Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-07-12 TOWN OF GROTON - MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, JULY 12, 2011 AT 7:30 PM THE TOWN HALL, 101 CONGER BOULEVARD Those present: Glenn E. Morey, Supervisor Ellard L. Sovocool, Councilman Donald F. Scheffler, Councilman Richard B. Gomel, Councilman Sheldon C. Clark, Councilman Fran Casullo, Attorney for the Town Also present: Elizabeth Brennan, Brian Robison, April Scheffler. MOVED by Councilman Gomel, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the minutes of the June 14, 2011 meeting as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gomel, Clark, Morey. MOVED by Councilman Sovocool, seconded by Councilman Scheffler, to approve the minutes of the June 16, 2011 work session as presented. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gomel, Clark, Morey Claim Numbers 192 - 216 of the General Fund in the amount of $16688.83 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Scheffler, seconded by Councilman Gomel, to approve the General Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gomel, Clark, Morey. Claim Numbers 103 - 117 of the Highway Fund in the amount of $24287.48 were presented for audit. MOVED by Councilman Clark, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, to approve the Highway Bills for payment. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gomel, Clark, Morey. Monthly Reports: Elizabeth Brennan, Bookkeeper/Highway Clerk- Presented monthly reports for the Board's review and requested a budget transfer. Town Board Minutes Page 2 July 12, 2011 RESOLUTION #11-054 - 2011 BUDGET TRANSFER MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Sovocool Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the following 2011 Budget Transfer: From: Contingency, A1990.4 62.37 To: Buildings, Alarm System, A1620.41 62.37 Gary Coats, Code/Fire Enforcement Officer - Was on vacation but had submitted a monthly report for the Board's review. Richard C. Case, Jr., Highway Superintendent - Was on vacation. April L. Scheffler, Town Clerk/Tax Collector - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. Clerk Scheffler and Rosemarie Tucker, Town Historian, had gone to Fabius the previous night to do their presentation about Verne Morton to the Historical Society there. During the last week of school, the fourth grade had visited the Town Hall, where they were shown a slide-show on Verne Morton and Judges Dawson and Norman spoke to them about what they did in the court. It is hoped to do this again next year since the kids learn local history in fourth grade. She read a thank you note that had been received from them. Clerk Scheffler and Robin Cargian are getting ready for the photo show during Olde Home Days. A grant, to be used for promotion, had been received in the amount of $500 which was $100 less than last year. There is $1,500 in the budget for Olde Home Days, which includes the $500. Clerk Scheffler wondered if any of the balance would be available for prizes for the photo show. Supervisor Morey said that he thought people just enjoyed showing their pictures and did not expect to win money. Clerk Scheffler agreed and said that they had discussed perhaps a small gift or book on photography or something. Supervisor Morey said they had plenty of time to decide. Victoria Monty, Attorney for the Town - Had nothing to report. John Norman and A. D. Dawson, Town Justices - Were not present but had submitted monthly and semi-annual reports for the Board's review. Councilman Donald Scheffler, as Recreation Coordinator - Had nothing to report. Brian Robison, County Legislator - Confirmed with Clerk Scheffler the date of September 10 for the County budget presentation in Groton. It will be the Thursday after the County Administrator issues the recommended budget, so we will see the drivers of the bad news but also his recommendation for cuts. All the other presentations will be held before that. Mr. Robison feels the cuts will be quite bad and that now is the time to make any pitches that we might have to keep any money coming to the Town. The DEC has come out with their draft study relative to hydro-fracking and there may be some legal challenges. Councilman Gamel - Legal challenges to who, Brian? Town Board Minutes Page 3 July 12, 2011 Mr. Robison - I'm not sure because I don't follow it that closely.... Supervisor Morey - The legal challenges are going to be from the Towns because Ulysses, Dryden, Ithaca, and Caroline have passed laws against it. And you passed a law about roads Mr. Robison - No, we haven't passed it. Supervisor Morey - I thought it was adopted 7/1 Mr. Robison - We have not passed it as a Legislature. It came to us as a draft. We had some problems with it. We asked them to send it back to committee, which I know they have, and it probably will be coming to us as a resolution. Obviously, our concern, and my concern in particular, not to single anybody out, but what do we do about the normal commerce such as Lewbro Ready Mix and places like that, which could certainly fall under this. Supervisor Morey - Well, they also said school buses, but left out TCAT. Mr. Robinson - Well, again, I don't follow it that closely because, for a lack of technical term, there's a lot of "stuff" out there and I just know that there are a lot of things that have the potential of being litigated in this whole issue and I did notice that the DEC, it almost seems like they make everything as a recommendation and they don't want to be party to anything. We do have people on the Legislature that follow this very closely and I will tell you that most of them have been opponents of it right from the start. But there will be a public hearing time and I don't know the timeline on that. Supervisor Morey - Budget, do you have any inkling on what might be cut? Mr. Robinson - Well the other thing is the tax cap, which was passed. We have received that information and have sent back to the State for explanation on some of the cuts dealing with capital and all that sort of stuff. We're just waiting word. I understand why they did it and that they have passed it, but a lot of the nuts and bolts, as is often the case with new laws, the specifics aren't there. In the meantime we're trying to formulate a budget, which makes it kind of tough. But to answer your question, and I'll give you an example, I am on the Public Safety Committee, and there are things on Public Safety that are regulated by the State, or mandated that we have to provide, such as a ratio of correction officers to inmates. You really have no choice on that. Or assigned council program, things of that nature. So, we've actually broken it up into four categories, and it's kind of confusing, when we're trying to figure out what recommendations we can make to the Administrator. They are: services that are mandated and it is mandated how you provide those services; mandated services where you have to provide the services but it's up to you how you provide them; there's also discretionary programs but if you're going to have them they mandate how you provide them; and the last part is discretionary whether you have it and discretionary how you go about it. Most of the money, and we're still talking about 3.2 million dollars that needs to be cut, and that's with a 2% tax hike. That's difficult. I can see where there are some services that come out to the rural areas, youth services, money for the libraries, unfortunately most of that falls under that discretionary/discretionary category. When you get right down to it we have actually less than 10% of the budget to play with because of the mandated costs and some of Town Board Minutes Page 4 July 12, 2011 the other drivers like pensions and health care, that's 90%. So, it's not a fun time. But if there is anything that anyone wants me to take back there, I will certainly do it. Councilman Scheffler - Are they doing anything with the highways outside of Cayuga Heights? You don't even see a County truck anymore and the roads are getting narrower and narrower. Mr. Robison - You mean Hanshaw Road? I wasn't aware that they had started that project yet. Councilman Scheffler - Somebody told me the other day that they called about the road and was told if they were not in Cayuga Heights it probably was not going to get done. There's holes in roads that are just getting deeper and deeper and there doesn't seem to be anything improving. Mr. Robison - When you reference the Hanshaw Road project, you know projects like that are two and three years in the making and when they come to fruition, they just do. And a large percentage of that is Federal Funds. I was just through there recently and I don't think they've begun. There are still eminent domain lawsuits going on over that and a lot of neighbors don't want it. There is one major renovation going on and that's on Ellis Hollow Road, which the majority of it is in the Town of Dryden. I'm sure Rick is in communication with Bill from County Highway. And again, he's strapped. I do hear from people that they want roads and bridges and public safety, the nuts and bolts type stuff, but I'm only one voice. We'll see what happens here. Councilman Gamel - Just let people know if they relax a little bit about the fracking situation, we wouldn't be in such a financial situation in this state. That's my opinion. We've got money there waiting for us. Mr. Robinson - They've heard that. It's certainly a hot button. Lindsay Kemp from Country Acres Pet Services was present and gave a short report to the Board about dog control. RESOLUTION #11-054 - RESIGNATION OF JANICE HAINES MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Clark Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board regretfully accepts the resignation of Janice Haines from the Town of Groton Planning Board. Supervisor Morey - A letter will be sent to her on behalf of the Town Board thanking her for all the years on the Groton Planning Board. We benefited from her knowledge and organizational skills. Her dedication to the Town of Groton is greatly appreciated by all of us and we wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors. Now I want to take action on the nomination of Bret Wyllie to the Planning Board. Bret interviewed with the Planning Board and it was a unanimous suggestion that we Town Board Minutes Page 5 July 12, 2011 nominate him. Bret has been in carpentry for many years; is a graduate from SUNY Morrisville; fourth generation owner of a small business in Ithaca; sees what businesses need in Groton; has been renovating a home on Peru Road which he hopes to sell; has a young family; and lives on Barrows Street. RESOLUTION #11-055 - APPOINT BRET WYLLIE TO PLANNING BOARD MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby appoints Bret Wyllie to the Town of Groton Planning Board to fill out the term left vacant by the resignation of Janice Haines. Said term expires December 31, 2014. MOVED by Supervisor Morey to enter Executive Session for the purpose of discussing current litigation, seconded by Councilman Scheffler at 7:55 PM. Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey MOVED by Supervisor Morey to return to Regular Session, seconded by Councilman Gamel, at 8:07 PM Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey Supervisor Morey - Let the record show that we were just updated on litigation procedures. RESOLUTION #11-056 - SET PUBLIC HEARING ON DRAFT LAND USE & DEVELOPMENT CODE MOVED by Supervisor Morey, seconded by Councilman Gamel Ayes - Sovocool, Scheffler, Gamel, Clark, Morey RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby sets a Public Hearing on the July 2011 Draft Town of Groton Land Use and Development Code for Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 8:00 PM. Announcements: ➢ Planning Board Meeting - July 21 ➢ Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting - July 27 ➢Thank you note from Peg Palmer for retirement recognition ➢ Groton Business Association - July 20 at the Legion There being no further business, Councilman Gamel moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilman Sovocool, at 8:17 PM. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk