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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-13-2004 TOWN OF GROTON – MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2004 AT 7:30 PM PUBLIC HEARING – TOWN OF GROTON DOG LAW AT 8:00 PM AT THE TOWN HALL, 101 CONGER BOULEVARD Those present: Glenn E. Morey, Supervisor Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman Donald F. Scheffler, Councilman Sheldon C. Clark, Councilman Richard B. Gamel, Councilman Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town Also present: Richard Case, George Senter, Liz Brennan, April Scheffler, John Norman, A.D. Dawson, Tena McClary, Colleen Pierson, Dave Christofferson, Mary Ann Christofferson MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the minutes of the December 9, 2003 meeting. (Clerk correcting typo on page 6 to read A.D. Dawson, Justice Elect instead of Justice Dawson). Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. MOVED by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Gamel to approve the minutes of the January 6, 2004 Organizational Meeting. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey General Fundfor Abstract 13 of the Year 2003 Claim Numbers 396-431 of the in the amount of $13,369.82 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. General Fundfor Abstract 1 of the Year 2004 Claim Numbers 1-8 of the in the amount of $1,669.78 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Gamel, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Town Board Minutes Page 2 January 13, 2004 Highway Fundfor Abstract 13 of the Year 2003 Claim Numbers 232-254 of the in the amount of $23,805.34 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Gamel, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Highway Fundfor Abstract 1 of the Year 2004 Claim Number 1 of the in the amount of $2,149.37 was presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Gamel, to approve the Highway Bill for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Special Grant (HUD) Fundfor Abstract 1 of the Year 2004 Claim Number 316-322 of the in the amount of $46,259.15 was presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Gamel, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the HUD bill for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. MOVEDExecutive by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool to enter into Session with Attorney Monty at 7:35PM for the purpose of litigation. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey MOVEDRegular Session by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool to return to at 7:53 PM. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey Supervisor Morey – Let the record show that we turned this over to our Attorney to handle. Privilege of the Floor – No one wished to speak. Monthly Reports: Richard C. Case, Jr., Highway Superintendent – At the present time, the Highway Department is dedicated to snow and ice removal. When weather allows, trees and brush are being cut. Plow repairs and the preventive maintenance program has kept the shop active to say the least. Some repairs have been made to the salt shed with more to come at a more seasonable time. The new loader is in Endicott at the dealers and I expect to take delivery on that soon. I talked to them this afternoon and it will probably be here tomorrow at 1 o’clock. The single axle trucks have been ordered at Stadium International. And he called me today and confirmed that order. We have been researching plow frames and equipment for the one that we are going to assemble in our shop. Next month I hope to have a complete report on the insurance claim on both the salt shed and the Brockway truck that was hit. We did get a check for the salt shed and I Town Board Minutes Page 3 January 13, 2004 gave that to Glenn. At that time I also intend to have all the Highway accounts closed for 2003 so that the encumbrances can be presented. Elizabeth Brennan, Bookkeeper – I gave you the listing of all the cash balances. I’m in the process of closing the books. Tonight we still have some bills for 2003 and until we get all of them in, I won’t be able to close the books and give you the revenue and expenses reports. So, we will be working on that and I’ll be doing the annual report within the next month or so. Probably next months we’ll have transfers once I get all the accounts closed out. George R. Senter, Sr., Code/Fire Enforcement Officer – In December we issued 3 building permits, 1 house and 2 miscellaneous. I issued 6 Certificates of Occupancy or Completion. I still need to do one Life Safety Inspection to be current for the year 2003. I also have a copy of my annual report. If you have any questions on that, I’d try to answer them. I looked at item 6 on the agenda and we’d like to table that. I need a little more time on the zoning fee schedule, to get some information. I don’t think we’re ready to discuss that tonight. Supervisor Morey – What do you see as the problem with the fees? George Senter – I think…….bring them more in line with communities around us. Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town – Had nothing to report. John Norman & A.D. Dawson, Town Justices – Submitted their monthly report and the Year End report for the Board’s review. Justice Norman – I think you all have the report for 2003, which reflects a 38% increase in the number of cases, total, from 2002. That’s all I have. Councilman Donald Scheffler, as Recreation Coordinator – The Joint Recreation Committee meets on the first Tuesday of each month in the Village Board Room. At the January 6, 2004 meeting, Don Scheffler, myself, was elected chairman and Debra Finton-Crouch was elected vice chair of the committee. Our other representatives continue to be Crystal Young, Town-at- large, Joan Donovan, Village-at-large, Marian Zubal, School Board Representative and Chuck Rankin, Secretary-treasurer and, of course, Marsh Larson, coordinator. This is a very dedicated, caring and wise group of people and I feel privileged and proud to be working with them. We th are currently finalizing plans for our Second Annual Winter Festival, February 28, from 10 to 3 at the Elementary School. Our tentative list of activities is sled riding, cross county skiing, snow sculpture contest, SPCA adoption booth, a bounce house, indoor games and crafts, live music and more. Hope everyone can make it and bring your family, friends and snow equipment. PUBLIC HEARING A Public Hearing for the purpose of reviewing Proposed Local Law #1 for the Year 2004, the Town of Groton Dog Control Law, was opened at 8:00 PM. The Clerk read the Public Notice that was duly published in the Town’s legal paper, the Groton Independent on Wednesday, January 7, 2004. Town Board Minutes Page 4 January 13, 2004 Public Comments: David Christofferson – This isn’t in connection with that law. It is and it isn’t. If that law is followed why is it necessary to charge a higher fee for an unneutered male or a unspayed female? Supervisor Morey – Basically what this law is, it runs parallel to the New York State law and the New York State law sets those fees, don’t they April? Clerk Scheffler – There’s a state portion of it and there’s a local portion of it. I’d have to look it up to tell you which is which, but I believe that the unneutered part of it is part of the state fee. Am I right, Colleen, do you remember? Colleen Pierson – That $18.00 includes the state and the town fee. There was a five dollar difference….. Clerk Scheffler – But that difference is in the state part of it, right? Colleen Pierson – Yes. David Christofferson – But you see what I’m saying here? If the law is followed I don’t see the need for the difference there. Clerk Scheffler – I don’t know exactly the state’s reasoning on that except that part of those funds are used for spay and neuter programs. David Christofferson – But there again, if the rest of the law were followed, why is it a problem? Clerk Scheffler – Because there’s such an over-population….. David Christofferson - Yeah, but there wouldn’t be if all of those dogs were kept under their owners’ supervision, how are they going to mate? Clerk Scheffler – Well, that’s true. Supervisor Morey – And that’s why we’re doing this law, to keep them home. Any other comments? Ma’am? Dewey? Justice Dawson – Judge Norman and I looked over the law. We have three places that we would like to propose changes to it. The first one is in section 5 under Prohibited Acts, subsection (g). We’re proposing a wording change there just to make it a little bit clearer and that is the following: (g) Be unlicensed at four months or older or be unlicensed due to failure to renew dog license pursuant to Section 9 of this law. Now, there’s a couple of reasons for changing it. Number one, I believe that if we have it failure to renew pursuant to the Ag & Markets Law, any fines we collect will go to the State in that regard, whereas, if you collect fines relevant to this law, they stay local. I think that’s the big reason. Justice Norman – That’s the main reason. Town Board Minutes Page 5 January 13, 2004 Justice Dawson – And then the other thing is just a clarification. It seemed a little bit wordy. I know it kind of follows the State wording but sometimes the State wording is, you know, more wordy than it is understandable. Justice Norman – These changes were made to make it clear to anybody who reads the law so there would be no confusion at all. I know what a lot of times what people will do is they’ll sit down and read a law and then they’ll say, well okay pursuant to section 9 of the Ag & Markets Law, well, when you look at a state law sometimes Rick might look at the law and maybe Glenn will look at the law and maybe I’ll look at the law and we’ll get three different interpretations of the law. This was just to make it clear so everybody can look at this and say okay, that’s the law. Make it clear to everyone. Supervisor Morey – Okay, this is just section (g). What about section 8? Justice Dawson – In section 8 we are proposing changes to subsection (a), subsection (b), and deletion of subsection (c). Subsection (a), we’d like the possible wording of: “Any person who observes a dog in violation of this local law may file a complaint, under oath, with the town designated Dog Control Officer or agency specifying the nature of the violation, the date thereof, a description of the dog, the location of the violation and the name and address of the owner, if known.” We are paying the SPCA to be our dog control people. It’s not up to the judges to go out and give tickets. As a matter of fact I could see where it could be considered a conflict if we’re setting in judgment of a case and find out the …?..factual and legal ramifications of the law and we’re the ones going out and giving the tickets to begin with. I don’t think that that’s proper. Attorney Monty – You issue summonses to people to appear in court all the time…criminal summons. Justice Norman – But that’s after they’re charged with a crime to begin with. Justice Dawson – This may be oranges and apples, but, anybody can come to the court at any time to instigate a proceeding. There’s no doubt about that. However, if a person say gets raped, they don’t come to the town court and ask for a…….. Attorney Monty – This isn’t a criminal proceeding…… Justice Dawson – No it’s not…….we issue the civil summonses also for the small claims and things like that but that’s upon application and the law about the procedures is specific, about what the procedures are in that case. What we’re saying here is that we have the SPCA and we’re not saying SPCA in the wording change, in case at any time we change who we use or we have our own control office or we use another agency or anything like that. It’s any dog control officer or agency designated by the Town to do this. And in keeping with that we also want to look at the change of wording in Section (b), “upon receiving the complaint by such dog control officer or agency, that officer or agency shall issue a summons to the alleged owner of the dog to appear before the Town of Groton Court at a date and time specified.” Jumping back up to (a) for a minute, the part in there that says “ the location of the violation”, that’s not in the original wording of the proposed law. However, that’s an integral part. We need that in the summons for jurisdictional purposes. So that needs to go in there. Supervisor Morey – Say that again. Which one was it? Town Board Minutes Page 6 January 13, 2004 Justice Dawson – In Subsection (a) where it says “ the location of a violation” that’s not in the law as proposed. This is what we put in. Supervisor Morey – But that isn’t under the Agricultural and Markets? It’s not in there? Justice Dawson – This wording is very similar to Ag and Markets. And just because it’s a state law, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right or necessarily the way it’s going to be interpreted. Again, what we’re looking for is clarity in this. Supervisor Morey – Okay, you done? Because I’ve go a couple of questions. First of all, what did you pattern these sections around? Did you talk to Vicki at all? Did you talk to a lawyer? Did you talk to another town that has the same exact law? Justice Dawson – No. Justice Norman – That was just to make the law that we’re proposing clear. Justice Dawson – And quite frankly, it’s tough to do that when we got it this afternoon at 3 o’clock. Supervisor Morey – Who? To do what, Dewey? Justice Dawson – To provide something for you. Supervisor Morey – You’ve known since last month. Justice Dawson – We’ve known that there was going to be a public hearing. No one solicited our input. April sent a letter, which I have a copy of here, that she put in our box, dated January nd 2. John and I did not see this until this afternoon. Justice Norman – It somehow got misplaced in the office. Supervisor Morey – Yeah, but we’re doing this because you guys requested April to change the law. Is that correct, April? Didn’t the judges approach you to change this law? Clerk Scheffler – Actually, Peg brought it to my attention and then we discussed it. Justice Dawson – And we discussed it. Clerk Scheffler – And I had brought this section up several times before. Ag and Markets Law says the dog control officer is the one who enforces the law, not the Town Justice. Justice Norman – And in Section 8 (a) it appears that the Town Justice is the one that’s doing the enforcing. Just read Section 8. Supervisor Morey – When a person does a complaint to the dog control officer do they have to make that under oath or can they just make a complaint? Town Board Minutes Page 7 January 13, 2004 Clerk Scheffler – When they fill out the complaint they are doing an affirmation. They are swearing. Councilman Sovocool – In other words, you guys just don’t want to issue tickets, right? That’s basically what this is. Justice Norman – You’re exactly right. Because it is a conflict of interest. A Town Justice cannot enforce the law. Justice Dawson – If I came out to your house, Louie, and I gave you a ticket for violating the dog control law… Councilman Sovocool – You aren’t going to give me a ticket, I don’t have a dog. Justice Dawson – Okay, but suppose I did. How would you feel if when you came to Court you had to stand in front of me and have me judge it when I’m the one who gave you the ticket? Councilman Sovocool – I guess I’d be guilty wouldn’t I? Justice Dawson – Whether you’d like to be or not. Clerk Scheffler – We have hired the SPCA to do this for us. We are required to have someone do this for us. Attorney Monty – You guys can certainly make that change. I just want to make one point clear. If we make further changes to this proposed law you can’t act on it tonight. Clerk Scheffler – We’d have to go through another public hearing. Attorney Monty – Right, and that’s one of the reasons we have public hearings is because these issues come up……….. Justice Dawson – Barring any other changes, we’ve both read it over and we don’t see any other problems with it. But we feel that this is important, especially in the fact that maybe we’ll keep the fine money here instead of sending it to the State. Supervisor Morey – Well the fees is the type of neutered or spay female is $10 and basically somewhere around $5 goes to the State anyways and unneutered males and unspayed females there’s a percentage of the $18 that goes to the State anyways too. So, how can you say the money will all stay here Dewey? Justice Dawson – No, that is licensing. We’re talking about fine money. Councilman Sovocool – That’s licensing. That’s fine money there. Supervisor Morey – Okay, so we’re down to the penalties. All that money stays here. Colleen Pierson – Glenn, that’s $2.50 and $7.50 that goes to the State. Supervisor Morey – Okay, any other questions, comments? Colleen, come forward, please. Town Board Minutes Page 8 January 13, 2004 Colleen Pierson – I concur with the Justices that they shouldn’t be issuing summonses. We pay a dog control officer ten thousand something. Why are you having them do it? They have other things that they have to do and I’d hate to see it go to that. I’d like to see you get more cooperation with the SPCA. Supervisor Morey – Oh, I think that April has done a superb job with helping……. Colleen Pierson – I haven’t talked with April about that at all but I know that they were getting pretty lax when I left here. They had a whole new crew and they didn’t want to do anything for us. Hopefully she has. I don’t know what she’s done. Supervisor Morey – Over the last two months I think we’ve met with the SPCA in some capacity, with either the board or director three or four times. Colleen Pierson – For that kind of money, they ought to be doing something. Supervisor Morey – Agreed. All right, comments. Any other public comments? Deputy Town Clerk, Tena McClary spoke but was not using microphone. She indicated that it was going to be part of her job to work with the SPCA and this law and she would like to see it done right so that it would not have to be redone again. Councilman Sovocool – I’ll go along with the Justices and have the changes made. Councilman Scheffler – If we initiate what the Justices have suggested tonight we need another public hearing right? This makes everybody happy? This will work? Clerk Scheffler – I think it is more in line with what we want for the Town of Groton. Attorney Monty – I do have a copy of the SPCA agreement here in front of me and it does, in Article 1, it states that when a person fails to renew their dog license it shall be the Groton Town Clerk’s responsibility to prepare any tickets that are to issued. Clerk Scheffler – Yes, we prepare the tickets. They deliver them. Attorney Monty – And you provide the Court with the copies, right? Clerk Scheffler – Right. Attorney Monty – And it does go on further that it’s the SPCA’s responsibility to pickup and deliver the tickets… Clerk Scheffler – That’s the unlicensed dogs. That’s all we do. Councilman Gamel – Just out of curiosity, did we discuss (c), why you wanted to delete that? Justice Dawson – Because that’s not applicable any more because it’s covered under the Penal Law for contempt of court and if subsection 8 goes through as we’re suggesting, it does not say anything about the Town Justices. I don’t see why we need anything in that subsection that says that it’s a violation not to do what the Town Justices say. Town Board Minutes Page 9 January 13, 2004 Supervisor Morey – So, what you’re saying is (c) is covered under the Penal Law so you don’t have to change it. So, but isn’t this whole dog law, most of it, all the changes we’re doing covered under Ag and Markets Law of New York State. Justice Dawson – Pretty close. Supervisor Morey – Then why should we change the law? Justice Dawson – Then why even do the law? Why not just go with Ag and Markets? Why even have a local law? Supervisor Morey – Well, I thought that’s why we had it in the first place. Clerk Scheffler – The law is so that you can tailor it to you own community and your own needs and wants in your own situation. Supervisor Morey – Yes, I realize that. I’m saying aren’t the changes that we’re requesting tonight covered under the Markets Law and everything else has to do with everything on the Town. Clerk Scheffler – I think the changes that the Judges are requesting are closer to Ag & Markets Law than the way it was written before because Ag & Markets Law says that it’s the responsibility of the dog control officer to enforce the law and write the tickets, not them. The only mention that I found in Ag & Markets Law of the justices is under the dangerous dog law where they can go in and ask for an order to seize the dog. It’s kind of like going in and asking for a search warrant or something like that. They’re not actually issuing tickets but giving that order to seize the dangerous dog. That’s the only place I found any mention of the town justices in the Ag & Markets Law. Supervisor Morey – Okay. Councilman Sovocool – Okay, under the Ag & Markets Law if we don’t have one of these, where do all the fines go, to the State or the Town? Clerk Scheffler – I don’t know. I don’t have anything to do with the fines. Justice Dawson – Fines, I believe……. Justice Norman – Any local laws stay here. Councilman Sovocool – Local laws stay here. Ag & Markets Law is a state law. The fines go to the State? All of them or just a percentage? Justice Norman – I’m pretty sure it’s all. I’m not 100% sure of that. It’s just like speeding tickets. We don’t get …. Supervisor Morey – John, will you check that out for us? Justice Norman – Yes. Town Board Minutes Page 10 January 13, 2004 Attorney Monty – Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think what your goal is, the Judges’ goal is, to have it all in one place so that it’s easier for the people to interpret, so they’re not going to have to go to two separate…state law and local law? Justice Norman – That’s correct, so anybody can pick this up, read the law and it’s very clearly stated. That’s exactly what we’re trying to do. You’re absolutely right. Justice Dawson – Make it clear and also make it so we’re not the one’s issuing the tickets. Clerk Scheffler – I think that’s important too because this isn’t like a lot of our laws that are just sitting in our vault and nobody knows about it but us. This is a law that we hand out to people. We have it copied and everybody who gets a new license gets a copy of this law. So, it’s something that’s out there and people read and are using. Supervisor Morey – Any other comments? April? Clerk Scheffler – No, like I said I have some little changes but they were typo type things. Supervisor Morey – How do you want to handle this now? Do you want April to write up what all the different changes are and submit it to you or do you have enough paper? Attorney Monty – I have this law on the computer so I can just…. Supervisor Morey – Okay, then can you e-mail it to April and I and the Board? Attorney Monty – I’ll e-mail it to everyone. We’ll try to make sure we have enough time if the Board wants to set it down for another public hearing for next month. These are substantial changes so we will have to have another hearing. Supervisor Morey – Do you think you can have it done by next month? Attorney Monty – Yes. There being no further comment, Supervisor Morey moved to close the Public Hearing, seconded by Councilman Sovocool at 8:24 PM. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RETURN TO REGULAR MEETING April L. Scheffler, Town Clerk/Tax Collector – Submitted her monthly Town Clerk’s report and year-end report for the year 2003 for the Board’s review. When I first became Town Clerk, Glenn talked to me about getting a credit card for the Town. Nothing has been done about that yet and I was wondering if it was something that you wanted to do at this time. I have received several applications in the mail and I have also talked with Groton Bank. It would be handy to purchase online goods and services and for conference and schooling expenses. I don’t know what you guys want to do about that. There was some discussion on the subject. Councilman Scheffler is going to look into how the County handles their cards. Further discussion to take place next month. Town Board Minutes Page 11 January 13, 2004 th Clerk Scheffler - Tena McClary will complete her 3-month probationary period on January 20. She has done an excellent job so far and I would like to ask for a 50-cent raise for her beginning on that date. In the 2003 budget we budgeted $1,000 for records management software and encumbered $1,000 from 2002 in that account, #A1410.42, to use for a backup system, virus update, etc. I have purchased these as well as battery backups for each computer that will protect them from power surges and shut them down safely during power outages and brown-outs. These items have amounted to $472. In September I ordered records management software from Williams Law but was repeatedly given the run-around when it came to installation. I began to suspect that this was the same situation that we experienced with getting our Town Clerk’s Windows program when they kept promising it to us for two years and then we found out that it had never really been ready to be released. During this time I also had a meeting with Suzanne Etherington from the State Archives and we talked at length about the desirability of a commercial program versus one that you put together yourself to meet your specific needs as well as the high initial and continuing costs of the commercial software. The cost of the software from Williamson was $995 plus $200 for the support contract, which would amount to $1194 the first year and $200 each year after or more since that is subject to change. After considering everything, I decided to cancel my order with Williamson Law. The State Archives have sample programs set up in Access that we can copy and modify to meet our needs for both records management and indexing minutes. The Town of Cortlandville has also created their own program that they would share with us if we wanted. Tena and I both have a pretty good basic knowledge of Access and I feel confident that we will be able to do this within our office. Tena has already put together a database for the Planning Board Subdivision files that will help us keep track of them. I feel that creating our own program would be a savings for the Town as well as give us exactly what we need for our records. What I would like to ask is that you encumber the $1500 that is left in this account and transfer this into a new account for records management. When we really get into this project there will be necessary items such as archival quality storage boxes, labels and copy paper, polypropylene sheet protectors, added shelves in our archival vault, cotton gloves for handling our old documents and dust masks, and that’s just to get us started. Other items we have been discussing are a re-writable disc drive so that we can scan items, save them and copy them and a microfilm reader since we have a large quantity of microfilm and no way to read it. Supervisor Morey – Tell me about the software program. It’s a free system from New York State Archives? Clerk Scheffler – They have a sample disc with a program that was created in Access and we can either copy that or take ideas from it and make our own. Supervisor Morey – This is share-ware, right? You can share without paying for it? Councilman Gamel – It’s not under the copyright law? Clerk Scheffler – No, no it’s nothing like that, it’s just using Access. Supervisor Morey – And in Cortlandville, they said they’d give it to you, is it the same program that the New York State…? Clerk Scheffler – I don’t know. They came up with it themselves. Town Board Minutes Page 12 January 13, 2004 Supervisor Morey – It’s a good idea and very afford, especially since it’s free. But you have to realize that software is intellectual property and if you pirate it you could be sued. So when you talk to Cortlandville make sure that it’s not some person’s or some company’s….. Clerk Scheffler – No, no, it’s nothing like that. RESOLUTION # 8 – ENCUMBER FUNDS FOR RECORDS MANAGEMENT MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED , that the Town Board does hereby encumber from the 2003 Budget, $1,500.00 from Records Software, A1410.42 and place it in a new account entitled Records Management. RESOLUTION #9 – RAISE FOR TENA MCCLARY MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby approve a 50-cent per hour raise for the Deputy Town Clerk, Tena McClary beginning February 20, 2004. RESOLUTION #10 – RESCIND ITEM 21, PART 7 OF RESOLUTION # 1 MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby rescind Item 21, Part 7 of Resolution #1 for the Retain Doug’s Trash Removal Service Year 2004: 7) at the rate of $65.00 per month for the period January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004. retain Doug’s Trash AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby Removal Service at the rate of $96.00 per month for the period January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004. RESOLUTION #11 – APPROVE COURT CLERK’S ATTENDANCE OF CONFERENCE MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby approve Margaret Palmer’s, the Court Clerk, attendance at the New York State Associations of Towns Conference in New York City from February 15 – 18, 2004, not to exceed $1,000.00 in expenses. Town Board Minutes Page 13 January 13, 2004 The Board did question the fact that they had a $600.00 ceiling on expenses. Supervisor Morey felt that since Peg Palmer was the president of the State Court Clerks Association and would also be representing the Town as a delegate that they should support her and pay all expenses and that this would not be setting a precedent. RESOLUTION #12 – DESIGNATE MARGARET PALMER AS DELEGATE TO ASSOCIATION OF TOWNS CONFERENCE MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby designate Margaret Palmer as delegate to the Annual Business Session of the Association of Towns of the State of New York to be held in New York City on February 18, 2004 and to cast the vote for the Town of Groton. RESOLUTION #13 – SET PUBLIC HEARING DATE FOR DOG CONTROL LAW MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board does hereby set a Public Hearing for Tuesday, February 10, 2004 for the purpose of reviewing the Town of Groton Dog Control Law. Announcements: Review M&T Investment Plan Groton Merchants Bowling Party, January 18, 1:00 PM, at the Corona Club Planning Board Meeting, January 15, 7:30 PM County Wide Mutual Benefits Meeting, February 2, 2:00PM at Scott Heyman Conference Room, 125 E. Court St., Ithaca Association of Towns 2004 Training School & Annual Meeting in NYC, February 15-18 Groton Fire Department Annual Banquet, Saturday, January 17, 6:00 PM at the Fire Hall McLean Community Council, Wednesday, January 14, 7:30 PM at the McLean Fire Department. There being no further business, Councilman Sovocool moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, at 8:30 PM. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler Town Clerk