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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-10-08TOWN OF GROTON — MINUTES OF TOWN BOARD MEETING TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2019 AT 7:30 PM THE TOWN HALL, 101 CONGER BOULEVARD Town Officers Present: Town Officers Absent: Also Present: Donald F. Scheffler, Supervisor John Norman, Town Justice Ben Nelson Richard Gamel, Councilperson Doug Benson Crystal Young, Councilperson Dan Brocht Brian Klumpp, Councilperson Glenn Morey Sheldon C. Clark, Councilperson (arrived at 8:07 pm) Rick Urda Michael Perkins, Highway Supt. April L. Scheffler, Town Clerk Charles Rankin, Bookkeeper W. Rick Fritz, Code Official Francis Casullo, Attorney A. D. Dawson, Town Justice MOVED by Councilperson Gamel, seconded by Councilperson Klumpp, to approve the minutes of the September 10, 2019 meeting as presented. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Discussion took place on a request to refund a building permit fee that had been charged and then later it had been determined that a building permit had not been needed. RESOLUTION #19-091 - REFUND BUILDING PERMIT FEE MOVED by Supervisor Scheffler, seconded by Councilperson Gamel RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves refunding the building permit fee of $40.00 to Mr. & Mrs. Vasquez and that it should be added to the October abstract for payment. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed MOVED by Councilperson Klumpp, seconded by Councilperson Gamel, to approve the minutes of the October 1, 2019 special meeting as presented. Ayes - Clark, Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler RESOLUTION #19-092 - APPROVE BILLS FOR PAYMENT MOVED by Supervisor Scheffler, seconded by Councilperson Gamel WHEREAS, vouchers for Abstract #10, numbered 437 - 490 were reviewed and audited by the Town Board, be it Town Board Minutes Page 2 October 8, 2019 RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves said vouchers for the accounts and in the total amounts as follows: Code Fund Totals A GENERAL FUND 17.031.59 B GENERAL FUND PART TO`N N 533.34 DA HIGMN AY FUND ' 5 8.16 5.8 DB HIGHWAY FUND PART TOS -\'N 50.804.26 SL2- PERUVILLE LIGHTING DISTRICT 160.81 SLI- NICLEAN LIGHTING DISTRICT 250.64 Total: 32.69946.46 AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Voucher #491 be added in the amount of $40.00 for the refund of the Vasquez building permit. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed Monthly Reports: Charles Rankin, Bookkeeper - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. He said that it had been a busy month getting the budget done. Budget adjustments were requested for capital expenses to pay for the highway garage roof and the new dump truck and plow. RESOLUTION #19-093 - 2019 BUDGET ADJUSTMENT MOVED by Councilperson Young, seconded by Councilperson Klumpp RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the following 2019 Budget Adjustment: General Fund - Town Wide: Increase: Appropriated Reserves, A511 ....................................................... $7400.00 Increase: Expenditures, Central Garage, Roof Repair from Reserves, A1640.2R....... $74,000.00 Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed RESOLUTION #19-094 - 2019 BUDGET ADJUSTMENT MOVED by Supervisor Scheffler, seconded by Councilperson Young RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the following 2019 Budget Adjustment: Highway Fund - Town Wide: Increase: Appropriated Reserves, DA511.................................................... .$238,811.30 Increase: Expenditures, Machinery, Capital Equipment from Reserves, DA513 0.2R.... $23 8, 811.3 0 Increase: Revenues, DA2680, Insurance Recoveries, DA2680................................$60,000.00 Increase: Machinery, Personal Services, DA5130.1............................................. $2000.00 Increase: Machinery, Contractual, DA5130.4.....................................................$40,000.00 Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed Town Board Minutes Page 3 October 8, 2019 W. Rick Fritz, Code/Fire Enforcement Officer - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. We're still working on Stop Work Orders and Orders to Remedy. I have started to do Life Safety Inspections today. The roof is on the garage. Don and I did a little inspection today. We called the contractor as there are some issues we are concerned about. We will address that when the manufacturer has to come to do a final inspection before we get the 20 year warranty. Supervisor Scheffler - So, we have transferred the money, but are not paying the bill until the final inspection is done. Michael Perkins, Highway Superintendent - Our new truck is here and we've been using it. We've completed our oil and stoning project. We've been helping the Village with milling and paving. We've done some ditching; hydro seeding; shoulder work; snowplow training coming up on October 21 in Dryden; cleaned up some downed trees; continue to mow some roadsides; all of our equipment is finally gone from the sale on Auctions International; and we're getting trucks ready for snow. I have a special request that I'd like to spend $25,000.00 to buy 6 new sets of snow and ice tire chains for the trucks. Consensus of the Board was that he should go ahead and buy the chains. April L. Scheffler, RMC, Town Clerk/Tax Collector - Submitted monthly reports for the Board's review. She had received a petition that afternoon requesting a speed reduction on Salt Road between the corner of Clark Street Extension and Stauber Road, which would be at the boundary between Tompkins and Cayuga County. There were 31 signatures and she read the cover letter which said in part, "Many accidents and incidents of passing at high rates of speed have been recorded and reported to the authorities. The most recent accident was a local veterinarian hit an animal while being passed by two other vehicles and having to swerve into a driveway due to the speed and passing stretch. The most tragic was the Amish being hit and killed as this information and report can be submitted upon request. We are no longer comfortable or feel safe with our family, children or animals due to the speed and passing zone." The Board discussed the issue. Some of them wished to drive the road themselves. Some wondered if it was really an issue of speed limits or that the area is not adequately patrolled. Supervisor Scheffler said that it was too bad that no one had come to the meeting to discuss it. Councilperson Gamel, who lives on the Salt Road in the described area, was unaware that there is a problem, and asked if we should accept community petitions signed by someone from Princeton, New Jersey. RESOLUTION X19-095 - TABLE DISCUSSION ON SPEED LIMIT REDUCTION ON SALT ROAD UNTIL THE NOVEMBER MEETING MOVED by Councilperson Klumpp, seconded by Supervisor Scheffler RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby table the discussion on possible speed limit reduction on Salt Road until the November meeting and pending the gathering of more information. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed Francis Casullo, Attorney for the Town - Had nothing to report. Town Board Minutes Page 4 October 8, 2019 John J. Norman and A. D. Dawson, Town Justices - Judge Dawson addressed the Board. All of the cameras are up and running and everything is going good. He had put in a request to attend a Bench Training Program, which is primarily for new judges but he feels that since there are so many new changes to the laws this year, that it would be very beneficial to him. Councilperson Gamel asked if Judge Norman also wanted to go, but the answer was "no." RESOLUTION #19-096 - JUDGE DAWSON TO ATTEND TRAINING MOVED by Supervisor Scheffler, seconded by Councilperson Klumpp RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby approves the payment of expenses for Judge Dawson to attend the Bench Training Program, December 1 - 6, 2019 at the Red Lion Hotel in Albany, NY. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed Councilperson Crystal Young as Representative to Joint Youth Program - Had nothing to report. Glenn Morey, County Legislator - Had an email from Jeff Smith with the County Highway Department letting him know that the Groton Highway Department had borrowed a shoulder machine and in exchange Groton did some of the County roads as well. Mr. Smith said that they had done a great job. He really appreciates the cooperation and looks forward to future projects. The County has a Tentative Budget with a total tax levy of $51,268,103.00 and a tax levy increase of about 2.75%. The tax increase will be about $12.68 for a $190,000.00 house, which is considered a median priced house in Tompkins County. Three roads are targeted for next year, Smith Road, Lick Street, and the rest of Salt Road. Ben Nelson, Groton Fire Chief - We are at about 130 fire calls and 640 ambulance calls. We're on track for 1,000 calls this year. In the middle of September there was a structure fire on Davis Road that was a total loss. There was a 3 -car accident in Peruville intersection last Friday. There were minimal injuries. One car was on the side and caught on fire but she made it out with bumps and bruises. We had about 50 kindergarteners who walked through the firehouse and saw the trucks today. We will be doing Trunk or Treat on October 31. Since I have been doing the reflective 911 signs from here, they are flying out the door. With April's and Robin's help and with Rick pushing them, I've made more signs than we have in the last several years. It's still a Fire Department thing, I just am able to do it here, so you should see lots of these going up. Dan Brocht, LaBella Associates, Representing Abundant Solar - I did submit the long form EAF and some information from Abundant on the PILOT. I'm here tonight to see if there are any outstanding questions or see if we can request the Board to make their intent to be Lead Agent, just to keep the process moving. Not looking for anything other than that and to answer any questions or anything you'd like to talk about. Attorney Casullo - I think that what you want to do, if the Board wants, is to pass a resolution to tell the other interested or involved agency that you'd like to be Lead Agency. They have 30 days to respond and by next month's meeting you should know whether or not you're going to be Lead Agency. I also think, to move the project forward, I think you can consider the application as complete as possible and move it over to County Planning for their review. Also, Tim Buel is acting as the Town's engineer and it's my understanding that he does have some comments. We're waiting for his report, but he is out of town. I do want to point out to Dan and the applicant that our Code does say that those engineering costs are born by the applicant. Town Board Minutes Page S October 8, 2019 RESOLUTION #19-097 - LEAD AGENCY FOR SEQR MOVED by Supervisor Scheffler, seconded by Councilperson Klumpp RESOLVED, that the Town Board intends to declare itself Lead Agency for State Environmental Quality Review purposes relative to an application for a Special Permit for a Solar Array submitted by Abundant Solar Power, Inc. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed RESOLUTION #19-098 - FORWARD ABUNDANT SOLAR APPLICATION TO TOMPKINS COUNTY PLANNING MOVED by Councilperson Klumpp, seconded by Councilperson Gamel RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby instructs the Town Clerk to forward the application for a Special Permit for a Solar Array submitted by Abundant Solar Power, Inc. to the Tompkins County Planning Department for their revue pursuant to New York State General Municipal Law, Section 239. Ayes - Young, Klumpp, Gamel, Scheffler Nays - Resolution Passed Mr. Brocht - Once we get the engineering comments and the comments from the County, at the next meeting I will come prepared to discuss the engineering comments, whether it's with a new set of plans. Normally what I like to do is do a written response and revise the plan based on his comments. If I get the comments soon enough, I'll do a submission ahead of time for the Board to review before the next meeting. I'll try to give them to you with as much time as possible. That way next month you'd have a new set of plans that incorporates the comments from Tim. If there are also any comments from the Board members, you can relay them to Tim and he can include them in his comments. Rick Urda - Based on our meeting last time, I did reach out to the County IDA. The Director called me back today and said she couldn't be here tonight, but she's happy to come and address any thoughts or concerns that you might have with the IDA program and how it works. She actually suggested to me a couple of other town supervisors who are now supporting these projects and it might be helpful if you wanted to have conversations with them. Mr. Brocht - You mentioned in the Code as far as the engineering, that's something that I'm used to funneling through Abundant. So, however the Board wants to handle that, whether it's a bond amount, or bill directly. Just let us know how you want to handle those fees and we will follow whatever procedure the Town wants. Attorney Casullo - On other projects I have worked on we would send monthly bills as they came in. One other thing is that there are two separate issues here: the project itself and the PILOT agreement. I want to make that clear that they are entwined to some degree, but they are really two separate decisions. As far as I'm concerned, if this lady wants to come, there's privilege of the floor every month. Mr. Brocht - I have found it helpful if someone comes from the County who can answer questions better than I can. We can reach out and request that she's here for the next meeting. (Councilperson Clark arrived - 8:07pm) Town Board Minutes Page 6 October 8, 2019 Privilege of the Floor: Ben Nelson - Wanted to speak about speed limit changes. He would support any research that the Board wants to do concerning past accidents. Personally he thinks it is not so much a speed problem, but a lack of being patrolled. People think they can get away with it. Councilperson Gamel - I don't really see it, I didn't know it was a huge issue. I'm more concerned with the trash all over the road because they don't cover the loads going to the facility up there. Announcements: ➢ Planning Board, October 17, 2019 at 7:30 pm ➢ Zoning Board of Appeals, October 23, 2019 at 7:00 pm ➢ Public Hearing on Fiscal Year 2020 Budget, October 15, 2019 at 7:30 pm ➢ Trunk or Treat, October 31, 2019 at the Chuck Rankin Pavilion There being no further business, Councilperson Gamel moved to adjourn, seconded by Councilperson Klumpp, at 8:12 pm. Unanimous. April L. Scheffler, RMC Town Clerk