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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014-04-08-RTBREGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING Town of Ulysses April 8, 2014 The meeting was held at the Ulysses Town Hall at 10 Elm Street, Trumansburg. PRESENT: Supervisor- Liz Thomas Board members- Rich Goldman, John Hertzler, Nancy Zahler, Dave Kerness Clerk- Carissa Parlato Highway Superintendent- Jim Meeker Town Attorney- Mariette Geldenhuys Deputy Supervisor- Michelle Wright Environmental Planner- Darby Kiley OTHERS PRESENT: Rob Montana, Dave Schurman, Tim Reynolds, Diane Hillmann, Joel Podkaminer, Jim Dennis, Peter Meskill, Marty Petrovic, Charles Schlough, Tim Steed (Hunt Engineering), Gary Weidberg, Michael Boggs Notice of Town Board meetings are posted on the website and clerk's board. Ms. Thomas called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. Ms. Thomas noted the recent passing of Water District Superintendent and former Town Supervisor Doug Austic and observed a moment of silence in his honor. GENERAL BUSINESS: APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA RESOLUTION 2014-85: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approve the meeting agenda of April 8, 2014 with the changes of taking up new business of the sidewalk to ShurSave, moving the joint emergency planning discussion to after the first privilege of the floor, and adding a resolution on health insurance into the personnel policy discussion. Moved: Ms. Thomas Seconded: Mr. Goldman Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 3/25/14 RESOLUTION 2014-86: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approve the minutes for March 25, 2014 as edited by Ms. Thomas and Ms. Zahler on 4/3/14. Moved: Ms. Thomas Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 APPROVAL OF CLAIMS Seconded: Mr. Kerness RESOLUTION 2014-87: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approve payment of claims, voucher #1-31 that were reviewed and entered into the system in the amount of $52,325.90, and those previously paid in the amount of $19,498.13. Moved: Ms. Thomas Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 Seconded: Ms. Zahler PRESENTATION: WATER DISTRICT 3- Options to reduce THM levels Tim Steed from Hunt Engineering gave brief history of the THM (trihalomethanes) (a.k.a. "dis- infection by-products") issue: as water ages and temperatures rise, by-products form from chlorine reacting with organic matter present in the surface water that we receive from Bolton Point. Recent samples show that the water coming to us from Bolton Point averages about 65 ppb (parts per billion). The threshold set by the Tompkins County health department is an average of 80ppb over a 12 month period. The town has taken its readings from a hydrant on Jacksonville Road where water sits the longest and can be expected to have the highest levels of THMs. Readings have been as high as 105ppb at this site. Mr. Steed presented some mitigation options: 1. Aeration (cost- $96,000): installing a mixer to strip the by-products out of the water by exposing them to air. 2. Increased flushing of the system 3. Adding more users to the system: Mr. Steed stated that even adding 50 homes may not mitigate the issue. It is also important to factor in the costs of expansion. 4. Connecting into the village's new water source (cost- $780,000; there is a possibility of grants to help offset costs). Mr. Boggs, Jacksonville resident, offered a suggestion of reducing pipe size thereby increasing the rate of water flow and installing an automatic timer to flush out what is not used. Ms. Thomas proposed setting up a small working group to come up with short term recommendations of how to proceed. There is an existing water committee. In addition, Mr. Petrovic (Mayor of Trumansburg), Mr. Boggs, someone from village DPW, Mr. Reynolds, Mr. Kerness, Ms. Hillmann, Ms. Zahler PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR #1: (Please refer to the appendix for public comments/written submissions from this portion of the meeting) Mr. Schurman brought up the need for gravel on muddy areas in Jacksonville Park. The town has typically helped with this. Mr. Meeker offers that 3-4 loads of stone plus manpower plus fuel will cost about $250/load for a total of about $1000. RESOLUTION 2014-88: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approve up to four truckloads of stone from the highway department for Jacksonville Park. Moved: Ms. Thomas Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 Momentary skip to NEW BUSINESS: Seconded: Mr. Goldman SIDEWALK TO SHURSAVE The town would like to facilitate walkability to the ShurSave grocery store. If the town collaborates with the village, it is possible that grant money could be secured. Mr. Petrovic named several sections of sidewalk that are a priority for the Village: • A section of Whig Street to the elementary school • South Street- from the historical society to Tamarack Lane • Lake Street from Rt 96 to the bridge • Fairgrounds to ShurSave • Rt 96 from the Farmer's Market heading west toward Auble's trailer park The board agreed to authorize Ms. Wright, Ms. Kiley, and Mr. Petrovic to continue moving forward on this project with the understanding that the local share of 20% could be provided using in-kind time and materials from the Town for its portion of the project, once those figures are calculated and if the grant is funded. RESOLUTION 2014-89: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approve the pursuance of federal funding for a sidewalk to the ShurSave in conjunction with the Village of Trumansburg. Moved: Ms. Thomas Second: Ms. Zahler Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 JOINT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLANNING: RESOLUTION 2014-90: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approve the development of a joint emergency preparedness plan with the Village of Trumansburg. Moved: Ms. Thomas Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 TOWN REPORTS: Second: Ms. Zahler MR. PETROVIC/VILLAGE UPDATES - 0 Ben Carver will be the village's representative to the town. • A tentative budget was approved with 7.1 % tax levy due primarily to increased ambulance costs. • The village is pursuing a very controlled bow hunting program to mitigate the deer problem. Hunters will be vetted and permission from property owners is required. MR. DENNIS/COUNTY UPDATES: • The county will hold a meeting on the Waterburg Bridge on April 28. • A Food Scrap Recycling Program meeting will take place at the town hall on April 10. • The county property tax cap is 1.6%. They will not be able to stay under that as they have cut discretionary funding in recent years and there is not much left to cut. • Shared services continue to be a priority- the county may be able to get credit for health care consortium. • Dog control will be changing based on the state budget. • Mr. Dennis would like to be a part of the town/village policing discussions as it concerns the county. PLANNING BOARD/ZONING OFFICER: (Submitted by Darby Kiley): Planning Board: On March 18, the Planning Board approved a two -lot subdivision on Perry City Rd where one of the new lots is a flag lot. With the recent revisions to the zoning, any development on a flag lot is subject to site plan review. At the upcoming April 15 meeting, the applicant will be presenting a site plan for a single-family residence. The PB continued to discuss the Village water line on March 18 and again on April 1. On April 1, the Planning Board discussed the area around Krums Corners that is currently zoned as Light Industrial and proposed for Office and Technology Mixed Use (OTMU) according to the Comprehensive Plan. PB members felt that the task of developing the new OTMU district language and boundary is a significant effort and much larger in scope than the board can handle. They are willing to provide a list of uses to revise the current Light Industrial District, but that effort is a short-term patch and a more holistic approach to the Route 96 corridor is needed. BZA: The BZA has not met since the last report to the Board. At the upcoming April 16 meeting, the BZA will be reviewing an area variance for the Antiques Mall property and a use variance for a property along Route 96. Board training: All but one PB and one BZA member attended the training on March 20. Other: At the March meeting, the Water Resources Council heard an update the hydrilla eradication efforts, and discussed organization of committees. Energy Projects: Grant — The Project Team (Towns of Caroline, Danby, Ithaca, and Ulysses and City of Ithaca, along with CCE and Tompkins County) are still working on the details of the work plan and budget in the draft contract. Transportation Grant: Michelle Wright, Marty Petrovic and Darby attended a session hosted by NYS DOT to hear about a federal grant program for which the Town and Village could work together for sidewalk projects. HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT: (Reported by Mr. Meeker): The highway crew has been busy plowing/salting as needed. The last of the salt bills has been turned in, hopefully. A truck has needed maintenance so they have been working on that. They have been providing mutual aid to Tompkins County highway department on a Coddington Road project. TOWN CLERK: (Reported by Carissa Parlato): Financial report for March 2014: Collected $1193.50 in fees for licenses (dog, marriage, sporting). The town keeps $957.98 of that. #Licenses issued: DECALS- 4 Dog licenses- 68 Marriage licenses -3 Activities: • Michelle and Carissa met with TC Dept. of Emergency Response to start working on our updated emergency plan. This will be a long process, but is necessary. • Completed the water billing process. o Patty discovered that the water usage rate had never been updated in the billing system, as per a TB decision from late 2012, with an effective date of Jan. 2013. From 5.25 to 6. • Finishing up tax season- taking all the documents to TC Finance tomorrow. • Working on a required FOIL subject matter list for our website. • Starting the bidding process for landscape maintenance. • Attended the health care consortium meeting- • They are working on coming up with set of "metal" plans that match what the ACA is offering so that members don't go elsewhere for their insurance, diluting the power of the consortium. o Asked about a subscriber/spouse level- they don't think that is feasible. CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: Mr. Rachun's report was distributed and can be found in the appendix of this document. SUPERVISOR: Ms. Thomas shared some upcoming events that board members may be interested in. BUDGET MODIFICATION: A budget modification is needed for the Celebrations budget line (which supports the winter festival). The town shares this cost with the village, and was asked to contribute $2808 instead of $2500. RESOLUTION 2014-91: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approve an increase to the Celebrations budget line A7550.4, taking it out of contingency budget line A1990.4 to cover the costs of Winter Fest with the village in the amount in $308. Moved: Ms. Thomas Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 Seconded: Mr. Kerness DEPUTY SUPERVISOR: (Reported by Michelle Wright): • Has been improving the newsletter mailing list. • Spent time preparing for the April 12 forum. • Had a 2.5 hour meeting with PESH (Public Employee Safety & Health). Will share more information soon with the board. • Scheduled a free ergonomic analysis for employees on April 24. TOWN BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMITTEES: MR. HERTZLER: • Distributed his report on sustainable energy that he plans to present at the April 12 forum. MS. ZAHLER: • The Youth Commission's Super Summer Signup is scheduled for May 7 at 6:30pm. • Attended TCCOG (Tompkins County Council of Governments) meeting where a discussion took place of the possibility of forming a coalition of those who need to override the tax cap, as well as the need to find a dog enumerator. • A youth commission representative is willing to come to the April 22 board meeting if the board desires. The sense of the Board was to hold off for now. MR. GOLDMAN: • Will ask Mr. Rachun to attend the April 22 meeting. NEW BUSINESS: INVENTORY OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS: RESOLUTION 2014-92: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approves joining with the Village on a joint architectural and landmark survey of historic buildings in both the Village of Trumansburg and Jacksonville. Moved: Ms. Zahler Second: Mr. Kerness Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 RESOLUTION OPPOSING LPG STORAGE ADJACENT TO SENECA LAKE: RESOLUTION 2014-93: WHEREAS, The Town Board of the Town of Ulysses recognizes the importance of the Finger Lakes water shed to the State and to the local community; and WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of the Town Board that a plan has been proposed for storage of LP gas in large quantities, adjacent to and beneath Seneca Lake; and WHEREAS, the Town Board is keenly aware of the role played by all the Finger Lakes in providing drinking water for a large segment of the surrounding populations, Seneca Lake's designation as a scenic by -way, its role as a recreational asset and in promotion of area tourism as well as its importance to the fish and wild -life of the Finger Lakes area; and WHEREAS, it is the understanding of the Town Board that a specific site, Well 58, proposed for such storage had previously been plugged and abandoned by the prior owner, New York State Electric and Gas Corp. and deemed no longer appropriate for storage of the type proposed by the current owner; and WHEREAS, the Town Board is deeply concerned with reports of the failure of structures of the same type being suggested for such storage at Seneca Lake due to earth tremors of the same severity sometimes experienced in up -state New York as well as reports of leakage in similar structures that are neither designed nor built specifically for the purpose proposed; and WHEREAS, negative environmental consequences to the lake and the Finger Lakes Water Shed would be possible in the event of a leak at the proposed storage site; and WHEREAS, the Town Board is aware that the Department of Environmental Conservation has expressed similar concerns over such site failures both here and at other similar facilities around the country; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Ulysses joins other municipalities and Senator Michael Nozzolio in respectfully requesting that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation withhold approval of any plan for mass storage of LP Gas adjacent to or under Seneca Lake; and it is further RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution is forwarded to the United States Environmental protection Agency, Senator Michael Nozzolio, Senate Leader Dean Skelos, Senate Leader Jeff Klein, Senate Minority Leader Andrea Stewart -Cousins, Assembly Leader Sheldon Silver, Assembly Minority leader Brian Kolb, Assemblyman Philip Palmesano, the Mayor of Watkins Glen, the Schuyler County Legislature, the Yates County Legislature, the Ontario County Board of Supervisors, and the Reading Town Board. Moved: Ms. Zahler Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 Second: Mr. Kerness Mr. Meeker excused himself at 9:45pm. OLD BUSINESS: TOWN FORUM PLANNING: The group discussed whether or not to move ahead with the April 12 forum, contingent upon Mr. Austic's memorial services. PERSONNEL POLICY UPDATE: (Health insurance) Various information was distributed by Ms. Thomas and Ms. Zahler, including: • comparisons of Perry & Carroll insurance vs. our health consortium plans • Tompkins County's retirement plans EXECUTIVE SESSION: RESOLUTION 2014-94: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board move into executive session at 10:30pm to discuss matters pertaining to employment, promotion, or demotion of a particular person. Moved: Ms. Thomas Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 Second: Mr. Kerness RESOLUTION 2014-95: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town board return from executive session. Moved: Ms. Thomas Second: Ms. Zahler Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Mr. Hertzler aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/8/14 PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR #2: (no comments spoken nor submitted at this time) ADJOURN: Since there were no action items that resulted from the Executive Session, a motion was made by Ms. Thomas and seconded by Ms. Zahler at l 1pm to adjourn the meeting. APPENDIX: PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR #1: Ms. Hillmann has been in touch with the community liaison from Exxon Mobil regarding the old Jacksonville church. They will prepare a report for her within 30 days. Ms. Hillmann, along with others, will come up with some goals of what they would like to happen from E -M. MR. RACHUN'S REPORT: Town Of Ulysses Building Report 2014 Date Parcel Owner Project Construction Costs Fee 15 -Jan 22.4-5.2 A. McClennan renovation $10,000 $85 30 -Jan 21.-1-2.22 Cayuga Breeders demolition $3,000 $65 2 -Feb -14 27.-2-7 Cooper/Keeler house renovation $80,000 $295 14 -Feb -14 21.-1-9.1 Kreisel/Koreman house renovation $12,100 $91 18 -Feb -141111.-2-8,1 S. Rovitz house renovation $40,000 $175 25 -Feb -14 12.4-16.3 F. Sugarman solar thermal $5,100 $70 18 -Feb -14 22.4-15.1 T Overbau h demolition 3,000 $64 18 -Mar -14 13.-2-5.32 A Rand accessory building $5,600 $70 20 -Mar -14 34.-4.9.115 B Michard pellet stove 3,000 $55 27 -Mar -14 22.-4-15.1 IT Overbau h house renovation '$130,000 5381 8 -Apr -14.21--3-3.131 D Sn der new house $150,000 5325 Respectfully submitted by Carissa Parlato on 4/18/14