HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-1994MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING
MONDAY, APRIL 11, 1994, AT 7:30 P.M.
Those present: Teresa M. Robinson, Supervisor
Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman
Gordon C. VanBenschoten, Councilman
Carl E. Haynes, Councilman
Francis Casullo, Attorney
Absent: Donald E. Cummings, Councilman
Also present: Leland Cornelius, Liz Brennan, Bob Bernhardt, Abe Congden,
Betty Sperger, Elsie DeCamp, Bob Walpole, Chris Dempsey.
Supervisor Robinson called for action on minutes of March 14th meeting. Mr.
Cornelius, you had something?
L. Cornelius: Yes. I wasn't here at the last meeting but this says what Bob
Bernhardt says about the gravel bank. Christ, last summer that gravel banks
got to be reclaimed by reclamation by the DEC. We're filling it in with old
gravel and dirt since the 1950's. You can't just take a dozer and scrape
around up there and say it's done. It sounds like I'm not doing my god darn
job.
B. Bernhardt: No, that's not what I said.
L. Cornelius: Well, that's what you said. It's right here...
T. Robinson: Let him finish his statement first.
L. Cornelius: It sounds like you can just take a dozer and go up there and
scrape it off. Read the minutes. Well, last summer we had to reclaim this.
We hauled the dirt from the bank and any other clean fill, and we had ten foot
in one place that we had to come up. We had another place that had to come up
ten feet. Before the DEC will release that old gravel bank, they don't even
say it's yours until they get the 2:1 slope. I just don't like you saying
that we're not doing our job.
B. Bernhardt: Where did it say that?
L. Cornelius: Well, you might as well say it. You can take a dozer up there
and scrape around a bit......
B. Bernhardt: That wasn't really what I said. Is it all right for me to
talk, Teresa?
T. Robinson: Just as long as it's in the minutes what Mr. Cornelius has been
saying.
B. Bernhardt: I said the place is an eye sore. Any resident in this Town
who has a piece of property that looks like that would be cited by George
Senter for having a junk yard. It looks terrible. Every time something
happens, even the material from the pole barn, gets dumped right in the
driveway and anybody going up and down that hill can look right in there and
see the mess.
L. Cornelius: Where else am I going to put it?
B. Bernhardt: What are you going to do after you close it up? What does
George say to Breezy out there? I don't object to you having this stuff, but
pile it up in a neat row. I mean this stuff is just thrown all over the
place. My only comment was a constructive comment, don't get paranoid at me.
I'm not saying you're not doing your job. I'm saying that things are an eye
sore. It is an eye sore.
1
L. Cornelius: Who in the heck sees it. You've got to be looking .........
B. Bernhardt: Everybody traveling up and down the road, especially going down
the road. I travel that road all the time.
L. Cornelius: You've got to be looking over there.
B. Bernhardt: The only reason it came up was because we were talking about a
permit. Rather they should apply for a mining permit for that property and
they said it had been completed two years ago and I said maybe it's time they
should clean it up now.
L. Cornelius: You can't clean it up until you get the fill in there. The
banks .....
B. Bernhardt: The thing that I am objecting to is not the hole in the ground,
not the banks. Every time we dig up a piece of pipe it gets thrown in that
area. It looks terrible.
L. Cornelius: Where else am I going to put it?
B. Bernhardt: Put it in rows or something. Put in a piles or several piles
or something. I don't care what you do, you're in charge. I'm just
commenting. I have a right to make a comment. It's an eye sore.
L. Cornelius: What have you done so great for this community that you can go
around and you can pick all this stuff up like this. I mean, what have you
done so great...
B. Bernhardt: Are you saying that I, as a taxpayer, don't have the right to
make a comment about a piece of property that the Town owns?
L. Cornelius: But, you've had so many comments about every thing.
B. Bernhardt: Are you objecting to the fact that I commented on other things
too? What are you objecting to?
L. Cornelius: There's a lot of things....
B. Bernhardt: If any other person had a piece of property that looked like
that they would be cited.
L. Cornelius: Well let me tell you another thing, if you want to get funny
about this. You've got old machinery, you've got an old payloader that the
motor has been setting there for three or four years, you've got a lot of
stuff out there too. That's kind of an eye sore too when you drive by there.
B. Bernhardt: Have George go up and inspect it if you feel that way. You
know, when you were up there two years ago with your loader and got stuck and
pushed all those fences down along that road I never said a word about
it..........
L. Cornelius: Look what we did for you last fall. We took the hedge row
out.....
B. Bernhardt: You didn't do it for me, you did it for yourself. You did it
so you could get your big truck up that road. That's the only reason I let
you do it.
L. Cornelius: You wanted to put a new fence up. We talked it over and we did
it.
B. Bernhardt: I said, if you want to take the hedge row out, take the hedge
row out. I'll let you do it. There was a whole section of pasture, 37 acres,
I couldn't use. Part of those woods and everything else I couldn't use for a
whole year because all my fences were torn down. I never said anything about
it. I understood what you went through. You had all that snow to get rid of.
2
L. Cornelius: Well, anyway the gravel bank has got to have another extension
on the permit.
T. Robinson: Any other changes on the minutes? If not, ...
L. Cornelius: Another thing. All I went up front for that time was to show
them the specs on the pickup truck. You knew we were going to buy a pickup
truck. You made a big deal out of that too.
Moved by Mr. Haynes, seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten, that the minutes of March
14th be approved as mailed. Ayes - Sovocool, Haynes, VanBenschoten, Robinson.
Claim Nos. 40 to 60 of the Highway Fund in the amount of $17,408.93 and Claim
Nos. 62 to 84 of the General Fund in the amount of $14,001.94 were presented
for audit. Moved by Mr. Sovocool, seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten, that the
bills be approved for payment. ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes,
Robinson.
LIZ BRENNAN - BOOKKEEPER - Handed out report on cash receipts. Revenues and
expenditures are up to date. We need a resolution to amend budget Highway
Townwide for an additional $15,000. Last month when we amended the budget for
the $15,000 for $38,919.72, I forgot about the $15,000 for the encumbrance for
the pickup truck. We need an additional $15,000
C. Haynes: The $15,000 is what was budgeted in last years budget and you're
just transferring.
L. Brennan: No, this is $15,000 from the appropriated fund balance. Remember
last month we talked about having to take and appropriate fund balances. But
what we needed was $53,919 and we moved over $38,919 so we needed another
$15,000.
C. Haynes: What's the connection between the $15,000 and the pickup truck?
L. Brennan: Explained fund balance from last year and how we intended to use
to lower taxes this year. Pickup has nothing to do with it. Other than
that, I haven't seen the bills so I don't know if we need any transfers.
We're running low on the snow removal account. It's down to 340 left.
RESOLUTION NO. 19 - AMEND 1994 BUDGET - HIGHWAY - TOWNWIDE
Moved by Mr. Haynes, seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson
RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby authorize that the budget be
amended as follows:
Highway - Townwide: Take additional $15,000 from Appropriated Fund
Balance (Credit DA599) and decrease Machinery, Equipment (Debit
DA5130.2) for $15,000.
GEORGE SENTER - CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER - Building Permits issued:
1993 5 misc.
1994 5 misc.
Life safety inspections are all current except one and I'm working with him on
scheduling. I'm going to be do the junk automobiles before the end of the
month. I get calls about Mark Baxendalls, Elsie is one of them and Zimney is
another. I've been up to see Mark several times. They suspect that maybe he
is burning shingles or some type of old construction debris. I've never yet
to find anything up there. I went up there Friday after a call from Elsie.
E. DeCamp: It was black. It was so black you couldn't see down the road.
That's not wood.
G. Senter: I went up and it was all white. All I saw around the furnace was
cut wood and wood pallets. There was no truck with shingles in it or
3
anything. Mark denies that is happening. I don't know where to go from here.
I've had Paul Cowles of the Solid Waste Division and the DEC involved.
Nothing yet.
B. Sperger: If you come up tonight between 5 and 6 o'clock, it will be so bad
that you all most gag when you drive by. I know wood, because we burn wood,
and it's not wood smell....
C. Pierson: I came by there one Sunday morning and it was so black you could
hardly see Zimney's house.
F. Casullo, Atty: I know Mark and I would be glad to talk to him about it.
LELAND CORNELIUS - HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT - Nothing more
COLLEEN D. PIERSON - TOWN CLERK - You have my monthly Town Clerks and Tax
Collectors reports. We have received notification that the Stonehedges County
Club intends to renew its summer liquor license for the period April thru
October of 1994. Does the Board have any objections? No objections.
TOWN JUSTICES - Monthly reports were reviewed by Board.
ROBERT WALPOLE - E -911 TASK FORCE - Have been meeting for about four years.
Are now down to the point that all public safety in the County will come to an
agreement of how to enhance the 911 system. One of the purposes I am here to
night is that we are addressing the County Reps tomorrow night at 5:30 and we
have resolutions from all the Fire Departments and from the Village and
thought that it would be nice if the Town wanted to go on record supporting
the system. All enhanced 911 calls will be answered by Fire Central on Green
Street in Ithaca. Mr. Walpole explained how calls would be handled. He also
addressed some of the additional costs that will be incurred. He stressed
that the E911 is strictly for emergencies. Much of the equipment is already
on line. He would like to know whether the Town supports the concept. The
final decision will be up to the Board of Reps. There will not be a problem
with duplicate road names as long as they are not in the same telephone
exchange such as 898 or 838. A major County expense will be personnel.
ROBERT WALPOLE - CORNELIUS PROPERTY - Handed out maps of subdivisions in the
Town of Genoa of Route 90 adjacent to lake. They have a flag lot theory. The
first page basically shows you what a flag lot theory would be in reference to
a large piece of property. This has a road through it. The second sheet
shows some property that you can see the lake, some does not. Where it says S
it means that those properties have been sold at those prices, just bare
regular farm land. I think that sometimes there has been a theory that the
flag lot brings in a lot of junk. The last map I gave you, I went to the Town
Planning Board with a rough diagram of what we're going to do with the
Cornelius property which would meet the criteria with 200' road frontage of
trying to divide some of this property up. We can certainly do it. As long
as we meet the 200' frontage and in reference to one acre, it's fine. But, as
you can see meeting the 200' frontage, it narrows back down and goes into a 15
acre lot so they can use up the balance of property that goes up in back is
where the flag lot theory would really work out here. They are beautiful lots
up there and not to land lock anything up there. We have a couple people
looking at lots up there. I realize the Town is working on the comprehensive
plan, but there is a piece of property with 220 acres that there is no way of
building new roads in there. It isn't feasible, the cost is prohibitive.
With that amount of road frontage, 2400' and 1800', if we had the flag lot
theory we could use up the rest of that land and develope lots. I only ask
you to give consideration, I think you are still a year away, is possibly to
give some thought to give the Planning Board maybe a policy to let them work
on a flag lot theory that you would adopt and put it in an overall zoning
changes. It makes a cleaner looking development. These are flag lots but
we're using 200' frontage.
C. Haynes: Bob, the one over around King Ferry. I assume that was all done
as a part of an approved subdivision. It seems to me that's at least one
direction. As a matter of fact, the comments that I made at that meeting that
we had a year or two ago, the objections I was hearing from some of the
4
farmers up in the West Groton area were the danger that if you open this up
without some kind of a restriction that all of a sudden you could would wind
up with a whole mini development out in somebodies back forty that creates
problems for farmers. Okay, now they want to spread manure and now all of a
sudden they have eight or ten families out there that start raising a rukas
and so on. It seems to me that when you take a chunk of land like this and
you come to a Planning Board and go through your normal development process
and get an approved development, that I think makes a lot of sense and I
certainly wouldn't be opposed to that. I think this open ended flag lot
thing, however you want to do it just figure it out because you've got some
very crafty people that will abuse it. That's my concern. I don't want to
have a flag lot policy that's going to open itself up for abuse. If it's
under a controlled circumstance like a planned development and every body buys
into it, and you've got a concentration of housing there, then it makes a lot
of sense to me.
R. Walpole: Explained to the Board how the Town of Lansing subdivided Karl
Dates' lake property using only 60 foot road frontage leading to lake front
property. His main purpose of being here was to ask the Town Board to at
least consider that part of the zoning.
T. Robinson: I believe that's what they are working on in our comprehensive
plan.
R. Walpole: All I am asking is that the Town Board give the flag
lots more consideration and maybe call the Planning Board back in and let them
control it up until the final plan.
RESOLUTION NO. 20 - SUPPORT FINAL RECOMMENDATION OF THE E -911 TASK
FORCE
Moved by Mr. VanBenschoten, seconded by Mr. Haynes
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson
WHEREAS, the County Board of Representatives expressed its desire for
911 service in Tompkins County three years ago and appointed a task
force to study and make recommendations for the purchase and
installation of such an enhanced system in Tompkins County, and
WHEREAS, the Task Force included several representatives of the Fire and
EMS Service, and affected police agencies that serve the County of
Tompkins, and
WHEREAS, the Town Board, of the Town of Groton believes that the Task
Force proposal, as passed, will enhance the delivery of emergency
services to the people of the Town of Groton, as well as all of the
residents of Tompkins County, and as resolved, will not jeopardize the
excellent services currently provided through the Tompkins County Fire
and EMS Dispatch Center,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of
Groton, New York, does hereby endorse the recommendations of the
Tompkins County E -911 Task Force and recommend to the Public Safety
Committee and the entire County Board of Representatives that such
recommendations be approved and implemented by that body as soon as
possible, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Board does also advise the Board of
Representatives that the long term commitments for the provision of
human and financial resources, including those necessary for
communications equipment and radio maintenance, must be made by the
Board of Representatives if the system is to succeed.
ABE CONGDON - Teresa, I'm setting here and I'm wondering why the secretary
that we pay about $15,000 a year for, why it is when she comes in and hands
all you guys out sheets and she's up there talking for four minutes, she's
k,
been here 24 minutes, and we can't hear nothing. The only thing I saw was a
secretary and Haynes exchange, that's all I saw. I heard one word, truck, and
that's all I heard. If that's a meeting, forget it. I don't see why the rest
of us aren't entitled to those sheets. We're part of the public, taxpayers.
Every time she comes down she does that. She's up there about three or four
minutes then out the door she's gone. I don't know how long it takes her to
type that stuff up.
T. Robinson: She's been here all day working on it.
A. Congdon: Well good! Then the rest of us should have something to look at
then.
T. Robinson: I believe that this is supposed to go to the Board first. We
haven't seen it until this time too.
A. Congdon: Well all right, aren't we entitled to see it too?
T. Robinson: We have to take some action on it. Would you like to come up
and see it?
A. Congdon: Yes, I would. I'd like to have a copy of it.
T. Robinson: I said come up and see it, I didn't say I'd give you my copy.
C. Haynes: They can have copies of it. We just don't have them right now.
There isn't any reason why anybody can't have copies, it's public information.
A. Congdon: Well, why not do it for another meeting. It's been going on like
this every since I've been coming down here.
Consensus of the Board was to have eight or ten copies available for the
public at the next meeting.
BETTY SPERGER - Teresa, is this the sound system that we are going to have?
T. Robinson - No
B. Sperger - Well, I was just asking.
T. Robinson: I was just telling you. No.
B. Sperger: Okay, the other thing, I just wondered if you and the Board have
ever considered doing preventative maintenance so that we wouldn't have the
pole barn that collapsed -- I'm sure that just by shoveling off the snow we
wouldn't have had that accident. I know that lots of people that never
shoveled snow before on their roofs had to this year. Maybe that should have
been checked on. I don't know how many times I've been down here and come in
the double doors and the ice was built up so bad and now I see all the gutters
are down and I see you have some leaks. Wouldn't that be better to take care
of that before it gets to that stage? Have some one to take the snow and ice
off, maybe clean the gutters so there is a place for the water to run.
T. Robinson: That's possible, yes.
B. Sperger: I just wondered if it wouldn't be cheaper in the long run to hire
someone to do some thing like that.
T. Robinson: It probably would.
A. Congdon: Teresa, I have one other thing. When are we supposed to get this
sound system? When we first brought this up over a year ago, you mentioned
that we had to have three bids on it or something.
T. Robinson: That's right.
A. Congdon: Well, how long is it going to take to get that?
T. Robinson: Well, right now I have one bid in and I've been investigating
n
some other things.
A. Congdon: When did you get that bid there? The bid you've got, how long
ago?
T. Robinson: Oh, I don't know, its been quite awhile. Another thing is we
decided to expand on some of this so we'll have to check on some other things.
It's not going to be....
A. Congdon: Do you have a ball park figure time on this? It's been over a
year now since I went and got the other information. I got one price. You
said we had to have three. Don't you put out bids for stuff like this like
you did for the electric?
T. Robinson: I had a specific thing in mind that we were looking at and it's
taking a little more time to look this up.
A. Congdon: How long does it take you?
T. Robinson: I have been looking into it and we were going to ask for extra
things and it's taking a little more time than I had planned. And I've been
busy with other things right now.
A. Congdon: Well, it's been over a year.
T. Robinson: You've mentioned it every time so don't worry about that.
A. Congdon: Well, I'd say it's about time to act then.
FRAN CASULLO - ATTORNEY - I sent Diversified Technologies a letter about two
weeks ago. The day after I sent the letter I got a phone call from the
Secretary of one of the individuals that owns the operation indicating that
they could not make the meeting tonight because they had already been
scheduled to be out of town. Based on that I said fine but I would like some
information sent to the Town as to how they proposed to start becoming current
or what type of payment plan they wanted to make to you. I also told them
that you would like them to be at the May Town Board Meeting with no excuses.
I will send a follow up letter on that.
B. Bernhardt: We're not talking about a great deal of money. Weren't they
supposed to only pay the interest for the first year? What kind of interest
are they paying, three percent. Possibly $3000 a year. It's kind of hard to
believe that they had $107,000 for over two years and haven't paid us. My
question is what's motivating them not to do it?
T. Robinson: They've been making very small payments into the bank, very
small.
F. Casullo: I intend to follow up on this.
CHRIS DEMPSEY - DEMPSEY INSURANCE AGENCY - I'm here to talk about the collapse
of the building in the back. Basically we put forward a settlement for the
Town on the building. The way it works is we give you an actual cash value
amount. In other words, we're offering up an actual cash value amount of
$49,165 for the building it self. That's what the town will get regardless of
whether they rebuild it or whatever they do. We also are giving cleanup costs
in the amount of $10,000. The Town took down the building on their own. That
amount is a changeable amount. If the Town so determines by the use of their
equipment, time employees put in and what we have to do with materials, that
could be changed. The estimated replacement cost for the building is $62,000.
Basically, what we are talking about is we can give you $49,000 and upon
receiving any kind of an estimate, there would be another $13,000 available.
The problem with this whole thing is that we have to prove back to them within
180 days that we would need more that $49,000. You can have the $49,000 plus
the $10,000 cleanup but for the other $13,000 we're going to have to prove
we're out something.
7
This does not include equipment, just the building. This is on the basis of
what was there, the same size building, etc. When we know the cost of the
building, we should get this signed. (Board, Chris, Leland and Public
discussed different buildings and costs.)
Leland Cornelius has received quotations from Morton Buildings. They will
prepare specs, drawings, etc., a complete package that is ready to go to
bidders for a fee of $400.
RESOLUTION NO. 21 - AUTHORIZE MORTON BUILDINGS TO PREPARE STORAGE
BUILDING SPECS FOR BIDDING PURPOSES
Moved by Mr. Haynes, seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson
RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby authorize the Highway
Superintendent to work with Morton Buildings in preparing the storage
building bid specifications for a fee of $400.00 and have in order by
the next Board Meeting.
Board review auditor's report of the Justice Court.
RESOLUTION NO. 22 - ACCEPT 1993 TOWN JUSTICE AUDIT REPORT
Moved by Mr. Haynes, seconded by Mr. Sovocool
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson
RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton does here by accept
the audit report of the Town of Groton Justice Court for the period
beginning January 1, 1993, and ended December 31, 1993, as reported by
Ciaschi - Dietershagen- Little and Mickelson.
Moved by Mr. VanBenschoten, seconded by Mr. Sovocool, to authorize Colleen
Pierson, Town Clerk, to attend the Annual New York State Town Clerk's
Association Conference in Albany on April 24 thru 27.
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson.
RESOLUTION NO 23 - CONTRACT WITH COUNTY OF TOMPKINS PLANNING
DEPARTMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Moved by Mr. Haynes, seconded buy Mr. VanBenschoten
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson
RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton does hereby approve
the Contract of the County Circuit Rider Program not to exceed an amount
of $3000 to assist the Town Planning Board in completing the
Comprehensive Plan for the Town.
Discussed the proposed formation of an intermunicipal commission to deal with
issues of municipal cable television franchising in Tompkins County. The
original Tompkins County Cable Commission was formed in 1977.
RESOLUTION NO. 24 - AUTHORIZE PLANNING OF A TOMPKINS COUNTY CABLE
TV COMMISSION
Moved by Mr. Haynes, seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson.
WHEREAS the municipalities of Tompkins County have formed a committee to
8
explore cooperation in administering cable TV franchises in the county,
and that committee proposes to start discussion based on a possible
revival of the structure of a county cable commission formed in 1977;
The Town of Groton agrees to take part in the formation of an
intermunicipal commission to deal with issues of municipal cable
television franchising in Tompkins County;
To that end appoints Colleen D. Pierson to represent it in drawing up an
agreement to form such a commission; and
Directs that a copy of this resolution be sent to Mayor Ted Wixom of the
Village of Lansing, convener of the commission study group.
RESOLUTION NO. 25 - DESIGNATE POLLING PLACES FOR 1994
Moved by Mr. Haynes, seconded by Mr. Sovocool
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson.
RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton does hereby
designate the following Polling Places for 1994:
District No. 1 - West Groton Church
District No. 2 and 3 - Groton Town Hall
District No. 4 - McLean Fire Station
Discussed Tompkins County Sidewalk -Snow Removal procedures for Towns. This
came up because of the snow that was on the sidewalk between the Square and
School in McLean and who was to clean it up. Because it is a County Road, the
County Attorney wrote a letter to George Totman and it ended up that the Town
should be handling it.
According to Highway Law, Section 140, General Powers and Duties of Town
Superintendent, paragraph 18, the Town Superintendent shall "maintain all
sidewalks in the Town constructed by the State adjacent to State highways and
all sidewalks in the Town constructed by the County adjacent to County roads
and, when authorized by the Town Board, cause the removal of snow therefrom,
and the cost thereof shall be paid from the miscellaneous or other Town
funds."
Walpole Road bridge is in bad shape. It's premature to state that the bridge
will be replaced this year. Consensus of Board was to keep pressure on the
county since there is only one means of ingress and egress. The school should
also keep pressure on the county.
Discussed cat licensing in Tompkins County. Do we really want to get into
licensing cats. The cost of $20,000 sounds cheap right now but what is
involved. How do they intend to license.
RESOLUTION NO. 26 - CAT LICENSING IN TOMPKINS COUNTY
Moved by Mr. Haynes, seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson
RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton go on record and
authorize the Supervisor to submit a letter to our County Representative
as well as the SPCA that we stand opposed to cat licensing and that we
feel the cost of administering such a program would far exceed the
$20,000 cost of controlling this problem the way it is.
Robert Walpole complained that he has not seen the SPCA picking up dogs in
Groton. Does the Groton Police take calls and pick up dogs in the Village of
Groton. Clerk will give Mr. Walpole a copy of the Town's Contract with the
SPCA.
1
Supervisor Robinson had an irate citizen in her office demanding to know why
we don't have a trash pick up. The last time we inquired about it the County
said no. In investigating into it we found out that we can have a trash pick
up at the time the county specifies and that we will have so many days. The
way it is set up now, this possibly will be happening in September. The Town
will have to set up the rules in the Town. We will be allowed to go in
specified days at no charge. Last time it was very costly for the Town and we
had to pay per ton at the dump.
The Tompkins County Municipal Officials' Association will meet on April 27th
at 6:OOPM at Lucatelli's Ristorante in Ithaca. There will be an AEA Seminar
on May 4th -- George Senter will attend. The Groton Business Association will
have their Annual Summer Banquet on April 23rd at Stonehedges. The annual
road tour was scheduled for May 6th at 9:OOAM.
There will be a reception in McLean School this Sunday afternoon for Fred and
Veronica Billard. They are being honored by the area for all the work they
have done for the community and area -- Schools, Hamlet of McLean, Town of
Groton, etc. I thought it would be nice if we had a resolution thanking them
for there many years of service to the community and to the area of McLean and
to the Town of Groton.
RESOLUTION NO. 27 - RECOGNITION OF FRED & VERONICA BILLARD
Moved by Mr. VanBenschoten, seconded by Mr. Sovocool
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson
RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton does hereby express
its thanks and appreciation to Frederick & Veronica Billard for their
many contributions to the Community.
RESOLUTION NO. 28 - APPOINTMENT OF PLANNING BOARD MEMBER
Moved by Mr. Sovocool, seconded by Mr. VanBenshoten
Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Haynes, Robinson
RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby appoint JEFFERY LEWIS to fill
a vacancy on the Planning Board which term expires December 31, 1995.
Discussed continuing education and attendance law for Planning Board and
Appeals Board Members. Attorney Casullo felt that this should be a Local Law
rather than a resolution. He will draft up a local law for Board Members to
review at the next meeting.
Supervisor Robinson was favored with the invitation to the airport. The
invitations were very very official looking, very very very good. They said,
you are cordially invited to attend the grand opening of the new Tompkins
County Airport Terminal on Friday the 1st of April, 1994, 3:OOPM - Program -
New Terminal Building, 4:OOPM Reception - Bryon's Landing. Ross Perot
Speaker. RSVP by March 28, 1994. Frank P. Proto, Chairman, Terrace Hill,
Ithaca, NY 14850. Then it gives his number and then a fax number. But,
believe it or not, the number is his, the address is not Proto's and the fax
number is one of the Board of Reps. It's a hoax.
Mr. Haynes wanted to bring the other Board Members up to date on the Groton
Pool Ad Hoc Meeting that was held last week. The pool has been cited by the
health department for various problems particularly relating to the pipes and
drainage, the inflows and outflows and what have you, and they've been given
an extension of a year or two to try to get the problem taken care of. We're
looking at roughly about $150,000 to do the repairs. The status of the pool,
while it was originally built by fund raising and a group of people called the
Groton Municipal Pool Association, that pool has since been taken over by the
10
Village with the Town of course helps provide the maintenance and costs of
operating the pool over the summer and they are going to try to do some fund
raising to raise some monies but it appeals the amount of monies to be raised
is way beyond what can be done with chicken barbecues and what have you. So
probably within the next year they will be looking to the Town and Village for
some financial support and so on. In the mean time, they have put in a
request through the Legislative Initiative Program, which is basically pork
barrel money the State Representatives get. This is a good year for that
because the Governor is running for re- election. They are also looking at
some other possibilities. If they can get some of the monies from either the
State or the Parks Commission or other places they could reduce that amount
substantially in terms of what would have to be raised locally. I just
brought that up because I think probably in the next several months or year we
probably ought to be setting some money aside maybe to help out with that.
Bob Walpole elaborated on Village Pool but mic did not pick up.
Supervisor Robinson attended a meeting on elderly cottages and alternate
living in the Town. This is something I think the Planning Board will be
looking into. They also have reverse mortgages for older people. She has the
papers if anyone is interested.
There being no further business, Mr. Sovocool moved to adjourn meeting,
seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten, at 10:10 P.M. Unanimous.
Colleen D. Pierson
Town Clerk
11