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Home My WebLink About2000-05-10TB 5 -10 -00 TOWN OF DRYDEN 10 TOWN BOARD MEETING May 10, 2000 Board Members Present: Supv Mark Varvayanis, Ronald Beck, Thomas Hatfield Charles Hatfield and Deborah Grantham Absent: None Other Elected Officials: Bambi L. Hollenbeck, Town Clerk Jack Bush, Highway Superintendent Other Town Staff: Mahlon R. Perkins, Town Attorney David Putnam (TG Miller), Town Engineer Henry Slater, Zoning & Code Enforcement Officer Larry Carpenter Supv Varvayanis opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. Members and guests participated in the pledge of allegiance followed by a moment of silence. PUBLIC HEARING SITE PLAN MODIFICATION - THOMAS FITZGIBBONS 1427 FREEVILLE ROAD Town Clerk read the Notice of Public Hearing published in The Ithaca Journal on May 4, 2000. John Doll as agent for the applicant explained that Mr. Fitzgibbons is proposing to erect an addition to his garage (currently 28' by 48') for which he received permission five years ago. The addition will be 20'x 15' with one wall being cement block and acting as a retaining wall. Supv Varvayanis asked if board members or citizens had any questions and there were none. Hearing was left open. PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTS Atty Perkins read the notice published in The Ithaca Journal on April 28, 2000, and explained that the changes to Sections 801, 803 and 803(5) are simply substituting the two definitions which are proposed to be changed in the definition portion of the ordinance. There is no substantive change intended in the ordinance. It is simply to conform those sections of the ordinance to the new definitions. The reason for the new definitions is to conform them to State law and to eliminate some confusion which had arisen in an earlier application. Cl Grantham - When I attended the zoning board meeting last week we went through this, and this was done at their request because of discussion on the zoning board. They wanted one addition to it. In Appendix A in the definition of multiple dwelling they wanted it to say a detached dwelling so that it would be consistent with the other definitions that are remaining in Appendix A. That's what the zoning board wanted. Atty Perkins - Dwelling by definition is a building or structure. . Cl Grantham - So you don't think it's necessary? Page 1 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Atty Perkins - No. I think that's why we borrowed it from the State Law because that's the way that's already been interpreted. Certainly the intent is the same. 46 Cl Grantham - Okay. Supv Varvayanis - Any questions or comments from the Board or citizens? Gary Maybee - Gary Maybee - How did item 3 originally read where they ask for a change? I couldn't hear very good back here, but you said something about for each additional bedroom they had to have more square footage and more road frontage? Atty Perkins - There is no change in that. Gary Maybee - There was no change in that? Cl Grantham - The part that was confusing in discussion that happened at the Zoning Board was that one of the definitions was dwelling unit multi- family and it said one or more dwellings on a single lot containing separate dwelling units for the use and occupation by three or more families. They found it very confusing to interpret so they asked us to clarify that language and that is what we tried to do. The rest of this is just as Mahlon said, incorporating that clarified definition into the Zoning Ordinance. Gary Maybee - I'm paying almost $15,000 a year for property taxes in the Town and what you just read is that if I wanted to put condominiums up I can't do anything. In other words what you are saying is the more bedrooms that I want put in, the more land and road frontage I have to have in order to put that in. Cl Grantham - No. That hasn't changed. The way that the definition was written before it could have been interpreted as a bunch of buildings that were not connected and that was not the intent of the law so we clarified that to show that they have to be connected. They have to have a common wall, a common roof. G Maybee - So that ruling that you are asking for is going to put out any type of cluster housing whatsoever. In other words if an individual wanted to take three acres of land and put four lots on that land and then leave five or six acres around that forever wild and donate it to the Town or the Finger Lakes Land Trust or whatever, that article that you just read would forbid that. Because you don't have a common wall. Cl Grantham - Right, it would forbid that, but one of the things that people have brought up as we've had some hearings about changing our master plan is that that kind of development ought to be set out in the zoning law at some point. G Maybee - That's why I came down, because I wanted to hear what you are saying about this, and also for that particular reason. I own a development and I travel quite a bit around the United States and cluster housing is a big thing out west. What they are doing is they'll leave a big section forever wild, like in the middle. They'll put a big pond in or something and leave it forever wild and build around it in a circle. Either the community owns the property in the middle or they donate it to the town or whatever and that is forever wild and no one can ever build on it. Supv Varvayanis - I should point out that while this law would make that illegal, it is not a change. That type of thing is already illegal. We are hoping to change our zoning and perhaps allow that in the future. We are looking at that as we redo the master plan. in Page 2 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 G Maybee - No offense, but the Board before you was talking about redoing the master ® plan. I've been hearing about redoing the master plan for about 5 or ten years in this town. When are they ever going to get it done? Supv Varvayanis - I can't make any promises there. G Maybee - I don't mean any disrespect and realize most of you are new people on the board, but the way I see it and the past politicians that have been in this community, the master plan will change this way because so and so wants to do this this time, and the next time around it changes some other way because somebody else wants to do something this way. Why don't we get set rules in print that everybody can understand for once instead of having to go to a Town Board meeting, a Zoning Board meeting and 25 other meetings to find out what you can do and can't do. Supv Varvayanis - That's a very good point and we are trying to clarify the rules and regulations. This is one small step in that direction. G Maybee - When will you be voting on this clarification? Cl Grantham - If there are no changes, we can do it tonight. Supv Varvayanis - Are there any changes? G Maybee - You said something about the Zoning Board wanted clarification on something in the wording of multiple homes having to be detached or attached? • Cl Grantham - They wanted to add a word that said that a multiple dwelling is one structure that has several families living in it. So I think that the way it is written it satisfies what they were looking for and it satisfies the Board's interpretation of the zoning law. G Maybee - As I pointed out, I can take any one of you around this community and show you where everything you just listed off you say you want to change the rules and clarify, have been done in this community time and time again. Be it they got a zoning permit or be it prior to you peoples "changing the rules ". Now all of sudden we can do this no more. No we don't want it. What do you want in this community? You want us all to pay taxes, but you don't want to let us build anything. Am I right or wrong? Supv Varvayanis - Are there any other comments? (There were none) Hearing closed on Fitzgibbons at 7:22 p.m. No SEQR is necessary. ZO Slater suggests substituting the most current standard conditions of approval for those now attached. RESOLUTION #141 - APPROVE FITZGIBBONS SITE PLAN MODIFICATION Cl T Hatfield offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the site plan modification requested by Thomas Fitzgibbons for his property at 1427 Dryden Road, continuing the existing conditions and substituting the current (9 -8 -98) Standard Conditions of Approval. 2nd Cl C Hatfield • Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Page 3 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Yes Supv Varvayanis - Closed public hearing for zoning ordinance amendments at 7:25 p.m. and asked if there were any comments. Cl T Hatfield (responding to Mr. Maybee - I understand what you are saying sir. I don't know that I agree or disagree with you. We haven't had enough conversation to understand that. This Town has written rules, we have a code enforcement officer, we have a zoning board, a planning board and a Town Board. I think they, have worked hard over the years to make improvements after they adopted those rules and regulations and the Planning Board is leading a study now to update them. Certainly cluster housing and other things need to be looked at. We have PUD (planned unit development) provisions now which will allow for that type of development. So if you are a developer and you've got that kind of real estate that you're paying taxes on, there is a lot of flexibility in the existing law. This board works hard to make it possible for developers to go forward. There are people and individuals in this community that have a completely different point of view and they are very willing to express them and they have a right to do that and I encourage them to do that, just like I'm pleased that you came forward and expressed your concerns tonight as well. I just can't let your comments in here and leave those comments flat. This is a complicated system of laws and government that allows us to try to balance the competing needs of the community. The community sometimes has diverse interests. Those things need to be expressed, they need to be weighed, they need to be balanced and you try to bring those diverse interests to a common ground. I think we work hard to do that and I encourage you to come back and comment again. We need to hear both sides of the story. We've heard from a lot of folks that would prefer to see no growth. I'm glad to hear from someone who is concerned about the other side of the equation. This Board's job is to balance those things. I think we've got a hard working Code Enforcement Officer and assistant and I know this board works hard and I know our Planning Board works hard and so does our Zoning Board of Appeals. G Maybee - I've worked with Henry the last few years and I have no problem with Henry or his office. You've also got to admit that in the past with the great planning and everything else, Yellow Barn Development is spread all out figuring that would be better with big lots. And what have you got? Nothing but a bunch of polluted wells. You have to put a water system in. With cluster housing you put three or four units on three acres or two acres of land with a massive sewer system and a well to feed that, you aren't spreading it out all over so that it does pollute your neighbor's well. Cl T Hatfield - I think that's exactly why the Planning Board is looking at that. I think that is why you have public water and sewer systems. You've got a lot of things in this community that address each of those issues you are raising for exactly the reason that you are raising it. History has taught us a few things. So we've got to go forward. Atty Perkins - One of the reasons that this issue came up is because a developer wanted to put five detached dwelling units on less than three- quarters of an acre. And that's not cluster housing. G Maybee - No. Henry and I have talked in the past and Henry can tell you that 30,000 square foot is the figure that you people have on your rule. I don't have a problem with that. What I proposed to Henry, and he said I'd have to talk to you guys, I was proposing 300 by 300 square feet to put three units on, serviced by a driveway, a well and a massive sewer system. And I was intending putting like four of them in, donating 25 or so acres to either the Finger Lakes Land Trust or the Town of Dryden or whoever wants it, to leave it forever wild. is Page 4 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 • And I didn't think that was going to be a big problem and Henry said the way the zoning is right now, you can't do it. I don't want to see my back yard with 100 homes in there. I would like to see wild life the rest of my life too. Cl Grantham - Did you receive a survey in the mail about planning and zoning in the Town in the last month? G Maybee - I don't believe so. Cl Grantham - Is it possible he could get one to fill out? ZO Slater - Sure. Cl Grantham - It is part of what we are doing to update the master plan. Last Fall we had a Cornell class from City and Regional Planning do a bunch of work for us including some hearings and develop some ideas, and cluster zoning was one of the ideas that they put forward. You might find that report really interesting and you might have comments to make on it. G Maybee - If someone was going put five homes on three- quarters of an acre, I would have to say to myself is this serviced by municipal water and sewer and what is it going to do to the neighborhood, but let's get real folks, they've got condominiums where three and four hundred people live on less than two or three acres. You leave this community and get into the Syracuse or Binghamton, anywhere. Supv Varvayanis - Again that would be on municipal services. • G Maybee - That's what I said. That would be the big concern that I would have. Is this on municipal services? Supv Varvayanis - That's what started the whole thing. I don't want to really cut you off, but we really are looking at this. I'm not trying to pull your leg. I know you've heard that before. I can't make any promises. All we can do is say we are all seriously interested in that. Cluster zoning is something we are seriously looking at. You can get a copy of a report that was written and I think you'll see that we really are trying to move forward. RESOLUTION # 142 - ADOPT ZONING AMENDMENT - DWELLING DEFINITIONS Cl Grantham offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, proposed amendments to the Town of Dryden Zoning Ordinance were duly introduced, published on April 28, 2000, and a public hearing having been held on May 10, 2000, now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby amends the Town of Dryden Zoning Ordinance as follows: AMENDMENT 1 Appendix A of the Town of Dryden Zoning Ordinance (Definitions) is to be amended by deleting the definitions of "Dwelling" and "Dwelling Unit -Multi- Family" and by substituting the following definitions: • "DWELLING. A building or structure which is occupied in whole or in part as the home, residence or sleeping place of one or more persons." Page 5 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 "MULTIPLE DWELLING. A dwelling which is either rented, leased, let or hired out, to be occupied, or is occupied as the temporary or permanent residence or home of three or more families living independently of each other." AMENDMENT 2 Section 801(2) of the Town of Dryden Zoning Ordinance is to be amended to read as follows: "2. One - family, Two - family and Multiple Dwellings and Tourist Homes. (See Section 1604)." AMENDMENT 3 Section 803(2) of the Town of Dryden Zoning Ordinance is to be amended to read as follows: "2. Multiple Dwellings: Lot area shall be at least 30,000 square feet with at least 125 feet of street frontage for the initial dwelling unit and at least 3,000 square feet of additional lot area per bedroom per unit for each additional dwelling unit. In the event that the total lot area shall exceed two acres, the owner shall make application to the Town Board for a special permit in accordance with the provisions of Article XIII of this ordinance." AMENDMENT 4 Section 803(5) of the Town of Dryden Zoning Ordinance is to be amended to read as follows: "5. In areas in R -C Zones where public sewer and water facilities are installed, the minimum lot size for the initial dwelling unit can be 15,000 square feet, with at least 100 feet of street frontage. For multiple dwellings, the lot size must be increased by 2,000 square feet for each additional dwelling unit and at least 10 feet additional frontage for each additional dwelling unit. Maximum frontage required shall be 200 feet. However, in no case shall density exceed 10 units per 30,000 square feet." And it is further RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk is hereby directed to publish and post the appropriate Notice of Adoption as provided by law. 2nd Supv Varvayanis Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Yes There were no questions regarding the May Abstract, # 105. RESOLUTION # 143 - APPROVE ABSTRACT # 105 Cl Grantham offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract # 105 as audited, vouchers #335 through #413, totalling $172,129.58. 2nd Cl T Hatfield Page 6 of 31 Roll Call Vote CITIZENS PRIVILEGE Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Yes TB 5 -10 -00 Dana Abbey - here to speak regarding the paramedic program. It was brought to my attention about 60 days ago that we are going to be way over budget on the part time paramedic staffing to cover the ambulance. Currently they have two full time employees of the town that are paramedics. We have attempted in the past to man the rest of the hours on a volunteer bass. We are running into a big problem because in the last year and half we've lost five paramedics who have moved out of the district who were volunteering their time. One of our most active members, Walt Groman, who was a critical care provider, moved from the area. Walter probably ran 600 ambulance calls a year. Nobody realized how much he was doing until he left. We are putting together some proposals to come back to the Town to look at. I want the Town's input on how far you think we should go, what level of care is the Town willing to pay for to provide paramedic service. This issue probably should be addressed not only from Dryden Ambulance point of view, but the EMS side of the issues in the whole town. We are willing to do it whatever way you want it done, but we need some help. We're open to suggestions or comments. Supv Varvayanis - One of the thoughts we were sort of kicking around would be to get a committee together (probably it shouldn't be active fire department or ambulance personnel) to really research this because we are pretty booked in our time. Maybe would set up a kind of committee on committees to see how we would structure something like that, and since you people are quite active hopefully you would know people willing to serve, possibly retired department personnel. D Abbey - That's possible. Cl T Hatfield - I think that's a good suggestion. We 've talked about it a little bit. You are going to be ready to come back to us again in another month? D Abbey - Well probably sit down tomorrow night. I don't know when your next board meeting is. Supv Varvayanis - When do the chiefs meet again? D Putnam - The third Sunday in June is their next meeting. Supv Varvayanis - I'll try to get a letter out to all the chiefs. I'll try to come up with something a little more concrete as to something I might like to see, as well as the committee, and hopefully we can discuss that at that meeting. We'll get the committee up and running and maybe you'll have something by July I would hope. D Abbey - In the interim, I know that committee systems work great as long as you have a horse moving the committee. But if you've got a horse that's half dead and the committee stalls, we are still running into a problem. That's what I'm trying to tell you. Cl Beck - Would you give us a little bit of a scenario of what kind of constraints you're operating under here now? What's typically happening if you are short handed, and what would you like to see to maintain a level of service like we've had in the past? Page 7 of 31 TB 5 -10-00 D Abbey - Currently you have two full time paramedics that are covering six to six 7 days a week. We are attempting to man that level of coverage from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Right now we have one paramedic that is a volunteer. That's all we have in Neptune and the Dryden Ambulance. We have one from Varna who I believe is a critical care. We had four paramedics move out of our district that were covering four nights a week. Cl Beck - So you're down to a third of what you usually had. D Abbey - And that's why we've utilized the part time rotation list and that's why our cost has skyrocketed in the last year. Cl T Hatfield - You'll remember a couple of months ago the issue came up because it was clear that there was going to be a shortage of funds in that account for part time help. It is being used much more quickly than budgeted for. So there was a meeting of the ambulance committee, Dana, Mark and myself, Deb Shigley, Rick Young, Brian Flynn and Bill Ackroyd. We had everybody get together and started to look into what's going on. The answer came back just as Dana said, due to relocation of personnel that used to live in the Town and no longer are able to volunteer, the departure of Walter, rather than see any service reduction there is a part time list which we've approved that was relied upon. Therefore the costs to the district have been going up. So we've got a couple of things that we've got to look at. They are doing a good job I think of researching that and getting to an answer. We left that committee meeting with the approach that Doug Smith, Dana, Bill, Deb and Rick on that end would come up with a proposal, a series of proposals and alternatives, looking down the road and that's what I think they will want us to take a look at here shortly. The district is town wide. Dana on one hand represents primarily Neptune. You have other fire departments with EMS services and we are under contract as a district back and forth. We need to get a cohesive town or district - wide committee together that will allow all of the providers to come together and make this thing work. D Abbey - Our goal is to provide the best possible service we can, but it is getting very difficult to provide that level of volunteers. Cl Beck - I think the training required to qualify is almost prohibitive on a volunteer basis anymore. Cl T Hatfield - The professional educational requirements are almost a full time commitment. Cl Beck - Are you covering it alright now with the part- timers and the provision we made with the new list, or are you still shorthanded? D Abbey - Well, we run into scheduling problems. That is the biggest issue with part time staff. A lot of the part- timers have full time jobs elsewhere. Cl T Hatfield - One of the things that is being looked at is getting a third full- timer. You could get some rotating shifts and get some additional coverage during the critical times when it is difficult to get part- timers. D Abbey - Which I believe was talked about almost a year ago with the past Supervisor and I think more or less approved at that time, but there were certain people at the time who didn't think it was necessary. Page 8 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 • Cl T Hatfield - And that's okay. Everybody is trying to do the same thing which is make sure that our community has the best level of care that's available and it's available when you need it. D Abbey - I think we need to look at more than just the six months down the road problem solving. Cl Beck - In the interim are there more part time people available that you know of that could fill in that we haven't approved? Is that an issue we should think about immediately? get involved. D Abbey - No I don't believe that's an issue because we probably have some volunteering their time if possible now. Cl T Hatfield - And you've got some new trainees that are about to complete... D Abbey - Basic EMTs. We've got six coming out of class I believe. Cl T Hatfield - So there's some of that kind of transition that will occur from time to time. It's ongoing as people move into the community and decide they want to get involved. D Abbey - This is some of the things I think the Board and the Town has to look at, to offset some of their costs. I think the changes you recently made with the loaded mileage is one change that ultimately is going to add probably $50 or $100 on every ambulance call that is transported. Supv Varvayanis - And that will bump up our income 20% or so. • Cl T Hatfield - That will offset the increase in cost. It's like anything else. We've got to manage it and I think we've got to have an open dialogue right now. D Abbey - I just didn't want to come in here a month from now and floor everybody and say what are you doing and nobody knew about it. It's been an ongoing discussion. You'll let us know what you want to do with the committee to proceed? Supv Varvayanis - We'll work on that. Mr. Carpenter? Larry Carpenter - I just wanted to know what's been going on between you and the Union in the last month. Supv Varvayanis - I hate to say it, but one month and absolutely nothing. I was talking to the Union representative and I was wondering (to Cl T Hatfield) would you be willing to lock yourself in a room with him? Cl T Hatfield - I have no problem with that. I think we all want this thing done with. Supv Varvayanis - Specifically I was thinking take like a Friday evening and say we will not walk out of here until we have some type of agreement. Cl T Hatfield - I think we can do that. And I think in all honesty, things do happen. First of all one of the Union reps was not available due to some surgery. That's fine, you've got to allow for that. Then when we were able to resume with a court ordered trial for our counsel. Assuming that that is about over with, I think Mark's suggestion is a good one. • Supv Varvayanis - Believe it or not they were willing to lock themselves up with me so we pick a weekend and hopefully we'll get somewhere. Page 9 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Cl Grantham - I'd like to introduce Susan Baumgras from Etna. o Susan Baumgras - I am a representative of the Alliance of Community Associations. Some board reps from Etna and Varna got together and wanted to know how they would go about getting information about traffic problems, writing grants, fund raisers, and in particular some of the hamlets have these community buildings that we have to maintain and we don't know who to call or how to go about it. The group got interested and decided they would like to run a community effort fundraiser and thought that this would get neighbors together on a community expertise level. From that concept of a road rally came up to bring locals and tourists to various hamlets encouraging them to stop and shop and also to visit some of the historic sites that we have in the township of Dryden. We also have asked antique and food vendors to come to the festival. There is going to be music, dance, rides for kids and exhibits from other area groups. This is going to be called the Summerfest 2000 and will be held August 5 and 6 and will be at the Tompkins County 4 -H acres. This is going to be a major working fundraiser and each hamlet is being asked if they want to do an event in their hamlet with the proceeds staying in their hamlet. The hamlets that participate in Summerfest 2000 are going to be participating financially and will split the profits from the two day event. It is also the hope of the Alliance Association that this will become an annual event. My purpose here tonight is to invite you to the Summerfest 2000 and to ask for your financial help. Our budget is $1,500. We have a grant for $750 and we are here to ask the Dryden Town Board if they could come up with $500 to help us with printing and advertising costs. I have passed out the sheets that go into much more detail. I have a map if you care to look at it of the route that is planned out. If you any questions, I'd be glad to answer them. O Thank you for your time. Cl Grantham - I think that you are using Varna as the lead organization, so the money goes through that. But it includes Etna, Varna... S Baumgras - Another that wants to be in on it is Ludlowville, and Brooktondale, and some others have been contacted. Cl T Hatfield - Sounds like a county -wide effort. Supv Varvayanis - Did the $750 come from the County? S Baumgras - It came from a grant. Cl T Hatfield - The County has money in the budget for just this type of thing this year for community associations. And here's one that you could broadcast across every community association in the County by the sounds of it. M Taylor - The $750 did come from County Tourism. G Maybee - United Way funds a lot of that kind of stuff. George Totman - I think what he's referring to is each year communities put in a budget to the United Way. For example, the McLean community puts in for money for heat for the community hall because so many people use it and for flowers for the cemetary and the summer youth program that they do with Dryden. But it's a community wide budget and the community sends out letters during the United Way Fund campaign time telling people about it so they'll donate more money. Then each Spring the community meets with the Board of Page 10 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 • Directors of the United Way to present their budget to see what they can get. With the County they have special funds and I think they are all done and asked for this year. S Baumgras - And that's something we may look into for next year, but we need to get this going for this year. M Taylor - Part of the rational for the $750 is that was part of the budget that was earmarked for out of the area advertising. The focus of this is to draw from the surrounding area, not just Tompkins County, and the tourism funds we were applying for were basically earmarked for that to help draw people into the community, specifically people who would be staying overnight and visiting the restaurants and so forth. We were advised to apply for celebration funds that the County has available. Those funds, if they were awarded, the reviews will not be until August so in terms of this year and this event... C1 T Hatfield - There is also some $20,000 in the County budget for support to community associations this year. G Maybee - Isn't there some type of program at Cornell University that gives out grants for things like this? If I'm not mistaken there is. I know the sponsor a lot of community activities of this nature. Cl Beck - The fundraising activities are fees to enter the road rally and what else? S Baumgras - Application fees, yes, and we will also be getting sponsorships from various businesses for the brochures and things like that. • M Taylor - The Varna Community Association is putting on a breakfast to start the rally. Etna Community Association is putting on an afternoon ice cream social because that's when the rally is timed to get back around to them. There will be food concessions and so forth at 4H Acres. Cl Beck - And the proceeds will be divided ... S Baumgras - among the hamlets that participate. We are trying to stay off of Route 13, If anything we will cross it with a light or a stop sign, but it has been mapped out to avoid that. Supv Varvayanis - Since this is a group of private organizations, how or can we do something to help. Atty Perkins - This is one of those troublesome areas, but I think you already make provisions in your budget for support of different community associations, don't you? If you find that this will not benefit simply one organization but a broader base, I don't have a particular problem with that. Cl Grantham - One of the things that struck me when I first started hearing about this was first of all the fact that it was kind of reviving at least the Etna and Varna Community Associations, getting them excited about doing things together for the whole community. Their road rally goes through a lot of Dryden as well as the rest of the County. It has places for people to stop on the way that encourages them to see what's there and stop at restaurants and stores and things like that, so there is a tourism factor in here. I also believe Dryden Historical Society is cooperating, and that is one of the stops. M Taylor - The lynchpin at the end of segment one of the rally is the municipal parking • lot with people going over and visiting Dryden Historical Society. One of the ways that the road Page 11 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 rally is run is that at each stop people collect something that signifies they have been there. O The Historical Society has been quite cooperative. S Baumgras - We have little cards with pictures of various places and on the back information about them. Cl T Hatfield - Are all the communities participating? Are they all going to have some benefit back? S Baumgras - We have not been informed of that yet, but are trying to encourage them. M Taylor - Ellis Hollow Community Association is not participating because they have their summer fair and they felt like it was too much. Cl T Hatfield - Anyone from the Villages of Dryden or Freeville or any organization? Or lacking a community association how about a fire department? M Taylor - The Varna Fire Department is going to be participating. There could be something arranged for here. The only participant we have on board in the Village is the Historical Society. Cl T Hatfield - When you say they're on board, they are helping to put it together and they'll have some benefit back. M Taylor - Yes, and they are helping to put the historical notes in the publication. Cl Beck - Anything in Freeville at this point? O M Taylor - We have a business. Cl T Hatfield - If they are involved then they'll participate in whatever earnings there is? S Baumgras - Right. It will be split, absolutely. Cl T Hatfield - I think we move this forward. This is like seed money. We get the opportunity to build it and get the benefit back in. S Baumgras - We are hoping that it will become an annual event. That is our goal. Cl Beck - They've taken the initiative and already gotten a substantial sum. I move that we give them the $500. M Taylor - Let me clarify, there are two ways to benefit. Each community association or organization that comes in and sponsors an event locally in their area will keep their own proceeds. The community associations are signing letters of joint venture and putting in financially to cover additional costs, and they will split the pot from the road rally registration fees. Cl T Hatfield - I have no problem supporting this as long as where there isn't an organized community association there is an identifiable entity such as a fire department, they get asked to join and participate in this event. In that case I think if we can get something like this going there will be a long term benefit not only to our town, but to the county and the area. He's made the motion (Cl Beck) and I seconded it. 0 Page 12 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 RESOLUTION # 144 - DONATE $500 TO SUMMERFEST 2000 EFFORT Cl Beck offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the Alliance of Community Associations has organized and planned Summerfest 2000 and intends to make this an annual event in the community, and WHEREAS, the Alliance of Community Associations has received $750 in grant funds toward this effort and are seeking additional funds from the Town of Dryden, now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Dryden does hereby authorize the donation of $500.00 to the Alliance of Community Associations to be used in connection with Summerfest 2000. 2nd Cl T Hatfield Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Yes Marshall Taylor - After spending the past 23 years in Dryden, I am leaving the area next month. I just wanted to say thank you for allowing me to be your representative on the County Water Resources Council for the past year and half. That council has been reorganized recently and my seat, or your seat, has disappeared anyway, although there is room for this board to make recommendations and so forth for people to be serving on the Water Resources • Council. Quite frankly, the council in terms of its impact on Dryden has probably been hit and miss. It's really had some things going along that I think were good that would for example feed into your master plan and so forth, but with reorganization occurring and so forth that's been put on hold. There is a particular issue that the council has been looking at recently about how to protect aquifers that private wells and public wells get their drinking water from. I think Dryden in particular should be aware of this and follow it closely. I have requested that the Water Resources Council send its last annual report to the Town. I would certainly be willing to meet with any of you that want to talk about the water resources issues the council has on the table. I encourage you to keep your involvement and interest up in watching what they are doing. Personally I want to say that over the last several years that I've been coming to these meetings, I want to thank you for all the efforts that you all have made as council members. There are several things that we probably vehemently disagree on, but I have not doubted that the efforts that you all put in are all focused on bettering the community that we live in. I'm going to miss this area tremendously, but sometimes you can't say no. Cl Grantham - I want to thank you for the time you've put into the Water Resources Council and Varna and the Fall Creek Committee and the various work that you've done in Town. We'll miss you just as much. Cl T Hatfield - Vehement opposition, logically presented and articulately presented, creates better policy all the way around and it's positive discourse that I've enjoyed. I'm certainly going to miss seeing you out there in the audience because you always have good things to do. If there's anything we can do by resolution to get you to come back from North Carolina, we'll be glad to entertain such a motion. Thanks a lot Marshall • Page 13 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Cl Grantham - If it's appropriate, I'd like to submit an application to be on the Water O Resources Council. They have some municipal seats that are not specific to a municipality, but just to municipalities. Cl T Hatfield - Could you tell us a little bit about the reorganization? I didn't realize we were losing our seat. Cl Grantham - That was something that Mike talked to us about a while ago. It's been in the works for a while. Cl T Hatfield - I didn't know it had come full circle. Cl Grantham - There was a Water Resources Council and there was a Technical Committee. They dissolved both of them and reconstituted it as one body. In the previous one I think that all the municipalities had a seat if they chose to fill the seat, and many didn't, but for a long time we did. Supv Varvayanis - There are three municipal seats. Cl Grantham - And I don't know what's left, but I would like to put in an application so that at least we get in there. Cl T Hatfield - I think that's a good move. We ought to have representation. Make the application, do you need a resolution? Cl Grantham - That would be helpful. RESOLUTION # 145 - SUPPORT DEBORAH GRANTHAM'S APPLICATION TO THE O TOMPKINS COUNTY WATER RESOURCES COUNCIL Cl T Hatfield offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby supports the application of Deborah Grantham for appointment to the Tompkins County Water Resources Council and requests that the Tompkins County Board of Representatives carefully consider this application. 2nd Cl Beck Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Abstain Gary Maybee - noted that as of April 1 DEC has made all well drillers document the wells they drill. Gene Rotunda, representing the Reach Out for Christ Church on Johnson Road - In 1995 we got a building permit to build a new facility there of about 7400 square feet. We lost our pastor and for other reasons we were unable to build for several years. We renewed the building permit for a couple of years and didn't realize we had to come to meeting to get this done on an annual basis. That period has now expired. We paid $1475 for this permit at the time it was issued. The understanding was that we would be able to renew it as long as we made improvements to the property, which we've done. We now would like to build a building Page 14 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 • that is about 8635 square feet. The occupancy is less by almost a 100 people. We are asking for relief on this $1475 that was already paid for the building permit and would like to pay whatever additional fees (about $375) to apply to the fee for the larger building under the fee structure. We are going to build this year. We are funded now and we have a new pastor. He has rebuilt the church so the numbers are back up again and we're healthy financially. We've been putting away a proposed mortgage payment now for almost two years with no detriment. We've sold off the house (there was originally 51 acres). We fixed up the house, put new porches on, new siding and windows, redid the roof and paid off the mortgage and sold that house to Ed Smith on a land contract. He will be turning that into a mortgage in a couple of months, so that will go on the tax rolls. We have not taken the tax exempt status on this property because legally you have to be having meetings there and we have not done that. We've been paying taxes on it this parcel this whole time. Obviously Mr. Smith will be taking over the house and paying taxes on the house and about 30 acres. We've kept 12 acres for ourselves. Cl Beck - I've read the stuff that Henry gave us and I'm not a bit adverse to letting you take credit for your previous fees and you just make up the difference with a new schedule and a new size and submit a new application that's up to the standard that's required. I wouldn't have any problem with that. I can't see why if you're going to go ahead and do it, if you reapply we couldn't grant the previous amount paid. Is there any reason we couldn't do that Henry? ZO Slater - Although the building is somewhat different, the requirements that were in place in 1995 are basically the same now as then. I think for the $375 dollar difference we can manage the project without any cost to the Town. As I pointed out to Mr. Rotunda, I had no authority to alter policy and he needed to speak to the board who is the policy- making body. I believe that's why he's reporting to you. • Cl T Hatfield - I think the points are well taken and if we are going to do this we need to make sure that its pointed out on the record that an exception is being made because there are no substantial changes from the original application. That work's been done and is still available for the zoning officer to rely upon and if the additional fees will cover the additional work and going forward; based on that I have no problem with this either. Cl Grantham - The difference is that the fee schedule has increased and... ZO Slater - No. The fee schedule is based on square footage and they've added a little less than 1500 square feet of total area to the building plan. Their occupancy will reduce but their use of the interior of the building would be somewhat different than it previously was. Cl Grantham - So its just the square footage that's the reason for the change. ZO Slater - That's correct. Cl T Hatfield - And my other concern, the code is still the same code. ZO Slater - Though it may change substantially in the next couple of years. They want to make sure that they move forward this time. A few years from now we could be in a different place. Cl C Hatfield - What's the length of the permit? ZO Slater - If you exercise the permit within one year, it is valid for a period of three total years. But they haven't taken a shovel full of earth out of the ground yet. Page 15 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Cl Grantham - Your correspondence said substantial progress or words to that effect, right? O ZO Slater'- They would have to have some type of vested interest. I Cl Grantham - Foundation and utilities... ZO Slaters - To continue to keep the permit open beyond one year. Supv Var Ivayanis - The critical point to me is $375 will cover our costs. Correct? RESOLUTION # 146 - AUTHORIZE RENEWAL OF BUILDING PERMIT FOR REACH OUT FOR CHRIST CHURCH Cl T Hatfield offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the renewal of the building permit for Reach Out ford Christ Church on Johnson Road, providing they pay the additional fees involved of $375.00. 2nd Cl Beck Roll Call Vote Cl C1 St Cl Cl COUNTY BRIEFING Beck Yes T Hatfield Yes Lpv Varvayanis Yes C Hatfield Yes Grantham Yes Charlie Evans - As you are probably aware the County Board voted to put solar cells on the top of the new library. I think that is a neat project, but unfortunately I couldn't vote for it because I'm not convinced it will be financially viable even with a 50% grant paying for half of it. I've lived in Ithaca too long I'm afraid, and I just don't think it is going to work. I hope it does, but I don't think that is the alternate energy source that is appropriate for this County. If you were looking at wind power or something like that it might work, but I don't think that will work. i In the publi I c safety area, the County Board has voted to look at a joint study with Cortland County for the development of a joint jail. That would obviously be somewhere on the Tompkins Cortland line. My guess is that it probably won't come to fruition, but if it did we have a pretty good track record of working with Cortland County on TC3, and I think that it certainly can be made to work. There are certainly advantages to a joint jail. It would be larger. I think we could support more services that are really needed in a jail that we can't support in one County or the other, especially mental health services. I think that one of the major problems w'e face with the jail we have now is the transportation of prisoners. I think with a joint facility like that we could well make use of electronic methods of distance arraignment and that kind of thing, and really do a good job of both running the operation and in providing the necessary services. If we stay in Tompkins County the Jail Space Committee has decided to look at three sizes of a possible expansion: 69 cells is what we have now and would be allowed to have with no waivers from the State, 106 which is what we have now with waivers from the State, or 134 which was the tent year projection from the consultants for jail size. You have to keep in mind that the County is looking hard at programs which would hopefully reduce the jail population so that we would not have to see the expansion at the level that we have now. I certainly hope Page 16 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 that happens. Whatever size we decide to go with, we have the ability to expand on that site to • 196 cells and I would hope that any plan we come up with has the ability to be expanded if necessary. On another issue the Board of Health met this noon and approved Articles 1, 4, 6, 9 and 11 of the Sanitary Code which will be sent to the State of New York, hopefully today, and hopefully it will go into effect very shortly. There are three other articles that have not been worked on. One is trailer park regulations, and we will start working on those regulations in July so hopefully we will get this job completed and then be able to turn around and review them again to make sure that they continue to be up to date with the requirements of the County legal department. On a related matter I was visited from a delegation of constituents to talk about alternate methods of private septic disposal. One that was shown to me was a replacement for gravel leach beds. I can report to you that they are allowed in Tompkins County anywhere a gravel leach bed is allowed. The problem is however, that in the Town of Dryden the places where you can put a gravel leach bed are few and far between and probably the case in Tompkins County as well. The Board of Health passed a resolution requesting the County Board to request the EMC to review this whole area, look at all available technology for the use of private disposal of septic and report back to the Board of Health. I think they are the group that has the expertise to look at this, and will keep you posted on what they come up with. Cl Grantham - Thank you for that. Supv Varvayanis - One of the reasons mentioned for the joint jail would be to do more with mental health. I was wondering if you or someone could start negotiations or discussions • with Cortland County to hire jointly mental health professionals, even if they're now located in two separate buildings, or is that being done already? C Evans - Both Tompkins County and Cortland County already have mental health departments and mental health professionals. Unfortunately, in my view, and I happen to chair the Mental Health Services Board this year, those services provided in the jail are minimal and nowhere near adequate. The issue isn't as much hiring somebody to provide it, it's convincing both the County Board, including me and George, and the Cortland County Board to provide those services. Wayne County, for example, has a mental health office and mental health worker in their jail all the time. 1 personally would predict to you that at least 40% of the people that are in the jail would be well served and might well reduce the return rate which we certainly have with a group of people. Certainly it would improve their lives as well as the County in general, but we're working on it. Gary Maybee wondered if anyone had looked into a private company to build the jail and run it like they do in the southern and western states. The private company runs it for a profit. Charlie Evans replied that it had not been looked into and he stated it has mixed results. When it is being done to save money the result is often not in the best interests of the patient or the people in the jail or the County in general. He does not believe it is an option in Tompkins County and he is not convinced the cost would be any less. COUNCIL PRIVILEGE Cl T Hatfield distributed a memo to the board. The Recreation Commission has met and begun to organize. They have decided to hold their meetings in the morning at Viking Lanes. He suggested that the clerk should periodically contact this committees (and others) in order to keep the public advised with respect to their meeting schedule. Page 17 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Cl C Hatfield noted that the insurance committee is facing a June 1 deadline and has only received a quote from Bailey Insurance. Cl Beck stated that the committee had met with Sprague in January to gather information for a! quote and had not yet heard back from them. Their representative has indicated that she would be in touch with the bookkeeper, clerk and highway superintendent, but that has not happened. He did not feel that the quote from Bailey should be shared from them, but that that company should gather its own information. Cl Grantham stated that she did not see any problems with the proposal from Bailey and that it would be useful to get another proposal for comparison. This is not a formal bid process or closed bid and the information was presented in an open meeting last month. It was presented atla public meeting so the information is available is under the Freedom of Information Law.I She is not saying that they shouldn't do the work themselves. Supv Varvayanis - They could have FOILed it during the past month and haven't. Cl C Hatfield - She told us in January she wanted to bid and hasn't yet. Cl Beck - There is a provision in the insurance law that whoever approaches a carrier first gets to use them exclusively on the bid. Bailey has used Selective previously and he proposed Selective and has a bid from them. That excludes Sprague from quoting Selective. She knows that and stated there are other carriers. I hesitate to direct employees to not give them this stuff. Obviously we have to give them the information they need. I don't know if someone will have to take them to all the pumping stations and water/ sewer sites and outlying buildings. Theyll need to look at the town barn, the town offices and have someone give them values on the vehicles. Cl T Hatfield - Isn't it prudent business given the time frame here, that we accept the proposal from Bailey tonight and modify our approach in the future so it is a sealed proposal. I think Mark is right. He did present it in open meeting, it's probably subject to FOIL. They didn't bother to db that and haven't put a lot of effort in this since January. G Maybee Suggested that a list of all sites and estimated values be given to insurance carriers and bids requested. I It was noted that Bailey got quotes from two different carriers. RESOLUTION # 147 - ACCEPT BID FOR INSURANCE COVERAGE Cl C Hatfield offered the following resolution and for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby accepts the bid by George B. Bailey Agency, Inc. for insurance'I coverage for the Town for the year beginning June 1, 2000 in the amount of $41,720.00 with Selective Insurance Company, and further RESOLVE ID, that when insurance coverage is next reviewed one day will be designated to meet with all msurance companies who are interested in bidding the coverage. 2nd Cl Grantham Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes O Cl Grantham Yes Page 18 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Cl Beck will contact the Sprague representative. Supv Varvayanis will send a letter with the board's resolution, proposal and the reason for the action taken. Cl Grantham - (Distributed memo re Conservation Advisory Council to board members, clerk and attorney) We started talking about the need for stormwater and erosion control local ordinance, and one of the recommendations that Dave Putnam made in his report last month was to form a town committee charged with drafting it. There are provisions in General Municipal Law for creation of what's called a Conservation Advisory Council that could address a pretty broad range of environmental issues. I am suggesting that we form this Conservation Advisory Council and that one of things they'd be charged with is looking at the stormwater and erosion control ordinance with Dave Putnam, Mahlon and whatever other expertise that they would want to bring in on an ad hoc basis. The way that this is established is by local law, so this is by way of introduction and I tried to write a resolution that would be establishing it, but it needs to be reviewed. I've included a copy of the enabling state legislation on it. At one time the State contributed toward the expenses of these committees. I don't know if they still do, but I will try and find out. Cl T Hatfield - Didn't this come up during Project Impact? Because we didn't have a Conservation Advisory Council? Cl Grantham - There are some advantages that I don't understand very well to having one as far as the State is concerned. ZO Slater - I'm not sure if we're talking about the same two things, but there certainly isn't any reason why we couldn't approach it that way. It certainly would fit the idea of Project Impact, but I don't believe that is exactly what we talked about before. • Cl T Hatfield - We can have Mahlon review this and get back to us on the 31St. We'll have a little more time to talk about it at that time. Cl Beck - On the second page it says they will review development applications and make recommendations to the Town and Planning Boards on environmental assessment forms and environmental impact statements. Is that a whole other layer of review? Cl Grantham - It's not required review. They can act in an advisory capacity to the Town Board and Planning Board. Cl Beck - You have it in a timely fashion, which is great, but that means that there again you got to get it to Henry to look at, then this board needs to look at it before the Town Board meets. Its probably a good idea if it can all happen. Cl Grantham - I think it would be most useful in some of the larger projects, like Varna II. Cl T Hatfield - That's one of the things we struggle with amongst ourselves. We maybe have one expert at the table on geological and other issues. I'm concerned whether we draw this kind of expertise from the community. We've got some expertise here. Cl Grantham - The law says that you have to have at least three and no more than nine members, so its pretty flexible in terms of numbers of members. I think that we could fill it. The numbers would go up and down. The initial task would be this stormwater ordinance Page 19 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Cl Grantham - The second thing I wanted to talk about was in relation to the Cayuga Lake Watershed iIntermunicipal Organization. We are trying to prioritize environmental issues in the Cayuga Lake Watershed. Did my memo and list get sent out? (It did) I don't think we need to do anything tonight. I did not want to prioritize this list without input from others in the Town, so I've passed it out to the Planning Board and I think they are probably going to give me individual input and I'd like input from the Board any way that you'd like to give it to me, either individually or in discussion at the next meeting. The IO meeting when this will be discussed will be the third week of June. (Board members completed forms individually and gave them to Cl Grantham.) ATTORNEY I Atty Perkins - At Mark's request I contacted Clough Harbour and had a discussion with Mr. Mento about our concerns. All the changes that we requested to their proposal were made and the Supervisor has signed it. You asked me to look at Section 500 subsection 7 of the Zoning Ordinance last month which grants an exemption of land owned by any governmental entity or any educational institution. I've done a good bit of research looking at that and while it is clear that the Town can't regulate any land owned by the State of New York or any of its agencies and that continues, there has been a shift in the test about whether or not you can regulate some uses by other municipalities. I may come back to you with a proposal that we tighten this up if that be your intent. The other issue has to do with the educational institutions. The same standard which was announced by the Court of Appeals in 1988, almost 20 years after the Town adopted the Zoning Ordinance, may allow you to regulate some of the lands used by educational institutions. It is clear you can't exclude them, but there are may be areas that have opened up where you can insert some regulation, especially where they're not active in educational purpose. I'll have a more detailed report and some suggestions to you when we come back in June. TOWN CLERK Clerk hadl received a memo from Cl Grantham listing changes in the minutes of February 18, February 25, March 8, and April 12, 2000. Copy of memo distributed to board with Clerk's notation of changes. Discussion ensued regarding who should be listed as present. Elected officials, attorney, engineer, assistant budget officer and department heads will be noted. On motion of Cl Grantham, seconded by Cl T Hatfield, the minutes of February 18, February 25, March 8, and April 12, 2000, were approved with changes (Cl Beck abstained because he was not present at the February 18 and February 25 meetings.) Clerk informed that the Board that our Senior property tax exemption is not as high as it could be undercurrent law. Most communities use the same levels for senior exemption as disability exemption. After discussion, the board decided that it would increase the exemption and directed Atty Perkins to prepare the appropriate documents. RESOLUTION # 148 - SET PUBLIC HEARING FOR INCREASE OF SENIOR REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION Cl Grantham offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board, desiring to amend its current senior real property tax exemption to parallel the income guidelines in the disability exemption, hereby sets a public hearing on the matter for May 31, 2000 at 7:30 p.m. 2nd Cl C Hatfield Page 20 of 31 Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Yes TB 5 -10 -00 Clerk notified the Board that a bid was received from Herb Brecht in the amount of $103.51 for the Xerox copier. She will notify him that he may pick it up upon payment. Clerk would like to attend the New York Association of Local Government Records Officers in Ithaca on June 12 and 13, and would like Deputy Cynthia Abbey to attend also since she is working in records management. She feels that because our records management program is still in its infancy this would be beneficial. RESOLUTION # 149 - AUTHORIZE MEMBERSHIP IN NYALGRO AND ATTENDANCE AT CONFERENCE Cl Grantham offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves membership for Bambi L. Hollenbeck and Cynthia Abbey in the New York Association of Local Government Records Officers and attendance at the NYALGRO conference in Ithaca on June 12 and 13, 2000 in an amount not to exceed $90.00. 2nd Cl C Hatfield Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Yes B Hollenbeck, having been asked to address the Open Meetings Law, read excerpts from the pamphlet published by the state entitled "Your Right to Know, New York State's Open Government Laws ". In summary: The Open Meetings Law gives the public the right to attend meetings of public bodies, listen to the debates and watch the decision making process in action. A "meeting" is defined as "the official convening of a public body for the purpose of conducting public business." When a quorum of a public body gathers for the purpose of discussing public business the meeting must be open to the public whether or not there is intent to take action and regardless of the manner in which the gathering may be characterized. Chance meetings or social gatherings are not covered by the law, and the law is silent with respect to public participation. "Public body" is defined to cover entities consisting of two or more people that conduct public business and perform a governmental function, Committees and subcommittees consisting solely of members of a governing body are specifically included in the definition. Notice of the time and place of the meetings must be given not less than 72 hours prior to the meeting when it is scheduled at least one week in advance, and to the extent practicable when it is scheduled less than a week in advance. This need not be a legal notice. Exemptions from the law are: (1) judicial or quasi-judicial proceedings, except proceedings of zoning boards of appeal, (2) deliberations of political committees, conferences and caucuses, and (3) matters made confidential by federal or state law. Most documents filed with the Town are available for public inspection. Items not available under the Freedom of Information Law were reviewed. An audience member pointed Page 21 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 out that he did not hear draft environmental impact statement listed. B Hollenbeck stated it is O not specifically listed and that the confusion regarding that came from reading the SEQR law which says that the Town Board would review a draft and determine whether it is ready for public review. I Atty Perkins - There is an opinion of the Committee that a draft environmental impact statement is a public document. That seems to be in conflict with the SEQR regulations, so I don't think that is necessarily a settled question. However, the Committee has opined that it is available, and if someone requests it, it is up to the records access officer if she is going to release it or allow it to be inspected. If she does that then people who want to make copies can make as many copies as they want at whatever the copy rate is. I Cl T Hatfield - This might be one of those issues if its an unsettled area that we ought to ask TCMOA to ask the state association to have it reviewed in Albany where these laws emanate from. Iti should be resolved. Cl Granth'am - You can get a formal opinion from Bob Freeman. Cl T Hatfield - There is a conflict between the opinion and the SEQR. B Hollenbeck - The opinions can be challenged. Cl T Hatfield - Why do we want to challenge them all the time? We can't be the only community where you've got conflicts going on. We'll have more of it as time goes on I suspect. Cl Grantham - I don't see it as a conflict. I think we just make it available and we recognize that until we accept the draft environmental impact statement we haven't entered that required period of formal public comment, but anyone can still see it. In fact we can get good input from people who are knowledgeable by doing that. 1 Cl T Hatfield - I just see it as fraught with opportunities for mischief on all parties' parts, the developers working their angle, groups that have a particular agenda working another angle. It hink it does a great disservice to us as a deliberative body to have to weigh all these things. I'd like to be able to do that in an environment where we are dealing with facts and known knowledge and I'd like to have our expert tell us this document has some merit to it before we start having those that have an interest review it and debate it. I have no problem with the process. I'm just saying the SEQR provisions put process in place for a reason, and it seems to me we now have a conflict between at what point does that become available for everyone to start to review and hone their arguments for the position that they represent. Ultimately we are the deliberative body. I'd like to see that process have some logical flow to it. And if we've got an opinion from one side of the state government that differs from what the law on the other side says, I for one feel like I'd like that clarified. It doesn't mean that anyone else has to agree with me. I just find that to be just a little bit disingenuous. Cl Grantham - I think that we ought to err on the side of being more open. i Cl T Hatfield - I agree for the moment. I'm just saying I think it does a disservice to the deliberative process and I for one object to that. I Supv Varvayanis - If you want, I'll call the Department of State and ask if this issue has come up... 1 i Cl T Hatfield - That's what I said, maybe we do it with TCMOA. I can't believe we're alone in this proceI Iss. 40 Page 22 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Atty Perkins - Bob Freeman believes that it is available. If asked, that's going to be his opinion. Of course, if you look at the history of the Committee on Open Government, they always decide that way because that's their charge so to speak. That doesn't mean that there isn't grounds for a different opinion there. If asked, he's going to tell you that it's a record. Cl T Hatfield - Don't misinterpret what I'm saying. I think the more open the process the better the process. I don't have a problem with that argument at all. I'm. just saying that as one of the members of a deliberative body, it seems to me that we all ought to start from the same starting point in the process. We've got all these false starts and you get all this hoorang going over one particular thing that could be in error. We've got to have some basis where these two, what appear to be, conflicts merge at some point. If it is going to 'be open, okay, so be it. But it shouldn't be brought forward until we have at least had the opportunity to let our experts chew on it. Cl Beck - What happens is these things get out and everybody sees them and immediately wants to make comment, and then we allow the comment and then we've got to answer that and take up time. Like you say, it disrupts the process. Maybe the record should be out there, but I can't see us sitting here for hours on end hearing comments on things that may be, like you say, in error or whatever. Supv Varvayanis - Like I say, we are not required to accept comment. Cl Beck - Exactly. Cl T Hatfield - And I don't believe we will ever, ever not accept comment. It is just not in the nature of this kind of a body. So you end up with hours and hours of, in essence, 18 testimony. Supv Varvayanis - Have we ever accepted comment on a draft EIS before? Cl T Hatfield - I don't know, but I know we've accepted comments on a draft map, plan and report that we haven't accepted yet. And that's the same process. And that went on for three or four hours one night here. It's the process. I don't have a problem with the concept. If we are going to have a deliberative process, we've all got to be at the same starting gate at some point in time. Supv Varvayanis - I do consider it different because ... we don't have to argue it tonight because we are getting late already. Cl T Hatfield - Just as a suggestion, I think around the parking area. we ought to run it by a few other communities and see if there are others that are looking at this in the same way. Supv Varvayanis - I've already commented and have notes, so I'll call. Cl T Hatfield - I'd appreciate that. I really would. Supv Varvayanis has sent a memo to the Board suggesting that the Clerk receive all mail for the town (excepting Court mail) and that she be in charge of the town's website. The Board agrees. ENG Dave Putnam - The only thing I have to report on today was the request about the isplanning for around the parking area. I researched the records and part of ca plan that was Page 23 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 developed in 94. (There was a planning schedule. Jack and I have gone over it and Jack is in the process of making contact with the homeowners to set up a meeting. Cl Grantham - Would you just let me know when that happens? Jack Bush stated that they had already met. Supv Varvayanis also spoke with the owners. Ms Wagner's concern was the height of the trees once they got full grown. She didn't want them falling on her house. Mr Campbell and his wife are very excited about the tree planting and didn't care what kind they were, just wanted to know how they were going to be planted. Jack explained that and it had been recommended that planting occur in the fall. Cl Grantham asked what work was going on in the pit now. Jack Bush stated that a drain tile was being installed where the water problem is. It will then be filled and leveled so that it can be used for parking. They've spread topsoil around the bank and that's where the trees are going to go. Jack stated it's intended use was always for parking to his knowledge. Cl Grantham wanted to know if there was a parking plan, and Dave Putnam stated that it was designed at one time, that it was part of the same plan; that there would be a road between the building and the parking lot. The neighbors had been informed of this and the reason for putting it at that level (so that it would not be in view from their houses). Cl Grantham asked that the work not begin too early in the day. Supv Vardayanis stated that he's heard the neighbors are glad that something is getting done now, and if the work gets finished they'll be happy. Supv Varvayanis asked if there would be a ditch for drainage or if it would be tiled and flush. Jack stated it would be flush, tiled with number two stone over the top, drainage fabric on top of the stone. It will go from one corner to the other corner and have a Y to catch the far corner. This is Jack's design, and if it was ever paved, that type of drainage could be put in later, but he does) not feel that expense is necessary at this time. ZONING Kevin Ezell - Would like to attend a course at Cornell (Beyond the Basics) to help him further himself in the GIS Mapping. He believes this course will enable him to do some things that he is unable to now. It seems that GIS is the wave of the future, the next step in information, and will be for every aspect of our community needs. There is enough money in the budget for mapping, but it would cut him short and he would be concerned if he needs to get more paper, pens, etc. It costs $100 to fit the plotter with new pens. It costs over $50 for a roll of paper, and he will be using another roll of paper when he does the tax maps in July. He is concerned that he may come up short at the end of the budget year. There are grants available from SARA, but they are not funding grants, they are looked at to be seed money to get a GIS department established and continuing. He is not sure the Town is ready for that. It seems to be functioning fine now, but perhaps in the fixture there may be cause for a department. The fee for the course is $500 for early registration. Feeling that this is a general town expense, not specific to the department, it is suggested that the funds be taken from another appropriate line item other than this specific line item. Cl Beck asked what the estimate was for the rest of 2000 for the mapping program. K Ezell feels that the $569 that is left will be sufficient for this year, but would like to look at it in the future because there may be a necessity for computer upgrades, etc. RESOLUTION # 150 - AUTHORIZE ATTENDANCE AT GIS MAPPING CLASS FOR KEVIN EZELL C1 T Hatfield offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Page 24 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the attendance of Kevin Ezell at the GIS Mapping class to be held at Cornell University and authorizes the expenditure not to exceed $500.00 in connection therewith, said funds to be taken from an appropriate line item other than mapping. 2nd C1 Grantham Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Yes ZO Slater - Monthly report has been distributed to board members. Project Impact - The project impact FEMA grant application was filed on time. In an attempt to improve our chances for receiving the grant, he has contacted Congress Hinchey's and Senator Schumer's offices for letters of support. He has also contacted State Senator Seward and Assemblyman Luster. Next week Waverly has their formal contract signing ceremony for their project impact, and he will be attending with Michael Raffe, Mayor Reba Taylor, Anne- Margaret Esnard from City and Regional Planning, and Kate Hackett from County Planning. We are about a year behind them in development. The Waverly project involves six communities, four in Pennsylvania and two in New York. The ceremony will take place on a bridge connecting the two states. The final "master plan" for project impact has been completed. There is a meeting next Tuesday at the Village at 2:00 p.m. with all the steering committee members. If the plan is approved, it will be taken to the general public in June. After the public comment period is over they will start forming some working committees and move forward with. more projects, seeking more grants and trying to mitigate our community for any natural or manmade disaster that has been identified in the last year. Ottenschot - ZO Slater has sent information to the board regarding Mr. Ottenschot's failure to complete his site mitigation by the May 1 deadline. Mr. Ottenschot was notified by the zoning office in writing in March, December and October reminding him of the deadlines. He has not responded to any of the letters. Cl T Hatfield suggested that Atty Perkins serve the appropriate paperwork. The board RESOLUTION #151 - COMMENCE ACTION AGAINST MARTIN OTTENSCHOT Supv Varvayanis offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the town attorney, Mahlon R. Perkins, to commence an action for an injunction against Martin L. Ottenschot to restrain any further use of his property on Freese Road until he complies with every condition of his special permit. 2nd Cl Grantham Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Page 25 of 31 Cl Grr equipment in anything this With resl officer and want accurately addre attorney would t has not had any The sites off of S permission, and development ord ZO Slate lots. He was un has been done r find was in his i before the Town meet in a joint s that purpose an TB 5 -10 -00 Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Yes m asked if Mr. Ottenschot had been notifying ZO Slater of when he moves out. ZO Slater said that he had been notified last fall, but has not heard ,t to the Sutton subdivision, last month Mr. Sutton contacted the zoning to make sure that the paperwork that was provided by the zoning office ;ed the remaining issues of the subdivision. Mr. Sutton indicated that his contacting Atty Perkins before this board meeting. They have not. ZO Slater her involvement. D Putnam has resurrected the storm plan from their files. :ton's property are posted so he cannot look at anything there without has not contacted the owners yet. D Putnam will call the owners. The stop remains in effect. - Cl Grantham has been asking for months to look into a situation about flag ble to do that because the minute books were away being microfilmed. That w and he has reviewed the records. The only reference to flag lots he could Dnthly report of June 1997: "As you know Chairperson Hanley appeared 3oard in June to discuss the issue. As a result the Town Board and ZBA will ssion to review the issue." He does not believe the two boards ever met for the issue has never been addressed. Cl Grantham - Asked ZO Slater to get the actual question that was asked and she will bring it to the board in June. Cl Grantham will also contact Anne Everett because she originally asked the question. ZO Slater has not had time to address the Quarry Road issue. It will be time consuming, but he will do so as soon as possible. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Jack Bush - He has asked Dianne to advertise Chipping Day (May 21). Town residents are welcome to Ming their brush to Johnson Road for chipping. They make take chips with them if they bring their own container. HIGHWAY DEP Jack Bush has sent a letter to Lucente Homes (board members, Atty Perkins and Dave Putnam have copies). The purpose of that was that they have started construction on Observatory Circle and have not contacted about what they need to do as far as driveways and they are storing some material on the road. J Bush - I would like the board to pass a resolution authorizing me to advertise for bid for a material called reclaimed asphalt pavement. The idea behind this is in the past we've already done this process as far as in -place recycling on the road itself. I have an opportunity to possibly get some of this material. I can't seem to find anything that would cover this material on state or county bid and the only legal way I know of doing this would be to advertise for bid. I'll have Mahlon help me with this. I've got to word it very carefully. I don't want to be going 100 miles away to get this material. I'd like to do the specs so that it's within a certain distance. Part of the reasoning behind using this is we should be able to save money if we can get it within a 15 miles radius rather than going to Skaneatles to get the stone. - It also has oil in it. ( You still have to add oil, but it is about half the amount. Page 26 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Cl Grantham - And you'll continue to recycle the material on the roads as you've done in the past? J Bush - Yes. It all depends on what's already there. Some roads, for example that have been stoned and oiled, would not be recycled. You need some kind of a base. Cl C Hatfield - You've had good luck with this material? J Bush - We've had good luck with the process. The biggest difference is that I'm trying to purchase someone else's material. Cl Beck - Why would they move it off site? Don't they normally put it right back where it's from? J Bush - There are all kinds of reasons why they do it. But there is some available. A lot of companies do the process so they could bid on this. I think its a good opportunity. Cl T Hatfield - There's a variety of stone and a variety of oil. When you do these specs do you have to stipulate that the material is going to have a compatible chemistry with the stone and oil that we use now? J Bush - The oils today can be compatible. In the bid specs it will specify that it can only be ground to a certain size and basically what we'll do is haul it to Johnson Road where the stock pile is and run it through a pugmill, which means we add a little bit of oil to it and then run it through a paver and lay it down. RESOLUTION # 152 - AUTHORIZE HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT TO ASK FOR BIDS FOR RECLAIMED ASPHALT Supv Varvayanis offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Highway Superintendent to prepare bid specifications and advertise for bids for reclaimed asphalt. 2nd Cl Grantham Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes C1 T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Yes J Bush - As far as Quarry Road, I have not received any communication from Mr. Dolph. The driveway still remains open and some of the other driveways appear to be eroding. I would like to see something happen here. It will take all of us to make it happen. Cl T Hatfield - Didn't we have some discussion last month about the Town having the ability to go in and make those changes and bill it back. J Bush - I think part of the discussion was creating the driveway permit process, which I have been working with Mahlon on. We've got something put together and now we've taken a second look at it and made some changes. One of the things I was waiting for is a picture of what the driveway would look like. Dave worked on that and I've got to get that back to Mahlon. Page 27 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 Atty Perkins - There is a policy decision to be made. One of the ways that you can get a hold on things like the Dolph problem is to make this local law so that the Town Highway Superintendent any time that he feels that a driveway constitutes a hazard or a problem for drainage or whatever, can require a permit if it hasn't been permitted already. That's one option you are going to have. Cl T Hatfield - Weren't we told that his driveways were actually endangering the road surface, causing maintenance problems? Under those circumstances, don't we have the right to give proper notice to fix it? He's operating in the right of way. Cl Grantham - We have a current maintenance problem, right. Do we have to wait until we have a local law to address it? There's damage. Atty Perkins - I don't think we do, although I didn't bring that information with me tonight. There is� general state authority to do that. But we're talking about a more specific local approach, too. General authority already exists. Supv Varvayanis - I think we did talk about last month going ahead and fixing it and sending him a bill. Cl Grantliam - I agree that there is a policy issue for the long range, but this is a problem that has, been going on for two years. Cl T Hatfield - I think we need to be super confident in a situation like this. Get together with Mahlon and make sure the is are dotted, the is crossed, proper notice given and let's protect the taxpayer's property. I'm sure he's not going to pay to repair that road even though it is his driveway that's causing the deterioration. If you've got the authority take those steps on advice of council. I don't know that we have any right to give you that direction. Mahlon will have to advise us on that, but we do have a sense of the board and I think that's what we've encouraged. J Bush - 7hat I think will happen is if I go and do what I think should be done, and Peter Novelli actually made the suggestion, and Mr. Dolph had asked him to make the suggestion. If we do that work, and I don't think we have time to do that work, but if we hire that done it will be expensive, and I think we'll find ourselves fighting to get paid. Cl T Hatfield - I think it becomes an in rem attachment. Atty Perkins - I wouldn't hazard a guess without checking. Cl T Hatfield - I think we need to ask Mahlon how we get paid for that. Cl Granth'am asked J Bush if he received a copy of the letter about tree cutting on German Cross Road and he had. Supv Varvayanis stated the matter had been taken care of. ZO Slater would like to schedule the Park Outdoor Advertising hearings (5) and the Environmental Associates hearing. With respect to Park Outdoor ZO Slater has received a response from the County that they have a serious impact on intercommunity relations. It is an allowed use by special permit and so mitigation should be addressed. DOT will not be responding because they have ultimate permit control and they will issue each and every one of them. They havelno interest other than they conform with their specifications. After 6:30 p.m. it was decided to hold these six hearings on June 7, 2000 beginning at Page 28 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 SUPERVISOR CORRESPONDENCE 10 Supv Varvayanis read a letter from Robert Cox, 2024 Dryden Road: Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to bring to your attention the conditions on Rte.# 13, near the :intersection of Yellow Barn and Johnson Roads. About 400 feet West is the warehouse of Ithaca Foods, owned by Richard Cutia. Construction is now underway at this time to widen the road in name of "making it safer "! I brought up at a previous meeting, how a second driveway would alleviate some of the congestion when two large tractor trailer trucks are trying to enter and leave at the same time. I live across the road from it, there are probably 100 or more vehicles or more a day using this one driveway and sometimes the traffic is backed up to Yellow Barn intersection. Dick Cutia said He has asked the D.O.T. for permission to put one in and been refused. I think if the Town Board were to get behind this request on the concerns of safety, it might have some bearing to rectify the conditions, especially at this time when the road is under construction, rather than waiting until the work is completed. Sincerely, Robert H. Cox 2024 Dryden Road • RD #2, Freeville, NY 13068 Cl T Hatfield said he recalled that Mr. Cutia had been unable to obtain permission. ZO Slater explained that DOT policy generally is that they can at their choice grant a second driveway permit on one single property. They are under no obligation. Mr. Cutia represented that he had applied and been turned down; that does not preclude him from :reapplying. After discussion, ZO Slater will contact Mr. Cutia and see if he is still agreeable to a second driveway and what DOT's current policy is. Atty Perkins pointed out that the issue is what is the safest and that we should not assume that two driveways are better. Supv Varvayanis will then follow up with DOT. Supv Varvayanis shared a letter regarding the status of Red Mill Bridge. Cl Beck noted that nothing new has happened since the April meeting and they are still negotiating with the engineering firm to lower their price. Supv Varvayanis asked if there were any questions on renewing the contract with the Village of Dryden for Code Enforcement. Cl Grantham wondered if it had been a manageable amount of work and ZO Slater stated that it had worked out quite well. The contract is substantially the same contract as last year. The yearly amount is $500 more and the contract provides for monthly payments. There as been a change in the names of different boards and provides that ZO Slater will act as consultant to the ZBA, which he has been doing already. RESOLUTION # 153 - AUTHORIZE SUPERVISOR TO SIGN CONTRACT WITH VILLAGE FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT Cl T Hatfield offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Page 29 of 31 RESOLVI Village of Dryder. $8,500.00. 2nd Cl C Hatfield Roll Call Supv V TB 5-10 -00 D, that the Supervisor is hereby authorized to sign an agreement with the for code enforcement services for the term of 1 year and an annual total fee of tote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl C Hatfield Yes Cl Grantham Yes has the financial report, payroll report, and Justice Report. Supv Varvayanis stated with respect to the German Cross Road matter, the letter had been written before they checked. The wood was left there and chips were provided for the property owners ,I The trees will not be replanted as they were within 25 feet. Supv Va would like a me applying for a ji list of town proj also be discuss July 18 at 6:30 Supv Va air conditioners could install oni least keep the a original intent vi ayanis has a letter from Reba Taylor, Mayor of the Village of Dryden. She ing with the Town to discuss projects such as a joint HUD grant and possibly I courthouse. Cl T Hatfield suggested that Dave Putnam take a look at the is and see which ones might involve cooperation with Village and those could . Supv Varvayanis will contact Mayor Taylor and suggest either July 11 or M, iayanis noted that a few years ago there was a request for a few window unit n the Town Hall, and it turned into a $50,000 project. He wondered if we window unit in the Clerk's Office and one in the Court Clerk's office and at a.a where the citizens come in more comfortable. Cl Grantham stated her is for a few window units. Dave Putnam explained that the problem is that this building is for public assembly and you have to circulate the air every so often and you have to have great big air handling units in here to meet code. Cl Beck -1 So we might not be able to put window units in legally. ZO Slater, - I don't think anyone in this building will complain. Cl Grantham - How about if on May 31 we have some figures about casement and whatever is necessary to make it comfortable, and then we'll do a resolution to buy it. Cl Beck , Decide what you think we need and get us a figure. Supv Varvayanis - Okay. Anne Grant is wondering if the Board wants to participate in Dairy Day (June 10) this year. Cl C Hatfield can probably get a tractor and wagon if we can get the help to put it together. Cl Beck Will be attending the SEQR training tomorrow night. While I was away apparently there was a lot of hullabaloo in the newspaper about the municipal officers association taknzg a position about the way the assessment, the revaluation, was done. I have no idea what was in the paper, but we got kind of hauled over the coals at the Ag and Farm Land Board meeting the other night. Apparently some people in that organization took some positions that were not based on fact. I don't know what part we had, this board or anybody Page 30 of 31 TB 5 -10 -00 that's part of that had to do with it, but I kind of believe what we were told by Steve Whicher at the meeting the other night that probably that was inappropriate. I don't know if anybody's heard anything about it. But they released the preliminary data with all these ifs ands and buts and people took that at face value and went running to the press with all these ideas about how much change there had been in the assessment. Our values came back and they were all screwed up. We spent three or four hours down at the informal review and got things straightened out again. But we didn't go to the press and say what a poor job the board of assessment is doing. When I saw that it was the Tompkins County Municipal Officers Association (I know that some of us belong to it), I really don't think that type of thing should happen. Cl T Hatfield - That goes back to what we were talking about earlier tonight about process. It's great to have it out there and it makes great headlines and we've had five or six feature articles on it. It means nothing right now, although it brings everybody's attention to the process so maybe it has a value. But I think its wrong for municipal officers to attack it. Cl Beck - Apparently the Assessment Department went to great lengths to say here is the preliminary, it's only preliminary, the ag assessment values are not incorporated, any exemptions that you normally get are not incorporated, and people went crazy with it. Cl Beck - The last thing is this big packet we got from the attorney general's office regarding gun control. They are asking us essentially to instruct our law enforcement agencies not to purchase weapons except from those manufacturers that agree with this voluntary ban on certain items and gun safety devices. I'm a great advocate of gun safety, but its the person you've got to educate, not the gun. People kill people, guns don't kill people and I don't think that this board should be telling our law enforcement people they can only buy their supplies from certain manufacturers. I don't believe we should be addressing this at this point. On motion of Cl Grantham, seconded by Cl T Hatfield, and unanimously carried, the meeting was adjourned at 10:35 p.m. Respectfully submitted, . 41t,4 A ge&u�,Ae� e Bambi L. Hollenbeck Town Clerk Page 31 of 31 TOWN OF DRYDEN OFFICE OF THE SUPERVISOR 65 EAST MAIN STREET DRYDEN, NEW YORK 13053 -9505 FAX 607 - 844 -9599 E -MAIL drydent @lightlink.com TEL 607- 844 4619 May 8, 2000 To: Town Board Mahlon Perkins From: Mark Varvayanis, Supervisor I should apologize for my mishandling of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee meetings. Unfortunately I was not aware that some members of the Board did not realize that the Open Meetings Law covered the meetings. Had I known, I would have tried to educate people earlier. The fault is not all mine however. If I had been aware of the desire for this committee ahead of time we could have discussed it at length. Ms. Hollenbeck has agreed to give the Board a brief presentation on the Open Government Laws. • I also think some changes in procedure are necessary. From now on I feel that all mail or hand deliveries (other than court) should be delivered to the Clerk's Office. After the Clerk acknowledges receipt she can then distribute material to the appropriate office. There is also the problem of poor communications. I plan to ask all committees to do a better job of scheduling meetings in a timely manner and notifying the clerk. Although the web page does not have a legal function I think it would make sense for the records officer to be in charge of it. I realize that this letter will not arrive long before the meeting and I wish I could have given you more notification that I wanted to discuss these issues at the meeting. You have however been aware that I have been concerned about the cavalier attitude that the Town has displayed in regard to open government for close to one year. I hope you also understand that this issue has come to a head and it would be irresponsible to continue to ignore it. /m • AK �� c� "L. e 0Gc .cGL C v Town of Umden Town Board Meeting May 10, 2000 Name - {Please Print} Address L e r t C Ga c vl e v/ 3 a 2L- /;)L- 5' F 4 v�-cz ni V 13 o Co Z a v :gyp, / OA�%10��1 lL h v v to con u otA Lam( �^Y� Al a PJ tIA X)(IAA I &A,