HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-06-25 - TB TOWN OF ULYSSES
SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING
JUNE 25 , 2007
Present : Supervisor Douglas Austic ; Town Council Roxanne Marino, Rod Ferrentino
and Lucia Tyler; Don Ellis absent; Town Clerk Marsha L. Georgia;
Others Present : Chris Thomas, Marcia Horn, John & Martha Ullberg, Robert Lodder,
Joan Stewart, Stacey Silliman, Joanne Molino , Barry Hayes, Sue Henninger, Tammy
Morse, Heather Hartwell, Geoffrey, Hart, Cheryl Thompson, Paula Horrigan and John
Hrubos .
Supervisor Austic called the meeting to order at 7 : PM and introduced Mr. Alan Vogel
who wished to speak to the Town Board .
Mr. Vogel introduced John Ullberg, Landscape Architect and Cheryl Thompson, NYS
Architect and distributed a handout in reference to the Trumansburg Telephone Company
Barn and Yard describing the property and their interest. The following is the handout
and their presentation :
TRUMANSBURG TELEPHONE COMPANY BARN AND YARD
For as long as most of us can remember Trumansburg residents have expressed a desire to
have a youth/community center. An opportunity has presented itself tol acquire a very reasonably
priced building and property, centrally located , and ideally suited for community use . We believe
that it is in the best interest of the Town to take advantage of this moment and purchase or
protect the property before the opportunity passes to acquire it .
Submitted by Alan Vogel , Cheryl Thompson and John Ullberg residents of Ulysses, June 25 ,
2007
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Description :
Building:
Dimensions : 34'x64'= 2076 sq ft
Height: approx twenty feet to soffit. One level with loft above .
First floor is not partitioned but posts divide in half Roof is new, building condition is good .
The building appears to be insulated, has a high efficiency gas furnace, electric service and
bathroom facilities .
Property :
I About 1 /2 acre, about half of which is level fenced gravel yard . The property extends west down
to Trumansburg Creek.
Access :
The lot is behind Town Hall and has ROW across Town Hall property.
Some good reasons to acquire the building and lot for Public use :
It abuts the very center of Trumansburg, is convenient to downtown without displacing
commercial space on Main Street.
Special Town Board Meeting 2
June 25th, 2007
It is contiguous with the Town Hall , two Village parking lots and across the street from the
Village Hall .
The asking price for the property is extremely reasonable given Trumansburg's real estate market.
(price per square foot of the building comes to about $30) .
As a project it provides an opportunity for Town and Village to work together to meet a
community need that has been on the want list for many years without breaking the bank.
There are no immediate residential neighbors who might be adversely affected by activity. The
site is located close to those who would likely be supervising it. The building has landmark and
historic value worth preserving .
Possible Uses :
With minimum investment (pave lot, paint/stabilize the building as necessary) :
Provides a venue and simple cover from the elements for public events such as Festival of Lights,
dances, pick-up sports, concerts, skateboarding, ice skating, movies, indoor winter and summer
activities for teens and adults . Large open floor area for meetings, events such as indoor farmer's
market, community build projects, Trumansburg Learning Cooperative use, games, scouting
events, etc .
With more significant overhaul (Subdivide interior, add a second floor) : Classroom and meeting
room use . Provide specialized space for groups like quilters , potters , woodworkers , exercise
classes , Seniors activities , etc .
Financial considerations : Cost
Tax implications- Approx $2 ,000 from current rolls
Private and Public support
Mr. Vogel said that he would like to approach the TTC along with a representative from
the Town and the Village seeking a reduced price, such as possibly 1 /3 of the price. Mr.
Vogel said what would be good as a resolution tonight if they could go to the phone
company with a commitment from the Town. Mr. Vogel said if they could get the Town
in form of a resolution to negotiate a price and get it secured and then from that figure out
perhaps raising some money. Mr. Vogel said if you wait to long, even another meeting,
then someone else could secure it.
Ms . Tyler asked Mr. Vogel to speak to the condition of the building.
Mr. Vogel said they have not been in the building, but they have a pretty good idea. Mr.
Vogel said that Mr. Austic had worked on the building a number of years ago . There is a
brand new roof on the main building and a metal roof on an attached section that is in
good shape, a modern furnace, fully insulated, bathroom facility, electric service, wall
surface on the inside which would have to be replaced and also the windows would have
to be replaced. Mr. Vogel said that it is very solid and very square with a steel beam .
Mr. Vogel feels that all of the improvements that it would need could be handled by a
community project.
Ms . Marino felt this should be discussed now because there is a time frame involved.
Mr. Vogel feels a meeting can be arranged with Mr. Griswold, President of the TTC and
three or four others and encourage them to sell it. Mr. Vogel feels it is more important
that they sell it to us over a priority over any private party that the municipality gets the
first shot at it and secondly hopefully they can make a donation. Mr. Vogel said he and
John have been talking with people and there are some even willing to put up some
money, maybe get some money from the skate park people and other organizations . Mr.
Vogel said if it does not work out there would be other buyers .
Special Town Board Meeting 3
June 25th, 2007
Mr. Hrubos said that he has no problem bringing this to the Village Board on a
cooperative basis buying with the Town for a community center because it seems like it
is a good opportunity.
Mr. Austic said that he previously approached the TTC about selling the property to the
Town at a reduced price but they were not interested .
Mr. Ferrentino said that he has worked with Mr. Austic on this and he agrees that for
years even when he was the mayor many people supported having a community center.
Mr. Ferrentino said that Mr. Austic was right on top of this pursuing buying the property
and Mr. Ferrentino thinks it is an excellent idea. Mr. Ferrentino said that there needs to
be a group of people with a plan and then see where the funds can come from like grants .
Mr. Ferrentino said that if you really look at the foot prints of the Village it is hard to find
a better place that is off the road and safe where youth can actually go .
Mr. Austic feels that the TTC will not come down in price and it is now at $ 55 , 000 and
he believes there may be a couple of offers . Mr. Austic felt that at $ 55 ,000 it would cost
too much to remodel the building. The skate park would be a short term project.
Mr. Vogel said that there are people here tonight that are willing to work on this project
and suggests that they make arrangements to talk with the TTC.
Ms . Marino said she thinks that this is a great idea and she thinks that the Town Board
certainly endorsed this idea several months ago when it first came up for sale and
authorized Mr. Austic to pursue it and the Board has not talked about it since. Ms .
Marino said and now there is a group before us that are willing to take the lead . Ms .
Marino would like to get to the nuts and bolts and asked if a resolution is needed to say
that the Board agrees to spend $ 55 , 000 if the TTC would agree to that.
Mr. Vogel said he thinks that would be the best thing and with Mr. Austic ' s assistance to
present the offer and do the logistics for the Town at the point that you have an excepted
purchase offer then you could go to the Village and try and create a more concrete plan
and structure the whole thing, but in the short term if the Town could carry the ball that
could get it secured.
Mr. Hrubos said he thinks the Village would kind of like to be involved more then an
after the fact but be more of an active participant right from the get go . Mr. Hrubos said
that the Village is going to be having a meeting on Monday July 2°d where it can be
brought to the Board.
Mr. Austic reminded everyone that the instant you purchase this building there are costs
involved, maintenance, water and sewer, heat and insurance would be some. That would
have to be kept in mind.
Mr. Vogel said that the offer from the Village would cut those prices in half and Mr.
Ferrentino had a good idea to rent the building out . Mr. Vogel said he is comfortable that
as soon as you have the building secured we could come up with a plan to cover all of the
costs just by the use of the building.
Mr. Hrubos said a resolution could be passed that the Town is going to buy it in
conjunction with the Village on the notion that the Village is going to do something
although he can not speak for all of the Village Board.
Mr. Austic said the Town could find up to $60,000 possibly.
Mr. Vogel said he, Cheryl and John would be happy to champion the project and with
anyone else that is willing to help and Ms . Marino said she would be happy to work on
the grant end of it.
Ms . Tyler moved, seconded by Mr. Ferrentino the following :
Special Town Board Meeting 4
June 25 `h, 2007
WHEREAS the Trumansburg Telephone Company is ideally located for a
Community Center located on Elm Street, behind the Town Hall, Tax Parcel #6-
1 -26 .
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses
in cooperation with the Village of Trumansburg, negotiate with Trumansburg
Telephone Company the purchase of their garage property on Elm Street at a
price up to $ 60, 000 with the Town as a lead agent.
Ms . Marino said that she would like to see a committee of people go do the negotiating as
Mr. Vogel suggested .
Mr. Vogel said that he could arrange a meeting with Mr. Griswold and he and John
Ullberg, Mr. Austic and a representative from the Village would negotiate for the
purchase of the garage and property.
Mr. Austic called the vote .
Mr. Austic aye
Mr. Ferrentino aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Ms . Marino aye
Adopted.
COMMENTS & DISCUSSION ON ANNEXATION APPLICATION
Mr. Austic said that tonight the Board is here to listen to comments and discuss the
annexation application of William Auble for parcel # ' s 11 . -2-7 . 1 and 11 . -2 -4 into the
Village of Trumansburg.
Ms . Marino stated that she and Mr. Austic have been working on a financial analysis that
the Board will review tonight and once agreed to will post it on the Ulysses web page.
Joan Stewart resident of the Auble Trailer park reminded the Board that there is not a lot
of affordable housing in this area and the trailer park provides this . Ms . Stewart said at
one time she was a Village Board member when annexation came up and she voted no
for it because it was an issue of the vacant property adjacent to the trailer park and
fronting on Rt. 96 and at that time the Village did not have it zoned and Mr. Auble was
requesting open zoning. The Village tried to get Mr. Auble to inform what his intention
was for the property and he would not work with the Village so they voted no for
annexation. Ms . Stewart asked for clarification on how the Town had voted on the
annexation in the past, her understanding was that the Town had always voted yes for the
annexation into the Village. Ms. Stewart asked why they had voted for it in the past .
Mr. Austic said that because there was no disadvantage to the Town for that to be
annexed into the Village. Mr. Austic feels that this time it is a different situation and may
be a disadvantage.
Ms . Stewart said this time she is looking at it with a different view point and she is not
speaking for other people in the park, but she lives there now. Ms . Stewart feels that the
benefit to the park would be the police protection, the roads have no street signs and she
thinks that maybe the fire department could take care of that. Another thing she feels that
would be better for the trailer park would be zoning rules and if the park was in the
Village the owner would have to comply with Village zoning rules, which she thinks
would be a benefit to the park. Ms . Stewart said that the vacant property that she was
concerned about years ago is now zoned commercial . Ms . Stewart said that she knows
the water is an issue but they do have water there and she believes the Town needs the
numbers to make it work for District #5 .
Robert Lodder asked who initiated the annexation.
Special Town Board Meeting 5
June 25th, 2007
Mr. Austic stated that Mr. Auble did.
Joanne Molino asked if the annexation would void the conditions for the 0% financing
for Water District #5 and make it a dead issue.
Mr. Austic said yes .
Mrs . Georgia asked the public to please give their names when speaking for the record.
Mr. Austic asked if there were any other comments and said that there would be
comments taken later also .
Ms . Marino said she would like to make one comment and that is from the recent
comment in the paper that there maybe some misunderstanding about the ability of the
Board to negotiate with the Village or the applicant to divide or change the annexation
up . Ms . Marino said that the Board can not do that and they were advised by their
attorney that they had to address the petition that has been presented to them . If the
applicant withdraws and reapplies then a different petition could be reviewed but there is
no possibility such as requesting that one parcel be annexed and the other one remain in
the Town.
Mr. Austic said that the Board could review the figures that he and Ms . Marino came up
with. Mr. Austic said that it is an advantage to the trailer park and a disadvantage to the
Village financially. The following is the Financial Analysis of the Auble Annexation that
Ms . Marino moved to put into the record and also include on the Ulysses web page, Ms .
Tyler seconded the motion.
Assumptions/ documentation :
1 . 7/31 /06-4/30/07 actual water usage from Village Records 10,001 ,200 gal/ year (77, 529
gal/year/unit) ; 129 units in Auble MHP
2 . All of the MHP units (and water usage) are not in Tompkins County; assume 100 units
are in TC (as per WD#5 engineering report for the MHP) and equal average annual water
use for each unit; thus ( 100/ 129) X 10, 001 ,200 gal/ yr, or 7,750 , 930 gal/yr used in the
portion of the MHP considered for annexation.
3 . Assume proposed new Village Water and Sewer Rates are adopted (July 2007) : Water
- Inside village $28 . 71 first 1000 gal and $3 . 82/ 1000 gal additional water. Water -
Outside Village $43 . 50 first 1000 and $ 5 . 74/ 1000 gal additional water. Sewer- Inside
Village $ 56 . 92/quarter, Outside $ 85 . 37/ quarter.
4 . 2006 Tompkins County Assessment of properties considered for annexation-- Parcel #
11 . -2-7 . 1 $ 77, 000 Parcel # 11 . -2-4 (MHP) $ 1 ,697 , 500 plus additional $350, 100 on
individually owned units (26 units) for total of $2 , 047 , 600.
5 . Village tax rate for 2007 is $ 5 . 28/$ 1 , 000 TA V, Town RP tax rate for 2007 is
$ 1 . 69/$ 1 , 000 TA V; Town Fire tax for 2007 is $ 0 . 90/$ 1 ,000 TA V .
6 . WD5 estimated annual operation & maintenance and debt service = $ 360 per EDU;
WD5 water charge = $3 . 20 / 1000 gal ; Auble MHP = 100 EDU
WATER (valid calculation only for MHP parcel) :
A) With annexation (Village gives inside rates for all 129 units) :
10, 001 . 2 X $3 . 82 = $38 , 204 . 58
129 X 4 X $28 . 71 = $ 14, 814 . 36
Total cost to property owner(s) : $ 53 , 018 . 94
B) With annexation (outside Village rates for 29 units not annexed) :
7, 750 . 9 X $3 . 82 = $29, 608 . 55
Special Town Board Meeting 6
June 25th, 2007
100X4X$28 . 71 =$ 11 ,484
29 X 4 X $43 . 50 = $ 5 ,046
2 ,250. 3X$ 5 . 74= $ 12 , 916 . 72
Total cost to property owner(s) : $ 57 , 622 . 55
C) No annexation (no WD#5 , Village outside rates) :
10,000 . 2 X $ 5 . 74 = $ 57,406 . 89
129 X 4 X $43 . 50 = $22 ,446 . 0
Total cost to property owner(s) : $ 79 , 852 . 89 f
D) No annexation (WD#5 charges on 100 units, outside Village rates on 29) :
7 ,750 . 9 X $3 .20 = $24, 802 . 88
100X $ 360 = $ 36 ,000
29 X 4 X $43 . 50 = $ 5 , 046
2 ,250. 3 X $ 5 . 74 = $ 12 ,916 . 72
Total cost to property owner(s) : $78 , 765 . 60
SEWER (valid calculation only for MHP parcel) :
A) With annexation (all inside Village Rates) :
129 X $ 56 . 92 X 4 = $29,370 . 72
B) With annexation ( 100 in Village, 29 outside Village rates) :
( 100 X $ 56 . 92 X 4) + (29 X $ 85 . 97 X 4) = $32, 740 . 52
C, D) No annexation
129 X $ 85 . 97 X 4 = $44,050 . 92
TAXES (RP denotes real property tax)
A,B) Annexation :
1
Parcel # 11 . -2-4 : 2047 . 6X $ 5 . 28=$ 10811 . 33
Parcel # 11 . -2-7 . 1 : 77 X $ 5 . 28 = $ 406 . 56
Parcel # 11 . -2 -4 : Town RP Taxes 2047 . 6 X $ 1 . 69 = $ 3460. 40
Parcel # 11 . -2 -7 . 1 : Town RP Tax 77X$I. 69 = $ 130 . 13
Total cost to property owner(s) : $ 14, 808 .42
Note: possible additional Village charge for increased share of fire protection.
C , D) No annexation : Parcel # 11 . -2-4 Town RP Taxes 2047 . 6 X $ 1 . 69 = $3460 . 40
Parcel # 11 . -2 -4 Town Fire Tax 2047 . 6 X $ . 90 = $ 1842 . 84
Parcel # 11 . -2-7 . 1 Town RP Tax 77X$ 1 . 69 = $ 130 . 13
Parcel # 11 . -2- 7 . 1 Town Fire Tax 77 X $ . 90 = $ 69 . 30
Total cost to property owner(s) : $ 5 ,502 . 57
SUMMARY :
Costs to Petitioner :
The landowner will save $26, 834 in annual water revenues and $ 14,680 annual sewer
revenues (A calculation assumptions) if annexed, for a total annual reduction of $41 , 514 .
The landowner will pay an additional RP tax revenue of $ 11 ,218 . The net savings to the
landowner in annual water and sewer costs with annexation is thus $ 30,296 .
If the property is not annexed and Water District #5 is built ( 100 units of the 129 units in
the MHP are in WD5) , the annual total cost to the property owner for water is roughly
$ 1 , 000 less than if there is no annexation and WD#5 is not built.
Costs to Village of Trumansburg :
Special Town Board Meeting 7
June 25th, 2007
The Village will lose $26 , 834 in annual water revenues and $ 14, 680 annual sewer
revenues (A calculation assumptions) , for a total revenue loss of$41 , 514 . It will gain an
additional RP tax revenue of $ 11 ,218 . The Village has a net loss in revenue of $ 30,296 .
Mr. Austic called the vote to accept the Financial Analysis and have it printed on the
Ulysses web page .
Mr. Austic aye
Mr. Ferrentino aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Ms . Marino aye
Adopted.
Mr. Austic asked Mr. Hrubos if the Village had decided to be the Lead Agent for the
SEQR review.
Mr. Hrubos said that the Village is going to be the Lead Agent.
Mr. Austic said that potentially the Village losses the revenue until such time that
something is built which would increase taxes to get the revenue back. Mr. Austic said
that on the other hand there would be no funding for Water District #5 which would
eliminate the Village ' s second source. Mr. Austic said in addition to that with the funding
going away for district #5 it would probably be impossible to continue with district #5 the
way it is and if that happens in order to serve as many people as the Town thought for the
same area less the trailer park the Town would have to find 100 more people in a
reasonable distance that have significant pressure problems and those kinds of things to
gain the money back which is probably not possible . Mr. Austic said that to him it means
that Water District #5 would not be funded as is, so it would not exist if annexation went
through. Mr. Austic feels that would be a huge detriment to the Town and the Village
losing their second source .
Mr. Ferrentino said if the Town had to go for other funding for Water District #5 which
more than likely would have interest attached to the loan what kind of general figures are
we talking about that would increase the cost.
Mr. Austic said that generally speaking even EFC their funding rate was around 176
points and this year they are up to 218 points so in order to qualify for EFC money the
Town would have to find some real problem to be solved to bring the points up that far so
that being said you are back to Rural Development and those kinds of funding agencies
which are talking the total cost to the user of $ 800 to $ 900 a year before they consider it
worth funding. Water District #5 is some where between $ 575 and $600 a year including
water. So that is a large increase to user if you could find the funding. Mr. Austic said
the cost of the project would most likely double for 30 years and Rural Development
money is for 40 years which makes it worse.
Ms . Tyler questioned the numbers of $ 575 to $ 600 per user.
Mr. Austic said he had talked with Mr. Pond and he is still very confident with those
figures yet today.
•
Mr. Hrubos said he had heard that there has been some call for water down on Rt . 89 and
he knows on the east side of Rt. 96 there are some water issues that would like water.
Mr. Hrubos asked if it would be possible looking in that direction and tying that in the
water line that would feed the park you could pick up some different users so a redesign
of Water District #5 meets the needs of people and leaves the trailer park out .
Mr. Austic said that EFC has been asked by the Town if they could redesign and go
somewhere else and they said no that this funding is including the trailer park because of
the problems. Mr. Pond looked at this area and he did not feel that it would qualify on
Rt. 89 for the EFC funding. The trailer park qualifies because of the low pressure zone,
no fire hydrants and those kinds of things and also Alpha House is in the same situation
Special Town Board Meeting 8
June 25 `", 2007
and then you have several people on the way out there and other locations that have
contaminated wells .
Mr. Austic said the Town does have a report that he could share with the Village .
Ms . Marino reminded Mr. Austic that the report still has not been approved by the Board.
Ms . Marino asked for clarification on what the attorney had said and that she understood
that she said the Town Board should not consider the impact on Water District #5 in the
annexation decision.
Mr. Austic said that she said that the Board should consider the effect to the residents of
the Town and he does not see how you can take Water District #5 away from that
because that is a big impact. She did not say specifically Water District #5 she said the
effect to the residents of the Town. Mr. Austic said you are suppose to take the effect to
the residents of the Village which we kind of did and the Village will figure that out, the
residents in the area which is the trailer park and then look at the effect to the residents in
the Town.
The Board discussed the cost effect to the trailer park and Ms . Marino said it would be a
savings to the trailer park if annexed using her calculations .
Ms . Georgia said that there is no guarantee that Mr. Auble would pass any savings he
may incur with the annexation on to the residents of the trailer park.
Ms . Marino said of course the Town can not do that, all they can do is make an estimate
on how the cost will change and can not assume anything of what Mr. Auble will do or
not do . It looks like it would be around a $20,000 decrease to the property owner and if
he passes that on the Town has no control over it.
Ms . Tyler said that there are some historical records that Ms . Georgia pulled together on
the history of the other annexation applications by Mr. Auble that she would like to look
at before she makes any decisions .
Mr. Ferrentino said he is caught up in that the fact the property owner will save about
$20, 000 but Water District #5 is going to provide hundreds of people with water, it will
provide hundreds of people with fire protection, which is a big deal, it will enhance the
fire protection because there will be pressure at the trailer park, it will effect the overall
community from the stand point of Taughannock Park, which is the cornerstone of our
community and safe to say a lot of people come and spend money in the Town and
Village, and then whether people want to hear it or not the Village of Trumansburg needs
a second source of water because they are breaking the law . Mr. Ferrentino still finds it
hard to believe that the Village spent $ 80,000 and the valve is not there and we are not
getting the secondary supply to the Village residents . Mr. Ferrentino said so when you
say a $20, 000 savings to Mr. Auble there are hundreds of people that are not getting
potable water and that water out there is pretty bad in that district and at the end of that
there is roughly 55 % of the Town of Ulysses that would have fire hydrants in it.
Ms . Marino said that she is not in anyway saying that the Town should save Mr. Auble
$20 ,000 at the expense of everyone else ' s public health, she was merely pointing out the
numbers . Ms . Marino said though it actually brings something else up that she has had
several people ask about recently that they keep hearing at these meetings and
discussions and that Mr. Austic and Mr. Ferrentino bring up that there is no fire
protection now. She said that people have questioned if they have fire protection where
there are no fire hydrants . Ms . Marino asked Mr. Austic to address that.
Mr. Austic said that they do have adequate fire protection with our contract with the
Village however a water district makes fire protection easier and better because the
source of water in a water district is every 500 feet and also there are insurance
advantages to people who live near fire hydrants .
Mr. Ferrentino said that no one has said that there is no fire protection out in the Town .
Special Town Board Meeting 9
June 25th, 2007
Ms . Georgia pointed out that she is on Village water on Waterburg Road and has a fire
hydrant several feet from her house and it does not work. Ms . Georgia knows that she
still has fire protection but for many years she believed that hydrant worked and so did
the other residents in the neighborhood but it has not ever worked .
Mr. Barry said do the water district first and then do the annexation.
Mr. Austic said you could not have a Town water district in the Village .
Mr. Hrubos said that could be a detail worked out, but the fact of the matter is the law is
very clear that the application for the annexation and this application must be dealt with
in a timely manner or it becomes automatic .
Mr. Hrubos was asked when the Village plans to meet again on annexation.
Mr. Hrubos said that the Village will be holding another public hearing on July 11th, 2007
at the Trumansburg High School Auditorium 7 PM .
Mr. Austic said that the Boards have 90 days from the joint public hearing held June 4th
to make their decisions .
Mr. Ferrentino said that the sad thing is that after the Village said no the last time the
same reasons hold true now. Mr. Ferrentino said that the Village can not maintain the
roads in the trailer park because that is private property, there would not be Village
garbage pick-up, and the water lines are in disrepair.
Chris Thomas said that Mr. Ferrentino said that there are hundreds of people added to this
water district but his understanding was that there were only 40 to 60 new users .
Mr. Austic said that is a wrong understanding. Mr. Austic said that the 40 to 60 was
taken off of the water district that was never completed . Mr. Austic said there are around
300 users who are not currently on water.
Ms . Marino said it is according to how you count . Based on Mr. Pond ' s spread sheet 183
out of the 400 EDU"S all ready have Village water so that leaves 267 out of the 183
EDU"S , but EDU"S are not individuals because 85 are the park, 24 at Alpha House.
Mr. Austic had provided a map with the houses that he said he provided to the Board
before; he will make other copies of that .
The Board discussed the number of houses .
Ms . Stewart said she had a comment and when she first asked why the Town voted yes
for the annexation in the past it was stated that it was because there was no disadvantage
by now it seems that the only reason Auble is being used is because you need numbers
and the park all ready has water.
Mr. Austic said the park does not have everything they need from the water such as fire
hydrants, the pressure is low so if you had fire hydrants it would be a safer place to live .
Mr. Ullberg said people do tend to locate where water is available and early on in this
process he heard it stated that where the water goes really does not have much to do with
planning for the Town or Village.
Mr. Austic said that was not true and he is sure that Ms . Marino will have something to
say about this — the zoning that the Town has in effect today was basically worked on for
three or four years before the water district was considered so the maps were on the
interne and had had public hearings several times so when Mr. Frantz created the zoning
he knew and when Mr. Pond created the water district he knew the zoning. The map was
available at least a year before the water district was designed.
Special Town Board Meeting 10
June 25th, 2007
Mr. Ferrentino said you can not design a water district where there is not going to be
people to use it because you could not get the funding.
Ms. Marino said that Mr. Austic is right and she does need to say something to that and
what she would like to say for clarification is that it is indeed true that the zoning map
was worked on for a long time and she went to hundreds of hours of meetings working on
every detail of the zoning ordinance and the Town had a consultant that was hired to help
develop the zoning law but she said she does not recall ever discussing that water district
being there as part of the consulting, the developing the maps and the new zoning never
once and it turned out that the application was sent to the State for the water district to put
it on the list within two weeks of the date that the Town Board voted to pass the Zoning
Law so the Town Board did not know about it and it was not included in the zoning
discussions .
Mr. Lodder said then as he understands it about 350 families give or take stand to get
portable water, fire protection if District 5 goes in and Auble stands to pocket $20, 000 if
it doesn ' t according to the figures given here tonight. Mr. Auble stands to profit from it
and the people that need water lose .
Mr. Ferrentino said "you ' ve got it".
Mr. Austic said you could say that.
Mr. Lodder said then to him he feels that it is a no brainer and does not see how the
Board could approve annexation. The Boards responsibility is to the people in the Town
of Ulysses not Mr. Auble .
Mr. Hayes said then the only reason for this annexation is to kill Water District #5 .
Mr. Ferrentino said that according to Mayor Levine when he called him after Mr.
Ferrentino had received the annexation papers, he said to the mayor that he did not
understand and the exact words were "Rod this is to squash Water District #5 ". Mr.
Ferrentino said those were his exact words .
Mr. Hrubos said that he can assure you that there are more then one reason why
annexation has pluses and it also has negatives and the Trustees have to look at the pros
and cons just like the Town is doing and he assured everyone that it is not a single issue.
Mr. Austic asked if there were any more comments .
Ms . Marino said in regards to being reasonably acceptable to consider Water District #5
as one of the ways of evaluating the public good and so in that respect and also just
making a decision on that which the Board needs to do independent of whether or not
there is annexation is even on the table there is some information gathering efforts still
sort of hanging out there and Ms . Marino was just wondering where those are. Ms .
Marino said she also spoke with Mr. Petrovic the Village Mayor to find out where the
Village is at with getting their study of the water capacity because that really connects
quite strongly to the most resent proposal to make it more affordable to the Village and
she does not really see how to make a decision until the Board has this information and
other information.
Mr. Hrubos said that the Village ' s July 2nd meeting one of the orders of business is the
contracts to Hunt Engineering to do a water study for the Village .
Mr. Austic said hopefully Mr. Pond will have the completed report to the Town soon.
Ms . Marino said she had gotten an email from a Town resident referencing a miniature
golf course to be built in Ulysses and asked if anyone had any information on this .
Mr. Hrubos said he had heard rumors about the property between Stover' s Lumber and
David Kline ' s property someone was looking into purchasing that for miniature golf, go
cart track and batting cages as a recreation facility.
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Special Town Board Meeting 11
June 25th, 2007
Mr. Austic said that there could be a problem with that property because it is in a PUD .
Ms . Marino said she would like to clarify their schedules even though Mr. Ellis is absent
tonight. Ms . Marino said she knows right now that she will be out of town for the
meeting in August. She is leaving town after the Regular Town Board meeting in July
and returning August 17th . So she will not be available for the second meeting in July
either.
Ms . Tyler said she will be here for the July and August Regular Board meetings but at
this time not sure about her availability for the second meetings of those months .
Mr. Ferrentino said he believes they will all work with his schedule.
Hearing no further business Mr. Ferrentino moved , seconded by Ms . Tyler to adjourn the
meeting. Unanimously approved. Meeting adjourned at 9pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Marsha L. Georgia
Ulysses Town Clerk
MLG : mlg