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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 . Regular Town Board Meeting 2 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 . . . J 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 . Regular Town Board Meeting 4 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 A C Regular Town Board Meeting 5 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 aaSIMEN