HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-11-10 - TB Town of Ulysses
Regular Town Board Meeting
November 10, 2008
PRESENT : Supervisor Douglas Austic ; Council Rod Ferrentino, David Kerness,
Elizabeth Thomas and Lucia Tyler; Town Clerk Marsha L . Georgia; Highway
Superintendent James Meeker; Attorney Mariette Geldenhuys .
Others Present : Chris Austin, Dog Control Officer, Roxanne Marino, and Daniele
Winterton, Ithaca Journal Reporter.
Supervisor Austic called the meeting to order at 7 : 30 PM and led those assembled in the
pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
After some minor changes by Ms . Tyler, Ms . Thomas moved, seconded by Mr. Kerness
the following :
BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses approve the
minutes of the Regular Town Board meeting of October 14, 2008 , the Special
Town Board minutes of June 26 , 2008 , October 1 , 2 , 15 , 20, and the 29t of 2008 .
Mr. Austic aye
Mr. Ferrentino aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Adopted
APPROVAL OF CLAIMS
Mr. Austic said that before the claims could be approved there had to be a budget
modification.
Mr. Austic moved, seconded by Mr. Kerness the following :
BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses approve the
following budget modifications :
• Decrease Contingency A1990 .4 $2620. 09
• Increase Court CE A1110.4 1745 . 30
• Increase Records Mngt . A1460 . 4 874. 79
Mr. Austic aye
Mr. Ferrentino aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Adopted
Ms . Tyler moved seconded by Mr. Kerness the following:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses approve the
previous examined vouchers #397 through 429 in the amount of $ 14, 887. 73 .
Mr. Austic aye
Mr. Ferrentino aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Ms . Thomas aye
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11 / 10/2008
Ms . Tyler aye
Adopted
REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES
Dog Control Officer Chris Austin reported that every thing is going very well ; all the
tickets have been issued and he has answered all the complaints that have come before
him. Mr. Austin said that he sees that the SPCA has billed the Town for 18 dogs which is
a discrepancy to the actual dogs that he has turned over so he feels they are billing the
Town for dogs that people are surrendering. Mr. Austin has reports as to the dogs he has
taken to the SPCA and Mr. Austic will check into the billing. Mr. Austin said that lately
he has taken the dogs to his facility so the owners can redeem the dogs easier. The
reaction to this from the dog owners was excellent because they did not have to drive the
distance to the SPCA to retrieve their pet. Mr. Austin ' s facilities have been inspected by
Ag and Markets . Mr. Austic feels that he could handle the impoundment in the future for
the five days . Mr. Austic feels that it will take awhile for the public to learn that he is the
dog control officer in Ulysses . Also the Tompkins County agencies have to be educated
to the fact. Mr. Austin said it would be helpful if when the SPCA is called that they just
give the complainant his phone number instead of taking the message and they call him .
The Town will do some more advertising of the fact that there is a new Dog Control
Officer, and add his cell phone to the web page (his name and home phone are on the
web page presently) . If at all possible have a separate listing in the phone book for Mr.
Austin. A problem with Mr. Austin ' s communication system arises from his inability to
receive cell phone calls when he is at home and no way to forward home calls to his cell
phone leaving a hole in the method for Town residents to reach him. Mr. Austin is not
clear who is the director of the SPCA and feels Abigail Smith is not the director.
Ms . Tyler said that if Mr. Austin was to impound the dogs in his facility the Board should
inspect such facility. The contract would have to be revised to include this . Mr. Austin
has no contract with a veterinarian to care for injured dogs . He uses Vivian Sherman
unofficially.
Tompkins County Representative Jim Dennis — absent
Trumansburg Fire Department — see report below.
Planning Board Report — Mr. Kerness reported that the Planning Board plans to meet
with Mr. Rachun and Mr . Coogan to discuss a Conservation Overlay on November 18th ,
2008 . The discussion will revolve around what an overlay would mean and what some of
the requirements would be for boundary conditions . They are just going to be trying to
put some guidelines down so when the Planning Board reviews they would have some
kind of process to access .
Comprehensive Plan Committee Report — Ms . Thomas said that some of the
committee people met with Ed Marx because he is working on the Rt . 96 Corridor Study
and he had some concerns after reading the draft Ulysses Comprehensive Plan that the
Rt. 96 Study did not include Krums Corners intersection as a node or a certain
concentrated area of development and the Ulysses Comprehensive Plan does include that
area. This is a big concern of Mr. Marx ' s and they are going to try and work this out.
Ms . Thomas said that the Town Board can probably expect the CPC to come to the Board ,
at the December Regular Town Board meeting to declare themselves as lead agency.
Recreation Partnership Representative — Ms . Marino stated that the Town should try
to find a replacement as the representative to the Partnership because it is increasingly
difficult for her to attend the meetings because they re at 4 : 15 on the last Tuesday of the
month due to her work. If the Partnership is able to change their meeting time this could
resolve itself She is willing to be the alternate .
PUBLIC PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR
t
Regular Town Board Meeting 3
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11 / 10/2008
Ms . Marino said she will repeat what she said at the public hearing and that is she is
concerned about using a large amount of sales tax and fund balance because of the
potential down turn of the economy that is being currently forecasted . Governor Patterson
stated that he had reported recently that there would be a 25 % decrease in the State
Budget and the Budget after that would be even worse . Also the unemployment is at an
all time high. Ms . Marino suggested that the Board be more conservative with sales tax
and fund balance so in the future years the residents are not hit with a large tax increase .
Mr. Kerness said that he was talking with David Squires and at this time the Town of
Ithaca has a 4 . 7 % unrestricted fund balance and the Town of Ulysses has a 31 % . Mr.
Kerness does not feel that is being under conservative ; that is extremely conservative .
Mr. Kerness said that in respect to the revenue side the Town could be potentially
understating their revenue by $ 100, 000 so he does not feel that the Town ' s budget today
is not conservative by any measure that we normally use .
TOWN REPORTS
Highway Superintendent James Meeker reported the following :
• Mowed back ditches for sight distance & brush removal
• Paved invert at Church Road for channeling water into catch basin
• Working on changing oil & filters on equipment for winter
• Salt boxes installed
• Loader back from 5 - Star Equipment where the head gasket, injectors and injection
pump repaired
• 198 Mack has to have a new front spring installed at Beam Mack before it will
pass inspection
Mr. Meeker said that he talked with Fingerlakes Construction about the plans for the
building and they tell him they should been done very shortly.
Code Enforcement Officer Alex Rachun - absent
Town Clerk Marsha L. Georgia reported that a total of $ 3 , 101 was collected for the
month of October and $ 836 . 68 was turned over to the Supervisor along with her
monthly report. Also one plumbing permit was issued and $2 , 072 . 22 was collected
for conservation licenses .
Ms . Georgia also reported on the Winter Festival that is taking place on December 5th
& 6th . She invited the Town Board to help with the serving of the free hot dogs that
the Town is providing Saturday night at the Fairgrounds before the fireworks .
Board Members and Committees
Ms . Thomas reported that the Trumansburg Village is reconvening members of their
Comprehensive Plan Committee to look at the potential uses of their new annexed
property, so for right now they will keeping a moratorium on that land. The sidewalk
brick placement has been completed by volunteers and they are very hopeful that the
street lights will be lit for the Winter Festival . Response rate by volunteers for EMS
ambulance calls have improved dramatically.
Supervisor Austic previously distributed the monthly financial statement to the
Board . No one had any questions
OLD BUSINESS
2009 Budget
Mr. Ferrentino wanted to make comments or ask questions about a couple of line
items in the budget. First the $ 5000 allocated for Stream Research he is against this
and feels that it is a waste of tax payer' s money the way it is laid out right now and
other agencies are doing testing.
Regular Town Board Meeting 4
11 / 10/2008
Mr. Austic also said he was against :this also,
Ms . Thomas said this money is ear marked to look into stream management and not
set aside at this time for any particular contract.
Mr. Ferrentino said another concern is the money being put into the budget of
$ 11 ,000 for a Village building when the Village has not even bought the building nor
has any plans for any work .
Ms . Thomas said that a community center would be used by all not just Village
residents and if that comes about in 2009 the Town would have money to contribute
to it.
Mr. Austic said he believes the money should not be put in the budget until there is a
concrete plan. Mr. Ferrentino agreed.
Mr. Ferrentino is not in support of setting aside money to work on the action items for
the Comprehensive Plan.
Both Mr. Austic and Mr. Ferrentino expressed their disapproval of doing another
audit so soon.
Mr. Austic still would rather see an increase in the bookkeeper pay and not the
Supervisor' s pay.
Mr. Kerness said he sees the Supervisor as taking on more responsibility and manage
people who answer to the Supervisor.
Ms . Thomas commented on the Budget Presentation for 2009 and the changes that
need to be made .
•
Mr. Austic said that she can provide him with the changes and he can make them or
she can.
The board discussed who is supervising employees at the Town Hall . Mr. Kerness
feels the employees at the Town Hall need supervision but Mr. Austic pointed out
that the only person he should supervise is Dick Coogan and Alex Rachun.
Department heads are responsible for their own departments but Department heads
are not always present . Mr. Kerness is concerned people don ' t know who they report
to.
Ms . Thomas has hand written changes to the 2009 budget explanation but since all
electronic copies of the narrative in Word that can be edited were lost. Ms . Georgia
will try to recreate it in Word so Ms . Thomas can make edits . Since Ms . Thomas ' s
changes are extensive, the budget will be passed temporarily without the narrative
and readdress this issue at the next meeting.
Hearing all the concerns Mr. Austic moved, seconded by Ms . Thomas the following :
BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses adopt the 2009
preliminary budget.
Mr. Austic abstained
-
Mr. Ferrentino nay
Mr. Kerness aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Adopted
Ms . Thomas introduced the following resolution, moved by Ms . Thomas, seconded by
Ms . Tyler the following :
Regular Town Board Meeting 5
11 / 10/2008
Resolution Regarding Bookkeeping Accountability
Whereas : Ulysses Town Board members are elected to be responsible for fiscal oversight
for the citizens they represent; and
Whereas : in order to perform these duties, each Board member of the Town of Ulysses
must be supplied with accurate and complete budgetary information;
Be it therefore resolved that for the upcoming 2010 budget which the Town Board will
consider in the fall of 2009 , the bookkeeper provide EACH Town Board members with
the following :
• Budget justifications IN PRINT from each department explaining their requested
expenditures in Contractual Expense (CE) and Equipment (EQ) lines .
• The total amount of sales tax received throughout 2009 .
• A tentative budget with accurate and DATED Year-to-Date figures using the
sums from either the end of August or September.
• A written estimate of any large appropriations or revenues expected for the
remainder of the year e . g. a large outstanding bill for asphalt when the roadwork
is projected to fall within the fiscal year.
• A written prediction of the estimated year-end fund balances for the present fiscal
year with equations written out and acronyms defined . Multiple terms should not
be used to describe for the same budget item .
• Each Town Board member will be provided with a hard copy of all year-end
reports that are submitted to the State of New York Comptrollers . If this
document exceeds 50 pages, then a single copy will be printed for Board members
to share .
• Continue to provide Town Board members and the public with a budget narrative
describing that summarizes the main changes in spending within the 2010 budget.
In November 2008 , this document was titled 2009 Budget Presentation.
• In the 2009 fiscal year, the bookkeeper will breakdown the CE lines into
subcategories such as utilities , office supplies, technical support, fuel , etc . in order
to better understand spending patterns .
• Budget amounts used during the budget season to calculate the upcoming year' s
budget will use the same figures as were voted on when the budget was adopted
(e . g. the 2009 "budget as modified" column will be the same as the adopted 2009
budget) except where modified . The bookkeeper will keep a written list tracking
and explaining budget modifications made during the fiscal year.
Added at the 11 / 10/08 meeting by Dave Kerness :
• A summary of all reserve accounts .
• A summary of all unrestricted accounts .
Mr. Austic abstained
Mr. Ferrentino abstained
Mr. Kerness aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Adopted
Attorney Mariette Geldenhuys reported about the email effective date in the
memorandum that went out on the "Ethics Policy" and that effective date can not be
made retroactive. The concern is the notice issue.
Ms . Geldenhuys said she thinks it best that who ever got it in writing just to clarify that
the information date is the day that they received it.
Ms . Geldenhuys said that the other matter is a "FOIL" request that she worked on with
Mr. Austic and Ms . Georgia and asked if they had any questions . Ms . Geldenhuys
Regular Town Board Meeting 6
11 / 10/2008
explained that the FOIL request was from CSEA requesting detailed information on all
employees . Her response was you give a list of employee ' s names, titles, office
addresses, and salaries, but not private information.
Trumansburg Fire Department Jason Fulton, Chief arrived after the Village Board
meeting and reported that the firehouse is getting a much needed furnace and the roadside
signs (property address signs) have been complete except for Rt. 89 . Mr. Fulton said that
the Village just gave the okay to buy a new fire truck that will be ordered at the end of
this year and will arrive by next fall . The price for this is $474,000 and the money is in
the reserve account. Mr. Fulton said there were 59 calls, 42 EMS calls, 17 fire calls out
of that total the Town of Ulysses had 14 EMS calls and 11 fire calls .
Mr. Ferrentino said that Ms . Thomas had reported earlier in the meeting that EMS
volunteer responses are better.
Mr. Fulton said that is correct the evening coverage is much better.
Mr. Fulton said that at the Village meeting the billing came up again for EMS service. It
is kind of on the back burner but it is when it is going to happen because of all the new
mandates that are coming out that have to be obeyed and the cost for everything is going
up .
Other Business
Ms . Thomas asked Mr. Meeker about the sign Ms . Maguire had requested on Frontenac
Road . Mr. Meeker reported that had been taken care of
Mr. Meeker said that a petition will be coming to the Board from residents on South
Street and Penn . Ave. about a reduction in the speed limit extending the Village speed
limit. On Penn. Ave the Town would have to install the signs and maintain them . The
process is the petition goes to the Town Highway Department, the Town Board, and
Tompkins County and if everyone approves it then goes to the State and the State would
make their determination as to if it warrants posting the reduced speed.
Ms . Thomas said that she thought last July, Scott Doyle was going to come to a Board
meeting to talk about Development Rights .
Mr. Austic said that it was scheduled several times but was cancelled for one reason or
another but he can see if that could be set up again .
Hearing no further business Mr. Ferrentino moved, seconded by Mr. Kerness to adjourn
the meeting. Unanimously approved, meeting adjourned at 9 : 30 PM .
Respectfully submitted,
Marsha L. Georgia
Ulysses Town Clerk
MLG : mlg