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Home My WebLink About2007-08-14 TOWN OF GROTON - MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2007 AT 7:30 PM THE TOWN HALL, 101 CONGER BOULEVARD Those present: Glenn E. Morey, Supervisor Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman Donald F. Scheffler, Councilman Richard B. Gamel, Councilman Sheldon C. Clark, Councilman Victoria Monty,Attorney for the Town Also present: Brenda Evanek, Matt Cooper, Elizabeth Brennan, Richard C. Case, Jr., April Scheffler. MOVED by Councilman Gamel, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the minutes of the July 10, 2007 meeting as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Claim Numbers 236-267 of the General Fund in the amount of$25,617.61 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Claim Numbers 123-133 of the Highway Fund in the amount of$78,860.28 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Claim Numbers 74-77 of the Special Grant (HUD) Fund in the amount of $7,555.13 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the HUD bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Supervisor Morey offered Privileged of the Floor but no one wished to speak at this time. Town Board Minutes Page 2 August 14, 2007 Monthly Reports: Elizabeth Brennan, Bookkeeper/Highway Clerk - Presented her report for the Board's review and asked for Budget Transfers and an Amendment to the Budget. RESOLUTION#07-052 - 2007 BUDGET TRANSFERS MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the following 2007 Budget Transfers: General Fund Town Wide: From: Contingency A1990.4 ....$1,857.00 To: Attorney, Miscellaneous A1420.41 1,857.00 From: Records Management A1410.42 ..682.23 To: Records Management Clerk A1410.12 .682.23 Highway Fund Part Town: From: General Repairs, Contractual DB5110.4 $1,080.23 To: CHIPS DB5112.2 .1,080.23 RESOLUTION #07-053 -AMENDMENT TO 2007 BUDGET MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the following Amendment to the 2007 Budget: Debit: DB3501 $1,080.23 Credit:DB5112.2 ..1,080.23 Supervisor Morey asked Brenda Evanek from Mondorf& Fenwick, PLLC to present the draft audit report for the year ending December 31, 2006. Ms. Evanek handed out the draft audit report and explained the highlights of it. There were no adverse findings and the Town accounts are in very good shape. She had looked at income and disbursements and found that all balanced. The Town also has a good policy of how money is recorded and an effective separation of powers that add to the checks and balances. Fixed assets were adequately recorded. An audit of the Justice Court accounts was also done and they are also in good shape. Ms. Evanek thanked all Town personnel who provided records and helped out. Town Board Minutes Page 3 August 14, 2007 Return to Monthly Reports: Gary Coats, Code Enforcement Officer - Was not present but submitted a monthly report for the Board's review. Richard C. Case, Jr.,Highway Superintendent -At the present time, the Highway Department is involved in many highway maintenance projects. The shop is on course with repairs, preventive maintenance and vehicle inspections. The new truck has been received and is being prepared for the sander mounting which will be done in-house. The majority of the drainage and right-of-way reclamations work on Lick Street, from Clark Street to Sears Road is done. Cross- over pipes and a section of Sears Road have been grader trued and leveled. This crew has other areas to do, which will prepare us for the roadway sealing portion of our maintenance season. Cleaning and preparation of the center section of the Highway Garage is taking place this week. The Historical Society will be holding its annual flea market here during Olde Home Days this weekend. The fuel storage application that was filed with NYS DEC has been accepted and approved and will stay in effect for 5 years. If you have a chance, take a look at Elm Street, the Fuller barnyard section. The fill has been placed to hold back the water that was creating the flooding problem; the site distance problem has been solved; and the base structure now stands a chance of supporting the weight that the road is subjected to. The Highway Crew did a nice job with this portion of the project. The paving portion is still to come and won't be this year, but it is sealed up. It will be smoother when we blacktop. The Youth Program employees finished up last week. Mack Lewis and Ellard Keister were this year's participants. They did a great job and their help was truly noticed. At the present time, I am researching sander spreaders and at the next meeting hope to have compiled enough information and quotes necessary to ask for a resolution for purchase. Mr. Case explained that now that they have the new truck, he would like to ask permission to sell at municipal auction, the truck that was replaced, the old truck 21. After some discussion, the consensus of the Board indicated that the truck should go to auction. April L. Scheffler, Town Clerk/Tax Collector - Submitted her monthly report for the Board's review. The Youth Program employees from the Clerk's Office and Code Enforcement Office were also done work. Her youth employee, Stacie Vance, had worked for her for three years and she will miss her next year when she moves on to other things. An update on elections was received. Primary Day has been changed from September 11 to September 18 to honor the memories of the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. There will be no Primary in Groton as there is no one on the ballot. The 2008 Presidential Primary has been changed to February 5th. Certification for new voting machines is now on hold due to problems with one of the testing labs. The good news is that Congress passed legislation allowing New York State to keep $50 million that we thought was lost because we didn't Town Board Minutes Page 4 August 14, 2007 purchase machines before the deadline. The deadline has now been moved to September of 2008 for the State to purchase new machines. Supervisor Morey had received a letter from Vicki Lewis, Chair of the Olde Home Days Committee thanking the Town Board for their support of Olde Home Days in the past and asking if they would consider a donation to pay for the port-a-johns this year. Discussion took place on the subject. The Town has paid for this some years in the past; some years they have paid for the tent; and some years they have donated for other things. RESOLUTION#07-054 -DONATION TO OLDE HOME DAYS MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby makes a donation to the Groton Olde Home Days Committee for the rental of port-a-johns in the amount of$660.00. Said donation to be added to the current abstract. Victoria Monty,Attorney for the Town - Had nothing to report John Norman & A. D. Dawson, Town Justices - Were not present but had submitted their monthly reports. Donald Scheffler, as Recreation Coordinator, had given his committee the month off and had nothing to report. Discussion took place concerning the Public Development Loan request that had been received from John Fiore, owner of Fiore's Auto Repair. The Board talked about the amount requested, interest rate, time of repayment and how and when payments would be made. The Board asked Attorney Monty to complete the paperwork and work up a payment schedule. RESOLUTION #07-055 -APPROVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOAN FOR JOHN FIORE MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the requested Community Development Loan to John Fiore, Fiore's Auto Repair, 622 Cortland Road, Groton, NY in the amount of $8,147.00; for a period of 4 years; at a rate of 3%; no collateral; late fees of 2%; to be payable to the Town of Groton on the 1St of each month. Town Board Minutes Page 5 August 14, 2007 RESOLUTION#07-056-AUTHORIZE SUPERVISOR TO SIGN FIORE LOAN AGGREEMENT MOVED by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark Abstain- Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor, Glenn Morey, to sign any paperwork or agreement associated with the John Fiore Community Development Loan. Supervisor Morey set the first 2008 Budget Work Session was set for Thursday, September 6, 2007 at 7:00pm to discuss thoughts and goals for next year. Announcements: ➢ Planning Board-August 16 - 7 pm ➢ Emergency Public Information Update - September 11 - 8:30 am -Noon- TC3 ➢ Groton Olde Home Days - August 17 & 18 Councilman Clark asked what the status was on the new fire truck business that was scheduled to locate within the Village of Groton. Supervisor Morey explained that there was a hold up with the State IDA having to do with prevailing wage. Tompkins County has decided to move forward with this and other projects and it is going forward. There being no further business, Councilman Sovocool moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, at 8:12 pm. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk