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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-14-1999 TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1999 AT 7:30 PM 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: Mark Robinson, Liz Brennan, Dewey Dawson, Glenn Morey, Sheldon Clark, George Totman, Alton Alexander, Mark Gunn, Tyke Randall, Herman Altman, Diane Williams. Supervisor Robinson – Don Palmer, we regret the death of his mother and the Board is going to contribute to the ambulance fund here in Groton, if you don’t mind. MOVED by Councilman Palmer, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the minutes of the November 9, 1999 meeting. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Claim Nos. 308 – 339 of the General Fund in the amount of $21,346.62 and Claim Nos. 209 – 234 of the Highway Fund in the amount of $32,536.96 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the General and Highway bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Claim Nos. 172 – 174 of the Special Grant (HUD) Fund in the amount of $16,025.34 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler to approve the HUD bills for payment Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Town Board Meeting Page 2 of 14 December 14, 1999 Supervisor Robinson invited privilege of the floor. Herman Altman – My name is Herman Altman, and this is Diane Williams. Mark Gunn asked us to stop down and answer some questions. We own a piece of property up on Rt. 222 and Lick Street. Our intensions are to put a house up there. We had planned to put a barn up but Diane’s dad passed away right in the process of this. We have some animals already and we put up some shelter for them for the winter. We still haven’t got our barn up because we’ve been put on the back burner as far as having leveling of the land take place. Mark said there’d been some questions of what our intensions were and what we were going to do and so we’re here to answer any questions. Basically, I have a couple of major interests. One is Old English Game Fowl. I’ve raised them since I was eight years old. I have a friend. His name is Robert Boyle. He and Bob Kennedy started the Hudson River Watch. He’s the author of several books, a writer, especially on fly tying, for Sports Illustrator, New York Times. A mutual interest of ours is falconry. I’m a licensed falconer. Bob has covered some different falconry events and that’s how Diane and I got to meet him. He is very interested in trying to recreate some of the old feather patterns that they used in Scotland and Ireland when they first started fly tying. Because Diane and I both have a very strong backgrounds in genetics, he asked us if we would attempt to do this. So, that’s one of the things that we’re trying to do, is develop certain old feather patterns that have been sort of lost. We’re trying to look for them through crossing of some of the old English game fowl to see if we can take some recessively phenotypic traits and have them show up again. Also, as a falconer, I plan to raise some falcons, and we use the chickens for falcon feed. We also show them, and my kids have shown them all over the state, growing up. I’ve had some of these families since I was eight years old and I’ve still got them basically. That’s what we intend to do with them. Supervisor Robinson – I think a lot of people ask questions and so on. I suppose when it was discussed here, and we didn’t know. So we appreciate you coming down and telling us what we are doing anyway. Herman Altman – After we finally get things a little bit organized, you’re welcome to stop. We’re a little disorganized right now. Basically, I have one hawk. They do eat a rather large number of chickens. We’re actually going to raise quail and things. The thought was, you have to skin the chickens in order to use the feathers for fly tying, that the meat, you know, you don’t do anything with it. So I would take that and use it to feed my hawks. Like I said, Diane and I are both involved in trying to do some genetics with the feather patterns in the Old English Games and that’s just a project we have kind of undertaken as a hobby along with some of the other things that we have been doing. In the year 2000 Diane and I are hosting the State falconry meet in Cortland County. We’ll have falconers coming from all over the east coast. Councilman Scheffler – Do you have any time frame on when you are going to start building? Herman Altman – As far as the barn was concerned, we had hoped to get that going by the fall, but we just couldn’t, we had to get that one place leveled on the hill there. Basically, if I’m Town Board Meeting Page 3 of 14 December 14, 1999 going to have the falcons, it has to be dry, has to be well drained. I have to have that leveled off and graded. I think probably this spring. I am under federal regulations and have to comply with those regulations as to what I can put up. Hopefully this spring. Supervisor Robinson thanked Mr. Altman and asked if anyone else would like to speak. Justice Alton Alexander – As my term of office is coming to an end, I just wanted to stop by and thank all of the present and past and future Town Board Members. I give you my thanks and appreciate the cooperation and encouragement that you all have given me. If I didn’t have a hearing impairment, I would have stayed another four years. I just can’t hear that well and I figured it was time to let someone else take the reins that maybe could sit where Teresa is on my court night and hear a little bit better than I do. I didn’t think it showed a good image of the Court when I kept saying, “you gotta talk louder, I can’t hear you.” But I sure thank everybody and it’s been fun and God Bless you all. Supervisor Robinson – Well I would like to return that to you because you’ve been very good in your office and we appreciate it, and your dedication to your job. Even if you did say “speak up”, it was great and I wish you great luck and a nice retirement. Liz Brennan, Bookkeeper – (Presented her monthly report.) I also have a listing of the revenues and expenditures that you can pass around. And we have some year-end transfers. We also need an amendment to the budget for the insurance money that we received for the break in. We received $12,178.00. That was taking $1,000 off for the deductible. We need that applied to Buildings, Equipment, $5,800, for the copier that was replaced and the remaining in Building, Contractual. Do you have any questions? Councilman Palmer – What is happening now as far as a copier? You’re totally without a copier? Clerk Pierson – No, its been replaced already. Supervisor Robinson - We just have to pay for it. Councilman Palmer - What did we do to replace it? Did we go out for bids on it, or how did we get the machine? Supervisor Robinson – We went and talked to the people that we bought it from and I think there was some inquiries into some other, wasn’t there Colleen. We made some inquires about copiers at the time to some extent, but most of it was, we called the company that we got this from and asked if they had a copy machine. Clerk Pierson – The insurance company asked us to provide an estimate of the cost of the damage. The cost of the damage exceeded what the copier was worth. They offered another copier to replace that one. It’s a one-year-old copier and they sold it to us for $5,800. Town Board Meeting Page 4 of 14 December 14, 1999 Councilman Palmer – So they’ll replace the machine for the estimate on the insurance? Clerk Pierson – Right. So what we need to do is pay them the $5,800 and the rest of it goes towards the expenses on the sheet that I gave you. There is one thing that we do have to do in order to have the vault door repaired is we have to authorize someone to sign a proposal that we will pay them the $5,977. I am not sure that they are going to replace that this year, and I am not sure that I want to be without one in January during tax collection. Supervisor Robinson - And the other thing is, you have to decide whether you want to keep the door for salvage or whatever, or let them take it and get the money for it. Clerk Pierson – Well, the only thing they said was that they would remove it from the premises for us. Maybe Rick wants it, I mentioned it to him. Richard Case – We talked about it. I think when they come to make this change we should talk to them about the core charge, because there is salvageable parts there. Supervisor Robinson – There’s a lot of cement in there, but there’s a lot of metal too. Councilman Sovocool - They don’t know when they can replace it? Clerk Pierson – They aren’t going to do anything until they have your approval to go ahead with it. Councilman Sovocool – And then how long are they…….? Clerk Pierson – They didn’t give me a timeframe on it. Councilman Sovocool – I would think you’d want to be getting it done. Clerk Pierson – If I could get approval, I’d call them up and tell them to get down here and do it. If they can’t, they’ve got to wait until February. Do we have to encumber the money then? Liz Brennan – Yes, anything that’s earmarked for that replacement, that we’ve received the insurance for, we’d have to encumber that money. Hopefully we can get the majority of the items paid for this year. Clerk Pierson – Actually what you asked Don, was that we replaced that old copier that had a zillion copies on it, with a decent copier that works everyday. Councilman Palmer – So, there’s no cash difference? Clerk Pierson – Correct. Town Board Meeting Page 5 of 14 December 14, 1999 Supervisor Robinson – The moneys that are on the list here for the insurance, are they going to have to be written up separately, I mean they’re not on the abstract now. Discussion was held on which items could be paid now and which ones would have to wait until later. Supervisor Robinson – Do I have a motion for the transfers? Councilman Palmer – Just a question on the first transfer Liz, this salary, we’ve already exceeded the budgeted salary amount for that line item for the year? Liz Brennan – Yes. Councilman Palmer - How about the offsetting part of that which is the Planning Board one, is there money left from that source? Liz Brennan – There’s still money in the Planning Board. Councilman Palmer – It some of the time gets split, doesn’t it Colleen? Which would leave the contingency available then if you did it that way? Liz Brennan – Yes, we still have money in the contingency. Councilman Palmer – But if you took the funds from the Planning to apply to the Zoning, that would leave the funds still available in the Contingency, if you needed them for another purpose. Liz Brennan – Well, actually, you should be using the Contingency first and then use the other account, unless you knew you weren’t going to use any more money out of that account, and we’re still using money out of that account too. So, technically, we can’t be moving money from that, but we can freely move money from the Contingency. The money should be moved from the Contingency first and then it can be moved from other line items when the Contingency is exhausted. Councilman Palmer – So, you still have just a little less than $4000 in Contingency then? Liz Brennan – I think it’s less than that now, with this transfer. More like $3600. Town Board Meeting Page 6 of 14 December 14, 1999 RESOLUTION # 45 - TRANSFER OF FUNDS MOVED by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Palmer. Ayes – Sovocool, Carey, Scheffler, Palmer, Robinson. RESOLVED , that the Town Board does hereby approve the following transfer of funds: General Fund Part-Town: From: Contingency B1990.4………………………………………$ 454.50 To: Zoning, Deputy Clerk Salary B8010.12…………………… 454.50 General Fund Town-Wide: From: Contingency A1990.4………………………………………$ 100.00 Unallocated Insurance A1910.4……………………………. 278.48 To: Traffic Control, Contractual A3310.4……………………… 49.00 Justice, Contractual A1110.4……………………………….. 329.88 Highway Fund Part-Town: From: Retirement DB9010.8……………………………………….$6439.00 Health Insurance DB9030.8………………………………… 44.47 To: General Repairs, Pers. Service DB5110.1…………………... 6381.81 Social Security DB9030.8…………………………………… 101.66 Highway Fund Town-Wide: From: Brush & Weeds, Contractual DA5140.4……………………..$ 69.44 To: Brush & Weeds, Personal Service DA5140.1……………… 69.44 RESOLUTION #46 - AMEND BUDGET FOR INSURANCE RECOVERY REVENUE MOVED , by Councilman Palmer, seconded by Councilman Scheffler. Ayes – Sovocool, Carey, Scheffler, Palmer, Robinson. RESOLVED , that the Town Board does hereby authorize the amendment of the 1999 Budget for insurance recovery revenue for break-in expenditures as follows: From: Insurance Recoveries, A2680…………………………………$12,178.00 To: Buildings, Equipment, A1620.2………………………………. 5,800.00 Building, Contractual, A1620.4……………………………….. 6,378.00 Town Board Meeting Page 7 of 14 December 14, 1999 Councilman Carey asked if the new computers were set up in the Clerk’s Office. Clerk Pierson – No. The new ones are all hooked up but we haven’t had anyone come in to transfer our software off of our old ones and onto the new ones. For some reason Williamson Law is in no hurry to come and do that. If they don’t hurry up, we are going to be stuck using the old ones for taxes instead of the new ones. Councilman Scheffler – You need approval to pay for them yet. MOVED by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to include the bill for the Clerk’s computers, in the amount of $6000.70, in the abstract so that it could be paid this month. Ayes – Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. RESOLUTION #47 - APPROVE PROPOSAL FOR REPLACING VAULT DOOR MOVED by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Sovocool. Ayes – Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. RESOLVED , that the Town Board does hereby authorize Mosley Safe Company to install a new vault door at a cost not to exceed their estimate of $5,977. Mark D. Gunn, Code Enforcement Officer – Mr. Altman has already left. I asked him to come down and I thank him for coming down because there was just no way that I would be able to relay his intentions to you or been able to do it justice. I think that in time that will be something pretty decent up there. People can go and visit, look at the falcons. Kids go up and watch some of the birds that he has. I appreciated him coming down and explaining to you what is going on up there. It’s a work in progress, but he’s had some tragedy in the family, so hopefully things will get done this spring. Building permits for the year, 1998 compared to 1999, a total of six last year compared to two this year for the month of November. The LSI’s for November are current, and I am currently doing the Motor Vehicle Repair Shops for December. I have the list half done for the month. Town Board Meeting Page 8 of 14 December 14, 1999 Councilman Palmer – Mark, I raise the question I did last month. Has anything moved along on the Coit property, where you’re trying to work with the County on that? Mark Gunn – Nothing as of yet. We’re kind of in the midst of some changes with the Board here and probably, I’d say about the first of the year, we’ll start moving further on that. It’s kind of at a standstill right now. Richard C. Case, Highway Superintendent – At present, the Highway Department is taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather by fixing washed out shoulders on Salt Road and other right-of-way clearing projects on Sovocool Hill and Sobers Road. De-icing materials are manufactured and stockpiled. The transition from summer roadwork to winter maintenance has been completed for the heavy equipment. Plow routes have been reviewed and assigned. The first few times out always brings to surface operation and equipment glitches. These problems have been addressed and rectified for the time being. Pete Carr, Joe Graham and Gary Schutt attended the annual UFPO seminar held this year in Ithaca. My office received notice on December 6, 1999 that after review of the level 1 load-rating test performed on the Stevens Road Bridge the posting will be 12 tons. I have requested that the Tompkins County Highway Engineering Department make notice of this posting to the local Fire Department Chief, School Bus Garage Superintendent and any other agency that would require knowledge of this change. I have not completed the task of gathering finance information for the excavator. But, I have learned that the information I provided on a particular lease-buyout program was incorrect. The interest rate of 6.24% on $171,000 would be five yearly payments of $38,405 with a $1.00 buyout at the end of that fifth year. To my knowledge Liz has not had time to gather information on a bond anticipation note. When time allows, I will continue to research other lease-to-own programs. As discussed in previous meetings, the need to update with a new snowplow truck is still in front of me. I have only scratched the surface, as far as putting to paper, the specifications needed to be considered for our application and particular needs. I have nearly completed the annual New York State road inventory report. This has proven to be time consuming this year. With that report behind me, I intend to resume the research necessary for future equipment needs. In the middle of November we had a heating problem within the facility. Acting upon Colleen’s request, I met with Chuck Wright from Climate Control Technologies, Inc. The heating system was checked and one circulator pump was found defective. The system was air bound and the heater in the Highway Superintendent’s office was not functioning. Repairs were made to get the system up and functioning. There are other problems within the boiler system that were not addressed when the heating system was added to. Climate Control Technologies, Inc. has submitted a proposal to rectify these problems. We can expect continuous malfunctions until these problems are addressed. I don’t know if you looked at the bill that came through for the Town Board Meeting Page 9 of 14 December 14, 1999 initial work. They spent quite a lot of time and came back and did a follow-up. I requested that he make a proposal up in steps, so that we wouldn’t have to spend all the money at once. Some of these repairs need to be made or we’re going to have further problems. Item 1: replace existing…….circulating pumps with a new…….circulating pump. The pumps we presently have are the old style that have to be physically maintained with grease and stuff. The new pumps…..is all self contained. What we’ve done previously with these pumps is continue to have them rebuilt and we keep a couple in stock for when they go. This fellow assured me that with the new style pump, we shouldn’t have near the problems that we do now. I think we’ve replaced two since I’ve been here. He was telling me that the cost of rebuilding these pumps is probably higher than it would be to put the new self-contained units in. The price for replacing those three pumps would be $1,052. He put this in a priority list of how he thought it should be done. Item 2: Replace existing undersized water compression tank with a new floor mounted diaphragm type expansion tank with the correct capacity. When the system was added to, this tank didn’t get done. What’s happening in the system is it’s air locking. They went through and they did change some valves at the boiler. He traced the whole system out and it couldn’t properly be purged. This expansion tank is something that needs to be replaced and that is $675. Item 3: Remove the pneumatic hot water control system and components and piping. The system is nonfunctional. Remove existing, nonfunctioning pump alarm panel. Add a new outside air temperature heating lockout control. This automatically shuts down the hot water pump and boiler when the outside temperature is above 65 degrees. This is adjustable. Rework and clean up and simplify control wiring in the boiler room. This system was added to and there’s an air system for thermostats that is nonfunctional, but part of it is still all hooked in and there’s no need for it. That could all be eliminated. This would be an additional $1,330. Item 4: Replace the existing thermostat for the two roof top heating/cooling units with new electric programmable thermostats to allow for heating set-back and cooling set-up that saves temperatures when the building is unoccupied. Install new electronic programmable thermostats to provide for heat set-back operations of the hot water heating system in the main building. The price of that is $1,265. The first two items probably should be addressed sooner than later, otherwise we are going to come in and the heat is going to be off again. Other than that, I would like to thank Teresa for her support, and Don and Dan. Good luck. And from the Highway Department employees, thank you. Supervisor Robinson – Thank you too, Rick. Colleen D. Pierson, Town Clerk/Tax Collector – Presented her monthly Town Clerk’s Report for the Board’s review. Arland Heffron & Alton Alexander, Town Justices – Presented their monthly report for the Board’s review. Town Board Meeting Page 10 of 14 December 14, 1999 Clerk Pierson – I just wanted to mention that I received a check for $2,044.50 which represented payment in lieu of mortgage recording taxes for the fish company up here on the hill. It is an in lieu of payment because the IDA, a tax-exempt entity holds the title to the project. So, I took the check over to Teresa, where it should have gone. I don’t know if you should look into it any further…. Supervisor Robinson – In explaining it to me, it came to us in lieu of taxes, as it said. The Village got taxes and the County got taxes and the School got taxes. Everybody got taxes on it so…….. Ours was the smallest. Clerk Pierson – I would like to personally thank Teresa too, and wish her luck on her retirement. We have worked together for 23 years. We might have had a few disagreements, but no knock-down-drag-out battles. And also, I would like to thank Don and Dan and Alton. I wish you luck. Attorney Casullo – Just a couple items. I expect the Sirens decision within the next couple of weeks. I think they almost have to give it to us. They have been slow, I think for two reasons. One of the reasons is that they went on one of these traveling circuits, the Appellate Division. They went to court, then went to Elmira and one other place. Normally, you get them back in six to eight weeks, but I think since they’ve done so much traveling, they’ve been a little slow. I am st under the impression that they have to get this out by the 31 because when I went up to Albany st to argue the case, one of the justices was going to retire as of the 31. As soon as I hear, I’ll let the Board know one way or the other. Down here where it says review and action on the Planning Board’s recommendation on the height limitations for accessory buildings. I guess at this point the Board can do what they feel. I really don’t feel that I should give you any advice. That’s going to have to be an issue that you look at next year. If you want me to, I certainly will. I’ll point out that Mark Gunn indicated that he had some questions about the second resolution about the 12-foot limitation for accessory buildings be eliminated and have a 35-foot maximum height. But that is as far as I’m going to go on that. The reason I wanted to speak to the Board is that this is my last night and I certainly have enjoyed working with you, both the present composition of the Board and the members of the Board previously. On behalf of my firm, again, I appreciate the opportunity to be of service to you. I hope we did a good job. I know we tried. We might not have accomplished everything you wanted, but I thought over all in the last 22 years, we have done our best to try to provide you with the best service. I would also like to point out on behalf of my former boss, Jack Fitzgerald, who was here many, many years before, probably when I was still in high school, and I know he would want me to extend his many thanks to you and the other members of the Board. I am sure that he would really want me to express his thanks. Liz was very helpful. Mark Gunn was wonderful to work with. George Senter was wonderful to work with. Rick has been great to work with. Corney was great. Colleen, you’ve been a great help. Teresa, there’s not much more I can say. You’ve been wonderful to me personally and to my firm. I’ll certainly stay in touch. Town Board Meeting Page 11 of 14 December 14, 1999 The Town Justices were great to work with. They never gave me a problem. Peggy was wonderful, working with the Justice Court. The Zoning Board of Appeals, when we went through the Sirens case was great, as well as the Planning Board. I just wish everybody the best. I wish the new Supervisor and new Board Members the best of luck. It’s not an easy job to do. I wish whoever is going to assume my position in January of 2000; I wish him the best of luck. If there’s anything that he needs to ease the transition, all he needs to do is call. I think I covered all the thanks and everything along that line. Again, it has been great to work with you. On behalf of my firm and the Fitzgerald firm, the predecessor of the firm that we became about six years ago, I know go back at least 22 or 23 years with you. Thank you very much. If an st emergency comes to pass between now and the 31, by all means give us a call, we’re on the clock, and we would certainly do everything we could to assist you. I’m just a little leery, for professional reasons, not to really get any more into this land use code since we’re not going to be here. I feel that it………..it’s going to be for the next council to really work with and anything that I say here tonight …… Councilman Sovocool – I have one question, Fran, who says you’re not going to be here? Attorney Casullo – Well, Teresa called me this morning. I had a discussion with the Supervisor-elect this afternoon. To be honest with you Louie, I don’t want to make waves. We don’t want to be anywhere where we’re not…..he wants to move in another direction and I respect that. I don’t want to get into a situation where we’re anywhere where we’re not wanted. I also appreciate what you’re doing, but I respect his decision. He wants to move in another direction with somebody that he’s comfortable with, and I’m not going to stand in his way. Councilman Sovocool – Well, I don’t approve of it. Councilman Scheffler – I don’t either. Attorney Casullo – That’s okay, and I appreciate…. Councilman Sovocool – That’s a Board decision and it was not brought before the Board. Attorney Casullo - Well, I appreciate it greatly, but I know I can speak for my partners, as well as myself. We don’t want to stand in the way of the new Supervisor, Glenn, trying to do what he wants to do. And he’s obviously decided he would be more comfortable with somebody else and that’s fine. We had good talk and like I said, I wish him the best. I would never want to stand in the way of anybody especially where we’re not wanted or desired. And if he’s not comfortable, he might have a relationship with another attorney that he’s more comfortable with and that’s fine. Teresa, I will always stay in touch with you and let you know what I’m doing. Don’t worry about me, okay? Supervisor Robinson – Thank you very much. We appreciate you and your firm and everybody. Best of luck. Other Board Members also extended thanks. Town Board Meeting Page 12 of 14 December 14, 1999 Supervisor Robinson – Review and action on Planning Board’s recommendation on height limitations for accessory buildings. I can tell you right now that I’m not happy with it. It’s just what we had before and they just brought it back. It hasn’t changed a bit. It isn’t what was discussed was the better for the Town. That’s my viewpoint on it right now. I don’t know if anybody else has anything to say about it or what you think. Councilman Scheffler – I would rather see it as a twelve-foot sidewall. Then maybe with a twelve-foot sidewall, a thirty-five foot limit. The way I read this, a guy can build a thirty-five foot sidewall with a flat roof. A big, ugly building. Anything goes, basically, so, why don’t we just throw the book out if you’re going to say you can build anything you want up to thirty-five feet and nobody’s going to question it. I agree, a guy should be able to build what he wants as long as it fits in with the neighborhood, but we need some control on what happens if someone isn’t responsible. Councilman Palmer – I guess I’ve got a couple of comments. I don’t know if there’s any direct input from the Planning Board that someone wants to be presented tonight in addition to this. I guess I’d offer that opportunity first. George or Sheldon have been involved in the process. George Totman, Planning Board Chairman - The only thing really. Teresa is right; the Planning Board actually sent the same one back that they looked at the original time. They looked at it and compared it with other towns around us. Even though we sent it back the second time the same as we did the first time, it’s still more restrictive than any town around us. Ours definitely says thirty-five feet, period. The other towns around us says thirty-five feet to the highest mid-point of a pitched roof, so that you could have a forty or fifty foot high depending on the pitch of the roof. Ours says thirty-five feet to the peak. I think you have to bear in mind that this ordinance has been in effect for thirty years, or more, almost thirty years. We have never had a problem with it. Maybe someone didn’t quite read the interpretation correctly over the years, but even if they haven’t been reading the interpretation correctly, we haven’t had a problem that I know of. Now that we study it closer, we find there are some mistakes in it. In fact we found a mistake where it said in it that an accessory building wasn’t even allowed, to say nothing about the height. It was an oversight. Nobody picked it out because everybody knows we need garages. The ones that have been built, I personally, having been on the Planning Board all these years, have never heard anybody complain until just recently. I know that the one that we’re proposing now is more restrictive than the ones around us, so I really don’t see the problem with it. It was a unanimous decision of the Planning Board to do that. Very honestly, that’s what a Planning Board is for, to make suggestions to the Town Board. That is normally done through the Planning Board and not through the people that we hire to do the ordinance. It’s like I explained, if you’re a cop and you don’t like the speed limit, you don’t go to the Village Board and ask them to change it. That was the way we felt about it. Supervisor Robinson – It isn’t the point that it was the way it was presented, it’s just the point that it is wrong, or it is something that has to be corrected. It is something that we do have in the ordinance and it’s something that should, as far as I can see, be changed and made more……I mean there are a lot of things in there that need to be explained a lot more than they are. It’s flawed and needs a lot of going over. This has been pointed out over the years and something Town Board Meeting Page 13 of 14 December 14, 1999 needs to be done, and I hope that Glenn is able to get this done with his Board. I didn’t seem to be able to with mine. Councilman Palmer – I guess the other point that I would like to make, again, I think that we as a Town Board rely upon the other boards out there based upon their level of expertise. I guess my feeling is that if the Planning Board has made this recommendation, then we should give it at least due consideration and give it the opportunity to be discussed and if necessary, make the necessary changes. Supervisor Robinson – I think that you’re right that it should be discussed. Councilman Palmer – If we don’t listen to these boards that are giving support to the Town Board, then they are of very little value. Supervisor Robinson – That’s very true. I still say that you have to have some discussion and there are other people who do have expertise too, and they have an input. And it’s not only just from here. It’s from other places, other people who are dealing with this. I was a little upset when reading the minutes and seeing some of the things that were said. We don’t have to stamp everything that comes out of the Planning Board either. They have made mistakes before. I hope they are big enough to admit it. We made mistakes in passing the last zoning booklet, so…..I might just as well express myself now because that’s the way I feel about it. I think it needs a real going over, and I hope they will do something with it. Do you have any other opinions? I’m open to listen. As far as I’m concerned, I’m not ready to pass on something like this. If the new Town Board does, that will be on their head, not mine. I’m not going to pass it and I’m not going to bring it up for a vote. Correspondence: th Tompkins County Municipal Officials Association Meeting – January 18 at the Lehigh Valley House in Ithaca. Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency concerning Fingerlakes Aquaculture and “in lieu of” payment of mortgage recording tax. Intermunicipal Organization for Cayuga Lake Watershed. Time Warner Correspondence. M&T Investment Groups. Proposed request by Groton & Dryden to reduce McLean Speed Limit, referred to the State of New York. nd Groton Businessmen’s Association Holiday Party – December 22. Town Board Meeting Page 14 of 14 December 14, 1999 MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler to schedule the Organizational Meeting for the Year 2000 for Tuesday, January 4, 2000 at 7:30 pm. Ayes – Sovocool, Scheffler, Carey, Palmer, Robinson. MOVED There being no further business it was by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to adjourn at 8:50 PM. Unanimous. Colleen D. Pierson Town Clerk