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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-12-2002 TOWN OF GROTON - MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2002 AT 7:30 PM Those present: Glenn E. Morey, Supervisor Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman Donald F. Scheffler, Councilman Sheldon C. Clark, Councilman James Baranello, Town Attorney Absent: Duane T. Randall II, Councilman Also present: Richard Case, Liz Brennan, George Senter, Margaret Palmer, Bob Aichele, Frank Satterly, April Scheffler MOVED by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the minutes of the October 8, 2002 meeting as presented (correction on page 5 to read one cable TV hook-up). Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey. MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Clark, to approve the minutes of the October 22, 2002 special meeting and public hearings. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey. General Fund Claim Numbers 298-357 of the in the amount of $18,748.42 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Clark, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey. Highway Fund Claim Numbers 194-216 of the in the amount of $48,813.39 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey. Town Board Meeting Page 2 November 12, 2002 Special Grant (HUD) Fund Claim Numbers 260-268 of the in the amount of $33,878.00 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the HUD bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey. Supervisor Morey invited privilege of the floor. Robert Aichele, resident of 90 Old Peruville Road – I’m here tonight asking for help to go to the County Highway Department seeking a speed limit of some sort in Peruville. The road is not sufficient for 55 mph. There’s no suited area on that road for 55. I talked with the County Highway Department and was informed that is a 55 zone. The road has a blind turn; we have a blind rise in the road; it’s residential; there’s kids there. You have four home-schooled children there who are there all different hours of the day. You also have newer homes being built there. The problem with the speed through there has just gotten worse. Last Thursday at 8:15 in the morning my son was almost run over by a person going almost 60 mph through there. I’m begging for help. This Town lost a 9-year-old a couple years ago. I don’t want to see it again. There’s no legitimate reason for that area to be a 55 zone. I know it’s not in your power, but I need your help to go forward. The Board and Highway Superintendent Rick Case discussed the issue and all were in agreement with Mr. Aichele. Councilman Sovocool explained that a resolution was needed that would go to the Tompkins County Highway Department. The County, in turn, refers it to the State. It was decided that the Board would like to request a 35 mile per hour speed limit for the entire length of Old Peruville Road and Sobers Road. RESOLUTION #98 – 35 MPH SPEED LIMIT – OLD PERUVILLE ROAD AND SOBERS ROAD WHEREAS , Town of Groton residents who live along the Old Peruville and Sobers Roads believe that traffic moving at the posted speed limit of 55 miles per hour along those roads is too fast for existing conditions and that a significant safety issue exists; and WHEREAS , the Town Board of the Town of Groton has considered the issue and believes that the best interests of the public would be greatly served by the lowering of the speed limit on said roads to 35 miles per hour. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED , that the Town Board of the Town of Groton does hereby request that the Tompkins County Highway Department move to lower the speed limit from 55 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour along the Old Peruville Road and the Sobers Road. Monthly Reports: Elizabeth Brennan, Bookkeeper – Submitted her monthly report for the Board’s review and requested a transfer. Town Board Meeting Page 3 November 12, 2002 RESOLUTION #99 – TRANSFER OF FUNDS MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED , that the Town Board does hereby approve the following transfer of funds: Highway Fund – Town Wide: From: Culverts, Contractual DA5120.41……………………..$1,195.84 To: Bridges, Personal Services DA5120.1…………………..1,167.65 Brush & Weeds, Contractual DA5140.4………………… 28.19 George R. Senter, Sr., Code Enforcement Officer – We have issued 117 building permits this year. This is a pretty good increase, above normal. In October we issued 21 permits (4 manufactured homes, 17 other), 12 certificates of occupancy or completion and Life Safety Inspections are current. Mr. Senter explained the difference between a manufactured home, which has a steel frame, axles, wheels and hitches on it, and a modular home, which is also factory built but to different specifications and regulations. Richard C. Case, Jr., Highway Superintendent – At the present time, the Highway Department is trying to close up the summer maintenance projects and has started the preparation for winter. Bossard, Devlen and Wood Roads and portions of Elm Street Extension and Stauber Road have been stone and oiled. Sovocool Hill Road, in the vicinity of Durfee Road intersection, has received some extensive drainage and right-of-way reclamation. Portions of Old Stage Road from Chipman Corners Road intersection to Salt Road intersection have had the shoulders and ditches cleaned. The West Brown Road reclamation has started. The initial clear & grubbing of the right-of-way has taken place from Cobb Street, west for approximately .4 of a mile. Today, the Town of Cortlandville lent us their shoulder machine. Now, the shoulders on the Salt Road are complete as well as a good section of Devlen Road. The Town of Cortlandville has my thanks for the use of this equipment. The new mower attachment has been received, mounted on the tractor, and placed in service. A check was received from the Town of Lansing Municipal Auction for $1,620.00 for the sale of the 1994 Ford Pick-up Truck and the 1976 Ford Salt Spreader. Request that it be put in DA5130.2 Equipment Account. Two of the main overhead doors have been serviced and door openers installed. Bulletproof window is operational in the Court Clerk’s Office. Bill Brigden, from Wilcox Building Specialties, will be coming to verify dimensions so they can install the fire curtain. I would like to thank Rick Satterly, Mark Kirchgraber and Jim Allen for their efforts on this project. Climate Control has completed the annual servicing of the boiler and heating system. A few hours have been spent sealing the garage roof and cleaning the drains. There are some locksets that need repair and new keys made. April & I have discussed some of the needs in regards to keys and she is working it on it. Town Board Meeting Page 4 November 12, 2002 I have completed the NYS DOT’s annual town road inventory. This report keeps the Town eligible for the CHIPS Funds, which are distributed by the State. For the record, the Town of Groton has 53.45 centerline miles of roadway that are maintained by Town funds. Also, the Town Highway Department is under contract to Tompkins County to perform snow and ice removal on another 39.10 centerline miles of roadway. The County’s snow & ice contract is due this year and I am researching the County’s current method of payment. When this research is completed, I will submit a contract to Glenn for approval. At this time I would like to request a Board resolution to grant Rick Satterly a $.50 per hour pay raise. He has completed the probationary period. His attitude and work ethics have been complemented by the other employees. I think he will develop into a valuable employee for the Town of Groton. Supervisor Morey – Did you know we have 3 lights on the outside wall out here and they’re off? What’s going on? Richard Case – We’ve battled with those since I’ve started here. Last month we borrowed the Village’s bucket truck and Lester went up and changed the bulbs. They work on and off. We’ve got another one, by Peggy’s door, that flashes on and off. I think ultimately we’re going to have to get some new fixtures and take care of it that way. Supervisor Morey – When we have an electrician come in for the garage doors can we have him check it out too? Supervisor Morey – Is Jerry coming back? th Richard Case – Jerry is back, working part time. He started November 4. The attorney was asked if a resolution was needed to hire Jerry Holl, a retiree, back as part time help. He said that if the money was appropriated that it was contractual and a resolution was not necessary. Supervisor Morey – Also, one note, I want all the Board Members to have keys to the front door. Richard Case – Okay. April is working on that. She got a lot left in her lap and I know that key inventory stuff was…we just started sorting it out. Clerk Scheffler – Are you talking about master keys? Supervisor Morey – Front door, back door, wherever meetings are going to be. Clerk Scheffler - These are all security locks and the only person who can order keys is the person who has the official authorization card and the person who’s name is on that card is Colleen Pierson, so that’s no good. Supervisor Morey – Do we have to make a resolution to make your name………? Clerk Scheffler – Yes. I called the company. There’s a $20.00 fee to get that changed and I need to send them a notarized letter saying that you have given me the authorization to do that. Town Board Meeting Page 5 November 12, 2002 RESOLUTION #100 – APPROVE 50-CENT PAY RAISE FOR RICK SATTERLY MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby approve a 50-cent pay raise for Highway Employee, Rick Satterly, upon completion of his probation period. RESOLUTION #101 – AUTHORIZE APRIL SCHEFFLER AS KEY KEEPER MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby authorize April Scheffler, Town Clerk, to apply for new ID card in her name for the purchase of new security keys and that she be the “keeper” of the keys. Richard Case – Requested that a notice be put in the paper concerning the Town’s parking ordinance. He also pointed out that to put the job of plowing roads into perspective, the 90 miles of roads that the Town plows is roughly equal to driving to Rochester at 15 miles per hour and then turning around and coming back. April L. Scheffler, Town Clerk/Tax Collector – (Submitted her monthly report for the Board’s review.) I have received a letter from James Mellinger, president of the Stonehedges Golf Course advising us of the country club's intent to renew its liquor license for the period November 1, 2002-October 31,2004. Usually you give a consensus as to whether you have any objections. I received a letter today from Peg Sauer at the DEC concerning problems they have encountered in the accounting and revenue collection areas of the new DECALS system. I made you all a copy of the letter rather than going through the whole thing tonight but the bottom line is that things were going to be corrected by today but that still is questionable. They did take my August money but have not yet taken my September and October money. I do have an account notice for September and am scheduled to get one for October on Friday, hopefully. As more and more mistakes and problems arose with the system over the past months, I decided that it would be prudent to set up a separate account for the DEC to make their sweep from. I have done this and money will not be transferred into that account until all of our figures are in agreement. I will be attending a meeting at the Town of Ithaca Town Hall on November 20th, which will include other towns in the County and Nathan Winograd, director of the SPCA. We will be discussing problems that we all have been having with the SPCA' s service. What I would like to do, with your permission, is after this meeting to invited Mr. Winograd to come to Groton to meet with myself, Kris, Peg, and a couple of Board Members and renegotiate our contract. At the present time our contract calls for the SPCA to send reminder notices to people who are late in renewing their dog licenses and then follow up with appearance tickets. My office provides them Town Board Meeting Page 6 November 12, 2002 with the lists of names. This has not been completed in a timely manner is several years, and we have repeatedly heard the excuse that they are shorthanded. My office is spending a great deal of time just trying to get the SPCA to do the work they have agreed to do, sending lists, checking lists, sending more lists, making phone calls that don't get returned, etc. We are currently still waiting for May tickets to be issued. Some of the other towns issue their own reminder notices; it's built into our computer program. Kris and I have discussed this and feel that we could issue these notices ourselves in less time than we are spending just trying to get the SPCA to get it done for us. I also talked with Peg about the possibility of us preparing the tickets and have the SPCA come and pick them up and deliver them. This would cut down on mistakes, keep people from getting tickets when they shouldn't and enable us to provide the court with the information that they have repeatedly requested and do not get. The catch, of course is that if we take over doing this work, we don't want to pay the SPCA to do it too and that's where the renegotiation comes in. And I wanted your thoughts on that. Supervisor Morey – I think it’s a great idea. Set up the time. I’ll be there and anyone else on the Board is welcome to be there too. It’s something that April has been doing right along and I think it’s about time you got credit for it. Clerk Scheffler – I think we can do the work in less time and with a whole lot less frustration. We have received 3 quotes for carpet. I have passed them out for you to review. Quotes received were as follows: B&B Floor Ithaca Tile & Company Kelly Carpet Covering Hardwood Court Room 4,242.58 4,672.00 4,528.99 Justice Office 845.98 760.00 707.60 Clerk’s Office 2,148.98 2,205.00 2,059.73 Supervisor’s Office 527.24 577.00 464.20 Code Enforcement Office 848.86 920.00 843.63 Total $8,613.64 $9,134.00 $8,604.13 Ithaca Tile & Hardwood bid did not include removal of old carpet and was not the specified Command Performance by Shaw. Peg's and my suggestion would be that you go with B&B Carpets. Supervisor Morey – This will be coming out of the Sales Tax money for building repair. Liz, you got any problems? Clerk Scheffler – The only room that isn’t on here is the Jury Room. Supervisor Morey – I don’t think the Supervisor’s office has got to be done. What does everybody else think? Councilman Sovocool – It’s your office. Town Board Meeting Page 7 November 12, 2002 RESOLUTION #102 – ACCEPT B&B FLOORCOVERING QUOTE FOR CARPET MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey RESOLVED , that the Town Board does hereby accept the quote from B&B Floor Covering of Dryden, NY, for carpeting and installation in the Court Room, Justice Office, Clerk’s Office, and Code Enforcement Office for the sum of $8,086.40. Liz Brennan – For your information, the money would come from Building Repair. Clerk Scheffler – Would you like to appoint Peg, myself and J.J. to another committee? Colleen was at one time looking into buying our own carpet runners instead of having the rug service that we presently have from Greene's. We are currently spending $910.00 a year for the service. Peg and I thought that if we have new carpet in the Court Room that we should also have a runner inside the main door and the side door. J.J. thought we could buy quite a few runners for the $910.00. Would you like us to look into that and report back to you? Supervisor Morey – Fine. Consensus of the Board was that they had no objections to the renewal of the liquor license for Stonehedges Golf Course. Attorney Baranello – I have nothing to report except that Fran mentioned to me today, the Coit property. George just mentioned it as well. I think about a year ago I gave you some advice and you ultimately decided that it should be demolished but no action was taken on it because it apparently changed hands sometime in between. But that new owner takes with notice of knowledge of whatever action was taken by the Board. I think that it’s a matter of George has to get this new owner to do something to take it down, and give him a deadline, or we have to take it down. Maybe you can do a controlled fire if you want to with your fire department and then destroy it. But one of the things you better do is get an environmental screening done and make sure there’s no asbestos in there before the place is demolished and burned. Councilman Sovocool – I see the front porch roof fell in. Supervisor Morey – George is going to talk to him. Attorney Baranello – We made a decision that it should be demolished and then we didn’t, so now we have a liability issue out there and that isn’t good. It needs to be addressed. st Consensus of the Board was that the owner should be given a deadline of January 1. Supervisor Morey said he would contact George Senter the next day. Margaret Palmer, Court Clerk – (Was present for the Justice Court.) I apologize again for not having a report. The judges have not been in to sign it and I can’t give it to you without their okay. Town Board Meeting Page 8 November 12, 2002 Councilman Donald Scheffler as Recreation Coordinator – We have done our interviews and we have made an offer but we haven’t had a solid answer yet. The person is out of town for the weekend and hasn’t got back to us yet. But I highly recommend this person if we can come to an agreement. That will probably happen in the next couple of days. So, I really can’t ask you to st approve until I have a name. We’re looking at starting January 1 so we should be all set for the December meeting for approval if I can have the Board’s blessing to talk to this person and finalize the agreement. Consensus of the Board was that Councilman Scheffler should proceed. Supervisor Morey – We are moving item number 11 and 12 up to number 6 because some people have to leave early tonight. Start off with the discussion of the fiscal year 2003 Budget changes. After reviewing the fiscal year 2003 Preliminary Budget, I discovered an adjustment that should be made because of an agreement the Board and I made during the budget hearing wage negotiation with Arland Heffron. It was understood that during the budget hearing that Judge Heffron be paid the same rate as he earned the fiscal year 2002 for the first three months of fiscal year 2003 and the last nine months at $1,000.00 per month. This would equal seven pays at $309.65 totaling $2,167.55 and nineteen pays at $473.69 totaling $9,000.00 for a grand total of $11,168.00. The difference will come from two accounts. The first account will be A1010.1, Personal Services, Town Board, and also A1440.4, Contractual, Engineer. $200.00 subtracted from the Town Board and $1,493.00 will be deducted from the Engineer Contractual expense, adding to the Judge’s Personal Services $1,593.00. Liz Brennan: Your Town Board should say “Personal Services” rather than “Contractual”. Supervisor Morey – Okay. That’s the only discussion I have on the Preliminary Budget. Any comments from the Board? Everything else remains the same. The Board had nothing to discuss. RESOLUTION #103 – APPROVE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003 MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey RESOLVED , that the Town Board does hereby approve the Town of Groton Budget for the fiscal year 2003 as presented. (Entire budget will be attached to Minute Book.) Supervisor Morey – Tyke asked me to put this in, discussion of preference of meeting minutes and I expected him to bring it up under public comment. Does everybody understand, and he said he talked to you, April. Clerk Scheffler – Yes. Town Board Meeting Page 9 November 12, 2002 Councilman Scheffler – Well, we said we’d try them this way and after seeing both of them, I prefer the verbatim minutes. It kind of gives me a better picture a month later of what went on. When I go back through them it seems better to me. Councilman Sovocool – I actually prefer the verbatim than I do the shortened version for the same reason. Councilman Clark – I actually prefer them too. I did right from the start. Attorney Baranello – These are great minutes. This form, I think this is the best. You like them transcribed with every cough? Supervisor Morey – I don’t think we’re saying verbatim, but more in content. Peg Palmer – You have to have them one way or the other. Clerk Scheffler – No, not necessarily. You can request certain parts of it. We have always generalized, like if you have someone in from the County and they talk for twenty minutes. (Board Members said no, you don’t have to do that.) We summarize that. Attorney Baranello – This is easier. Clerk Scheffler – Easier to do, and you get them quicker too. But you have the right to request. Attorney Baranello – What some communities do is tape their meetings. Supervisor Morey – That’s what we do. Attorney Baranello – Then they have minutes like this. They tape the meetings and if anybody wants a copy of the tape they can access it under the Freedom of Information Act. And that really seems to be the best way. I think this is the best way, from our standpoint. Councilman Scheffler – I kind of like it verbatim. It’s a ten-mile drive down here and back, if I want to come down and listen to the tape. But if I’ve got them at home and I’ve got a question, what did we do……… Attorney Baranello – But it’s never totally verbatim and then what happens is you end up in debates on approval of the minutes because that’s not what I said, or you left three words out, and so my experience is that a summary is……… Clerk Scheffler – They don’t have to approve the minutes. Attorney Baranello – They don’t approve the minutes here? Clerk Scheffler – They do, but they don’t have to. It’s not required that they do. Supervisor Morey – Instead of verbatim, let’s try a little more content first, okay? And keep the tape for the Freedom of Information Act, what 30 days afterward? Clerk Scheffler – No, I would say six months. Town Board Meeting Page 10 November 12, 2002 Supervisor Morey – So, let’s try for a little bit more content, but not verbatim right now. Councilman Scheffler – Maybe I’m confused on the terminology. Supervisor Morey – If we have quotes there, it should be brought out as quotes. If we were discussing something we could put down, this topic was discussed or something like that. Would that be all right? I don’t want to inundate her with verbatim, “John coughed”……. (No, said the Board.) Let’s leave it as a little more content. RESOLUTION #104 – APPROVE 2002 HUMAN SERVICES CONTRACT MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby approve the 2002 Human Services Contract in the amount of $700.00 and authorizes Supervisor Glenn Morey to sign said contract. Short discussion was held on Cable Franchise Agreement. Attorneys were of the opinion that approval should have come at a regular meeting of the Board. RESOLUTION #105 – APPROVE CABLE FRANCHISE RENEWAL MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool ADOPTED by ROLL CALL VOTE: Ellard L. Sovocool…….Aye Total: 4 Yes Donald F. Scheffler……Aye 0 No Duane T. Randall, II…...Absent 1 Absent Sheldon C. Clark…….…Aye Glenn E. Morey………..Aye WHEREAS, an application has been duly made to the Town Board of the Town of Groton, County of Tompkins, State of New York, by Time Warner Entertainment-Advanced/Newhouse Partnership, a New York General Partnership, organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, d/b/a Time Warner Cable, with a local place of business located at 519 West State Street, Ithaca, New York, 14850, and holder of a cable television franchise in the Town of Groton for the approval of an agreement to renew Time Warner Entertainment- Advanced/Newhouse Partnership’s cable television franchise for an additional ten (10) years commencing November 12, 2002. The Franchise Renewal Agreement would bring the franchise into conformity with certain court rulings; and Town Board Meeting Page 11 November 12, 2002 WHEREAS , a public hearing was held at the Town Hall located at 101 Conger Boulevard, Groton, New York on October 22, 2002 at 7:00 PM and notice of the hearing was published in the Town’s legal paper, The Groton Independent, on October 15, 2002; and WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Groton finds that: 1)Time Warner Entertainment-Advanced/Newhouse Partnership has the financial, legal and technical ability to provide the services, facilities and equipment as set forth in its proposal; and 2)Time Warner Entertainment-Advanced/Newhouse Partnership can reasonably meet the future cable-related community needs and interest, taking into account the cost of meeting such needs and interests. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that subject to approval of the agreement by the Town Attorney, the Town Board of the Town of Groton hereby renews the cable television franchise of Time Warner Entertainment-Advanced/Newhouse Partnership in the Town of Groton for ten (10) years commencing November 12, 2002 and expiring November 12, 2012; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton hereby confirms that this Franchise Renewal Agreement replaces the original franchise granted and all amendments thereto. RESOLUTION #106– TAKE UP TO 10% OF SALES TAX REVENUES MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Clark. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey. WHEREAS, the Town of Groton receives a County Sales Tax Credit from Tompkins County on an annual basis; and WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Groton believes that a portion of said sales tax credit could be used by the Town to pay for operational expenses; therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Town of Groton take a cash payment of up to ten percent (10%) of its Sales Tax Credit from Tompkins County for the year 2003 Town Board Meeting Page 12 November 12, 2002 RESOLUTION #107 – APPROVE 2002 GADABOUT CONTRACT MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby approve the 2002 Contract between the Town of Groton and Gadabout Transportation Services, Inc. to partially cover Gadabout’s operating expenses for the sum of $4,200.00. RESOLUTION #108 – APPROVE 2003 HIGHWAY AGREEMENT MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey RESOLVED , that the Town of Groton Highway Employees be granted the following for the year 2003: 1)$.43 per hour raise in pay across the board. 2)“Good Friday” added to list of paid holidays. 3)$75.00 allowed per year for additional clothing or boots. Letter received from Village of Groton Mayor, Dennis Toolan, concerning the Village Court ending on March 31, 2003 and proposing that: 1)All assets that are now the Village’s will transfer to the Town at no cost. 2)For 2003 Village will pay one-half of the rent ($1,800) to the Town to cover 3 months that Village Court will still be open and provide rental space for any Village Court records on premises and for any cost of record retrieval after 6/2/2003. 3)The extra $900 for rental fee will allow the Village to keep the Village Court records on Town premises until 3/31/2004, after which the Town can require the Village to move any records out of facility. 4)Village will pay the Court Clerk for any time actually spent on Village Court business for the months of April and May 2003. After 6/1/2003, any such time will be attributed to the $900 extra pain in rent. 5)Town should make arrangements for the payment of the Internet services after 3/31/2003. 6)Town will advise Village as to Town Court’s intention in regards to the Village Court telephone line. If the Town wishes to retain line, Village will have it transferred or will discontinue as of 4/30/2003. 7)Village asked for Town’s thoughts on this proposal as soon as possible. Supervisor Morey asked about the present Internet service. Peg Palmer said that it was currently Juno and paid for with the Village credit card and other arrangements would have to be made. Supervisor Morey indicated a need for Internet services in the other Town offices and appointed Town Board Meeting Page 13 November 12, 2002 Peg Palmer and April Scheffler to get prices for dial-up connections. Peg Palmer also requested that the Town Court keep the extra telephone line currently used by the Village Court. She also reported that, as she understood it, all closed Village Court records would remain at the Village and therefore would not be creating a storage problem for the Town. The Board had no further comments to make concerning the Village’s proposal. RESOLUTION #109 – DEMAND THAT NYS CAP PROPERTY TAX SUPPORT OF MEDICADE PAYMENTS MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey WHEREAS, property tax is a regressive revenue source because it is not based on the ability to pay, and WHEREAS, County, Town, Village, City and School Districts use property tax as their main revenue source, and WHEREAS, the New York State Legislature is indirectly using the property tax as a revenue source when it mandates that Counties pick up half of New York State’s Medicaid costs, and WHEREAS, the New York State Legislature, in 2002, unilaterally added to the services covered by the Medicaid programs without the consent of County governments, which pay one quarter of the Medicaid tab, and WHEREAS, Medicaid costs are increasing at a much faster rate than the growth in the property tax base, and WHEREAS, this rapid, uncontrolled, increase in Medicaid cost results in counties having to choose between reduced appropriations for programs that are their basic responsibility or raise property taxes at a double digit percentage rate while decreasing services, WHEREAS, Town, Villages, and Cities are having to pick up some of the cost of reduced services with their budgets, which puts even more pressure on the property tax burden, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Groton demands the New York State Legislature cap property tax support of Medicaid payments at a maximum of 2002 levels and preferably remove this burden entirely from the property tax, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Groton urges the New York State Associations of Towns to add this to the list of Resolutions to be considered at the 2003 Annual Meeting, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk is directed to send a certified copy of this resolution to our representatives in Albany (Assembly Person, Senator and Governor) and to Jeffrey Haber, Executive Director of the Association of Towns. Town Board Meeting Page 14 November 12, 2002 Announcements: County Comprehensive Plan Public Meeting, November 21, 7-8 PM, 320 South State St., Ithaca Association of Towns Annual Meeting, February 16-19, in New York City Municipal Officials Dinner, November 19, 7PM, at Lehigh Valley House Supervisor Morey – There’s an awful lot of committees going out there for County representation and I can’t get anybody to do them. Is there any suggestions? There’s several that are coming up. Right now the Fire Disaster EMS Advisory Board, I am going to ask Lester Coit to sit on that. But there are several other committees out there that I need some help to be filled. We also have to do something about United Way Committee. Should I come up with a list and advertise in the Shopper? After a short discussion, the Board agreed that an advertisement would be in order. Clerk Scheffler asked if the Board was still interested in looking into alternative health insurance companies and said that the Deputy Town Clerk had said that she would do this if they were interested. Supervisor Morey said that would be fine. Councilman Scheffler asked for an explanation of a copy of a letter received from Attorney Baranello. Attorney Baranello – This woman, she had a loan, Kathleen Sterret, had a mortgage with the Town of Groton for a rehab (HUD) …and Glenn found out that she violated the terms by renting the property. It’s supposed to be owner-occupied. So, I’ve written her a demand letter telling her to pay back the money and I assume you want me to pursue this. I’ll bring an action to foreclose the mortgage. The trouble is she’s got a first mortgage on that property, so it will be sold subject to the first and I don’t know how big or small that mortgage is. But we could take a judgment on it………. She really shot herself in the foot too, because she gave an indication that the tenant’s been there for four years renting from her so they could get a loan to buy another house. There being no further business, Councilman Sovocool moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, at 8:46 PM. April L. Scheffler Town Clerk