HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-04-09 - TB c6/
TOWN OF ULYSSES
REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING
4/9/02
PRESENT : Supervisor Doug Austic , Councilpeople Carolyn Duddleston, Sue
Poelvoorde, Lee Scott, and Robert Weatherby, Highway Superintendent Jim Meeker,
Code Enforcement Officer Alex Rachun, Town Clerk Marsha Georgia.
ALSO PRESENT : Ulysses Planning Board Member/Jacksonville Community
Association representative Richard Coogan, Tompkins County Representative Peter
Penniman.
Supervisor Austic called the meeting to order and led those assembled in the Pledge of
Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America at 7 : 30 pm.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES : REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING 3/12/2002
Ms. Poelvoorde moved, seconded by Mrs. Duddleston to approve the minutes of the
Regular Town Board Meeting of 3 / 12/2002 with corrections.
Mr. Austic aye
Mrs. Duddleston aye
Ms. Poelvoorde aye
Mr. Scott aye
Mr. Weatherby aye
Adopted.
APPROVAL OF MONTHLY CLAIMS
Ms. Poelvoorde noted that it seems unnecessary for Town Attorney Bruce Wilson to
attend all the joint Town Board/Planning Board Zoning Ordinance draft review sessions.
The Board agreed, Mr. Austic will discuss this with Mr. Wilson.
Mrs. Duddleston moved, seconded by Ms. Poelvoorde to approve vouchers numbers 116
through 164, totaling $35 ,419 . 86 .
Mr. Austic aye
Mrs. Duddleston aye
Ms. Poelvoorde aye
Mr. Scott aye
Mr. Weatherby aye
Adopted.
REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES
Tompkins County Board of Representatives : Peter Penniman
Mr. Penniman arrived late and reported after the matters of "Old Business" were
addressed.
Mr. Penniman reported that the County has made the decision to move the 911
Emergency Operations Center to a site on the Ithaca/Tompkins County Airport property.
The decision was based in part on the fact that this site will be the easiest to build a new
center on.
Mr. Penniman also reported on a NY State Officials' meeting to work on the coordination
of emergency preparation plans at the State and local levels. This was a previous concern
that was brought to the forefront by the attacks on New York City and Washington D. C .
of September 11 , 2001 . Mr. Penniman stated that there has been a lot of progress, at least
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Regular Board Meeting
4/9/2002
so far as preparedness goes, and also reported that the government is going to become
responsible for some airport security.
Mr. Penniman noted that Tompkins County's summer road construction plan includes
parts of Waterburg and Halseyville Road.
Mr. Penniman reported some very real difficulties with the County budget. The 2001
budget was well above actual spending, which has resulted in a. surplus of about $3M.
These funds are the result of frugal spending policies that were implemented after the
attacks of September 116'32001 . Although this surplus will be very helpful, the County
still needs to cut back for the 2002 budget. Part of the need is to provide funding for
capital projects, most notably, the E-9- 11 communications towers project, which will be
put out for bid in a matter of a few weeks. Mr. Meeker noted that the County Highway
Department is one department where budget cuts are starting to show very badly in the
forms of understaffmg and inadequate care of the county roads.
Trumansburg Fire Department
No representative was present and no report was presented.
TOWN REPORTS
Highway Superintendent Jim Meeker
In addition to plowing and salting as needed, Mr. Meeker reported that the Highway
Department finished its gabion basket work on Maplewood Road, and installed culvert
pipes on Hinging Post Road and Cold Springs Road. Mr. Meeker reported that he will be
ordering the new mowing tractor very soon, and also reported that the department has
plans to do some concrete work on Maplewood Road. This project will not commence
immediately, but Mr. Meeker noted he will inform nearby property owners of the work
before the department commences the project. Mr. Meeker also reported that there is a
pile of wood-chips at the Town Barns, which residents may help themselves to for private
use at no cost. 1
Mr. Austic reported that Jim Seafuse owner of the Shur Save plans to move the recycling
bins at the grocery store, and has asked the Town to provide some material to put down
over the dirt; where the bins will sit. Mr. Meeker agreed to provide some asphalt for this
purpose, and arrangements will be made with Mr. Seafuse. Mr. Austic noted that the
recycling bins do not bring revenue to either the Town or the grocery store but provide a
service to area residents. Because Mr. Seafuse maintains the bins at the grocery store
property, it seems only fair that the Town help with this matter.
Code Enforcement Officer Alex Rachun
Mr. Rachun reported that six permits were issued for three new single-family residences,
two additions, and one renovation at the Franziska Racker Center. One matter was heard
by the Board of Zoning Appeals, and an area variance was granted. Total construction
costs were estimated at $549,000, and a total of $ 1 , 541 was collected in fees.
Town Clerk Marsha Georgia
Mrs. Georgia reported that the Town Clerk's office collected a total of $770. 75 in fees
during the month of March. Of this, $607 was turned over to the Supervisor.
Mrs. Georgia reported that she has had to register with NYSDEC to be a seller of
sporting licenses. This is a new requirement and is associated with the implementation of
the "DECALS " on-line sales program, which is anticipated to begin taking place this
summer. Mrs. Georgia noted that this program will require several additional pieces of
equipment, to be provided by the state, so the Town Clerk's office counter space will
probably have to be rearranged.
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Town of Ulysses rb
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Regular Board Meeting
4/9/2002
Board Members & Committees
Mrs. Duddleston reported that she will be attending a Fire Department meeting on April
11 `h.
Ms. Poelvoorde reported on the "Government Awareness" meeting that was hosted by the
Jacksonville Community Association with presentations by the Tompkins County
Planning Department. There was a good turnout for the meeting, and discussion was
SI mainly about the functioning of local government . Ms. Poelvoorde reported that the in-
process revision of the Zoning Ordinance was also discussed.
Supervisor
No questions were posed.
NEW BUSINESS
Water District #3
Mr. Austic reported that the $500, 000 grant has finally been fully processed. The Town
requested and received about $80,000 of the funds. Mr. Austic also reported that two
public hearings are scheduled concerning the property on Woolf Lane in the Town of
Ithaca. The Town of Ithaca Planning Board will consider subdivision approval of the
Town of Ulysses' purchase of a small parcel, and the Town of Ithaca Board of Zoning
Appeals will consider an area variance for the Woolf Lane Property, which will not be
large enough to be a legally conforming building lot. Also related to the Woolf Lane
property, Mr. Austic noted, is the finding by Town of Ulysses Attorney Bruce Wilson of
a deed restriction disallowing any non-residential use of the property on Woolf Lane and
the surrounding subdivision. The Town of Ithaca has expressed approval of the planned
pumping station as a "residential use" . The Town Attorney is and will be looking into this
t' matter, and will keep Supervisor Austic up to date.
L.
Latest Draft of Revised Zoning Ordinance
Mr. Austic asked if all Town Board members had received copies of George Frantz's
latest draft of the revised Ulysses Zoning Ordinance . All had received copies of the
document, and Mr. Austic noted that he believes Mr. Frantz has made the changes
between the previous draft and the new one clear.
Cayuga Lake Watershed Network Intermunicipal Organization
Mr. Austic noted that he received a letter asking the Town of Ulysses to approve the
Cayuga Lake Watershed Network's Restoration and Protection Plan. Noting that the
Board had never received copies of the plan to review, the Board agreed that they would
table action on the Plan until everyone has obtained a copy of the Plan and had a chance
to review it.
At this time, Tompkins County Representative Peter Penniman made his report, noted
under the heading of Reports of Representatives.
NEW BUSINESS
ill
Personnel Policy : Health Insurance Reimbursement
Mr. Austic stated that he would like the Board to consider amending the Town of Ulysses
personnel policy in regards to the payment of health insurance reimbursements. The
present policy states that full-time employees who waive their claim to Town-paid health
insurance are entitled to receive one-half of the amount that the Town would pay for their
health insurance, paid subject to taxes as a payroll adjustment in the last paycheck of the
year. Mr. Austic reported that one employee has asked if this could be paid quarterly
instead of annually. After brief discussion, Mr. Weatherby moved and Mr. Scott
seconded the following resolution:
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Town of Ulysses 6.)
Regular Board Meeting
4/9/2002
Be It Resolved, that the Town of Ulysses hereby amends the Town personnel policy
regarding the payment of 50% health insurance reimbursement for Town employees who
waive Town health insurance. The policy shall now be amended so that employees
receiving this benefit may opt to receive their reimbursement either quarterly or annually.
Mr. Austic aye
Mrs. Duddleston aye
Ms. Poelvoorde aye
Mr. Scott aye
Mr. Weatherby aye
Adopted.
Plan for Highway Capital Improvement
Mr. Austic stated that Mr. Meeker is working on a plan, in accordance with a previous
Board discussion, to use surplus sales tax revenue to repair more of the Town's 36 miles
of roads each year than is currently planned. Mr. Austic noted that Mr. Meeker
previously figured out that it costs the Town between $40, 000 and $50,000 to repair each
mile of road, and that the Town typically repairs between one and two miles of road per
year. Mr. Austic stated that it would be good to double the miles that are repaired each
year, and that this would mean allocating an additional $ 100,000 in sales tax revenues
annually. Mr. Austic also noted that it might be wise to plan on addressing a whole block
or road at a time, rather than spreading the improvements over scattered roads.
The Board and Mr. Meeker briefly discussed this idea in general, noting particularly bad
stretches of road as well as the Waterburg bridge. The consensus was that Mr. Meeker
should develop a plan that would add one to two miles of road repair to the number
currently repaired annually.
Village of Trumansburg Water/Water District #3 Connection
Mr. Austic reported that there will be a meeting between Town and Village officials and
the Barton & Loguidice engineer on Thursday, April 18`h, to discuss the linking of the
Town of Ulysses Water District #3 and the Village of Trumansburg water system. The
two systems would be connected via a Ulysses Water District 43 pipeline running from
ISA Babcock to the Village of Trumansburg water line, the purpose of which would be
the provision of a secondary water source for the Village of Tnumansburg and its water
districts.
Other
Mr. Austic asked if everyone had received a copy of the guidelines for development
drawn up by the Vital Communities Initiative. Board members should prepare their
comments for next time. Mrs. Duddleston noted that some of the guidelines seem to
contradict each other-for example, growth patterns consisting of increased residential and
commercial development with decreased population.
Mr. Austic also noted that the Board should prepare any comments on the Cayuga Lake
Waterfront Development Plan.
Mr. Austic reported that the Town Board has received the resignation of Heather
McDaniel from the position of the Town's Environmental Management Council
representative.
Mr. Austic called the Board's attention to the memo received by the Town clerk from
Suzanne Etherington, the regional archival officer. Ms. Etherington has written to inform
the Ulysses Town Board of a plan to change the source and means of funding and reduce
the amount of funding available for the NYS Education Department's Local Government
Records Management Improvement Fund grants. The Town of Ulysses has benefited
from these grants with previous grants as well as two current ;rants. The Board agreed
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Town of Ulysses
Regular Board Meeting
4/9/2002
that it does not seem that this change would be beneficial, but that it would be good to
look into this matter further. The matter was tabled .
Mr. Rachun reported on recent business of the Joint Youth Commission. Of significant
concern to the Youth Commission was the fact that there will be no at-school youth
programs this summer. The children will have to be shuttled between Taughannock Falls
State Park and the Trumansburg Fair Grounds. To relieve the difficulty of this increased
cost that was not at all provided for in the youth budget, Robert Witte, of the Cornell-
-11 Fingerlakes Credit Union, together with matching funds from the Tompkins County Trust
Company, has provided some funding for the basketball program, making this program
possible. The school grounds will not be available due to construction.
HEARINGS FROM GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS
None were heard.
CORRESPONDENCE
No new correspondence was discussed .
ADJOURNMENT
Hearing no further business, Mrs. Duddleston moved, seconded by Ms. Poelvoorde to
adjourn the meeting.
Mr. Austic aye
Mrs. Duddleston aye
Ms. Poelvoorde aye
Mr. Scott aye
Mr. Weatherby aye
The meeting adjourned at 8 : 55 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Marsha L . Georgia
Ulysses Town Clerk � ! via.,,
MLG:k1
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