HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-03-09 TOWN OF GROTON - MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING
TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2010 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: Rosemarie Tucker, Nick Babel, Wayne Snyder, George Miller, Sue
Bennett, Joe Bennett, Sandi Swearingen, David Swearingen, Pat Nyman,
Donna Simons, Steve Simons, Katherine Wolf, Hugh Keegan, Gary Coats,
Elizabeth Brennan, Richard C. Case, Jr., April Scheffler.
MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the minutes
of the February 9, 2010 meeting as presented.
Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey.
Claim Numbers 52-91 of the General Fund in the amount of $32,485.63 were presented for
audit.
MOVED by Councilman Gamel, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the General
Bills for payment.
Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey.
Claim Numbers 25-46 of the Highway Fund in the amount of$136,279.67 were presented for
audit.
MOVED by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the Highway
Bills for payment.
Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey.
Monthly Reports:
Elizabeth Brennan, Bookkeeper/Highway Clerk - Submitted the Annual Supervisor's Report
for the Board's review. She is now at the point where she will begin catching up on January.
Town Board Minutes Page 2 March 9, 2010
Gary Coats, Code/Fire Enforcement Officer - Submitted monthly reports for January and
February. Stonehedges is putting on a nice addition. Ground breaking will soon take place for a
new house on Old Stage Road. Mr. Coats had recently had the opportunity to speak twice to
classes at Ithaca BOCES.
Richard C. Case, Jr., Highway Superintendent - Everything at the Highway Department is
still dedicated to snow and ice removal. The consumption of salt and sand has been consistent
with previous years as well as plow repairs. When weather allows, trees and brush on Sovocool
Hill will continue to be removed where the snow took them down. The past few days we have
started sign repair, repairing pot holes and washing the salt out of the equipment. The new
broom tractor is in and there were some hydraulic issues that Dale and I didn't like and we're
changing those. We hope to put that in service by the end of the week. I've currently been
searching appropriate ways to bring the employees' ear and eye testing into compliance with
PERMA. The 2010-2011 salt contract has been filed with the NYS OGS.
April L. Scheffler, Town Clerk/Tax Collector - Submitted monthly Town Clerk, Tax Collector
and Country Acres Pet Services reports for the Board's review. Notice had been received
concerning the intention of the Elm Tree Inn to renew their liquor license.
Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town - Had nothing to report
John Norman & A. D. Dawson, Town Justices were not present.
Councilman Donald Scheffler, as Recreation Coordinator - We are working on the annual
budget right now and it looks like an increase of about $700 for the year for the Town's portion.
Privilege of the Floor:
Supervisor Morey - Remember that public comment is a privilege. I'm not required by law to
have public comment. My rules are to respect others' opinions; no swearing; each person can
speak only once; no one can defer their time to another person; there's a limit of three minutes to
speak; and the Board is here to listen and may or may not take any questions. So, who's first?
Sue Bennett - We're aware that the County Planning Department has responded to the proposed
zoning code and they have recommended modification of the proposal. They determined that it
may have a negative intercommunity or countywide impact and they recommend modifications
of the proposal and including recommendations made by them July 14th also. I will quote and
read part of what they wrote because I think it's very important: "Some of the land uses allowed
in the rural agricultural district runs counter to the Joint Comprehensive Plan for the Village and
the Town of Groton 2005. Action Item: to establish zoning and other growth management tools
that promotes development of the existing Village, the hamlets and their immediate environs for
future residential, commercial and industrial land uses. Also, a large portion of the Town of
Groton is in an area designated as an agricultural resource focus area in the Tompkins County
Comprehensive Plan. Allowing the wide variety of uses, including banks, hospitals, hotels,
Town Board Minutes Page 3 March 9, 2010
motels, light industry, retail sales and services, multi-family and high density housing, schools
and large events in the RA district may harm the long-term viability of farming in Groton. The
list of allowed uses should be reduced to those that would be supportive or that co-exist with
agriculture and it would not create pressure to convert farmland to nonagricultural use." I just
wondered what your thoughts were in regard to the two memos that you've had from Tompkins
County Planning Department.
Councilman Gamel - I'd be more than happy to comment on it. One of the things we discussed,
and we went at length at that, Sue, is that farmers have the right to do with their land what they
choose. And we have to protect them as well as the Ithaca Planning Department. Now, whether
they do or do not sell that land off for housing; so that people can build houses on that land; so
that they can recover some of their losses. I feel as bad for the farmers as anyone. But can you
tell a farmer right now that the only person they can sell their property to is a farmer after they
have spent their whole life, or maybe generations? We're trying to protect their right to do with
their property as they want to. That's part of it. Part of that was that, when we had the guy from
Ithaca talking about the first code draft, that they wanted everything in the Village of Groton.
Well, there's 40-some businesses outside the Village, not on Main Street, that have been
surviving for a very long time. And that's what we love about Groton, the fact that people have
been in business, whether it be an antique shop, or whatever it is, the rights that they've had for
generations to be able to do that sort of thing. Now, everybody wants to, you know, the Planning
in Ithaca and the gentleman that we had with the first code, he kept referencing like a lot of
people have, Cortland or Dryden, you know, we want that corridor where all the car dealerships
and stuff are right in one area. I don't see a Walmart out in the country any time soon. We can
change this in a year or five years or six years, but for right now, we spent a lot of time on this
and that's my answer to your question, why we did what we did, to protect the people in this
Town.
Sue Bennett - All right. I'm in total disagreement and you're aware of that. And that's your
interpretation and that's your right. So, what are your intentions in regard to the County's letter?
Supervisor Morey-We took it under advisement and we believe we are right.
Sue Bennett - And you believe you're right?
Supervisor Morey- Yes.
Sue Bennett - Five nonprofessional people are more qualified than the County Planning
Department? Is that what you're saying? Is that what you're saying?
Supervisor Morey - We're saying that we think we understand what we need here in the Town
of Groton.
Sue Bennett- All right. We'll go on then. I'd like to respond to something you said, Glenn, last
month that the petition that was brought before you in September is a dispute between neighbors.
This is not a dispute between neighbors. It is a problem only because the Code Officer made an
incorrect decision in 2008, probably with good intentions, but it has now been perpetuated,
which the Board does need to address in moving forward. That's why we're here, not as a
dispute between neighbors. Another area that's getting twisted constantly, land use versus use of
land. They are inter-changeable terms. They are not separate terms and they are used both ways
in the current and the proposed code and, in reality, the term use of land is used more than land
Town Board Minutes Page 4 March 9, 2010
use. We can all understand that for the first festival in 2008 no one knew what to do or how to
do it or how to categorize. But it's been proven that it's not just a party similar to a graduation or
a wedding. It's a business and it's not permitted in the rural agricultural areas. They advertise
online; they take credit cards. Also, it's not a temporary use. You don't build 20 x 40 foot
stages; install 30,000 watts of power; build 16 foot picnic tables; and improve the land on the
Eckert property as they have done, for a one-time use. Please read the attached statements from
Bob's own blog, and I'll leave this with you. If you refer to the January minutes, Gary Coats
contradicts himself numerous times regarding the land use versus use of land. He even refers to
the festivals as a commercial venture, which is not an approved use. It can't be both ways. So,
let's all face it. It is a business and it appears very permanent. Also, it's irrelevant if they want
to donate any proceeds as that has nothing to do with this. All it does is cloud the facts. And to
this end, you have said, we need to be careful about people's rights and not be discriminatory.
You're right! You do need to be careful. It appears that one person has received preferential
treatment by the codes being subjectively administered. I suggest you scrap the mass gathering
proposal as it does not work and instruct your Code Officer to follow the current code and you
won't have any further issues.
Katherine Wolf - In referring to the last meeting in particular, and I've been doing a lot of
thinking about that meeting and how you (9) this whole issue. I don't think it inspires
confidence in our elected officials when they tell us that they, the elected officials, don't have to
listen to us or give us the opportunity to speak at the Board meeting, that it's entirely at their
discretion. That may be true. In a small town that is supposed to be democratic I think we ought
to be able to hear each other in a public forum and what forum better than a town meeting?
Supervisor Morey-Agreed, Kathy,but the trouble is, the month before it got a little out of hand
with swearing and cussing people out and I didn't want that to happen again.
Katherine Wolf- That's fine.
Supervisor Morey - I just wanted to make sure that everybody is under control, everybody
respects everybody, and has a civil tongue.
Katherine Wolf - I think that's perfectly reasonable to insist upon a civil tongue but the
insistence that you didn't have to listen to us.....
Supervisor Morey-I just wanted to make sure that everybody had respect for everybody else.
Katherine Wolf- The Board repeatedly said that it hadn't heard from the County and wouldn't
talk about what the County said because they hadn't heard from the County. But that was a little
bit disingenuous because you also had access to the July letter that they had written. So, just
saying oh well we haven't heard, sort of
Supervisor Morey - We hadn't heard about the mass gatherings at that point and that's what we
said. We hadn't heard what they had to say with the mass gatherings. That was the question.
Councilman Gamel - We had sent a revision in between that time and apparently you guys had
heard before we had.
Katherine Wolf- I do believe by that time you had received the July letter.
Town Board Minutes Page 5 March 9, 2010
Supervisor Morey- Yes, we did.
Katherine Wolf- I just thought that what you were saying was misleading. It sounded like you
hadn't heard anything from the Planning Department.
Supervisor Morey- In reference to mass gatherings. That's what Hugh was asking about.
Katherine Wolf- The Board has also repeatedly made the point that their job is not to just to
look after Peruville but to look after the interest of all of Groton. Some years ago New York
State wanted to start a low-level nuclear waste dump in Cortland or Allegany County. They said
it was in the interest of all of New York. The residents of both Cortland and Allegany County
protested strenuously and I think we all know what eventually happened with that. We know
that it didn't go through. I'm not entirely sure, I could actually see in that case what the benefit
for all of New York was. They could put all of this low-level nuclear waste into a relatively low-
level population; protect the people in the places where the nuclear waste is being generated.
However the people did say, and they made their point very strenuously, that they didn't want it.
And I think the people of Peruville are doing exactly the same thing. They're saying the concerts
are compromising our quality of life and we need to be listened to. Also, whereas the low-level
nuclear waste would have benefited some communities, I'm not entirely sure what these
concerts, how they benefit the rest of Groton. Mr. Eckert has said he's going to donate the
proceeds. However, in one of these meetings that I attended he also said, what do you mean, I'm
not making any money. So, presumably, there's not much proceeds to donate. The Board also
then, and also now, dismissed examples from surrounding towns saying that we live in Groton
and we don't need to think like Dryden or Lansing or Ithaca and I'll also grant that we do want to
consider Groton first, but just to dismiss what is going on in other places is being shortsighted
unless we want to be lost in the mist like the Village of Brigadoon that appears every 200 years
to the light of day. But I don't think Groton wants to be that way and I think we do live in a
social and political context and you really need to look at what's going on around. Finally, I
attend a folk festival in Albany every year. There's thousands of people and there's a PA
system. I've noticed a couple things. One, there's a camping area away from the main stage.
You don't hear much of it. I've also walked around in the neighborhood surrounding the area
and I noticed that you really don't hear much and it struck me that it has an awful lot to do with
the sighting of the venue as to how much it disturbs the neighbors. Two meetings ago or three
meetings ago '7 and it seems to me that if Mr. Eckert wanted to really hold these concerts
and it's so important to him and I believe his wife said that this is his life, that when he bought
his land he should have paid a bit of attention to the acoustics of the geography and found out
how the sound travels and whether it was really going to be making a major imposition on his
neighbors. And a lot of those neighbors heard an awful lot of those concerts and I'd say it's a
major imposition and that this is something that needs planning and.....? should be taken into
account. At this point, something that Mr. Eckert needs to take into account.
Steve Simons - I think, if it were considered, the recommendations as far as making this a
separate, as they say in here, taking it out of the zoning and making it a separate, I guess you can
call it a law, basically, where it can be enforced. That one question that I think has been brought
up is how it's going to be enforced. It's obviously not going to be. Gary can't be expected to go
out there and watch or monitor how many people are coming in and out. I think that
recommendation should be considered again as far as taking it out and making it a separate
ordinance so that a police officer or police officers could also enforce what we're trying to say
here. Because right now there's no enforcement being put in on mass gathering and really
nobody is going to enforce it. The other thing is we've heard a lot about the fact that the
Town Board Minutes Page 6 March 9, 2010
petitions that were gathered, Sue I think had 70 on hers, which were all residents Groton. You
look at theirs and they only had approximately 35 or 38 that were residents of Groton. Almost a
two to one difference there. I realize that you've got to allow anybody to sign a petition but you
people, yourself, have said, you don't want a zoning ordinance; you don't want to be like
Dryden; you don't want to be like Trumansburg; and yet yourself stated that the numbers were
almost equal as far as against and for. If you don't want to be like these other ones then you
cannot consider these people's names and you have to say it's a two to one margin that people
want something done up there.
Supervisor Morey - Steve, but those 38 people, I didn't go through to see who was a Groton
resident or not,but the 38 people do have their own rights too.
Steve Simons - Granted but what we're saying is it's a two to one margin that are against it and
really you have done nothing to really address it. The 350 people, the number that you put on
there, you still haven't given us a good place where that came from. I've heard ideas of where it
came from. Some of it was based on reunions; some of it was based on weddings. And again, as
we suggested before, that kind of stuff can be set aside by a zoning code. Again, I look at you
guys, I know all you guys, and I really don't understand where you're coming from. My main
concern is the noise. That's it. It's not a matter of having 500 people in one place, it's the noise.
Like right now we have no recourse. Your neighbor, any one of your neighbors could have
garage and a racecar sitting in it and he could go out there and rev that car all night long and
there's nothing you could do about it. You could have somebody's son with a band next door.
They can play all night long, every single night, and there's nothing you can do about it. That's
my concern, is how do you regulate that. And I realize it's tough to regulate, like you say. But
there's hours that you have to have some sort of a non-disturbance of peace and I think that's the
one thing. You know, yes there's concerns about the number of people but I think the noise is a
really big thing. The business aspect, you might want to look at. All you've got to do is go to
the IRS regulations. This is a business. He should be claiming this on his taxes because selling
tickets is an income and a business. Again, real simple, businesses like this need to be regulated
in this type of zone. I just think you guys need to go back and really re-look at this whole deal.
Sandy Swearingen - I have asked before if anybody knew whether Mr. Eckert was a viable
business; if he had a Doing Business As; if he had a DBA. He has also stated that he has a
business; he pays his taxes; and if that was true then the Town would then receive money back
because he would have to pull sales tax revenues off of that and you would have been entitled to
that. I, however, have called Tompkins County today and he is not listed there as any kind of
business. So, I just wanted to let you know that we're not receiving anything from him.
Wayne Snyder - I just want to say Spring hasn't even hit yet and at ten after three this afternoon
my wife was outside on the deck washing windows and Mr. Eckert's band was playing. Whether
it was just his band, I mean it wasn't his whole gig up there, but she said all's she could hear was
a bunch of screaming and yelling and the drums and that was it. So, like Mr. Simons said, I
think something should be done about the noise. That's the biggest thing, I think, everybody's
looking at the noise. Having a lot of people up there, beer cans thrown out in your front lawn,
the traffic and everything else, you know from these parties, that's not right. Something's got to
be done. I mean, if you guys were living where we're living, you might change your tune a little
bit, but you don't. I mean, you got little kids running around and hearing the cussing and
swearing over the microphone, it's uncalled for. They want to have their party, have their party;
turn it down. Why do we all have to deal with it? I mean, there were 70 people on that petition
about the noise. I mean, I just don't see what the big problem is.
Town Board Minutes Page 7 March 9, 2010
Councilman Gamel - In my opinion, and this is just my opinion, I totally understand where the
entire hamlet of Peruville is coming from and that it's probably obnoxious and atrocious and you
know, I cleaned up a broken beer bottle on Salt Road in my front yard in my driveway the other
night. It happens. People throw junk out the window and it's smashed up, yes, I understand that.
It happens everywhere. I know this doesn't mean anything to you guys because it's not helping
your situation but I just want to try to explain at least where I'm coming from on this end. Like I
said, it's not made to make you feel any better, it's just the fact that this is one situation. This is
one guy doing one thing. A noise ordinance does so much damage in the general scope of things
because you're right, Mr. Simons could have someone next door with a race care. But you could
also have somebody next door with their kitchen window open with a radio on and because
there's a beef between neighbors, every 15 minutes the cops are called and they go to their house
because the radio was playing too loud. "Well it's not now but it was a little while ago." And
it's those kinds of things we're trying to protect from. It is, I'm sure it's awful for that one
weekend or two weekends a year or two days and we tried to address with the 90 decibels to get
that noise turned down; the ten o'clock at night to get that thing shut off at a reasonable time and
I think we've address a lot of those things. Is it going to be perfect? No.
Wayne Snyder - So you're saying it's addressed right now; that the noise cuts out at ten
o'clock?
Councilman Gamel - That's what we have in there right now is ten o'clock and 90 decibels. If
it's in as an ordinance it's police enforceable, isn't it?
Clerk Scheffler - It's a local law.
Wayne Snyder - And how many days can the events go?
Councilman Gamel - One. We've tried to meet in the middle. I know it's not a perfect
situation, which is for him not to have anything, for you guys. I know that would be the perfect
situation.
Joe Bennett- I guess I don't understand what, you keep referring to the Hamlet of Old Peruville,
like we're the only ones who will benefit from what we request. To me, a noise ordinance would
benefit the whole Town.
Councilman Gamel- Personally, I disagree.
Joe Bennett- Are you not here to represent the whole Town?
Councilman Gamel - I am.
Joe Bennett - And maybe waive your own personal opinion in support of what the majority of
the Town is asking for?
Supervisor Morey- Joe, the majority of the Town is asking for no noise ordinance.
Joe Bennett - Well, I would say, how can you say that?
Supervisor Morey- I've talked to a lot of farmers; I've talked to a lot of people around.
Town Board Minutes Page 8 March 9, 2010
Councilman Gamel - Construction workers, farmers, builders. You show up at the Board
meetings, but you think we leave this here? You think everybody I speak to that lives in the
Town of Groton, that I don't ask are you in favor or not in favor of a noise ordinance?
Joe Bennett - So, my opinion is that I don't think that what we're asking for has a negative
impact on the whole Town and depending on how a noise ordinance is written, I also don't
believe it would impact farming and construction workers and that sort of thing. What I've
heard, as far as people who have taken the time to come speak at these meetings, the only people
who have spoken in favor of what Bob Eckert is doing are people who have something to gain by
Bob Eckert's venture, whether it's vendors, relatives or people like that. The rest of the people
who take the time to come to these meetings have an interest in maintaining the peace around
their homes. Now, I dare say that if this type of festival was going on in any other part of the
township of Groton, you'd have that group that was directly effected also here in the courtroom,
whether it's farmer, a private homeowner or just a business person. Also, you said that this is
one time a year. It's one time a year if the numbers exceed 350. It is my understanding that
anything under 350 has no regulations. Is that correct? So, 325 could have it every weekend. Is
that correct? Is that what you're proposing? That's what I'm not understanding here. Because
you said one time a year. One time a year if it's over 350. If it's under that, every day, every
weekend? That is not protecting the Town. Yes, it's unfortunate for the people of Peruville,
Sharpsteen Road, Pleasant Valley Road, that this is happening in that area, but again I'll reiterate
that if this was happening up on Salt Road, Chipman Corners, those neighbors would be just as
concerned as the ones sitting here.
Kathy Wolf- Can I just ask the Board a question? I know I spoke before.
Supervisor Morey- Come on up.
Kathy Wolf- I'll put the question in context. Two neighbors ago my next-door neighbors had
11 dogs which she let out around the clock 9 .The barking was continuous. I finally wrote
her a letter being able to enclose the Groton Dog Ordinance that says that's not okay.
And complaints because she wrote back to me and said, "I'm moving out. This isn't a good
place for me. Can you wait till June?" But I had the ordinance behind me. Does the Town
really believe that dog barking is worse than, you know, hearing a rock concert going on almost
like it's in my living room? And if you can regulate dog barking, why can't you regulate this
kind of disturbance caused by a neighbor? And that's really my question. I don't understand the
difference between dogs and people in terms of obnoxious. Has anyone actually brought this up?
Supervisor Morey-No, Kathy, you're the first one who brought it up.
Donna Simons - To correct you, Glenn, I did bring it up at the last meeting as far as the dogs.
Supervisor Morey- I'm sorry.
Donna Simons - And I did bring it to your attention last time. In this letter it states that "the
modifications of noise provisions which states that the noise shall not exceed 90 decimals at the
source. This is difficult to enforce and requires on-site measurements." Who's got that kind of
equipment? Who's going to go around and monitor that type of noise? The State Police, I'm
sure don't have this. The Sheriff's office, which is who would have to respond, I'm sure don't
have it. When our house was broken in at 197 Sharpsteen Road last year, roughly around the
time of these concerts, I can't say it was these people. I don't know. But we had that house open
Town Board Minutes Page 9 March 9, 2010
for two years and never had a problem until all of a sudden we've got concerts. We called the
Sheriff's Department and they came out and the Sheriff's Department told us they only have two
or three cars to go the whole County. What are we going to do when this gets out of hand when
there's over 350 people or the noise goes beyond ten o'clock? I asked you last time, which one
of you am I going to call to come out there and monitor that? You're not going to be happy if
I'm calling you at midnight. And I don't want to do that to anybody. And I don't know Mr.
Eckert. And I'm not against him having fun on his property. I have 25 acres up there. I want to
be able to have fun on my property if I want, not that I would have 250 people, but. It's not
against Mr. Eckert and having use of his land. It is being considerate of his neighbors and that
isn't going to happen. It's been proven and the Board isn't doing anything to address this. Now,
I understand that nobody wants a noise ordinance. That's fine. Okay then, don't make it part of
the Code. Make it a law in this Town that you cannot have a gathering that is that large or that
the noise is that loud to affect your neighbors. Then that way and every other agency, law
enforcement agency, can then cancel it. This isn't going to give them a means of handling the
issue of this or any place else. There is another venue that Mr. Eckert can use to have these
concerts. They have the concerts in the park every summer here. There's a baseball field. I'm
sure he could probably get the Town or Village to let him use that. There's the school
auditorium. If he wants to bring in a band and he wants to contribute to the economy of this
community, let him do it there. That will bring the money in and let us benefit from it. That's
all I have to say.
With no other comments from the public, the Board continued with the meeting.
RESOLUTION#10-021 - TOWN HISTORIAN TO ATTEND CONFERENCE
MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel
Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey
MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Clark
Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey
RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the payment of expenses for the Town
Historian, Rosemarie Tucker to attend the Association of Public Historians of New York State in
Buffalo,New York, April 17 - 20, 2010.
RESOLUTION#10- 022 -AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT
WITH THE GREATER TOMPKINS COUNTY MUNICIPAL
HEATH INSURANCE CONSORTIUM
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Council of Governments (TCCOG) is comprised of all the
municipalities in Tompkins County, and
WHEREAS, the Town of Groton is a member of the Tompkins County Council of
Governments, and
WHEREAS, health care costs for Tompkins County and other local governments have been
increasing each year at rates much higher than inflation, which can be addressed by pooling our
buying power, and
Town Board Minutes Page 10 March 9, 2010
WHEREAS, in 2007, the County on behalf of TCCOG, accepted an incentive grant award under
the New York State Shared Municipal Services Program to assist the municipalities in Tompkins
County to create a municipal health care consortium, and
WHEREAS, the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium developed
health benefits coverage for all participating municipalities with the intent of providing a net
savings to the taxpayers of Tompkins County, a goal the Town of Groton supports, and
WHEREAS, TCCOG encourages the signature of an inter-municipal agreement by TCCOG
members, so
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Town Board of the Town of
Groton, the Chief Elected Official of the Town of Groton, Glenn Morey, is hereby authorized to
execute a municipal cooperative agreement effective on or about May 1, 2010, wit the Greater
Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium for the New York State Shared
Municipal Services Program.
RESOLUTION#10-023 - TOWN CLERK& DEPUTY TO ATTEND CONFERENCE
MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler
Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey
RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the payment of expenses for the Town
Clerk, April Scheffler, and the Deputy Clerk, Robin Cargian, to attend the New York State Town
Clerks Association Conference in Saratoga Springs,NY, April 25-28, 2010.
RESOLUTION #10-024 - SET DATE FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON
DRAFT LAND USE AND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT
MOVED by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Supervisor Morey
Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey
RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby sets a Public Hearing for the purpose of receiving
public comment on the Proposed Local Law #1 for the Year 2010, the amended Town of Groton
Land Use and Development Code for Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 8:00 PM.
Work Sessions for the purpose of final reviews of the Draft Code were set for Thursday, March
11, 2010 at 6:00 PM and Tuesday, march 16, 2010 at 6:00 PM.
Consensus of the Board was that they had no objection to the renewal of the liquor license for
the Elm Tree Inn in McLean.
Town Board Minutes Page 11 March 9, 2010
Announcements:
➢ Planning Board- March 18 at 7:30 PM
➢ Zoning Board of Appeals -March 31 at 7:00 PM
➢ McLean Community Council - March 10 at 7:30 PM at McLean Fire Station
➢ Retirement Party for Louie Howell - March 20 at 3:00 - 4:00 PM at American Legion
➢ Managing Emergencies in Tompkins County - March 30 at 5:30 - 7:00 PM at TC3
➢ Presentation on Adolescent Brain Development - March 30 at 7:00 PM in the Highe
School Cafeteria, Sponsored by the Groton Youth Commission.
There being no further business, Councilman Sovocool moved to adjourn, seconded by
Councilman Scheffler, at 8:26 PM. Unanimous.
April L. Scheffler, RMC
Town Clerk