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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4-13-11 Regular Meeting.pdfTown of Enfield Regular Town Board Meeting Minutes Enfield Community Building Wednesday, April 13, 2011 6:45 p.m. Present: Town Supervisor Roy Barriere, Town Councilperson Ron Clark, Town Councilperson Chris Hern, Town Councilperson Jean Owens, Town Councilperson Debbie Teeter, Town Highway Superintendent Barry Rollins, Town Clerk Alice Linton. Town Supervisor Barriere opened the meeting at 6:45 p.m. by leading the assemblage in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Presentation by Shawn Lindabury: Mr. Lindabury is an energy educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension. Last year the towns of Enfield, Dryden, Lansing, Newfield, Danby and Ulysses received a grant for energy upgrades to facilities as well as education in the community. The contract started in the fall of 2010 with the project “Lighten Up Tompkins”, which was a large scale distribution of compact florescent light bulbs and energy efficiency materials. Over $20,000 was donated for the project. An energy savings campaign is being planned which will be county wide with all residents being encouraged to take at least one step to save energy in 2011. Community reps are being sought to help with networking. Privilege of the Floor: Nancy Spero of 68 North VanDorn Road spoke about the event held last Saturday sponsored by Enfield Neighbors For Safe Air and Water that had about 50 in attendance. They are looking into what can be done locally to prevent hydrofracking, such as driveway permits. Approval of Minutes: Councilperson Teeter moved to accept the minutes of the March 9, 2011 regular town board meeting and the March 30, 2011 special town board meeting. Second by Councilperson Hern. Vote: Councilperson Clark aye, Councilperson Hern aye, Councilperson Owens aye, Councilperson Teeter aye. Supervisor Barriere abstain. Carried Correspondence: Annual drug and alcohol policy training to be held Monday, April 18, 2011. Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council meeting to be held Tuesday, April 19 at 737 Willow Avenue. Smart Management for Small Communities: Practical Resources for Governance to be held April 27 to April 29 at the Minnowbrook Conference Center, Blue Mountain Lake. How to Apply Local Controls to Shale Gas Industrialization, an expanded forum for municipal officials on the topic of Road and Land Use Regulation to be held Saturday, May 7 from noon to 4 p.m. at Templeton Hall, Cooperstown. Tompkins County Water Resources Council letter to NYSDEC Division of Mineral Resources requesting that the NYSDEC establish a ninety-day public comment period following promulgation of the Revised Draft SGEIS. Latest 2010 census figures showing 4.2% growth in the Town of Enfield. Budget Amendment #2011-2 WHEREAS, expenses have exceeded the budget in the Highway Fund Account, line item DA5130.2, titled “Machinery-Equipment”, now therefore be it Enfield Town Board Meeting, April 13, 2011 2 RESOLVED, that the Highway Fund Account, line item DA9950.9, titled “Interfund Transfer – Equipment Reserve”, be decreased by $5,700.00 and Highway Fund Account, line item DA5130.2, titled “Machinery-Equipment”, be increased by $5,700.00. Supervisor Barriere moved, with a second by Councilperson Owens to accept Budget Amendment #2011-2. Vote: Councilperson Clark aye, Councilperson Hern aye, Councilperson Owens aye, Councilperson Teeter aye, Supervisor Barriere aye. Carried Audit Claims: Councilperson Clark moved for the board to authorize the supervisor to pay General Fund vouchers #91-#121 dated April 13, 2011 in the amount of $26,521.19 and Highway Fund vouchers #56-#76 dated April 13, 2011 in the amount of $21,801.67. Councilperson Teeter seconded the motion. Vote: Councilperson Clark aye, Councilperson Hern aye, Councilperson Owens aye, Councilperson Teeter aye, Supervisor Barriere aye. Carried County Legislator’s Report: Jim Dennis reported on the impact of the 2010 census. In Enfield the sales tax has dropped by about 1.5%, which is due to the way the population has been redistributed between 2000 and 2010. The county is working hard to make up budget deficits. The government operations committee is working on an ordinance about highways and roads in preparation for hydrofracting if it comes to Tompkins County. Dave McKenna explained the county is trying to consolidate space – possibly the old library can be torn down, but asbestos is a problem. He is on the redistricting commission to reorganize the lines of legislative districts. Dave is also on the broadband committee – a group of state experts will be coming in to speak to supervisors. Highway Superintendent’s Report: Buddy Rollins reported they have changed over for summer work. Hearing tests are scheduled for May, along with a rabies clinic at the highway department on May 12. The Hines Road bridge should be open in the next day or so, and the Enfield Center Road bridge will be open in about 3 weeks. Once the Enfield Center Road bridge is open, it will be un-posted. Permits for driveway pipes are only given out to property owners. The broom is working out good. Buddy asked if new radios should be purchased so the town can be online with county dispatch. Supervisor Barriere moved, with a second by Councilperson Owens, to purchase 7 portable radios out of budget line item DA 5197.2 for the highway department. Discussion: Highway Superintendent Rollins stated that the portable radios are secure and reliable and one of the portable units could be used as a base. Vote: Councilperson Clark aye, Councilperson Hern aye, Councilperson Owens aye, Councilperson Teeter aye, Supervisor Barriere aye. Carried Code Enforcement Officer’s Report: Alan Teeter reported 1 new building permit was issued for a new home, 2 certificates of occupancy were issued, 4 certificates of completion were issued, 12 building inspections were completed, 3 meetings with owners and builders were held, 3 valid complaints were received and 1 letter of voluntary compliance was sent. Alan and Carl Staley attended a conference in Syracuse and received 24 hours of in-service training. Enfield Town Board Meeting, April 13, 2011 3 Committee Reports: Planning Board : No meeting this month. Health Insurance Consortium: No update. Enfield Community Council: Marnie Kirchgessner reported she attended her first meeting of the County Youth Services Board. The newsletter has gone out and was very informative. She thanked Councilperson Teeter for her work on the newsletter. The Zumba Dance and basketball programs are both popular. The Council is working on putting together some kind of welcome package for new residents, and is looking for ideas. Marnie has spent many hours putting together the United Way application requesting funding for our programs. Enfield Volunteer Fire Company: Art Howser reported that in the month of March there were 32 calls which included 23 EMS, 2 structure fires, 2 carbon monoxide, 2 motor vehicle accidents, 1 tree in roadway, 1 mutual aid to Trumansburg and 1 service call. Training in April will include brush fire training, pumper and tanker training, fire police communications. One of the carbon monoxide calls was for a fairly new stove, so Art reminded everyone that detectors are very important. He reminded the town residents that there is still a ban on open burning and it is illegal to burn leaves. At the May 21st community yard sale, the fire station will be open for the public to visit. Facilities Manager: Councilperson Hern reported the radon mitigation system is working once again in the town hall. Chris has done a quick study on the possibility of moving the town hall to the community building. He feels no matter what is done it will be difficult, but it can be done. It will take a lot of planning to make it work. Councilperson Owens asked to have Chris meet with Chuck Fezali on this issue. Councilperson Hern also suggested it is time to put up the Welcome to Enfield sign on wood posts. He will work with Buddy to get this job accomplished. Communication Access Committee: Councilperson Hern will get in touch with Chuck Bartosch and see how grant working is coming. Facilities Development: Councilperson Owens reported there have been lots of challenges. Standard and Poor gave the town an A stable rating, partially due to the fact that the town is stable because they choose to go back to property tax versus sales tax. Supervisor Barriere reported the bond was issued April 12 and we ended up with a 4.36% interest rate. It was recommended by our bond counsel to go with this rate locked in for 15 years, as the rates are going up. The bond is being administered by First National Bank of Dryden for Roosevelt and Cross, Inc. He also thanked the town supervisors over the past 20 years for the town being stable enough to obtain the high rating. Councilperson Owens thanked Buddy and his crew for opening up the gravel bank so the soil can be tested. Supervisor Barriere may call a special meeting to sign the contract. He also stated that once construction begins, meetings may need to be held mid-way between each meeting so that bills can be paid in a timely manner. Personnel Committee: Councilperson Teeter reported that the committee met and discussed the possibility of vacation and sick time accruing monthly rather than at the start of each year. This will be brought to the town board in the future. Also discussed was an official step salary structure. One of the biggest desires on the part of employees is the start of direct deposit for their pay checks. There were a lot of questions about the health insurance – the prescription plan was to be equal to or better than the old plan; the cost of family or spouse coverage seems high; is there the possibility of having different levels of coverage i.e. higher deductible; can we tell yet if the town is saving any money. At one time the town allowed a buy-out for the health insurance program, which the committee can look into. Also discussed was the requirement for the highway superintendent to work 20 years before being eligible to receive health insurance coverage from retirement to being eligible for Medicare. Twenty years seems excessive for a highway Enfield Town Board Meeting, April 13, 2011 4 superintendent because it’s unlikely that anyone would be a highway superintendent at 35. At the next meeting the committee will work on updating the first 3 section of the handbook and updating the compensation chart from last year for review and recommendations. Councilperson Teeter moved, with a second by Supervisor Barriere to change the Personnel Policy to include a stepped salary structure for Town Highway Employees (to be added as a 3rd item under section 701, Wage and Salary, in category 700, Compensation, in the Employee Handbook) as follows: Highway Department Stepped Salary Structure: 1. New Hires start as laborers, for a minimum of one month to a maximum of six months, prior to promotion to MEO (Mechanical Equipment Operator). 2. MEO starting salary is $15 per hour. There will be a $1 per hour increase per year for three years, on the anniversary date of promotion to MEO, until reaching a minimum of $18 per hour. 3. Any calendar year merit salary increases will also be applied, independent of the anniversary date increases. Discussion: Supervisor Barriere asked if employees would be getting the $1 per hour increase plus the percentage increase. Highway Superintendent Rollins replied that would not be the case – they would get the percentage increases starting the fourth year. Councilperson Teeter added the rational is that it takes 3 years for an employee to get up to speed on the job. Vote: Councilperson Clark aye, Councilperson Hern aye, Councilperson Owens aye, Councilperson Teeter aye, Supervisor Barriere aye. Carried Tompkins County Council of Governments: No report. Old Business: None New Business: Appoint Hearing Officer for proposed bond for EVFC: Supervisor Barriere reported the fire company is consolidating their loans, except for the one last year for a new truck, so they need to have a public hearing. APPOINTMENT OF HEARING OFFICER I, Roy Barriere, Supervisor of the Town of Enfield in accordance with the provisions of sections 147(f) and 150(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, hereby appoint Dennis Hubbell, President of the Enfield Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., as Hearing Officer pursuant to a certain Notice of Public Hearing attached hereto, such public hearing to be held at the Enfield Volunteer Fire Company, 172 Enfield Main Road, Ithaca, New York 14850, on May 3, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. I further direct that the Hearing Officer shall within 10 days after the execution of this appointment cause to be published, in full, in the Ithaca Journal, a newspaper published in, or having a general circulation within, the Town of Enfield and designated an official newspaper of the Town of Enfield a notice of public hearing to be held not less than 14 days from the date of publication. The notice is to be published substantially in the form attached hereto. DATED: April 13, 2011 Enfield Town Board Meeting, April 13, 2011 5 ________________________________ Roy Barriere Supervisor Town of Enfield Councilperson Owens moved to authorize the supervisor to sign the Appointment of Hearing Officer, with a second by Councilperson Hern. Vote: Councilperson Clark aye, Councilperson Hern aye, Councilperson Owens aye, Councilperson Teeter aye, Supervisor Barriere aye. Carried Announcements: Letter thanking Buddy Rollins for his help during a snowstorm from Taylor Peck. Letter from the New York State Town Clerks’ Association notifying the town that Town Clerk Alice Linton was awarded a $500 grant to attend the annual meeting to be held in Buffalo, New York May 1-4, 2011. A Proclamation was also presented to Alice Linton for her outstanding and heartfelt commitment to the Town of Enfield and the great State of New York. Volunteers of the Month: Marnie and Greg Kirchgessner were nominated by Dave and Jean Owens. Marnie has devoted much of her life to improving opportunities and quality of life for children and young people and has served many years on the Enfield Community Council. She is currently serving as president. She has also worked for many years as a volunteer at the Food Pantry and for Christmas Gifts for Kids. Greg, Marnie’s late husband, touched the lives of hundreds of people in our community. He was a life member, having served over 20 years in the Enfield Volunteer Fire Department. He helped with the Food Pantry and always responded to anyone who was out of food and helped many families who might have otherwise gone hungry. Art Howser announced the Enfield Volunteer Fire Company will be hosting their next blood drive on May 17. Adjournment: Councilperson Owens moved, with a second by Councilperson Hern to adjourn at 8:22 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Alice M. Linton Enfield Town Clerk