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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-13-1999 MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1999 AT 7:30 P.M. Those present: Teresa M. Robinson, Supervisor Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman Daniel J. Carey, Councilman Donald N. Palmer, Councilman Donald F. Scheffler, Councilman Francis Casullo, Attorney Also present: Rick Case, Mark Gunn Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the minutes of the March 9, 1999 Town Board Meeting as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson General Fund Bill Nos.68 - 92 of the in the amount of $15,651.95 were presented for audit. Moved by Councilman Palmer, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson Highway Fund Bill Nos.51 - 75 of the in the amount of $24,344.46 were presented for audit. Moved by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Palmer to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson Special Fund (HUD) Bills No were presented. LIZ BRENNAN, BOOKKEEPER was absent. No report was filed MARK GUNN, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER- Reported that for the month of March there had been two building permits for new homes and three building permits for other projects. Life safety inspections are up to date for the month. He is presently working on doing the Spring road tour of the Town and issuing violations for unregistered vehicles as well as junk and rubbish. Mr. Gunn suggested that the Mobile Home Ordinance needed to be worked on and updated. Pg.2 - Town Board Meeting - April 13, 1999 The proposed new fee schedule was presented to the Board for their review. Attorney Casullo suggested that the Board hold off until next month before passing the new fee schedule to make sure that all things in it coincided with the Code. RICHARD C. CASE, JR., HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT- At the present time the Highway Department is still geared for snow removal. Two of the mainline material spreaders have been pulled for repair. One new material spreader is in the final stages of fabrication. Mounting brackets, lights and hydraulic plumbing are needed before it can be put into service. Plows and wings are showing age but are generally in good repair. The heavy, wet snow in March produced some tree damage. When time and weather conditions allow, brush and trees within the Town Highway right-of-way continue to be cut. Pothole repair is under way as the frost works out of road surfaces (damage has not been as extensive as last year because of the milder, unchanging temperatures). Weather note: Provided by Frank Ciccoricco - NOAA weather observer: March total snowfall: 24.4" Total snowfall for the year: 64.4" Although our total snowfall is below average, precipitation in the form of ice and sleet are not reflected in these totals. Deicing material use is on a par with previous seasons. Last week Highway Department employees started brooming hills and intersections. Major plow and wing digs were repaired. some shoulder maintenance has started using the grader, loaders, and trucks that are not dedicated to snow removal. I am happy to report that the back building now has electricity. To my knowledge this project is within the amount budgeted. I would like it noted that this project is another example of intermunicipal cooperation between the Village and the Town. We were allowed the use of some of the Village equipment to do the trenching. While the trench was open we added conduit in case the need arises to put any other wiring into this building (telephone, intercom, and other lights). On March 16, the Town Highway Department was inspected by Bill Lindoff from PERMA. This company carries the Town's workman's compensation insurance. We received a favorable report which will be reflected in a discount in our insurance premium. I would like to commend all the Town employees for helping keep the Highway Department a safe place to work. With your approval a tentative date for the trash day has been set for April 13, 1999 - Town Board Meeting - Pg.3 Saturday, April 24, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. If approved, details will be worked out with the Village to share in the expense and manpower needed to perform this community service. Discussion was held on the subject of trash day. It was the consensus of Board that ID should be required to prove that people are Town or Village residents. Mr. Case explained that Ward Harrison would be taking the scrap metal, Doug Brown would take the porcelain & furniture and tires would be transported to the Solid Waste Division. Moved by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, that the Town Board empowers Richard Case to pursue the Trash Day as he has in the past. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson Clerk Pierson was asked to take care of the advertising and posting. Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, that the Town Board does hereby authorize Richard C. Case, Jr., Highway Superintendent, to attend the Association of Towns Highway School in Ithaca on June 6 - 9, 1999. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson Discussion was held and the Highway Tour was set for Wednesday, April 28th at 10:30 AM. Councilman Carey inquired about the snow removal contract with the County and was told that the negotiations for this begin in July and that the contract itself is renewed in December. Councilman Carey also inquired about the status of posting no parking signs on Old Peruville Road. Richard Case said that it had not been done yet and would call the County to check on it. He said that the manure situation had not greatly improved and had received another complaint from a neighbor. The Health Department has been involved in the situation. Councilman Palmer asked about digging in front of the Town Garage. Richard Case explained that there is a 1500 gallon tank that the floor drains go into and is supposed to be cleaned yearly. They are bringing the man holes up to the level of the blacktop so that they will not have to dig again next year and it will be easier to pump and maintain. Mr. Case is in the process of researching the proper disposal of the material. COLLEEN D. PIERSON, TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR- Submitted her Town Clerk's and Tax Collector's monthly reports for the Board's review. Pg.4 - Town Board Meeting - April 13, 1999 Moved by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Carey, that the Town Board does hereby authorize Colleen D. Pierson to attend the New York State Town Clerk's Association Conference in Syracuse, April 25 - 28, 1999. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson ARLAND HEFFRON & ALTON ALEXANDER, TOWN JUSTICES- Submitted their monthly and quarterly reports for the Board's review. RESOLUTION #18 - DESIGNATE POLLING PLACES Moved by Councilman Palmer, seconded by Councilman Scheffler. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson Resolved , that the following locations be designated as polling places: District #1 - West Groton Community Church Hall District #2 & 3 - Groton Town Hall District # 4 - McLean Fire Station RESOLUTION NO. 19 - PROCLAIM APRIL AS FAIR HOUSING MONTH Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson WHEREAS , in accordance with the Title VIII Fair Housing Policy of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 and the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 and, WHEREAS, the Month of April 1999 has been designated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office as Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity as Fair Housing Month, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton hereby declares and proclaims April as Fair Housing Month in the Town of Groton April 13, 1999 - Town Board Meeting - Pg.5 SUPERVISOR ROBINSON Reported that M & T Investment money and explained that M & T Bank covers our investments so that if something happened with these investments, the Town would not loose its money. Any extra money made goes back to the bank and represents the way a bank makes its money to pay expenses and stock holders. Discussion was held on the upcoming Tompkins County Municipal Officials Meeting to be held April 19th at the Lehigh Valley House. The purpose of this meeting will be for the Town Clerks to discuss with the other Town Officials the problems they have been having with the County as far as tax collection is concerned. Board members we asked to attend if possible. Correspondence: Copy of letter from Alfred F. Carvill, Town Budget Officer, Town of Ithaca to Steve Wicher, Director, Tompkins County Assessment Department, concerning extra tax money collected and held by the County as the result of rounding. It is his feeling that since the County retains this extra Town money, that the charges for printing the 1999 tax bills is already paid. Discussion was held on this subject. Clerk Pierson said that she has also refused to pay these charges which is 25 cents per copy. List of tax rates for Towns, Villages, and Schools within Tompkins County was presented to Board Members. Letter from Bob Spaulding, Councilman, Town of Caroline along with copy of the Wage & Benefit Survey that he had been working on. Notice from the State Comptroller about satellite teleconference: "Keys to Responsible Government: Managing the Town Planning and Zoning Process" to be broadcast on April 22, 1999. Registration information was provided to Board Members. Letter from Tompkins County Department of Social Services to Colleen D. Pierson explaining reasons why taxes that are paid by Social Services for certain homeowners are not paid in a timely manner to avoid penalties. Supervisor Robinson announced that Grievance Day was scheduled for Monday, May 10, 1999 from 3 - 6 PM. It was decided that Councilman Carey would be present from 3 - 4 PM, Councilman Scheffler from 4 - 5 PM, and Councilman Sovocool from 5 - 6 PM. Letter from New York State Electric and Gas explaining an annual increase in cost for the Peruville Light District of $12.91. Also attached was an update of facilities and inventory. Discussion was held on a possible mining operation taking place on McLean- Pg.6 - Town Board Meeting - April 13, 1999 Cortland Road. It was felt that Mark Gunn, Code Enforcement Officer, should check this out. Discussion was held on having a telephone review to see if the Town has been unfairly charged for telephone service. The company doing the review receives half of any money reclaimed. It was the consensus of the Board that this would be a good thing to do. Supervisor Robinson felt that Colleen Pierson should be in charge of the cleaner as she is here full time and would be a good person to handle it. There was no objection from the Board. Clerk Pierson presented an employee evaluation form that could be used for evaluation of any employee. It was the consensus of the Board that this is something that should be adopted and used. Councilman Scheffler reported on a meeting of the Citizens Planning Alliance that he had attended in Ithaca. He did not feel that the Town would benefit from joining this Alliance. They are proposing that towns buy all development rights from the landowners so that the town can control anything that is done on that land. The Board agreed that this was not a good thing. Councilman Scheffler asked if Diversified Technologies was making its payments. Attorney Casullo answered yes. Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Palmer, to enter into executive session to discuss impending litigation at 9:00 PM. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to resume regular session at 9:38 PM. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. RESOLUTION #20 - RETAIN SERVICES OF TOWN ATTORNEYS Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Resolved , that the Town Board does hereby retain the services of Pomeroy, Armstrong, Baranello, & Casullo, LLP to represent the Town of Groton in the appeal of Judge Rumsey's Supreme Court decision filed by Sirens, LLC. There being no further business, Councilman Carey moved to adjourn at 9:40 PM, April 13, 1999 - Town Board Meeting - Pg.7 seconded by Councilman Sovocool. Unanimous. Colleen D. Pierson Town Clerk