HomeMy WebLinkAboutJune 14 2023 Public Hearings Regular Town Board Meeting Minutes
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Town of Enfield Public Hearings
Dissolutfon of Enfield Fire Protectfon District
Creatfon of Enfield Fire District
June 14, 2023, at 7 pm
In-Person at the Enfield Town Courthouse and Virtually via the Zoom Meetfng Platiorm
Regular Town Board Meetfng
Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at 7:30 pm
In-Person at the Enfield Town Courthouse and Virtually via the Zoom Meetfng Platiorm
Present: Town Supervisor Stephanie Redmond; Town Councilpersons; Cassandra Hinkle, Robert Lynch, James Ricks (7:06
pm); Town Clerk Mary Cornell; Code Enforcement Officer
Virtual Attendance: Councilperson Jude Lemke
Supervisor Redmond opened the Public Hearing on the Dissolutfon of the Enfield Fire Protectfon District at 7:00 PM. Mr.
Brad Pinsky explained the process of establishing a Fire District, which included the good and bad of a fire district.
Public Comments:
Robin Wishna: Curious why town board members are paid positfons and why Fire Commissioners are not. Mr. Pinsky
responded it is by law that they are not paid.
Drew Braman: Who can be a member of the Fire Commission. Brad Pinsky. Town Councilpersons cannot serve as
commissioners only residents can serve as commissioners. A judge can’t, the Fire Chiefs, any potentfal employees can’t.
Any resident whether you are registered to vote or not can be a commissioner.
Brad Pinsky recommended that they make the formatfon of the district effectfve October 2, 2023. The date change would
be made with the hope that commissioners can tentatfvely be appointed sooner. If the district comes into existence after
October 2, 2023, then they would be appointed for just over a year.
Ellen Woods: Why would you want fire or rescue members on the board of commissioners, Ellen Woods questfoned?
She thinks the answer to this questfon is because so much learning that goes into Fire Service and EMS Services. They
have knowledge that those not with experience will not have. Fire personnel want to go and help people when they call
911. She thinks that it is an abominatfon that volunteers are considered selfish individuals in this community. There are
places that have so little EMS protectfon that they do not get the lifesaving services that they need. It is economic
injustfce on a local level, we deserve our homes to be as safe as homes in Cayuga Heights. Establishing a reserve account
like the Town and Highway Department has will be an essentfal benefit for the Fire Company.
Randy Brown: What is the process of exceeding the tax cap? Brad Pinsky said that to override the tax cap, 4 out of 5
commissioners need to resolve to do so and filings need to be done to do so, it can be overridden. The challenge for
Enfield would be the statutory spending which would have to go before Town residents for a vote.
Drew Braman: Comment based on what Mr. Pinsky said based on what he has said the second page of the resolutfon
would need to have some dates changed…October 2, 2023.
Diane Aramini: She feels that the Town Board did not have enough informatfonal meetfngs. The board commented that
this has been a conversatfon topic over the last several months. Ms. Aramini said that we the people elected each of the
board members that represent the Town. She is not in favor of the Fire District and asks the Board to take more tfme
before votfng for this change.
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James Ricks: He thought that Mr. Pinsky had started out his comments by statfng that the legislature is against Fire
Districts. Mr. Pinsky clarified that he thinks that Legislatures are good to Fire Districts they have put a lot of impositfons
to make controls and limitatfons that offer protectfons to town residents The fire district gets to focus only on the task of
protectfng towns and residents. The tasks need to be divided up and the board of commissioners can do a lot to assist
Fire Districts and service. James - People are afraid that the fire fighters are going to get on the board and are going to
blow up the budgets. Not everyone agrees that we all need the same thing, which is good to have diversity of opinions
and experiences.
Diane Aramini – asked why this does not go to permissive resolutfon. Mr. Pinsky clarified that If it does not have any
requirement to then you cannot make it required and is not subject to permissive. Robert Lynch shared that this had first
come up in February at a Board Meetfng. Councilperson Lynch shared Diane’s concern that this has been a fastmoving
process since it has first been spoken on.
Councilperson Lemke – This is a good tfme to move forward. If we did not move forward now then we would move into
contract negotfatfons for the next three years.
Ellen Woods - Females in the fire service, there are a lot of risks for them, their gear does not fit right, they often get
older gear, their bodies are built differently than men’s. We now have PESH and OSHA and have more than we have ever
had in the past. We have less tolerance of risks, when ten miles away we would have a fightfng chance.
Greg Stevenson – He had intended not to speak tonight, however, Mr. Pinsky made a reference to the Associatfon of
Towns (AOT). When G Jeffrey Haber was the director of the AOT he commissioned a white paper that analyzed how
much volunteers saved communitfes and acknowledged (Study was completed ~2000) the selfless work of the
volunteers. He commends the Town Board for taking a look at this as volunteers contfnue to decline and if you think the
costs are prohibitfve now then just wait untfl you will have to pay a firefighter. Over 1 trillion has been saved by volunteer
Firefighters and EMS members serving in their communitfes.
Denny Hubbell – Mr. Pinsky made a good point that may have been insultfng to some who have a high school educatfon
handling budgets in the fire service. We do not have young people that are interested in dealing with budgets or
planning, they just have no interest in doing so. They prefer to fight fires. They like to play video games and fightfng a fire
is like one big video game to them. He will contfnue working regardless of the way it goes, but he thinks the fire district is
the way to go because it is going to ease the business side for the Fire Company. He is at the Fire Statfon every day for 3-
4 hours and if they had commissioners it would ease his burden. Contract negotfatfons can be very tfme-consuming. If
we are going to go to a fire district then we should do so now.
Councilperson Lynch shared for the record that with the likely need for a referendum to override the state’s Statutory
Spending Limit, this scares him. Brad Pinsky shared that it is really not that scary, budgets take a lot of work. Ellen Woods
- Taking volunteers for granted should be scary, not having anyone responding to a 911 call should scare people as this is
a better optfon for Fire Protectfon.
Councilperson Lynch asked for a show of hands of those who would support or oppose a Fire District. Most hands were
raised in support of a Fire District, a couple of hands were raised in oppositfon.
Ed & Helen Hetherington (appearing online) – They are in support of creatfng a Fire District.
Supervisor Redmond closed the Public Hearing at 8:40 pm
Call to Order: Supervisor Redmond called the Regular Town Board Meetfng to order at 8: 40 pm
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RESOLUTION #61-2023 DISSOLVING ENFIELD FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Enfield having duly convened this date for the purpose of holding a public
hearing to take public comment on the proposed dissolutfon of the Enfield Fire Protectfon District, within the Town of
Enfield, pursuant to the provisions of General Municipal Law, Artfcle 17-A, and
WHEREAS, such dissolutfon of the fire protectfon district is a necessary prerequisite for the formatfon of the Enfield Fire
District into the (former) territory of the Enfield Fire Protectfon District;
WHEREAS, the majority of the members of the Town Board endorsed the proposed dissolutfon plan, attached hereto as
SCHEDULE A, and
WHEREAS, the Town Board has held the public hearing on the endorsed proposed dissolutfon plan, and has considered
any comments made by members of the public.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDERED, that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield determines that it is in
the public interest to dissolve the Enfield Fire Protectfon District pursuant to the proposed dissolutfon plan for the
dissolutfon of the Enfield Fire Protectfon District, attached hereto as SCHEDULE A, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED AND ORDERED that the Town Clerk is hereby directed to cause a certffied copy of this
resolutfon to be duly recorded in the office of the clerk of Tompkins County and shall, within ten days cause a certffied
copy of this resolutfon to be filed in the New York State Department of Audit and Control at Albany, New York, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED AND ORDERED that, as soon as the conditfon precedent to the formatfon of the Enfield Fire
District into the (former) Enfield Fire Protectfon District, has now been met with the resolutfon to dissolve the Enfield
Fire Protectfon District, the Town Clerk is hereby directed to cause a certffied copy of the resolutfon creatfng the Enfield
Fire District to be duly recorded in the office of the clerk of Tompkins County and shall, within ten days cause a certffied
copy of the resolutfon creatfng such Fire District to be filed in the New York State Department of Audit and Control at
Albany, New York.
BY ORDER OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF ENFIELD
Dated: June 14, 2023
Mary Cornell, Town Clerk
SCHEDULE A
Proposed Plan for the Dissolutfon of the Enfield Fire Protectfon District
The Town Board for the Town of Enfield hereby proposes, pursuant to General Municipal Law,
sectfon 774, the following as its dissolutfon plan for the dissolutfon of the Enfield Fire Protectfon
District:
(a) the name of the local government entfty to be dissolved is the Enfield Fire Protectfon District;
(b) the territorial boundaries of the entfty created in place of the fire protectfon district to be
dissolved is the entfre present town of Enfield Fire Protectfon District;
(c) the local government entfty is a fire protectfon district located within the territorial boundaries
of the town of Enfield, New York;
(d) the fiscal estfmate of the cost of dissolutfon is less than $15,000.00, being primarily legal fees,
which also includes the formatfon of the fire district into the Enfield Fire Protectfon District;
(e) there are no public employees of the fire protectfon district to be transferred or eliminated;
(f) the entfty has no assets; the entfty does not own any real or personal property; the fair value
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thereof in current money of the United States of the entftfes assets is $0.00;
(g) the entfty has no liabilitfes or indebtedness, bonded and otherwise; the fair value thereof in
current money of the United States is $0.00;
(h) there are no agreements entered into with the Town of Enfield to carry out the dissolutfon
which will exist as of July 1, 2023. The only present agreement which will terminate in accordance
with such contract, is a fire protectfon contract for the fire protectfon district;
(i) the manner and means by which the residents of the entfty will contfnue to be furnished
municipal services following the fire protectfon district’s dissolutfon are by the services of the
Enfield Fire District once created into the (former) Enfield Fire Protectfon District;
(j) as there are no assets or liabilitfes of the entfty, there are no terms for the dispositfon of the
entfty's assets and the dispositfon of its liabilitfes and indebtedness, including the levy and
collectfon of the necessary taxes and assessments therefor;
(k) there are no local laws, ordinances, rules or regulatfons of the entfty, and thus, none shall
remain in effect after the effectfve date of the dissolutfon and none shall remain in effect for a
period of tfme other than as provided by sectfon seven hundred eighty-nine of this tftle;
(l) the effectfve date of the proposed dissolutfon of the Enfield Fire Protectfon District is contfngent
upon the formatfon of the Enfield Fire District and dissolutfon will be effectfve upon the extension
thereof, which is antfcipated to be no later than August 1, 2023;
(m) the public hearing on the dissolutfon of the Enfield Fire Protectfon District, shall be held on
the 14th day of June, 2023, at the Enfield Community Building, 182 Enfield Main Road, Ithaca,
NY 14850, which shall commence at 7:00 pm;
(n) there are no other matters desirable or necessary to carry out the dissolutfon of the Enfield Fire
Protectfon District.
Supervisor Redmond moved and Councilperson Hinkle seconded.
Supervisor Redmond moved to amend the resolutfon to dissolve by changing the date of creatfon to October 2, 2023 and
Councilperson Hinkle seconded. Discussion. Councilperson Lynch asked the Board members to state where they stand on
this matter. The following are some comments that they made: Supervisor Redmond, it is clear that moving to a Fire
District will save the town and tax payer money, she does not believe that we have employer-employee oversight, we
have no authority and we carry Workers Compensatfon plans, etc. We are expected to work with the Fire Companies
Company’s budget and the Town Board has not worked closely enough with the Fire Company to have a complete
understanding of their full fiscal needs to be prepared to come up with a budget. Going to a Fire District is a more fiscally
responsible way to proceed. She believes there is a large disconnect between the Fire Company and the Town Board at
this tfme.
Cassandra Hinkle –She felt that she is the least politfcally experienced on the board. She likes the transparency of a Fire
District and it appears the town wants this and they can give the input that they want to give. She very much respects
the voices of Denny, Greg and Ellen.
Jude Lemke -She agrees with what has been said by Stephanie and Cassandra and she would add that we do not have
the technical expertfse to give and the fire commissioners would be able to provide the necessary experience needed.
James Ricks – A lot of the fire company issues recently have been about financing new equipment. And he defiantly
agrees with Stephanie.
Robert Lynch – he came into this meetfng undecided on how he was going to vote. He has heard both sides of the issue.
Critfcs of the change say that this is like a fox governing the hen house, because the predictfon is that the people who will
run for fire commission will be firefighters, and the Commission will become of firefighters, by firefighters, for
firefighters. Critfcs, including a Hearing attendee, assert essentfally the town board is abdicatfng its responsibility. He is
willing to negotfate a new Fire Company Contract and he would be fair to the Fire Company as his record has shown. He
said his philosophy is, If it is not broken don’t try to fix it. But he’s concluded the current arrangement is broken and it
has been broken for decades. In his opinion, the issues with the Fire Company have been personality disputes, decade
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after decade. There’s been distrust and animosity between the Fire Company, the town board, and members of the
community. He will commend the Town Supervisor as she has worked with him to try to fix some of the wounds within
the agencies. He takes pride in it and the Supervisor should be commended as well. He said the system is broken and we
have to try something new. He said this is a tough decision the town board has to make and it may be a mistake. He will
vote in favor of the formatfon of the Fire District tonight.
Vote to amend the resolutfon - Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye;
Councilperson Ricks, Abstain; Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried.
Vote on the amended resolutfon
Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Councilperson Ricks,
Aye; Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried.
RESOLUTION #62-2023 ESTABLISHING ENFIELD FIRE DISTRICT
WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Enfield, Tompkins County, New York has resolved to dissolve the Enfield Fire
Protectfon District, to be effectfve on or about July 1, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Enfield, upon its own motfon, wishes to establish the Enfield Fire District in the Town of Enfield
pursuant to the provisions of Town Law § 170, for the purpose of providing fire protectfon to the residents of the Town;
and
WHEREAS, the Town of Enfield desires to form a fire district over the boundaries of the entfre Town; and WHEREAS, the
Town of Enfield proposes to utflize the same borders for the new fire district as the Enfield Fire Protectfon District upon
the Fire Protectfon District’s dissolutfon, which encompasses the entfre town; and
WHEREAS, at least a majority of the members of the Town Board endorse the proposed establishment of the Enfield Fire
District; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Enfield having duly convened this date for the purpose of holding a public
hearing to take public comment on the proposed establishment of the Enfield Fire District; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board has held the public hearing on this date (June 14, 2023) on the establishment of the Enfield
Fire District, and has considered any comments made by members of the public and evidence given thereat;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDERED, that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield determines that it is in
the public interest to establish the Enfield Fire District, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield determines that the property, property owners and
interested persons within the proposed fire district are benefited by the establishment of the Enfield Fire District; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Enfield determines that the property and property owners
are included in such proposed fire district;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that only such property and property owners as are benefited will be included within the limits
of the proposed fire district;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the borders of the Enfield Fire District are those of the entfre Town of Enfield;
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the first five fire district commissioners shall be determined at the discretfon of the Town
Board.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the commissioners, having each been appointed before October 2 of the present year,
shall each be elected at the electfon on the second Tuesday of December of the current year.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that at the electfon on the second Tuesday of December, 2023: The person receiving the
greatest number of votes for the office of fire commissioner shall be elected for a term of five years; the person receiving
the second highest number of votes shall be elected for a term of four years; the person receiving the third highest
number of votes shall be elected for a term of three years; the person receiving the fourth highest number of votes shall
be elected for a term of two years and the person receiving the fifth highest number of votes shall be elected for a term
of one year. In the event that two persons shall receive the same number of votes the terms of office shall be decided by
lot. At each subsequent electfon of fire district officers a commissioner shall be elected for the full term of five years.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the first individual appointed as Treasurer of the Board shall be appointed at the
discretfon of the Town Board. The appointed Treasurer of the Board shall serve untfl December 31, 2023, and the
Treasurer thereafter shall be appointed for a one-year term by the Board of Fire Commissioners,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Enfield Fire District shall be established immediately upon the dissolutfon of the
Enfield Fire Protectfon District; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED AND ORDERED that the Town Clerk is hereby directed to cause a certffied copy of this
resolutfon to be duly recorded in the office of the clerk of Tompkins County and shall, within ten days, cause a certffied
copy of this resolutfon to be filed in the New York State Department of Audit and Control at Albany, New York
Supervisor Redmond moved and Councilperson Hinkle seconded. Discussion: Supervisor Redmond moved to amend the
creatfon date to October 2, 2023 and Councilperson Hinkle seconded.
Vote to amend the resolutfon
Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Councilperson Ricks, Aye;
Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried.
Vote on the amended resolutfon.
Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Councilperson Ricks, Aye;
Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried.
Councilperson Lynch motfoned and Supervisor Redmond seconded to post the positfons of Fire Commissioners,
Treasurer to the Town website. Discussion: The date to submit letters of interest is by July 11, 2023, to be reviewed by
the Town Board at the July 12, 2023 Town Board Meetfng.
Privilege of the Floor: N/A
Changes or Amendments to the Agenda: Councilperson Lynch proposed a resolutfon pertaining to Local Electfon Year
changes, this will be added to the end of the meetfng.
Correspondence: Cassandra Hinkle - Rich Carver has a portable movie screen to donate – Supervisor Redmond
recommended contactfng the ECC
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Quarterly Reports:
Water Protectfon Committee - Nancy Spero. They will meet on June 15, 2023 and will add two more test sites as the
town board recommended and the first sampling will take place in September. Mary Julian will be at the next meetfng.
Supervisor Redmond – An intern from the Cayuga Watershed is looking for some informatfon from Steve’s report.
Enfield Community Council – Ann Rider/Cortney Bailey – Councilperson Lynch commented - They are very appreciatfve of
the Town Boards decision to allocate $45,000 of ARPA funds for multf-year youth programming. They are working to
formalize a voucher that can then be processed through the Town Board and can hopefully be completed by the July
meetfng. They had a great turnout for the rhubarb festfval.
Tompkins County Youth Board – Lisa Monroe – Not in attendance.
Food Pantry – Mary Cornell. Mary read the report from Food Pantry. Jen Lyons –from the NYS Senate suggested that the
Food pantry contact Anna Kelles office to apply for funding for capital projects.
Cayuga Lake Watershed IO – Stephanie Redmond. They have a couple of in-person meetfngs coming up. They are looking
for a new watershed manager.
Tompkins Health Consortfum – Stephanie Redmond. They gave their audit report and the consortfum exceeded its
budget projectfon for Fiscal year ending 2022. Medical and paid claims combined came 4% below budget. They would
like future budgets to include cyber security mitfgatfon. They would like to add Livingston and Monroe countfes. In 2022
they added four municipalitfes they have 53. In 2023 they have added 7 countfes so far.
Recreatfon Partnership: Cassandra Hinkle. The rec partnership agreement has gone up a little bit which should increase
our town by less than $200. She was not sure everything that was available through the youth bureau. She gave a written
report to the Town Board Members
Cemetery Committee – Cassandra Hinkle. No report.
Environmental Management Council – Peter Penniman is in the process of being appointed.
Monthly Reports
County Legislature – Randy Brown. The full report is on file with the Town Clerks Office.
Town Supervisor’s Report – Stephanie Redmond. She met with the Personnel Committee (Blixy is doing the bulk of the
work). She and the Clerk met with Cooley’s Constructfon to get a quote for improvements at the Town Hall/Clerks Office.
As well as completfng the normal dutfes of the Office of Town Supervisor.
Town Clerk’s Report – Mary Cornell. The Clerk’s Office performed the normal dutfes of the Office of the Town Clerk.
Highway Superintendent Report – Barry “Buddy” Rollins. Not Present - Supervisor Redmond would like to have a
discussion with the Highway Superintendent on future plans if we have unsafe air quality again in the future
Code Enforcement Report – Alan Teeter. He issued 11 new permits and he has been doing a lot of inspectfons.
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Volunteer Fire Company – Alan Teeter. Last month there were 20 calls. Trainings this month, they have been
concentratfng on the new Fire Engine, Saturday special training from the company that did the modificatfons to the
engine so that it can be put in service, the last training off the month may be a rescue training.
Planning Board Report – Dan Walker. Robert Lynch – The Planning Board gave unanimous approval of the subdivision
applicatfon for Breezy Meadows at their June meetfng.
Tompkins County Council of Govts – Robert Lynch. The full report is on file with the Town Clerks office.
Audit Claims: General fund vouchers #-128-152 in the amount of $73,489.31
Highway Fund Vouchers #87-107 in the amount of $35,913.22
SF Fund Voucher #131 in the amount of $5,442.75
Supervisor Redmond moved and Councilperson Lynch seconded. Discussion. Councilperson Lynch shared a brief
descriptfon of the issues with the 2009 Engine from the Highway Fund Vouchers.
Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Councilperson Ricks, Aye;
Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried.
Approval of Minutes: May 10 & May 25, 2023
Supervisor Redmond moved and Councilperson Lynch seconded.
Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Abstain; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Councilperson Ricks,
Abstain; Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried.
New Business:
Tax Cap Override – Set Public Hearing Date.
Supervisor Redmond moved and Councilperson Hinkle seconded to schedule a Public Hearing for the Tax Cap override at
the July 12, 2023, Town Board Meetfng at 6:30 pm. Discussion: Supervisor Redmond we traditfonally pass this Local Law
each year.
Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Councilperson Ricks,
Abstain; Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried.
Resolutfon #63-2023 Authorize Supervisor to Sign the Bonding contract with Greene County Commercial Bank for the
Salt Barn
WHEREAS, Municipal Solutfons has secured a bond contract for the Salt Barn with Greene County Commercial Bank, and
WHEREAS, The Town Board has reviewed a proposal from Bond Contract, therefore be it
RESOLVED, The Town Board authorizes the Supervisor to Sign the Bonding contract with Greene County Commercial
Bank for the Salt Barn.
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Supervisor Redmond moved and Councilperson Hinkle seconded. Discussion: Councilperson Lynch gave a brief insight on
the bond and interest rates. Tompkins County’s most recent rate was awarded at an interest rate of 3.85% on a small
issuance. The county’s ratfng is A-A1.
Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Councilperson Ricks, Aye;
Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried.
Resolutfon #64-2023 Authorize Supervisor to Sign an Agreement with the Enfield Food Pantry/First Baptfst Church of
Enfield.
WHEREAS, the Town Board has agreed to disperse $45,000 to the Enfield Food Pantry/First Baptfst Church of Enfield from
the Town’s allocatfon of American Rescue Plan Act funds, therefore be it
RESOLVED, The Town Board authorizes the Supervisor to Sign an Agreement with the Enfield Food Pantry/First Baptfst
Church of Enfield.
Supervisor Redmond moved and Councilperson Hinkle seconded.
Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Aye; Councilperson Lemke, Aye; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Councilperson Ricks, Aye;
Supervisor Redmond, Aye; Carried.
RESOLUTION #2023-Did not pass. A Resolution urging Governor Hochul to veto pending legislation impacting local
elections.
Whereas, towns, counties, and cities in Upstate New York, including the Town of Enfield, have long held local elections
for legislative and administrative offices in odd-numbered years under the dictates of New York State law; and
Whereas, holding such elections in odd-numbered years accords local races a place of elevated public attention,
permitting voters to focus on local governance in those elections and not be distracted by more prominent contests for
state or federal office, races generally held in even-numbered years; and
Whereas, the New York State Legislature in June 2023 adopted Senate Bill S3505B and Assembly Bill A4282B, bills that
would transition local elections for most town, county, and village legislative and administrative offices, including all
Town of Enfield offices, to even-numbered years, beginning in 2025; and
Whereas, New York Governor Kathy Hochul holds the power to veto these bills when they are presented for her
signature; and
Whereas, this Town Board finds the State Legislature’s rationale for altering the year of these local elections
unconvincing, and believes that moving local elections to even-numbered years would subordinate local governance in
the voter’s mind and bury these races from public attention; and
Whereas, this Town Board believes that the State Legislature in adopting these bills has subordinated Good Government
concerns to partisan considerations; therefore be it
Resolved, that the Enfield Town Board hereby urges New York Governor Kathy Hochul to veto Senate Bill S3505B and/or
Assembly Bill A4282B when they are presented for her signature; and be it further
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Resolved, that the Clerk is directed to forward copies of this Resolution to the following: the Hon. Kathy Hochul,
Governor of the State of New York; the Hon. Lea Webb, New York State Senator; the Hon. Dr. Anna Kelles, New York
State Assemblymember; and the clerk of the Tompkins County Council of Governments.
Councilperson Lynch moved and Councilperson Hinkle seconded. Discussion: Councilperson Lynch offered the following
explanatfon: The assembly and senate adopted a change in the years to hold future local electfons and did so during this
past week in the final hours of the NYS Assembly and Senate sessions. The chambers adopted a change in local electfons
for towns that would move local electfons for local officials from odd-numbered years to even-numbered years when
they would be held simultaneously with the presidentfal electfon or that for Governor. Proponents supported the
change as the turnouts in those even-numbered years are higher and therefore, more people will partfcipate in local
electfons. There has been outrage by the legislatfon’s opponents, who argue local offices could get buried at the bottom
of the ballot. Opponents say though more people may turn out they will be less informed, and that having Local
Electfons in odd years gives more prominence to Local Electfons. Republicans say this legislatfon may be a transparent
effort by Democrats to get people to just vote automatfcally and vote party line and give substance to Republican
allegatfons that Democrats were looking to get more Democrats into positfons. The governor could veto this and this bill
could not take place. Councilperson Lynch explained his Resolutfon would urge this veto.
Ellen Woods had a basic logistfcal questfon about this. If this change would they get a three-year term or would two-year
terms need to run back to back. The supervisor runs in 2023 for another two year- two-year term and should they
choose to run again then it would only be a one-year term. People would lose a year not gain a year. This bill was put in
at the end of the season and was approved on Saturday morning just before they adjourned. Citfes have to be put to
referendum and Towns do not need to.
Councilperson Lemke said she would oppose the Resolutfon, as she believes going to even years and getting more people
to vote in electfons seems like a reasonable idea.
Vote: Councilperson Hinkle, Abstained; Councilperson Lemke, No; Councilperson Lynch, Aye; Councilperson
Ricks, No; Supervisor Redmond, Abstained; Did not pass.
Announcements: Special Town Board Meetfng – June 28, 2023, at 6:30 pm.
Adjournment: Motfon to adjourn; Hinkle motfoned, adjourned at 9:55 pm.
Respectiully submitted,
Mary Cornell
Mary Cornell
Town Clerk