HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 Nov 9 Public Hearing TB.pdfAPPROVED December 13, 2006
PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES
TOWN BOARD MEETING MINUTES (RECONVENED)
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2006
7:00 P.M.
A Public Hearing was held Thursday, November 9, 2006 at the Enfield Community Building, 182
Enfield Main Road, Ithaca, New York at 7:00 p.m. with Supervisor Owens presiding. The purpose
of the Public Hearing was to consider the adoption of the 2007 Preliminary Budget as the 2007
Town of Enfield final fiscal budget.
Present: Supervisor Owens, Councilperson Jennifer Fisher, Councilperson Peggy Hubbell,
Councilperson Sandra Small, Councilperson Robert Harvey and Town Clerk Alice Laue.
Others Present: Diane Aramini, Amber Achilles, David Dimmick, Louis R. Loiselle,
Pat Dougherty, Brian Durfee, Melinda Durfee, Mildred Achilles, Gerhardt Achilles, Bertha
Hubbell, Shirley Hubbell, Charles Hubbell, Ann Owens, Eugene Lovelace, Greg Stevenson.
Pledge of Allegiance:
Supervisor Owens led the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
Supervisor Owens opened the public hearing to the public by reading the legal notice published in
the Ithaca Journal with respect to the Town of Enfield’s preliminary budget hearing.
Before opening the meeting for public comment, Supervisor Owens read a letter she just received at
5:30 p.m. from the Director of the Department of Emergency Response, Lee Shurtleff. The letter
highlighted a misperception that absent a fire contract, the Town may opt to employ mutual aid
services. His letter reports that is not the case because mutual aid is a reciprocal arrangement. He
further stated that absent a fire contract, the Fire Company will have no legal authority to respond to
emergency calls in the township. His letter also stated that his office would have to do something if
a serious situation were to happen absent a fire contract and it is incumbent upon all to figure out an
alternative response plan absent a fire contract.
Supervisor Owens reported she received a phone message from Fire Company President Hubbell
that the Fire Company members have been advised not to attend the public hearing because of
possible pending litigation in which Mr. Hubbell would the spokesperson. Supervisor Owens asked
that the Board also consider that if it were looking at possible pending litigation that perhaps the
Attorney for the Town would be the Board’s spokesperson.
Supervisor Owens opened the public hearing to all wishing to speak.
Greg Stevenson (130 Harvey Hill Rd.): Spoke on behalf of an Enfield resident putting his County
Legislator role aside. He felt there was a need for another Code Officer and felt the amount
allocated for fire protection was too low. He stated that all involved need to focus and prioritize
their efforts on public safety first.
Public Hearing and Recessed Board Meeting Minutes – November 9, 2006 2
Jerry Achilles (121 S. Applegate Road): Asked where Mr. Stevenson was when it came to fire
company negotiations and wondered what the Fire Company was going to pull next and felt that
$200,000 was adequate for fire protection in the Town.
David Dimmick (466 Fish Road): Felt the Fire Company has been less than forthcoming during
the whole process and have failed repeatedly on a number of occasions to provide adequate
documentation that the Board has recommended that they bring. If they want a budget for more
than $200,000 they need be open, honest and forthcoming to the Board and public. Nobody wants
to be without fire protection but we do not want to be held hostage and be threaten with litigation
either. We need reasonable fire protection.
Louis Loiselle (250 Connecticut Hill Road): Cannot believe the fire company cannot operate on
$200,000 or less. They do not have to buy the best of everything. He is concerned for the elderly in
this Town who live on limited incomes. Wants the Fire Company to cut their spending and wants to
see where the money is being spent.
Shirley Hubbell (Harvey Hill Road): Has lived in Enfield for some 50 years. Does not think the
Town needs a fire company as big as this one is. Complained about the firemen’s attitude and felt
they had something to hide by not attending meeting negotiations. She lives on a budget and asked
the Town Board not to let the Fire Company intimidate them by saying they will sue or won’t
provide fire protection because she felt there was someone out there that could help.
Eugene Lovelace (2504 Mecklenburg Road): Stated that he knows nothing about the history of
what has been happening but was curious as to why the Fire Company’s budget was reduced by
$40,000. It appears to be a substantial cut to expect the same service.
Diane Aramini (120 S. Applegate Road): Agrees with what is being said and asked the Board not
to let the Fire Company hold them hostage. Belts need to be tightened. There are a lot of elderly
living on fixed incomes. There are those now that cannot pay their taxes or are paying them late.
Bertha Hubbell (Enfield Main Road): Reported that the article in the newspaper said there was
going to be an audit but did not indicate who was going to be audited. Believes the article did not
state the full facts.
Gary Fisher (Buck Hill Road South): Had a number of comments on the budget.
There were a number of instances where salary figures should have been rounded down in
order to be divided by 12 equally.
Wondered if the JCAP Grant money had been spent yet by the Justices for a bench and
sound equipment that the grant was to be used for.
Wanted to know what bookkeeping contractual was.
The Town received a records management grant in 2006 but the 2006 budget does not
reflect that money as being received. The money being received in 2006 and 2007 for the
records management grant needs to be projected as revenue and it is not.
Also under records management, the contractual account number shows up under personal
services.
Public Hearing and Recessed Board Meeting Minutes – November 9, 2006 3
Wondered what the $3,000 in Public Safety contractual was for and thought it was an
excessive amount.
Also wondered why the Public Safety equipment line went up by $500. He said that
software is normally considered equipment and wondered if that amount was valid.
For the General and Highway Funds, the numbers for social security and medicare do not
jive with the amount of salary being paid.
Also the budget should have a sheet showing what the estimated fund balances are at the end
of the year.
State aid went up about 10% but no increase was being shown in the budget.
If the $2,000 in the Cemetery contractual line is not spent in 2006, it should be carried to the
unexpended fund balance to reduce taxes in 2007.
He did not believe that the figure in Highway Fund Improvements for CHIPS is correct.
There was approximately $10,000 that was not spent that was carried over into 2006.
Under medical insurance for retirees, there is an amount of $6,700 for someone he believes
is retiring in February, thought the amount indicated was for 12 months of insurance when it
should probably be for 11 months.
For the Special Fire District Fund there are no expenditure revenue codes listed.
For the Special Fire District Fund, it is unclear where the $248.88 came from and believes
there should be more interest earned then what is shown which would reduce the amount of
taxes for the special fire district.
He also added that he does not believe that the number of volunteers equates to the dollar
size of the budget for the Fire Department.
David Dimmick: Asked Supervisor Owens to explain the difference between personal services and
contractual. Supervisor Owens responded payroll is personal services. Equipment has to last for a
particular period of time. Contractual entails all the rest including mileage, supplies, tools and
diesel fuel. He reported that one thing the Fire Company explained to him was vehicle replacement.
There is a 20-year life span basically for a fire truck. Every 5 years an old truck goes out and new
one comes in. He asked that the Board consider a 7.5 year replacement plan and to cut the number
of vehicles from 4 to 3. They are all pumpers or tankers. This would be a way to cut some
expenses.
Gary Fisher: The trucks being purchased now are diesel vehicles that are designed to run a couple
hundred thousand miles. They run longer between maintenance schedules. There are less
breakdowns and better technology. It is more feasible to keep a fire truck longer now and thinks it
would be good to extend the replacement plan since trucks are made to last longer.
Louis Loiselle: Thinks the Fire Company needs to cut their spending. When he worked for the
County, the County wanted a zero increase in budgets. It is doable.
Diane Aramini: Does not understand how the Fire Company arrives at a 4% increase every year.
She believes the Fire Company needs to look at their budget and what they can cut back on.
$200,000 is still a lot of money.
Bertha Hubbell and Jerry Achilles: Both felt that the budget presented is not a complete budget
according to the questions raised and wondered if another meeting on the budget will be scheduled.
Asked if any Board members had anything to say. Supervisor Owens explained that the public
Public Hearing and Recessed Board Meeting Minutes – November 9, 2006 4
hearing was a chance for the public to speak and for the Board to listen and said that after the public
hearing, the Board would decide what is to be done next.
David Dimmick: Explained that a public hearing for him means give and take and felt that the
Board should be able to comment.
Councilperson Small spoke in response to Mr. Lovelace’s comment when he had indicated that the
cut in the fire protection line was substantial and explained that the Fire Company presented a
report to the Board showing a surplus of $61,000 at the end of October with two months still to go.
She further explained that the taxpayers of the Town gave the Fire Company over $240,000 in 2006
and held up a one-page quarterly report submitted by the Fire Company versus a nine-page
quarterly report submitted by Enfield Community Council who receives over $30,000.
Gary Fisher: Asked what the interest rate the bank was giving now. Supervisor Owens said she
would get an accurate figure to him. She believed it was over 2%. Mr. Fisher said it was 2% last
year and thought it to be well over 2% this year.
Public Hearing closed at 7:50 p.m.
RECESSED TOWN BOARD MEETING
November 8, 2006 recessed Town Board Meeting reconvened.
Councilperson Fisher commented that she would like to go back and address the questions that were
raised tonight with respect to the preliminary budget.
Councilperson Hubbell raised a question with respect to the SPCA contract amount in the budget
given the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figure.
After a lengthy discussion of a need for a meeting in regards to the budget, another meeting was
scheduled for Saturday, November 11, 2006 at 6:00 p.m. at the Community Building to amend the
2007 Preliminary Budget.
Adjournment:
Motion made by Councilperson Hubbell, seconded by Councilperson Fisher that the November 9,
2006 meeting adjourn.
Discussion:
Vote: Councilperson Fisher aye, Councilperson Hubbell aye, Councilperson Small aye,
Councilperson Harvey aye, Supervisor Owens aye. Motion carried.
Meeting adjourned at 8:09 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Alice Laue, Town Clerk