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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-04-28-WTB-MinutesWORKING TOWN BOARD MEETING Town of Ulysses April 28, 2015 Audio of the minutes are available on the website at ulysses.ny.us. The meeting was held at the Ulysses Town Hall at 10 Elm Street, Trumansburg. PRESENT: Supervisor- Liz Thomas 1St Deputy Supervisor- Nancy Zahler 2nd Deputy Supervisor- Michelle Wright Board members- Dave Kerness, John Hertzler, Rich Goldman Clerk- Carissa Parlato OTHERS PRESENT: Phil Antweiler, Diane Hillman, Don Smith, Ken McMillen, Don Barber MEETING NOTICE: Notice of Town Board meetings are posted on the town's website and clerk's board. CALL TO ORDER: Ms.Thomas called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. GENERAL BUSINESS: APPROVAL OF MEETING AGENDA RESOLUTION 2015-77: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approve the agenda for April 28, 2015 with the addition of the shared service proposal from the county, MRB engineering contract, solar initiative discussion, and an executive session. Moved: Ms. Thomas Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Hertzler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/28/15 Seconded: Mr. Goldman PRESENTATIONS: Health Care Consortium — Don Barber Mr. Barber, Executive Director of the Greater Tompkins County Health Insurance Consortium, distributed the consortium's orientation manual as well as some charts highlighting: lives covered (over 5000) and number of contracts (over 2000) budgeted vs. actual claims- (very close) income distribution expense distribution fund balance consortium budget income increase percentage and Excellus small group PPO rate increase percentage Pooled Investments — Don Barber Mr. Barber shared that TCCOG (Tompkins County Council of Governments) is exploring the possibilities for municipalities to jointly invest funds. PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR: (none) WORKING TOWN BOARD April 28, 2015 GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: Ms. Thomas distributed the zoning amendment, which is scheduled for vote at the next meeting in preparation for adding to the General Code book. She also reported that the county trails grant that she worked on was awarded, and the fire department also received a grant. Ms. Zahler reported that she will be away for the next meeting and that she has invited Mr. Davis and village officials to the May 26 meeting to give an update on the village's new water system. OLD BUSINESS: CODE ENFORCEMENT PRIORITIES - Ms. Thomas stated that a process needs to be set for properties in need of enforcement. This will be discussed more in depth at the May 12 meeting. Mr. Kerness expressed concern for properties that are unsafe and in need of immediate attention. EMS QUESTIONNAIRE- update Ms. Zahler discussed the survey idea that came out of the EMS Lakeshore meeting. The survey would allow residents to give driveway data to EMS officials. Mr. Smith, along with the West Shore Neighborhood Association, has been has been developing a survey for lakeshore residents with feedback from emergency staff. The board gave its support to Mr. Smith and discussed how to proceed with a town -wide survey. NEW BUSINESS: MRB Engineering Proposal for TTHM reduction: Ms. Thomas has met with both the Hunt and MRB engineers. Ms. Thomas and Zahler also met with the TTHM (Total Trihalomethanes)Working Group to get feedback on the most up-to-date options for remediation. Ms. Thomas presented MRB Group's proposal to do an engineering study to help determine the best option. The board discussed this. Mr. Kerness was concerned about which fund the proposal fee would be paid from as well as the absence of a statement of work. RESOLUTION 2015-78: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board authorizes the Town Supervisor to sign the contract dated 4/23/15 for the proposal from MRB Group to perform the engineering study to evaluate water needs and options and provide a report to seek funding opportunities. Moved: Ms. Thomas Seconded: Mr. Hertzler Discussion- The board and Mr. Antweiler and Ms. Hillman continued to share their thoughts on the topic. Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Hertzler aye Mr. Kerness nay Mr. Goldman aye Vote: 4-1 Date Adopted: 4/28/15 COMPENSATION TIME CALCULATIONS RESOLUTION 2015-79: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board amends the Personnel Policy as indicated in the edits provided to the Town Board at the April 28, 2015 meeting changing the calculation of vacation, compensatory time, and clarifying vacation accrual. OA WORKING TOWN BOARD April 28, 2015 Moved: Ms. Thomas Seconded: Mr. Hertzler Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Hertzler aye Mr. Kemess aye Mr. Goldman aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/28/15 MICROGRIDS Mr. Hertzler offered that he would like to have Dr. Lozano, Wade Wykstra and Dan Raymond come to a board meeting to discuss the microgrid project that Ithaca is working on. Ms. Zahler gave an update on Power Purchase Agreements as discussed at the last TCCOG meeting that she attended. TAX CAP SAVINGS RESOLUTION: RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE DEVELOPMENT AND SUBMISSION OF A SINGLE, COUNTYWIDE GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY PLAN, ESTABLISHING TOMPKINS COUNTY AS LEAD ENTITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN RESOLUTION 2015-80: WHEREAS, the State of New York enacted legislation creating a Property Tax Freeze Credit as a part of the 2015 State Budget; and WHEREAS, the new law encouraged local governments to generate long-term property tax relief by sharing services, consolidating or merging, and implementing operational efficiencies; and WHEREAS, the law provides a "freeze credit" to qualified homeowners that is equal to the increase in property taxes levied by a taxing jurisdiction that limits any increase in its tax levy to a property tax cap set by State law and develops and implements a Government Efficiency Plan ("Plan") determined to be compliant by the New York State Division of Budget; and WHEREAS, to be determined compliant by the State, a Government Efficiency Plan must document actions that have been, or will be, taken that will result in a sustained three-year savings, beginning in 2017, that are equivalent to at least 1% of the combined 2014 property tax levies of all signatories to the Plan; and WHEREAS, in year one of the program, homeowners received a Freeze Credit if their local government stayed within the property tax cap; and WHEREAS, in year two of the program, homeowners will receive the Freeze Credit for taxes from any taxing jurisdiction that stays within the property tax cap and that also puts forward a compliant Government Efficiency Plan; and WHEREAS, while allowing local governments to submit individual Plans, the State has encouraged local governments to submit a single, countywide plan that achieves a savings of at least 1% of the combined property tax levies of all of the participants; and WHEREAS, the State will recognize only savings associated with actions implemented after January 1, 2012; and WHEREAS, prior to 2012, local governments in Tompkins County pioneered shared services, mergers, and consolidations including the centralization of the property tax assessment function, a fully consolidated public safety dispatch and interoperable communication system, a consolidated public transit system, a two -county community college and, most recently, an inter -municipal health benefits consortium that continue to generate multiple millions of dollars in annual savings for taxpayers within Tompkins County; and WORKING TOWN BOARD April 28, 2015 WHEREAS, in response to the State's directive, the Tompkins County Council of Governments (TCCOG) formed a shared services committee that continues to explore a variety of prospective shared services, but recognizes that time and careful thought is required to ensure that any shared service initiative will result in lower costs and higher quality; and WHEREAS, it is now estimated that savings well in excess of 1% of the $88.4 million levied by all local governments within Tompkins County in 2014, including the County itself, will be achieved and sustained during the period 2017-2019 by a combination of savings associated with a dependent eligibility certification process undertaken by every municipal member of the Health Benefits Consortium and changes made by Tompkins County to the cost structure of its health benefit plan and; and WHEREAS, additional efficiencies may be identified by participating municipalities that may also be included in a countywide plan; and WHEREAS, in a resolution enacted April 23, 2015, the Tompkins County Council of Governments found that a consolidated countywide Plan that documents savings in excess of 1% of the combined 2014 property tax levies of all local governments within the County is the most efficient and effective way to respond to the State's directive and has therefore endorsed the development and presentation of a single countywide Government Efficiency Plan that includes all local governments within Tompkins County; now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Town of Ulysses endorses the designation of Tompkins County as lead entity in the development and submission of the Government Efficiency Plan and agrees to be a signatory to that Plan. RESOLVED that the Town Clerk send a certified copy of this resolution to the County Administrator, Deputy Administrator Paula Younger, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Pottorff. Moved: Ms. Zahler Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Hertzler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/28/15 PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR: (none) Seconded: Mr. Kerness Ms. Zahler stated that she will have Solar Tompkins HeatSmart program information at a later date. APPROVALOF MINUTES: 4/14 RESOLUTION 2015-81: BE IT RESOLVED that the Ulysses Town Board approve the minutes of 4/14 meeting. Moved: Ms. Thomas Ms. Thomas aye Ms. Zahler aye Mr. Hertzler aye Mr. Kerness aye Mr. Goldman aye Vote: 5-0 Date Adopted: 4/28/15 Seconded: Mr. Goldman Ms. Thomas went over topics for the next meeting. 0 WORKING TOWN BOARD April 28, 2015 EXECUTIVE SESSION: Ms. Thomas moved to go into Executive Session at 9:42pm to discuss matters of the promotion, demotion, performance, suspension, or removal of a particular person and matters of current or pending litigation. This was seconded by Ms. Zahler and passed unanimously. Mr. Hertzler moved to end Executive Session at 10:35pm, seconded by Ms. Zahler and passed unanimously. ADJOURN: Mr. Hertzler made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:36pm, seconded by Mr. Kerness and passed unanimously. Respectfully submitted by Carissa Parlato on 4/30/15.