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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-06-14TOWN OF GROTON — MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, JUNE 149 2016 AT 7:30 PM THE TOWN HALL, 101 CONGER BOULEVARD Those present: Donald F. Scheffler, Supervisor Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilperson Kelly Smith, Councilperson Randy N. Jackson, Councilperson Sheldon C. Clark, Councilperson Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town Also present: W. Rick Fritz, Glenn Morey, Barry Goodrich, Ed Neuhauser, Charles Rankin, Richard Case, April Scheffler. MOVED by Councilperson Smith, seconded by Councilperson Sovocool, to approve the minutes of the, May 10, 2016 meeting as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Jackson, Clark, Scheffler. Vouchers for the General Fund in the amount of $17,156.3 8 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilperson Jackson, seconded by Councilperson Sovocool, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Jackson, Clark, Scheffler. Vouchers for the Highway Fund in the amount of $104,653.47 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilperson Clark, seconded by Councilperson Jackson, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Jackson, Clark, Scheffler. Vouchers for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Fund in the amount of $24,677.09 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilperson Smith, seconded by Councilperson Jackson, to approve the CDBG Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Jackson, Clark, Scheffler Monthly Reports: Charles Rankin, Bookkeeper - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. The auditors will be here next week. Mr. Rankin is also still working on setting up direct deposit for those employees who want it. Town Board Minutes Page 2 June 14, 2016 W. Rick Fritz, Code/Fire Enforcement Officer - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. It has been a busy month with two new homes going in and there will be two more next month. We were going to put an ad in the paper about the new state building codes, but have put a hold on that because they don't officially go into effect until October 3rd Richard C. Case, Jr., Highway Superintendent - Thanked the Board for going on the highway tour. The projects they saw, the paving part is done. As soon as the material cures a little bit they will be putting the shoulders on. The Peruville Cemetery has been mowed four times. Donnie and Luke have been cutting the brush and when we get the summer help they will chip up the brush and continue to reclaim it. There was a problem with the boiler and there will be additional repairs to do. Councilperson Clark - It'd like to commend your Highway Crew, you, and your Deputy for the good work that you've done with the paving, especially the cold patching crew. I was quite impressed with that. Some of those cold patches are almost better than a machine paver would do. It's excellent work. I think Rick Satterly was kind of the prompter of that. Mr. Case - Rick Satterly and Joe Graham, everybody is getting a chance to shovel. That's hot stuff, not cold, and that's why it's coming out so nice and I'm sure it will hold a lot better. We've been mowing with the new mower and it's working very well. We've got two guys mowing so we can get caught up before we shut down in July. Councilperson Clark - So, the Western end of Groton City Road will not be done by the County? Mr. Case didn't know and Mr. Morey said that he would be reporting on that. Mr. Case commended the work done by the County for the work that was done on the part of Groton City Road that was paved, the bridge replacement and the additional work on crossover pipes, etc. He said it was excellent work and a real feather in their cap. Supervisor Scheffler - Speaking of feathers in people's cap, I have a letter from PERMA that says congratulations in your last completed policy year. You have filed all claims in a timely manner. Please find enclosed a certificate of achievement. I think this speaks well of you, Chuck, and everyone involved. April L. Scheffler, RMC, Town Clerk/Tax Collector - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. The shared service grant that the County was applying for so that everyone would have a code enforcement program has been turned down, so we are kind of back to square one thinking about what we are going to do. We do have a meeting next week with our TESSERR group and may be talking with them about setting something up in Laserfiche. We did get our grant from the Tompkins County Tourism Program for the photo show. They gave us $650.00 which will mostly be used for advertising. We have a meeting set up for Thursday for the Bicentennial Committee. I am teaching Robin to prepare the vouchers because I will be on vacation next month and she will need to take care of some of that. Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town - Had nothing to report. John J. Norman and A. D. Dawson, Town Justices - Were not present. Councilperson Kelly Smith as Representative to Joint Youth Program - Summer programs are filling up. The pool inspection is scheduled for June 16th with guard training the same night. They were able to hire enough lifeguards to maintain the hours that they had last year. The 4th of July celebration, because it is held at the Elementary School, sparklers will not be allowed, and they asked us to put that in the ad, but then we realized that the Fire Department actually puts that ad out. They've had some issues at Sykes Street park with some graffiti on the picnic tables so they are buying cameras to put there. The Girl Scouts have been doing some cleanup and they are going to paint the tables with some help from the Village employees. There have been issues with some leagues starting up that are not under our Recreation Committee and we heard that one that was operating last summer was operating without any insurance. There's another Babe Ruth league starting this year. We don't really know who's leading that Town Board Minutes Page 3 June 14, 2016 but we want to make sure that they have insurance coverage. I went to a Recreation Partnership meeting in April and they are working on the budget. They're afraid that because of the increase in minimum wage that their budget might have to increase, so they are going to give us some scenarios in June to look at. With the sales tax revenue being down the County is not going to have a lot of money to fund it. Last year from the Town of Groton, we only had 16 participants, so based on our usage our rates won't go up very much. If you want someone to come and speak, they said that they'd be more than willing, but I don't see any need for that unless they come up with something extravagant for us to pay. Glenn Morey, County Legislator - On Groton City Road, the ditches are cleaned, culverts are in, paving is done, and the bridge is open since last week. We are not going to be able to pave from the bridge to Champlin Road because they ran out of money. It will be done next year. Councilperson Clark - I have a statement from the families that live in the hamlet. They want to thank you and the County for a beautiful bridge. They have concerns already about the speed and wondered if there is any chance of having a speed meter or something put up. They wondered if they could have a sign at the top of Champlin Road that says which way to Groton City. Mr. Morey suggested that the people there do a letter to request a speed limit. Privilege of the Floor: Barry Goodrich, from Town of Caroline - Wanted to give the Board more information about the Aquifer Study and clarify the financial part of it. He made up a white board to demonstrate it. Everybody in Groton pays Federal taxes that support the USGS. For this study, $54,280.00 in Federal money would be coming back to Groton from USGS. Everybody pays State income taxes that support the DEC and $27,1403.00 would be coming back from them. County Planning will be putting up a total of $63,334.00 plus they are agreeing to fund any well drilling that's need, which is generally about two wells and that would come to $32,320.00. So that's a total of $177,083.00 of tax money that your residents have paid in, coming back here to the Town of Groton if you do that study. If you don't do the study, that money's going to be used someplace else. That's why other towns have done it. The Town of Groton doesn't have to put up very much matching money to get this done over the four year period. Supervisor Scheffler - So, how much is our part of it? Mr. Goodrich - I think about $60,000.00 over the four years. And if you apply to the Tompkins County Soil and Water, I'm sure that they'll cough up about $5,000.00 a year, so that would take away $20,000.00. And then if you go to the Village of Groton and get them to kick in some money your total cost might be around $20,000.00 when you're all done. Supervisor Scheffler asked the Board what their thoughts were. Councilperson Smith said she thought they should move forward on it. Councilperson Jackson asked if that meant, going through and seeing what the Town and Village and everyone would contribute towards it. Mr. Morey said it would be $15,000.00 for the next four years and that could come out of the Town's surplus money. Supervisor Scheffler said he had talked to Dan Carey today and Mr. Carey thought that the Finger Lakes Ontario Watershed Association might also give the Town a grant but didn't know how much. He asked if the Board wanted to go forward and pursue what we can get for grants before we commit. He suggested that they look into it further and get some hard figures on costs before committing, which would bring them up close to budget time. By then, with the Town's obligations for a personnel expense and a roof replacement, as well as the State announcing that pension rates will be going up, they might have a better idea of what they can afford. Town Board Minutes Page 4 June 14, 2016 Councilperson Jackson agreed with that since they didn't really know what it was going to cost. Councilperson Smith also said they could stretch it to five years instead of four. The consensus of the Board was to move forward to find out what the actual costs will be for the Town and address it at budget time. Supervisor Scheffler had received a letter from the Old Home Days Committee thanking the Board for their donation last year, which was used for advertising. They were asking for a donation this year and said that they would like to use it to sponsor free or reduced price pony rides and petting zoo. Councilperson Smith said that she would be in favor of this if the people supplying the ponies and zoo had insurance. Supervisor Scheffler will check that out to make sure. RESOLUTION #16-047 - MAKE DONATION TO GROTON OLD HOME DAYS MOVED by Councilperson Smith, seconded by Councilperson Clark RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves making a donation to the Groton Old Home Days Committee in the budgeted amount of $1000.00. Ayes - Sovocool, Smith, Gamel, Clark, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed Announcements: ➢ Planning Board Meeting - June 16, 2016 at 7:30 pm ➢ Zoning Board of Appeals - June 22, 2016 at 7:30 pm ➢ Next Board Meeting - July 12, 2016 at 7:30 pm There being no further business, Councilman Sovocool moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Smith, at 8:01 pm. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk