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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-12-19339 REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING DATE. December 19, 2001 TIME: 7:00 P.M. PLACE: Lansing Town Hall Board Room AGENDA 1. Call Meeting to Order. 2. Roll Call 39 Pledge of Allegiance 4. Privilege of the Floor: A. William Steele Be Anyone wishing to address the Board. 5. Request for Handicapped Signs on N. Lansing School Road 6. Engineer's Report 7. Highway Superintendent's Report 80 Code Enforcement Officer's Report 90 Approve Audit 10. Approve Minutes of November 19th and December 12th, 2001 11. Board Member Reports 12. Executive Session as needed 13. Adjournment 34) December 19, 2001 The Lansing Town Board met in Regular Session at the Lansing Town Hall Board Room at 7:00 p.m. with Supervisor Farkas presiding. The Supervisor called the meeting to order and had the clerk take the Roll Call. Stephen Farkas Herbert Beckwith Katrina Greenly Meg Overstrom Francis Shattuck Bonita Boles Richard John ROLL CALL Supervisor Councilperson Councilperson Councilperson Councilperson Town Clerk Town Attorney Present Present Present (7:18) Present Present Present Present VISITORS: David Herrick, Pete Larson, Richard Platt, Jack French, Charles Nedrow, Charles Purcell, Joe Bailey, Jonathan & Tiffany Howe, Joseph Bailey, Douglas McEver, David Jones, Candis Bailey, Doug Firth and a couple of other residents. There was a group of Boy Scouts present so the Supervisor had them lead the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance. OTTENSCHOTT BUILDING: Mr. William Steele asked the Board to allow him to rent the building on the old Ottenschott property. He stated that he has a semi -truck trailer that he would like to put in the building to work on. He stated that he did not want to pay much in rent but that he would agree to have the electricity turned back on, fix the broken windows and leave it in better shape then it is presently in. Mr. Farkas stated that he was concerned that if the Town rented it to an individual it could set a precedent. After some discussion, it was decided that Mr. John would look into the legality of the matter and that Mr. Steele would look into the cost of turning the electricity back on. HANDICAPPED PARKING ON NORTH LANSING SCHOOL ROAD: Mr. Farkas informed the Board that he had a request from Mrs. Flinn of 195 North Lansing School Road for a Handicapped road sign. The following resolution was then offered: RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Beckwith and seconded by Mr. Shattuck: WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Lansing has received a request from a resident at 195 North Lansing School Road for the placement of blind person signs to alert traffic to the presence of a sight impaired person; and WHEREAS, the layout of North Lansing School Road is such that vehicles travel at a high rate of speed near the residence of issue; therefore, it is hereby RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Lansing authorizes the placement of handicapped person signs near 195 North Lansing School Road, to alert traffic to the presence of a handicapped person. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the sign will remain in place until the handicapped person no longer lives at 195 North Lansing School Road. Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Herbert Beckwith, Councilperson Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Meg Overstrom, Councilperson Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Francis Shattuck, Councilperson 3q1 Continued, December 19, 2001 Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Stephen Farkas, Supervisor ENGINEER'S REPORT: WATER DISTRICT NO. 7 (R.PAGE): A meeting to continue discussing this project was held on 12/7 but was postponed lacking Mr. Page's attendance. Another time will be scheduled after the Holidays. WATER DISTRICT 7, EXTENSION 12 (YOUNG): T.G. Miller will assemble and submit materials to NYSDEC to obtain the Water Supply Permit. SANITARY SEWER PLANNING AND MAINTENANCE. A. REGIONAL SEWER INITIATIVE. A meeting of municipal engineer's was called by NYSDEC to clarify status and to discuss upcoming Bond Act Funding opportunities. DEC suggested that $3.5 - $ 5.1 million is still left in the Finger Lakes pool for eligible projects. DEC stated the importance of VCH and IAWTP submitting work plans by mid - January for the respective treatment plant improvements and filtration. These work plans are necessary to prepare `contracts' with the EFC. The completion of draft or final contracts shows forward progress and gives the State reason to consider further funding commitments. It is clear that lacking these contracts the Town of Lansing and other City project components will not be further funded. Work plans for the Lansings' are also expected. DEC produced documentation indicating the filtration projects will receive up to 85% of the construction costs. They were verbally informed of this commitment but to date have not seen written confirmation. DEC is favoring funding for the balance of the Lansing request in lieu of Phase 3 interceptor work in the City. In Steve Eidt's opinion there is a better chance of obtaining funds for Lansing but not both. In an effort to resolve the lingering question of "excess" treatment plant capacities DEC volunteered to review operating data and lend an informal opinion of current treatment levels. Bill Gray was asked to prepare the joint request. B. CHERRY ROAD SEWER• High pressure cleaning and televising of sewer mains in Horizons Subdivision area was started this week and should be finished by 12/28/01. Any leaks or pipe damage will be located. HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT: OTTENSCHOTT PROPERTY: Mr. Larson stated that most of the clean up is finished. Stone will be needed but they will have to wait for the ground to freeze in order to get to it. ARROWOOD AND WHISPERING PINES EXTENSIONS: Road extensions have been done in these areas and are almost complete. Some drainage questions have come up and hopefully will be solved by the December 28th meeting. At this time Mr. Larson would like to be able to recommend that the Board accept the extensions. 3LAz Continued, December 19, 2001 Mr. Farkas thanked the Highway Department for all of their hard work in the cleaning up the Ottenschott property. CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S REPORT: Mr. Platt stated that, excluding NYSE &G, they were up by 23 permits and up by $ 1,868,325.00 in project costs. The total fees collected to date is $ 6,409.97. DICK COOK PROPERTY ON THE CORNER OF DAVIS AND FENNER ROAD. Mr. Cook would like to use this property as a stage location for vehicles until a crusher picks them up. He stated that Mr. Cook would put up a fence. Mr. John stated that this would come under Junk Yard rules and regulations. Mr. Beckwith stated that the ground is no good. Mr. Purcell and Mr. Nedrow stated that they were against this proposal. After some discussion, it was decided that Mr. Cook should come before the Board with his proposal at a later date. AUDIT RESOLUTION: RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Beckwith and seconded by Mrs. Greenly: RESOLVED, that the bookkeeper is hereby authorized and directed to pay the following bills: Voucher Numbers: 1187-1288 Prepaids: 1187-1193 General Fund 385857.47 Highway Fund 415269.43 Lansing Lighting Districts 1,324.55 Lansing Water Districts 745039.78 Town Hall Project (HA) 275.00 Lansing Agency & Trust 105287.08 Capital Projects: Water 19 273.99 Water 12, Ext. 2 272.54 Water 2, Ext. 3 272.54 Ottenschott Property Clean up 2,015.30 Cherry Road Sewer 210.00 Vote of Town Board. (Aye) Herbert Beckwith, Councilperson Vote of Town Board. (Aye) Katrina Greenly, Councilperson Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Meg Overstrom, Councilperson Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Francis Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board. (Aye) Stephen Farkas, Supervisor APPROVAL OF MINUTES: A copy of the minutes of November 19th and December 12th, 2001 having been furnished to the Board Members beforehand, the Supervisor asked for a motion to make corrections or to accept the same as submitted. RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Beckwith and seconded by Mr. Shattuck: RESOLVED, that the minutes of November 19th and December 12, 2001 are hereby Continued, December 19, 2001 approved as submitted. Carried. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS: MEG OVERSTROM. Mrs. Overstrom stated that the Town Center Committee met and is viewing the Ottenschott property and also property east of it. They are waiting for information regarding sewer in this area. KATRINA GREENLY: Mrs. Greenly stated that the Lansing Housing Authority will be preparing a survey to go out by the second week in January regarding $ 400,000.00 in grant monies to qualified applicant for home improvement. Mrs. Overstorm stated that the Lansing Housing Authority is looking into a second housing complex for low to middle income individuals. A survey will be done in the future. BUD SHATTUCK: SEWER: Mr. Shattuck explained that all parties will have to sign on in order for an Intermunicipal Sewer agreement to happen. PLANNING BOARD: They have finished looking at all zoning rules and regulations and are ready to move on to joint meetings and public hearings. SPCA: He will meet with them before the end of the year to make sure the Town is getting what they are paying for. WIRELESS PLANNING ISSUE: Tower permitting is saying that towers are the best way to get wireless communication taken care of in Tompkins County. A better way may be to put together a master plan without towers but instead with antenna devices on top of silos, existing buildings, telephone poles, etc. The bad part for the companies that build the towers, is that they are more costly to put together smaller services. . Mr. John stated that he has talked to the attorney for Crown Atlantic and that he said they would be proceeding with the application for the Benson Road area. He said they had some concerns with subdivision questions. Mr. Shattuck stated that towers are a money making process and that he would like to see long range plans including a master plan. HERB BECKWITH: FIRE DISTRICT ELECTION: Mr. Beckwith stated that Dennis Griffin has been elected again as Lansing Fire District Commissioner. 34LA Continued, December 19, 2001 STEPHEN FARKAS. Mr. Farkas thanked Mr. Beckwith for all of his years of service as a Town Board Member, DRUG TESTING: RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Beckwith and seconded by Mrs. Greenly: WHEREAS, the Town of Lansing has participated in a joint inter - municipal program to administer and conduct drug and alcohol testing of Town employees who hold commercial drivers licenses; and WHEREAS, the testing of Town employees is required by federal law, and the joint inter - municipal program is the most cost efficient method of complying with the requirements of the federal law; WHEREAS, the Town is required to authorize its participation in the joint inter - municipal program for the next year, 2002; therefore, it is hereby RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Lansing authorizes the Town Supervisor to execute such documents as necessary on behalf of the Town of Lansing to participate in the joint inter - municipal program for the drug and alcohol testing of Town employees who hold commercial drivers licenses. Vote of Town Board. (Aye) Herbert Beckwith, Councilperson Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Katrina Greenly, Councilperson Vote of Town Board. (Aye) Meg Overstrom, Councilperson Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Francis Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Stephen Farkas, Supervisor BOARD ROOM SOUND SYSTEM: An amount of $ 3,700.00 has been set aside to fix the sound system in the Town Hall Board Room and Mr. Farkas stated that he would proceed with this soon. Low estimate was for $ 2,296.00, which Mr. Shattuck is looking into. SALARY SCHEDULE CHANGE: Mr. Farkas recommended, that in order to get everyone to "step" as soon as possible, employees would be moved to step in January. Everyone that has been hired in 2001 will move to step one in January of 2002. It was stated that if a person is hired in December, once the probation period is complete, they will automatically go to step one. 40 HOUR WORK WEEK: RESOLUTION, offered by Mrs. Greenly and seconded by Mrs. Overstrom: WHEREAS, the Town of Lansing has prepared a Policy and Procedures Guide which includes information on policies and procedures for Town employees; and WHEREAS, the Town Board has considered the formula for allocating vacation accruals to employees as stated in Section IV -3 of the Policy and Procedures Guide which reads in part as follows: A part-time regular employee will accrue vacation time in the same proportion as their working hours bear to the normal working hours of a full time employee in a comparable position; and 345 Continued, December 19, 2001 WHEREAS, the Town Board has considered the formula for allocating personal days accruals to employees as stated in Section IV -5 of the Policy and Procedures Guide that reads in part as follows: Each employee is credited an equivalent of three personal days per year (based on an employee's normal length of work day); and WHEREAS, the Town Board has considered Section IV -6 of the Policy and Procedures Guide which does not address a formula for allocating sick time accruals to employees; and WHEREAS, the Town Board wishes to restate the formula to make all vacation personal days and sick time accruals be allocated based upon a uniform standard, being a forty -hour work week, with part time employees accruing vacation, personal days and sick time as a percentage of their standard hourly work week compared to a forty -hour work week; therefore, it is hereby RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Lansing hereby amends Section IV -3 of the Policy and Procedures Guide to insert the following language in place of the above quoted portion of Section IV -3: A Town employee working a forty -hour work week shall be credited between ten and twenty eight -hour vacation days per year, depending upon seniority. A full or part-time Town employee will accrue vacation time in the same portion as their working hours bear to a forty -hour work week, with the calculated accrued vacation time being rounded up to the nearest quarter hour. RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Lansing hereby amends Section IV -5 of the Policy and Procedure Guide to insert the following language in place of the above quoted portion of Section IV -5: A Town employee working a forty -hour work week shall be credited three eight - hour personal days per year. A full or part-time Town employee will accrue personal days in the same proportion as their working hours bear to a forty -hour work week, with the calculated accrued personal days being rounded up to the nearest quarter hour. And it is further RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Lansing hereby amends Section IV -6 of the Policy and Procedure Guide to insert the following language in place of the first sentence of the second paragraph of Section IV -6: A Town employee working a forty -hour work week shall be credited one eight - hour sick day per month, up to a maximum of 100 days. A full or part-time Town employee will accrue sick time in the same proportion as their working hours bear to a forty -hour work week, with the calculated accrued sick time being rounded up to the nearest quarter hour. Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Herbert Beckwith, Councilperson Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Katrina Greenly, Councilperson Vote of Town Board. (Aye) Meg Overstrom, Councilperson Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Frances Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board ... (Aye) Stephen Farkas, Supervisor YEAR END MEETING: Mr. Farkas stated that the year end meeting will be held on December 28, 2001 at noon. RESOLUTION, offered by Mrs. Overstrom and seconded by Mr. Beckwith: 3 `t Continued, December 31, 2001 RESOLVED, that the Regular meeting be adjourned to go into executive session to discuss a personnel matter at 8:21 p.m. Carried RESOLUTION, offered by Mrs. Greenly and seconded by Mr. Beckwith: RESOLVED, that the Executive Session be terminated and the Regular Meeting be reconvened. On motion, meeting adjourned at the call of the Supervisor.