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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-1997 MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 1997 AT 7:30 P.M. Those present: Teresa M. Robinson, Supervisor Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman Gordon C. VanBenschoten, Councilman Donald N. Palmer, Councilman Daniel J. Carey, Councilman Fran Casullo, Attorney Also present: Liz Brennan, Leland Cornelius, George Senter, Oley Houtaling, Ward & Sue Harrison, Todd Twigg, James Virgadamo, Jim Allen, Marvin Smith Moved by Councilman Palmer, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, that the minutes of March 11, 1997, be approved as submitted. Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. Claims Nos. 40 to 56 of the Highway Fund in the amount of $12,147.98 and Claim Nos. 60 to 78 of the General Fund in the amount of $4,624.24 were presented for audit. Moved by Councilman Palmer, seconded by Councilman VanBenschoten, that the bills be approved for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. Claim Nos. 88 to 93 of the Special Grant Fund (HUD) in the amount of $9,078.98 were presented for audit. Moved by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Carey, that the bills be approved for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. WARD HARRISON said they were here to see what is going on with their Junkyard License Application on the property that they plan to buy from Todd Twigg. The fact that you guys have to issue us a license is in the purchase agreement. Supervisor Robinson said that Mr. Harrison was buying property from Mr. Twigg. This was formerly the White Junkyard. Instead of Todd getting a license and then having to change it again they want to see about getting the license and setting a date for the hearing. Do you have any questions right now? This is something that will have to be settled by the Town Board so we'll have to pick a date for the hearing. Mr. Harrison said he didn't have a time frame but they are just concerned that everything is going to go my way. Are you guys opposing that yard up there for any reason? That's what I'm looking to find out tonight. Councilman Sovocool said that he didn't think they could answer that until they have a public hearing. Mr. Harrison asked if it would be better for him to be here at the hearing night. Board said yes. Clerk Pierson said the time frame for scheduling the hearing is no less than two weeks nor more than four weeks. We need to advertize hearing at least seven days prior to hearing. Does the Board wish to have a Special Town Board Meeting this same evening? Councilman Palmer moved to set the Harrison Junkyard Application Hearing for Tuesday, April 22, 1997 at 7:00PM to be immediately followed by a Special Town Board Meeting to take action on Junkyard Application and any other matters to come before the meeting. Councilman VanBenschoten seconded the motion. Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. Supervisor Robinson asked if there was anybody here for recycling. James, would you like to say something? JAMES ALLEN - When they closed the recycling center in Peruville -- I was up there the first part of it. I don't know how many years, and now it is closed 1 and I've had a lot of people asking me why. I don't have the reason why. I hear that Lansing gets a deal or something like that and why can't we try for something too. There is a lot of people that use it. It may not look it but there is. Supervisor Robinson said she had talked to them and they are willing to give us half the cost of what they charged the County and then if we have something over they will, like all of a sudden cardboard becomes goes up they will give us over our cost to them back to us to help us reduce our expenses. If we do go in, the possibility of Dryden going in with us, they are rethinking it and Jim is going to bring it up to his Board. The County has already said that they would allow us to use the same spot. They are not going to be using it for anything else. If we want to use it we can. If it starts like that and we start getting money over or a surplus will come back to us here in running it. But, I'd like to have Dryden go in with us. I'd like to try it for three months and see how it works. We tried it three months extra with the County but that's not the same as running it yourself. You don't have a lot of expense. I've been over to Superior and talked to them and he called and I thought he might be here tonight but he didn't come. I've had a lot of people that are quite upset. They want to use it. It's all the Town, the Village and a lot of people and I've had quite a few people from Freeville and a few people from Dryden that are upset because its closed. The thing about it is, as I say, the money that we get over the cost of they will reimburse us for. Hopefully cardboard goes up so we can get some money. Thank you very much JIM ALLEN Jim. By the way, the place down on Locke Road has been fenced off. thanked Leland Cornelius for taking care of the 6 x 6 x 4' deep pit near entrance to trailer park by enclosing it temporarily with a fence to keep the kids out of it until the State can take care of it. Supervisor Robinson said that the thing that holds the mailboxes up is rotting and should be added to Jim's list for park owners. LIZ BRENNAN - BOOKKEEPER - The end of quarter report has been included in with the monthly revenues and expenditures. We do have one transfer - Central Garage and Contingency to garage fuel tanks for $1,570.68. Councilman Palmer asked if this is a cost over run on this project? Yes, it is for the remainder of the electric work. Councilman Carey asked what the balance was in Central Garage and if it had been zeroed out. Yes. The audit report should be coming next month. We should be getting a draft next week. RESOLUTION NO. 25 - AUTHORIZE TRANSFER OF FUNDS Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool. Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. RESOLVED , that the Town Board does hereby authorize the following transfers: From: Central Garage A1640.4 $1,275.96 Contingency A1990.4 $ 294.72 To: Garage, Fuel Tanks A1640.41 $1,570.68 GEORGE SENTER - CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER - Year-to-Date building permits issued: 1996 13 1 House 0 Mobile Homes 12 Other 1997 16 1 House 6 Mobile Homes 9 Other Life safety inspections are current. Plan on doing road inspection around the end of April. Supervisor Robinson asked George if he wanted to go with them on their road turn. LELAND CORNELIUS - HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT - We finished the concrete work in the garage where we had to put in the grease trap. We had a little snow. While I'm up here I haven't made no announcement but I'm not going to seek re- election. I think you all know it probably but I just want to make a formal announcement. I'm going to try to make it until the end of the year so we'll 2 see what happens. Supervisor Robinson said that we appreciate you very much. We'll see what takes place. Councilman VanBenschoten said 25 years of faithful service Corney. Corney said it will be 26 years. I thought maybe I'd better, it seems to be all over. I'll put an ad in the paper next week. COLLEEN D. PIERSON - TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR - Town Clerks monthly report and Tax Collectors monthly report were reviewed by the Board. ARLAND HEFFRON & ALTON ALEXANDER - TOWN JUSTICES - Monthly reports were reviewed by the Board. ROAD INSPECTION - Annual road inspection will be held on Monday, April 21st. We will meet at 9:00AM at the Town Hall. GRIEVANCE DAY - Just a reminder that the Local Advisory Board of Assessment Review will meet Wednesday, May 14th from 3:00 to 6:00PM at the Groton Town Hall. Supervisor Robinson, Councilman VanBenschoten and Councilman Sovocool will be working. GROTON OLD APPLIANCE DAY - Saturday, April 19, 1997 - 8:00AM to 4:00PM. Drop Off Location - Wastewater Treatment Facility, 205 Cayuga Street - All metals including: Refrigerators, Dryers, Washer, Hot Water Heaters, Porcelain sinks and toilets, Microwaves, TV's. We also will accept batteries. Tires will be handled for $2.00 apiece - 16" and under only. Please have exact change ready or check payable to the Village of Groton. Furniture - chairs, sofas, NOT recliners only. FEE OF $5 PER PIECE AND A LIMIT OF ONE PER FAMILY. ACCEPTED: Mattresses, garbage, construction debris, vehicles, trees, branches, yard clippings, furniture not listed above, any hazardous materials. The Town supplies two guys to assist the Village. WARD HARRISON - Can I say something about that? In the future I'd like to be involved in that. I can take a lot of the scrap appliances and stuff like that at my location. I'd appreciate it if the Board would look to me to handle some of that stuff maybe next year. I realize that you are already contracted for this year. I can take it all year long. I'm getting a lot of it now. The contract is with Contento's of Cortland. We try not to get in a habit of picking up but we can. I'd be glad to help you any way I can. Maybe you can help with the advertising next year. RESOLUTION NO. 26 - DESIGNATE POLLING PLACES Moved by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman VanBenschoten Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson RESOLVED , that the Town Board does hereby designate the following polling places for 1997: District #1 - West Groton Community Church District #2 & #3 - Groton Town Hall District #4 - McLean Fire Station Supervisor Robinson received a letter from Tompkins County Finance Department regarding Time Warner Franchise. Time Warner has subtracted from its Town & County tax bill, the sum of $20.00, as a credit against the tax imposed by our town on its franchise. The impact of this action is that the amount payable to our town from the tax collected will be $859.00 which is the total tax on the franchises less the credit claimed. This is being done pursuant to Section 626 of the Real Property Tax Law. Under subdivision 2 of that law, it appears that the Town Supervisor is required to deliver to the tax collector a certificate showing the amount of the credit. As this is the first time we 3 are aware of this credit being claimed, the Town Supervisor probably was not aware of this obligation and did not furnish the certificate. Thus, the tax bill does not reflect the credit. We request that you notify us as soon as possible if this credit against you tax is accurate. We must hear from you by 3/20/97 in order to get this matter settled. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. VTY - Cindie L. Day Colleen D. Pierson, Town Clerk, explained that Time Warner had deducted $20.00 from tax bills that Tompkins County collects. The County collects all taxes for special districts. Since I have paid the Groton Supervisor the full amount of this tax, it will be necessary for Teresa to pay the $20.00 so I can settle up with the County the first of June. Right now the County is asking the Supervisor what the Town intends to do. My personal feeling is to check with the County Cable Commission to see what the other Townships are doing. Our Franchise expired in 1994 and has been temporarily extended since then. We are not the only Town that has been granted this temporary extension. I will attempt to get to the next meeting of the County Cable Commission to find out what the other Towns are doing. Clerk will write letter to Tompkins County Finance Department indicating that the Town desires to wait and check out before taking action. Moved by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman VanBenschoten, that Leland Cornelius, Highway Superintendent, be authorized to attend the Cornell Highway School in Ithaca to receive recognition for his 25th year of attendance at this school. Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Palmer, that Colleen D. Pierson be authorized to attend the New York State Town Clerks Association Annual Conference in Rochester on April 20 - 23. Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. Moved by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Carey, that authorization to refund Todd Twiggs Junkyard License Application Fee in the amount of $25.00 be refunded. Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey Robinson. 8:30PM Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman VanBenschoten, to go into executive session to discuss personnel matters and possible litigation. Ayes - Sovocool, VanBenschoten, Palmer, Carey, Robinson. 9:00PM - Board Meeting reconvened. Items discussed were Special Meeting to include Ward Harrison Junkyard; Fees established for services of the Town Constable; Fees awarded to jurors who serve on Town Court matters. Per Fran Casullo, Atty. RECYCLING MATTERSupervisor Robinson - said it cost $50 to take or pull a rig out and we have three of them and so the rent for them is $112.50 per month. So there is where your costs come in and if we could get Dryden to go with half of it and then get the costs that we get for our cardboard it would take care of some of our costs. I'd like to try to open it for three months at least and see what happens because we've got to get a feel of the cost to Councilman ourselves. This is something that you are giving to the people. Sovocool said I am still against it. We've got curbside recycling and we don't need to spend the extra money for the people from Locke, Freeville and Supervisor Robinson Dryden. said that if they come from Dryden they are going to have to pay for it. Otherwise, we're going to have to move it into Groton Councilman Sovocool or whatever. asked where are we going to get money to pay Supervisor Robinson for it? said we would have enough to carry for a little Councilman Sovocool while here. asked where are we going to get it? Supervisor Robinson said I had Liz look up and see if she could get some, so Councilman VanBenschoten we could see what we could do over a period of time. asked what do you mean by a period of time -- a month, three months? Supervisor Robinson said I was talking about a three month period to see how Councilman Sovocool much it was going to cost. said it was $450.00 anyway just Supervisor Robinson for dumpsters. - Approximately -- or $112.50 per month Councilman Sovocool for three dumpsters. asked what would you make back on Supervisor Robinson one that is full? said this is something I'm not sure of. You'd have to see how you fill them up and whatever. That's why I'm trying 4 -- They are not going to be able to know either, until we've worked it out. Lansing, Caroline and Ulysses kept theirs and they all pay for their own. Councilman Sovocool Ulysses has had one for a long time. asked if they had Supervisor Robinson said, curb site recycling too. Yes, they all do. Well, Councilman Carey I'd really like to try it for.. - Contingent on Dryden? Jim Supervisor Robinson Schug is going to take it to the Board? said he's taken it to the Board but he's going to take it back. They have the price for us, Councilman Carey they have the price for all of them. said if Dryden was to do it then we'd split the cost. Would they be willing to supply people? Supervisor Robinson said if we had somebody there they'd have to pay half the Councilman Sovocool cost of that too. I'm saying half the cost period. said, Supervisor Robinson and receive half the profits too. said, well, actually that would probably go into it because we aren't going to make that much money but we are going to make some. I just wanted to see how it worked if it was under us. They charged the County twice as much so somebody was making money Clerk Pierson some place along the way. asked if just the Town taxpayers would be paying for it or would the Village be paying too. I understand that Supervisor Robinson the Village will be the biggest part of it. said it would come out of General Fund, not part town. Yes, there are a lot of the businesses here that do ........ things that people will say is what do we get out of this for our dollar. There aren't an awful lot of things that we do Councilman Palmer for them. asked what is missing out of this whole thing. You've got curb side pick up available in the whole town, any resident in the Town or Village can have it picked up at curbside. Why do we want this Councilman Carey facility open? asked why does Caroline, why does Lansing Councilman Palmer want it open? said I don't know. But I guess I'm asking why does Groton want it open. We're concerned with our community, we're concerned that there is no money in the budget to fund this, why do we see the Councilman Carey need to have that open? I'm not understanding it I guess. said, I see one guy here tonight that is coming from the Village and he has people coming in saying why isn't it open. I don't see any body here saying it's got to be closed. I see one person here saying it ought to be open. Councilman SovocoolSupervisor Robinson - He works there. - He did work there. That's Jim Allen. No, you're right, there are people who are hype and have been calling in. One women called in madder than a hatter and I wasn't there to answer the phone. Liz answered the phone and she said I haven't got time but why are they closing this up. I want to know. I use this all the time. And she's getting on Liz about it. I'll have her call you. I can't be there. I've got to go but I want them to know that I want it open. She left her name and to tell you the truth I don't know whether she's in or out of the Clerk PiersonSupervisor Village. asked what her name was. said it's in on my desk, I don't know. No, I really think we owe it to them for even this amount of time because -- for a couple months try it and if it isn't working out that will be it. Before we were working under the County, this one we'll Clerk Pierson be doing our own hopefully with Dryden. asked what the Supervisor estimated cost will be. said it would probably cost approximately $7000 per year and I'm asking for just a few months right now to see how it Councilman VanBenschoten goes or to see just what it is going to cost. - I've never been down there but do they market all recyclables like glass, plastic, paper and cardboard? What is the market for it? Is there a good market for Supervisor it? Does it get better by the season or what? - It isn't the market that it used to be back, it was quite high. I think it does, he said it changes all the time. I don't have the feel for it. I don't know what's going to happen within the next couple months -- how much is going to go out, how much is going .. I don't have a feel to say that we'll loose a lot or gain, whatever. There's a certain amount that we're going to have to pay and the rest of it is going to be either coming back to us or we're not going to Councilman Palmer make it, one or the other. - The people that say they need Supervisor this service, why do they need this service? - Most of it is for Councilman the cardboard. A lot of it is the cardboard and paper. Palmer - What is the issue with the cardboard? There's too much of it or what? Supervisor - Well, if you want to put cardboard out by the driveway you've got to cut it up. These people have lots of cardboard, big pieces of cardboard. Councilman SovocoolSupervisor - What are they, businesses? - A lot of them Councilman Sovocool are businesses, yes. - They ought to be able to take care Supervisor of their own if they are a business. - Is that what you are going to tell the people? We want business up town here and you're telling them to Councilman Sovocool go fly. - We're not telling them to go fly, they have 5 recycling right at curb side. Councilman Carey - My sister manages Arnold's Florist in Dryden and they have a lot of cardboard. They have to pay somebody to cut it up. It takes time to do that. It is easier for them to take it right down to recycling rather than to hire somebody or pay somebody that time when somebody can be waiting on a Councilman Sovocool customer. They take it down to recycling right here. - You can take it right to Cortland. Cortland has a recycling. All you have to do is back in and dump it. We used to do that down at the line company. Now we have a dumpster and they come in and pick it up twice a week. The company Supervisor pays for this. - Do they get any money back from their cardboard? They ought to try and find out and make some money. Clerk Pierson - Look at the solid waste fees that businesses pay. I noticed Baker-Miller's on their tax bill and just about croaked --almost $1,000. Supervisor - That's what I'm saying. We want to keep business in Town. We Councilman want to do things for people. We want to help people and .. SovocoolSupervisor - Do we want to raise their taxes? Is that helping them? Councilman Sovocool - How come we're raising their taxes? - If you're going to spend $7,000 that you don't have, you're going to raise their taxes. Supervisor - I'm not spending $7000. I'm asking you to try it out. Councilman SovocoolSupervisor - That's what it will turn into. - Well, if we have $7000 (Sovocool - I'm against it, do what you want.) and Dryden wants it Councilman Palmer then it would be half that. - Well, we don't know what Supervisor Dryden's or Freeville's position is. - I know what Freeville's position is but I don't know what Dryden's is. Freeville has already sent a Councilmen VanBenschoten & Sovocool notice that they want it open. - Fran Casullo, Atty. Freeville and Dryden is one of the same. - When is Dryden Supervisor supposed to let you know? - I don't know when their meetings are. Leland Cornelius, Hwy. Supt.Supervisor - They have a meeting tonight. - They have a meeting tonight? Call them and find out. How do you feel about Councilman VanBenschoten it Dutch? - I hear some pretty good arguments on both sides. Very good arguments. I certainly wouldn't be for it on a long term basis but a two or three month basis I think I would be inclined to go SupervisorCouncilman Palmer along with it. - How do you feel Don? - Well, given the fact that we've got the service available now and we're already paying a fee, I'm opposed to spending any money for keeping it open. SupervisorCouncilman Carey - Dan. - I'd be inclined to keep it open for three months. If you can't make a go of it or can't at least break even on the project over a three month period then it's dropped. You don't know unless you try it. If Dryden was to join us in this project, then it seems to me the cost comes down for us quite considerably -- $3500. If that's what the costs were for a whole year in a budget that's how many million, (Supervisor - One Million) $3500 is not much. Councilman VanBenschoten - In retrospect, taking how much larger Dryden is than the Town of Groton, the cost sharing, profit wise, doesn't seem like they should get their fifty fifty. I think that ought to be discussed too. I'm not saying, the Town of Dryden goes way around Ithaca, right, people over there are not going to bring it over here but still you figure the other half of McLean and the rest of the township of Dryden, I think there will be a lot Supervisor more traffic from there than from the Village and Town. - That's a good point. They had quite a few people on the list of people that sent in Clerk Pierson the petition. - Are you going to allow people from out of the Supervisor County to dump there? - There is two ways to look at that too. Clerk Pierson The more cardboard and stuff you get the more money you get. - I don't think you're going to get that much money. Let them dump in their own Supervisor place. If we're going to pay for this, keep them out. - Well, if you make a thing for three months, I'll vote for it. Councilman VanBenschoten entertained a motion to table it until our next regular meeting in May. Supervisor Robinson - If you table it, we aren't going to be able to go. By then things will all be changed around. Right now we've been down one week. All they have to do is start in over again. Up there, if the County goes they can start putting stuff in there and changing. Maybe they won't want us in there after a while. I just feel either go now or drop the whole dang thing. Then, if the public gets up in arms about it, why we'll have to do something about it then. You might have to move into Town. Councilman VanBenschoten - I'll withdraw my motion. We're at an impasse then 6 unless we make the vote and Teresa breaks the tie. ....... Did Jim Schug give you any encouragement? Supervisor - He said he would discuss it when I told him we'd get some prices, some half prices and different things and he said that is something to consider. Councilman Sovocool - Did they vote it down once? Supervisor - They voted it down before. They didn't want to get involved but then they got .. Councilman Carey - Was that before Freeville decided to .. Supervisor - No, it was after, I think. They really put the squash on it. Councilman Palmer - So it doesn't sound like there is any support from Dryden then, is that true? Supervisor - No, because he said that he would bring it up and discuss it. Councilman Palmer - So, it's on the agenda for tonights meeting in Dryden? Supervisor - Well, if they meet tonight. He said he would bring it up. If you'd like to wait on making a decision pending on what they come up with why...(Carey - contingent on what Dryden does) because as you say we probably can't do it all our own. RESOLUTION NO. 27 - PERUVILLE RECYCLING FACILITY Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman VanBenschoten Aye - Councilman Carey, Councilman VanBenschoten, Supervisor Robinson Nay - Councilman Sovocool, Councilman Palmer WHEREAS, the Town of Groton desires to attempt to operate the recycling facility in Peruville on an experimental basis to determine its usefulness and cost effectiveness to the Town; therefore be it RESOLVED , that the Town of Groton hereby agrees to operate the recycling facility in Peruville on a three (3) month trial basis contingent upon the Town of Dryden agreeing to join in the operation of the facility and share the costs associated with the facility. There being no further business, Councilman Carey moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, at 9:22PM. Unanimous. Colleen D. Pierson Town Clerk 7