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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-01-24TB 1 -24-] 1 TOWN OF DRYDEN ►SPAVJ L TOWNBOA D MEEWNG GARY 24, 2001 Board Members Present: 45upv Mark Varvayanis, Cl Ronald Beck, Cl Thomas Hatfield, Cl Deborali Grantham Absent: Cl Charles Hatfield Other Elected Officials: Bambi L. Bollenbeck,'rou*n Clerk Jack Bush. Highway Superintendent Other Town StaffL Mahlon R. Perkins-. Town Attvrvey Judge Chris Clauson - I wanted to talk about the salary for my new clerk. I've clone My home work and behz it. ar not, the average salary here is $9.80 an hour. Freeville works tour hours a week at $10.00. I've got every Court that would call me hack or leave messages. The only one that wouldn't was Groton_ The Town Court in Ithaca has three full time clerk, two judges and one part timer, Their part time clerk gets $18 per hour for thirty hours per week. 1 have a couple of recommendations to the board_ When Jean leaves, matte Debbie the senior court clerk, if she wants it, and give her an incentive to be the senior court clerk and be in charge, at 1 an hour more than what she is getting presently_ My recommendation for the new hire is to hire her at $11.00. I would like to hire at $11.00, give a raise after 6 months of $,50/hour and then at the end of the year another $.50/hour plus whatever the Board decides for a yearly raise_ There would be a six month probationary period. It will be forty plus hours a week. The court is presently open about 8:00 a. m. to 4:80 p.m. with a half hour break, Jean doesn't leave generally. Our office is ulways open because people come in during their lunch to pay their fines_ T dent Chink it's outrageous. I hope I can hire someone at that rate under those conditions, C1 Grantham asked what the range of whew was and Judge Clawson stated it starts at $8.25 and goes to $18.75. Some people have to pay for benefits, In Lansing they pay $130 per month which isn't included in their hourly rate, Cayuga Heil hhs works no more than 20 hours and they get 11 an hour. 1 Orou rham - I think the rate should be based on the Idnd of skills you expect and the level of responsibility rather than hour many hours a week they work. I don't see any problem with your rei�nmmendation. Judge Clausen -Cur interviews will start on Monday and you're welcome to attend. I anticipate it will be at least the 14th of February before I can get someone on board and that only leaves March and AprU before Jean leaves. I definitely think that's an acceptable rate for o coLu t clerk, I guess my idea with Debbie Smiley is what's going to happen if she doesn't want this responsibility_ J'm hoping that Debbie will step up. Supv Varvayanis - I 've talked with her for a year, She wants it now, Whether she wants it after she's had it is another question_ Judge Olauson - I think giving Debbie an extra $1 an hour and some incentive will at least bring her up to some sort. of Supervisory type pay as senior court clerk. I think that Page i of 14 ti Ti3 1 -24 -01 would definitely 11aelp her nut. If you ah agree with thin, you need to tell ))urine, because she doesn't always agree with what you people do. 4 J Bush - I'd like to add that when I was asking for applications for a highway clerk, we gat 67 applicadons and interviewed abort ten people. Most all of those were looking for about $12 an hour, iw I don't think it's unreasonable_ CI T Hatfield - I think it's a good plan if you can get it done for that_ i'n u're not to oking for someone who has no skills either, Judge Glauson - I will hire them hire on a six month probationary period, because their attendance isn't good or som.etEng, I'll start over. Beck - This new employee on a probationary basis is subject to our policies, but what about Debbie moving into this other position? Judge Clawson - I wouldn't think that it would be a problem, but it's a new position for her and that she would he on probationk for a six month period. Cl Breck - You can get into a, lot of issues with a long term. employee. Supv Varvayanis - I know the way we always talked about daa.ng it was when you get a pToiuot€on like that you are on probation for the promotion. If it doesn't work out you gn back to where you were. C1 Beek - 'f Then. the person. that's second in command is out of a job, or you do a flip -flop which roses same other scenarios. You 've got two positions that are totally dependent on one another, so it can be a problem. 4 .Judge Glauson - Right. And they've got to work hand in hared. Cl Grantham Y So do we have to approve a rate when a person is hired? We have to approve rates for everyone else in the orgamzational meeting, Atty Perkins - I think if you want to give him authority to hire %within a .range, that's what you do, or if you want it not to exceed, ,set a number. Gl Grantham - But when the person is actually hired, do we have to approve that? Atty Perkins - If you don't give - Blanket authority tonight, yes, RESOLUTION 478 m AUTHORIZE JUDGE TO HIRE COURT CLERIC Cl Grantham offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption; RESOLVED, that this Tnwn Board hereby ' es Judge Gl>nstopher Glauson authority to hire a jumat court clerk at $11 per hour, with a _50 are hour increase after a six month probationary penod, and a second $.50 an hour inr�rease after one year, and it is f�erther } : OI, ED, that should Debra Sruiley accept the senior court clerk position, she will receive an addidimal $1.00 an hour, and be subject to a six month probationary period- Did C1 Beck Roll can Vote Cl Beck Yes Gl T Hatfield Yes Page 2 of 14 TB 1-2441 ] Supv Varvayanis Yes 10 Cl Grantham Yes Judge Clauson stated that he is not opposed to temporary office buildings to house the Court, and that he also likes the idea of moving to the Freeville school. Supv Varvayanis explained that he is looking at the Freeville school as an option for the Town Hall in the event the school system should decide to close it. Supv Varvayanis stated this meeting was primarily to discuss the job descriptions of the paramedics and the duties and responsibilities and their employment policies. Dana Abbey stated he had found copies of job descriptions which appeared to have been written on, probably handed out during the summer. Supv Varvayanis wanted to first discuss the job description for lead paramedic and D Abbey stated one of the notes said basically the same as Director of Operations and wondered who was already approved as Director of Operations. Cl T Hatfield said that: he believed the position was created and never filled. Supv Varvayanis - Starting with duties and responsibilities it says under the direction and supervision of the Chief of Neptune Hose. It should say Town Supervisor. D Abbey - I don't like the word supervision in there, because 1 don't know if we should be classified as the supervisor, but how are we going to effectively have the Town Supervisor direct a lead paramedic when they know nothing about: EMS. Supv Varvayanis - You're supposed to advise the Town Supervisor. ® D Abbey - I'm talking about a day to day activity of what needs to be done. Supv Varvayanis - On a day to day activity none of you are paramedics. D Abbey - I understand, but there a lot things that they're doing at the fire station that we are familiar with. Whoever is in your position may know nothing about it. I agree that we should not be supervisors, but somewhere there has to be a cooperation of direction on a day to day basis of what needs to be done. Bill Ackroyd - I think the job description has to read "will take business direction from the Town Supervisor and operational direction from the Fire Chief'. Supv Varvayanis explained that the whole idea is to work cooperatively, but a job description needs to be specific. Cl Beck suggested that it say that they serve at the pleasure of the Town Board and are directed jointly by the Town Supervisor and the Chief of the Fire Department and Dryden Ambulance, Inc. B Ackroyd - They have a business responsibility and medical responsibility. Are you concerned about the medical responsibility? Supv Varvayanis - If we weren't: concerned about the medical responsibility, the Town wouldn't have hired them. Cl Beck - I think what you say is right. Our prime supervisory role is the business role and we are relying on advice from somebody that's qualified for the medical part of it. I think that's exactly where we ought to be, but there is this constant power play about who is in charge of xvho that always comes down when you get personalities involved. And you start getting into gray areas where nobody knows who's boss. That's what you have to avoid. Page3of14 TB 1 -2.4 -01 D Abbey - That's what we ran into with the last paramedic and that's what we want to avoid. 0 Ron Flynn - When you are talking about EMS issues, you take direction from people who are involved in EMS on a day to day basis. As far as billing, that's a different ball game. B Ackroyd - Why can't it be worded that they will take business direction from the Town Supervisor and medical direction, or whatever the correct terminology is, from the Chief of Neptune Hose Company. By the way, when the paramedics are on a call, they aren't operating under Neptune Hose Company. They are operating under an MD's license from Central New York as far as I know. How many authorities do you want them to answer to? Jim Buckley - As one of your paramedics, I don't want to answer to a hundred different people. I think it's a very confusing situation having Dianne throw one issue at me, and we try to resolve that and the Fire Department has another issue and I've come to you and resolved things, and then it's been kicked back again. We try to straighten it out, and then I come back to Dianne and it gets thrown back to me in another way. I don't care honestly how you resolve this, but I think there are too many bosses, or too many potential bosses. We need to establish who we do have as command because we take command from everybody and sometimes that gets rather confusing. Cl Beck asked Jim Schug how it operated when he was here. J Schug - We always had whoever the lead paramedic was, and that was their first job, the health and safety and we had a qualified paramedic, and we never had a problem in the past that I know of We picked the senior one to be the lead paramedic. Last I luiew it was Doug Smith, but evidently he left. And he always worked with whoever the Fire Department put in charge. 0 Cl Beck - The chain of command wasn't: 1001/6 delineated, but it wasn't a problem? J Schug - It was spelled out to a point. There was somebody in charge of the paramedics, and if they had a problem, they would come to me and say they were having a problem and we'd have to straightened out, so we'd have a committee meeting. There used to be a committee of the board to sit down and talk with the Fire Department and get it straight. Supv Varvayanis - One of the things mentioned was to help the Dryden Ambulance, Inc. to do all the protocol. But if our paramedic makes a mistake, we're the ones who get sued. D Abbey - Dryden Ambulance, Inc is going to get sued as well. Cl Grantham - It not a heirarchy and that medical supervision that can't say the Town is the Department. teems to me that the paramedics and the Fire Department are a team, legally the supervisor on paper is the Town Supervisor and the they are required to be subject to in New York. I don't know why we supervisor and the paramedics operate as a. team with the Fire B Ackroyd - 'That's what I said earlier. That they take business direction from the Town Supervisor based on the daily operations of the Dryden Ambulance District and they take medical direction from the state. Unless you guys want to take responsibility for knowing that the ambulances are stocked and the schedule is done. Cl T Hatfield - I hear what you're saying, I don't know how you word it though. I think that's what Jim said it was. There are pay issues, control issues, hiring and firing that come r Page 4 of 14 TB 1- 24-01 back to the Town Supervisor, those types of issues. That's the day to day business. As far as the medical direction goes, you've got a EMS Chief or Fire Chief designee. Supv Varvayanis - He just said scheduling and making sure the ambulances are ready to roll and that was the responsibility of the lead paramedic. D Abbey - I don't think Doug Smith ever did the scheduling. I don't know if he was designated lead paramedic when he was the only one here, but to my knowledge Doug Smith never scheduled anybody as a `l'own employee. Kate Witty - I thought we talked about that at our last meeting, and I showed both of you the schedules and no one seemed to have a problem with the way the schedule is working. Supv Varvayanis - We don't have a lead paramedic now, but the scheduling had been done by the lead paramedic in the past. D Abbey - Not to my knowledge, it hasn't. Who was the lead paramedic? J Schug - First it was Jimmy, because he was the senior and he ran the department. When he quit and went down South, Doug was the senior man and he was in charge. And he scheduled, set up all the people, when they worked, when they didn't. The volunteers and the part timers. D Abbey - As far as I know, Deb Shigley has been doing the scheduling for a long time. I don't know where the transition came, but Debbie did it long before Doug left. ® K Witty - I think for a while Doug and Deb worked with Rick to do the scheduling. J Buckley - I think we all work together. I have to be able to rely on these people. These people have to be able to rely on me. Co do this separation stuff is crazy, because all it is going to do is cause animosity between her and I on the truck when I need her help or she needs my help. I think it's wrong to play this separation game. We need to work out some kind of middle of the road and stay there. I`ll tell you flat out, I don't like Doug Smith, but that's what drove Doug Smith out. It's driving some of our other guys out. This is a good place, but the separation is really driving me nuts. D Abbey stated that he also wanted to accomplish that so that a paramedic does not tell them that they work for the Town and do not have to take ambulance department direction. Jim Buckley stated it will be difficult to hire more paramedics if these issues are not resolved. The people working there need to be able to rely on each other. He should be as responsible to the Town as he is to the ambulance and separatism needs to stop. R Flynn - We need to establish the reporting structure here. After we had our last FMS meeting I left that meeting feeling good. Then I've heard comments that come back from you and from what transpired in the Supervisor's office, and it took the wind right out of my sails. Supv Varvayanis - What comments? R Flynn - Involving the time clock, and the issues involving the sign in sheets vs punching in and so on. B Ackroyd - We need to stop throwing darts and get to the bottom of this right now. ® You are responsible for the paramedics that are employed by you. You sign their paychecks, you are concerned about the business of the Dryden Ambulance District. That includes the Page 5 of 14 TB 1 -24-01 billing, the collections, etc., the business side of it. So why can't you provide business direction to these folks to make sure they are getting the right bills out and collecting the right amount of money, and paying the bills that need to be paid or whatever they do, from the business side of it. And let us worry about the EMS side to make sure there's enough bandaids and people are being cared for in the proper manner. That's what we do. Why is that so hard? Cl Beck - Okay, you've got a dissention somewhere. Who has the authority to fire someone, you guys or us? On your recommendation? Because we don't know. Maybe the billing is fine, but... R Young - It was discussed at an EMS meeting. Mark and Tom I believe were there. We review personnel issues with our board, and if we found there was a situation that needed to be discussed, it would come to your board. We were not in any way, shape or form, say we were going to fire somebody, but: we can remove them from our ambulance if necessary. Cl Beck - I think you need to have that authority. R Young - As far as I know* we've always tried to let everyone know what's going on. The situation we ran into last time was Doug Smith would ask me a question, I'd give him the best answer I could, and if he didn't like the answer he'd call Tom Hatfield. Then he wore Tom out and wens: to Mark. The situation now is we've got three new people and we want to get something established so that they know who they report to, how they can deal with their complaints, how we can deal lwith our complaints. It's not: working when we have discussion with all of us and two days after the conversation, we get a different answer from Dianne McFall, Supv Varvayanis - I think a lot of this is going back to the time clock issue. We, had a meeting about the time clock. I never heard a complaint from the paramedics about the time clock. I talked to Dianne to see what she knew. One of the things that you complained about was that you called and she said you had nothing to do with the time clock. One of the paramedics it turns out had the key and the instruction key to the time clock. I talked to the paramedics arid] didn't hear any complaint's from the paramedics. D Abbey - 1 don't think it was a complaint about using the time clock as much as trying to boost moral and treat these people that go to school as long as they do to become a qualified person of putting them on a system where they don't have to punch a time clock. They just fill out a sheet. We have hourly people in our office who don't punch a time clock. They're big people and know what time work starts. They don't have to be treated like kids, they are professional people. That's the image we're trying to send. More discussion ensued regarding the time clock. It was explained that the time clock does not have am and pm and will not register a 24 hour shift, so it's necessary to make manual notations on the time cards, and the time clock is 15 minutes fast. The ambulance people felt that the consensus reached at the meeting was that the time clock was not necessary. Supv Varvayanis stated that he did not object, but did not make a decision. He heard complaints, investigated and then made a decision and didn't get any complaints from the paramedics then either. R Flynn stated that Dianne McFall has complained to him about people writing on their time cards and punching in early and he investigated and found out the time clock did not register 24 hour shifts and was 15 minutes fast. He brought those issues up, and thought: the matter uras resolved and they could use a time sheet. Supv Varvayanis stated changes would be made. Cl Beck stated they should not feel menial because they have to punch a time clock. He • thinks whether they use it needs to be decided outside the context of the Town Board meeting, Page 6 of 14 T13 I -24 -01 but the business of organization needs some work. He stated that Brian Ramsey of Tully has offered to come and talk to us about the problems we are facing as they have faced the same types of problems. Mr. Ramsey told Cl Beck that the turf issues and the control issues are the biggest problems that need to be solved. The Board agreed that he should be invited to address the group. Cl T Hatfield suggested that perhaps the contract with Dryden Ambulance Inc. could be increased and they could have their own employees and the Town could take over in an audit capacity to monitor how they administer this on behalf of the Town. Bill Ackroyd said that was investigated initially and at the beginning they were not in a position to be an employer. They don't: have a benefit package or retirement package. They don't have a payroll. Cl T Hatfield explained that the Town is also responsible to show the comptroller an exercise of control over employees and he is uncomfortable with having town employees functioning without any degree of control. Supv Varvayanis explained that in the beginning there were less than three employees, but with three or more it was possible to get a community rating with Blue Cross Blue Shield. Atty Perkins - Under Article 12 and Article 12 -A of the Town Law, the Town Board once it: has formed an ambulance district can furnish ambulance service in any number of ways. You've got kind of a hybrid here. You've got your own employees who are part of furnishing the service and you're contracting for the furnishing of equipment and volunteers and housing them and so forth and maintenance of the vehicles. But you could conceivably contract the entire service and not: be an employer. Cl T Hatfield - The other thing we needed to be in the business for was to deal with Medicare and Medicaid. The District needed to be the one submitting those bills. We could contract with them to do the District's business. Atty Perkuzs - I haven't thought this through all the way, but you could have a Town employee who was your billing clerk and people who were furnishing the ambulance service daily would have to turn in records to the billing clerk so the clerk could process the billing through Medicare or third party payers or direct pay or whatever. The only employee the Town would then have would be the person doing the billing. That way you wouldn't have much of an audit function except of that employee. The only audit concern you would have would be to make sure all the records got from the ambulance provider back to the Town. Supv Varvayanis - The concept I thought was that the paramedics had enough down time that they would be billing clerks. Atty Perkins - That's an issue. Do they have enough down time to do that, and therefore they should be Town employees. I think that's what really drives this thing, being in charge of and responsible for the billing . B Ackroyd - You could also subcontract that service out. There are several companies that do just that, provide collection service. They take their stipend of 6% or 80X, or whatever it is, and provide you with reports and a paper trail. Cl Grantham - What do we absolutely need to do tonight, and what can we put off pending discussion with this fellow from Tully? Cl T Hatfield - I think we need to take action on two things that are very urgent. One is an increase in the price and the other is to make it so they can buy medical supplies. Mahlon wanted to look into whether we needed to have a public, hearing to amend the contract, and we Page 7 of 14 TB 1 -2d -01 can. I think we just need to do a resolution increasing the fee structure for advanced and basic $50.00 per call. Cl Grantham - That's to cover the cost of restocking. C1 T Hatfield - Right, but to make that work, we need to authorize a change in the contract with Dryden Ambulance, Inc. to either reimburse them for those costs or some how work out language that will make sense legally. But that money needs to get back to them so they can purchase those supplies up front.. B Ackroyd - Either increase our budget amount, or we can provide you with receipts and you can reimburse us. C1 T Hatfield - To increase the contract by $30,000 was what I had ivnitten down. K Witty - I submitted a package of papers lest time. Narcotic drugs were around $4,000, non - narcotic drugs were about $6,500 and medical supplies were around $22,748. That came to around $33,248. Those are estimates using the call volume from last: year, the types of calls we did, what we had to replace to neighboring rescues under the one for one exchange, expiring drugs. Cl T Hatfield - Basically we just rounded the numbers. We were looking at $50 increase in fee per call to generate roughly $27,000 to $30,000. We said we'd increase the contract by $30,000 and increase the fee and revisit it in six months. -- -___ -- _ - -__ n-A.hhPV_ _We. -have set_uv three separate items in our ledger so they can easily be �n1lt..eCviul' �3 sue_ N 079 - AMEND AMBULANCE CONTRACT following resolution and asked for its adoption: ✓n Board hereby approves an amendment to the contract with ,de ambulance service to the Town by increasing the fee to be by $30,000, and the Supervisor is hereby authorized to Beck Yes T Hatfield Yes pv Varvayanis Yes Grantham Yes !ON #80 - INCREASE AMBULANCE FEES Cl T Hatfield offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes an increase in, the fees to be charged by Dryden Ambulance, Inc. by $50.00 per call, effective January 25, 2001. 2114 Cl Beck Roll Call Vote C1 Beck Yes C1 T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl Grantham Yes Page 8 of 14 TB 1 -24 -01 Supv Varvayanis - I'm sorry if you thought I was taking a bad attitude. I really thought there was not a big issue. I thought you were relaying some complaints the paramedics had. I hadn't heard them. I looked into it and 1 didn't think there was a problem. I wasn't trying to sneak around behind anybody and if I insulted anyone tonight, or if I insulted you last week, I'm sorry. I wasn't aware this was a big issue until tonight really. R Flynn - I accept your apology and I'm sorry for displaying my emotions, but these past couple of years have been tough on the officers of the department dealing with the issues and I just don't want to go down that road again. I want the cooperation that we've had with the Town Board in the past to continue. We've had an excellent working relationship. The only other thing I'd ask you to do is come to a conclusion on a lead paramedic. Supv Varvayuiis - It was talked about and I pretty much promised the job, but I haven't made a formal offer yet. B Ackroyd - I want to go back to something Ron said earlier. When we first started this program, and I was on that committee, there was an issue with dealing with what I want to call a. paraprofessional versus a laborer. You used the word menial and I think there was a certain stigma to saying that you are an hourly, punch the time clock, blue - collar employee. I think there's a lot of pride in somebody who goes to the trouble to be a paraprofessional and paramedic. He's not just your everyday laborer. It's a paraprofessional position and a skill and I think the original conversation was that we owe them that respect, not that they wanted to be treated like that. I think initially we were going to treat them like some punch the clock laborer and I think some of them took offense to it. That was part of the original issue, the time clock and this whole issue. They are a paraprofessional and come to work on time just like you or l ® or anybody else would. They know what their responsibilities. Yes, there has to be something for the labor law on record. They can fill it out on a piece of paper or a napkin or whatever you want to fill it out on. They show up for work, do their job and go home. I think we started to treat them like subordinate laborers and I think some of them took offense to it. I can't blame them. I would too. You take the trouble to get a degree and get educated and you're doing a good job and you're caring for lives, and you're treated like some sewer drunk, Cl Grantham - I don't think that anyone has any problem with that. I think the point that Mark is trying to make is when he asked people nobody said that to him, and so he decided it's not an issue because he didn't find anyone complaining in the end. If people want to change it, then make that proposal. B Ackroyd - I'm just taking you back to some history, what the original problem was with a time clock five years ago. J Buckley stated that he did not a problem punching a time clock. When he was asked about the clock he said that it was 15 minutes off and makes them look late all the time and needed to be fined, and pointed out the lack of 24 capability and having to manually make that notation. He had heard no other complaint about the time clock. He is pleased with the people he works with now and informed the Board that it was a great system and just "needs some ironing out". He thinks it would be a shame to change much about the present system. He stated that a typical paramedic in a day to day activity is a police officer, a doctor, a nurse, a respiratory therapist, an IV tech, a counselor, and now here he adds a clerk. He stated that part of the leadership perhaps does belong with the Fire Department. He enjoys working here and hopes the problems can be resolved. B Ackroyd suggested that they either have a 24 hour time clock installed or do away with it. Cl Beck asked Atty Perkins whether it was necessary to have the time clock and he replied not if there was other documentation. Jim Schug cautioned the Board that they would Page 9 of 14 TB 1- 24-01 need to keep good records. J Buckley asked if the board decided to continue with a time clock whether they would need to continue to fill out the justification sheets. Cl T Hatfield explained • these were used for allocation of time, ie, time spent on administration, emergency services, etc. and that is a controller issue. B Ackroyd suggested then that they go to a paper record for each week. Cl Grantham stated they could either do the time clock and Dianne 's justification sheet, or come up with some sort of a single sheet that combines hours worked and her justification, and that if that could be done, it seems like it would be fine. K ditty volunteered to gather a few different formats and submit them. Supv Varvayanis, "Okay, a new clock is out; formats are in." Cl Grantham suggested we invite Brian Ramsey from ,rully and let the Fire Department and Ambulance know when he is going to be here, and look at other ways to modify the employer/ supervisor role so that it works for this Toum. With respect to job descriptions, D Abbey suggested that for lead paramedic under duties and responsibilities it say "under the joint direction of the Chief of Dryden Ambulance, Inc. and the Town Supervisor; direct supervision will be the responsibility of the Town ". Cl T Hatfield and Cl Grantham believe that is satisfactory. Supv Varvayanis - There has to be better communication and if people realize when they annoy you, you will get to me and I will get back to them... D Abbey - And we need to have better cooperation from you to know* where you stand because when I left: that last meeting I wasn't aware that no change was going to be made. If you don't agree with something that the committee wants to do when we have these meetings, you've got to speak up and let us know where you stand. Or if you're not ready to make a change, you've got. to tell us ghat. • Supv Varvayanis - 1 thought I heard there was a complaint, I thought I looked into it; I thought it was no big deal. I'm sorry if there was confusion on that issue. D Abbey - I think if the Town acts in appointing a lead paramedic, it may solve some of the problems that we're having. Supv Varvayanis - We can discuss it in executive session later tonight. J Buckley stated that what we charge for mileage needs to increased. Supv Varvayanis has not received any previous information on this. RE: ORNITHOLOGY LAB Cl Grantham recused herself from this matter. Scott Sutrliff, Associate Director of the Sapsucker Woods Ornithology Lab gave the Board a presentation of the improvements and changes that will be made to the Ornithology Lab. The new buildings will be in the Village of Lansing anti a portion of the road within the Town of Dryden will need to be relocated to the east of the sanctuary, together with parking areas. A new wetlands complex will be created to the north. The building is designed to fit in with the landscape, containing lots of stone and wood. It is two stories tall, allowing for public observatory space on one side and programatic space on the other side. They have had previous meetings with Henry Slater and Jack Bush and discussed the road bed and the road proposed to lead from the existing Sapsucker Woods Road to the new road. Jack's concerns have already been incorporated in the design plan. The intersection has Page 10 of 14 TB 1 -24-01 been squared off so it looks more like an intersection and a stop sign and red diamond sign will be installed. Landscaping features will also be added to aid in delineation. They will be coming to the Town at some point to ask the Town to discontinue the existing section of road that runs in front of the lab and approve its new route according to the plan as a continuation of Sapsucker Bloods Road. Cornell is willing to dedicate the new road to the Town, but they wondered if instead the Town would accept an easement. The reason for this is that Cornell will own the surrounding property indefinitely, making it more typical of a right of way scenario. In the event the road should ever be abandoned it would revert back to Cornell. Sapsucker Woods Road is presently a right of way and this is a like replacement. The replacement road does not meet all the specifications of a dedicated road. It is a little narrower, which the residents see as a good thing. They will be asking the Village of Lansing for the same thing with respect to that portion of the road in the Village of Lansing, and the Village of Lansing has indicated they would be willing to write a right of reverter into the deed. This meeting is an opportunity for the Board to ask any questions about the project before they formally ask for action. Supv Varvayanis stated that the Village of Lansing is asking for their road to be fee simple and that is what he would like. Atty Perkins - I think Jack is satisfied that what they are proposing to build will meet or exceed Town of Dryden specifications as far as construction of the road. They do need some relief in the width. Typically we require fee simple, absolute title to 60 feet and what's built is to be centered within that 60 feet. That 60 feet .would be subject only to such easements or rights or conditions as the Town is willing to accept and what they are proposing is �2 feet in width for the entire road. That does give Jack the shoulders and the slope on the ditches and things that he needs and some space beyond that that won't be cleared, but that the Town would own. Cl Beck - Do you feel there's an issue like they brought up about treating this differently than a development or anyone else who's building a road? Atty Perkins - What's there is a highu it has been used by the public and the Town in as good condition the whole length of it as how the road would be built and what would the Town Board what it's willing to accept or new road. Fay by user as opposed to a right of way. Because has maintained it, it is a highway by user. It's not what's being replaced. Modern specs indicate be accepted. Traditionally and by law it's up to waive with respect to the offer of dedication of the Cl T Hatfield - I don't see why we would want to deviate from traditional practice. There are issues there and I suggest we treat the road as road. If we require a deed we have control over it and we can go in there and make emergency repairs or whatever. Shirley Eagan - I see the difference in if it is ever no longer a road, that you don't want it any more and want to abandon it, life is changed, Route 13 is an extremely limited access road and no one can get up through there to get on Route 13 anymore, and that kind of thing, Cornell would still own the land on either side. That's where I see the only legal difference would come in. If it had been a right of way given for a road purpose, it would revert back to us. If it's deeded, we wouldn't automatically get it: back. Supv Varvayanis - If there is no other valuable use for it, you give it back to the owner. If there is a valuable use for it, they are asking us to waive all possible, however unlikely it is, options. Page 1 I of 14 TB 1 -24 -01 Jack Bush reviewed the revised plan and explained that the road would be two ten foot • paved lanes, with two foot of blacktop shoulder on each side and two foot of gravel on each side of the blacktop. J Bush -The road itself I have no problem with. There will be room for the drainage and I believe enough room for us to continue maintenance on the drainage ditch. The bottom line what they are trying to assure themselves is that there isn't an area cleared that affects their ability to bet the required amount of wetlands that they need to justify the project. Really what they're asking to do is waive that 60' down to 52'. The road itself will still be what is required in our Town specs. I don't see a problem with it other than it could be brought up as why are we being inconsistent, treating Cornell differently than a private developer. Supv Varvayanis - It. runs through a wetland. I think we can defend it. Atty Perkins - There's precedent too. Peregrine had less than 60' for part of the entranceway and that was waived because they just couldn't comply. J Bush - I personally feel that uve should take a deed. That's based on previous experience talking to home owners and the problems we've run into and also the consistent3r issue. Atty Perkins - I don't think you want to saddle some Superintendent a. hundred years down the road with having to wonder whether or not this is something other than absolute ownership. These things tend to get filed away and forgotten. Cl T Hatfield - It's not that we don't want to work together. You are really making a decision that affects the future. • The consensus of the Board is that the Town wants a fee simple deed for the road and the representatives of Cornell agreed. Jack Bush distributed a. proposed resolution with respect to expected equipment purchases throughout the year explaining that this resolution gives more detail than the one previously proposed. All items were provided for in the budget. Atty Perkins staters that Jack had given justification for the purchases and he does have to have the Board's approval. RESOLUTION #81 - AUTHORIZE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT PURCHASES FOR 2001 Cl Beck offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Highway Superintendent to advertise for bid one 2001. new and unused ten wheel dump truck with snowplow equipment, and it is further RESOLVED, that this Torn Board hereby authorizes the Highway Superintendent to purchase one 2001 new and unused ' '/a ton 4 x 4 pickup truck through the state bid for $19,724.42, and it is further RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Highway Superintendent to purchase one 2001 new and unused cab & chassis, 4 x 4, four ton, conventional six person cab truck through the state bid for $35,458.65, and it is further RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Highway Superintendent to purchase one 2001 new and unused 76 horsepower 4 x 4 tractor with mower through the state bid for $43,355.00, and it is further 0 Page 12 of 14 TB 1 -24 -01 is RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the .Highway Superintendent to purchase one 2001 new and unused 4x4 backhoe with extendable hoe through the state bid for $47,603.00 and to trade a Ford New Holland 555E backhoe VIN #03 1 0 19430 for the difference of $8,000.00, and it is further RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Highway Superintendent to purchase one 2001 new and unused lawn tractor with 54" mower through state bid not to exceed $7,500.00 and to sell a 2000 John Deere 425 lawn tractor with 54" mower serial #M00425A072 during the 2001 calendar year at a minimum bid of $6,500.00, and it: is further RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Highway Superintendent to sell a 1998 Chevrolet �/a ton 4 x 4 pickup truck with snowplow equipment VIN #1GCGK24R1WE213967 during the 2001 calendar year at a minimum bid of $16,500, and it is further RESOLVED, that: this Town Board hereby authorizes the Highway Superintendent to sell a 1988 GMC ten wheel dump tnick VIN # 1GDT9E4JXJV601015 at a surplus auction during the 2001 calendar year, and it is further RESOLVED, that: this Town Board hereby authorizes the Highway Superintendent to sell a 1993 Chevrolet 4 x 4 one ton dump truck VIN #1GBHK34F3PE244935 at a surplus auction during the 2001 calendar year. 2rid C1 T Hatfield Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl Grantham Yes Cl Grantham - We need to take action pretty soon on the billboards, and my recollection is ghat Mahlon was going to take that one scenario, the NIA and MAA Zones, and produce a draft ordinance. Atty Perkins - I thought you were going to have public mceting§tL;Ad&canings onzdhbi s before we drafted anything to see ghat the consensus of the public was. Before we took the final draft: from George, there was some discussion along those lines. Then I think there was a feeling to extend the moratorium and have some public meetings on it. So 1 haven't done anything. I can. Cl Beck asked whether anything had been received Park Outdoor, and there has not. After discussion it was decided to devote a portion of the meeting on February 7, 2001 beginning at 7:00 p.m. to public comment on the billboard matter. George Frantz will provide an electronic version for the web site. On motion made, seconded and unanimously approved, the board moved into executive session at 9:35 p.m. to discuss the medical and /or employment history of particular employees. toAt 1.0:15 p.m. the board returned to open session. Rige 13 of 14 TB 1 -24 -01 RESOLUTION #82 - APPOINT JAMES BUCKLEY LEAD PARAMEDIC Supv Varvayanis offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby appoints James Buckley as lead paramedic and increases his hourly rate by $1.00 per hour. 211d Cl Grantham Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl Grantham Yes RESOLUTION #83 - INCREASE HOURLY RATE FOR C BRONSON Supv Varvayanis offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby increases the hourly rate paid to Clayton Bronson, part time paramedic, by $.50 per hour. 2nrl Cl T Hatfield Roll Call Vote Cl Beck Yes Cl T Hatfield Yes Supv Varvayanis Yes Cl Grantham Yes On motion made, seconded and unanimously carried, the meeting; was adjourned at 10:17 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Hollenbeck Town Clerk Page 14 of 14 Town of nry(len Town Board Meeting January 24, 2001 Name - {Please Print} Address -Alu Ar 62/ C7 Z) 6%,-