Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-09-21TB 9-21-34 Page 1 of 6 TOWN OF DRYDEN TOWN BOARD MEETING September 21, 2023 Zoom Hybrid Present: Supervisor Jason Leifer, Cl Daniel Lamb, Cl Leonardo Vargas- Mendez, Cl Christina Dravis Absent: Spring Buck Elected Officials: Bambi L. Avery, Town Clerk Other Town Staff: Cassie Byrnes, Secretary to the Supervisor Ray Burger, Planning Director Chris O’Connor, Fire Coordinator Supv Leifer opened the meeting at 6:10 p.m. Board members and audience recited the pledge of allegiance. RESOLUTION #158 (2023) – APPROVE MINUTES Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the meeting minutes of August 10 and August 17, 2023. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes ANNOUNCEMENTS The Freeville Fiber Festival will be held September 25 and the Southworth Heritage Festival will be held September 30. HIGHWAY/DPW DEPARTMENT Highway Superintendent Rick Young would like to purchase two new pickup trucks, one for DPW and one for Highway, at a cost not to exceed $112,000 for both. RESOLUTION #159 (2023) – APPROVE PURCHASE OF PICKUP TRUCKS Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby authorizes the purchase of two new pickup trucks, one from DPW funds (A1490.2) and one from Highway funds (DA -5130.2), at a total cost not to exceed $112,000.00. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes TB 9-21-34 Page 2 of 6 Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes An insurance check was received for the damaged ten-wheeler in the amount of $186,314.00. R Young said he has purchased the ten-wheeler back and will fix it so they can use the hard body, though it may not be able to be used for plowing. He will use the remainder of the insurance funds toward a new truck (at a cost of about $320,000) that may not be delivered until 2025. They are just now getting trucks approved for purchase in February of 2021, so he would like to get this one ordered now. If the repa irs cost about $40,000, there will be about $130,000 left of the insurance recovery to apply to the cost of a new one, so he would need about $190,000 from his budget. RESOLUTION #160 (2023) – APPROVE PURCHASE OF NEW 10-WHEELER DUMP TRUCK Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: RESOLVED, that this Town Board hereby approves the purchase of a new ten-wheel dump truck at a cost not to exceed $320,000, with the remainder of insurance recovery funds after repairs to a damaged truck to be applied, from DA-5130.2. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes With respect to the §284 agreement for this year, R Young reported paving has been completed on Kimberly Drive, Kimberly Circle, Keith Lane, Tehan Road, Card Road, and the approaches on Pinkney Road. They have widened Lower Creek Road, moved poles back and done some bank stabilization. They also increased the width of the curve. They have also paved Walden Lane, George Road, and Etna Road. They did some shimming on Ellis Hollow Creek Road. Mohawk Road has been completed. Livermore Road, Orion Drive, and McClintock Road have been micro-paved. Pinckney Road bank stabilization is completed for this year. It will continue next year together with work on Lower Creek Road. Most of the §284 has been completed and if they can get the blacktop, they will do Scenic Way, Hall Woods Road, and Bear Circle. Serious drainage problems have been repaired on Hall Woods Road. Electricity is installed for the fiber shed near the highway barn and they will pour concrete sidewalks to the fiber building tomorrow and repair the sidewalks at DPW offices. With respect to the Red Mill Road Bridge, the Dryden Caroline Drifters Snowmobile Club has shown interest in acquiring it to replace one of their existing bridges. Cl Lamb said the time for the town to do something with the bridge under the original MOU has expired. The County will need to reach out and let Army Corps and SHPO know that we are going to amend the MOU and that we will be moving this bridge to private property to be managed by the snowmobile club. They will maintain ownership and maintenance of this and they do have maintenance money to do that with. R Young will talk with County Highway Manager Jeff Smith tomorrow. The trusses will be visible from the rail trail at the proposed location. Installation of posts for the mile markers on the rail trail is complete and the signs can be added. TB 9-21-34 Page 3 of 6 PLANNING DEPARTMENT Ray Burger has provided his monthly update and it is posted on the web. He added that ground has broken for 1279 Dryden Road, a 28-unit apartment building. FIRE COORDINATOR Chris O’Connor has continued to keep the board informed via email. Cl Lamb said sessions being scheduled with the departments will provide a good opportunity to discuss issues that have been outlined and the analysis has been helpful. C O’Connor said he would like to see the departments have what they need to thrive, but doesn’t want to see funds wasted. He added that this might be the year for the board to take a closer look and take care of the departments that are really doing the work and deal with longstanding issues. Cl Lamb suggested he relay that to the departments. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS Financial Audit – The board has reviewed and had a presentation of the audit of 2022 prepared by Insero & Co., CPAs, LLP. This will be done annually and is needed in connection with applications for federal funding. Resolution #161 (2023) - Acceptance of Audited Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2022 Supv Leifer offered the following resolution and asked for its adoption: Whereas, the Town of Dryden entered into a contract for auditing services with Insero & Co, CPAs, LLP, for the purpose of conducting an external audit of the town’s financial records for fiscal year 2022, and Whereas, the audit firm of Insero & Co, CPAs, LLP, has completed its audit of the financial statements of the Town of Dryden for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, and has presented the Financial Report to the Town Board, and Whereas, the audit firm has opined the 2022 financial statements contained in the prepared Financial Report present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position and the results of operations of the Town as of, and for, the year presented in the Financial Report, Whereas, the audit team has reviewed the results with the Town Bookkeeper and presented their findings to the Town Board, Resolved, that the audited Town of Dryden Financial Report, pending any editing changes by the auditors, for the period ended December 31, 2022, is hereby accepted, and will be filed in the Town Clerk’s office. 2nd Cl Lamb Roll Call Vote Cl Vargas-Mendez Yes Cl Dravis Yes Cl Lamb Yes Supv Leifer Yes TB 9-21-34 Page 4 of 6 Rail Trail License Agreement - Cornell University and the Town have executed a revocable license agreement that will provide access to the rail trail across Cornell owned lands to the Varna Community Association. Similar to the passage across DEC land on Game Farm Road, the town assumes liability for that property. This is a good example of the University partnering with a municipality and a non-profit. The VCA is excited about this and their volunteers will do all the maintenance, clear it out and maintain a trash can. Electronic Billboard Application – An application has been received from Park Outdoor for an electronic billboard. They propose a 12’ x 25’ two-faced sign on the south side of Route 13 and a little west of the NYSEG intersection. As part of the proposal, they will remove three other billboards in the area (everything within a mile either direction). The applicant will also need a permit from NYS Department of Transportation. A public hearing was set for October 19 at 6:10 p.m. ADVISORY BOARD UPDATES Agriculture Advisory Committee – Supv Leifer said they have been talking about the pending zoning updates and reviewing definitions. They want to be sure the rewrite addresses things previously brought up by Ag & Markets. Recreation & Youth Commission – Supv Leifer said that last month they began to talk about participating in the discussion about the lands behind the town hall. Money has been appropriated to get the wetland delineation done. Chair Dave Peck has talked with Mayor Murphy about some things. The wetland delineation has been requested from DEC. We have been advised that we are in the queue. R Burger heard last week from J ean Foley that she can’t do it and will look to her colleagues to see if they have time for it this fall. If not, the town will go ahead and contract for one. Broadband Committee – Last week the board approved purchases of materials and the Phase 3 agreement with Hunt. They expect that by the end of November the number of homes passed will be close to 1,000. Next year will be busy for connections. The committee meets again tomorrow. Planning Board – Site plan review was waived for a retail business at 2207 Dryden Road. They are trying to locate a dispensary there, but may go with another sales business. Starting October 4, 2023, more cannabis licenses will be opening up for availability. The Planning Board reviewed a sketch plan for three duplex units (12 beds) at 300 Lower Creek Road. They reviewed the plans for 1061 Dryden Road, and will have more detailed plans for their meeting next week. The number of parking spaces has been questioned as more than they really need and Cl Vargas-Mendez would like an explanation for the number of spaces provided. Cl Lamb said overall this plan is an improvement and he is not concerned with the number of parking spaces. Supv Leifer noted that open space has increased significantly. The Planning Board is interested in the Ezra Village development and would like to give comments to the Village. R Burger said he thinks this is a good idea and our Planning Board sees more large developments and site plans than the Village Planning Board does. Cl Lamb said the sidewalk and transportation issues are of interest to the town. We want to be sure it is a safe intersection and there is pedestrian access. TB 9-21-34 Page 5 of 6 Conservation Board – Highway Superintendent R Young said he understands the Conservation Board has made negative comments about him and the ditching. He said he has had training from Cornell University on the need to slow the flow of water toward the lake. He noted that he provided the Conservation Board chair with the list of roads on the 284 agreement and let him know that they would be doing ditching, drainage improvements, resurfacing, fixing shoulders, and paving. He heard nothing back. There is a short window for his department to work in. He is willing to work with someone from the Conservation Board. With respect to a complaint about the ditch work on Star Stanton Road, Jon Negley and Angel Hinickle from Tompkins County Soil and Water were consulted, visited the site, and provided instruction. It isn’t the town’s fault it didn’t work. Regarding concern about working in a wetland when the beaver dam blowout damaged the rail trail, Todd Bittner was consulted. He sent an assistant out and repairs were made on their recommendations. There was no equipment in the water. Rail Trail Task Force – Cl Lamb said there is another rail trail in Hector that had started using our logo. The rail trail team got in touch with FaceBook about them infringing on our rights and copyright and FaceBook took down those images. Our team, a few people in particular, spent a lot of time designing the logo, and it shouldn’t be reappropriated in another town. Supv Leifer has spoken with the town attorney about trademarking that logo and the one for Dryden Fiber. The quarter-mile markers donated by Finger Lakes Runners Club will be going up. DPW has installed the posts. Climate Smart Communities Task Force – NYSACC is holding their annual conference dinner tonight in Ithaca and will be awarding the town and three task force members awards. The task force sent out a survey to all town staff to help identify critical structures in the town for resiliency. They will also send it to the fire and police departments. Workforce and Affordable Housing – The committee took a walk to view the land in back of town hall. They then discussed the mobile home park section of our zoning. They will continue that discussion at the next meeting. They are requesting the town board give them formal authorization to review Section 183 of the town code and suggest updates and changes that the consultant may take into consideration in the zoning update effort. CITIZENS PRIVILEGE Supv Leifer said he received an email asking the town to pass building electrification policies. R Burger said the stretch code has a certain amount; we don’t have an electrification policy for buildings. His department puts people in touch with the Business Energy Advisor Program that the county runs. They give free consulting services. People can get a good look at their energy usage and what their potential options are. It is all on a suggested educational basis. OTHER ITEMS Budget workshops will be held October 5th at 6:00 p.m. for town departments and ambulance and on October 12th after approval of the abstract for fire departments. TB 9-21-34 Page 6 of 6 There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:18 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Bambi L. Avery Town Clerk