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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-08-14 TOWN OF GROTON -MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2012 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 Fran Casullo, Attorney for the Town Also present: Andy Crispell, Jane Crispell, Emmet Crispell, Owen Cripsell, Joan Packard, Greg Weiland, Dyan Lombardi, David Kalb, John Gaines, Carole Daugherty, Mike Morris, Mike Goldstein, Patrick Jordan, Jennifer Schwade, Lisa Trust, Joel Rabinowitz, Dorothy Pompomi, David Neal, Gailanne McKenzie, Marc Perosio, Brian Robinson, Gary Coats, Charles Rankin, Richard C. Case, Jr., April Scheffler. MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the minutes of the July 10, 2012 meeting as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Clark, Morey. Abstain - Gamel Claim Numbers 209 - 240 of the General Fund in the amount of $14,183.34 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Gamel, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. (Note: See Resolution #12-048 - Donation to Olde Home Days Celebration, which adds voucher #241 to abstract in the amount of$900.00, making the total amount approved for the General Fund to be $15,083.34.) Claim Numbers 101-114 of the Highway Fund in the amount of $9,436.21 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Gamel, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Town Board Minutes Page 2 August 14,2012 Monthly Reports: Charles Rankin, Bookkeeper- Presented monthly reports for the Board's review. Did not have anything to report on Cable TV. He had attended a meeting for the Health Care Consortium and it appears that the money the municipalities had to initially put in to create a fund reserve may be coming back at the end of this year or next year instead of 2014 as originally thought. Gary Coats, Code Enforcement Officer - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. He has about 4 Life Safety Inspections left to do. There are now 17 new houses that are either being built or in the planning stages, with the majority being stick-built. April L. Scheffler, RMC, Town Clerk/Tax Collector - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. Chrissie has been working out really well as a Summer Youth Worker. We've gone through Court records from 1947 to 1999 and are ready to get permission from the Office of Court Administration to shred them. We've gotten a lot done and she has been really good help. This weekend is the photo show and we hope you all can come and also enjoy Olde Home Days. Councilman Donald Scheffler, as Representative to Joint Recreation Committee - Had nothing to report. Francis Casullo, Attorney for the Town - Had nothing to report. Richard C. Case, Jr., Highway Superintendent- Vehicle inspections and repairs are up to date. Roadside mowing is on schedule and taking place daily. The majority of the Town road intersections have been re-broomed. The Summer Youth Workers, Don Evener and Chris Graham, have once again proven to be very helpful this year. The Townline Road from West Groton Road to Spring Street has been grader honed and re- rolled. The Brown Road project is coming along very well. Culverts have been replaced and the drainage work is getting tested as we speak. It's about 80% done. We're holding the Olde Home Days flea market in our main barn this weekend. Dale and I have moved the new truck from International Syracuse to Viking Cives in Batavia last Tuesday. I think by the next Board meeting we can have it here to show you. They are mounting the snowplow equipment and the dump body up there. There will be a sander body portion of this truck project that we will do in our own shop and I will have quotes for you at the next Board Meeting to purchase a sander body. I would also like to have permission to take a 1992 Autocar tandem dump truck to the municipal auction held in Lansing in September. This is the vehicle that's being replaced by the new truck. Councilman Clark - Complimented the road-side mowing and said that it was a super job. Mr. Case - Said that he had received comments from the public about the nice job they had done on Brown Road and how courteous all the Highway Employees were. Supervisor Morey - Asked if Mr. Case was keeping on top of the Groton City Bridge project. Town Board Minutes Page 3 August 14,2012 Mr. Case - Said that he had not been able to attend the meeting but understood that the County is discussing it and no decision has yet been made. Even though it is a County road, the Town plows it, under contract, and he will be making sure that there is some kind of turn-around for the plow truck before winter comes. RESOLUTION #12-043 - PERMISSION TO TAKE 1992 AUTOCAR TO AUCTION MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby gives permission to the Highway Superintendent to take the 1992 Autocar Tandem Dump Truck the Municipal Auction in Lansing, New York, in September. Brian Robison, County Legislator- Said that it was his understanding that the Groton City Bridge, as it stands right now, has a placeholder in the capital projects lineup for the County for design work in 2014. He did go to that meeting at the Groton City Church and to his surprise it was pretty much 50 - 50 among the folks there and that didn't go unnoticed by the people from the County. It's probably good that it's being put off until after it's been closed for a couple of years and then hold another forum to see if people have changed their mind on it. In February of last year an independent redistricting committee was established and they have forwarded a plan, to go to public hearing, whereby the County Legislature would be reduced from 15 members to 14. This district, District 9, would virtually stay the same except that it would add a little bit more from the towns of Dryden and Lansing. The City of Ithaca would lose one seat. He didn't have a date for the hearing yet. Privilege of the Floor: David Kalb - Brought an article from the Albany Times Union about towns passing moratoriums and local laws against fracking and how they have been upheld in the courts. He does not think the Town should worry about being sued because the courts have ruled that they have the right to pass these laws. Greg Weiland -Said that he was worried that we were going to run out of time to pass a moratorium or law because the Governor may make a decision by Labor Day as to whether or not to begin to allow drilling in the Southern Tier. He said that once permits are filed there is nothing we can do to stop it and urged the Board to take a strong stand to either ban fracking or pass a moratorium. Mike Goldstein - Asked the Board to again consider the letter sent to them by GRACK and also to consider what every other municipality in the County has done. He said that a moratorium would create the time the Board needs to make a decision. John Gaines - When looking at his grandchildren and great grandchildren and what their future has in store for them, he sees three major issues: A threat to our species in the form of climate change; a threat to the economy in the financial state of this nation, particularly in the influence that money has in politics; and third a threat to our Town Board Minutes Page 4 August 14,2012 community, which for him is high volume, horizontal, hydraulic fracking. He has become increasingly concerned about this and will do what he can to ban frocking in this town. He thinks it is important for his grandchildren and children that we preserve the family atmosphere that he has known for the 35 years that he has lived in Groton. Jean Crispell - Has an ever-growing fear of fracking coming to this state and this community. She is astounded by people who are not frightened by it. She and her husband are both business owners in Groton as well as people who shop and do business in Groton but will move if fracking comes in order to protect their children. She also left a publication for the Board and copies of an anti-fracking newspaper. Marc Perosio - Brought the Board a publication that compares natural gas to gasoline. He has spoken with Mike Achie, from Chesapeake, who is willing to host meetings throughout the fall for anyone who would like to go to Pennsylvania to observe what a gas well really is and answer questions. He said that water testing now has to be done at a minimum of 2,500 feet from a new pad before they start drilling and that the gas companies are going 4,000 to 5,000 feet for added safety. He said that about 25% of the wells in Pennsylvania are contaminated before the drilling starts. He offered to orchestrate any meetings that people wanted to go to. Carole Daugherty - Read a letter from Sue Bennett that had previously been sent to the Town Board, expressing her belief that the dangers of fracking are unacceptable and urging them to either ban frocking or pass a moratorium. Andy Crispell - Said that our kids and grandkids are our future and that he hoped the Board would pass a ban to keep the community the way it is. He referred to recent well damage in Texas due to the weather and said that they are not designed to withstand hurricanes and earthquakes larger than 1 .7. David Neil - Supports a ban and in lieu of that, a moratorium. He is extremely concerned about the impact on the environment, business, property values, and truck traffic. He personally feels that something such as this should be put to a referendum but understands that may not legally possible. He is concerned that the Board is not hearing all of the voices in the Town and urges the Board to use caution. He understands that the Town of Groton itself has leases and that concerns him. Councilman Game! - The Town of Groton? Mr. Neil - The Village of Groton Supervisor Morey- The Town of Groton has no leases. Dyan Lombardi - Said that she would like to see a ban but would like to request the Town put a moratorium in place to take time to look at everything as well as new things that keep coming up. Dorothy Pomponio - What if 89% of the people who signed leases in Groton do not have adequate insurance coverage on their property? Once the drilling begins, those people will be liable. She has done quite a bit of research on the issue and believes that homeowners are vulnerable and will not be covered if there is an accident. She Town Board Minutes Page 5 August 14,2012 provided the Board with copies of some of her information as well as where they could look for further information. Patrick Jordan from Ciaschi, Dietershagen, Little, Mickelson & Company, LLP, was there to present the 2011 audit of the Town's fiscal records to the Town Board. He also had the report on the 2011 audit of the Town Justice Court. He gave a brief overview of the audit. They had found no significant problems and the books and records have been accurately kept. He left copies of the audit for the Board, Bookkeeper and the Clerk. MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel, to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing litigation at 8:20 pm. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to return to Regular Session at 8:43 pm. Supervisor Morey - Let the record show that no resolutions were made during Executive Session. RESOLUTION #12-044 - ACCEPT 2011 FISCAL YEAR AUDIT MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby accepts the 2011 Fiscal Year Audit of the Town of Groton financial statements as presented by Ciaschi, Dietershagen, Little, Mickelson & Company, LLP. RESOLUTION #12-045 - ACCEPT 2011 FISCAL YEAR AUDIT OF THE TOWN OF GROTON JUSTICE COURT. MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby accepts the 2011 Fiscal Year Audit of the Town of Groton Justice Court as presented by Ciaschi, Dietershagen, Little, Mickelson & Company, LLP. RESOLUTION # 12-046 - COURT CLERK TO ATTEND CONFERENCE MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the payment of expenses for the Court Clerk, Cindy Vicedomini, to attend the New York State Association of Magistrates Court Clerks Conference, September 30 - October 3, 2012 in Albany, New York. Town Board Minutes Page 6 August 14,2012 RESOLUTION #12-047 - BOOKKEEPER TO ATTEND CONFERENCE MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Clark Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the payment of the registration for the Bookkeeper, Charles Rankin, to attend the New York State Conference of Mayors September 10 - 14, 2012 in Lake Placid, New York. Clerk Scheffler - Said that she just remembered that she had not put the annual donation to the Olde Home Days Celebration on the abstract as she had intended to do and asked the Board if they would like to pass a resolution to have this added to the abstract. RESOLUTION #12-048 - DONATION TO OLDE HOME DAYS CELEBRATION MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the annual donation to the Olde Home Days Celebration, as budgeted in the B7550.4 account in the amount of $900.00 and be it further RESOLVED, that this be an added voucher to this month's abstract. RESOLUTION #12-049 - PAY ONE HALF OF OUTSTANDING BILLS FOR ADVERTISING FOR OLDE HOME DAYS MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Clark Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey WHEREAS, the organizers of the 2010 and 2011 Olde Home Days left an outstanding bill of $779.40 owed to The Shopper for advertisement and WHEREAS, the Village of Groton and the Town of Groton feel that it would be in the best interest of the community and the successful continuation of the celebration to pay this bill, be it RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the payment of one half of the bill, in the amount of $389.70 to be taken out of the A7550.4, Celebrations, account. Town Board Minutes Page 7 August 14,2012 RESOLUTION #12-050 - REQUEST ATTORNEY DRAFT MORATORIUM RELATIVE TO HYDROFRACKING MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby requests that the Town Attorney draft a local law for a proposed moratorium relative the hydrofracking in the Town of Groton. Announcements: ➢ Planning Board, August 16, 7:30 PM > Zoning Board of Appeals, August 29, 7:00 PM > Groton Olde Home Days, August 17 - 18 > 4th Annual Verne Morton Memorial Photo Show and Contest, August 17 & 18. There being no further business, Councilman Gamel moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, at 9:01 PM. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk