Budget expenditure account code A5010.4, titled “Highway Superintendent – Contractual,” is increased by $60.00 from $175.00 to $235.00, and further be it Resolved that expenditure account code A1220.41, titled “Supervisor – Contractual” is decreased by $60.00 from $1,000.00 to $940.00. September 14, 2005 6 MOTIONED: Supervisor Fisher SECONDED: Councilperson Hubbell Discussion: Vote: Supervisor Fisher…aye. Councilperson Hubbell…aye. Councilperson Owens…aye. Councilperson Small…aye. Councilperson Stevenson…aye. Resolution carried. Equipment purchases. Supervisor Fisher requested funds to purchase a paper shredder, a file cabinet, and to upgrade the Town Clerk’s computer operating system. Councilperson Owens asked Supervisor Fisher for cost comparison estimates. Fisher agreed to do that. Councilperson Small suggested giving Highway Supervisor Miller the old computer if a new one is purchased. SARA Grant Application – Highway Records Inventory. Supervisor Fisher sought Board approval to apply for a SARA grant to inventory highway department records. Housing Rehabilitation Grant Proposal. Supervisor Fisher spoke with a representative from Better Housing about a grant proposal. He asked the Board for approval to move forward with this. A motion was made to solicit a grant writing proposal for housing rehabilitation from Better Housing of Tompkins. MOTIONED: Councilperson Hubbell SECONDED: Councilperson Owens Discussion: Vote: Supervisor Fisher…aye. Councilperson Hubbell…aye. Councilperson Owens…aye. Councilperson Small…aye. Councilperson Stevenson…aye. Motion carried. Digital Towpath Annual Meeting. The annual meeting will be held in Utica, NY. It was suggested that Eugene Lovelace might want to go and the Board talked about covering mileage and lunch. There is no registration fee. Audit Claims: It was motioned that Supervisor Fisher, on behalf of the Town Board of the Town of Enfield, be authorized to pay the following: - General Fund Vouchers #162 - 182 dated September 14, 2005 in the amount of $8,898.33. [Note: #161 was approved at 8/12/2005 Special Board Meeting.] September 14, 2005 7 -Highway Fund voucher #88 - #102 dated September 14, 2005 in the amount of $15,832.97. -Community Development Grant voucher #10 & #14 dated September 14, 2005 in the amount of $9,099.85. [Note: #’s 11-#13 were approved 8/10/2005] MOTIONED: Councilperson Stevenson SECONDED: Councilperson Hubbell Discussion: Vote: Supervisor Fisher…aye. Councilperson Hubbell…aye. Councilperson Owens…aye. Councilperson Small…aye.. Councilperson Stevenson…aye. Motion carried. Announcements: Councilperson Small asked how the one-room school reunion went. Councilperson Hubbell said it went very well with approximately 60 people in attendance. The Board took this opportunity to thank Councilperson Hubbell and her husband Jack for all they did to make the reunion a success. Mention was made of all the volunteer work Jack Hubbell does for the Town. It was suggested that a letter, stating this, be sent from the Board. Additionally, Small announced the Tompkins County Municipal Officer’s Association meeting on September 20, 2005 at the Ichabod Restaurant. $17.00 per person. Carolyn Tschanz, ECC president, submitted a formal letter to the Board requesting an additional $3,201 for the cost of General Liability Insurance in 2006. (A copy of that request is filed with these minutes.) Privilege of the Floor: Pat Dougherty requested that the Board members speak to the audience when addressing issues. Adjournment: At 9:30 PM. MOTIONED: Councilperson Hubbell SECONDED: Councilperson Owens Discussion: Vote: Supervisor Fisher…aye. Councilperson Hubbell…aye. Councilperson Owens…aye. Councilperson Small…aye. Councilperson Stevenson…aye. Motion carried. ************* Minutes transcribed by Deputy Town Clerk N. Pat Dougherty .