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Home My WebLink About09-12-2005 TOWN OF GROTON – MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2005 AT 7:30 PM THE TOWN HALL, 101 CONGER BOULEVARD Those present: Glenn E. Morey, Supervisor Donald F. Scheffler, Councilman Richard B. Gamel, Councilman Sheldon C. Clark, Councilman Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town Absent: Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman Also present: John Norman, Chris Norman, Peg Palmer, Dyan Lombardi, Rosemarie Tucker, Gary Coats, Elizabeth Brennan, April Scheffler. MOVED by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the minutes of the August 9, 2005 meeting as presented. Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. General Fund Claim Numbers 261-295 of the in the amount of $13,534.34 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Gamel, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Highway Fund Claim Numbers 135-155 of the in the amount of $32,233.51 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Gamel, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey. Privilege of the Floor Supervisor Morey offered . Peg Palmer – Reported that notice was received from the Office of Court Administration that in the wake of the Katrina disaster the IRS has increased the reimbursement rate for business related travel by personal car to 48.5 cents per mile effective September 1 thru December 31. She asked if the Town would consider doing the same thing for its employees for these four months. After some discussion the following resolution was made: Town Board Minutes Page 2 September12, 2005 RESOLUTION #05-085 – INCREASE MILEAGE RATE TO 45 CENTS MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Clark Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby sets the reimbursement to employees and town officials for travel by personal car while on Town of Groton business to 45 cents per mile for a period beginning September 12, 2005 and ending December 31, 2005. Dyan Lombardi – Asked that the Town give consideration to a tax exemption for people with disabilities. She said that Groton was the only town in the County that didn’t have this exemption. Supervisor Morey read a letter that Mrs. Lombardi had previously sent to the Board. He said that they would be considering her request during their budget work sessions. Monthly Reports: Elizabeth Brennan, Bookkeeper/Highway Clerk – Submitted her monthly report for the Board’s review and asked for budget transfers. RESOLUTION #05-086 – 2005 BUDGET TRANSFER MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED , that the Town Board approves the following 2005 Budget transfer: General Fund – Town Wide: From: Police, Bailiff, Personal Services A3120.1……………..$300.00 To: Police, Contractual A3120.4……………………………..300.00 RESOLUTION #05-087 – 2005 BUDGET TRANSFER MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board approves the following 2005 Budget transfer: General Fund – Town Wide: From: Dog Enumerator, Contractual, Enumeration A3510.41…….$648.00 To: Dog Enumerator, Personal Services A3510.1………………..648.00 Town Board Minutes Page 3 September12, 2005 RESOLUTION #05-088– 2005 BUDGET TRANSFER MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Clark Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board approves the following 2005 Budget transfer: General Fund – Town Wide: From: Contingency A1990.4……………………….$4,577.37 To: Health Insurance A9060.8……………………4,577.37 RESOLUTION #05-089 – 2005 BUDGET TRANSFER MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board approves the following 2005 Budget transfer: General Fund – Part Town: From: Contingency B1990.4……………………………….$689.50 To: Youth Program, Personal Services B7310.1…………689.50 RESOLUTION #05-090 – 2005 BUDGET TRANSFER MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board approves the following 2005 Budget transfer: Highway Fund – Town Wide: From: Workers Compensation DA9040.8………………..$458.14 Retirement DA9010.8……………………………..4000.00 To: Health Insurance DA9060.8………………………4458.14 Gary Coats, Code/Fire Enforcement Officer – There’s a lot of construction going on out there. There are at least 5 or 6 houses to be completed this year. All Life Safety Inspections are up to date. The property that we’ve been dealing with on Lick Street, I think Vicki is going to address that. There’s three outstanding Orders to Remedy out of six. I issued two Stop Work Orders. One was for a porch on Old Peruville Road and he will bring it into compliance. The other one was for a house out near Sheldon. They started a massive addition and started digging without a permit. They came in the next day with all the paperwork. Councilman Scheffler asked about rules pertaining to unmowed lawns. Mr. Coats explained that according to the law, grass should be mowed before reaching ten inches tall. Town Board Minutes Page 4 September12, 2005 April L. Scheffler, Town Clerk/Tax Collector – Submitted her monthly Town Clerk’s report and a report on the Dog Enumeration. A letter had been received from the County Finance Department saying that they would not extend the Town’s time to collect taxes past March 31. There was also a letter from the SPCA asking for an increase in their contract for 2006. Clerk gave a report on the Help America Vote Act and the recently passed updates to the New York State Election Law and what it would mean for 2006 elections as well as the Town’s 2006 budget. There will be consolidation of elections with control taken over by Tompkins County. New electronic machines will be purchased with Federal money. A recent resolution made by the Tompkins County Legislature stated that expenses will be charged back to the towns in 2006 with charge backs to the towns reduced by 20% each year thereafter until the County has taken over the full cost of elections. RESOLUTION #05-091 – CLERK & DEPUTY TO ATTEND REGIONAL TOWN CLERKS MEETING MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board approves payment of expenses for the Town Clerk, April Scheffler and Deputy Town Clerk, Tena McClary to attend the New York State Town Clerks Regional Meeting to be held in Geneva, NY on Monday, September 19, 2005 at a cost of $25.00 each plus mileage. Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town – Items she had to report needed to be talked about in an Executive Session, which would take place later in the meeting. John Norman & A. D. Dawson, Town Justices – Submitted their monthly report for the Board’s review. Justice Norman spoke briefly about recent jury trial events. RESOLUTION #05-092 – COURT CLERK TO ATTEND CONFERENCE MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board approves payment of expenses for the Court Clerk, Margaret Palmer, to attend the New York State Association of Magistrates Court Clerks Conference to be held September 25-28, 2005 in Niagara Falls, NY. Councilman Donald Scheffler, as Recreation Coordinator – At the last meeting we met with the new interim superintendent of schools and went over the memorandum of understanding between the School, Town and Village. He is very up on it because the school he came from basically has the same agreement, with Greene. He is fully supportive of us and I think he’s a very positive man and is going to work well with us. Town Board Minutes Page 5 September12, 2005 RESOLUTION #05-083 – TOWN HISTORIAN TO ATTEND CONFERENCE MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves payment of expenses for the Town Historian, Rosemarie Tucker, to attend the fall historians conference to be held September 24-27, 2005 at Alexandria Bay, NY. RESOLUTION #05-094 – DONATION TO PIZZA FUN DAY MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Clark Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves a $300 donation to the Youth Commission to benefit Pizza Fun Day. Amount to be added to the current abstract. RESOLUTION #05-095 – APPOINT ED NEUHAUSER TO PLANNING BOARD MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Scheffler Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby appoints Ed Neuhauser, 435 West Groton Road, to fill a vacancy on the Town of Groton Planning Board. Said term to begin on this date and end December 31, 2009. RESOLUTION #05-096 – SUBORDINATION AGREEMENT FOR STRICKLAND MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Clark Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the Town entering into a subordination agreement for David and Kristin Strickland as it pertains to a Town of Groton Housing Grant. Schedule for 2006 Budget Work Sessions: Tuesday, September 20…….. 4:00PM – Highway Employees 5:00PM – Court Wednesday, September 21… 6:30PM – Highway Superintendent 7:00PM – Town Clerk Thursday, September 22…… 7:00PM Saturday, September 24……. 8:30AM Town Board Minutes Page 6 September12, 2005 RESOLUTION #05-097 – SCHEDULE PUBLIC HEARING FOR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby sets a Public Hearing for the Joint Town and Village Comprehensive Plan for Tuesday, October 11, 2005 at 8:00PM Announcements: Planning Board Meeting – September 15 – 7:30PM Pizza Fund Day – Saturday, September 17 Republican Primary – Tuesday, September 13 Municipal Officials Meeting – September 20 – Icabod at 6:00PM Thank you note from Olde Home Days Committee for printing of map Groton Fire Department Inspection – October 2 Executive Session Supervisor Morey moved to enter into for the purpose of discussing litigation, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, at 8:22PM. Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey Regular Session Supervisor Morey moved to return to , seconded by Councilman Clark, at 8:53PM. Ayes - Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey Supervisor Morey – Let the record show that nothing was decided or voted on. There being no further business, Councilman Gamel moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Clark, at 8:53PM. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk