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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-11-12 - PH TOWN OF ULYSSES PUBLIC HEARING 11 /12/02 PRESENT : Supervisor Doug Austic, Councilpeople Carolyn Duddleston, Sue Poelvoorde, Lee Scott, and Robert Weatherby, Town Clerk Marsha Georgia. ALSO PRESENT : Michael Lunger, Tern Hoppenrath, Jack Decker, Grace Woolf, of the Trumansburg Free Press . Supervisor Austic opened the public hearing at 7 : 00 pm . Mr. Austic noted that the public hearing was duly advertised . No comments were heard . Ms . Poelvoorde moved to close the public hearing, Mrs . Duddleston seconded . Mr. Austic aye Mrs . Duddleston aye Ms . Poelvoorde aye Mr. Scott aye Mr. Weatherby aye The public hearing closed at 7 : 10 pm . Following the public hearing, Mr. Austic described the process that must come before construction for the Water District may begin . 1bLk TOWN OF ULYSSES REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING 11/12/02 PRESENT: Supervisor Douglas Austic, Councilpeople Carolyn Duddleston, Sue Poelvoorde, Lee Scott, and Robert Weatherby, Town Clerk Marsha Georgia, Highway Superintendent Jim Meeker, and Code Enforcement Officer Alex Rachun. ALSO PRESENT: Grace Wolf of the Trumansburg Free Press, Richard Coogan of the Jacksonville Community Association and the Ulysses Planning Board, Christian Boissonnas, representative to the Tompkins County E . M. C. , and Linda Wagner, of the Cornell University Center for the Environment . APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Regular Town Board Meeting 10/8/02, Public Hearing 10/8/02, Public Hearing 11/6/02 Mrs. Duddleston moved and Mr. Scott seconded to approve the minutes as corrected. Mr. Austic aye Mrs. Duddleston aye Ms. Poelvoorde aye Mr. Scott aye Mr. Weatherby aye Adopted. APPROVAL OF MONTHLY CLAIMS Mr. Weatherby moved and Ms. Poelvoorde seconded to approve monthly vouchers 421 -481 , totaling $40,332 . 50. Mr. Austic aye Mrs. Duddleston aye Ms. Poelvoorde aye Mr. Scott aye Mr. Weatherby aye Adopted. REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES Linda Wagner-Cornell University's LEAPE (Locally-led Education and Action for Protecting the Environment) Ms. Wagner noted that LEAPE is an organization, developed at Cornell, and funded by the Tompkins County Foundation. LEAPE is devoted to making connections between municipalities and water-conservation resources, and funding covers implementation in four Tompkins County municipalities per year for four years. LEAPE is an educational computer program that provides information on several water conservation issues, including non-point-source pollution, septic systems, and Turf Management. Sharon Anderson, the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network steward is the primary authority in charge of implementing the program. Ms. Wagner explained that, if the Town of Ulysses wishes to participate, a GIS program that deals specifically with a major issue that is of concern to the Town of Ulysses will be provided for the Town. The Town could opt to include the Village of Trumansburg in the training process. Training consists of.two events, with a meal or snacks provided . Each training session typically lasts three-to-four Town of Ulysses 2 Regular Town Board Meeting 11/12/02 hours. In order to participate in the LEAPE program, the Town of Ulysses would need to appoint a liaison. The Town may direct its training schedule and format, but a training group size of 7- 15 is ideal. The question was asked whether or not the LEAPE program interfaces with other programs? Ms. Wagner stated that LEAPE allows limited interfacing. The Town agreed that LEAPE sounds useful and Mr. Austic will get in touch with Sharon Anderson, of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network concerning an issue to be focused on and a training schedule. The Board tentatively agreed that the first training session should be set for some time in the first part of January. Trumansburg Fire Department No representative was present and no report was presented . Tompkins County Representative Peter Penniman Mr. Penniman was not present and no report was presented. TOWN REPORTS Highway Superintendent Jim Meeker Mr. Meeker reported the Highway Department mowed roadsides, helped the Towns of Ithaca and Enfield with shoulder work, and hauled shoulder material . Code Enforcement Officier Alex Rachun Mr. Rachun reported that four building permits were issued during the past month: three for additions and one for a new single-family residence. Estimated building costs totaled $305 , 000, and $750 was collected in fees. One area variance request was heard and approved by the Board of Zoning Appeals. Mr. Rachun also reported that he conducted two chimney fire inspections and that he will be meeting with the architectural firm who will be doing the new construction for Cornerstone Recovery Service (formerly Alpha House). Town Clerk Marsha Georgia Mrs. Georgia reported her office collected $3 , 873 . 75 in fees during the month of October. Of this, $660. 94 was turned over to Supervisor Austic. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation should be " sweeping " , or electronically debiting, $3 , 045 .44 of September's revenue from the account for its share of revers ues from the DECALS Sporting License sales program from that month. Board Members and Committees No reports were heard. Supervisor No questions were heard on the Supervisor's Financial Report. Mr. Austic asked Mr. Meeker about his plans for bridgework labor in 2003 . Mr. Meeker stated it would not be as much as it was this year, and that he therefore does not need to increase his budget for this. OLD BUSINESS Consider Budget Adoption Mr. Austic prefaced by reporting that final figures for the Town's insurance will increase to $ 19, 778 . 00 and that Workers' Compensation has not been finalized, but the maximum 9 Town of Ulysses 3 I Regular Town Board Meeting JO 11/12/02 cost the Town can anticipate is $ 17, 863 . Mr. Austic recommended putting these figures in the budget. Workers Compensation will be divided as follows: A fund : $2, 144, B fund : $ 179, DA fund $8,038, DB fund $7, 502 . After brief discussion, Mrs. Duddleston moved to adopt the 2003 budget with the above figure changes. Mr. Austic aye Mrs. Duddleston aye Ms. Poelvoorde aye Mr. Scott aye Mr. Weatherby aye Adopted. Other No other matters of "old business" were discussed . NEW BUSINESS Consider Proposals from Town of Caroline Supervisor Don Barber The Board briefly discussed a proposed resolution sent by Don Barber, Town of Caroline Supervisor, urging a high cap for the level and amount of Medicaid support that comes from municipal property tax collection. The Board reviewed the proposed resolution, and agreed with a letter, also from Mr. Barber, urging that they strike the fourth "Whereas ", which reads, "Whereas, the NYS Legislature is one of only two states using the property tax as a revenue source for its Medicaid costs, " from the resolution. Mr. Weatherby moved the following resolution, seconded by Ms. Poelvoorde : Whereas, property tax is a regressive revenue source because it is not based on the ability to pay, and Whereas, Counties, Towns, Villages, Cities, and School Districts use property tax as their main revenue source, and Whereas, the New York State Legislature is indirectly using the property tax as a revenue source when it mandates that Counties pick up half of New York State's Medicaid costs, and Whereas, the New York State Legislature, in 2002, unilaterally added to the services covered by the Medicaid program without the consent of County governments which pay one quarter of the Medicaid tab, and Whereas, Medicaid costs are increasing at a much faster rate than the growth in the property tax base, and Whereas, this rapid, uncontrolled increase in Medicaid cost results in Counties having to choose between reducing appropriations for programs that are their basic responsibility, increasing property tax rates by double-digit percentages, or both increasing property tax rates and decreasing services, and Whereas, Towns, Villages, and Cities are forced to pick up some of the cost of reduced services in their own budgets, putting even more pressure on the property tax burden because of Medicaid, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Ulysses demands the New York State Legislature cap property tax support of Medicaid payments at a maximum of 2002 levels, or more preferably, remove this burden entirely from the property tax, and Town of Ulysses 4 } I Regular Town Board Meeting 11/12/02 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Ulysses urge; the New York State Association of Towns to add this resolution to its list of resolutions to be considered at the 2003 annual meeting, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk is directed to send a certified copy of this resolution to our representatives in Albany and to Jeffrey Haber, Executive Director of the New York State Association of Towns. Mr. Austic aye Mrs . Duddleston aye Ms. Poelvoorde aye Mr. Scott aye Mr. Weatherby aye Adopted. Fire Budget The Board had new information concerning the Fire Budget . Appointment to TCMOA Planning Coalition After some discussion, the Board agreed to appoint Mr. Austic as the Town Board representative to the Coalition and to appoint Mr. Coogan as the Planning Board representative. The group will organize at the next Tompkins County Municipal Officials Association meeting. Tompkins County Appointments After brief discussion, Mr. Weatherby moved to recommend the County appoint Jack Fulton as the Town's representative to the Tompkins County Fire, Disaster and EMS Advisory Board and also recommend the appointment of Jason Fulton as the alternate representative to this Board . Ms. Poelvoorde seconded. Mr. Austic aye Mrs. Duddleston aye Ms. Poelvoorde aye Mr. Scott aye Mr. Weatherby aye Adopted. Gerald VanOrden-Water Request Mr. Austic reported receipt of a letter from Mr. Gerald VanOrden of South Street. Mr. VanOrden drilled a well on his property and built a house after having success with the well . One week after he moved into the house, the well went dry. Subsequent drilling efforts have failed to produce a fruitful well . Mr. Austic stated that he has written a letter to the Village of Trumansburg urging the Board of Trustee's to allow the VanOrden's to connect to Village water, in lieu of the hardship of their situation. Jacksonville Community Association Mr. Austic noted that the archaeological digging around the site of the Dann House did not reveal any significant artifacts in the area the lines are to be laid. HEARING FROM INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS Mr. Coogan noted that he attended a class on the SEQR process . Town of Ulysses 5 Regular Town Board Meeting 1 11/12/02 No other comments were heard . CORRESPONDENCE Mr. Austic called the Board's attention to the receipt of a map from Sharon Anderson, which includes the Town of Ulysses in an urban district for Storm Water Management. State requirements mandates a storm water management plan for areas surrounding State or Federal lands. The map indicates one such area currently exists within the Town of Ulysses, perhaps Dubois Road . Mr. Austic will look into finding a more detailed map . Mr. Austic noted that he has researched several energy suppliers in anticipation of NYSEG ceasing to be our energy supplier and has found that the differences in price from one company to another are minimally different, but the bottom line is everyone's bill will increase. Mr. Austic advised going with NYSEG Solutions. ADJOURNMENT With no further business, Mr. Weatherby moved and Mr. Scott seconded 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 - , MLG: kl ' 1