HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-05-10-RTB Town of Ulysses
Regular Town Board Meeting
May 10, 2011
* * Audio available at www. ulysses . ny . us
Present : Supervisor Roxanne Marino ; Councilpersons Elizabeth Thomas , Lucia Tyler,
David Kerness and Kevin Romer; Deputy Supervisor Sue Poelvoorde ; Highway Superintendent
James Meeker; Attorney Marlette Geldenhuys .
Others Present : Village Trustees Debra Watkins and Robert Cassetti ; Planning Board Chair Ken
Zeserson; Jacksonville Association President Diane Hillman; John Coggin, Anne Koreman,
Carolyn Kreisel, Richard and Millie Carmean, Vernon and Diana Collins, Lysle Gordon,
Don Smith, Anne Furman, Kathy Beauregard, Jane Penrose, Eric Slocum, and John G. Wertis.
Supervisor Marino called to meeting to order at 7 : 00 p .m .
APPROVAL OF CLAIMS
Ms . Marino moved, seconded by Ms . Thomas the following :
BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses approves vouchers # ' s
181 through 229 in the amount of $ 30 ,253 . 28 .
Ms . Marino aye
Ms. Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Mr. Romer aye
Adopted
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Ms . Marino moved, seconded by Ms . Thomas the following :
BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses approves the minutes as
corrected for the Regular Town Board meeting of April 12, 2011 and Special Town Board
meeting of March 1 , 2011 .
Ms. Marino aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Mr. Kerness abstained
Mr. Romer aye
, Adopted
REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES
Tompkins County Representative Jim Dennis — absent
Trumansburg Fire Department/EMS — Chief Fulton left a report.
Trumansburg Village Trustee Debra Watkins reported that the Village sent a response to the
Town Board ' s questions on the EMS plan. The Town Board noted that they had not received the
response as of the start of the meeting. Ms . Watkins thought they had been emailed and will
check to make sure the document was sent . Also a packet of information and a disk was provided
to the Town Board with information on the EMS . The Village is going to drill and test a different
well for a second source of water at the Boy Scout Camp on Frontenac Point . The Farmers
Regular Town Board Meeting
May 10, 2011 Page 1
Market opens June 1St. The Village is holding a Public Hearing on their Zoning Ordinance May
23 , 2011 .
PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR
Diane Hillman restated some of the Zoning changes that the hamlet of Jacksonville would like to
see put in place . The list was brought to the Town Board by Mr. Coogan at the last Town Board
meeting.
Don Smith, President of the Lakeshore Home Owners Association, stated that he felt the Town
Board is dragging their feet on the adoption of the proposed zoning law and expressed how
important it is to move forward .
Lysle Gordon stated that while he feels that the Town Board should more forward as quickly as
possible, he also feels that it needs to be done right, citing the example of what happened with
the cell tower ordinance .
Vernon Collins noted that he telephoned the Town' s Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) reporting
on the property across the road that has been converted from a single-family home to a duplex
and where there also appears to be a dog grooming business started . He has not heard back from
CEO yet and asked if he should be contacting someone else . The Town Board confirmed that he
does need to speak with the CEO . Mr. Collins also relayed an issue occurring on his neighbor ' s
property related to a potential inaccurate survey. The Town Board directed him to contact the
Tompkins County Assessment Department.
Eric Slocum addressed the hydrofracking issue and said everyone needed to pull together to get
the update to the zoning ordinance in place .
Ken Zeserson said he has much respect for the Town Board but pointed out that the proposed
zoning law changes were presented to the Board February 8th and it is now May 10th .
Jane Penrose said she had received communication from the Coalition to Protect New York and
they feel it is a real sense of urgency to pass legislation on protecting against hydrofracking.
John Coggin said that when people signed gas drilling leases they had no idea about the dangers
associated with hydrofracking.
TOWN REPORTS
Planning Board Chairman Zeserson reported that the Planning Board is working on one part
of the proposed zoning law change and also they are finishing up the work of the Lakeshore
Zone .
Mr. Zeserson announced that there will be another gas drilling informational meeting on May 20,
2011 , at 7 : 00 pan. at the Trumansburg Fire Hall .
Highway Superintendent James Meeker reported :
• Clutch work on ` 98 Mack truck
• Work on 1 -ton truck and pick-up before NYS Inspections
• Racking sod and grading shoulders
• Cleaning up after wind damage
• Pulled all salt boxes off the of trucks
Town Clerk Marsha Georgia reported :
• Monthly fees collected for April .
• Inquiries about voting District #2 (Jacksonville area) and why the change and how to get
it back to Jacksonville.
• The house-to-house dog enumeration is completed. Now letters will be written to non-
responders .
• Winter Festival 2011 and if the Town Board wants to participate and at what level of
monetary participation.
Code Enforcement Officer Alex Rachun absent and no report distributed.
Supervisor Marino reported :
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May 10, 2011 Page 2
• f i4
• Distributed financial report
• Reported mortgage tax up from last year
• Youth update on financing and Karen Coleman will come speak to the Town Board next
month
• Fax from Cornell about the Diversity Roundtable on June 9th
• Contract with LaBella for Pavement Management System sent to Dan Walker
• Local Law # 1 filed with New York State
• EMS packet received from the Village
Deputy Supervisor Sue Poelvoorde reported she received a draft of the Illicit Discharge Law
from Tompkins County Soil and Water Conservation District. She will review it before passing it
on to the Town Board. She will also be getting back to work on the Ag and Farmland protection
plan to get that to a final draft for the Town Board.
Town Board and Committees
Ms. Tyler attended the Health Care Consortium meeting at which they reviewed the 1St Quarter
report and found no big surprises. They are looking to develop a wellness plan.
Mr. Kerness said that the Lakeshore Zoning Law committee has put together a presentation to
be given to the Planning Board on June 22"d . The Town Board is welcome to attend this .
Ms. Thomas reported :
TCCOG Gas Drilling Task Force and Gas Drilling
• Request to extend DSGEIS comment period to 90 days — Passed by TCCOG,
TANG
• By October hope to have a resource binder together. Will be missing some
information as there is not enough time to compile every topic to cover but will
r cover the following.
o What municipalities should know about gas drilling operations
o What they can do
o Model legislation
• Fate of Darby Kiley' s position as funding is running out
• Public safety — recent tornadoes highlight need for emergency planning
• Community impacts documentation is easier to find.
• June 15th there will be a presentation on the landscape impact if all leases result in
a drilled well . Need to change the time of the Town Board meeting from 2 : 00
p .m. to 7 : 00 p .m.
TCCOG
• NY Power Authority (NYPA) has money to help municipalities finance costs of
becoming more energy efficient
o Start with municipal buildings — municipalities help educate individuals
o Subsidize alternative energy investment
o NYPA knows contractors/auditors the want to help
o Brian. Vattimo @nypa. gov 518-433 -6734
• NYMIR (municipal insurance reciprocal)
o Giving money back to municipal members
o NYMIR costs for insurance going down
o Offer on-line training programs
• TCCOG the Lead agency for the Tompkins County comprehensive plan update
• Hazard mitigation — County is coordinating
o Done every 5 years
o Engage all municipalities
• Census report — Tompkins County population over 100,000
Youth - Last meeting cancelled
• Summer camp signup
• Grassroots — funds for parking on school agreed to but unclear where funds will
go .
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May 10, 2011 Page 3
OLD BUSINESS,
Resolution to Establish Environmental Planner Position
Ms . Marino said that the job description was approved by Tompkins County Personnel and now
the Board has to approve .
Ms . Marino moved, seconded by Mr. Romer the following:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses adopts the job
description for the Environmental Planner E13 .doc which modifies the Tompkins County
job description adding the Town of Ulysses .
Ms . Marino aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Mr. Romer aye
Adopted
The Board discussed the number of work hours, rate of pay and benefits . The Personnel Policy is
currently being revised, but in the meantime a resolution is proposed for a 0. 75 Full-time
Equivalent (FTE) in order for the position to attract a talented applicant pool.
Ms . Tyler moved, seconded by Ms . Marino the following:
Whereas the Town of Ulysses will be seeking a professional planner in the near future at
the 0 . 75 FTE level, and
Whereas, the Town Personnel Committee is in the middle of a major revision of the
personnel policy,
Be it resolved that the following temporary change be made to the personnel policy, in
order for the position to attract a talented applicant pool .
Employees who are working 0. 75 of a full-time equivalent, or 0 . 75 FTE, up to but not
including 1 .00 FTE will be eligible to receive a 0 . 75 pro-rated health insurance benefit
for either single or family coverage from the Town.
Ms . Marino aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Mr. Romer aye
Adopted
Ms . Marino will work with Deputy Supervisor Poelvoorde to advertise the position.
Proposed Zoning Law Amendment
A summary of the actions the Town Board has taken to date was distributed .
Ms . Geldenhuys reported that she is working with the attorney from the Town of Ithaca and a
Town Board member from the Town of Dryden so they can pool their efforts to speed things up .
Ms. Geldenhuys reviewed their progress .
Ms . Marino moved, seconded by Ms . Tyler the following:
BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses authorizes Supervisor
Marino to sign the Confidentiality and Joint Protection agreement .
malsis
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May 10, 2011
Ms . Marino aye
Ms . Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Mr. Romer aye
Adopted
Phase 1 Zoning Law Amendment — Update
Ms . Marino said that after some discussions with Mr. Rachun and others, it has become evident
that a joint meeting with the Town Board, Planning Board, our Attorney, and other professional
planners that have worked on the Comprehensive Plan is needed to give a whole perspective on
the relationship of the Comprehensive Plan and the zoning law updates . The meeting has been
re-scheduled for June 8 , 2011 , at 7 : 00 p .m. at the Town Hall . After talking further with the
Attorney and the Chair of the Planning Board it has been decided that Ms . Geldenhuys will put
together a short training session that will begin the meeting covering procedures and good
practices for meetings and other information how the Town Law governs the establishment and
operation of the Planning Board and Board of Zoning Appeals . The Zoning Board members will
also be invited. The invitation was also extended to the Village of Trumansburg Planning and
Zoning Boards .
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution Supporting 90 Day Comment Period
Ms . Thomas moved, seconded by Mr. Kerness the following :
Resolution Asking the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to
Establish a Minimum 90-Day Comment Period for the Supplemental Generic
Environmental Impact Statement on Oil, Gas, and Solution Mining Regulations for Shale
Gas Drilling
Whereas according to the Executive Order No . 41 (Requiring Further Environmental
Review), signed by Governor David A. Paterson on December 13 , 2010, the Department
of Environmental Conservation was ordered to publish a Revised Draft Supplemental
Generic Environmental Impact Statement (sGEIS) on or about June 1 , 2011 and
Whereas that Executive Order also called for the Department to accept public comments
on the Revised Draft for at least thirty (30) days, and
Whereas we understand the tremendous effort required by the NYS DEC to address the
complex technical and regulatory concepts that must be included in the Revised Draft
sGEIS , and
Whereas due to the extent of the complexity of the Revised Draft sGEIS , we are
concerned with the time and effort it will take for the public and for agencies to review
the revised document upon its release, and
Whereas the public is entitled to have adequate time to review this important document.
Therefore
Be it resolved we are requesting that the NYS DEC establish a minimum ninety day
public comment period following the promulgation of the Revised Draft sGEIS .
Be it also resolved this resolution be sent by U. S . mail to Commissioner Joe Martens ;
Governor Andrew Cuomo ; NYS Senators Dean Skelos, Brian Kolb, Thomas O 'Mara,
James Seward, and Michael Nozzolio ; Speaker Sheldon Silver; Assemblywoman Barbara
Lifton; Chair of Senate Committee on Environmental Conservation Mark Grisanti ; Chair
of Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation Robert Sweeney; Attorney
General Erik Schneiderman; U. S . Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand;
Representatives Diane DeGette, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Representative
Richard Hanna and Representative Maurice Hinchey; EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson,
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May 10, 2011 Page 5
EPA Region 2 Administrator Judith Enck; New York State Association of Counties ; New
York State Association of County Health Officials (NYASCHO) ; the Tompkins County
Board of Health; Tompkins County Legislature ; Town Supervisors and Clerks within
Tompkins County and NYS Association of Towns .
Ms . Marino aye
Ms. Thomas aye
Ms . Tyler aye
Mr. Kerness aye
Mr. Romer aye
Adopted
Town Actions Related to Hydrofracking
Ms . Thomas said that the Ithaca Journal reporter had asked for a list of actions the Town Board
has taken on gas drilling. Ms . Thomas prepared this list and shared it with the citizens of Ulysses
and the Town Board.
Public Comments
Ms . Marino opened the floor back up to public comments . These comments can be heard on the
audio version available at www.ulysses .ny .us .
Emergency Preparedness
There was a joint meeting held with the Village of Trumansburg on emergency preparedness .
Mr. Romer also attended two other meetings . The last plans were written in early 90 ' s. Mr.
Romer highlighted what needs to be done and will work on the checklist. A list of contact
numbers should be compiled as a first step .
Scheduled Meetings
The Board has their second Board meeting scheduled for June 15 and in lieu of this meeting
there will be a presentation by the Tompkins County Gas Task Force where a number of
visualizations will be presented to help people understand what hydrofracking looks like when it
comes to a community.
May meetings
May 18th @ 9 : 00 a.m.
May 24th @ 6 : 30 p .m.
June meetings
June 14th @ 7 : 00 p .m .
June 15th @ 7 : 00 p .m . , gas drilling presentation
June 28th @ 6 : 30 p .m.
Hearing no further business, Ms . Marino moved, seconded by Ms . Thomas to adjourn the
meeting. Unanimously approved, meeting adjourned at 10 : 00 p .m .
Respectfully submitted,
Marsha L. Georgia
Ulysses Town Clerk
MLG : mlg
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May 10, 2011