HomeMy WebLinkAbout1994-12-19 399
TOWN BOARD MINUTES
PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING
TOWN HALL BUILDING
Special Meeting 7 : 00 P . M . December 19 , 1994
PRESENT :
Supervisor Oltz
Councilpersons : Roger Hi_ le , Rosa Lee Johnson , Joseph Schwartz ,
Howard Steiner
• Others Present :
Code Enforcement Officer - Susan Beeners
Town Clerk - Carol Sczepanski
Members of the Public :
K en Horst , Nancy Weitzel , Roy Casterline , Esther Dotson , Mary L .
S teiner , Mary Lou Hardesty , Jeff Stimpson , Edw . M . Roberts , David
W . and Judy Noteboom , John C . Shepardson Sr . , Raymond Mayo , Jimmy
Miller , Elizabeth Owens - Roe , Peter Voorhees , Stephen Gibian , Susan
Hautala , Ralph Wilbur , Rick Dobson , Lee Haefele , Sally and Joel
Gagnon , Doug Gilogoly and others .
The meeting was called to order by Supervisor Oltz at 7 : 00 P . M .
S upervisor Oltz reported that she appointed a Facilities Committee
to evaluate the Town Hall Facility needs and possible solutions .
The Town Board has established a Capital Reserve Fund of $ 100 , 000
that is set aside to be used for maintenance , repair , and
handicapped accessibility needs for the Town Hall Building .
S he asked Susan Beeners to report to the public the findings and
recommendations of the Facilities Committee .
S usan reported that the Facilities Committee was charged with the
evaluation of the Town needs for office space , meetings and
possible solutions . The report and recommendations from the
Facilities Committee was submitted to the Board at the December 14 ,
1994 . They would like the public to respond to the possible
addition and renovation of this building and the proposed
submission of an application to New York State for a grant that
might cover part of the renovation costs . Possible sites for a new
building have also been researched .
Susan described the following problems with the building :
1 ) Handicapped Accessibility and items related to the Americans
with Disabilities Act ;
2 ) Space for Staff and office equipment ;
3 ) Heating ;
4 ) Water Supply ;
5 ) Improved Septic System ;
6 ) Maintenance and Repair Items ( doors , bathrooms , etc . ) ;
• Susan described drawings showing the Town Hall building and the
proposed addition and layout of the structure . One of the
recommendations involves the acquisition of a vacant lot consisting
of . 62 acres on the south side of the Town Hall . Estimated costs
of the proposed renovation and an addition to the Town Hall is
approximately $ 455 , 000 . 00 . A State Grant may be available to the
Town with matching funds for the renovation of this building and
associated site and consulting costs . An eligible requirement of
the Grant is the placing of the building in the National Historical
Registry . The estimated cost for building on a new site is
$ 422 , 000 . 00 . Cost for the maintenance of the existing Town Hall
building and the accessibility maintenance could be as much as
$ 50 , 000 . , 00 to $ 75 , 000 . 00 .
Peter Demjanec - addressed the public and reported that the
Facilities Committee asked the firm to go through this building and
try to determine what sort of shape the building was in and whether
it was feasible to try to preserve the existing structure . After
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Town Hall Building
December 19 , 1994
2
looking at the building , plumbing , electric system , water , well and
septic systems , drainage and foundation , they found that the
building does need work . The mechanical systems of the building
such as the heating , electric , air , well , plumbing and septic
systems need to be addressed . He reported that approximately half
o f the cost of the project would be for renovation and preservation
o f this building .
P ublic Comments and Questions _
Ken Horst - 318 Meadow Wood Terrace - likes the idea of the •
✓ enovation and build on for many reasons and asked : what impact
t he grant situation might be with the change in government and
h ow disruptive is a renovation going to be to the regular Town
government activities .
S upervisor Oltz said it would be necessary for the office staff to
find other quarters while the renovations were being done on the
building .
P eter Dem ,janec responded that there are three grant programs that
t his building is eligible for . It is unlikely that all three would
go away in total .
Rick Dobson - Dobson Plaza - asked if the proposal included
repairing this building and asked if a two story building was
considered .
Edw . M . Roberts - 47 Bald Hill Road - said that the reason for some
of the renovation is to make the building handicapped accessible .
•
J ohn C . Shepardson Sr . - 318 Ridgecrest Road - said he thinks the
cost to build a new building is high . Has the Town approached the
landowner of the adjoining property ?
Raymond Mayo - 335 Ridgecrest Road - asked if this building is
t ruly of no significant historic value and he thinks the State is
going to attach a lot of strings and questions whether he as a
t axpayer wants to put that kind of money into trying to restore it .
S upervisor Oltz responded that a new location was not located . The
Committee did look into information on building a new facility .
The Town Board has accepted the recommendation from the Facilities
Committee to renovate this building and to add on to it .
S ally Gagnon - West Danby Road - commented on the renovation of
t his building related to how people are going to feel about the
location of the major entry doors and of the parking spaces .
Rick Dobson - Dobson Plaza - said as a taxpayer he is concerned
with where all this money is going to come from , is unhappy with
t he way the Town is spending money . He thinks this lot is not a
g ood site to put a new building on . •
Doug Gilogoly - Michigan Hollow Road - He said knows what is in
t his building and what it will cost to replace it and does not
believe the figures presented . Historic Ithaca said much of the
same thing fifteen years ago and the Town received nothing .
would support a new building at less than $ 100 per square foot . He
said he thinks that to put money into this building is a big
mistake .
E sther Dotson - Updike Road - said we are now confronted with a
legal situation related to ADA . This building is in central.
location in the Town and has a character of its own . Lets spend
t he money on getting the building more than usable and of a value
again to the community . She said she is in favor of this plan .
Ken Horst - 318 Meadow Wood Terrace - supports the renovation and
addition .
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Public Information Meeting
Town Hall Building
Decerber 19 , 1994
3
Mary Lou Hardesty - 50 South Danby Road - asked if there would . be
a public hearing on this proposal and if the public would have a
chance to vote on it . She asked was a site plan done for a new
building and what was the figure of $ 423 , 000 based on , what other
towns were doing for space and when did we know this building was
to be brought into compliance ?
Supervisor Oltz responded that some of the other towns have built
new town halls . The Town has been working to bring this building
® into compliance for two years .
Edw . Roberts said that he went through the process of getting
heating and electric estimates for the Town Hall three years ago .
P eter Demjanec said that some towns are now starting as we are .
In 1975 there was work done on this building .
S usan Beeners said there was no site plan but there was a floor
plan done for a hypothetical building . The total square footage
for a new building would be 3 , 349 and for the renovation and
addition 4 , 670 .
Mary Ann Kozak - Jennings Pond Road - supports the renovation and
addition proposal .
Ray Mayo - said he cannot see any more money put into this old
building and would rather see his tax money go into a new building .
H e suggested the Town tear this down and put up a new building .
J ohn Shepardson - to put more money into this building and to heat
this building is uneconomical . The sound system is next to
impossible . It doesn ' t make any difference where the money comes
from ( the Town or State ) it still is out of residents pockets .
P eter Demjanec responded that under the proposed project this room
would be used only for meetings . The heating system would be zoned
so that it would not be heated when not is use . New speaker
t echnology is available and the sound system would be greatly
improved . There is sufficient value in history and culture of this
building and the Town as a group , feels they should invest in
preserving this building and they should ask the State to help them
preserve it . In 1975 the Town voted to preserve this building . He
said he thinks that sediment still exists and may be even stronger .
A new building would not be cheap because the Town would still be
stuck with this building and in the long run it will cost more .
E lizabeth Owens - Roe - 1820 Danby Road - said one positive aspect is
t he fact that if this place is in compliance with all the codes ,
t here is also the possibility of renting the meeting room to
community groups to generate income to help defray the costs of
maintenance . She thinks in addition it will also further galvanize
® the community spirit . It sounds like a relatively sound plan .
S usan Hautala - Town Historian - reported on some of the history of
t h :i. s building and said she is sure everyone knows how she feels .
S he reported that at one time there were nine or ten churches in
D anby and she referred the public to a picture of a few of them .
This building is one of the three that remain although it is no
longer a church . The Town would not be the same without this
building . This year this building will have been used as the Town
H all for one - hundred years . It has served us well , has been in use
t he full time and was used many years by the community . Funds were
n ot set aside for regular maintenance . She supports the proposed
✓ enovation and addition . Restoration of this building will add to
o ur Town , it has historic value and is listed in history books that
are over one - hundred years old .
Lee Haefeie - LaRue Road - is a Danby resident but his community
centered in Spencer and somewhat separate from the center of Danby
such as cable service , post office , etc . He thinks the focus
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Town Hall Building
December 19 , 1994
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should be on maintaining a center for the community and likes the
idea of preserving this old building .
S teve Gibian - Coddington Road - said his neighborhood is centered
around Brooktondale . He would like to see this building preserved .
Ralph Wilbur - Danby Road - said this building was in worse shape
t han it is now when last renovated and he does not feel that money
was wasted . He does not think that an addition should be placed on
t he back because the first appearance and impression of the Town is
t he Town offices . He supports new Town offices somewhere , as the •
town needs them , but he is not sure they should be placed behind
t his building .
Terry Soyring - said he is here to find out the costs and what is
proposed for the building .
Peter Demjanec - reported that a new building is $ 30 , 000 . 00 cheaper
and there are costs associated with it that will exceed $ 30 , 000 .
There will have to be remedial work in this building to make it ADA
accessible , as well as work on the septic and well systems . If the
Town chooses to build a new building this building must maintained
u ntil it can be disposed of .
Figures of current utility costs and expected savings after
✓ enovation were unavailable .
S upervisor Oltz reported that the Town has approached the adjacent
landowner and he is willing to sell the property . An appraisal
must be done . The Town cannot pay more for the property than the
appraisal .
J oel Gagnon - said he is worried about operating costs and does not
t hink that an air conditioned building is necessary . The meeting
✓ oom is larger than the Town needs and is greatly under utilized .
Bill Farrell - said he thinks it is a lot bigger than the Town of
D anby needs . The Town will put a lot of money into the renovation ,
t he heat is never going to come down. here where the people are , and
the windows are not energy efficient . To replace the windows with
t hereto pane windows will cost a fortune .
Doug Gilogily - responded and said for the record - - the staff here
are elected officials and run the town with little compensation and
t hinks we deserve air conditioning . The proposed space is
✓ ealistic to the needs of the Town for the next twenty ( 20 ) years .
S usan - - reported said she feels that with the expenses related to
t his building that her recommendation to the Town Board is , or will
be soon , to pursue the opportunity to seek a grant for roughly •
100 , 000 and to make a commitment for the addition and renovation
project . She said she will be recommending to the Board , in
J anuary , to have a public hearing ( similar to now ) where the formal
action would be to consider a commitment to the addition renovation
project and a submission of the grant applications ( three of them )
after which time we could work on some of the interim repairs that
n eed to be done .
P ublic Information Meeting_ Closed _
The public information meeting was closed at 9 : 15 P . M .
defe A :.via4otik;
Carol W . Sczepa 7 , Town Clerk