HomeMy WebLinkAbout1998-12-09 1 Town Board Minutes
Special Meeting
December 9 , 1998
TOWN OF DANBY
TOWN BOARD MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING
DECEMBER 9 , 1998
PRESENT :
Councilpersons : Joel Gagnon, Edward Inman, Howard Steiner, Naomi Strichartz
Supervisor Kenneth Horst - excused
Others Present :
Carol W . Sczepanski - Town Clerk
Susan Beeners - Code Enforcement Officer
Members of the Public :
Mary Oltz, Margaret Shepard, Pat Woodworth
Deputy Supervisor Edward Inman opened the special meeting at 7 : 50 P . M . The purpose of the
Special Meeting of the Town Board was to review the Comi Telecommunications Agreement and
to set up a committee for the Danby Area News .
Comi Telecommunications Agreement:
The Town Board reviewed the Comi Telecommunications Agreement and made the following
recommendations :
Section 5 - COMPENSATION
(brackets) mean delete underline means new material
1 ) Page 1 - section (a) - insert the word days after within ten ( 10)
2) Page 2 - section (b) - first paragraph - insert at the end of paragraph following receipt;
3 ) Page 2 - section (b) - second paragraph delete (fifteen ( 15 )] and insert forty-five (45)
4) Page 2 - section (b) - second paragraph insert at the beginning Except for disputed charges
5 ) Page 2 - section (b) - add at the end of paragraph - Disputed charges shall not incur late
payment fees .
Deputy Supervisor Inman will contact Richard A . Comi of Comi Telecommunications and discuss
the changes requested by the Board .
Danby Area News Committee
At a special meeting of the Town Board held on November 30 , 1998 the following resolution was
adopted by the Town Board. Supervisor Kenneth Horst and Board members submitted
recommendations for the committee structure .
RESOLUTION NO. 65 of 1998
RESOLUTION TO SET UP A COMMITTEE FOR THE DANBY AREA NEWS
By Councilperson Inman : Seconded by Councilperson Strichartz
RESOLVED , that the Town of Danby Town Board set up a committee to :
1 ) Clarify ownership or governing body of the Danby Area News , be it Town Board or
Community Council ;
2) Develop policy for acquiring an editor with interviews ;
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Special Meeting
December 9, 1998
3 ) Set term limits ;
4) Develop a contract to be completed and in place by December 31 , 1998 ; and be it further
RESOLVED, that if a contract is not complete by December 31 , 1998 the Danby Area News will
be discontinued until the committee develops an appropriate contract.
A roll call vote on the resolution resulted as follows : Three (3 ) Ayes -- Two (2) Nay
Gagnon Aye
Inman Aye
Steiner Nay
Strichartz Aye
Horst Nay Motion Carried
Deputy Supervisor Inman read the following recommendations from the Town Supervisor to the
Board : " Carol - My recommendations to the Town Board for the committee members to study the
Danby Area News situation are as follows : Ed Inman, Esther Dotson, Mary Lou Hardesty, and Ted
Jones".
Discusssion:
Councilprson Strichartz said that she would very much object to having anyone on the Community
Council without someone else from the Community Council being on who had a different point of
view, someone who has a different perspective on this situation. She said she thinks the Board needs
to take responsibility for developing a procedure . We are aware of what the issues are involving the
newsletter.
Councilperson Gagnon said that he is inclined to agree with Councilperson Strichartz. There is a
lot of background to bring into this .
Motion to Approve the Town Board as Committee of the Whole to Study the Danby Area
News
A motion was made by Councilperson Gagnon and seconded by Councilperson Strichartz to appoint
the Town of Danby Town Board as a Committee of the Whole to study the Danby Area News .
Discussion:
Councilperson Steiner said that this is a very time consuming project and the schedule is
unreasonable as there are already two (2) meetings scheduled before the end of the year. He thinks
that the schedule is unreasonable . He supports the Supervisor ' s recommendation as he made it in
good effort and it sounds reasonable .
Deputy Supervisor Inman said that considering Councilperson Steiner' s statement and because the
situation is weighted he would be inclined to accept the Supervisor ' s recommendation for the
Committee .
Councilperson Strichartz said that Community Council has been a battleground with regard to this
issue and suggested in addition to the Town Board we have other committee members who have a
different point of view. She suggested Esther Dotson and Margaret Shepard be added to the
committee.
Councilperson Steiner said that in his opinion additional members may further divide the issue .
Councilperson Gagnon agreed to amend his motion to include Esther Dotson, Margaret Shepard, Ted
Jones and Mary Lou Hardesty with Willard Daetsch as an alternate .
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Special Meeting
December 9, 1998
Motion Amended to Include Additional Members to the Committee to Study the Danby Area
News
Motion to Create a Committee to Study the Danby Area News
Councilperson Gagnon amended his motion as a friendly amendment as follows :
A motion was made by Councilperson Gagnon and seconded by Councilperson to create a
committee of the Whole of the Town Board to study the Danby Area News and to appoint Esther
Dotson, Esther Dotson, Margaret Shepard, Ted Jones , Mary Lou Hardesty with Willard Daetsch
as an alternate as committee members .
A roll call vote on the motion resulted as follows :
Three (3 ) Ayes - One ( 1 ) Nay
Gagnon Aye
Steiner Nay
Strichartz Aye
Inman Aye Carried
Councilperson Steiner said he could not support this motion because of the time frame and the task
at hand and the politicalization involved.
A meeting of the Committee is scheduled for Tuesday, December 15 , 1998 at 7 : 00 P . M .
ADJOURNMENT :
On a motion the meeting adjourned at 8 : 55 P .M .
a%) Sten atal--;
Carol W . Scze p ansl ,, Town Clerk
spm- 12-9-98