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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-08-2003 TOWN OF GROTON - MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2003, AT 7:30 PM Those present: Glenn E. Morey, Supervisor Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman Donald F. Scheffler, Councilman Sheldon C. Clark, Councilman Duane T. Randall II, Councilman Victoria Monty, Town Attorney Also present: Dan Carey, Brian Colgan, John J. Norman, Bob Walpole, April Scheffler, Liz Brennan MOVED by Councilman Randall, seconded by Supervisor Morey, to approve the minutes of the June 2003 meeting as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. General Fund Claim Numbers 180-200 of the in the amount of $5666.80 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. Highway Fund Claim Numbers 111-126 of the in the amount of $52,586.70 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. Special Grant (HUD) Fund Claim Numbers 290-292 of the in the amount of $7,350.65 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Randall, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the HUD bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. Town Board Minutes Page 2 July 8, 2003 Privilege of the Floor: Dan Carey presented a petition requesting that the Town Board support their effort to have a change made in the way fire taxes are assessed in the Groton Fire District. The request is that if there is an Ag Assessment on the property that the fire tax be based on the Ag Assessment rather an the full value of the property. (Not transcribed verbatim because tape recorder was not turned on at beginning of this discussion). Petition states: “We, being residents of the Town of Groton and the Groton Fire District, ask the Town of Groton and the Fire Commissioners for the Groton Fire district to levy the Fire Protection Tax using the Agricultural Assessed Evaluation.” Petition was signed by 12 residents. Supervisor Morey - ….. area, not a fire district. The commissioners, fire commissioners aren’t elected or appointed. We couldn’t do it within the Groton fire district. But I’ll make sure that I get specific and get right back to you. Dan Carey – I was under the impression, talking to the Assessment Department, who’s the guy, Jay..um…I can’t recall his last name, but he seems to think it would be possible. Supervisor Morey – All right, yes. Dan Carey – Lansing’s done it. Dryden’s done it. And I’m not sure, I believe there’s maybe one other town that’s been able to do this. Councilman Sovocool – See, McLean’s fire dist…their board is elected by the people. Groton is a board of wardens is elected by the fire department that runs the fire department, not by the voters. McLean’s is elected by the voters. Dan Carey – But you’re elected by the voters and you contract…. Councilman Sovocool – And we contract with the Grot….. Supervisor Morey – I’ll get right back to you as soon as I possibly can. I’m out of town for the next couple of days, but next week I’m back and I’ll try to get an answer for you and come up and do it. And we can have a meeting here in the Town Hall some night or evening after hours and just talk about it and I’ll have some of the guys over here to explain it to you. But I checked with Chuck Rankin and I think it was Lester Coit, he’s the Chief here, and Jack Miller over in McLean to find out what the difference was and I also talked to Lee Shurtleff about it and he explained it to me that since we’re a fire protection area that we have no r..we couldn’t do that. But if there is some way that the Town Board can request it on your behalf, we’d more than happy to. Dan Carey – All right, thanks. Monthly Reports: Elizabeth Brennan, Bookkeeper/Deputy Highway Superintendent – You’ve got your revenues and expenditures and the bank balances. There are no transfers this month. Do you Town Board Minutes Page 3 July 8, 2003 have any questions? I still haven’t heard from the auditor so I’ll touch base with him to see when they plan on coming out. Supervisor Morey – All right, any questions for the Liz? Councilman Sovocool – I have none. Councilman Clark – Thank you, Liz. Councilman Scheffler – Looks good. Supervisor Morey – Okay, thanks, Liz. Councilman Sovocool – Thank you. Supervisor Morey – George is not here. Rick is on vacation. Clerk Scheffler – I have George’s report. Supervisor Morey – All right, April. Clerk Scheffler, reporting for George R. Senter, Sr., Code Enforcement Office – Umm, he had seventeen building permits issued in June, four houses, one cabin and twelve others. Four C of O’s or letters of completion were written. LSI’s are current through June and he’s working on unlicensed vehicles and junk and that’s about it. And he’s taking a much-needed vacation. Supervisor Morey – All right. Rick’s on vacation. He’s in Canada. And April, we’re down to you. April L. Scheffler, Town Clerk/Tax Collector – I don’t have a whole lot, I guess. SPCA, we’re looking at first week in August for a meeting and I wanted to run that by you guys tonight. I had a call from Don Barber today. He says that Caroline is very interested in being included in this. They’re having a board meeting this Thursday night with Nathan Winograd and Sheriff Meskill, the police department is going to be there and they are talking about some of the things that they think the SPCA should be doing and the Sheriff’s Department is getting calls and they are going to talk about it from that angle. And I asked him if he thought we should have the Sheriff’s Department or the Police Department included in our meeting and he said that after this meeting that they have Thursday night he would let us know if he thought that was important to rd do. The Town Clerks are meeting on July 23 and we’re going to discuss it and also, oh, Don nd Barber said that he would put it on Municipal Officials agenda and that’s July 22 to see, you know, how much support we have there too. Supervisor Morey – Okay, good. Clerk Scheffler – So, is there a day that we, that would be good for you guys? I was going to th bring a calendar in but I didn’t. Monday is the 4. Friday is out because they will have the Boulevard shut off, unless we have it somewhere else. Supervisor Morey – Any time is fine. Town Board Minutes Page 4 July 8, 2003 Councilman Scheffler – Any time is good for me. Supervisor Morey – Um, yeah, I want Vicki to be there too. th Clerk Scheffler – Do you want to try for Tuesday, the 5? Supervisor Morey – Yeah, that’s fine. Can we get the Court Room? Clerk Scheffler – Yeah, Monday and Wednesday are court nights. Supervisor Morey – Can we have the Court Room, Judge? Clerk Scheffler – Yeah, you should ask him. Justice Norman – Tuesday is fine. Councilman Scheffler – What time are you talking? Clerk Scheffler – I don’t know. What time? Supervisor Morey – Yeah. Ah, we tried to get the meeting beforehand but they have two co.. I mean, they have co-chairmen and they wanted to bring another member of the board who just so happens to be a lawyer. One was on vacation. The other one is off and so on and so forth. We tried to get it before this meeting to find out but we couldn’t coincide. So when April said the rd Clerks meeting is July 23, I said go there, talk to them, see what they have to say, then we’ll get back together. So, I think it’s a lot better if we just go off to vacation the month of July and look into August, so. Clerk Scheffler – So, what time do you want to set it for? Supervisor Morey – Oh, I don’t care. Clerk Scheffler – Evening or afternoon. Supervisor Morey – What’s better for you, afternoon or…? Clerk Scheffler – It doesn’t matter to me. I mean I’m here anyways. You guys have other jobs. Supervisor Morey – That’s all right. Let’s try for three o’clock. Councilman Scheffler – Three o’clock? Supervisor Morey – From three on. Clerk Scheffler – Is that going to work for everyone else, too? Supervisor Morey – All right, seven o’clock. Councilman Scheffler – Let’s do seven o’clock. Town Board Minutes Page 5 July 8, 2003 Clerk Scheffler – Okay. Councilman Sovocool – All right, or morning? Councilman Scheffler – Either one. Clerk Scheffler – Do you want me to do up some notices to send to other towns? Supervisor Morey – No, let’s get the meeting set. Yeah…. Clerk Scheffler – Do you want to check with…. Supervisor Morey – Get the SPCA first. Clerk Scheffler – Do you want to check with the Board of Directors first on the date? Supervisor Morey – Yeah, you have her phone number don’t you? Clerk Scheffler – No. Supervisor Morey – All right. Clerk Scheffler – Do you want me to contact Kathy Piercey again from Ag & Markets? th Supervisor Morey – No, that’s all right. So, it’s April 4, 7…. th Clerk Scheffler – August 5. Supervisor Morey – It must be a full moon, I mean it’s got to be, I mean the things I’ve been doing today. Hallelujah. Clerk Scheffler – And I guess that’s all I have. You’ve got my report. Supervisor Morey – Okay. Victoria Monty, Town Attorney – I already discussed with you the Diversified Technologies matter so………….(not using microphone)……… Supervisor Morey – All right. Well, I got the contracts back from the Groton Youth Program. That’s gone through you so it’s okay to sign. We’ve already approved this two months ago but Vicky and Grossman were working together on it, so. Okay, John, Town Court? John J. Norman, Town Justice – Well, we’re looking forward to this weekend’s Bikes & Blues. We’re hoping for a nice quiet weekend. I don’t think we’re going to have as many problems as they anticipated early on, violations and things like that. Other than that, everything’s going well. I’m taking the weekend off so in case there are any problems I’ll be available for the Court. Other than that things are going as planned, I guess. Just as smooth as silk. Town Board Minutes Page 6 July 8, 2003 Supervisor Morey – Yeah, they still have the Court House scheduled from…. Justice Norman – Yeah, we already discussed that too. What I’ll do is I’ll just use the conference room. They wanted to set up a modular office over in the fire station but I didn’t consider that to be a neutral setting. The law states that any arraignments that are done has to be done in a neutral setting. So, what I’ll do is any arraignments during the time that they are using the Court Room, I’ll do it the conference room. I’ll do the arraignments in the conference room. That way I’ll have all the stamps and all the paperwork and everything else that I need right here. Clerk Scheffler – I plan on setting up a semi-barricade so that people aren’t back in that area, too, like part way down the hall so you don’t have people milling around back there. Supervisor Morey – Good idea. Councilman Scheffler – Or the Planning and Zoning room, probably you could use that too. Clerk Scheffler – Yeah, you could use that too if you had to. Justice Norman – I don’t need very much space to do an arraignment, so, you know, my only problem is it takes about an hour to do an arraignment depending on what they are. Sometimes as much as two hours. But I don’t expect any problems especially from the people coming in to town. I think if we’re going to have any problems it will be with the locals, so, but we’re all prepared for that. I went a meeting on the Bikes & Blues last month and we had the State Police there, Tompkins County Sheriff Department was represented, the Village Police was represented and we discussed all of this, so, I really think it’s going to be a nice event, I really do. And that’s, that’s all the business I have, so. Supervisor Morey – John I have a question. Justice Norman – Yeah. Supervisor Morey – I’ve been noticing in the Ithaca Journal that the Town of Groton’s been doing a lot of arraignments for, you know, like Lansing residents and Dryden residents. Does that happen an awful lot? Justice Norman – It happens a lot, yes. It seems like Lansing in particular, the judges just aren’t available. Supervisor Morey – Do they ever reciprocate on making arraignments for you when you’re on vacation or…? Justice Norman – From time to time Dryden has. I don’t think Lansing has done anything like that. Of course when I go on vacation I don’t stop being a judge. I mean, in December when I’m, I’ll be going to Germany so then I won’t be here of course but I don’t let my daily routine interfere with my duties here of course unless I’m at work. But I don’t mind getting up at three o’clock and going to do arraignments. It really doesn’t bother me. I’ll lose some sleep, but it doesn’t bother me. As a matter of fact, I enjoy the job very much, so. Supervisor Morey – Well, good. Town Board Minutes Page 7 July 8, 2003 Justice Norman – But, yeah, I do a lot of things for other towns. That’s in the paper now? I didn’t realize that was in the paper. Supervisor Morey – Oh, just some of it. Justice Norman – I never read the paper, so. Supervisor Morey – Oh, okay. I invited Terry Donlick to come in. She’s the President Elect for the Groton Business Association. They have a promotional tape and she has a presentation that she likes doing but I, um, I hope she can make it. If not, I really want everybody to see it ‘cause it’s very, very good. It’s professionally done, funded by Baker Miller and some other establishments in the Town. If she isn’t here tonight I will invite her back for August, so. Clerk Scheffler – It’s an excellent tape. They’re going to run for two months and then change them. And the next one they do want to include some things in the Town rather than just in the Village so I gave them a list of some of our businesses out in the Town that really look nice, that might make good pictures. That’s something to look forward to next time too. Councilman (?) – Better clean up, Don. Supervisor Morey – All right. Bob Walpole’s supposed to be here too to update us on the real estate transaction. He said he was going to try to be here about eight o’clock. Councilman Sovocool – Glenn, you gonna let Don give his…….? Supervisor Morey – Oh, I’m sorry. Councilman Clark – Huh? Supervisor Morey – Don? Councilman Donald Scheffler, as Recreation Coordinator – Our last recreation meeting was st July 1 and we had a performance review with our new recreation director scheduled and we went through that and everything is going well, everyone’s happy, and we gave her the six- month wage increase that we promised when we hired her. We plan on working on a policy book for what we will and will not sponsor and how and when the, for people to submit ideas to the recreation department. The summer programs are going well. The skate park down in front of the school that doesn’t exist has become a Village entity with it’s own insurance and the Village has started a Skate Park Commission, so we’re pretty much out of having to worry about it. We still have a few issues with the school to work out. No one from the school attends our meetings and in the last four or five months and I’ve asked them to appoint someone else so maybe we can get more representation. And that’s all I have on recreation. Supervisor Morey – Thank you. Any questions for Don? Sorry I missed you. Councilman Scheffler – That’s okay, I’ll get over it. Supervisor Morey – Anyways, we’re down to Bob Walpole. He’ll be here about eight. Ah, discussion of dog enumeration. We received a letter from Tom Scheffler and everybody has it and read it? What do you want to do? Town Board Minutes Page 8 July 8, 2003 Councilman Sovocool – What are we going to do? We’ve got to have somebody do the dog enumeration. Right now it’s probably gotta be started all over again. Right? Er… Councilman Clark – He asked you a question, heh? Supervisor Morey – Well, I think, is that directed to me? Councilman Sovocool – Well, whoever. Do we gotta start it over again or have we gotta…..? Supervisor Morey – April, what do you think about the dog enumeration? Is it not accurate? Is it not accurate? Or..? Clerk Scheffler – Well, it’s accurate as far as what’s done although, I mean, there’s always people moving in and out. I’m sure there’s dogs back in the area that was done but that’s going to happen as soon as you finish anyways, you know. It’s something that’s never going to be totally caught up. Supervisor Morey – All right, do we, what is not done, just the Village? Clerk Scheffler – The Village and a few roads. Councilman Sovocool – So what are we going to try to do, find somebody to do it for $1500 and pay the 1000, or….? Clerk Scheffler – (Produced a Town map) ……….the orange is what is done and the white is what isn’t done. Supervisor Morey – Okay. Let me see it. Did you see it? Clerk Scheffler – If you’re going to charge, well, you are going to charge the $5 surcharge for every dog….. Supervisor Morey – Did you see it, Louie? Clerk Scheffler - …and that’s going to bring in enough money to pay another person even if you wanted to do the whole thing over again. If you pick up 300 dogs again, that’s going to be $1500 right there, just on…. Councilman Sovocool – The orange is what’s not done right? Clerk Scheffler – Right. Supervisor Morey – Is there enough time left in the summer to do the Village? Clerk Scheffler – Till…what do you mean by summer…..? Councilman Sovocool – There ought to be. Clerk Scheffler - …..like when school starts, or what? Town Board Minutes Page 9 July 8, 2003 Councilman Sovocool – The Village hadn’t ought to take that long to do. Hadn’t ought to take over a week had it? Supervisor Morey – I don’t know. Councilman Sovocool – Shouldn’t. Clerk Scheffler – I think it would take quite awhile with all the places you gotta go to. And there’s a timeframe each day when you find people home. Supervisor Morey – Don? Councilman Scheffler – I would have liked to have seen it done. I thought he was going to do the whole job and we contracted to do the whole job and now it’s like what do we have. I’m wondering if we’re open for lawsuits right at the moment because we pestered half the Town and half the Town got off Scot, Scot-free. If we start over then it’s like we picked on people. I mean, you can have as many illegal dogs as you want in the Village because nobody’s counting them. Clerk Scheffler – Well, that’s one of the reasons, well, I don’t think we’re open for lawsuits, but I would say you need to finish what’s not done first. Instead of starting over, you need to finish what’s not done. Councilman Scheffler – It doesn’t seem fair to people. Councilman Sovocool – Well I gai…… It’s got to be done. Clerk Scheffler – Well, I even thought, possibly, if you finished what was done, I mean, if you finish what isn’t done this year and then not wait five, six or eight years to do it again like we did before. Do it in two years. Like I say, with this five dollar surcharge you’re going to make more than half the money that you would pay someone to do it just on that surcharge. And we’ve got money sitting in that dog account that ought to be used for something like this too. It can only be used for dogs. All that money can only be used for dogs. Councilman Scheffler – How are we going to prevent this from happening again? I mean, if we hire somebody else and they decide they don’t like dogs and, you know? Clerk Scheffler – How are you going to prevent it? How was I going to prevent my deputy from quitting? How were you going to prevent Dewie Dawson when he decided to quit? If somebody decides they’re not going to do it……… Councilman Sovocool – We didn’t have a signed contract with Tom to do these? If we have a signed contract then we can hold them to it, right? Clerk Scheffler – We have a job description with the County. It wasn’t an independent contractor thing. Supervisor Morey – Tyke? Councilman Randall – Well, I mean, we’ve got to decide what we’re going to do with Tom first, so that, and I certainly believe that we need to finish up with what’s been started to be fair Town Board Minutes Page 10 July 8, 2003 and then maybe do it every two years but my feelings with, as far as Tom is concerned, is, or anybody that does the enumeration is, at this point it would be like me doing a, taking a contract job to do roof or a deck or whatever and getting half way through that deck and realizing that I wasn’t going to make any money at it because I didn’t estimate my time good enough and saying, well, you know, geez, I need to not do this on a contract basis, I want to do it by the hour now. I don’t think that’s fair. We don’t, you know, I didn’t have that right to do that in business for myself, you know you go ahead and if it costs you money that’s a learning curve, so. I don’t really feel that we should pay for a part job. That’s my feeling. Supervisor Morey – Okay. Sheldon? Councilman Clark – That’s my same, same feeling. Supervisor Morey - All right. Let’s do, there’s two issues here, okay? I heard about Tom Scheffler’s letter, Louie, what do you think? Councilman Sovocool – I’m inclined to agree with Sheldon and Tyke. Supervisor Morey – Don, what about reimbursing for gas mileage? Councilman Sovocool – I would go that much, probably. The job didn’t get done. Supervisor Morey – Right and that was the contract. I believe the motion was for a complete job, is that correct? Councilman Sovocool – For the salary, yes. Councilman Randall – We encumbered those again this year for that, so. Councilman Sovocool – We encumbered those funds. Supervisor Morey – Don? Councilman Scheffler – We’ll make it here in a minute. Hang on. Supervisor Morey – Want a glass of water? Councilman Scheffler – No, but, maybe, but does Tom have any records on mileage and expenses? Clerk Scheffler – Yes. Councilman Scheffler – Do you know what they are? Clerk Scheffler – No. Supervisor Morey – Can he submit them to the Board? Clerk Scheffler – Probably. Town Board Minutes Page 11 July 8, 2003 Supervisor Morey – All right, why don’t we do that? Councilman Scheffler – I’d be willing to go for expenses. Supervisor Morey – Tyke? Councilman Randall – Yeah, I, I’m not trying to beat him up here. He certainly used his own gas and stuff, so. I wouldn’t be opposed to that if we knew what it was. Supervisor Morey – Sheldon? Councilman Clark – I’ll do that. Supervisor Morey – Okay. April, can you get ahold of Tom? Clerk Scheffler – I’m not negotiating with him. It’s a conflict of interest. If you want to negotiate with him, you negotiate with him. Supervisor Morey – All right. Clerk Scheffler - One of you guys. I think that would be a conflict of interest. (Councilman Scheffler leaves the room) Supervisor Morey – We’re going to wait for Don to come back, unless he dies on the way out. (Councilman Scheffler returns) Supervisor Morey – Do you want a mint? Do you want a mint? Councilman Scheffler – No, I’ve got one. Supervisor Morey – All right. When Tom submits the expenses, that, we’ll reimburse his expenses. That’s the consensus of the Board. Councilman Clark – Are you going to bring him before the meeting? Supervisor Morey – Huh? Councilman Clark – Gonna bring him before the meeting? Supervisor Morey – Bring him here? Or submit the invoice to you before? Councilman Clark – Are you gonna or not? Supervisor Morey – That would be fine. I don’t care. But you will review the invoices anyways, so. Councilman Clark – All right. Town Board Minutes Page 12 July 8, 2003 Supervisor Morey – And that’s the time you vote for or against. All right, enumeration, can we hire a person, April, to finish the Village and the rest of the area? Clerk Scheffler – Probably, I’ve had people asking about it……. Supervisor Morey – Do we have time frame for these people to get it done by, or..? Councilman Sovocool – Have you got people interested in doing it? Contact, contact… Clerk Scheffler – Didn’t I tell you guys that a month ago? Yes. Councilman Scheffler – Yeah, I think we should have timeframe on it … Councilman Clark – Maybe a contract. Councilman Scheffler – …and do it, just do it. Councilman Clark – If we do get somebody to do it let’s get a contract. Supervisor Morey – You mean do it on a contract? Councilman Clark – Yeah. Supervisor Morey – Okay. Sheldon made a suggestion that if, when we do the enumeration and we have a set price for it we get a signed contract for it. I think it’s a great idea. Clerk Scheffler – How does that work with Civil Service and the County? You have that….. Supervisor Morey – Independent contractor. Clerk Scheffler – You have a designated employee job as the enumerator. Supervisor Morey – So we have to hire one person? Clerk Scheffler – I don’t know. I don’t know the legalities on that……. Supervisor Morey – How did we hire Tom in the first place? Clerk Scheffler - …because that’s why you didn’t go with the contact before, because you already had this job designation with the County. Attorney Monty - Many of the other towns hire out for that service, so, Virgil for instance. Clerk Scheffler – Yes. Supervisor Morey – Hire out, what do you mean? Attorney Monty – They have someone else. Clerk Scheffler – They have a contract. Town Board Minutes Page 13 July 8, 2003 Councilman Clark – Independent, it’d be independent contractor. Supervisor Morey – So, we’re going right back to it that it’s not an employee, it’s an c independent contrator. Several people say “right.” Supervisor Morey – And we’d have to have a contract for this person to do it. Councilman Randall – And so who’s lia…. do they have to have their own liability insurance for that, I mean, like me doing a roof-job? Councilman Clark – Um-hum. Attorney Monty – I will confirm that’s how they set it up…….. Councilman Sovocool – If they was working for us wouldn’t they be covered under our umbrella? Supervisor Morey – Not their independent contractor. Councilman Randall – Right. Councilman Scheffler – Not a contactor with a contract. Councilman Sovocool – Okay. Clerk Scheffler – Well, you can’t expect somebody to go buy insurance when they’re only getting paid two thousand dollars. Councilman Sovocool – No. Councilman Randall – A little bit pricey. Supervisor Morey – Twenty five hundred. Councilman Clark – Right. Everybody agree? Twenty five hundred to finish it? Supervisor Morey – What. Councilman Randall – Too finish what’s left? Councilman Clark – Yeah, what’re you going to give them? Councilman Randall – I don’t think twenty five hundred’s too awfully fair but… Councilman Sovocool - …..(talking at same time)…twenty five hundred for what was left. Supervisor Morey – What do you mean, fair, Tyke? Too much? Too little? Town Board Minutes Page 14 July 8, 2003 Councilman Randall – I think it’s too much. I mean, that’s for the whole ballgame is what we’re paying before. I don’t know if it’s with the Village and what’s left, is that half? I don’t know. Councilman Scheffler – Tom says in his letter he’s half done. It would be twelve hundred and fifty bucks. Clerk Scheffler – That’s an estimate, approximately half done, you know. Councilman Scheffler – So, somewhere between. Clerk Scheffler – If you want to look at it from out of pocket expenses, most of that expense has been spent because when you’re in the Village you’re going to be doing a lot of walking. You’re not going to be driving around burning up gas. So, from that standpoint, as far as the profit the person is going to make, it is probably half through, at least. Councilman Sovocool – Fifteen hundred? Councilman Scheffler – Don’t know how to figure. Clerk Scheffler – Some places pay so much a dog. At one time somebody did it for $2 a dog or $1 a dog or something. That’s not much. Everybody talking at once. Councilman Randall - …making me nervous. Supervisor Morey – Ah, why don’t we table this till next month then till we get things squared away. All right? Councilman Scheffler – Start thinking about how we’re going to pay ‘em and how much. Supervisor Morey – Yeah, because I think we’re getting pretty close to talking about employees and benefits and stuff like that that should be discussed in executive session, so. All right, Bob’s here. Councilman Randall – Do we need a resolution or motion to do that, table it, or no? Supervisor Morey – No, not to table it. Councilman Randall – I don’t know. Supervisor Morey – Hi, Bob. Robert Walpole – I’ll give you a quick review…….(not using microphone and several people talking and rattling papers)…….. on the real estate transaction, everybody got a copy. Did th everybody get a copy? Basically, we got it closed on schedule on June 30 after about 24 months. Basically, based on what we had discussed in reference to twenty five hundred towards the operational costs this year, they will come back and negotiate with you themselves. We ended up, as you see on the second page, the bank went in on the first of 80,000; we loaned them Town Board Minutes Page 15 July 8, 2003 an additional 50,000; we did loan them from the Village 97,000. 50,000 will become the first mortgage, or the second mortgage, and then the third mortgage we worked out, we worked it out that there’d be no payment or interest on the 50,000. We did give them a break from the bank interest. And then the 47,000, as long as, I believe, correct me if I’m wrong, Don, the Recreation Commission, I think the Youth Department is all tied in for their offices. Councilman Scheffler – There’s been some talk of using it but I haven’t heard anything official. Mr. Walpole – Yup, we’ve got a contract with Tompkins County or Tompkins Community Action and the contract is open ended and there will be a portion of the payment, I forgot what it is, 22 or 23-hundred dollars a year will be forgiven from that standpoint that we had set up, as long as, you know, the Village and Town however the Recreation Commission works will have an office there and do something………… Councilman Scheffler – I haven’t seen anything on that, so. Mr. Walpole – It is, that’s what has been signed at this point, so. Up until the Recreation Committee gives it up and then they’ll start making payments, you know, from that standpoint three years down the road. We, as you see, there’s a minus balance of $865.79, which we postdated. I had talked to the Supervisor and obviously he talked to the Board. So, we gave them our blessings that we would get this approved at the next Town Board Meeting and we gave them a check in order to close it out because of the taxes, of the $15,000 worth of taxes that had to be paid. So, I’m here to answer any questions you have. And according to the 865 will be coming out of that 2,500 but if they’re going to need the full 2,500, I don’t know. At least the 865 at this point, and, $865.79, basically for unpaid utilities. Questions? Supervisor Morey – Don? Louie? Councilman Sovocool – Nope. Supervisor Morey – Don? Councilman Scheffler – Nup. Supervisor Morey – Tyke? Councilman Randall – Nope. Supervisor Morey – Sheldon? Councilman Clark – Nuh. Mr. Walpole – Check will be payable to Tompkins Community Action, Inc. It’s listed there then whatever it is, somebody drops it in my office and then I get it out to the other lawyers…..(?)..just holding the check, so. Supervisor Morey – There might be, we might have to pay directly to the Village. I’m not sure that’s so, yeah. Town Board Minutes Page 16 July 8, 2003 Mr. Walpole - …..or we might have to run it through, not the IDA, but the………?…….I don’t know that. We can cross that bridge later. Supervisor Morey – Okay. All right, no other questions I’ll make the resolution to reimburse Head-Start Program or the Tompkins County, what is it, Bob? Mr. Walpole – Tompkins Community Action, Inc. Supervisor Morey – Tompkins Community, Inc., Tompkins County Community, Inc. in the amount of $865.79 to pay for utilities. RESOLUTION #52 – REIMBURSE TOMPKINS COMMUNITY ACTION, INC. MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby authorized reimbursement to Tompkins Community Action, Inc. in the amount of $865.79 to pay for utilities. Mr. Walpole – They have taken possession of the building and they’re hoping this thing, they’re st going to be up and running by September 1 for the Head-Start program. Section 8 also will be coming in with some other additional programs……new director……(not using microphone)…. The other thing, I’ll give you a quick briefing on, I just came from the last staff meeting on the Bikes & Blues. Everything is a go. We had the Sheriff’s Department, State Police,….., all local fire department officials, everybody……(not using microphone)…overall committee just met. We’re set. We’re going to be making some adjustments to this. We’re expecting a lot larger crowd than we had originally expected when we originally started this. But, very good response, so basically we’re over the hill and it’s ready to roll……. We will be making adjustments that day, but we’re going to see some people. We’re now estimating 15-18,000 here for both days. We’re getting calls from all over. We’ve got people coming from the state of Colorado. …..today, we have the Harley Davis, five of them coming from the main headquarters….Milwaukee. It ought to be interesting. We’ve got a major vendor just sign this afternoon who was in………where they design and build their own choppers in the price range of $60,000- 100,000. They’re going to be displaying them in here………….. It ought to be fairly interesting. Councilman Clark (?) – Where you gonna put them? Mr. Walpole – They’re going to be right out here. ……..secure at night. The State Police are providing extra patrols. They’re also putting extra patrols here for the building….. The State Police has put two officers right on the Gun Club property that night and the police agencies are going to be very cooperative……. They’re putting extra patrols in here because they know the security…of that Saturday night in here. So, but, we are making adjustments and we will be changing the………(not using microphone)………….. Town Board Minutes Page 17 July 8, 2003 Councilman Clark – And you have restroom areas, Bob? Mr. Walpole – We’ve got 12, we’ve got 8 rent-a-johns gonna be out here ………. Councilman Clark – And nothin’ up town? Mr. Walpole – Yeah, we got 2 over there and 3 down to the car show and we’ve got a truck that will be in here and they’ll keep track of them and pump them …..over here. This building here…….we will have personnel here…and we’ll close it right back up after the three speakers………..(not using microphone) Supervisor Morey – Do you have a key for this. Mr. Walpole – Yes, I still have the key…………. All the permits are in place. We have vendor permits for everyone who gets in here. All the permits that have been issued and the food, Health Department Permits, and all the insurance policies are in place. All our permission slips for the school district has opened us up so we can use parking, driveways,……………. Whatever adjustments that have to be made, we will make the adjustments on site as this things develops. Let ‘er roll! ………….(not using microphone)………………….. Supervisor Morey – Questions. Louie? Councilman Sovocool – No. Supervisor Morey – Don? Councilman Scheffler – Sounds good. I’ll be here all weekend. Mr. Walpole – I know………… Supervisor Morey – Tyke? Councilman Randall – You did a great job so far. Mr. Walpole – Well we’ll tell you Monday morning. Councilman Sovocool – And I’ll be on the lake. Supervisor Morey – Sheldon? Councilman Clark – Looking forward to it. Mr. Walpole – All I can tell you a lot of the hotels and stuff……(not using microphone)… Supervisor Morey – All right. Councilman Scheffler – Sounds good. Thanks for doing it. Town Board Minutes Page 18 July 8, 2003 Supervisor Morey – Ah, number 9, discussion of Board Meeting Minutes. I’ve been asked to put that on the agenda. April, I know that, I don’t want verbatim minutes, but I think if we expand on the minutes a little bit more, it would be a little better. Clerk Scheffler – How? Supervisor Morey – Well, I, I found out that, you know, your meaning, when say something verbatim but when we say it’s not. That’s what I’ve been finding. You know if, I’ve been looking at meeting minutes back in 2001 and they’re fantastic. They’re, they’re just very well prepared and very nicely put in and, and in the last couple months I mean it hasn’t been your best like you did in your past. Clerk Scheffler – Well, it takes hours to transcribe conversation. Supervisor Morey – All right, we don’t need a verbatim, but I’d like to know, you know, ten years down the road when we do it and we come back and figure why did we make a stupid decision like that, you know, you go back to the written minutes and find out what the situation occurred during that. Louie? Councilman Sovocool – Yeah, I think …(tape turns over)…more detail, I mean, I don’t want them verbatim, I mean. I don’t know, I know they are time consuming. Supervisor Morey – Don? Councilman Scheffler – I agree. I’d like to, you know like, you used to do them when Colleen did them, you know. Clerk Scheffler – Colleen didn’t do them, I did them. Supervisor Morey – Yeah, April’s always done them. Clerk Scheffler – I’ve done them since I’ve been here. Councilman Scheffler – We don’t, don’t need every cough and sneeze but I think every subject should be covered. I’d like to see a little bit more than what is here. I don’t know exactly what to call it but either verbatim or not, I guess. How many hours do you spend on them? Clerk Scheffler – I have no clue. It’s not something you can time when you’re doing it in an office when the phone’s ringing and people are coming in. I don’t know. Councilman Scheffler – I wonder about, you keep tapes but 15 years from now is there going to be a machine to play them or do we have to send them out to get them transferred to a CD so that people can find out what we meant by this? I kind of think…. Clerk Scheffler – Well, 15 years from now it’s the decision that’s been made that’s important not so much the discussion on it, it’s the record of the decision that’s made. Councilman Scheffler – Sometimes the why of it kind of explains things. There’s a lot of times that you think something’s a good idea and somebody comes along and says well we tried that and this is why it didn’t work or something. Town Board Minutes Page 19 July 8, 2003 Supervisor Morey – Tyke? Councilman Randall – I, I think as coming in as a new member four years ago that in having served on other boards that didn’t do verbatim, I thought that we were in a unique and enriching position that wasn’t available in some of those other boards I had and I, and I think, coming in, you know, Louie’s been here a long time, and Don’s certainly been here for awhile, and there’s patterns that developed that I think that not being verbatim you don’t see how a decision is made always or you run the risk of it’s interpretation of one person not the group. In other words it’s somebody could read a verbatim minute and come up with a different interpretation than what you might come up with as when you’re sitting there and doing them verbatim. I realize that you’re saying that it’s the decisions that count in the end and that’s true but I think it makes us all better Board Members if we review what we said and why we said it. It makes, I think it forces us to, to better ourselves in the long run. I don’t know what the answer is. I’ve seen them both ways. I, I just, I’m more comfortable with the verbatim and I do know it takes a lot of time but I also know that you have a Deputy Clerk now that it would be something, you know, pass part of that duty on to her. Clerk Scheffler – Not when my name gets signed on the end. Councilman Randall – How, how would Colleen feel about it? Why did she pass it to you then? Clerk Scheffler – Because that was her decision. That was her decision to do that, as the Town Clerk. My decision is that if my name gets signed on the bottom, I’m doing them. It’s my responsibility. It’s the Town Clerk’s responsibility to do the minutes. Councilman Randall – Well, that’s your decision, so. Councilman Sovocool – Couldn’t you read them after they was done and make sure they was right? Clerk Scheffler – Yes. Councilman Sovocool – I mean, that, if, and let the Clerk, or your assistant, I mean…. Councilman Scheffler - You pass off other duties to the Deputy. Clerk Scheffler – She has her duties. Supervisor Morey – Sheldon? Councilman Clark – I guess, I don’t know, I just feel that when we make a request we, we should, I don’t know, have something done, done about it, not be told what we’re gonna have and what we aren’t. That’s all I got to say. Supervisor Morey – April, how long do we keep the tapes? Clerk Scheffler – A minimum of six months or longer if there is, you know, important stuff that’s discussed. Town Board Minutes Page 20 July 8, 2003 Supervisor Morey – So the paper copy is basically the permanent record. Clerk Scheffler – Um-hm. Supervisor Morey – Do you see where we’re coming from that 10 years down the road we’ll look back and like situations that come from the Board? Clerk Scheffler – Yeah, I see where you’re coming from but I feel like a condensed version of the discussion that’s maybe condensed into two paragraphs rather than six pages of verbatim conversation is, will tell you how you came to that decision. Supervisor Morey – All right, can we try for a little bit more substance on the meaning in it? Is that being unreasonable to you, or? Clerk Scheffler – Well, I guess I’m not sure what you mean by that. You want, you want, all the conversation? Supervisor Morey – No, definitely not, but the main parts of it? If you go back in the past th years, I pulled April 10, 2001. These are excellent minutes. You did a great job. Clerk Scheffler – That’s every word that you guys said. Supervisor Morey – These are verbatim? Clerk Scheffler – That’s every word that you guys said. Supervisor Morey – Okay, what does the Board want? Louie? Councilman Sovocool – I’d like to see it go back to the old way, personally. Supervisor Morey – Which is? Councilman Sovocool – Verbatim. Councilman Scheffler – Verbatim Councilman Randall – Verbatim and I think we should have a resolution to that effect. Councilman Clark – Verbatim, in full. Supervisor Morey – Okay, um… Clerk Scheffler – It’s still the Town Clerk’s responsibility to do the minutes….. Supervisor Morey – That’s correct. We’re not doing that. Clerk Scheffler - ….and the Town Clerk’s decision on how they’re done. Town Board Minutes Page 21 July 8, 2003 Attorney Monty – Actually, I’ve done some research on that and I don’t believe you are right, that it’s the Town Clerk’s decision on how the minutes are done. I don’t have that research with me but….(not using microphone)….. Clerk Scheffler – I’ve done some research too. Attorney Monty – If the Town Board wants them verbatim….. Clerk Scheffler – Have you spoken with Robert Freeman? Attorney Monty – No. Clerk Scheffler – Well, I think you should. Supervisor Morey –Well, Robert Freeman has an opinion and his opinion is here it goes through the whole thing, but there is no law and basically, simply put, the State Comptroller’s opinions make it clear that a veratum record is not required unless ordered by the Town Board. I believe Robert Freeman gave two, two examples of what it is, one having to do with a maverick board member, which we don’t have; the other being, was a, lengthy discussion, which we really don’t ever have. Clerk Scheffler – Twenty five pages of minutes is not lengthy? Supervisor Morey – And in another opinion that you did, you highlighted this paragraph: neither a town supervisor, member of the board nor the board itself may require the minutes be required verbatim, altered. But you never highlighted this part: maintained in a particular format or disclosed only after they have been approved, which means we can’t go back after the minutes have been approved. And also in Kelly, Kerry Marsh’s, it says in the top page, top paragraph it says minutes need not be consist of verbatim account although they can do so. Clerk Scheffler – Correct. It also says that the Town Clerk has the responsibility and authority to prepare the minutes and to insure their accuracy; neither the board or the supervisor has the legal authority to require the amendment of minutes as they see fit, so long as the minutes as prepared are accurate, presented reasonably and fairly, and in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Open Meetings Law. Neither a town supervisor, or a member of the board, nor the board itself may require that minutes be prepared verbatim, altered, maintained in a particular format, or disclosed only after they have been approved. Supervisor Morey – Right, do you know what that means? Vicki? Attorney Monty – I don’t have a copy of that. Supervisor Morey – It’s right here. Attorney Monty – Okay. …………..(not using microphone) ……..we’re reading this differently, obviously. I guess they’re set in reading it and you’re…..a different way. I did some research on this and I wish I had brought it with me……………………..So, what my research indicated that a verbatim record is not required unless it is ordered by the Town Board and if they make that motion you have to……… Town Board Minutes Page 22 July 8, 2003 Clerk Scheffler – It’s also a… Councilman Clark – We ready for a motion? Supervisor Morey – Go ahead, April. Clerk Scheffler – It is also an opinion of Robert Freeman that the Town Law is intended to be applied in a fair and reasonable manner and to require verbatim minutes is not fair or reasonable. Attorney Monty – And the position of Robert Freeman is? Clerk Scheffler – He’s…….it’s not chairman, but he’s the head of the Open Meetings Law and Committee on Open Government. This Kerry Marsh is the attorney for the Town Clerk’s Association. Supervisor Morey – This is Robert Freeman, I know of no opinion. Attorney Monty - …(reply can not be heard)……. Councilman Randall – And I want to make that motion. Supervisor Morey – Excuse me? Councilman Randall – I want to make that motion. Supervisor Morey – What is the motion? Councilman Randall – A motion to require that the Town Clerk provide verbatim minutes for the Town Board meetings. Councilman Clark – I’ll second it. Supervisor Morey – All in favor? Clerk Scheffler – You want verbatim for everything, everybody who comes in here and talks for a half an hour from the County or a committee or whatever? Is that what you’re saying? Supervisor Morey – Tyke? Councilman Randall – I personally don’t think that that’s necessary. We’re trying to reach a compromise here and you don’t seem to want to do that. So what do we do, we say do them part way or do we do them all the way? I don’t know, April, I’m trying to work this out. I don’t, no, I think we need to hear if Terry Donlick came in and her whole spiel, no, that’s not, we’re not making a decision on something that she says anyway. I’m saying that stuff that we say as Town Board Members and some of the input that comes in from people like Vicky or whatever is very important verbatim and that’s where I’m coming from, so. I don’t know, you can’t, I don’t know, can’t have it, it doesn’t seem like there’s a, you’re willing to compromise, I guess. Clerk Scheffler – Partial verbatim the way they used to be? Town Board Minutes Page 23 July 8, 2003 Councilman Randall – They were fine before. Colleen did them, or you did them for as long as you’ve been here, and Colleen did them for however long. They were fine then. I’m going to say, I’m going to stick my neck out because partially what’s not being said is that for a while it seemed, and you can correct me if I’m wrong, but it seemed like you were using it as a sounding board for your own complaints at the cost of some of the things that were said by each one of us, so. Whether that’s accurate statement or not that’s how I feel about it, so. And I could probably go back and show you some of that stuff and that was probably after you came into office, so. That’s my opinion. Clerk Scheffler – I disagree with that, but….. Supervisor Morey – Do you want to change you motion to partial verbatim? Councilman Randall – Nope. Supervisor Morey – So, the resolution stands? Councilman Randall – Yes. Supervisor Morey – And there is a second? Councilman Clark - I second it. RESOLUTION #53 – REQUIRE VERBATIM MINUTES MOVED by Councilman Randall, seconded by Councilman Clark Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby require the Town Clerk to prepare verbatim minutes for Town Board Meetings. Supervisor Morey – All right, moving on, request for John Norman to attend the Magistrates thst Conference, September 28 – October 1 in Saratoga Springs. I, that doesn’t have to have a motion does it? All in favor? (no second) (Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey). John you’re allowed $600.00 for the trip, okay? Justice Norman – Okay. Supervisor Morey – So, that’s the standard fee for everybody to go someplace. Justice Norman – That’s fine. Supervisor Morey – Okay, and also a resolution to declare Groton Town Hall a smoke free work place. There has been smoking area for the last couple of years on behalf of election th officials and it’s come to our attention that with the new laws that are taking effect July 24 that we have to make a resolution to make sure the Town Hall is a smoke free environment. And Town Board Minutes Page 24 July 8, 2003 everybody got a letter from Peg Palmer that she couldn’t be here tonight. So, I make that resolution, could I have a second? Councilman Randall – I have a question. Supervisor Morey – Oh, go ahead, I’m sorry. Councilman Scheffler – I’ve got discussion on that too. Councilman Randall – Do we, I, it seems like we can’t pre-empt State Law anyway and it’s a State Law. Why can’t we just repeal whatever was done beforehand? Supervisor Morey – Okay. Councilman Randall – In other words there was an ar…must have been a designated area that they could do that. We’re saying that State Law says you can’t do that now. So, why can’t we just repeal that original resolution? Clerk Scheffler – There were actual designated areas. Councilman Scheffler – Yeah, and if we have a designated area now we’re pre-empting State Law. We repeal our smoking, no smoking law then the State would carry it, right? I don’t know. I mean do we need any resolution that says we can’t smoke because it’s all ready against the law? Clerk Scheffler – I think the State Law overrules your smoking policy. Several Board Members say yes and/or right. Councilman Randall – So I’m wondering if we need a new resolution or just repeal the old one and let the State take it, if that covers it. Supervisor Morey – All right. Any other discussions? All right. How do you do the repeal of a resolution? Clerk Scheffler – It was stated as a smoking policy. It was established as policy. So, maybe you can just……. Supervisor Morey – See, I wasn’t here when they made the resolution. I always thought there was no smoking all over the place and then several years ago and…. Councilman Scheffler – It’s just the kitchen, isn’t it? Supervisor Morey – Yeah, it’s just the kitchen. Clerk Scheffler – Kitchen and Rick’s office, I believe, and seems like there were three places. Councilman Sovocool – Seems so the garage. Wasn’t there the break room out in the garage or something? Town Board Minutes Page 25 July 8, 2003 Clerk Scheffler – Yeah. Supervisor Morey – So, do we rescind the smoking policy? It is a policy? Councilman Randall – You’re saying it’s a policy? Clerk Scheffler – It’s a policy. I think it’s posted out there. Do you want me to go grab it? Supervisor Morey – Yeah, please. Clerk Scheffler – I was going to bring it in and I forgot, I’m sorry. Clerk left the room to get copy of the smoking policy. Clerk Scheffler – Well, it’s not there. I have it in a book in the vault if you want to wait for me to open the vault. Supervisor Morey – No, that’s all right. Let’s just rescind the smoking policy. Councilman Sovocool – Rescind the smoking policy. Supervisor Morey – Okay, I make a res.. does it have to be a resolution? Clerk Scheffler – I would think so. Supervisor Morey – Vicki? All right. RESOLUTION #54 – RESCIND SMOKING POLICY MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby rescind the Smoking Policy to include that the Groton Town Hall is a Smoke Free Workplace. Supervisor Morey – All right, and other discussion with the Board? Announcements : Town of Ithaca Public Works Facility grand opening ceremony – August 8 at 11:30 AM, RSVP by July 25. Bikes & Blues – July 12 & 13 McLean Community Council Meeting – September 17, 7:30 PM Town Board Minutes Page 26 July 8, 2003 Councilman Randall – I didn’t realize this but we participate with, is the Youth Council that we’re with now, that hires the kids for here? Is it Youth Council? Do I have the right term? For the Highway barn and….? Councilman Scheffler – Youth Commission. Councilman Randall – Youth Commission? I realized the other day, Joey got a call the other day from Tompkins Community Action and there’s also another program that hires kids in the community that I didn’t even know about and it was confused with Joe and it came from the school. I guess somebody recommended a whole list of kids. But there’s a bunch of jobs available. They’re looking for, it’s sponsored every year, every summer by them. They have to work, I think, a minimum of 25 hours a week and they’re looking for people in the Village, the Town of Groton. They have kids that want to do clerical things. There’s a whole list of things that they do but they fund the whole thing and it’s minimum wage. It’s nothing, you know ours is a matching thing. This is, they fund the whole thing and they’re looking for participation and I don’t, I don’t think that many kids know about it, honestly and I only know about it because I, like I said, she called, she’d gotten this thing and I thought it was all connected and it wasn’t. So, there’s a bunch of jobs available that they’ll fund and I don’t know how to get that out, that information out, but it’s not there, so. Supervisor Morey – This is the first time I’ve heard of it and I’ve been involved with the Groton Youth Commission since 1990. Councilman Randall – Because I came down and asked April. Clerk Scheffler – She said that if we had a job we wanted them to do, they would fund it, that’s what I understood them to say at the office. Councilman Randall – Yes, yes, even here they would fund, like if she wanted somebody like Niki did that one year, they would pay for that. But there’s a whole list of kids and they can’t match them up. There was a girl that needed some work, you know, moneys are there, so. It’s a good program and I think it’s just another avenue for youth in the community that, well you know we don’t, with the Youth Commission there’s not that many, you know, three or four or whatever, I don’t know what the Village gets, but.. Supervisor Morey – About the same. Councilman Randall – Yeah. Clerk Scheffler – And they pay the whole wage, we don’t have to…. Councilman Randall – So, it would be a good thing to try to get some more information on each year when it comes so that more kids could participate. Be nice to see Groton get that. Councilman Sheldon – Who’s the contact person? Councilman Randall – It’s, I have the email address and everything for her, so. But it’s Tompkins Community Action does it, so. It’s through them and she’s hired on every summer. She says she does this every summer. And they ask for things like parks and, you know, there’s a whole list of jobs that, you know, what would you like to do on the application. Town Board Minutes Page 27 July 8, 2003 Councilman Sheldon – What about cemetery? Councilman Randall – Probably. Mowing and painting and all those things. That’s it. Supervisor Morey – Anything else? Louie? Councilman Sovocool – Nope. Supervisor Morey – Don? April? Clerk Scheffler – Yeah, I have one more thing. If you want information in the minutes, Glenn, give me the information that you give everybody else, please. Supervisor Morey – Okay. Clerk Scheffler – I don’t have this stuff from Bob Walpole. Supervisor Morey – Okay. Tyke? Councilman Randall – What? Supervisor Morey – Anything else? Councilman Randall – No. Supervisor Morey – Sheldon? Councilman Clark – Nothing. Supervisor Morey – If not……. There being no further business, Councilman Sovocool moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, at 8:47 PM. Unanimous. The above Minutes prepared verbatim as requested by the Town Board of the Town of Groton in Resolution #53. April L. Scheffler Town Clerk