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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-11-11TOWN OF GROTON -MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 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 Dan Ellis, Attorney for the Town Also present: Ed Neuhauser, Dan Carey, Darlene Vorhis, Gary Coats, Richard C. Case, Jr., April Scheffler. MOVED by Councilperson Sovocool, seconded by Councilperson Smith, to approve the minutes of the October 14, 2014 meeting as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Clark, Morey. Abstain - Gamel MOVED by Councilperson Smith, seconded by Councilperson Sovocool, to approve the minutes of the October 28, 2014 Public Hearing and Special Meeting as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Clark, Morey. Abstain - Gamel Vouchers for the General Fund in the amount of $32,541.82 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilperson Gamel, seconded by Councilperson Smith, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Vouchers for the Highway Fund in the amount of $53,633.21 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilperson Clark, seconded by Councilperson Gamel, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Monthly Reports: Charles Rankin, Bookkeeper - Was not present but had submitted a request for a Budget Transfer. Town Board Minutes Page 2 November 11, 2014 RESOLUTION #14-059 - 2014 BUDGET TRANSFER MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilperson Gamel RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the following 2014 Budget Transfer: General Fund - Part Town: From: Contingency, B 1990.4 .......................................................$500.00 To: Youth Program, Summer Help, Personal Services, B7310.4 ....... 500.00 Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey Nays - Resolution Passed Gary Coats, Code/Fire Enforcement Officer - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. I just handed everyone a copy of this letter regarding 301 Pleasant Valley Road. I've handed it to Victoria and I believe Victoria is going to handle it. I don't have any plans at this time to call Mr. Knuckles. Supervisor Morey asked if he was going to call him the next day and Attorney Monty said that he could call him if he wanted. Mr. Coats said that he would call him and tell him to get in contact with Victoria or Dan. Building permits are well above 100 again this year. An application for the placement of fill in the floodplain had been brought in by Bob Walpole for the McLean Fire Department. Since Mr. Coats hasn't done one of these applications before, he will be leaning on Attorney Monty or Attorney Ellis for advice and set up a meeting with them. Once that is done, and if all the needed information is there, a permit will be issued. Richard C. Case, Jr., Highway Superintendent - The Highway Department has been busy. Salt and sand is being mixed together up above and stockpiled. We still haven't hit our targeted tonnage but we are working on that. The shop is in the change -over of equipment to snow removal and we are at about 50% on that because we are still using some of the vehicles to move our aggregate for both shoulders and deicing salt. Luke's had his hands full but with the network that he's brought in and Dale making himself available and the Highway Superintendent has his own network, things are going well in the shop. I'm very pleased with what's going on. The heating/air conditioner was put in. That is all functioning. They have been in and tested it and I haven't had any complaints about heat. Air conditioning, we really haven't got into. The boiler has been inspected and we are as ready as we're ever going to be inside. Next month I will be coming to you with specifications for a new plow truck that we talked about for 2015. I'm going to bring you in the specs and my suggestions for what vendor to use. At that time I will request a resolution and because we are using that out of the Capital Equipment Reserve Fund that will have to go to a permissive referendum, which we'll have to advertise. So, I'm working on that. Luke and I have been putting numbers together and we've visited a couple of the plow people. My goal is to make sure that everything can move from one piece of equipment to the other. Sheldon and I have talked about this. It will be an aluminum cab. Sheldon wanted me to look into a stainless steel body instead of aluminum to stay away from Town Board Minutes Page 3 November 11, 2014 the corrosion, which is part of what I am doing. I hope to have that ready to present that to you next month. Supervisor Morey asked if he was going bid it. Superintendent Case - We will either bid it or there are neighboring counties that have it on their bids already. Supervisor Morey - Aren't we a member of a group purchasing organization? Superintendent Case - Yes, we have a pickup truck coming from National Joint Purchasing. This one, because of the snow country we are in, I would expect it would probably be the Tompkins County bid or Cortland or maybe Onondaga. I'm putting my specs together to see how we fit in to what they've got because I do my own specs. Why we held up, if you remember, we bought just a cab and chassis because we didn't have enough money to get the plow equipment. That was because they were in the first stages of the emissions with these new engines and I didn't want us to have a prototype. Now it's here to stay, so what we're getting, personally I don't like it, but it will be to the new standards, hopefully with the kinks worked out. The cost will go up because of it. April L. Scheffler, RMC, Town Clerk/Tax Collector - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. Supervisor Morey and Clerk Scheffler had attended a meeting at the County on shared services for information technology. They both could see some benefits. Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town - Had nothing to report. Councilperson Kelly Smith as Representative to Joint Youth Program - Winter youth programs are starting up. There will be practicing in November and December with games starting in January. They have changed Winterfest to Cabin Fever and the date for that will be February 28. They will have inflatables in the gym and a roller skating party. The Legion will have a band that Friday night to kick off the event. Privilege of the Floor: Darlene Vorhis - I' m one of the property owners at 301 Pleasant Valley Road. I just want everyone to know we are working at trying to get it.....it is down, but I put a stop to it because I haven't got the papers filled out yet and got them over here to get the permit, which I will do tomorrow. We have got the house down. It will be removed and out of there within 60 days like our notice. Sorry we waited this long but under the circumstances we had to. It's not going to be a problem. We'll get it down. Supervisor Morey asked Ms. Vorhis to stay for awhile as this will be a discussion next on the agenda. Discussion took place on the harvesting and sale of the timber on Spring Street. Councilperson Clark said it has been 12 years or more since it has been cut. He contacted Forecon, Inc., and they said there are a lot of trees that are ready to be cut, Town Board Minutes Page 4 November 11, 2014 especially the ash since they are being attacked by the Emerald Ash Borer. Forecon will handle the sale, putting out bids to different companies to come in to cut it, and will inspect the site. There are two options. The first option is a fee of 10% of the accepted gross selling price and they will take care of the sale and advertising. The second option is 15%. This option will require the buyer to have a bond, and would include them inspecting the logging operation from time to time and making sure that everything is cleaned up satisfactorily at the end. Some discussion took place on the forestry project. Rick Case said that there are some good sized trees in there and it is time to cut again. He asked that the Board consider earmarking the money for a needed salt shed. He said that you can drive up to the woods. He and Clerk Scheffler had discussed the possibility of having a pavilion up there and hiking trails. RESOLUTION #14-160 - RETAIN FORECON INC. FOR SPRING STREET TIMBER SALE MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilperson Gamel RESOLVED, that the Town Board approves the contract with Forecon, Incorporated, Forestry & Natural Resource Consultants, retaining them to handle the sale of timber owned by the Town of Groton on Spring Street Extension, and be it further RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby chooses to Option #2 of said contract. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey Nays - Resolution Passed HEARING CONCERNING 301 PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD Supervisor Morey - Tonight, we just got a letter from Mark Knuckles, from Kuckles, Komosinski & Elliott. Basically the letter states that he didn't have sufficient notice and he would like to have an extension for the hearing. Darlene is here and Albert is not here. Ms. Vorhis was asked if minded having the hearing postponed and she did not and that she would return with an attorney next month. RESOLUTION #14-061 - POSTPONE HEARING CONCERNING 301 PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilperson Gamel RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby postpones the hearing on concerning an unsafe structure at 301 Pleasant Valley Road until Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at 8:00 pm. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey Nays - Resolution Passed Town Board Minutes Page 5 November 11, 2014 Discussion took place on setting a fee for a Permit Application for development in the Flood Hazard Area. McLean Fire Department had submitted an application, but the Clerk does not have a fee listed for this type of permit nor has she found any history showing that the Board has ever set a fee. RESOLUTION #14-062 - FEE FOR PERMIT FOR DEVELOPMENT IN FLOOD HAZARD AREA MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilperson Sovocool WHEREAS, no fee has been set for applying for a Permit for Development in Flood Hazard Area, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Town Board wishes to research appropriate fees and set one at it's January Organizational Meeting, and be it further RESOLVED, that the Town Board will not charge a fee for said application to McLean Fire District, a municipal organization. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Morey Nays - Resolution Passed Announcements: ➢ Planning Board Meeting, November 20, 7:30 pm ➢ Zoning Board of Appeals, November 26, 7:00 pm There being no further business, Councilman Gamel moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, at 8:14 pm. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk