Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutSpecialTownBoardMeeting-10.20.2021DRAFT 1 Town of Enfield Special Town Board Meeting Wednesday, October 20, 2021, 6:30 pm Virtual Meeting via Zoom Meeting Platform Present: Town Supervisor Stephanie Redmond. Town Councilperson Jude Lemke, Town Councilperson James Ricks, Town Councilperson Robert Lynch, Town Councilperson Virginia Bryant, Highway Superintendent Buddy Rollins, Town Clerk Mary Cornell, Town Bookkeeper Blixy Taetzsch. Supervisor Redmond called the meeting to order 6:30 pm Privilege of the Floor: Beth McGee - Women have predominately served as town supervisor for ~18 of the past years and they have taken on the work of full boards. The highway superintendents salary is ~$100,000. No one had batted an eye at increases at that. The Town Clerk’s salary is being increased for a part time job and the Town Supervisors office is not receiving an increase. James Ricks - He saw something about Bob being harassed at the meeting and he was not harassed at the last meeting. After reading the summation of the meeting he wondered if they were at the same meeting. Supervisor Redmond was in support of a Marijuana tax. He is tired of the attacks on Supervisor Redmond . He stated that Councilperson Lynch had told him that a meeting can not have three members. Councilperson Lynch was asking us to follow an incorrect procedure when former Clerk Woods had resigned and former Supervisor Beth McGee poi nted out the error. Beverly Rollins: Has the utmost respect for the Town Clerks and they have been friendly to her. She is bothered that someone stated that the Highway Superintendent has a package valued at ~$100,000 and includes a truck and gas. If the Highway Superintendent was a woman would she get paid more? She would appreciate it be put into context that the vehicle and fuel is used for Town Business. Robert Lynch led the assemblage in the pledge of allegiance. Additions and Changes to the Agenda: Supervisor Redmon asked to discuss the resolutions first. Per Councilperson Lynch -section 103 of public officers law- New subject of paragraph E. The amendment of the law requires whenever practical when an item is presented to the board it requires 24 hours’ notice to the public. This will become effective on November 18 2021. Supervisor Redmond moved and Councilperson Bryant seconded. Discussion. The situation is that route 79 is a state road. Every time that Supervisor Redmond has been in communication with the State they promise that they will look into it. She has also been in contact with Tompkins County Highway Department and they suggest that the Town pass a resolution and submit a TE9A form to the county. She has spoken to a couple town residents and the principal of the elementary school and they will all write letters in support of this resolution. She did hear regarding this that people know this is not just talking about s peed limits, but also pedestrian safety. Councilperson Lynch asked for confirmation that the town is not committed in any responsibility of funds/maintenance of sidewalks, etc. Councilperson Lynch hopes that turning will be taken into consideration as individua ls put on their turn signals and instead of turning onto Halseyville Road, but turn into the Dandy Mart instead. Supervisor Redmond asked Councilperson Lynch if he would like to draft a letter of support and he will get back to her. Resolution # 2021 -89 A Resolution to Request Traffic Study, Intersection of Route 79 and Enfield Main Road, Town of Enfield 2 WHEREAS, the Town of Enfield in December 2019 adopted a Speed Limit Policy (the “Policy”) whereby Town residents may request speed limit reductions on variou s roads within the Town, and the Town Board will subsequently consider endorsing such requests and recommending speed limit reductions to the New York State Department of Transportation for adoption; and WHEREAS, this Policy recognizes that to conform with State Law, any such request for a speed limit reduction must be preceded by a traffic study to be performed by the Tompkins County Highway Department; and WHEREAS, in accordance with the Policy, residents in the Town of Enfield have presented the Enfi eld Town Board, through a written submission to the Town’s Highway Superintendent, a request to consider a speed limit assessment and measure taken to address pedestrian safety; and WHEREAS, said residents have presented sound and convincing reasons for the need for implementation of measures to address pedestrian safety; therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Enfield Town Board hereby requests that the Tompkins County Highway Department undertake a traffic study to encompass the intersection of Route 79 an d Enfield Main Road in the Town of Enfield; and RESOLVED, further, that the Town Clerk shall communicate said request for traffic study to Jeffrey Smith, Highway Director, Tompkins County Highway Department. All Aye, Carried. Supervisor Redmond moved and Councilperson Lemke seconded. No further discussion. Public Hearing set for the proposed Solar Moratorium Law: November 10, 2021 at 6 pm. All Aye, Carried. Correspondence: N/A. Budget Discussion: Councilperson Lynch stated the Tax cap is an illusionary number and we 5 ½% inflation. Councilperson Lemke stated that we are at 3.79% for the tax cap. Town Bookkeeper Blixy is going to go over the budget with us. She shared the document from earlier today. She wants to point out some changes to the document since we last saw it. This does show a summary, she created another page with fund balance analysis. Were we were at the beginning of the year and then what we think the expenses will be this year. What we have spent so far this year, with additions and deletions. Some of the funds are in reserve which cann ot be spent. Town Bookkeeper Blixy went over the reserves with the Town Board. What she noted within the highway fund is that they had a fund balance last year and it was accounted for this year and she is curious what the funds line for equipment is (Highway Superintendent Rollins stated a piece of equipment valued at $150,000 will be purchased and the mower should arrive by mid-November which is why has not shown as an expense at this time. She noticed in a resolution that a truck is on order for next year. This truck was ordered this year and will not come until late 2022 (Planned payments). Board members were interested in seeing where the revenue from the sale of the small truck is. He does know from past appearance when we vote to make the tentative budget a preliminary budget and at the budget hearing we really need to spend more funding on the Highway personnel. Can the tax levy change after the preliminary budget has been passed ? Once the budget is adopted then that is it and once the salaries have been set for elected officials it does not change once the preliminary budget has been adopted. Supervisory Redmond stated that we are appropriating out of the general fund balance, not the highway fund balance. She does support his needs, on a flip side of this other towns around us have who have five 3 employees and have 70 miles of roads and Enfield has ~42 miles. Superintendent Rollins stated the Town of Enfiel d has 86 2-lane road miles. This is a position that was taken away and is not being added in addition to. Supervisor Redmond is in support of adding this position, but she is not in support of going over the tax cap. Much discussion was spoken. Town Supervisor and Councilpersons in conjunction with the Town Bookkeeper made changes to the budget. A motion was accepted to accept this budget as a preliminary budget and set a public hearing for November 1, 2021, at 6:30 pm. Announcements: Councilperson Lynch stated that he thinks the budget discussions went well tonight. It meets the needs and compromises were made. Councilperson Bryant moved to adjourn and Councilperson Lynch seconded. Meeting adjourned 8 :16 pm.