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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996-04-09 - TB 3L-1 Town of Ulysses Regular Board Meeting 4-9-96 TOWN OF ULYSSES REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING April 9, 1996 PRESENT: Supervisor Doug Austic ; Councilpeople Carolyn Duddleston, Catherine Stover, Robert Weatherby, Peter Penniman ; Highway Superintendent James Meeker; Town Clerk Marsha Georgia . Others present Jules Burgevin , Peter Meskill , Tom Reitz, Chris Bond , Jackie Merwin , David Tyler, Kris Kail , Grace Wolf/Free Press Reporter. Supervisor Austic called the Regular Meeting of the Town Board to order at 7: 30PM and led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America . APPROVAL OF MINUTES Mr. Austic entertained a motion to approve minutes of the 3/12/96 Regular Town Board Meeting , moved by Mrs. Duddleston, seconded by Mrs. Stover. Unanimously approved . Mrs. Stover pointed out a spelling error. REPORT: TRUMANSBURG FIRE DEPARTMENT No report. REPORT: REP. PETER MESKILL Mr. Meskill reported work in progress for the 911 program . Had a proposal from Public Safety regarding the possibility of adding 60 cells to the jail . REPORTS Highway Superintendent, James Meeker reported that it's been a long winter! Getting equipment ready for spring , hauling stone for summer projects. Have ordered one-ton truck. Code Enforcement Officer, Alex Rachun , absent. Mr. Austic read his report. One singe-family permit, one alteration permit, one multiple residence. Town Clerk, Marsha Georgia reported $ 1 ,005. 50 collected for the month of March , of which $708.00 was turned over to the Supervisor. Penalty on taxes $388.00 which was also turned over to the Supervisor. Getting ready to send out second notices on taxes. Supervisor, Doug Austic distributed Cash Flow statement and Financial Report. Will renew Highway CD for another six months (Jim said it will take that long to get the 10 wheeler) . Would also like to discuss this memo I received from Mr. Penniman . If you don't understand what the Board is voting on, you should ask. Mr. Penniman said the _ flow of information is important. Mr. Austic said all this information is available. _41 We are planning on replacing one of the larger trucks later this year. There is a plan to add to the Highway Equipment Reserve each year so the money is there when the equipment is needed . If you put 15-20 thousand away each year, takes several years to save the money and you are expecting a large piece of equipment to last 15 years or so, so you can see we are cutting it pretty close . Town of Ulysses 2 Regular Board Meeting 4-9-96 This is our replacement schedule. . . last truck we replaced was a 1984 with 150,000 miles on it. The one we are talking about now is 1982 . Mr. Penniman said he would like to see a schedule of all equipment and what the expected life-span is, when you expect replacement, seems that type of thing would be useful for me because I ' m not familiar with the equipment. Mr. Meeker said he has an equipment replacement plan . . .also every year when my budget is submitted I lost purchases for the year and what will be needed to purchase . Mr. Austic said that if you have a question or need information , just ask, it is always available . Regarding some of your other comments about creating proposed resolutions. . .can do this, however in some cases difficult. If it's possible, I can create resolutions, don't know if they can be 24 hrs . before a Board meeting . Mr. Penniman said it would facilitate changing the wording if you know what the resolution is in advance . Think it's the whole process of knowing what's happening at committee meetings. Mr. Austic said there's a point. . .the last committee meeting report is what you got at the last Board meeting . . .on the building committee . That was the building committee 's report. The last meeting of that committee was three days before the Board meeting , so there wasn't time to get the information out. The intent of our meeting last week was to inform you of the building committee 's report. If things don 't happen at the last minute, information is available . Mrs. Georgia said that Master Plan , Planning Board , etc . meetings have not been turned in ; it is public information but not receiving it and don't know if it is being recorded and transcribed . Ms. Kail said the meetings have been recorded . Mrs. Georgia said we should have the minutes transcribed for the record and it is very difficult to have someone transcribe recorded minutes if they have not attended the meeting . Mr. Austic said that Mr. Penniman 's memo has some good ideas. . . if you need information , ask. Mr. Penniman said that the major concrete proposal coming out of this is that the chair of each committee take responsibility for giving Board members that are not at a meeting a copy/brief description of what happened . Mr. Austic asked if there were any committees to report. Asked about the Policy Review Committee . Mr. Penniman said haven 't reviewed all policies. Also, before we go any further, we have many members of the public here , if it might be possible to move Hearing of Individuals. or Groups (item 11 ) up on the agenda, in the event that they don't all desire to stay. Mr. Austic said it was fine with him . HEARING OF INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS David Tyler, Chair of Planning Board . Know you have been trying. to find someone to fill vacancy. Feel need to have someone from Village , also a woman . Spoke on behalf of Barbara Page . Jackie Mervin spoke in favor of Barbara Page . Jules Burgeviin spoke in favor of Barbara Page . Keys Kail spoke in favor of Barbara Page . Mr. Austic said know most of you folks are here because of the possible appointment to the Planning Board . Today, I received word from two to three other people who may be interested in this position ; therefore we probably won't be making a decision tonight. Have conducted two interviews, if these other t r ; k i ;' S. C Town of Ulysses 3 Regular Board Meeting 4-9-96 folks come in will interview them also. If they decide they are not interested will make an appointment of one of the two folks we just interviewed . Unless the Board has a different opinion , I don 't feel I would want to make an appointment tonight. Mrs. Stover concurred . Mr. Austic said there was no established time limit; did ask for letters of interest by March 11th was because our meeting was on the 12th and wanted information prior to the meeting . We have been advertising this position for four months. Would like to do it before the next Regular Board Meeting . Mrs. Georgia said no one had submitted a letter of interest by March 11th . . .the• first letter we received was dated March 12th . We are looking for the best candidate we can find , interviewing whoever comes in within the next month and will make an appointment. Mr. Penniman said we should clarify what the policy will be. Mr. Reitz said there is a policy statement on the record. already. Mr. Austic said if a person is on the -Planning Board and wishes to be reappointed , the Board will do so, unless there are other candidates, then everyone goes through the interview process and an appointment made . OLD BUSINESS Town Hall Mr. Austic asked if everyone had all the information to make a motion on designing the plans for the Town Hall? All we need is a resolution to start drawing the plans, need to get going on this project. Mrs. Duddleston moved , seconded by Mr. Weatherby the following : RESOLVED : that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses contract with Demjanec Associates to prepare the bid spec plans of an addition and renovations to the Town Hall , not to exceed $9,000.00. After the approval of this motion, the Building Committee will have to meet with Demjanec as to how we want him to approach this on a bid deal , may want to bid it three or four different ways. Hearing no further discussion , the Board voted . Mr. Austic Aye Mrs . Stover Aye Mr. Weatherby Aye Mrs. Duddleston Aye Mr. Penniman Aye Adopted . Mrs. Duddleston will contact Mr. Demjanec tomorrow. Bus Shelters Mr. Meskill said he will ask Mr. Mengal to get the permit from the State DOT in order for work to be done in right-of-way. Jim Meeker needs plans, then the highway department will construct. Won 't take long once permits are in. hand . Second Meeting Mr. Austic said that it has been suggested that the Town Board have a second monthly meeting to work on the possible -SEQR for Master Plan plus - working on a possible map. Would also allow possible discussion on what may happen at the next meeting . Would suggest the fourth Tuesday of the month starting next month. The second meeting for April will be April 30, 1996 at 7: 00PM; can \c2;\ Town of Ulysses 4 Regular Board Meeting 4-9-96 cancel if there is no business. Home Page Mr. Penniman said there has been significant progress, much of it outside of our committee . Have met twice and discussed developing a model of the home page to bring back to the Regular Town Meeting . Other folks in the area , outside of our committee, are evidently interested in setting up home page for Trumansburg and have done some of the work we have talked about doing . Need to link up with them . Willi probably bring in the model at the next meeting to demonstrate to the Board . Mr. Austic said that perhaps this is the sort of thing to do at the second monthly Board meeting . Mr. Reitz said the next meeting will be at 5:30pm on April 25, 1996. Mr. Austic said he would like some idea of the cost before committing . NEW BUSINESS Economic Development Advisory Committee Mr. Austic read the proposed resolution submitted by Mr. Penniman as follows: WHEREAS our property tax base has grown little in recent years, and WHEREAS with constant increases in the cost of delivering services, it has become increasingly difficult to fund our local governments and schools, and WHEREAS we need to expand our tax base, but we recognize that not all types of economic development are necessarily beneficial to the Town and its residents, and WHEREAS deciding what is best for the taxpayers of the Town is a complex process requiring intensive study; BE IT RESOLVED that a Town of Ulysses Economic Development Advisory Committee be appointed , comprised of individuals who will study the options and provide advice to the Town Board . The committee shall be comprised of between five and ten residents of the Town , to include the following : To be appointed by the Town Board : a member of the Ulysses Town Board and members of the public not included below. To be appointed by their respective groups: a member of the Trumansburg Village Board ; a representative of the Trumansburg Area Chamber of Commerce ; a member of the Ulysses Planning Board . The Economic Development Advisory Committee shall be charged with providing an initial report to the Town before the end of 1996. This initial report should include a work plan for 1997 and , if available , any initial recommendations that pertain to the proposed Ulysses Comprehensive Plan. Mr. Penniman moved the previously read resolution , seconded by Mrs. Duddieston . Mr. Austic asked for discussion. Mr. Weatherby asked who will tell this particular group what they are suppose to I -SI Town of Ulysses 5 Regular Board Meeting 4-9-96 be doing . Mr. Austic said don't know. . .what you would have to do is appoint these people , get them together and let them decide what they are suppose to be doing . Mr. Weatherby said that's what they' re suppose to do by the end of this year. . .decide what they' re going to do? Mr. Penniman said that each WHEREAS is addressing an issue . Mrs. Stover asked what they are suppose to come up with? Mr. Penniman said ideas that would be appropriate for development that we would like to encourage and types of development that we might not want to encourage . Mr. Weatherby said what is the difference between this and what the Master Plan is doing . Mr. Austic said not a whole lot, it just may add to what they are trying to do. This might give a perspective of what a business person might be looking for or aren 't looking for, or what some other individual in the Town might be thinking ; what the Chamber of Commerce might be thinking , bring all these things together and get a better idea of what everyone is thinking . Mr. Penniman said that the Master Plan doesn 't really have time to look at all these areas, what the impact might be on the Town , etc . Mr. Reitz said the Board should prepare a Mission Statement so the public knows the goals and objectives. Mr. Austic said it's a good idea if you can find people to sit down and talk about it. Mr. Penniman said he has had several people offer to serve on this committee . Mr. Austic asked if there is a list so that if we pass this resolution we could get five or six together? Mr. Penniman said yes. Mr. Austic said this resolution basically says we are going to establish an advisory committee . Need to have more planning on what you are going to do with it and how you are going to work. Should advertise this and combine with names Mr. Penniman has. Hearing no further discussion , the Board voted as follows: Mr. Austic Aye Mrs. Stover Aye Mr. Weatherby Aye Mrs. Duddleston Aye Mr. Penniman Aye Adopted . Fireworks Permit Mr. Austic said there has been a request for a permit to have fireworks on July 4th at the Fairgrounds. I understand this is OK with the Fairground Committee ; what is needed is a permit from. the Town to have fireworks. Told him our concern is that there is insurance and police protection/traffic control . Asked for proof of insurance and arrangements for traffic control ; we wouldn't have a problem issuing a permit. Guidelines for Meal Allowance Reimbursement Mr. Austic said this was brought up a couple of years ago; think this is something we need to consider. Can't be an unlimited amount spent so need to Town of Ulysses - 6 Regular Board Meeting 4-9-96 establish amounts for each meal . If person uses allowance for one meal , fine. In 1988 a $60. daily limit was established for New York City/Association of Towns Meeting . Mr. Penniman said he thinks the $ 10. , $20. , and $30. adds up to quite a bit and it takes away from money that could go toward other meetings. Mr. Austic said I ' m saying somewhere around $40. Mrs. Georgia said around here that is very generous; New York City is another matter. Mrs. Georgia said the 1988 resolution established limits for NYC; otherwise , it usually states ' reasonable expenditures' . Mr. Penniman suggested $6. ; $ 12. ; $18. Mr. Austic asked if this is for normal circumstances. Mr. Penniman said he was thinking NYC. Mr. Austic said you could even live in NYC for that? Mr. Penniman said if you exceed the limit, then you would pay a couple bucks of your own money. . . have to eat wherever you are . Mr. Weatherby suggested thinking about this; Mrs. Stover said check with other Towns. . Mrs. Georgia said there is a resolution on the books now; perhaps need to enforce that. Mr. Austic said that is for NYC, need to have something for other meetings. Will continue this discussion at the next meeting . Executive Session Mr. Penniman moved for an Executive Session following the Regular Board Meeting to discuss the Planning Board appointment. Mrs. Georgia said it would have to be for a personnel matter, otherwise it is not a legal executive session . Mr. Penniman asked if there was another form of closed meeting . After short discussion Mr. Penniman withdrew his motion . SEAR Requirements for Master Plan Mr. Austic said we have to perform a major SEAR on a Master Plan or any changes in a flaw. This is before the Master Plan is adopted . Need to address potential environmental impact; which is hard to do when you don 't have a specific project in mind . Town Attorney has been working on this for other Towns so he may have recommendations. Need to at least say that we know there are going to be some environmental factors to be considered : ie : increased traffic , perhaps change character of neighborhood , may be an increase in noise . Will need some kind of plan; do some kind of generic environmental impact statement which says you know there may be some potential problems (such as . . . .) and these will be addressed by a secondary law, which would be the Zoning Law, in some way. Will need to do this and do it right; my suggestion is to start thinking about these things, get the information from Bruce and start figuring how we are going to come up with a plan . This will take time; several public hearings. Short discussion ensued . County Transportation Council Mr. Reitz has not been appointed by the Tompkins County Board as yet. Has submitted his resume . Town of Ulysses 7 Regular Board Meeting 4-9-96 CLAIMS Mr. Austic entertained a motion to approve Claims #129- 167 for a total of $ 17,004.34; moved by Mrs. Stover, seconded by Mr. Weatherby. Mr. Austic Aye Mrs. Stover Aye Mr. Weatherby Aye Mrs. Duddleston Aye Mr. Penniman Aye Approved . Other Mr. Penniman said that so many people came in to address the Board that he wanted to comment on it. . .agrees that to make the Planning Board have the appearance of representing all parts of the Town, really do think should have someone from the Village ; think we have two qualified candidates, don't see the point in postponing a decision . Mr. Penniman moved to appoint Barbara Page to the Planning Board . Mrs. Stover disagreed . . .thinks Don Hickman was a far better candidate . Not from the Village , knows that. Mr. Austic asked for a second to Mr. Penniman's motion. Motion died for lack of 3 second . Mr. Austic said there are two or three other people coming in ; will give us more of a choice. There has been a lot of hassle over this. . .tired of being told who should be appointed . . . basically of where they live or who they are , or because they are female, because they are a Republican or a Democrat, or whatever. I don 't feel that an appointment to a Planning Board has anything to do with politics or sex or where they Iive . . . it's the best person for the job. Also hear we should be more involved with the Village . There is always a town board member at their meetings. . .do you ever see Village representation at our meetings? Hearing no further business Mr. Weatherby moved to adjourn , seconded by Mrs. Stover. Unanimously approved the meeting was adjourned at 10: 10pm . Respectfully submitted , Marsha L. Georgia Town Clerk • 4