HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-10-13 - TB TOWN OF ULYSSES
REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING
OCTOBER 13 , 2009
Present : Supervisor Doug Austic ; Council Rod Ferrentino, David Kerness, Lucia Tyler,
and Elizabeth Thomas ; Marsha L. Georgia Town Clerk; James Meeker Highway
Superintendent; Attorney Mariette Geldenhuys .
Others Present : Roxanne Marino, Free Press Reporter Bill Chaisson, Town Historian
Nancy Dean, Diane Hillman, and Tom Schlee.
Supervisor Austic called the meeting to order at 7 : 30 PM and lead those assembled in the
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.
APPROVED MINUTES
Ms . Tyler 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 September 8 , 2009 , the Special Board meetings of
July 9, 2009, August 27 , 2009 and September 28 , 2009 and the Public Hearing of August
27, 2009 .
Mr. Austic aye
Mr. Ferrentino aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Adopted.
BUDGET MODIFICATIONS 2009
Mr. Austic introduced the budget modifications that need to be adopted before the claims
are approved as follows :
GENERAL FUND A
Increase A1320. 4 Audit $ 1400. 00
Increase A1620 . 4 Building CE 1500 . 00
Increase A6672 .4 Veterans Svc . 25 . 00
Increase A9060 . 8 Health Ins . 8752 . 00
Decrease A1990 . 4 Contingency 11677 . 00
HIGHWAY FUND DA
Increase DA5140. 1 Brush and Weeds PS 2174 . 84
Increase A9060 . 8 Health Ins . 7741 . 00
Decrease DA5120.4 Bridges CE 9915 . 84
HIGHWAY FUND DB
Increase DB9060 . 8 Health Ins . 1448 . 00
Decrease DB5110 . 4 Gen. Repair CE 1448 . 00
Mr. Kerness moved seconded by Ms . Thomas the following :
BE IT Resolved that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses approve the above
budget modifications for the 2009 budget .
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October 13 , 2009
Mr. Austic aye
Mr. Ferrentino aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Ms . Thomas aye •
Ms . Tyler aye
Adopted.
APPROVAL OF CLAIMS
Ms . Tyler moved seconded by Ms . Thomas the following :
BE IT Resolved that the Town 13oard of the Town of Ulysses approve the
previous examined vouchers #' s 341 through 386 in the amount of $42 ,977 . 12 .
Mr. Austic aye
Mr. Ferrentino aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Adopted.
REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES
Jim Dennis County Legislators — absent.
Trumansburg Fire Department — absent.
Planning Board Report — no one in attendance.
PUBLIC PRIVEDGE OF THE FLOOR
Historian Nancy Dean presents a new book to Supervisor Austic which is titled
"Tompkins County Images of Work and Play" . The book was put together by the
Tompkins County Historical Society with the help of all of the Town Historians in the
county. The book is also scheduled to go on sale at several local book stores .
TOWN REPORTS
Highway Superintendent James Meeker report the following :
• Town finished the site grade for the new building
• Finger Lakes Construction started the barn project on September 21St
They are moving along very strong the roof is on, the north end and west
side of the building is all sheeted now and starting on the east side . Most
of the windows and door are installed . They hope to finish the plumbing
and the back grading in the next few weeks .
• Helped Town of Ithaca pave
• Cleaned ditch on Cold Springs Road
• Helped Town of Enfield pave
4) Started work on the salt trucks
4) Hauled hot mix for Village of Trumansburg
4) Working on rebates and marking out center line for paving project on
Maplewood Road
Code Enforcement officer Alex Rachun was absent no report .
Town Clerk Marsha L. Georgia reported that the total fees collected for the month of
September were $ 12 ,204 . 78 and $ 10763 was collected for sporting licenses and will be
sent to DEC . A total of $ 1224 . 12 was turned over to the Supervisor along with her
monthly report .
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Regular Town Board Meeting 3
October 13 , 2009
Ms . Georgia said that she has been working on Water District #3 including all the new
hock-ups on the 2010 tax roles also on the past due water bills that will need to be relived
on the tax bills .
Board Members and Committees
Ms. Thomas stated that she was not able to attend the Youth meeting this last month but
did attend the meeting for the Council of Governments . At that meeting they had an
update on the H1N1 virus and how they are preparing for that . There also was a report
from Deer Management and how they are working on the deer population in Cayuga
Heights .
Ms. Tyler said that she attended the Environmental Management Council where a
professor from Cornell University spoke on waste water from hydro fracturing and how
ill equipped the waste water plants are to handle that. It will be a challenge at most for
them .
Deputy Supervisor Richard Coogan was absent and no report was given.
Supervisor Austic asked if there was any questions on the Supervisor' s financial report.
Questions are held to further in the meeting when the budget is discussed .
Mr. Austic said that the contract for "drug testing" had been received which he supplied
copies of to the Board. Mr. Austic asked the Board to look this over and if they have any
questions bring them to the next meeting .
Ms . Thomas asked Mr. Meeker if he had a chance to review the contract because he is the
one that deals with this for his department. Mr. Meeker had not reviewed it, but will and
get back to the Board.
Mr. Austic had previously distributed information he had received from the Health
Consortium providing information about the new rates . Mr. Coogan is attending these
meetings with the Health Consortium as he was appointed by the Board at the last
meeting. Mr. Austic also informed the Board that he had requested additional
information about the rates because what they had received was not very easy to
understand . Mr. Austic will get this additional information to the Board.
The Board requested that Mr. Coogan attend the second Board meeting scheduled for
October 22°d to report to the Board on the Health Consortium meetings .
OLB BUSINESS
Gas Drilling
Ms . Thomas said she wanted to update everyone and stated that the supplement generic
impact statement is out and we have until November 30th to submit comments and they
are going to have four public comment meetings around the Southerntier. The document
is over 800 pages and Ms . Thomas is working on finding out what it says . One of the
things that it does not address is the staffing of people who will be overseeing the drilling
sites nor does it address the waste water and where that will go . The County was amazed
on the enforcement and if testing comes back on wells the TC Health Department will be
following up but it does not appear that there will be any funding for that.
Ms . Thomas had previously emailed several items to the Board; an application for drive-
way permits, a draft local law in relation to regulations of commercial activities that have
adversely affect on Town Roads, and a local law passed by the Town of Lansing in
reference to "excavating and construction in Town roadways and rights-of way".
Ms . Thomas asked Mr. Meeker if the Highway Departments had been talking about any
of this .
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October 13 , 2009
Mr. Meeker said that there is a meeting scheduled where the Highway Superintendents
will be brought up to date .
Ms . Thomas asked Mr. Meeker if he had time to review the documents (previously listed)
that she had emailed out to the Board . This all originated from TCOG meetings .
Mr. Meeker said he had not had time to review them .
Ms . Thomas reviewed each one briefly. The document titled "draft town law" is a law
that they are hoping to adopt in all of the municipalities in the County.
Ms . Thomas said that the Town will be relying on the opinions of Mr. Meeker and all the
Highway Superintendents because the responsibility to oversee the use of town roads to
ensure that commercial activities do not have an adverse impact on Town roads will be
done by the highway departments .
One of the other examples Ms . Thomas had was a sample law of curb cutes .
Mr. Meeker explained to Ms . Thomas that the Town roads do not have curbs .
Ms . Thomas said then the Town does not need a curb cut law . Ms . Thomas moved on to
the driveway permit application and asked Mr. Meeker how he handles that now .
Mr. Meeker said that when someone comes for a building permit it is on that application
and how to proceed . It would be with him it they are building on a Town road or if they
need to make application to the County or State .
Ms . Thomas said that in the example there are three different rates ; resident, commercial
and industrial . Ms . Thomas asked Mr. Meeker to look this document over also .
Of the three laws Ms . Thomas brought forward she feels that the most important one to
adopt is the one that the County Attorney drafted in relation of commercial activities that
have the potential to adversely affect Town Roads .
The Board discussed the pros and cons of these laws .
Having finished with that discussion of the proposed laws Ms . Thomas introduced and
moved the following draft model resolution into the record addressing local governments
be designated as involved agencies for State Environmental Quality Review relating to
Natural Gas permit applications .
Resolution, urging Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner
Grannis to promulgate regulations requiring that local governments be designated
as involved agencies for SEQR proceedings relating to natural gas permit
applications for proposed sites within the boundaries of the local governments ;
and that local government ' views be sought and given significant weight when
determinations relating to natural gas permits applications are made .
Whereas , it is estimated that the geologic rock bed known as Marcellus Shale may
contain up to several cubic feet of natural gas ;
Whereas . Dramatic increases in the price of crude oil and the corresponding need
to reduce our nation' s dependence on foreign oil have resulted in a tremendous
increase in interest and activity relating to natural gas exploring and drilling;
Whereas, municipalities in which natural gas drilling is proposed, should be
consulted regarding natural gas permit applications and the comments of
municipalities should be considered and given significant weight when
determinations relating to natural gas applications are made ;
Now Therefore Be It Resolved that the Ulysses Town Board requests that the
Department of Environmental Conservation promulgate regulations to require that
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October 13 , 2009
local government be designated as involved agencies for State Environmental
Quality Review Act (SEQRA) proceedings relating to natural gas applications for
proposed sites within the boundaries of the local governments and that local
governments ' views be solicited and given significant weight when
determinations relating to natural gas applications are made ; and further
Resolved, that copies of this resolution shall be forwarded to : Commissioner Pete
Grannis, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and Governor David
Peterson. Representative Michael Arcuri, State Senator George Winner, State
Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton and County Legislator James Dennis .
Seconded by Ms . Tyler.
Mr. Austic aye
Mr. Ferrentino aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Adopted.
NEW BUSINESS
Water District #3 Possible Extensions
Mr. Austic distributed a letter he received from the Cardina' s at 3224 Swamp College
Road and the Pollock ' s at 3225 Swamp College Road requesting the extension of Water
District #3 which presently terminates on Cardina ' s property. The present line would
need to be extended approximately 650 feet.
Mr. Austic has also received a verbal request to extend the line on Cold Springs Road
down Halseyville Road approximately 1000 feet.
Mr. Austic advised the Board that the next step would be (if they felt they wanted to
pursue this extension) to request the property owners have a Map, Plan and Report done
by engineers . This would all be at the expense of the property owners .
The Board was in agreement to notify the Cardina' s and the Pollock ' s to move forward
but without a written request from the other property owner who would like an extension
they did not feel comfortable without that written request . Will hold any further
discussion on the extension of Cold Springs/Halseyville Road until a written request is
received .
Dog Control
Ms . Tyler would like Mr. Austic to remind the dog control officer to submit a written
report .
Executive Session
Mr. Kerness moved, seconded by Mr. Austic the following:
BE IT Resolved that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses adjourn to an
! executive session for the discussion of a personnel matter.
Mr. Austic aye
Mr. Ferrentino aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Adopted.
Regular Town Board Meeting 6
October 13 , 2009
The meeting was adjourned at 8 : 45 pm to executive session.
The meeting was reconvened at 9 : 20 pm.
Better Housing
Ms . Tyler said that the final meeting was held with the Better Housing and previously the
Board had set aside some money for celebrations and having a small get together. At the
final meeting with Better Housing John Spence suggested including other programs such
as Senior Citizens Assistance, Energy Programs through Tompkins Community Action .
The plan will be to invite Senior Citizens Housing and Tompkins Community Action to
sort of have a show and tell of what has been done and what there is to offer for home
owners in the future . Ms . Tyler is looking into dates possibly early December.
2010 Budget
The Board set a meeting for October 14 at 1PM for their next budget workshop .
Mr. Austic said that he had some changes he will have to make because he has received
additional information after doing the tentative budget . He also added that all PS accounts
are increase by 3 % .
The Board made the following changes to the tentative 2010 Budget :
General Fund Appropriations
Town Board CE changed to $ 5000
Town Board Coordinator added 5000
Supervisor Ps increase by 3 %
Deputy Supervisor changed to 10000
Attorney change to 20000
Stream Research CE added back in 5000
The Board had some questions for Supervisor Austic that he will look into before making
the changes mentioned tonight such as the amounts for health insurance and the removal
of the Employee Benefit Reserve account. Also re-check on the NYS Retirement
accounts .
General Part Town Appropriations
Zoning Officer PS increase by 2000
Contingency increase by 5000
Mr. Austic will redo the health insurance accounts and check out the figures he used for
NYS Retirement and the Employee Benefit Reserve Account will be removed.
The Board discussed what sales tax was used in the budget and what fund balances were
used. Mr. Austic will be configure these amounts after they board discusses the other
changes at the next meeting on October 14`" and provide them with new copies .
Hearing no further business Ms . Tyler moved seconded by Mr. Kerness to adjourn the
meeting. Unanimously approved.
Respectfully submitted,
Marsha L. Georgia
Ulysses Town Clerk
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