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Home My WebLink About2020-12-10TB 12-10-20 Page 1 of 6 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING December 10, 2020 Via Zoom Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl James Skaley, Cl Kathrin Servoss, Cl Loren Sparling Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Other Town Staff: Amanda Anderson, Bookkeeper Ray Burger, Planning Director Supv Leifer opened the meeting at 6:02 p.m. Abstract Approval RESOLUTION #148 (2020) – APPROVE ABSTRACT #12 Cl Servoss offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves Abstract #12, as audited, general vouchers #896 through #968 ($349,324.36) and TA vouchers #47 through #50 ($4,645.93), totaling $353,970.29. 2nd Cl Skaley Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Budget Modifications A request for several budget modifications over different departments was reviewed. All but one are related to a 27-payroll year and one is a very small adjustment for an incorrect voucher prepared in the spring. RESOLUTION #149 (2020) – APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATIONS Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the following budget modifications: From To A9060.8 Medical Ins A1110.102 Court Clerk 1 1,801.88 A9060.8 Medical Ins A1110.103 Court Clerk 2 2,504.21 A9060.8 Medical Ins A5010.101 Dpty Supt of Highway 2,111.96 A9060.8 Medical Ins A5010.102 Highway Secretary 1,346.15 B9060.8 Medical Ins B8020.101 Planning Director 2,504.73 B9060.8 Medical Ins B3620.102 Code Enforcement Officer 2 1,966.57 TB 12-10-20 Page 2 of 6 B9060.8 Medical Ins B3620.106 Keyboard Specialist 1,429.03 SF1-599 Fund Balance SF1-3410.403 Varna Fire Contract 0.02 2nd Cl Sparling Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Covid 19 Guideline Update A Anderson said we are definitely starting to see more Covid cases in town. The town office building has not had any actual cases, but have had some quarantines. The Highway/DPW has had some cases and exposures and quarantines. She received an email from the Tompkins County Health Department that clears up what essential employees need to do, and she forwarded it to the Highway Superintendent. We are doing what we can to make employees feel safe at the office building. Supv Leifer reported the county is moving to 50% or less staff due to the uptick in numbers. The advantage that we have at town hall is that departments are separate and there is adequate space within to socially distance. Set Pay Rates The Town must send a payroll certification to Civil Service in January. They require this resolution for any employee that is less than 40 hours and not directly listed as a line in our budget. RESOLUTION #150 (2020) – APPROVE 2021 PAY RATES Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves 2021 pay rates for non-union Highway/DPW and Town Hall employees who work less than 40 hours per week, OR do not have their own unique budget lines as follows: Name Title Hire Date 2020 rate 2021 rate % Increase Town Hall Employees: Andrew Pierce Rec Supervisor 03/19/18 20.21 20.61 2.0 Interim Dept head Stipend 1.90 1.90 0.0 Lee Parker Deputy Clerk 12/30/09 14.10 14.38 2.0 Sherri Crispell Senior Account Clerk 05/17/12 22.00 22.44 2.0 Cassandra Byrnes Confidential Secretary to Supervisor 11/19 /18 18.25 18.62 2.0 David Buck PT Court Attendant 06/01/14 42.87 43.73 2.0 James Niemi PT Court Attendant 06/01/14 42.87 43.73 2.0 John Arsenault PT Court Attendant 11/25/19 42.87 43.73 2.0 Highway/DPW Employees: TB 12-10-20 Page 3 of 6 Shawn Flynn Seasonal MEO (PT as needed) 01/13/15 18.50 18.87 2.0 Christopher Clauson Asst. Supt. Of Public Works 09/05/17 $50,418 $51,426 2.0 Jaime Arnold MEO Temporary 11/23/20 27.75 27.75 0.0 2nd Cl Skaley Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Presentation Lou Vogel gave a presentation on the NYStretch Energy Code and the board discussed the benefits of adopting that with him and Terry Carroll. Broadband Grant Application There is a grant opportunity available called Community Connects through USDA Rural Utilities Services. Supv Leifer asked the board to approve two resolutions authorizing him to apply. He added that they expect more funding opportunities in the future. RESOLUTION #151 (2020) – Authorize Supervisor as Representative-Signature-Certifier for ReConnect Program and Community Connect Grant Program Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: 1. RESOLVED that Jason M. Leifer, the Supervisor of the Town of Dryden, have the assigned Representative-Signature-Certifier security role on behalf of the Town of Dryden, who shall be responsible for providing signatures, authorizing certifications, entering/updating applications, submitting applications for consideration, and assigning access to new users in USDA’s Online Application System for the ReConnect Program and Community Connect Grant Program. If application(s) are awarded under either Program, the Representative-Signature-Certifier security role on behalf of the Town, shall also be responsible for authorizing certifications, entering/updating compliance reports, submitting compliance reports, and assigning access to new users in USDA’s Online Financial Reporting Compliance System. 2. RESOLVED that Jason M. Leifer, the Supervisor of the Town of Dryden, have the assigned Administrator security role on behalf of the Town, who shall be responsible for assigning access to new users and entering/updating applications in USDA’s Online Application System for the ReConnect Program and Community Connect Grant Program. If application(s) are awarded under either Program, the Administrator security role on behalf of the Town, shall also be responsible for assigning access to new users and entering/updating compliance reports in USDA’s Online Financial Reporting Compliance System. 3. RESOLVED that the Representative-Signature-Certifier and Administrator for the Town shall comply fully with all security procedures and policies of the Online Application System for the ReConnect Program and Community Connect Grant Program and USDA’s Online Financial Reporting and Compliance System. TB 12-10-20 Page 4 of 6 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes RESOLUTION #152 (2020) - Approving and endorsing a grant application to 2020 USDA Community Connects Grant Program Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: WHEREAS, the Town of Dryden is applying to the Rural Utilities Services Community Connects Grant Program for a project to implement a Town of Dryden Municipal Internet Access Network (herein Project) within the Town of Dryden, a site located within the territoria l jurisdiction of this Town Board of the Town of Dryden; and WHEREAS, the maximum grant award is $3,000,000 as defined by the USDA Rural Utilities Services Community Connect Program; and WHEREAS, the applicant must provide a matching contribution at le ast 15% of the grant amount requested. The match must be in cash and available at time of closing to be used solely for the Project. The said Applicant must demonstrate it has sufficient cash on hand to fund the Matching Contribution for the application; and WHEREAS, as a requirement of these programs, said Town of Dryden must demonstrate its financial wherewithal by submitting a recent bank statement titled in the Applicant’s name. NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Town of Dryden hereby does approve and endorses the Town of Dryden’s application of Town of Dryden Municipal Internet Access Network for a grant under the USDA Rural Utilities Services Community Connects Grant Program This grant application request is $3,000,000 for the eligible grant p urposes. The Town of Dryden match is $450,000. 2nd Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Dog Control Supv Leifer reported that Chris Kappler, who is purchasing the Leonard’s property, has agreed to lease the kennel to the town for use as a dog shelter for $1,800 per month. He is not interested in being the dog control officer. There was an RFP for dog control officer in 2013 and the board reviewed it. A total of $47,560 (lease, DCO and expenses) was budgeted for 2021. The new annual lease amount is $21,600, leaving $25,960. We’ll have to see what the bids come in at. RESOLUTION #153 (2020) – AUTHORIZE RFP FOR DOG CONTROL Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: TB 12-10-20 Page 5 of 6 RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor to release a request for proposals for dog control officer in substantially the same form as the one released in 2013. 2nd Cl Servoss Roll Call Vote Cl Sparling Yes Cl Servoss Yes Cl Skaley Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes Borger Station Air Permit Update Cl Lamb reported the Borger Station Air Permit was the first approved through the CLCPA in the state. It appears that the DEC came to the determination that the net benefits to public health outweighed the increased emissions and approved it. This is a 62 million -dollar project/upgrade at the Borger Station. He will try to obtain the analysis they used in making the approval. He noted the company is now known as Berkshire Hathaway. Comp Plan Update Cl Lamb said they will hold virtual public meetings on January 20, 26 and 27 at 6:00 p.m. Each night will have a different focus. Topics include housing, energy and economic development. There are six modules they are seeking public comment on. He is optimistic they will see better than expected participation. The consultant has developed a public outreach plan to aggressively get the word out through press releases and notices on social media and signboards throughout the town. Rail Trail Route 13 Bridge Update Cl Lamb reported the subcommittee that is working on the bridge alignment at Route 13 hasn’t settled on a final design and alignment. They are trying to keep the costs low. The shaping of the earth that supports the bridge is very costly. It will be a 2.5-million-dollar project. Some additional land will need to be acquired and that will be negotiated by DOT. Short Term Rental Law Cl Lamb said there will be a group meeting to talk about how to tweak the law further so that if there are multiple violations after a permit is issued there is a mechanism to revoke that permit. They’ve discussed getting reports on a monthly basis from the Sheriffs Department. Recommendations will be forthcoming. Cl Skaley said the problem in Fox Hollow continues. He has asked the Planning Director to draft a letter to the property owner. R Burger noted that Tompkins County has put out an RFP for monitoring services for short-term rentals. Four companies have responded and will be evaluated by a committee. This would, at a minimum, gather the address data. There may be add-on services like rental activity. There will be a cost benefit analysis. COUNTY BRIEFING Mike Lane said they continue to be very concerned about the uptick in the number of Covid cases and there has been another death at a nursing home. We don’t know if the Governor will tighten things down again. They continue to worry about the community c ollege. TB 12-10-20 Page 6 of 6 They have received one payment from the state (cut by 20%) and they are still behind in payments. There are various stimulus packages before Congress. One compromise talks about money for municipalities as a talking point but really doesn’t pro pose that. He doesn’t think municipalities should rely on getting anything. He has asked that a discussion about the Dryden Lake dam be added to the agenda for the next facilities meeting at the county. Hopefully there will be support from the town, vi llage and the county to ask DEC to rebuild the dam so we can maintain a recreation area there. He’s received information from the Dryden Town Historical Society about the historic nature of the lake. Apparently there has been dams there going back to 180 1. If we don’t have a dam, there will be a swamp there and it will be a detriment to Dryden Lake Park and the Jim Schug Trail. Supv Leifer said he has been trying to connect with someone at the DEC. 12-17-20 Agenda Will include: • SEQR review for the broadband project and resolution • Noise Law and Zoning Amendment Public Hearing at 6:30 p.m. • Resolutions for water and sewer rates • Introduction for contractor yard at 1622 Dryden Road • Introduction for a multi-unit project at 1279 Dryden Road Varna Water/Sewer Cl Skaley reported the field work is complete on the income survey for the Varna Water/Sewer projects and it appears that we would be in the running for a hardship grant to assist with the cost of the projects. That could be up to a two -million-dollar award. He has asked TG Miller to begin work on a NEPA (like SEQR Type 2) review that will be required for the CDBG grant application. Other information was been collected in the income survey (ethnicity, household size, etc.) that will also be useful in grant applications. The data is expected in the next week or so. There has been no report from EFC regarding their evaluation process. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:42 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk