Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-13-1998 MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1998 AT 7:30 P.M. Those present: Teresa M. Robinson, Supervisor Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman Daniel J. Carey, Councilman Donald N. Palmer, Councilman Donald R. Scheffler, Councilman Francis Casullo, Attorney Also present: Richard Case, Mark Gunn, Liz Brennan, Lauren Bishop (Ithaca Journal), Elaine Burin, Angela Leddy (Cortland Standard), Stephen Opett, John Lampman. The meeting began at 7:55 P.M. Moved by Councilman Palmer, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to accept the September 8, 1998 minutes as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Claim Nos. 232 - 262 of the General Fund in the amount of $24,920.61 were presented for audit. Moved by councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the General bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Claim Nos. 183 - 205 of the Highway Fund in the amount of $44,528.09 were presented for audit. Moved by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler to approve the Highway bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Claim No. 010 of the Special Grant (HUD) Fund in the amount of $8161.95 was presented for audit. Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the HUD bill for payment. MARK GUNN, CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER had to leave early, and his report was passed to the Board by Supervisor Robinson. For the month of September, there were 2 new homes, 4 mobile homes, and 6 others. Life safety inspections are up to date. COLLEEN D. PIERSON, TOWN CLERK/TAX COLLECTOR - Had submitted her Town Clerk's Monthly Report for August and September, 1998 to the board for their Pg.2 - Town Board Meeting - October 13, 1998 review. THE TOWN JUSTICES, ARLAND HEFFRON AND ALTON ALEXANDER- Monthly Reports were submitted to the Board for their review. RICHARD CASE, HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT- At this time the Highway Department has started its transition from summer road projects to winter maintenance programs. We are presently manufacturing deicing sand in the Town gravel pit. The shop has completed the first stages of winter preventive maintenance on two of the snow sanders and they are ready to go. Reclaiming the Town's active gravel bank continues. Seeding back the reclaimed portion of the gravel bank is a final step in the guidelines provided by the DEC in the disposal of the construction debris that was placed at this site. When this seeding is completed, to the best of my knowledge, this portion of the project is completed and the DEC will be notified. Neighboring residents have expressed their support for what has been done to rectify this situation. The planned chip-sealing and true and leveling projects for 1998 have been completed: 1) Elm St. Ext., from Salt to Champlin Rd. 2) Old Stage Rd., from Salt to Champlin Rd. 3) Davis Rd., from Lafayette towards the Cortland Co. Line 4) Intersections of Wood & Davis Rds., Elm St. Ext. & Lafayette Rd. The municipal Auction held in Lansing generated $2227.50, scrap steel has generated $694.40, for a total of $2921.90. I have requested that this money be placed in the machinery account. This will more than offset the cost of the $1646.75 for the purchase of the wire-feed welder. The welder has been received and put to work. The employees are very appreciative for the addition of this tool. Any questions on that auction? COUNCILMAN CAREY- All your pieces sold then? RICHARD CASE- Everything sold. RICHARD CASE- At the August board meeting I presented the possibility of an inter-municipal equipment purchase. The possibility of this purchase has in fact been made available. The Village of Freeville has available for sale the 1-ton dumptruck that was previously discussed. The specifications for this vehicle are as listed: 1) 1994 Chevrolet Model 3500 heavy-duty 10 ton chassis, red. 2) 7.4 Liter gas engine. 3) Automatic transmission. 4) Non-spin differential. 5) Mounted dump-body. 6) Cab mounted revolving warning light. October 13, 1998 - Town Board Meeting - Pg.3 7) Snow equipment as listed below: a) 9 Ft. Myers plow (power angle). b) 1996 Airflow salt and sand spreader (8 ft. box with grids) c) Spreader mounted warning lights. d) 1 Set of tire chains. This vehicle can be purchased for $18,000. There are funds in the machinery account that can be applied to this purchase (approximately $5392.00) the remainder to come out of the equipment fund. Because this is an inter- municipal purchase, the transaction can be made between the two municipalities without the time element of going through the bidding process. The Town could take delivery of this vehicle in approximately 10 - 20 days with your approval of this purchase. COUNCILMAN CAREY- What's an 8 foot box with grids? RICHARD CASE- The grids are the screens on top to take the chunks out. COUNCILMAN CAREY- Do you use them on any of your trucks now? RICHARD CASE- All of them. On the salt trucks. Otherwise there is damage to the spreader gates and if you pick up a chunk of salt or sand, it clogs the channel. COUNCILMAN SCHEFFLER- What's the status of the grade-all? Last month you were looking for an engine yet. RICHARD CASE explained that a used engine had been found for $750 and is at the moment at Crispell's. The plan is to take the blown engine that we have and the used engine and make one good engine. The cost otherwise, for a new engine would be an estimated $9000. RICHARD CASE also had an estimate of $1831.31 for running electric to the electric panel box in the cold storage building. This would be with the Town workers doing the trench work and reburial between buildings. He asked if there were any questions on the truck. COUNCILMAN CAREY- Do you have one just like it now? RICHARD CASE- We have a 1-ton Ford that is a 1973-74 that is in pieces in the shop right now. We intend to continue using it but it is not something that can be a front line piece of equipment. COUNCILMAN CAREY- It has a plow on it? RICHARD CASE- That also has a plow on it. This is something that is in good shape, about 11,000 miles on it. It's a little bigger than the one we've got. A 10 foot dump box. Heavy duty chassis. Heavier frame-work. Where I can see it being used is at plow turn-arounds and school bus turn-arounds. And we still have gravel roads that in the spring.......front line hand patching, Pg.4 - Town Board Meeting - October 13, 1998 tree removal, chipping.....pretty versatile piece of equipment. I would like to park it in the upper shop so that if we have an emergency, any one of the employees would be able to handle this safely because of the size of it and the automatic transmission. COUNCILMAN PALMER- Are you looking for action on this truck tonight, Rick? RICHARD CASE- I would like to. I've got somewhat of a tentative agreement with the superintendent of the Village and he is giving us the first shot at it. Liz assures me that there are funds available. I haven't touched the machinery and that's.......... (not using microphone). LIZ BRENNAN, BOOKKEEPER- And a follow up on that: we would need approval to actually write the check. SUPERVISOR ROBINSON- Well, would you like to finish your report and tell us how it would be? LIZ BRENNAN- I'll start with revenues and expenditures from the third quarter. From the reports that you have in front of you we need the following transfers: General Fund - Townwide: From: Contingency A1990.4..................$4381.89 Unallocated Insurance A1910.4........$1568.91 To: Health Insurance A9060.8.............$5950.80 (This will take us through the rest of the year.) Highway Fund - Townwide: From: Brush & Weeds, contractual DA5140.4.....$425.73 To: Brush & Weeds, Personal Ser. DA5140.4...$425.73 From: Transfer to Cap. Res. DA9950.9..........$12,607.42 To: MAchinery, Equipment DA5130.2...........$12,607.42 And then also we need a resolution to amend the Highway - Townwide budget to show the additional revenues from the sale of the equipment and scrap to the Machinery, Equipment account of $2,921.90. Then as Rick was telling you, the transfer account in the Highway, 9950.9, we would need $12,607.42 from that, transferred into the Machinery account. And that leaves a balance in that account of $32,392.58 which we would be moving into the Capitol Reserve. COUNCILMAN PALMER- It looks like your first request on the insurance is going to totally deplete the Contingency Fund? LIZ BRENNAN- Right. October 13, 1998 - Town Board Meeting - Pg.5 COUNCILMAN PALMER- That's to carry us through the rest of the year for health insurance? Why are we so far off on health insurance? LIZ BRENNAN- Because we usually just put so much in, a percentage in for increase, and we actually had three employees add on. That's one thing that we really don't know, if we are going to have new people come in on the health insurance. So that really jumped it up. Last year's budget was really tight, so we didn't leave a lot of room. COUNCILMAN PALMER- So it's based upon additional people as opposed to rate increases? LIZ BRENNAN- Right. COUNCILMAN PALMER- You say there's three additional people? That's under family coverage? COUNCILMAN SOVOCOOL- Is that from the highway employees? Who were the three additional? LIZ BRENNAN- April, Rick and me. COUNCILMAN CAREY- Liz, would you explain where we would get the money to purchase this truck? LIZ BRENNAN- By amending the budget for the scrap, and moving that into Machinery 5130.2, right now there is a balance of $4117, the $2917 brings it up to $7039. Taking out the welder, which is this month's bill, would bring it down to $5392.58. The other account would be 9950.9 which is money we usually transfer to the capitol reserve for equipment. So now we are asking to move part of that before we transfer the remaining balance to the Capitol Reserve. COUNCILMAN CAREY- Okay, before you transfer the remaining balance at the end of the fiscal year. LIZ BRENNAN- Right. That would be $12,607,42 and would leave a balance of $32,392.58 which we'll move into the Capitol Reserve. And that will bring the Capitol Reserve up to $63,991.06 COUNCILMAN PALMER- Could we go back through that part again slowly please. It looks like right now in the Capitol Equipment you've got $31,598, at the end of September? LIZ BRENNAN- You mean in the reserve itself? Is that what you're talking about? COUNCILMAN pALMER- Yes. LIZ BRENNAN- Right. $31598.48. Pg.6 - Town Board Meeting - October 13, 1998 COUNCILMAN PALMER- Okay, and how does this get applied now? LIZ BRENNAN- That's a separate fund. COUNCILMAN SOVOCOOL- No. You're not touching that one right? LIZ BRENNAN- Right. We're not touching that one. We're looking at the line item in the Highway Fund. It's a line item in the budget where we budgeted $45,000 to move into the other Capitol Reserve Fund. So, we need $12,607.42 which we will move out of that in regular transfer and put it into Machinery 5130.2 and that will leave the balance in that account at $32,392.58. Usually toward the end of the year we take the balance out of there and we put it into the other fund, the Capitol Reserve, for future purchases of equipment. Would you like to give approval on those transfers and amendments? RESOLUTION #52 - AUTHORIZE HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT TO PURCHASE 1994 CHEVROLET MODEL 3500 TRUCK Moved by Councilman Palmer, seconded by Councilman Scheffler. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Resolved that the Town Board does hereby authorize Richard Case, Highway Superintendent, to purchase a 1994 Chevrolet Model 3500 heavy-duty 1-ton truck from the Village of Freeville for the sum of $18,000. RESOLUTION #53 - APPROVE TRANSFER OF FUNDS Moved by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Carey. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Resolved that the Town Board does hereby authorize the transfer of the following funds: General Fund - Townwide: From: Contingency A1990.4..................$4381.89 Unallocated Insurance A1910.4........$1568.91 To: Health Insurance A9060.8.............$5950.80 (This will take us through the rest of the year.) Highway Fund - Townwide: From: Brush & Weeds, contractual DA5140.4.....$425.73 To: Brush & Weeds, Personal Ser. DA5140.4...$425.73 October 13, 1998 - Town Board Meeting - Pg.7 From: Transfer to Cap. Res. DA9950.9..........$12,607.42 To: Machinery, Equipment DA5130.2...........$12,607.42 RESOLUTION # 54 - AMEND BUDGET FOR ADDITIONAL REVENUES FROM SALE OF EQUIPMENT AND SCRAP Moved by Councilman Palmer, seconded by Councilman Sovocool. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Resolved that the Town Board does hereby amend the Highway Townwide Budget to reflect the sale of used equipment and scrap materials in the amount of $2,921.90. Said revenues to be credited to Machinery, Equipment DA5130.2. Correspondence: Letter from Monica Carey resigning as representative to County Planning Board. Letter from the Groton Fire Department and Ambulance thanking Supervisor Robinson and Richard Case for all the times they had allowed Lester Coit to assist during his work time hours. Letter from Mayor Dennis Toolan indicating that since the Town would soon be preparing next year's budget, the Village would like the Board members to consider 1) a half-time Recreation Director to make better use of the Town and Village recreation facilities; and 2) a contribution of $5000 to help fund the proposed walk-way bridge which would connect the Town Building with downtown. Supervisor Robinson introduced John Lampman from the County Highway Engineering Department. Mr. Lampman spoke to the Board about a planned project in the McLean area concerning the reconstruction of McLean-Cortland Road starting from the Peruville Road intersection to the Cortland County line. He explained that they also wanted to do some safety enhancements as well as paving, including shoulder work, drainage, sidewalks, and curbing. There is also a plan in the works to possibly close off a road and redirect some of the traffic that comes into the main square in McLean. Mr. Lampman asked the Board to schedule a public meeting in McLean for the purpose of information and input from the citizens. A date was decided upon, depending on availability of the Fire Hall in McLean. Pg.8 - Town Board Meeting - October 13, 1998 RESOLUTION #55INFORMATIONAL MEETING IN MCLEAN ON HIGHWAY - RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Resolved that the Town Board does hereby schedule an informational hearing on Tuesday, November 10, 1998 at 7:30 P.M. for the purpose of discussing the reconstruction project of the McLean-Cortland Road planned by the County Highway Department. RESOLUTION #56 - RESCHEDULE REGULAR BOARD MEETING AND SCHEDULE BUDGET HEARING Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Palmer. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Resolved that the Town Board does hereby reschedule the regular Town Board meeting for the month of November and schedule the Annual Budget Hearing on Thursday, November 5, 1998, with the Town Board Meeting starting at 7:30 P.M. and the Budget Hearing starting at 8:00 P.M., followed at 8:30 P.M. by the Fire Budget Hearing A discussion was held on the planning of the Budget Work Sessions. Councilman Palmer requested that individual departmental budget requests be made available to the Board Members before the work sessions. He also requested a copy of the findings and recommendations of the committee set up to resolve the personnel issues. RESOLUTION #57 - SCHEDULE BUDGET WORK SESSIONS Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Palmer Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. October 13, 1998 - Town Board Meeting - Pg.9 Resolved that the Town Board does hereby schedule a Budget Work Session for Wednesday, October 21, 1998 at 6:30 P.M. and another work session for Tuesday, October 27, 1998 at 6:30 P.M. if needed. Supervisor Robinson asked if anyone else would like to speak. Elaine Burin, from McLean, asked about the status of updating the sexually oriented businesses ordinance to make it airtight. Attorney Casullo explained that this has not been forgotten but that there had been a recent flurry of legal action concerning Sirens and the Town and that, as he understood it, Sirens had lost their last appeal for a stay. He felt that within the next month they would have a pretty clear picture of what is happening here. Steve Opett of S&M Remodeling, representing Mr. & Mrs. Clifford Clark on Lick Street, had a complaint about the Zoning Officer and the handling of his clients' building permit. Supervisor Robinson took his name and telephone number and assured Mr. Opett that she would have the Zoning Officer, Mark Gunn, call him and straighten out the problem. Supervisor Robinson presented information on a proposed contract with the Firehouse Theater which will be undertaking a six month project involving approximately 22 at risk area youths. The program will involve writing, producing, and acting and presenting a play or plays to the schools and public. The Groton Youth Commission has given approval of the project. Tompkins County will give $7,750 to the Firehouse Theater on behalf of the Town of Groton upon signing of the contract. It was the consensus of the Board that the contract should be signed. Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Palmer, at 9:13 PM to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing pending litigation and possible litigation. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, at 9:30 PM to reconvene meeting. ATTORNEY CASULLO- The meeting was on the Sirens issue, pending litigation and potential new litigation. Item #7, Diversified, on the agenda was skipped. Supervisor Robinson had a letter from Time Warner Cable describing the availability of the Internet via cable connection. It was the consensus of the Board that this is something that should be addressed at a later time when the Town offices begin looking at Internet providers. Letter from the Board of Representatives asking us to sign and intent to participate in the Tompkins-Tioga Counties Electric and Gas Alliance. This would not commit the Town to purchase energy through the Alliance, but it does allow information about the Town's energy usage from NYSEG to be pooled with others. This is a rate reduction program based on pool buying of electric Pg.10 - Town Board Meeting - October 13, 1998 power and gas. RESOLUTION #58 - TOMPKINS-TIOGA COUNTIES ELECTRIC AND GAS ALLIANCE Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson Resolved that the Town Board shall hereby sign an intent to participate in the Tompkins-Tioga Counties Electric and Gas Alliance for the purpose of pool buying electric power and gas. Supervisor Robinson announced that the SPCA, in its new contract, was requesting $10,176, a 3% increase over last year. There was some discussion on the subject. Councilman Sovocool, and Supervisor Robinson said that they had received complaints from the public about the SPCA. It was decided that the contract should be renegotiated and the SPCA told that the Town was not satisfied with the service. It was the consensus of the Board that no more money should be budgeted for this in the new budget. Supervisor Robinson said that she would call the SPCA the following day. Supervisor Robinson presented the Gadabout contract for 1998 in the amount of $3,800. A discussion was held on the Cayuga Lake Watershed Association. Moved by Councilman Carey, seconded by Councilman Palmer, to pay the $35 membership fee for a municipality to the Cayuga Lake Watershed Association. Ayes - Sovocool, Carey, Palmer, Scheffler, Robinson. Supervisor Robinson passed around an invitation to the Groton Businessmen's Association Fall Fun mixer upstairs at Farrell's on Wednesday, October 21, 1998 from 5-7 P.M. Councilman Palmer said that he would appreciate it if the Board could be presented with an estimate for the proposed new computer, phone and internet system before the Budget Work Session. There being no further business, Councilman Sovocool moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Carey, at 9:55 P.M. April L. Scheffler Deputy Town Clerk October 13, 1998 - Town Board Meeting - Pg.11