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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-12-1996MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING MONDAY, AUGUST 12, 1996 AT 7:30 P.M. Those present: Teresa M. Robinson, Supervisor Gordon C. VanBenschoten, Councilman Donald N. Palmer, Councilman Daniel J. Carey, Councilman Fran Casullo, Attorney Absent: Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman Also present: Liz Brennan, George Senter, Leland Houghtaling Cornelius, Oley Moved by Mr. Palmer, seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten, that the minutes of July 8, 1996 be approved as submitted. Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. Claim Nos. 110 to 127 of the Highway Fund in the amount of $18,231.71 and Claim Nos. 167 to 190 of the General Fund in the amount of $9,498.23 were presented for audit. Moved by Mr. Palmer, seconded by Mr. Carey that the bills be approved for payment. Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. Claim Nos. 55 to 58 of the Special Grant Fund (HUD) in the amount of $30,462.80 were presented for audit. Moved by Mr. Carey, seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten, that the bills be approved for payment. Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. LIZ BRENNAN - BOOKKEEPER - Handed out monthly reports for month ending July 31, 1996. transfers. Also handed out expenditure and revenue sheets. There are no GEORGE SENTER - CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER - Year -to -date building permits issued: 1995 54 8 houses 10 mobile homes 36 misc 1996 45 4 houses 8 mobile homes 33 misc Life safety inspections are current through July. Sherry O'Brien will be attending the next planning board meeting. LELAND CORNELIUS - HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT - Has information from Cortland Pump on fuel tanks. Last year price was $26,500 and this year it is $29,500. Includes new valves and removal of old tanks. Our leak detection on existing tanks expires next June. After some discussion about location of new tanks, it was decided to let Town Attorney contact the EPA or DEC to obtain written guidelines that show how close to a building the tanks can be located. Mr. Cornelius will also check into location. Mr. Cornelius said the Village would like the Town to install a pipe across Spring Street Extension that would drain the water coming down Spring Street Hill across the road and into the Town's gravel pit. Hopefully, this will 1 solve some of the water problems the Village is having on the hill. It will take a 60' x 30" pipe. It was suggested that the County put in the concrete, the Village buy the pipe and the Town will put it in. Consensus of the Board was that Leland go ahead and work it out with the Village. COLLEEN D. PIERSON - TOWN CLERK /TAX COLLECTOR - Monthly report was reviewed by the Board. ARLAND HEFFRON & ALTON ALEXANDER, TOWN JUSTICES - Monthly reports were reviewed by the Board. RESOLUTION NO. 29 - ACCEPT NOLIS & BEALS FINANCIAL AUDIT REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1995 Moved by Mr. Palmer, seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby accept the Annual Financial Audit report for the year 1995 as presented by Nolis & Beals. Supervisor Robinson - Due to the death of Leonard Proper, we have to appoint a Voting Machine Custodian. She suggested Lewis Robinson. RESOLUTION NO. 30 - APPOINTMENT OF VOTING MACHINE CUSTODIAN Moved by Mr. VanBenschoten, seconded by Mr. Carey Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey. Robinson - Abstained. RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby appoint Lewis Robinson to fill the unexpired term of Leonard Proper as Voting Machine Custodian with term ending December 31, 1996. RESOLUTION NO. 31 - AUTHORIZATION TO ATTEND VOTING MACHINE CUSTODIAN TRAINING SCHOOL Moved by Mr. Carey, seconded by Mr. Palmer Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby authorize Lewis Robinson to attend Voting Machine Custodian Training School in Syracuse on August 20, 1996. 2 Moved by Mr. VanBenschoten, seconded by Mr. Palmer, to authorize Colleen D. Pierson, Town Clerk, to attend NYS Town Clerks Association Regional Meeting in Old Forge on September 15 and 16, 1996. Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. Moved by Mr. Carey, seconded by Mr. Palmer, to authorize Leland Cornelius, Highway Superintendent, to attend NYS Association of Town Superintendents of Highways Conference in Callicoon, NY, on September 24 - 27, 1996. Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. Discussed Tompkins County Board of Representatives Resolution for a traffic light on Route 38 and 34B intersection. The Town would like to make a resolution supporting a flashing yellow on Route 38 and a flashing red on Route 34B. In addition, the Town would like to request that a rumble strip be put on the County Road (Peru- McLean Road) RESOLUTION NO. 31 - RT. 38 & 34B TRAFFIC SIGNAL Moved by Mr. Palmer, seconded by Mr. Carey Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson WHEREAS, the Town of Groton desires to go on record once again regarding the danger of the intersection of Peruville Road, Tompkins County Road 107 and New York State Routes 38 and 34B and the need for the intersection to have a traffic signal device; and WHEREAS, a number of serious motor vehicle accidents have occurred at said intersection which have resulted in fatalities, and the most recent accident which occurred on July 28, 1996, involved a fatality; and WHEREAS, the Town of Groton feels very strongly that an immediate effort must be undertaken to lessen the danger at said intersection; therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Town of Groton contact the appropriate New York State offices and /or officials and demand that a traffic signal device be installed at the intersection of Peruville Road, Tompkins County Road 107 and New York State Routes 38 and 34B and said traffic device be a flashing red light facing New York State Route 34 and a flashing yellow light facing New York State Route 38; and be it further RESOLVED, that the Town of Groton requests that the County of Tompkins install "rumble strips" on Tompkins County Road 107 near said intersection which could help in alleviating the dangerous condition at the intersection; and be it FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton will 3 continue to work with other municipalities and the County of Tompkins to correct the dangerous condition which exists at said intersection. Correspondence consisted of: 1) Federal Cash Transaction Report; 2) Letter from DOT on consolidated streets; 3) Tompkins County Transit - Invitation to attend "bikes on buses "; 4) Solid Waste Annual Fee will be included on 1997 tax bills; 5) Wilson Farms - Neighborhood Food Store announced plans for a new store in Groton to be designed specifically for Groton; 6) Annual Crop Walk - Hunger Awareness Week - October 6 -12 - The Town and Village will jointly place ad in Shopper; 7) Community Links will meet on September 5th at the High School District Office at 7:30PM. Town and Village Boards are invited. Will discuss Main Street. State will pave next year. The problem is infrastructure -- sewer, drainage, lights, sidewalks. The State owns highways and sidewalks. State representatives will be invited to see if there is any cooperation; 8) Ithaca Transportation Council - Moved by Mr. Carey, seconded by Mr. Palmer, that the week of October 6 -12 be declared Hunger Awareness Week in Groton. Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. Discussed the proposal to continue The Recreation Partnership c/o The Ithaca Youth Bureau. This is an Ithaca project extended to Towns and Villages in the County for a reasonable cost. Since the pilot program was effective it has been continued at a reasonable cost to the partners. The Town contributed $250 for the year 1996. The proposed amount for 1997 is $500; $575 for 1998 and $645 for 1999. RESOLUTION NO. 32 - PARTICIPATE IN "THE RECREATION PARTNERSHIP" FOR 1997 RESOLVED, that the Groton Town Board does hereby wish to participate in "The Recreation Partnership" between the Ithaca Youth Bureau and other municipalities within the county for the year 1997 at a cost of $500.00. Every year we are required to have our fire extinguishers checked. The gentleman that owned the Company that we had used before had sold the business and gave us the new owner came in and he got ten of our fire extinguishers and one of Colleens. He took them all at the end of June and has not returned them. We do not have any fire extinguishers in the building which is not good. We have called him several times, we have called the fire chief, and I think our next move is the court or the police or somebody. Atty. Casullo said that he would discuss matter with the Board in executive session later. Ithaca Transportation Council - Mounds of paperwork to read. They want to know how we feel about this draft. We are not prepared to make any comments at this time. Oley Houghtaling said that the Youth Bureau is offering up to 12 hours in training and staffing time to try to start something new but that has never 4 been used and the Youth Commission thought that is the Towns. It is up to the Board what they want to do with the 12 hours. It can be used for anything - buses, et. RESOLUTION NO. 33 - YOUTH COMMISSION EMPOWERED TO MAKE BEST USE OF 12 HOURS FREE PROGRAMMING Moved by Mr. Palmer, seconded by Mr. VanBenschoten Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby support the concept of utilizing the 12 hours that are available and empower the Local Youth Commission to determine the best use of it for the community. Councilman Palmer mentioned the article that was in the Ithaca Journal a couple weeks ago in recognition of Bob Spaulding the Town of Caroline Supervisor who received national recognition for his accomplishments. It was well written and if any of you didn't see it, I have a copy that I can make available. The second item is an update of the Groton Web page, Groton Town and Village joint venture. There has been a lot of work put into that predominantly by John Pachai and the Web page has been updated very recently and has a lot of nice graphics on there now and there is ready access to it through the LIbrary here if you don't have computer access to it at home. It shows good information on Town and Village Government, business, Groton's history, some of the organizations, etc. Moved by Mr. Carey, seconded by Supervisor Robinson, to go into executive session at 9:25PM. Ayes - VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. Board Meeting reconvened at 9:40PM. There being no further business, Mr. Carey moved to adjourn meeting, seconded by Mr. Palmer, at 9:40PM. Unanimous. Colleen D. Pierson Town Clerk k,