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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-10-27-TB-FINAL-minutesREGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING Town of Ulysses October 27, 2020 The meeting was held via Zoom videoconference and noticed on the website at ulysses.ny.us. CALL TO ORDER: Ms. Zahler called the Ulysses Town Board to order at 7pm. ATTENDANCE: TOWN OFFICIALS PRESENT: Supervisor- Nancy Zahler Board members- Michael Boggs, Katelin Olson, Rich Goldman, Marc Devokaitis, Katelin Olson (7:15pm) Town Clerk- Carissa Parlato Deputy Supervisor- Michelle Wright Planning Board chair- Ms. Liddle APPROVAL OF AGENDA: RESOLUTION #208 OF 2020: RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approve the agenda for Oct. 27 with the addition of a resolution for a grant application and moving up the voucher approval resolution. Moved: Ms. Zahler Seconded: Mr. Goldman Ms. Zahler aye Ms. Olson aye Mr. Boggs aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Devokaitis aye Vote: 5 -0 Date Adopted: 10/27/20 PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR: (none) BRIEF TOWN REPORTS: Ms. Zahler reminded everyone that the Public Hearing for the 2021 Preliminary Budget is scheduled for on October 29, 2021. Ms. Wright shared updates on capital projects: • Cemetery bridge easements /designs under way • HVAC is complete, just a few reports needed • Aerator project in WD3 tank has begun 2 Ms. Zahler shared that the community education program for middle schoolers has concluded. They will continue the program pending a new location for winter program. OLD BUSINESS: Ms. Olson arrived at this time (7:15pm) AUTHORIZING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE TOMPKINS COUNTY BROADBAND STUDY RESOLUTION #209 OF 2020: AUTHORIZING FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE TOMPKINS COUNTY BROADBAND STUDY WHEREAS the lack of broadband access impedes the ability of our residents to do work, attend school, have medical appointments, run their businesses, and even to have virtual face-to-face conversations with loved ones; and WHEREAS access to broadband services is not a luxury but a necessary public need that must be addressed; and WHEREAS there are still households in the Town of Ulysses that lack access to highspeed broadband service and others experience barriers to access based on affordability and physical distance from the road; and WHEREAS, the Town of Ulysses adopted resolution #202 of 2020 on October 13, 2020 urging the Tompkins County Legislature to undertake a countywide study to improve broadband access and WHEREAS, The Tompkins County Legislature has given tentative approval to a 2021 funding request to enable Tompkins County to enter into a contract to study the current status of broadband coverage within all municipalities in Tompkins County and the portion of Seneca County served by the Trumansburg School District and to develop recommendations for affordably expanding access to all households in throughout Tompkins County, including the Trumansburg School District, in collaboration with the Southern Tier Network, NOW THEREFORE BE IT, RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses pledges the amount up to $5000, payable to Tompkins County in 2021 to financially support the Countywide Broadband study that will provide the following deliverables to identify a possible path forward for a county- wide buildout of both middle and last mile fiber optic cable in Tompkins County: Market assessment - identifying the unserved and underserved areas, what the competition is in the county, where do the current providers provide service, what the terms are and what they are charging, and will outline demographics. Design - outside (geographic layout and design, redundancy and diversity, how to reach each address point, comparison of a distributed or central architecture) and inside plan design (where should co-location centers be placed, convergence points, OLTs, etc...). 3 Business and operations model - what are the different models out there for municipal based fiber to the home. What does it look like and what are the different models of operation? Operations and maintenance - a complete look at what would it take to operate the infrastructure, what type of service, what are the staffing needs, what is a recommended maintenance schedule? How often do you need to replace a core router etc…? Financials - for both capital and operations (including take rate opportunities) - what kind of revenue can you expect since it needs to cover costs for many decades? BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town of Ulysses pledges up to $5,000 to be paid to Tompkins County in 2021 when the contract for the above deliverables is executed and be it FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Ulysses Town Clerk shall send a certified copy of the approved resolution to the Tompkins County Administrator as evidence of the Town’s pledge of support of the proposed Broadband study. Moved: Ms. Zahler Seconded: Mr. Boggs Ms. Zahler aye Ms. Olson aye Mr. Boggs aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Devokaitis aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 10/27/20 NEW BUSINESS: COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR TESTING AND BACK UP PLANS FOR HIGHWAY STAFF The group discussed staff testing, parameters, and re-opening phases. APPROVAL OF PAYMENT FOR GUIDE RAIL INSTALLATION TO CLAIM STATE REIMBURSEMENT RESOLUTION #210 OF 2020: APPROVAL OF PAYMENT FOR GUIDE RAIL INSTALLATION TO CLAIM STATE REIMBURSEMENT WHEREAS, to protect the roadway along Maplewood Road in the Town of Ulysses, the Highway Superintendent has arranged for the purchase and installation of a guide rail at a cost of $15, 654 and WHEREAS, the Highway Department solicited bids in accordance with the Town’s Procurement Policy, and WHEREAS, funds for this project are available in the 2020 Town of Ulysses Budget DB 5112.2 Account and 4 WHEREAS, this expense is 100% reimbursable by New York State through the CHIPS program and WHEREAS, the deadline for submission to New York State is November 13, 2020 and requires a copy of the cancelled check from the vendor and WHEREAS, to hold the voucher until the Town Board’s normal payment cycle scheduled for November 10, 2020 would make it difficult to submit all documentation needed to request NYS reimbursement by the deadline, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Ulysses Town Board authorizes the early payment of Voucher # 464 in the amount of $15,654 from account DB112.2 to expedite reimbursement from the New York State CHIPS program. Moved: Ms. Zahler Seconded: Mr. Boggs Ms. Zahler aye Ms. Olson aye Mr. Boggs aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Devokaitis aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 10/27/20 AUTHORIZING USE OF A FUND CAPITAL RESERVE EXPENDITURE FOR ASSET DATABASE RESOLUTION #211 OF 2020: AUTHORIZING USE OF FUNDS FROM THE TOWN OF ULYSSES A234 / A878 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT RESERVE FUND FOR AN ASSET DATABASE WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses adopted a resolution on September 12, 2017 establishing the type capital reserve fund to cover the cost of future capital expenses in the A Fund; and WHEREAS, the current balance of the A234 / A878 Capital Improvement Reserve Fund is $31,047.20; and WHEREAS, pursuant to General Municipal Law §6-c, an expenditure from a capital equipment reserve fund requires authorization by the Town Board, and such authorization is subject to a permissive referendum; and WHEREAS, Local Finance Law § 11.00 contains the list of periods of probable usefulness for various items and purposes for which a municipality may issue debt and for which the term equipment is linked; and WHEREAS, Local Finance Law § 11.00 states that “The expenses incurred by a municipality, for the acquisition and installation of a new computer assisted integrated financial management and accounting system” is a capital expense that falls under the term equipment; and 5 WHEREAS, the intent of this custom asset database is to maintain data pertaining to Town owned capital assets in order to comply with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB); and WHEREAS, the Town purchased a custom asset database for $3,120 in April of 2020 (voucher number 152); and WHEREAS, the Town received verbal guidance on August 7th 2020 from the Accounting Firm Insero, in the presence of Town Counsel, that appropriating money from a reserve for an expense is not problematic as long as the expense is an appropriate use of said reserve; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board authorizes the following expenditures from the Town of Ulysses A234 / A878 Capital Improvement Reserve Fund for the purchase of an asset database for $3,120; RESOLVED that, pursuant to General Municipal Law §6-c, this resolution is subject to a permissive referendum; and be it further RESOLVED that the Town Clerk will post and publish the following notice of the permissive referendum in accordance to law and provide a copy of such notice to the Town Supervisor: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that at a regular meeting held on the 27th day of October, 2020, the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses, New York duly adopted Resolution # 211 of 2020, an abstract of which follows below, which is subject to a permissive referendum pursuant to General Municipal Law section 6-c. The resolution authorizes the Town of Ulysses (“the Town”) to use up to $3,120 from the Town of A234 / A878 Capital Improvement Reserve Fund. The resolution shall take effect 30 days after adoption, i.e., on November 27th, 2020, unless by such date there is filed in the office of the town clerk a petition, signed, and acknowledged or proved, or authenticated by electors of the town qualified to vote upon a proposition to raise and expend money, in number equal to at least five percent of the total vote cast for governor in the Town at the last general election held for the election of state officers, but not be less than 100 in a town of the first class, protesting against the resolution and requesting that it be submitted to the qualified electors of the town, for their approval or disapproval. Moved: Ms. Olson Seconded: Mr. Goldman Ms. Zahler aye Ms. Olson aye Mr. Boggs aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Devokaitis aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 10/27/20 Ms. Wright was excused at this time (8:29pm). 6 RE-CLASSIFY CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER POSITION TO EXPAND ENFORCEMENT DUTIES Ms. Zahler shared that she has inquired with the county about updating the Code officer job title to better reflect his duties. AUTHORIZATION TO CONTRACT FOR COMMUNITY EDUCATION SPACE RENTAL FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM RESOLUTION #212 of 2020: AUTHORIZATION TO CONTRACT FOR SPACE RENTAL FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM WHEREAS, the COVID -19 Community Education Program for Trumansburg Middle School Students needs to secure an appropriate venue to continue the successful program through the rest of the Fall 2020 school session and WHEREAS, negotiations for space are underway for the program to resume before the next Town Board meeting, and WHEREAS, the program costs are included in the 2020 budget and are offset by parent fees and donations, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Ulysses Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor to execute a space rental agreement for an amount not to exceed $2000 for the balance of the fall school session and be it further RESOLVED, that the Ulysses Town Supervisor shall report to the Town Board on the agreement and shall file an executed copy of the agreement with the Town Clerk. Moved: Ms. Zahler Seconded: Mr. Boggs Ms. Zahler aye Ms. Olson aye Mr. Boggs aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Devokaitis aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 10/27/20 VIDEOCONFERENCE PROPOSAL TO ENHANCE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT RESOLUTION #___ OF 2020: APPROVAL OF VIDEOCONFERENCE PROPOSAL TO ENHANCE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WHEREAS, due to COVID-19, the Governor of New York State has required the Ulysses Town Board to meet remotely since March 2020 and WHEREAS, to assure that the public had continued access to the deliberations of the Town Board and opportunities to provide comments to the Town Board during public hearings and Town Board meetings, the Town Board has used Zoom as a videoconferencing platform to conduct meetings and 7 WHEREAS, when the Town Board is required to resume in-person meetings at the Town Hall, it wishes to continue to continue to provide greater and more flexible access to enable the public to engage with their local government, and WHEREAS, the attached proposal outlines a cost-effective way to adapt the Town Hall court room to enhance both in -person and remote participation by the public and remote arraignments by the Justice Courts, and WHEREAS, funds for the purchase of equipment and consultation needed to create a hybrid meeting capacity for in-person and remote participation are available in the 2020 budget, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Ulysses Town Board approves the proposal and authorizes the expenditure of up to $3350 from the 2020 budget. Moved: Ms. Zahler Seconded: Ms. Olson Ms. Zahler moved to withdraw her motion. APPOINTMENT TO JOINT YOUTH COMMISSION RESOLUTION #213 OF 2020: APPOINTMENT TO THE JOINT YOUTH COMMISSION WHEREAS, the Memorandum of Understanding between the Town of Ulysses and the Village of Trumansburg requires the Town of Ulysses to appoint two representatives to the Ulysses- Trumansburg Joint Youth Commission to help identify youth needs and recommend programs to address those needs, and WHEREAS, there is a vacancy in one of the Town seats and WHEREAS, a well-qualified Town resident has expressed interest in serving on the Joint Youth Commission, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that Zaun Marshburn be appointed as the second Town representative to the Joint Youth Commission for the balance of a two-year renewable term ending December 31, 2021. Moved: Ms. Olson Seconded: Mr. Devokaitis Ms. Zahler aye Ms. Olson aye Mr. Boggs aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Devokaitis aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 10/27/20 AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF GRANT FOR TBURG COMMUNITY DAY-SCHOOL PROGRAM TO UNITED WAY OF TOMPKINS COUNTY RESOLUTION #214 OF 2020: AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF GRANT FOR TBURG COMMUNITY DAY-SCHOOL PROGRAM TO UNITED WAY OF TOMPKINS COUNTY 8 WHEREAS, The Trumansburg Community School-Day Program for Middle Schoolers was created to address an emerging need resulting from COVID-19 hybrid scheduling at Trumansburg Middle School and WHEREAS, the Recreation Program administers the program and collaborates with the Town- sponsored Rural Youth Development program operated by Cornell Cooperative Extension using parent fees to pay for extra staff and supplies not covered by the existing budget and WHEREAS, the United Way of Tompkins County’s Youth and Philanthropy grant program invited innovative and collaborative programs to seek funding to support new programs and WHEREAS, the Trumansburg Community Day-School Program needs additional funding for space rental and scholarships to keep fees low for families in need of supervision and academic support for their 7th and 8th graders on the two days they are not in school, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Ulysses Recreation Program be, and hereby is, authorized to request United Way funding in the amount of $ 6,950 in 100% funding to support the Trumansburg Community Day-School Program for thirty weeks of the 2020 -21 school year and be it FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Recreation Director and Town Supervisor are authorized to accept and request payment of the grant funds, if approved. Moved: Ms. Zahler Seconded: Mr. Goldman Ms. Zahler aye Ms. Olson aye Mr. Boggs aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Devokaitis aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 10/27/20 PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR: Ms. Liddle inquired about details for the broadband study. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: RESOLUTION # 215 OF 2020: APPROVAL OF MINUTES RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approves the minutes from the Town Board meetings held October 13, October 15, 16, 19, and 21, 2020. Moved: Ms. Zahler Seconded: Mr. Goldman Ms. Zahler aye Ms. Olson aye Mr. Boggs aye Mr. Goldman aye 9 Mr. Devokaitis aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 10/27/20 ADJOURN: Mr. Goldman moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:52pm. This was seconded by Mr. Devokaitis. Respectfully submitted by Carissa Parlato on 11/6/20.