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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.21.2023-Minutes1 VILLAGE OF CAYUGA HEIGHT June 21, 2022 Zoom ID # 411842540 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 7:00 p.m. MONTHLY MEETING Present: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Hubbard, Marshall, Rennekamp, Robinson, and Salton (arrived at 7:40 p.m.) Village Engineer B. Cross; Director of Public Works Wiese; Police Chief Wright; Attorney Kawecki; Clerk Walker; Treasurer Dolch; 1. Call to Order: Mayor Woodard calls the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. 2a. Approval of the May 17, 2023 Meeting Minutes (Exhibit 2024-047) Resolution: 9463 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees approves May 17, 2023, Board Meeting Minutes as presented. Motion: Trustee Hubbell Second: Trustee Biloski Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Bilsoki, Hubbell, Marshall, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried 2b. Approval of May 25, 2023, Special Board Meeting Minutes (Exhibit 2024-048) •Mayor Woodard states that the trickling filter pump issues are related to the electrical board that was installed. • B. Cross states that the electrical contractor decided to switch out the electrical panels to run the motors and they are doing fine now. It could be that the electrical panel was faulty right from the factory. Resolution: 9464 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees approves May 25, 2023, Special Board Meeting Minutes as presented. Motion: Trustee Marshall Second: Trustee Rennekamp Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Hubbell, Marshall, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions: Biloski 2 Motion Carried 3. Report of Fire Superintendent Tamborelle: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2024-049) • Fire Superintendent Tamborelle states that they have been busy. The department responded to a kitchen fire on Roat St. in the Town of Ithaca. • Fire Superintendent Tamborelle states that the only action item he has for the Board tonight is an approval of the new pumper truck (Engine 202) which is scheduled to be replaced in 2025. For us to take delivery in 2025 we will need to order it now. The prices of firetrucks and build-out lead times have increased by forty percent. • Mayor Woodard states that this will be another account where the Village Finance Committee will set up a reserve fund. • Trustee Marshall inquires about the lifespan of a million-dollar firetruck. • Fire Superintendent Tamborelle states that the department has been turning over trucks every fifteen years. This allows for a higher resale and less maintenance cost associated with keeping a truck any longer. The current truck should bring $120,000 to $150,000. •Mayor Woodard states that the Town of Ithaca will be responsible for thirty to forty percent as well as any Cornell University donations for services. Resolution: 9465 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves Mayor Woodard signing the Premier Fire Apparatus Purchase Order through Sourcewell Contract #022818-EOI as presented in Exhibit 2024-050 in the amount of $956,686.00. Motion: Trustee Biloski Second: Trustee Marshall Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Hubbell, Marshall, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried 4. Privilege of the Floor: No members of the public wished to speak 5. Report of Treasurer Dolch: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2024-051) • Village Treasurer Dolch states that once the Board approves Abstract # 13 then she will be able to close the month. • Village Treasurer Dolch states that our NYCLASS investments are doing well and to date, we have made $46,000. 3 • In closing Village Treasurer Dolch states that the only action items tonight are the approval of abstracts and an end-of-year budget modifications resolution. Approval of Abstract 13: Resolution: 9466 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves Abstract #13 for FYE2023 consisting of TA vouchers 101-103 in the amount of $3570.72 and Consolidated Fund vouchers 945-1017 in the amount of $744,433.49 and the Treasurer is instructed to make payments thereon. Motion: Trustee Biloski Second: Trustee Rennekamp Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Hubbell, Marshall, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried Approval of Year-End Budget Modifications: Resolution: 9467 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes the Treasurer to make FYE2023 Final Budget Modifications as necessary to bring any overdrawn expenditure accounts to zero in the General, Water, and Sewer Funds. Motion: Trustee Rennekamp Second: Trustee Hubbell Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Hubbell, Marshall, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried Approval of Abstract 1: Resolution: 9468 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves Abstract #1 for FYE2024 consisting of TA vouchers 1-3 plus 106-107* in the amount of $19,085.39 and Consolidated Fund vouchers 1-32 the amount of $404,907.80 and the Treasurer is instructed to make payments thereon. Motion: Trustee Marshall Second: Trustee Biloski 4 Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Hubbell, Marshall, Rennekamp, and Robinson Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried 6. Report of Mayor Woodard: a. Granicus Renewal: Since August of 2022 the Village has contracted with Granicus to scrub short-term internet rental platforms to provide more information on who is conducting short-term rentals in the Village. • Mayor Woodard states that she was hopeful that this platform would find most or all of those residents who are skirting our local law and operating a short-term rental without a permit. •Clerk Walker states that Granicus has been able to find two properties that did not have a permit. Those residents were contacted and are now compliant with our local law. •Clerk Walker states that he has reached out to Granicus asking for a reduction in cost since the program has not been successful in finding any non-permitted short-term rentals. •Trustee Marshall states that one of the things Granicus stated in the past is that their evidence to show the number of rentals will hold up legally. If we cannot find them listed how will we be able to prove their in violation? •Mayor Woodard states that we will table this for now and see what Granicus responds with about our renewal. b. Cayuga Heights Road Sidewalk Project Update: A Village taskforce had completed interviewing three engineering firms; Fisher & Associates, Hunt EAS, and Erdman/Anthony •Mayor Woodard states that the presentations were great and now we have to decide which firm we would like to do this project. There is some more background work to be done before we bring this to the Board next Month. •Trustee Biloski states that Erdman/Anthony has a lot of sidewalk experience in Ithaca. Hunt EAS has a great working relationship with T.G. Miller. • Mayor Woodard states that one aspect that we have learned from the Kline Road sidewalk project is that we need a good working relationship with the NYSDOT and both Hunt EAS and Erdman/Anthony have weekly meetings with NYSDOT on all their sidewalk projects 7. Report of the Trustees: a. Sunset Park Update: • Trustee Marshall states that the grant submission is due by the end of July. The next step is for the group to get out letters of solicitation to area local governments to submit letters of endorsement for the Sunset Park Project. 5 •Mayor Woodard inquires about the status of what we are going to do with the slope at Sunset Park. • Trustee Marshall states that two ideas still need to be broken down by cost. One is to remove the invasive plants from the slope. Two would be to replant the top 20 feet with native plants that would overcome the invasives but not protrude above the view line. b. Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization Update: • Trustee Hubbell states that CWOI will begin a new search for a staff member that has moved onto a bigger role. -Trustee Salton arrives at 7:40 p.m. C. Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium Update: • Trustee Salton states that the Executive Committee Meeting of the health consortium has approved a Medicare Advantage Plan administered by the Aetna Group. 8. Report of Superintendent of Public Works Cross: • B. Cross states that Susan Brock from the City of Ithaca is still working on the language for the IAWWTF pre-treatment industrial standards proposed by local law. • B. Cross states that related to the industrial discharges to the WWTP the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has expanded guidance for municipalities to test the Total Toxic Organics (TTO). Our current local law, states that we allow for zero (0) TTOs. With modern technology, we can test toxins or organics down to point zero. (.01). •B. Cross states that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a new initiative called the streamlining rule. This will help reduce the red tape when it comes to industrial operations that need to comply with the control agencies (the municipalities) and the EPA regulations. •Trustee Salton states that it will be nice to have both the IAWWTF and our plant working together. •Mayor Woodard states that we are all paid up to the City of Ithaca for the Kline Rd. By-pass except for any sewage that we have sent this year. WWTP Phase II Project: •B. Cross states that the WWTP digesters have been cleaned out of all the old sludge and are ready for their upgrades. After accounting for all the costs, we are ahead by almost $300,000. This keeps the project within the bonding limits of 12.4 million dollars. •B. Cross states that the next step is for Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) to determine what our long- term loan amount and payment will be. 6 •In closing Mayor Woodard states that over the weekend we had a large water main break on N. Triphammer Rd. The DPW crew was on the scene Saturday, June 15 from 2:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It seems that the soil on N. Triphammer is corrosive enough to rust piping. At about the same time they received a call from a Village resident about a sewage spill on Parkway Place. The sewage made it onto the road and traveled down Kline Rd. Mayor Woodard states that it turns out grease had collected in the manhole and that created the blockage. NYSDEC was notified and Lime was recommended to use to disinfect the affected area. 9. Report of Police Chief Wright: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2024-053) • Police Chief Wright states that the new patrol vehicle is getting outfitted and should arrive here in a week. • Police Chief Wright states that the department completed several grant-related traffic details. • Police Chief Wright states that patrol activity produced 887 traffic tickets. 10. Report of Director of DPW Wiese: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2024-54) • Director Wiese states that the I Trackers are still having trouble reading data correctly. As a result, the company is providing a cellular connection so that we can monitor them remotely. If that fails, then we can request a full refund and return the product. • Director Wiese states that the NYSEG gas line on Iroquois Place will be moved which will allow us to replace the culvert with the properly sized one. •Trustee Salton asks Director Wiese if he has been in touch with the property owner on N. Triphammer Rd. that is consistently working on the yard and drainage. • Director Wiese states that he touches base with him periodically, we are not sure what the end plan is. 11. Report of Clerk Walker: Submitted Report (Exhibit 2024-055) • Clerk Walker states that the 2023 Village Property Taxes collection is going well, and we expect the majority of the escrow payments to come in this Friday. Once we have that money Laura will move it to NYCLASS. •Mayor Woodard states that the Village has made $46,000 in interest since January. 12. Report of Attorney Kawecki: No report at this time. 13. Executive Session: Resolution: 9469 WHEREAS: The NYS Open Meeting Law §105 prescribes matters for which a public body may conduct an executive session; and, 7 WHEREAS: Upon a majority vote of its total membership, taken in an open meeting pursuant to a motion identifying the general area or areas of the subject or subjects to be considered; and, WHEREAS: The conduct an executive session for these enumerated purposes only, provided, however, that no action by formal vote shall be taken to appropriate public money: THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT An Executive Session of the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees has been conducted for the purposes of subsection (F) the medical, financial, credit, or employment history of a particular person or corporation, or matters leading to the appointment, employment, promotion, demotion, discipline, suspension, dismissal or removal of a particular person or corporation. Motion: Trustee Marshall Second: Trustee Bilsoki Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Hubbell, Marshall, Rennekamp, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried Resolution: 9470 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees exits Executive Session and returns to an open meeting. Motion: Trustee Marshall Second: Trustee Salton Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Hubbell, Marshall, Rennekamp, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried Resolution: 9471 BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the Village of Cayuga Heights Board of Trustees authorizes and approves Mayor Woodard to retain counsel. Motion: Trustee Biloski Second: Trustee Marshall Ayes: Mayor Woodard; Trustees: Biloski, Hubbell, Marshall, Rennekamp, Robinson, and Salton Nays: none Abstentions: none Motion Carried 14. Adjournment: Mayor Woodard adjourns the meeting at 9:01 p.m.