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HomeMy WebLinkAbout4-11-2000 (B) TOWN OF GROTON MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING - APRIL 11, 2000, AT 7:30 PM Those present: Glenn E. Morey, Supervisor Ellard E. Sovocool, Councilman Donald F. Scheffler, Councilman Sheldon C. Clark, Councilman Duane T. Randall, Councilman Francis Casullo, Town Attorney Also present: Abe Congdon, Angela Leddy, Mark Gunn, Jan McFall, Bud McFall, Diane Tolen, Jeff Snyder, Lauren Bishop, Dan Carey, Rick Case. MOVED by Councilman Randall, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the minutes of th the March 14 meeting, with the correction that Councilman Randall arrived at 7:50, not 8:50, st and the minutes of the March 21 Special Meeting and Public Hearing as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. General Fund Claim Numbers 85 – 113 of the in the amount of $ 6,218.91 were presented for audit. (Supplemental voucher submitted by Arland Heffron in the amount of $27.90 was not approved since it appeared to be duplicate receipt previously submitted in March.) MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. Highway Fund Claim Numbers 37 – 56 of the in the amount of $ 13,753.24 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Randall, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. Special Grant (HUD) Fund Claim Number 182 of the in the amount of $1,820.81 was presented for audit. (Claim Number 181 in the amount of $6,016.00 was not presented for audit.) MOVED by Councilman Randall, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the HUD bill for payment. Supervisor Morey invited privilege of the floor. There being no response, the meeting proceeded with monthly reports. Town Board Minutes Page 2 April 11,2000 Supervisor Morey – Liz is out of town. She did have the report submitted to everybody. There is absolutely nothing more that I can report. Councilman Scheffler – I have a question. On the lighting district, why is there so much money in there? Supervisor Morey – Because we put it all in at once. Mark D.Gunn, Code Enforcement Officer – The report for this month is pretty short. The Life Safety Inspection inspections are current. I just finished doing all the public assembly spaces in the Town of Groton. Building Permits - for March we had six last year and six this year; two regular homes last year and one this year. Other than that, I am just continuing on with doing the local ordinance drive-through at the beginning of the month and came up with several violations that I am working on. I will have more of a report on that next month when they are all done and the letters have been sent out. Richard C. Case, Jr., Highway Superintendent – At the present time the Highway Department remains geared for snow and ice removal, obviously. Repairs on the PM program are still underway in the shop on a daily basis. Right of way reclamation and drainage problems have been taken care of when weather permits. All intersections and hills have been broomed once. Some shoulder repair has taken place. As you see, we are not done, and will be going back to redo some of that. th The annual Village and Town trash day is tentatively, with your approval, set for April 29 in the Town gravel bed. April is also the month for the Town Highway tour, and I look forward to this tour on whatever th date you folks set. (Date was set for Wednesday, April 19 at 8:00 AM.) th On April 7 the bid openings for new tandem axle truck with dump body and plow equipment took place. There were seven sets of specifications handed out and it resulted in two bidders: Bids were submitted by: 1.Tracey Road Equipment 6803 Manlius Center Rd, PO Box 489 East Syracuse, NY 13057 2.Stadium International Trucks, Inc. th 105 7 North St. PO Box 2848 Syracuse, NY 13220 Town Board Minutes Page 3 April 11,2000 (The following insert is minutes prepared by Elizabeth Brennan.) ****************************************************************************** BID OPENING - APRIL 7, 2000 AT 1:00 PM Bid opening for the Town of Groton “New Tandem Axle with Dump Body and Plow” Present: Highway Superintendent, Richard C. Case, Jr., Attorney Francis Casullo, Town Supervisor, Glenn E. Morey, Councilman Sheldon Clark, Barbara Clark, Peter Carr, Rick Case, III, and Liz Brennan. Two bids were received: 1.Stadium International, Syracuse……………….Bid: $142,990.00 2.Tracey Road Equipment, East Syracuse………..Bid: $132,099.00 Highway Superintendent Rick Case will look over bids to see if they meet the specifications. He th will then report to the Board on Tuesday, April 11 at the Regular Board Meeting with his determination of which company will be awarded the bid. Elizabeth Brennan (Town Clerk was not asked to attend bid opening.) ****************************************************************************** Richard Case - I have given you a set of the specs that they picked up. Inside the specs you’ll see a printout of the deviation sheets that they gave us, plus I have some nother information that they gave me on their specification sheets that I took some of this information off of. I reviewed the specifications, and the plow equipment and the truck-body equipment is the same, as near as I can tell. But after reviewing the truck chassis specifications, I have some concerns and it is my recommendation that we award Stadium International for the five major items in the specifications provided by the bidders. Three of these items have direct bearing in the safety polls I had when putting the vehicle together. Two other items have a proven record in the industry as helping a vehicle to retain its durability and value. In those five things, the first thing I was after, I specified a 22,000-pound front axle. It’s item 31 in the bid spec. sheet. Tracey marked the boxes yes, but reviewing their other information, what they put together for the line sheet, was only a 20,000-pound axle. Stadium’s bid is 22,000. The front spring rates, because of the snowplow equipment, we add to those, and I specified 24,000 pounds. Tracey’s came in at 22,800 and Stadium met the 24,000 pounds. The front wheels, I’ve walked through this and it’s been a concern since I’ve come here, the trucks are carrying, with that snowplow equipment, we’re over the ratings of both the axle ratings, the hub ratings and the spring ratings. Thus is the safety factor I was after. So, I bid a Dayton wheel. I don’t know if this will mean too much to anybody, and Tracey came in with this wheel. Stadium, on the other hand, if you look at the deviation sheet, found this, and having walked both of these sales persons through the building and explained my problem, Stadium noted on the deviation sheet a hub piloted disk wheel, which brought the rating up to that 24,000 pounds. On 51 and 61, you’ll see a rear axle rating of 68,000 pounds. This is comparable to what we have out here right now. Both of them met that. The Town Board Minutes Page 4 April 11,2000 rear suspension on 61 is a solid Henderson suspension, which is high as I could get, is 52,000 pounds, which they both met. But going back in the pages to 21, we’re looking for a gross vehicle weight rating. That gross vehicle weight rating is what’s stamped into the doors when it comes from the manufacturer. I am trying to get this up to first of all, for the front axle to carry the heavy-duty snow equipment that we’ve got on it and also the vehicle itself to carry the sander and the payload that we haul in the summer. So, I was after 73,000 pounds. Tracey checked the box, yes, that they could meet the 73,000 pounds specifications, but my totaling of the 20,000- pound front wheel, would take it to 72,000 pounds, so I don’t believe they can meet it. On the other hand, with Stadium, with their actual ratings, they could get upwards to 76,000 pounds. But bear in mind we’re going to have to go back to the weakest link here, which I think will end up the front tires, and they both bid the same front tires with the load ratings. But I believe that Stadium is going to beat the 73,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. I also have another problem, which is number 3, the rear axle brakes which are 82 on the sheets. I specified an 18” by 7” brake. This is the heaviest the industry has. This is what we’ve got on our current 58,000 pound rear-ends in these ….out here. I don’t feel comfortable going lighter than that with the payload we’re carrying. Tracey bid a 16 ½” by 7” brake. I think we’re compromising some safety here. I believe their intent was to make the cheaper bid, which also led me to research whether or not I was getting a true 58,000 pound rear-end, which in fact I found out we did get a 58,000 pound rear-end but they’ve gone to the lighter drums and the lighter shoes. I also specified, in 85, automatic slack adjuster which are becoming the state of the art in the industry now. This is to keep the brakes in adjustment. If you get stopped in a DOT check, you’ve got to be within an inch and one half of travel on the rod on the end of the …(?).. What this does, this slack adjuster, it makes that tension, it’s set to keep that tension at an inch and a half and no less. I specified the Haldex (sp?) slack adjuster because the research I have done for highway applications and road applications, it’s taken to be, well, they checked yes on that but in fact they’re bidding a Addana (?). No big deal, but what I’m trying to prove is I’ve got some answers within those spec sheets that say, yes, and they are not yes, which are variations and deviations from what the bid is. Number four was an aluminum cab, and that’s 18.2, which all our auto cars have out there. But I bid that as an air mounted cab. That is also state of the art now. The reason that comes on the plow is because all of the gauges and radios you have, business radios, and computer box that are mounted in this cab that would control an electronically controlled engine, well, an air cab gives these a lot less…..especially to make them last longer. Also, the integrity of the cab, let’s face it, we’re running these trucks not in the best conditions, not the smoothest, and a rigid mounted cab eventually pounds through. Fifth, on 101, I put a 3406 Cat engine. My intent there is to put the best power that I feel the industry has to offer. This engine is also durable, easily accessible to parts for at least 20 years. I set that for an 1850 torque rating. I geared the transmissions and everything that way too. Tracey bid an M14 Cummings which isn’t in the specs. They brought it up to the 1850 torque rating by using a 855 cubic inch engine. Cat is 893 cubic inches. That’s a C15 Cat engine, which leaves a difference of 38 cubic inches. Which may not mean much to anybody unless you’ve been in the racing business and heard the phrase, “there’s no replacement for displacement.” Well, when you’re coming into snow or something and you’re pushing in the middle of Sovocool Hill, and you don’t want to grab that next gear, and you’ve got that torque, and that cubic inch displacement that creates that torque rating, the truck keeps going up the hill. So, those are the five major items that I wanted to present to you, with my recommendation that the bid be awarded to Stadium. Supervisor Morey – Questions from the Board? Rick, is there any deducts off of Stadium? Town Board Minutes Page 5 April 11,2000 Richard Case – You’ve got the deviation sheets there. None of what I saw on the deducts were anything of the major drive chain. Certainly, when you get into the cab stuff, you’re always going to have some manufacturers that have what you ask for and some can’t. Supervisor Morey – Was there anything on the spec. that you could do away with? Richard Case – Do away with. I don’t follow you. Supervisor Morey – Are there any luxury items here that you don’t need? Richard Case – Well, you’re bidding a piece of equipment that comes off the tractor line. What you see in here, most of them, you see is checked yes, if, like that air conditioning, that’s standard equipment now on heavy equipment. They actually charge you to take it out. There is some electrical mountings that I specified in there, so that we don’t have to, first of all go into a brand new truck and start drilling holes in the dash to put toggle switches in and stuff, because with our snowplow equipment we put extra backup lights and wing lights and that kind of stuff. It’s a fully insulated cab. Both of them provide that. That’s something that if you want to look at as a luxury, but when you’re out there for 8 hours a night and the wind’s blowing, these cabs ….can blow snow up over your lap, if you’ve ever been there. So, if you’re asking me if there’s luxuries in there, I’m going to say no. Supervisor Morey - How much do the plows weigh? Richard Case – Good question. Today, just to confirm my own curiosity, I sent one of our auto cars which is set up this way, with plow and loaded with sand, and I had the driver split-weigh this vehicle. The front axle weighed 24,500 pounds. The gross vehicle weighed 71,620, which takes me back to those front axle ratings that I was after. Even at that number I’m shy. I can’t get us there because of the manufacturer’s stuff, but I’m trying to get as close as we can. We have had problems with ours. They’ve got a lighter hub on them. I walked Sheldon through it and I think Don, we talked through it. Because that plow wing is so heavy up on that front axle, we’re constantly having to replace lug nuts, studs that pop off because of the weight when they’re turning. Supervisor Morey – So, virtually the cheaper one would be an unsafe vehicle? Richard Case – That would be my determination. Obviously, there’s a lot of them on the road. I’m not going to stand here and say there isn’t. But I would not have done my job if I didn’t bring this stuff to light. Supervisor Morey – The lower bid is a Volvo, and the higher bid is an International. Councilman Randall – What’s the life expectancy of one of these? Richard Case – Well, that’s another reason why I’ve gone so heavy with some of this stuff. When I came in here, I was told some of this stuff was going to turn around in 10 years. There’s no conceivable way I see that happening with the cost of this equipment today and what we’re trying to do. In fact, nobody wants to raise taxes, and I appreciate that. I built this knowing we’d get 15 years of service out of it and possibly even 20 if we have to. And when we get Town Board Minutes Page 6 April 11,2000 ready to turn that back at auction, that’s one reason of the Cat engine over Cummings. It retains its sale value. We’ll pick up more money when we do turn it back in. Shoot for 15 years. Councilman Randall – How much difference between the two, I mean do you think the other one is not going to hold up as long? Richard Case – We can get it through, but now we’re going back to what we’re doing now, which I believe is a safety factor. I’ve had stories told to me……….going down the road, hauling material and had the front right tire blow, and the hubs are cracked. We’re going back. We’re risking that…… And I don’t like the idea of the back brakes being that small……. First of all, we’ve got a pretty standard fleet here. When you talk trucks, I have no preference, whatever it be. These big trucks…..I look at the components. The components will tell you what kind of vehicle you’ve got. But, the rear ends and stuff, the good parts of what we’ve got, I’ve tried to copy. Before you fellows were here I talk about back in 1978, I think, there was a snowstorm out in Buffalo with high winds. I had an opportunity to go as an employee of Tompkins County Highway Department and go to the Town of Pike and work with a blower. The point I want to make is that they were under extreme conditions. I walked into that shop and there were trucks, snow blowers, loaders, in various stages of dismantle. What they were doing was as the stuff broke, they were cannibalizing it and putting it into a piece of equipment to keep another running. That’s why this stuff is pretty standard to what we’ve got out here now. If that situation ever came up, we would be able to change rear-ends, transmissions, any of the major drive components. So, that’s another factor I looked at in putting this together. That goes back to Glenn’s question about maybe some frills. Well, we can do it with a 38,000 pound rear-end but not nearly as long as with a 58,000 pound one. If you break those you………(didn’t use microphone) Councilman Randall – What about the companies themselves? Have you dealt with them as far as standing behind their product? Is there warranties with these things? Richard Case – Yes, everything…. Supervisor Morey – Both of them were five year, 100,000? Richard Case – I’ve got what we specified for warranties. The plow equipment all came in at one year. Engine stuff, I can’t talk off the top of my head. But everybody met the criteria in there for warranties. Here again, the better warranty, the more you’re going to pay for it, to get more coverage. Yes, every one of these parts that are in these specifications, I have dealt with in the private industry. Councilman Randall – So, both companies have done what they were supposed to? Richard Case – The component parts, or are you talking about Stadium as opposed to Tracey? They’re both reputable dealers. Councilman Randall – Yes, but I’m asking your personal opinion. Richard Case – It’s like I told you, Tyke, International or Volvo, it makes no difference to me. And it wouldn’t make any difference as far as the company. I’m just presenting you the best vehicle that was bid. Town Board Minutes Page 7 April 11,2000 Councilman Scheffler – From my experience, being in heavy trucks for years, the heavier it is, the longer it is going to last and the cheaper it is going to run the longer of. We’re going to be, on the cheaper one, changing a lot more brakes; we’re going to be changing more kingpins; and the power difference, shifting on hills, tears things up. It wouldn’t take us long to make up the difference on repairs, I don’t think. The $10,000 difference. We’re going to pay that anyways. We’re looking at a 15-year life span. You’re going to pay for the expensive one anyways with the downtime. Councilman Clark – I kind of feel the same way. I have been, of course, in the agriculture side of it and the two go together to a certain extent. On a farm you buy as heavy as you can get to last as long as you can get. I also watch the school system with buying buses, and I have learned a lot watching that. It sure shows up as soon as we try to buy a cheaper bus with a cheaper driveline, smaller transmission, and a smaller motor, and you start right in with repairs right quick. If you buy something heavy enough to do the job, it just goes on and it lasts so much better. Supervisor Morey – This is subject to submissive referendum. Do we make a resolution tonight to accept or reject? Attorney Casullo – I think what you would do is if you are going to go with the one that Rick prefers that you would have to go on record that for all of the reasons that Rick specified, or alluded to, the Tracey equipment bid did not meet the specifications in a substantial number of areas. Therefore you are not considering that to be a bid that the Town can use and you are going to the next bid, which did meet the specifications. RESOLUTION #27 - APPROVE BID FROM STADIUM INTERNATIONAL FOR SNOWPLOW TRUCK MOVED by Councilman Randall, seconded by Councilman Sovocool. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton has reviewed bids for a tandem axle truck with dump body and plow equipment, and that the bid by Tracey Road Equipment for $132,099 was found to not meet specifications in a substantial number of areas, as presented to the Town Board by Highway Superintendent, Richard C. Case, and therefore is not being considered. And be it further RESOLVED, that the Town Board is taking the bid by Stadium International for $142,990 as the lowest responsible bid. Richard Case – Another thing, for Tyke and Sheldon. I’m not sure you understand. We have a Capitol Highway Equipment Fund. This money has already been saved for and put away for this day. The money is there. This isn’t like we would have to borrow money. That’s what Fran is Town Board Minutes Page 8 April 11,2000 talking about for permissive referendum. We have to have a permissive referendum, because the public has a choice to come in and agree or disagree with this purchase also. So that’s what that’s about. The money is there. This is not going to short-change anything that we’ve already got. Councilman Sovocool – The money is there for the full $142,000? Supervisor Morey – Yes. Clerk Pierson – In the Capitol Reserve Fund? Supervisor Morey – Yes. Richard Case – Yes. Councilman Sovocool – It’s not the Highway Equipment Reserve, is it? Because that says we only have $120,000. Supervisor Morey – Yeah, but we haven’t put the $50,000 in for this year. Richard Case says something about budget but is not using microphone. Councilman Sovocool – That’s not in here yet? Reply cannot be heard. Attorney Casullo – Normally what we would have to do, Glenn, is, I will write a letter letting them know what happened, but subject to permissive referendum. A notice will have to go into the official paper and from the date of that notice, residents of the Town have 30 days to file a petition in the form that is prescribed by the Town Law objecting to that. If they don’t, the 30 days passes, and Rick can go on with the purchase of the truck. RESOLUTION #28 - AUTHORIZE PURCHASE OF SNOWPLOW TRUCK MOVED by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Sovocool. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED , That the Town Board of the Town of Groton does hereby authorize the purchase of one new ten wheel dump truck chassis including heavy duty snow plow equipment and other accessories for the Town of Groton. The funds to be used for the purchase of said truck will come from the Town’s Capital Highway Equipment Reserve Account in an amount not to exceed $142,990.00. And be if further RESOLVED, that any individual desiring to initiate a permissive referendum relative to this resolution should refer to the Town Law of the State of New York or other applicable law for the proper procedure and/or requirements. Town Board Minutes Page 9 April 11,2000 Colleen D. Pierson, Town Clerk/Tax Collector – Presented her monthly Town Clerk’s and Tax Collector’s reports for the Board’s review. Arland Heffron and Arthur Dawson, Town Justices – Presented their monthly report for the Board’s review. Supervisor Morey – Number 6 is action on Junk Yard Permit submitted by Jeff Snyder, located at 575 West Groton Road. I guess we have to review the short form SEQR first. Attorney Casullo – Mr. Snyder filled out part one. RESOLUTION #29 – TOWN BOARD ASSUMES ROLE OF LEAD AGENCY MOVED by Councilman Randall, seconded by Councilman Clark. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED, that the Town Board will assume the role of lead agency for the purposes of State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) procedures in the review of the Junk Yard Application submitted by Jeff Snyder and located at 575 West Groton Road in the Town of Groton. Supervisor Morey – For everybody on the Board, we are on the second page of the SEQR. Attorney Casullo – The first question: Does the action exceed any Type I threshold in the New York Code, Part 617.12. The answer to that is no. It is not a Type I action. It’s what’s called a Type II action. For purposes of this junk yard application or junk yard license, procedure purposes, it’s called an unlisted action. So your answer to A. is no. B. Will action receive coordinated review as provided for unlisted actions in 6 NYCRR, Part 617.6? The Town is the only one who is going to be giving a permit. No one else is going to be giving the permit or license, so there won’t be coordinated review. So, your answer is no. C. Could the action result in any adverse effects associated with the following: C1. Existing air quality, surface or groundwater quality or quantity, noise levels, existing traffic patterns, solid waste production or disposal, potential for erosion, drainage or flooding problems. Explain briefly. I have already discussed with Jeff, on the phone, that since last year, we at the Town have been put on notice by the Cayuga County Water Quality Management Agency. What they do, they are the agency that protects Owasco Lake and the various watercourses going into Owasco Lake. That is the primary source of drinking water in Cayuga County and especially the City of Auburn. It’s almost like what you see with Skaneateles Lake and the City of Syracuse, and now what you are seeing with New York City now coming up into Delaware County for Town Board Minutes Page 10 April 11,2000 their water supply. What it does, they have a State Law now that basically says that no junk yard can be permitted within a 100 foot linear distance of a lake or watercourse. And as I discussed with Jeff, across the property where it’s proposed to have this junk yard, or where he wants to have this junk yard license, there is a stream. And I have been told by the Cayuga County Planning Department that that stream is a watercourse of Owasco Lake, which puts you into following the rules and regulations of this State Law. So, for purposes of C1. you are going to have to say, because we have been put on notice, that there is a potential adverse effect concerning groundwater quality or quantity because of this State Law that is telling you that no junk yard can be within 100 foot linear distance of a watercourse, and it has the potential to be in that distance. Do I know for sure? No, but it’s something that you have to consider. So, for C1, you can fill it our later, but just so you understand, that yes, that is an issue. C2. Aesthetic, agricultural, archaeological, historic, or other natural or cultural resources; or community or neighborhood character. Explain briefly. I think all you have to say there is it is in a rural agricultural district. To be honest with you, it is up to the Board if you want to have any comments in C3, C5, C6 or C7. You can look at them. If you want to add anything, you can, but I really don’t see anything there. As far as C4…… Supervisor Morey – We should go down each one. Attorney Casullo – Okay. C3, vegetation or fauna, fish, shellfish or wildlife species, significant habitats, or threatened or endangered species. Do you feel there is anything there? Several people answered no. Attorney Casullo – C4. A community’s existing plans or goals as officially adopted. Your code says you’re rural agricultural. C5. Growth, subsequent development, or related activities. C6. Long term, short term, cumulative, or other effects not identified in C1-C5? C7. Other impacts. Answers to C5, 6 & 7 were no. D. Is there, or is there likely to be, controversy related to potential adverse environmental impacts? We already have a petition from 38 people. Part III. Check this box if you have identified one or more potentially large or significant adverse impact which MAY occur. We have. So, you check that box and you proceed directly to the Full Environmental Assessment Form and prepare a positive declaration. It looks like, at this point, as I told Jeff, it looks like he’s going to have to prepare a Full Environmental Assessment Form, which I have for him tonight. Town Board Minutes Page 11 April 11,2000 RESOLUTION #30 - REQUIRE FULL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT FORM FROM JEFF SNYDER MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Clark. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton, upon review of the Short State Environmental Quality Review Form, a positive finding has been made concerning the application for a junk yard license by Jeff Snyder to be located at 575 West Groton Road, and that a Full Environmental Assessment Form will be required. Attorney Casullo – Just so you know, at this point SEQR laws take precedence over the Junk Yard Ordinance that we have. So, if this takes longer than the 30 days, it doesn’t matter. SEQR takes precedence. Supervisor Morey – Any other comments from the Board? Okay, number 7 has to be tabled. th We are going to have a meeting, the recreation committee between the Village, on April 17 at 8:00 PM. All the Board should have that letter from the Village. Number 8, Approve building maintenance project. I call your attention to part B. RESOLUTION #31 APPROVE PURCHASE OF FIRE/SECURITY SYSTEM MOVED by Councilman Randall, seconded by Councilman Scheffler. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby approve the purchase of a Fire/Security System for the Town Hall and Highway Garage from ADT Security Services, Inc., 1019 Conklin Road, Conklin, NY, for an amount not to exceed $10,610.00 with an annual maintenance fee of $1,403.00. Supervisor Morey – Colleen and I went last week and talked to the County Board and basically th we just told our feelings about the assessment value. May 4 will be Grievance Day here, from 3 – 6. Don’s going to sit on it from 4:30 to 6 and Louie is going to sit on it from 3 to 4:30. Any more of you Board Members, we would be more than happy to have you come. I thought that at least two Board Members should be there at all times. Town Board Minutes Page 12 April 11,2000 In your packets this week, you got something from the County talking about the sales tax on clothing and shoes of value of less than $110.00. They did not vote for it this year, but they would like resolutions passed by all the town boards for review on March 1, 2001. RESOLUTION #32 - ELIMINATE SALES TAX ON CLOTHES AND SHOES LESS THAN $110.00 MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Groton, after deliberation, recommends that Tompkins County eliminate the local share of sales tax on clothes and shoes of a value less than $110.00 commencing March 1, 2001. RESOLUTION #33 - JOINT VILLAGE AND TRASH DAY MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Randall. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby create a Joint Village and Town Trash Day, to be held April 29, 2000. RESOLUTION #34 - DESIGNATE POLLING PLACES MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Randall. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED, that the Town of Groton designates the following polling places: District # 1 - West Groton Church District #2 & #3 – Town Hall District #4 – McLean Fire Station Town Board Minutes Page 13 April 11,2000 RESOLUTION #35 - COMBINE REGISTRATION DISTRICTS MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED, that for the purposes of registration, Districts #1,2,3,&4 will combined at the Town Hall on Conger Boulevard. Announcements: Municipal Official’s Association Dinner with be April 18, 6:00PM, at the Lehigh Valley House. th Training for Local Government Officials and Planning Boards, May 11 at 6:30 PM. We’re going to get the Town of Groton to meet at 5:00 for individual training to do a little bit about the Comprehensive Plan and how to review that and do things. Loan Applications for Business Development – Advertised in the Shopper just to let people know that we have a limited amount of money. We already have three people who are interested, and I will send them applications. Councilman Randall – You can see I have too much time on my hands. I’ve been walking a lot and I thought it would be kind of a neat gesture if us, as a Town Board, devoted a Saturday during the summer, once a month, and we clean up some of the roads. And advertise it. I got a map from Rick, and maybe divide it up. I would like to advertise it as kind of a two part thing: number one, a chance to clean up your community and number two, to meet your Board Members and talk and just get to know them a little better. I thought maybe that would be a good way, we advertise the roads that we intend to clean up ahead of time, so that people know, and set up a meeting place and go from there. Clerk Pierson – If you don’t do mine, I’m going to be upset! Richard Case – I have people calling, individuals who are walking the side of the road and picking up trash that isn’t theirs. I have contacted Tompkins County Solid Waste. The Highway Department is more than willing to pick it up. But the County wants to charge us to take that down there. I haven’t had a chance to talk to Glenn on it. I have talked to Ken Tompkins and Paul Cowles, and their researching avenues that we can do such projects, not only the Town Board but I guess the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts used to do some. Supervisor Morey – The Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts do 222 from the Village out to Lafayette Road. Richard Case – That’s a State Highway. But there is some questions for Tompkins County Solid Waste that I think we need to address, not only in Groton, but all of Tompkins County. The trash and litter on the sides of the roads is horrendous. In an effort to recycle, while ditching, we’re coming across plastic bottles all over the place. These are all going into Owasco Town Board Minutes Page 14 April 11,2000 Inlet. To coincide with your recommendation, Tyke, I’d like to see something on Tompkins County. Supervisor Morey – Doesn’t Tompkins County still have the trash policemen? Richard Case – Yes, and that’s the avenue they sent me through. You know, these ladies were nice enough to bag this stuff up, and one lady said she was more than willing to pay for the trash that was thrown in her yard, but she walks Salt Road, and that’s a County Road, and she doesn’t feel that she should have to pay to haul that trash away. I think she has a valid point. There again, as the Highway Department, I’m more than willing to pick it up, but I hate to come and submit a bill to you folks that I don’t think you should have to pay. Diane Tolen – Last weekend they were picking it up over on 34 in Lansing and I noticed, because I go that way to work, those orange bags are still sitting along the side of the road. Supervisor Morey – Yes, that’s State. Probably the Boy Scouts. Richard Case – Some organizations and groups do have an avenue to the Solid Waste. To answer your question, Glenn, we go through Paul, and he comes out and researches all the stuff and looks for anything that would lead to the people. But a lot this stuff is just bottles and debris that is getting thrown out. Diane Tolen – A lot of it is also from Superior, collecting it for recycling too. Councilman Scheffler – That’s where most of it comes from. Councilman Randall – I think a lot of it can be recycled too. I see …… Several people talking at once, saying that a lot of it comes out of the recycling trucks. Councilman Scheffler – I’ve called them before and asked them to close the gates because they loose more milk bottles on my road than they pick up. I know, because I have counted them. They close the gates in Town, when they’re not moving. But they’re out in the country, they drive all day with the gates open and the bottles are blowing out in the ditch. If we could do something about recycling with Superior like Cortland County did, because they fired them, because they refuse to close the gates on the trucks. If we pursued that first, and get the recycling spreading taken care of, and then cleaned up the ditches, they would stay that way. That’s my opinion. They’re spreading more milk jugs than they are picking up. Clerk Pierson – Could we possibly approach the County through the Municipal Officials Association as a group, all Towns? And then go to our Board of Reps? So, maybe we should talk about that when we go next week. Supervisor Morey – Sounds like a great idea. Thanks Tyke. On Monday, I met with the County Youth Bureau. This is in reference to youth employment for summer. Basically, it’s a 50% matching fund. The kids have to be up to 21 years of age. They’ll be paid the minimum wage, which is $5.15 an hour. We have to pay 10% fringes. Each employee will be working for 100 hours, or $567.00. Our goal this year is for three, and Town Board Minutes Page 15 April 11,2000 remember that we have to match 50% of that. So, for the three, the County will put in $850.00 and we will have to put in $850.00. I’d like to put that into the newspapers, for applications, so that we can approve this by June. I think Colleen can have one person and Rick can have two people. And if Colleen just wants a person half time, or whatever, a person can work out with the Highway or whatever. Colleen has got a lot of filing in there that she hasn’t had time to get done, so maybe this would be a good chance to train somebody. RESOLUTION #36 - SET WAGE FOR SUMMER YOUTH WORKERS MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Randall. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Randall, Clark, Morey. RESOLVED , that the Town Board does hereby set the wage for Summer Youth Workers at $5.15 per hour for the year 2000. There being no further business, Councilman Sovocool moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, at 8:35 PM. Unanimous. Colleen D. Pierson Town Clerk