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Home My WebLink About2009-11-04 November 4, 2009 The Lansing Town Board met in Special Session at 6:00 p.m. at the Lansing Town Hall Boardroom with Supervisor Pinney presiding. The Supervisor called the meeting to order and had the clerk take the Roll Call. ROLL CALL A. Scott Pinney Supervisor Present Matt Besemer Councilperson Present Marty Christopher Councilperson Present Bud Shattuck Councilperson Present Connie Wilcox Councilperson Present Bonny Boles Town Clerk Present Guy Krogh Town Attorney Absent Visitors: Jeff Overstrom, Steve Colt, Jack French, Aurora McMillen, Sarah Mogil, Kathy Miller, Nancy Loncto, Robert Cree, Lauren Cole, Stephanie Fenner, Martin Keefe, Roger Hopkins, Sharon Butler Bowman, Ruth Hopkins, Ian Price, Martin VanEs, Don Hartill, Michael Hesford, Michael Coles and a couple other residents. The Supervisor led all present in the Pledge of Allegiance. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR: No one appeared before the Board. No Smoking: Mr. Pinney stated that the Board has discussed having a no smoking policy for the Town Hall and Highway Department. He felt this should include the whole campus area for both locations. Mr. Besemer and Mr. Christopher agreed with him. Mr. Shattuck felt this was being made punitive to the employees only by not including the Town Parks. He stated that if we were not providing the employees that smoke any programs to help before imposing the restrictions, we should be thinking about every property that the Town owns. Marty did not feel the Lansing Park should be included. It was felt that the word "campus" needs to be defined. Mr. Pinney will have Mr. Krogh prepare a resolution for the Board Members to look over and discuss at the Regular Meeting. Open Public Hearing for proposed 2010 Town Budget: RESOLUTION 09 - 187 RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Pinney and seconded by Mrs. Wilcox: RESOLVED, that the Public Hearing on the proposed Budget for the year 2010 is hereby opened at 6:10 p.m. Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Matt Besemer, Councilperson 1 Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Marty Christopher, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Bud Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Connie Wilcox, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) A. Scott Pinney, Supervisor Mr. Pinney read the figures in regards to the Town Budget. And then thanked all the Department heads for their help and support in keeping the budget as low as possible. Ruth Hopkins — 163 Asbury Road: Mrs. Hopkins stated that the following comments are based on the preliminary budget dated September 30, 2009. She then read the following: Hello, I'm encouraged to see folks here this evening . . . the minutes of prior year budget hearings indicate almost zero citizen attendees. This is perplexing because in my conversations with citizens I hear a lot who care about how our tax dollars are actually used. What I also hear is the need for citizen information and education in some kind of Question and Answer dialog session prior to this hearing. Hence my first comment tonight is simply a recommendation that the town find meaningful ways to openly discuss budget information and town options. Hearings seem to be opportunity for objection not engagement and collaboration. I think other avenues would be welcome, certainly I would have liked a more informal atmosphere to answer the questions I have this evening. My second comment.. . . I am concerned that the budget does not have sufficient funds to cover the planning functions that support the town, especially as development plans are coming forward. Third comment.. . I am hoping the town will explain the allocated 2% salary increases for most all elected officials and employees. Most other government agencies have had to constrain salaries, with some reductions. Fourth.. . I'm wondering why the town isn't using more of it's fund balances to cover expenses. I am NOT suggesting that we use surplus monies to support ongoing expenses or new programs, but rather I think it is possible to use surplus funds for one time expenses such as equipment or debt reduction. Debt reduction makes sense if the interest rates are higher than anything we earn on the surplus monies. Fifth.. . I notice that the town's tax base has gone up again, this year by 5%, which helps to offset any loss in sales tax revenues. The proposed 2% decrease in the tax RATE still allows a 4% increase in the town's tax LEVY.. . . E.g. the total amount charged to citizens. I had hoped, following the extraordinary hefty increase in the town LEVY last year that we would see a flat levy this year, especially given the increase in the tax base. Ruth Hopkins Mr. Christopher stated that the opportunity is always there for people to become involved. Mr. Christopher said "we never will not accept people coming in to make comments". Mrs. Hopkins suggested an informal question and answer session. Mrs. Wilcox stated that all the budget work sessions were open to the public. Mr. Pinney explained that money was added to the Planning Department. He also stated that he agreed that the increase in the 2% salary was high but that the 2 employees are changing their health insurance to a much lower plan which saved the Town almost $ 200,000.00 so he felt this makes up for the 2% raises. In the fund balance, $ 146,000.00 was used to pay off debt for the salt storage building. She agreed with this. Nancy Loncto — 39 Hillcrest Road: Felt the budget work shops should be at a time where a working individual could make the meetings, not at 2:30 or 4:00 p.m. She felt one informal opportunity to get educated would be terrific and would be greatly appreciated. She felt allowing ten minutes on the agenda for the Public Hearing was discouraging. Don Hartill — 896 Cayuga Heights Road: He asked why an item called Sewer P & M in the General Fund was not in Part B opposed to part A. Mrs. Bowman stated that Sewer Planning and Maintenance is a specific line item that was put in the budget when the Town began working on municipal sewer. When Warren Road sewer is financed, the Town will recover monies spent from rural development loans the Town will receive. In looking at the Highway balance, there is a much larger percentage in whole Town then there is in part Town (60% of the personal services are under town wide and only 40% are associated with the Town outside Village). Mrs. Bowman deferred him to Mr. French who stated that there is a formula used to come up with all the figures. Mr. French offered Mr. Hartill the opportunity to look at all of his figures. Mr. Hartill stated that he appreciated the work in keeping the tax levy down. Robert Hopkins — Asbury Road: He appreciated the efforts the Board is taking to control costs. He felt it was important that all of the citizen's participate in the process and know that the costs are increasing every single year. Last year we bragged about the fact that taxes were lowered by 2% when in fact, we increased the total dollars by 15%. This meant that most property owners had an increase in the amount of tax dollars they had to pay. Nancy Loncto — Hillcrest Road: She suggested the Board come up with a 5 year plan along with an executive summary. She felt this would be very helpful. She also stated that if the executive summary showed where the largest increases are by category and where they have actually recaptured savings. Mr. Pinney stated that he really liked the idea of an executive summary. Mrs. Wilcox stated that the budget process is very difficult and the Board has been under a lot of stress. She also stated there will be an executive summary on the front page next year. She also stated that the budget sessions go to 6:30 — 7:00 in the evening and if someone shows up during that time, they would have input. Close Public Hearing on Proposed Budget for 2010: 3 RESOLUTION 09 -188 RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Pinney and seconded by Mrs. Wilcox: RESOLVED, that all persons desiring to be heard, having been heard, the Public Hearing on the proposed Budget for 2010 is hereby closed at 6:43 p.m. Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Matt Besemer, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Marty Christopher, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Bud Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Connie Wilcox, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) A. Scott Pinney, Supervisor Open Public Hearing on Proposed Special District Budget for the year 2010: RESOLUTION 09 - 189 RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Pinney and seconded by Mrs. Wilcox: RESOLVED, that the Public Hearing on the proposed Special District Budget for the year 2010 is hereby opened at 6:44 p.m. Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Matt Besemer, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Marty Christopher, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Bud Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Connie Wilcox, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) A. Scott Pinney, Supervisor Close Public Hearing on Proposed Special District Budget for 2010: RESOLUTION 09 - 190 RESOLUTION, offered by Mrs. Wilcox and seconded by Mr. Besemer: RESOLVED, that all persons desiring to be heard, having been heard, the Public Hearing on the proposed Special District Budget for 2010 is hereby closed at 6:47 p.m. Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Matt Besemer, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Marty Christopher, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Bud Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Connie Wilcox, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) A. Scott Pinney, Supervisor Approve Special Districts and Town Budget for 2010: RESOLUTION 09 - 191 4 RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Pinney and seconded by Mr. Christopher: RESOLVED, that the proposed preliminary Special District Budget and the proposed Town Budget is hereby adopted as the Town of Lansing Final Budget for the Year 2010. Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Matt Besemer, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Marty Christopher, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Bud Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Connie Wilcox, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) A. Scott Pinney, Supervisor Proposed Electrical Local Law: Information was given to Board Members in regards to a proposed Electrical Local Law to go over and be ready to discuss at the Regular Board meeting. Department Head Time Sheets: Mr. Pinney would like Department Heads to let his office know by e-mail, generic sheet, index card, etc. where they are going, approximately what time they will be back and if it is personal or not. If it is Town business, where they are and when they will be back. This would happen each day. This would only affect the Town Hall. He stated the Board is working very well but with the Board he doesn't know what time people are coming back or where they are. He also stated that if a Department Head is gone for a day or for a week, the employees in the office affected would do the same thing so his office would know. If a Department Head is not on the premises, the employee would always let the Supervisor's Office know where they are going and when they are coming back. A member of the audience asked what the reason for this was. He stated that he is not always here but when he is, as a Supervisor, he needs to know so he can keep track of where Department Heads are so he can have meetings if he pops in here or there. Appraisal of Land Across the Street: The State is lifting the restriction on the land so the Town needs to have the property appraised "without restrictions" as we will have to pay the difference of the value between what it was 10 years ago and what it is now. Mr. Pinney stated that when the property was purchased, the value of the land was lower as it had restrictions and we will now have to negotiate with the State on the value of it with out restrictions. Mr. Pinney will move ahead with this. Approve Minutes of October 21, 2009: RESOLUTION 09 — 192 A copy of the minutes of October 21, 2009, 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. Pinney and seconded by Mr. Christopher: 5 RESOLVED, that the minutes of October 21, 2009 are hereby approved as submitted. Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Matt Besemer, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Marty Christopher, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Bud Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Connie Wilcox, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) A. Scott Pinney, Supervisor Executive Session: RESOLUTION 09 — 193 RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Shattuck and seconded by Mrs. Wilcox: RESOLVED, that the Special Meeting is adjourned to go into Executive Session to discuss a personnel issue specific to an employee of the Town at 7:00 p.m. Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Matt Besemer, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Marty Christopher, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Bud Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Connie Wilcox, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) A. Scott Pinney, Supervisor Terminate Executive Session: RESOLUTION 09 - 194 RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Pinney and seconded by Mr. Besemer: RESOLVED, that the Executive Session is hereby terminated and the Special Meeting reconvened at 7:41 p.m. Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Matt Besemer, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Marty Christopher, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Bud Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Connie Wilcox, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) A. Scott Pinney, Supervisor Adjourn Meeting: RESOLUTION 09 — 195 RESOLUTION, offered by Mr. Shattuck and seconded by Mr. Besemer: RESOLVED, that the meeting is hereby adjourned at the call of the Supervisor at 7:42 p.m. Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Matt Besemer, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Marty Christopher, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Bud Shattuck, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) Connie Wilcox, Councilperson Vote of Town Board . . . (Aye) A. Scott Pinney, Supervisor Minutes taken and executed by the Town Clerk. 6