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Home My WebLink About2014-09-10TOWN OF GROTON -MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014 AT 7:30 PM THE TOWN HALL, 101 CONGER BOULEVARD Those present: Glenn E. Morey, Supervisor Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilperson Kelly Smith, Councilperson Richard B. Gamel, Councilperson Sheldon C. Clark, Councilperson Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town Also present: Robin Cargian, Reporter from Cortland Standard, April Scheffler. MOVED by Councilperson Sovocool, seconded by Councilperson Gamel, to approve the minutes of the August 12, 2014 meeting as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Vouchers for the General Fund in the amount of $33,808.17 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilperson Gamel, seconded by Councilperson Sovocool, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Vouchers for the Highway Fund in the amount of $42,828.65 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilperson Clark, seconded by Councilperson Smith, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Monthly Reports: Charles Rankin, Bookkeeper - Was not present but had submitted monthly reports for the Board's review, and had requested a budget transfer. RESOLUTION #14-049 - 2014 BUDGET TRANSFER MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilperson Sovocool RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the following 2014 Budget Transfer: Highway Fund Town Wide: From: Machinery, Personal Services, DA5130.1...............$5,000.00 Services for Other Governments, DA5148.1..............5,000.00 To: Snow Removal, Sick Time, DA5142.12...................10,000.00 Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey Nays - Resolution Passed Town Board Minutes Page 2 September 10, 2014 Gary Coats, Code/Fire Enforcement Officer - Was not present, but had submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. Robin Cargian.. Deputy Clerk - Was there to talk to the Board about the New York State Unified Solar Permit. The State is requesting that all municipalities use the same permitting form, increase accessibility to permitting information, and streamline the process for the issuance of permits for solar energy installations. As an incentive, NYSERDA is offering grants of $2,500 - $5,,000 to municipalities that adopt this permit. Ms. Cargian explained that if were to receive this grant she would like to put it toward zoning and planning software that would streamline the entire permitting and record keeping process for both zoning and planning. If the Town decided to adopt this permitting process, and before applying for the grant, we would need to add to our code to permit facilities for charging electric vehicles. Discussion took place on the Unified Solar Permit and the possible changes to the Code. If changes are to be made to the Code, we also need to think about some other small changes, updates and additions that are needed. RESOLUTION #14-050 - MOVE FORWARD TO STUDY NEW YORK STATE UNIFIED SOLAR PERMIT MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilperson Smith RESOLVED, that the Town Board wishes to move forward with a study of the New York State Unified Solar Permit and it's possible benefits for the Town. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey Nays - Resolution Passed Supervisor Morey asked that the Zoning Officer, Deputy Clerk, and Town Clerk work on a list of items that need updating in the Code. Richard C. Case, Jr, Highway Superintendent - Was not present. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk/Tax Collector - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. She gave the Board a copy of the final grant report for the Tompkins County Tourism Grant received for the Verne Morton Memorial Photography Show and Contest. She said a thank you to the Highway Department for help in setting up and tearing down for the photo show and to Ed Moore, the cleaner, for extra cleaning and help. She thanked Mr. Moore again for wonderful job he is doing cleaning the whole building. Clerk Scheffler had received notice that Stonehedges Golf Course intended to renew their liquor license and asked if the Board had any objections. The consensus of the Board was that they were not opposed to the renewal of the liquor license for Stonehedges Golf Course. Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town - Announced that there is a court date in Utica for Beck vs. Town of Groton on September 23 and 24. John Norman and A. D. Dawson, Town Justices - Were not present but had submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. The Court Clerk, Cindy Vicedomini, had Town Board Minutes Page 3 September 10, 2014 submitted a letter requesting permission to apply for a Justice Court Assistance Program (JCAP) Grant to pay for a portable printer and stand for the Court Room and outside awnings over each side door to protect people from foul weather. RESOLUTION #14-051 - COURT CLERK TO APPLY FOR GRANT MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilperson Sovocool RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby give permission to the Court Clerk, Cindy Vicedomini, to apply for a Justice Court Assistance Program (JCAP) Grant. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey Nays - Resolution Passed Councilperson Kelly Smith, Representative to Joint Youth Program - The pool closed early this year, August 22, due to a lack of life guards. The summer programs did well and numbers were up in every camp. All instructors are coming back. We did have to cancel Kung Fu camp and the junior golf session. The summer concerts did really well at the Legion and we will probably have them there again next year. Our last movie night was not very well attended, probably because of the weather. We are starting to write grants for Winterfest and next year's concert series. We will do interviews in October for the coordinator's position. There was an issue with youth sports and we are talking to our lawyer about it. RESOLUTION #14-052 - SET BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULE MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilperson Gamel RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby sets the following Budget Workshop Schedule: Tuesday, September 16th Wednesday, Septbember 17th Thursday, September 18th Tuesday, September 23rd Thursday, September 24th @5:00 pm - Highway Superintendent @4:00 pm - Highway Employees @4:45 pm - Town Clerk @4:30 pm - Court @7:00 pm @7:00 pm Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey Nays - Resolution Passed RESOLUTION #14-053 - SET SPECIAL MEETING FOR PRESENTATION OF TENTATIVE BUDGET MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilperson Sovocool RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby sets a Special Meeting for Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at 6:00 pm for the Town Clerk to submit the 2015 Tentative Budget to the Town Board. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey Nays - Resolution Passed Town Board Minutes Page 4 September 10, 2014 RESOLUTION #14-054 - URGING STATE LEADERSHIP TO RESCIND LOOK -BACK PERIOD ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROPERTY TAX FREEZE LEGISLATION MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilperson Smith WHEREAS, the NYS Legislature and Governor have adopted a voluntary program with financial rewards for constituents if local governments can adopt 2015 budgets within the limits of the Property Tax Cap Law and further rewards if by June 15, 2015 those same local governments can reduce property tax levy by 1 %, and WHEREAS, the intent of this law was to induce consolidation and collaboration of services and government entities, and WHEREAS, Tompkins County and its local governments have been looking for ways to reduce the property tax burden for years and have adopted the following protocols: County -wide Assessment, Article 47 Health Insurance, Water, Sewer, Community College, Energy procurement, Highway operations, Records management, and Youth programming and recreation to name just a few, and WHEREAS, the NYS Legislation creating this "Property Tax Freeze" program did not specify a limit of what could be used to show consolidation or collaboration that resulted in lower tax levy, but subsequent release from the NYS Office of Taxation and Finance puts a limit on what can be considered to a point in time of 1/1 /12, and WHEREAS, any look back limit has a perverse irony of the short look -back period in that the homeowners in those jurisdictions where local governments adopted the innovations years ago will receive nothing, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Town of Groton urges our NYS Senator and Assemblywoman to make their leadership aware of this situation and, be it further RESOLVED, that the Town of Groton urges our NYS Senator and Assemblywoman to draft legislation and communicate it to their leadership that would rescind this look -back period time limit and any other limits on actions local governments have made to reduce the property tax burden on their constituents and use their good offices to have this legislation adopted well in advance of June 1, 2015 Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey Nays - Resolution Passed There being no further business, Councilman Gamel moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Clark, at 8:01 pm. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk