HomeMy WebLinkAbout5_13_2020 Transcript Regular Meeting05-13-2020.mp3
Supervisor McGee [00:00:05] We're all set. OK, I will call the meeting to order. This is the
regular meeting of the Enfield Town board. Wednesday, May 13th. Twenty-twenty. Six
thirty p.m. Via the Via zoom platform. Documents for this meeting are available on the
Town Web site at Town of Enfield dot org. We'll have an opportunity for privilege of the
floor first. And if you would like to speak for private privilege of the floor, use the Clerk on
the participants list and find the raised hand option. And if you raise your hand, you'll be
brought to the top of the list. So we don't miss you. And we'll call on you if you'd like to be
on video. Then we'll send your video request to unhide your video and on mute you. And
then you'll be able to speak and we'll be able to see you if you'd like. If you're on the
phone, you can press star nine in order to raise your hand or lower your hand. I'll also
open it up at the end in case there were any issues where people couldn't make that
happen to make their desire to speak. If you would like to speak, if you're not on the
phone, if you would please rename yourself on the screen so we can see who you are.
And then before we call on you and then you can say who you are, if you'd like when we
call on you. So let's say are there any additions or changes by board members to the
meeting agenda? OK. I did have to add the changes to the sheriff resolution, insurance,
sheriff's license agreement. And I think that is the only change that I have. So we will open
it up for a privilege of the floor. The meeting guidelines are also available on the Web site.
Each speaker is limited to three minutes. And please adjust your comments to the whole
board. So if there's anyone who would like to speak for privilege, please use the raised
hand option. Ed Heatherington, are you there?
Ed Heatherington [00:02:30] Yes, I am.
Supervisor McGee [00:02:32] Oh, OK. Do you want to be on video?
Ed Heatherington [00:02:34] Yes
Supervisor McGee [00:02:36] OK. I just sent you a request.
Ed Heatherington [00:02:39] Oh, OK. Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [00:02:41] Sure
Ed Heatherington [00:02:43] I pledge allegiance to the flag. To the United States of
America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all. I did like .... the last meeting it appears a lot better to the public.
Let's keep it up. I really appreciate it. The cemeteries, I see that you are advertising for
somebody to mow that is good as there is thirty five hundred dollars for maintenance. They
should've done a month ago. But I take your word for what you're doing now. Retirement
issue, don't hurt our retirees. They had benefits for retirement and they should stay the
same. Do not put a financial burden on them by changing their plan. They should have the
same retirement benefits that they started with when they first retired. Whether you're
looking at a plan with a higher deductible or higher co-pays the first obligation should be
protecting the retirees. There are only three I believe and we should bite the bullet to
protect their benefits. They served us well. Appointments of Highway Superintendent and
Town Clerk. I do not think it is right to take away the public's right to vote for these people.
We, the people want to exercise our right to vote. That includes voting for highway
superintendent and Town Clerk. We may change the people in these positions by voting,
but it is by the right of the public. Extending the term of the supervisor. There has been a
two year position for a very long time. In my opinion, we have had some good supervisors
and some not so good supervisors, but we want to retain the right to vote for them every
two years. But this has been good in the past and appears to be good now. People have
been talking term limits for state and federal representatives, but that is not sorted itself out
yet. I say keep the Supervisor's term to the present two years. That's the end of my
comments. Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [00:04:57] Thanks Ed.
Ed Heatherington [00:04:58] You're welcome.
Supervisor McGee [00:05:08] Becky Simms. Hi there.
Becky Simms [00:05:11] Hi.
Supervisor McGee [00:05:11] Would you like to be on video?
Becky Simms [00:05:14] Sure.
Supervisor McGee [00:05:15] OK.
Becky Simms [00:05:17] I'm outside.
Supervisor McGee [00:05:19] Hi there. Where are you? Yes, I can. Hold on. There you
are. Hi. OK, go ahead.
Becky Simms [00:05:29] Hey. Becky Simms here. I just wanted to address the board on
the topic of aquifer protection. I'm really thrilled that we're able to have this presentation
here tonight and have this study completed. It's a huge asset for our Town. And I just. Just
really excited about that and would like to strongly encourage the board to look at what
next steps are for that goal of aquifer protection, specifically forming an aquifer protection
committee of, you know, residents and other interested and qualified individuals that are
going to be able to help us think about what our next steps are for aquifer protection. So
just wanted to encourage the board to do that. I also wanted to briefly address some
comments that were made involving me at the last I think at the last regular Town board
meeting by Bob Lynch in which it was indicated that I was somehow unaware of the
changes that were gonna be happening in the deputy supervisor position, which, of
course, I held until about a month ago. And I obviously was fully aware of that transition as
I needed to resign in order for it to occur. And I did that voluntarily and with the knowledge
of what was going to be the next steps here for the Town. So just wanted to be super clear
that I was involved in that process and had to be as the former deputy supervisor. So that's
all. Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [00:07:07] Thank you, Becky. OK. So I am going to this was a
warning. I'm going to unmuted everybody. So just be aware. And if there's anybody, I'm
going to ask if there's anyone else that would like to speak for privilege of the floor. OK. Is
there any one that would like to speak for the privilege of the floor?
Aaron Abb [00:07:42] Aaron Abb here.
Supervisor McGee [00:07:42] HI Aaron. Go ahead.
Aaron Abb [00:07:45] Hi, my name is Aaron Abb, I am a local resident, I am, a nominee
for the Planning Board. I am a engineer of 14 years and Navy veteran. Just wanted to
introduce myself. Then I was at the last planning board. Our special town hall meeting and
my resumé has been submitted to the board. That is all unless there is any questions.
Supervisor McGee [00:08:25] Aaron we will have an opportunity to talk about that. So
there it is on the agenda. So if you can be available during the first portion of old business,
we'll be able to ask any questions then. OK?
Aaron Abb [00:08:42] I do have a prior appointment at 7:00 p.m., I will have to cut out at
that point.
Supervisor McGee [00:08:49] OK. So do any board members have questions for Aaron?
Councilperson Lynch [00:08:56] Sounds like a strong candidate. Read the resumé looks
good and I plan to support your nomination tonight.
Aaron Abb [00:09:05] Thank you, Bob.
Councilperson Bryant [00:09:08] I plan to to.
Supervisor McGee [00:09:11] I don't have any concerns there, and so thank you. Thank
you for your willingness to serve as an alternate.
Councilperson Mahaffey [00:09:18] I only have one question. Hi, I'm Mimi Mahaffey. Are
you still working for Tetra Tech Architects?
Aaron Abb [00:09:27] I presently am? Yes.
Councilperson Mahaffey [00:09:29] And do they have any business with the in the town
of Enfield. At this point?
Aaron Abb [00:09:35] I believe they don't have direct business with the town of Enfield.
However, there is ongoing work with the Ithaca city School District. So which brings me to
the Enfield... And I have I have existing work there. So I guess, you know, if there is any
conflict of interest. That can be discussed and I can remove myself if needed.
Councilperson Mahaffey [00:10:03] Great. Well, it's really strong resume and we're lucky
to have you on board. Thank you for applying.
Aaron Abb [00:10:09] ...Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [00:10:12] To address that concern. Aaron will be one of. Well, wait a
second, he'll be an alternate. So it's one of two alternates now. So there'll be plenty of
room between Town or planning board members and alternates in order to address any
conflicts of interest. So.
[00:10:30] I.
Supervisor McGee [00:10:31] All right. Thank you Aaron.
Aaron Abb [00:10:32] Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [00:10:39] OK. Betty Poole, are you there?
Betty Poole [00:10:44] Yes, I am.
Supervisor McGee [00:10:46] Go ahead Betty.
Betty Poole [00:10:47] OK. I have a statement to make. However, I'm going to be making
it, I would request that I make it under new business, medical insurance for retirees. I just
wanted to put you on notice for that.
Supervisor McGee [00:11:13] OK, is that a statement for privilege of the floor, is it longer
than three minutes? What what is the.
Betty Poole [00:11:19] No, it's it's good. It's a short statement that I had. I think it pertains.
It pertains to the new business. Medical insurance for retirees.
Supervisor McGee [00:11:35] OK,.
Betty Poole [00:11:35] It might take a little bit longer than three minutes. Not much, but.
Supervisor McGee [00:11:43] Do board members object to that.
[00:11:46] No.
Supervisor McGee [00:11:49] OK. Ok Betty. Thank you. Anything else?
Betty Poole [00:11:52] No. That's it for now. Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [00:11:56] OK, and open it one more time.
Supervisor McGee [00:12:03] Anyone else like to speak for privilege of the floor? Before
we close?
[00:12:06] ....
Supervisor McGee [00:12:15] All right, looks like we're all set.
[00:12:19] I speaking with.
Supervisor McGee [00:12:24] All right, board members, if you could please, unmute
yourselves?
Councilperson Redmond [00:12:31] I'm going to leave myself needed just as there's
dogs and kids in the background. I'll unmute when there is something.
[00:12:39] So now I'm going to we're going to have the aquifer study presentation. This is
about eight years in the making. And we're really delighted to have this opportunity to have
this report. We've had a few interim reports where they've come and done presentations
for us and given us updates as as it's been happening. And this is the final report. So we're
very excited about it. So Ben Fisher and Paul Heisig. Is that how you pronounce your
name? Paul. OK. And is Gary here? Gary Wall also with the USGS. There you are, Gary,
with the USGS. So what I'm going to do is in order for you guys to share your screens.
Stephanie is a co-host right now, actually. So, Stephanie, I'm going to ask you to make me
a co-host. Once I hand off the co..., the hosting to them. OK. Just in case, because that we
will have hosts here in case somebody gets dropped in a meeting, and the meeting won't
all get dropped.... So I'm going to go ahead. Who would like to speak first of the three of
you?
Paul Heisig [00:13:48] Well, I'm going to say a few words, but Ben has the presentation to
you to share.
Supervisor McGee [00:13:54] OK, great. All right. Go ahead, Paul. You ready?
Paul Heisig [00:14:02] You know, Ben, Ben is going to share his screen for the
presentation.
Supervisor McGee [00:14:06] Oh, I see. But I thought you said you wanted to share a few
words first?
Paul Heisig [00:14:11] I'll say a few words, but I'll need him to show a slide as well.
Supervisor McGee [00:14:15] All right. Hold on one sec.
Paul Heisig [00:14:20] While you're doing that, I'll just say thank you, Beth, for the
opportunity and the Town board for the opportunity to to talk to you about the project
tonight. Like you said, it is a long time coming. And I think we've ended up with a real
quality product that I hope the board is pleased with. My name is Gary Wall. I'm the
associate director for science in the USGS New York Water Science Center. I'm based in
Troy, New York. Our office. We have offices across New York State. But one hundred and
thirty folks working on water resources issues. We do these for for other federal agencies,
for state agencies and local municipalities like like Enfield and Tompkins County. We've
had a long term agreement or a long term cooperative partnership with Tompkins County
20 years, I believe, now, where we've been doing similar type work in various
municipalities across the county. The Web page Ben is showing right now is is a is that it's
basically a landing page for the product that we've put together that you are ... That link
blue in the middle there. You might want to jot down that will take you to this page. And on
this page you'll see the scientific investigations report that Ben and Paul and Bill Kappel
were authors on. In addition to the report, you'll see that there are three, what we call data
releases associated with the report. These data releases provide all the background
information, the geophysical information that went into developing some of the
interpretations, along with the well logs that were pulled together to understand the
framework, hydro geology. And a final one that actually we just added to the publication
package today is a geospatial data release that has all the all the GIS linework information
as far as that are related to the figures that are in the report. So that's publicly available to
everyone to to use. So with with that, I guess I'll turn things over to to Ben and Paul, just as
a note of introduction. Ben Fisher is a geographer and geospatial expert with the USGS.
He's been with us for seven years and he works out of the Troy office, formerly in our
Ithaca. office, just down the road from you and Paul Heisig is hydrogeologist with the
USGS. He's met with USGS for 34 years, worked on a lot of studies like this all across the
state. Bill Kappel, I think many of you may know, is a is a retired scientist with USGS and
he's not here with us tonight, but he's a coauthor on the report. So with that again. Thanks
very much for the opportunity to present this work. I hope you find it informative. And going
forward, we're definitely here to help and assist you with any any further issues you might
have with this report or questions or anything. Feel free to reach out to to any one of the
authors or myself. So with that, I'll turn it over to Ben and you can get into the meat of the
report. Thanks.
Benjamin Fisher [00:17:54] Thanks, Gary. Can everyone hear me? Okay, great. Good
evening. I hope we're all doing well and staying healthy in this very interesting time we're
in right now. My name is Ben Fisher. I'm one of the authors of this study is Gary just
mentioned. And we're here to present our findings from the study, so start here at this map
on the left shows Tompkins County in the 17 valley fill aquifers, originally mapped by Todd
Miller. Our study area is in yellow right here in the town of Enfield is this box. And this map
on the right shows the aquifer boundaries within the town of Enfield. A little closer up the
yellow are the confined parts of the aquifer and the blue are the unconfined parts, which
will both be explained. Further in a little bit. OK, so the purpose of this study, the overall
purpose was to help Town planners, you all develop a more comprehensive approach to
water resource management. This associated report describes and illustrates the geologic
and aquifer framework that groundwater flows system in general, water quality of both
surface and groundwater. We use several methods to help us characterize the aquifer. A
big one being the collection of well records. This map on the left shows all the wells we
compiled for this study. Just over 300 of them. With sources being from the New York
State DEC well driller's program, old aquifer reports and 8 test wells, we drilled specifically
for this study, which I don't know how well you can see this, but there are these little label
circles with the R. And these well records helped us refine the aquifer geometry. And the
geologic material in the study area. So this graphic on the top right here illustrates two of
the test wells drilled for this study located up here. At each test well location, we drilled one
deeper well that went down to bedrock and one shallower well into a higher aquifer zone to
help us better understand the different aquifer zones and underlying material within the
aquifer itself. Also at each test. Well, we installed electronic devices called transducers
that measured continuous water level and water temperature data over the course of this
study. These data show that the aquifers behave as you would expect, higher water levels
with cooler temperatures in the cold months and lower water levels of warmer
temperatures in the warm months. One interesting thing to note here, and this was the
same case at all the wells where we installed transducers was how that drought of 2016
affected water levels, the aquifer level and all zones dropped around two to three feet
more than normal. That's a steep drop here. This is not really cause for concern, nor is the
aquifer or was the aquifer in threat of drying up. It's just sort of interesting to observe the
climatic effects upon groundwater in general. Horizontal to vertical spectoral ratios, seismic
sounding surveys. If you ever saw myself or someone else during the study period
between. Twenty thirteen and twenty eighteen. Standing in a field or on the side of the
road, staring at a small red box on the ground, we are likely collecting seismic readings
illustrated by these green crosses throughout the town of Enfield. These seismic surveys
tell us how thick the underlying material is, either to the top of bedrock or to till, which
helps us further refine the aquifer geometry and fills in gaps where we had no, well, data
available. Paul interpreted very detailed, surficial geologic, in aquifer mapping as part of
this study, including the construction of geologic cross sections, which are these lines
here. And these help illustrate what the underlying geology actually looks like. Well, the
wells, the test wells, the seismic surveys mentioned before all helped in the creation of this
surficial mapping. And he will go into more detail about this in a few minutes. We
performed streamflow measurements or essentially how much water is moving through
Enfield Creek and its tributaries to determine gaining and losing reaches during base flow,
conditions and baseload conditions are sustained low flow conditions in the absence of
direct runoff, like precipitation or. Snow melt. There's something like that. These were
performed in order to determine where the stream was gaining from or losing to the
aquifer. Enfield Creek in general is a gaining reach, meaning it flows year round. It's well
sustained and flow increases downstream. Losing reach would be one that is losing flow
into the ground water system. You'll see a small red line here. That would indicate a losing
reach. This really isn't cause for concern, you'll see the difference in the measurement,
and this is in cubic feet per second. It's only a point three difference, which is within the
margin of error of the equipment actually used to measure. So it may not even be a losing
reach their. And then water quality sampling. So we collected water quality samples from
both surface and ground water to obtain a general idea of the water quality in the aquifer
and contributing the surrounding area. This looks really busy. Don't focus too much on the
individual sites. But rather on the colors of the lines, collectively, red being surface water
samples from Enfield Creek itself, greener from unconfined or shallower ground water in
the blue or from confined or deeper groundwater. We have different constituents here on
the bottom or the x axis and then concentrations of those constituents on the Y or the left.
So you can see things like major ions and metals that have higher values and confined
wells compared to unconfined. So confined to the blue unconfined are these green surface
waters, this red. And this is expected as the deeper, confined water is moving much more
slowly and as time to accumulate more of these constituents. Whereas the shallower
unconfined ground water and surface water move much more quickly through the system.
So they are accumulating as much of this. Whenever you do see the surface water and
unconfined water higher than confined, as in these oxygen rich environments here, which
makes sense due to oxygen being more readily available at the surface and just below the
ground surface. For the most part, constituent levels were well below state and federal
drinking water standards. Except for a couple examples I'd like to point out. All of the
confined wells that we sampled for methane gas reported elevated levels. So here's
methane. Here's the results from the confined wells that we sampled. The Department of
Interior Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation recommends that methane
concentrations between ten and twenty eight milligrams per liter be monitored closely and
anything above twenty eight milligrams per liter, which there were two samples here, be
addressed immediately by removing any potential ignition source and venting gas away
from confined areas, essentially meaning it could be explosive at that point above twenty
eight milligrams per liter. And then the last example of the water quality I'd like to discuss.
Are these chloride the bromide ratios at the far end? These ratios give us an idea of the
source of high chloride and sodium values, which also contribute to the high specific
conductance values over here on the left. The ratio results show that the high chloride and
sodium in the surface water in shallow, unconfined wells indicate a road salt source, which
is. Prevalent in the Northeast or any other snow, really, and they lay salt on the roads,
whereas chloride to bromide ratios of around 100. As seen in these deeper wells here.
These two confined wells. And right here. Indicate that these high chloride and sodium
values represent saline formation waters, or basically very old saline water, mixing with
shallow dilute ground water. And with that, I will pass it on to Paul now. So I need to make
you host again, right? Beth?
Councilperson Redmond [00:27:58] You can't make you hosts, unfortunately, checked it
out. So you're going to have to make her again.
Benjamin Fisher [00:28:04] OK. Bear with me one second.
Supervisor McGee [00:28:17] You can make Paul the host.
Benjamin Fisher [00:28:19] OK, I can great.
Supervisor McGee [00:28:24] Sorry, I was muted. I was saying that.
Benjamin Fisher [00:28:26] That's Ok. I'm just trying to find Paul's name... Oh there we
go.
Supervisor McGee [00:28:37] Thank you, Ben.
Benjamin Fisher [00:28:38] OK, sure. Thank you.
Paul Heisig [00:28:53] Are you seeing in full screen? OK. Well, good evening, everybody,
and thanks for the opportunity to share results. If I move a little bit as this presentation
goes on. The sun is moving into my kitchen. So what I would like to cover is the a little bit
about glacial history in the town of Enfield, because that is pretty much the source of the
sand and gravel act for deposits that we're looking at in the study. And then. Outline the
hydro geology surficial geology, we look at a cross section in terms of what lies beneath.
And talk about the extent of aquifers. What makes a good aquifer? And what you have
here in Enfield. And then end with some considerations for aquifer protection. So. Starting
with kind of a regional overview. Town of Enfield outlined in red. The entire area was
glaciated during the last Ice Age. And the last position of the ice in the area is is called the
Valley Head ice position. And I've kind of outlined it here in blue dashed line. So during
that last advance of ice into the area, pretty much the whole town was was beneath ice. So
what I want to do is kind of step through as the ice receded from this area through the
town of Enfield. Just to give you a sense of why you have what you have. One thing I'd
point out that relates to water resources and Enfield is Enfield is it's a high elevation area.
Locally, it's a high elevation valley. It's nearly 700 feet higher than the level of the lake. So
there isn't a lot of land area around Enfield where water flows to Enfield because Enfield is
so, so high. So it's it's saw less meltwater. During receiving ice margin then, say, other
areas such as the Cayuga Inland Valley, so. So here's here's during Valley Valley Heads,
Ice Margined Time. The town is totally covered with ice as ice starts to recede. First, the.
Southern higher elevation areas are exposed and. We can surmise where the ice was
because looking at the surficial geology and this is on maps in the report and here we can
see places where the ice didn't just continuously retreat. It paused a few times and left
what we call a Maraine Ice sits for for a while. You can get this accumulation of unsorted
materials, these low ridges that mark where the ice was. So in this case, you can see the
dashed red line is one of these Maraines. And. I'd like to bring to your attention, you know,
again, Enfield is a high area, so the ice over Enfield was is thinner than, say, ice in the
Cayuga valley at 700 feet more height than the valley. So ice remained there longer than
in in the Enfield area. You have these two little tons of ice. One from the Cayuga Inlet
valley. And and one from the north. And ice is melting. No water is generated. And so
between these two tongues in the valley area. If there was space and as the sites pull
back, you might have had a localized short lived lakes where meltwater couldn't escape to
lower elevations. At the same time, we had meltwater coming off the ice here along the
edge. And these orange deposits that you'll see as they're gradually uncovered are called
ice contact. Sand gravel. And they were deposited right next to the ice. They're generally.
Variably sorted and variably in term variable in terms of the amount of silt in the deposits.
So if you have a lot of silt that makes for less permeable deposits. Some of the tributary
valleys here. Also, ice from up here conveyed water down and also contributed to this
sediment build up in this area here. The next one is a little bit farther back here. And again,
we have some rain right here. So we know that the ice tongue from the Cayuga Inlet valley
was here. We have meltwater coming down. This is Five Mile Creek. This is a much more
incised stream channel than the amount of drainage area would suggest. So it's it had a
little bit extra meltwater coming down. Not huge amounts, but because, again, we're so
high. And also from ice on this side at the head of the Enfield Creek Valley. And then the
final Moraine that you saw is is. Here. And so. When you have ice in upland areas,
generally what is deposited there is glacial till it's a mixture, unsorted mixture, anywhere
from clay and silt size to boulder size sediments, not very permeable. So it's not good
aquifer material. And in Enfield. Any well in the uplands is going to tap the fractured
bedrock because the glacial deposits are permeable. So we have. Final. Recession of the
ice. And we're left more or less with what we have today. It's been about. 12000 years.
And in that time, we have. Erosion in the uplands of an unstable recent glacial deposits.
And they brought sediment down into the valley. And it gets deposited from the streams
entering the valley are what we call alluvial fans. The stream gradient is is relatively steep
compared to the valley when it gets to the valley, which has a low gradient. A lot of
sediment just drops out. So we get these alluvial fans here in blue and light green. And
those are relatively permeable deposits. They do typically have a silt component, but
occasionally they have some cleaner zones. The other deposit is Flood Plain Alluvium,
which tends to be it's relatively thin, maybe. Maybe 15 feet thick tends to be a little bit finer
as you go up towards land surface, but it's thin, so it's not. We wouldn't really consider that
aquifer material. OK. So that's kind of laying out the surficial geology. I guess I should say
the dark pink material is kind of halfway between til an ice contact. It's kind of a gravity till
it's been sorted a little bit by water. But I wouldn't. Wouldn't consider it an aquifer material.
So I'd like to do next is take a look at one of these geologic or hydro geologic cross
sections that were created for this to kind of slice open the valley so you can see what's
beneath it. And in terms of sediments and aquifer material. So this is the. Test well, that
we did at the Town Highway Department. It is a hundred and forty two feet deep and.
What you see well, let me point out that you had the ice contact material, which is that.
Generally stratified material potentially aquifer material. In this case, there's gravel inter
that had with fine grained silts and clay. So these might be, again, kind of ephemeral lake
deposits. So this part of the extending out, this is probably less permeable area at depth
things cleared up a little bit. And the well was completed the material. Above that is the
one of the alluvial fan deposits and the well was completed at the base of that. And this
dash here indicates where the water level was. And we have about 40 feet of saturated
material at this location. We'll talk about the aquifer properties after I Define some things
you can see in the uplands till here is a very thin veneer. At least that's our interpretation
here. And with the imagery we have, we can see some of the bedrock structure. So that
kind of tips us off that it's not very thick. But it can be up to 80 feet thick. Based on that
shot on the map that Ben showed earlier on of overburden thickness. So just so people
are on the same page in terms of term terminology that we're using. We have identified
confined aquifer's and unconfined aquifers. And so here's a kind of a schematic cartoon
showing a hypothetical area with, let's say it's predominantly sand and gravel. And we
have a few darker units are silt and clay, what we call confining. You answer confining
layers. So the. Types of aquifer relate to how they interact or not with the atmosphere.
The. Rainfall, snow melt are the main input to the hydrologic system. If you've got a sand
area and less vegetation takes it up. A good amount of rainfall moves through the
unsaturated zone until it hits the watertable. And. Watertable is the top of the unconfined
aquifer. So we call this unconfined because it is in communication with the atmosphere. So
if it if it rains, water can make it down and influence the amount of storage in here. So this
is like the alluvial fan aquifer in that unit. And last slide. And this is like beneath those. So
think play layers at the very bottom of that well. And if you have a confining unit covering
this. Confined aquifer does not respond directly to precipitation in terms of water being
added. And it gets. It can be a fairly stagnant situation there. And as Ben said, water from
the deepest confined wells, a higher, higher dissolves minerals content. It had methane.
So it was really reflecting, I think, water chemistry in the surrounding bedrock in the valley.
So but in this case, if the top part of bedrock is usually the most fractured. If you have a
confining unit, it's possible that water could. Enter that via like that. But. If you don't having
withdrawals going on, there's not much impetus for water to move either way. And in
between, that is these what we call a semi confined aquifer. We might have local clay and
silt units, but they're. Kind of limited in their extent and the. So they are not. There's there's
somewhat protected. But typically, like in Enfield, semi confined and unconfined probably
behave similarly. One other thing I want to point out about these aquifers is. Susceptibility
to contamination in a Watertable Aquifer. It's great that we're getting water directly from
precipitation. But it's a double edged sword because if you have land use activities above
such an aquifer that can add contaminants or solids that can get washed down, that
aquifer is much more susceptible to contamination. Whereas a confined aquifer, if there's a
well completed, a confined aquifer. What's going on on land surface above it may not
really have any bearing. OK, so here's here's the. The map that we produced for the Town,
this is our inferred extent of the confined and unconfined aquafers. And I guess before I
say anything more specific about that, I'd just highlight what what makes a favorable
aquifer a good water resource? The one you need, a good permeability. So well sorted
sand and gravel or or sand or gravel is important because or it's transmitted more quickly
through permeable deposits. It gets into the aquifer better if it's permeable. But you need
more than programmability. You need to have a storage reservoir of of water. So if you
have a thin aquifer that's of limited aerial extent, you don't ... It during a dry period. You
don't have. You may have problems of sustainability. So that's certainly a consideration.
As things that can make up for some of that include sources of recharge. So we have
recharged from above, from precipitation, snowmelt. We have also can get recharge from
tributary streams. Now point those out here in Enfield, you have tributary streams in these
areas close to the unconfined aquifers that cross in at least these cases cross the valley.
And I'll explain in the next slide. But basically, if you're crossing, you're going from tilling
bedrock, which is not the most permeable. You end up coming across the valley and it's
more sand and gravel. Water starts infiltrating from the stream. So the stream wouldn't be
surprised if in the summertime you looked at where these streams join Enfield Creek.
Many of them may be dry because flows are generally lower in the summer and but they're
still infiltrating and they're they're basically feeding the aquifer all year long. Another
possibility where you have a big creek, and I don't know if Enfield would qualify for that, but
if you have a well. In a permeable aquifer next to a good size creek or river. If you pump
water from that well, you can actually induce water from the creek or the river into the
aquifer, the normal direction of groundwater flow. It's toward the creek in the valley, so you
can view Enfield Creek as the local drain the drains. This entire watershedof Enfield
Creek, it's a it's the low point. So water wants to discharge to it if it can. Also in areas
where you don't have. As Streams Valleywall, areas where streams aren't the drainage.
Rainfall and snow melt that falls on these areas. As you saw in that cross section, it's until
over bedrock that's mostly going to move downhill and ultimately it's going to supply water
to the Valley Aquifer. The last thing is it's helpful if the water is is oxygenated. If you can
find aquifers tend to have more oxygen. Unconfined aquifers tend to have more
oxygenated water because they're in contact with the atmosphere. You might have stream
water, you have rainfall directly infiltrating. Water that stays the longer it's in the
groundwater system. The more bacterial action use up oxygen than they use up nitrate
and and they start utilizing. Other doing other chemical transformations, and you start
getting iron ore, manganese in the water. Or even methane, a naturally occurring from just
bacteria. So. The confined act for the that now says, it's been pointed out, that's a very low
oxygen environment. You have methane there. That's very. That means you've got a really
low oxygen environment. So if you were to use that water, you'd probably have to treat it.
So that's that's a. That consideration. So. What do these characteristics, how do they fit in
with Enfield? Well. One of the wells test wells that we drilled, they have some. Permeable
sand and gravel zones. But probably more zones that have that are silty, which would, if
you're looking developed, do say developed the municipal supply. a zone that. Produces
silt that can't clear up. It's not going to be good as a water supply. Was there are there
other types of wells can be drilled like large diameter? Well, if you have a turbidity
problem, that might help with that. But in general, the. Permeability is is kind of hit and
miss. So that's a limiting factor the size of the valley and the amount of, say, meltwater that
came through from from glaciers retreat was limited. That's probably part of the reason
things aren't as well sorted. And it's not a wide valley in terms of a lot of storage. You do
have the recharge and you do have the stream that infiltration and runoff from valley walls.
So. I can't. I can't give you a number in terms of what a supply well could produce, that
would have to have involved aquifer testing for that purpose. But. I'd say it's some it's a
modest resource. So let's look at that same cross section through the. Not a confined,
unconfined act for an Town well. And then I'll wrap up with a couple comments about
aquifer protection. So just to see in cross-section what's what's happening. I've just
extended these Fine-grained units and said, well, we know that the water deep in this just
above the valley bottom, the bedrock above bedrock. We had a mineralized water with
methane that really says to me that's really confined condition, that you're not having a lot
of active flow. There may be some, but it's pretty sluggish. But above that. We have
recharge from precipitation. We have streamflow coming down from upland tributaries.
They start flowing over these more permeable deposits. Both the ice contact and the
alluvial fan deposits and water is. Replenishing the aquifer here. And when water goes into
the aquifer, it doesn't just sit there. Otherwise, you'd have a lake because it would just
keep building up, as I said before. The drain is Enfield Creek. So what's happening here is
these little dots are showing kind of the direction of groundwater flow in this upper confine
aquifer, and it's moving in and ultimately it's going to exit at. Enfield Creek. and we know
that this is a very active, dynamic aquifer, because Bill Kappel installed temperature
sensors from basically from the top to the bottom as well, which kind of tells us what the
outside temperature is. And in the confining unit and the deep aquifer. It's a straight line
temperature didn't vary at all. Over the course of the year, when you get up here, we see
significant seasonal variations. So in the summer, you have warm water getting into the
aquifer in late winter, late fall and early spring into spring. You have cold water getting into
the aquifer. So we see there's a very dynamic system here. So the last thing I wanted to.
Talk about as if if we've got. This modest aquifer system in the valley, and we want to
protect what we have. We know certainly in areas of unconfined, those unconfined act
fires in the again, the most. Promising areas are, I guess, up here, which is something
that's close to the elementary school and down here, just north of or around the town
highway department and in between, you know, there's are possibilities if there's clean
zones in a confined area here. And that's certainly a possibility. So you can protect what's
going on. Directly over them, the aquifer. But. You're also getting water from the valley
walls, adjacent valley walls. So what goes on there could have an effect. And as I pointed
out, the stream that infiltration here is Five Mile Creek. What goes on in this entire
watershed? Probably has a significant impact on the water quality, as you may see in the
shallow, unconfined aquifer here. Similarly, down here, you have two tributaries coming in
across ice contact and alluvial fan deposits. So we have these upland tributary areas.
What's going on? There is in some cases, equally as important as what might be
happening in the valley. So typically. Upland areas is certainly controlling. How rapidly
runoff gets to streams. This is a. A worthwhile activity, and that could be saying, well, we'd
like to have X number of feet of buffer around stream courses if we have land use activities
up there that might influence negatively water quality, then just making sure those
activities are using best management practices. So that. What you're doing, you're careful
about what you're doing, but you're also including a buffer to help mitigate any negative
effects. So I think with that, I will. Finish and take any questions. And I take any questions
you have.
Councilperson Redmond [00:58:30] I'd like to ask a question. I'm curious if there is an
average depth of the methane rich confined aquifer or if it varies through throughout the
region.
Paul Heisig [00:58:46] Then you can correct me if, but I believe that the three lower wells
sites had methane. And I think it pretty much increased as you went down valley. So C,
can we go back?
Councilperson Bryant [00:59:11] How many tests, well, did you actually drill?
Benjamin Fisher [00:59:16] We drilled eight total.
Councilperson Bryant [00:59:19] Thank you.
Benjamin Fisher [00:59:20] Mm hmm.
Paul Heisig [00:59:21] Right. So I believe these three sites near the confined. Aquifers
sample contain methane. But I think it was the highest. As he went south. So here it may
be a mild issue at the Town. Well, I think that I think that was the highest one.
Benjamin Fisher [00:59:48] Mm hmm.
Councilperson Redmond [00:59:51] And what about the depth there? How far down do
you have to go? Like, how far down did you have to drill the well before you hit that
confined layer that's more methane rich?
Paul Heisig [01:00:03] Lets see... Bring up the well logs have them right here.. Did you
see that? OK. So this is one of the mid mid valley ones. Stoneybrook.
Benjamin Fisher [01:00:34] We Can't see that Paul can't see that we're still in.
Paul Heisig [01:00:37] OK
Supervisor McGee [01:00:38] ...change the screen your sharing...
Paul Heisig [01:00:43] Right. And.
[01:01:05] See, let's see, the control should be down at the bottom of the screen in the
Zoom app, but share screen button.
Paul Heisig [01:01:18] Let me escape from this. OK. Maybe I have to unshare my screen.
Or.
Supervisor McGee [01:02:00] Maybe you already did that. I think so. Now you are. You
are a host. So if you just look in the bottom of the app....
Paul Heisig [01:02:14] Yup. I got it now OK. About Page Is that sharing now. OK, so this
is a mid valley one, and this was about 90 feet below land surface. The. This is the Town
Highway was. One hundred and thirty six hundred and forty feet.
Councilperson Redmond [01:02:48] The confined aquifer?
Paul Heisig [01:02:51] Yes, .
Supervisor McGee [01:02:52] The unconfined active aquifer is much shallower than that,
though.
Paul Heisig [01:02:57] Yes. Right. So here this is kind of semiconfined. But yeah, this one
is the. The base of that is fifty nine feet.
Councilperson Redmond [01:03:21] And where is that located?
Paul Heisig [01:03:24] That one is the highway department one,.
Councilperson Redmond [01:03:27] Ok so the top of the confined aquifer than the
highway department is about fifty nine feet? Is that correct?
Paul Heisig [01:03:36] That's the bottom of the unconfined.
Councilperson Redmond [01:03:40] OK.
Supervisor McGee [01:03:40] I think they said before to me when I wrote the grant that it
was 14 feet below the surface. The grant for the salt storage at the top of it, like the
beginning of it, was 14 feet.
Paul Heisig [01:03:53] Oh, I see.
Councilperson Redmond [01:03:55] Oh yeah. I'm wonder a more about the confined
aquifer. Look, if you want to drill a well and not hit them methane rich aquifer, then this is
suggesting you have to go under one hundred feet. And is that pretty much where it is
throughout the aquifer for the confined aquifer?
Paul Heisig [01:04:13] The valley is deepens as you go south,.
Councilperson Redmond [01:04:23] The confined aquifer part, it also deepens then.
Paul Heisig [01:04:25] Yes.
Councilperson Redmond [01:04:27] OK,. So the northern end. What would those be at?
Paul Heisig [01:04:36] Ben can you look? Is it eighty one or eighty two, the Second from
the top?
Councilperson Redmond [01:04:46] Well, that might be helpful to have for residents, just
for them to know how deep they would put their certain areas.
Paul Heisig [01:04:53] I. Can. I can. What if you've provided someone generalized? The
logs are much more detailed in this case. And I would I can verify this in this case, that a
third zone that was tapped by the well was about seventy seven feet. down. They're like at
the Town Highway Department. There were a few water zones above the one they
eventually finished the Well in. So we don't we didn't collect samples from those upper
zones. It's possible there could be some methane in there. So that is not you can't say it's
at a certain level. It's probably gets shallower as you go. it's probably not as deep as go
north because the valley isn't as deep.
Councilperson Redmond [01:05:59] Do you know how much that varies? Approximately?
Paul Heisig [01:06:05] Well, I mean, this one is I think is the upper one, so. Ben can you
tell me if if. Eighty one had methane in it.
Benjamin Fisher [01:06:24] I'll mention, Paul, that this pair here is not the northernmost
one. It's the Second.
Paul Heisig [01:06:31] Yes. That's one of the north ones clean because.
Benjamin Fisher [01:06:35] That's 80, right? Seventy nine eighty. Or the northern one.
Councilperson Redmond [01:06:38] Yeah. And that was shallow. So it didn't get to the
methane level?
Benjamin Fisher [01:06:44] Yeah, probably it's probably also less confined. Well, what we
find is that if you have an unconfined aquifer's sitting over, say, bed bedrock that contains
methane. It kind of .. Gases. And you rarely see methane and an unconfined aquifer. So
it's.
Councilperson Redmond [01:07:06] OK.
Councilperson Bryant [01:07:07] So let me ask you, the confined aquifer is a desirable
thing to find?
Paul Heisig [01:07:13] In some respects, it's desirable in in Enfield, at least in the south
for the valley. You can expect to see methane in the water. So it's not. Yeah, in many
areas confined aquifers are very desirable as long as they're not to oxygen poor and you
have to do a lot of spend a lot of money on treatment for things like iron or manganese.
Yeah. Methane would be more an issue of. Allowing it to vent.
Councilperson Bryant [01:07:56] Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [01:07:59] You mention a couple of things that I made note of. One is
the potentially explosive sites. And I'm wondering if you would notify people about that
where those are. And also, you mentioned, as long as we don't have withdrawals going on,
that could be problematic. What kind of withdrawals are you talking about? That would be
problematic.
Paul Heisig [01:08:31] OK, well, let me. What were Ben referred to as that being? Those
all those values were measured in our test wells. So there's no pumps and nothing like that
in the case of a domestic. Well, that contains methane than. Some sort of remedial action
is is suggested. If if you're getting to concentrations, that could be explosive. And typically
that. Treatment is is allowing the well to vent. And so it disipates a lot of the methane. In
terms of. Confine aquifers withdrawals from confined aquifers being. Problematic, I'm not
sure what my.Exactly what I was referring to there. In the case of. Enfield in general, I
think the water chemistry, say, at the town hall, well, in particular. Is. The dissolved solids
is high. I wouldn't want that from my well. People do drink water with dissolved solids at
that level. But. Between that and my methane, it's not a desirable water chemistry
situation.
Supervisor McGee [01:10:17] OK, and what is the water quality of the tests? Well, at the
highway department?
Paul Heisig [01:10:26] So.
Supervisor McGee [01:10:27] As it relates to drinking water?
Councilperson Mahaffey [01:10:29] The shallower one.
Paul Heisig [01:10:32] Lets see.
Supervisor McGee [01:10:37] Thanks, Mimi.
Councilperson Lynch [01:10:43] It's the deeper ones that were ten, seventy five and ten.
Seventy seven are said to be unpotable.
Paul Heisig [01:10:51] Right.
Councilperson Lynch [01:10:52] That's page thirty five the summary.
Paul Heisig [01:10:56] Yes.
Benjamin Fisher [01:10:58] And 76 would be the shallow at the Town Highway.
Paul Heisig [01:11:05] Right. Right. So that one. That is among the lowest that's among
the lowest in all, the major, major Ion's. So actually, you know that that water is less
mineralized than some stream water in the samples that we measured. So. So just looking
at that. Quickly.
Supervisor McGee [01:11:53] And the flow is at plentiful.
Paul Heisig [01:12:00] We I don't believe we did yield tests on that. We were the focus
wasn't. They said if you want to evaluate this in terms of a a viable supply, you'd need to
do it for testing. We're looking at water levels and chemistry in this kind of evaluation
overall. But based on that water chemistry and I believe the log. See? Seventy see here.
There's that well, there's about 40 feet of...
Councilperson Mahaffey [01:12:57] Storage...
Paul Heisig [01:13:03] Right. So so it's suggesting and at the you have at least 40 feet of.
Looks like thickness of the aquifer there.
Supervisor McGee [01:13:20] When you say lowest it, lowest mineral or lowest? Do you
mean of the ones at that site or of all the test wells,.
Paul Heisig [01:13:33] Of all the teat wells and all the streams
Supervisor McGee [01:13:35] Right.
Paul Heisig [01:13:36] I mean. It's looking pretty good. The notes on the log for wear that
well was completed said that produces more water with depth, so it suggests that it's better
sorted near the bottom of the deposit.
Councilperson Redmond [01:14:12] I'm curious also with this specific conductivity. It
seemed like you were saying that The majority of Enfield was experiencing higher levels
than should be potable, or does that range to different areas and Enfield? And if so, have
you mapped it throughout Enfield?
Paul Heisig [01:14:35] The well, the study focused primarily on. The sand and gravel
aquifers in the Town. So we we cataloged wells in the uplands. And that's part of the
system. But the. Valuation of anything and wells in the upland areas at rock wells in the
upland areas was not part of this effort. You started looking at. Figure and what was the
second part of your question? Oh, the the dissolved silence. The figure. Are you looking at
the. My. What am I sharing now? For me on.
Benjamin Fisher [01:15:39] The well log.
Supervisor McGee [01:15:40] OK.
Paul Heisig [01:15:41] So. Trying to find the. OK.
Councilperson Redmond [01:15:52] When you're talking dissolved solids, are you talking
several things, are you talking about specific conductivity?
Paul Heisig [01:16:00] Well, disovlve solids a general general term like mineral content
with water, so specific conductance. is also that measures the electrical conductivity of the
water. And so it gives us a kind of a surrogate for dissolved mineral content. In this case.
See? I mean, chloride is probably the best. Indicator of. What's going on in most in wells
other than the two deepest confined aquifer wells. All right, content was anywhere from
like about. Eighteen to around 90 milligrams per liter. So at the lower end of the range,
that's kind of background. At the upper end of that range, I would assume that it's a road
salt influence and every study I've ever done. We see. Some degree of influence of road
salt, because it's it's ubiquitous it's on everywhere, chloride is very mobile. So it shows up
in the aquifers. Those concentrations are not of concern that the. Secondary health
guideline bans the 250, though. And that's a more aesthetic guideline. Lets see what
else...Now, dissolved oxygen in those shallow wells is pretty high. That's a good sign. So,
yeah, definitely the. Areas where you have a thick enough. Unconfined aquifer where you
have streams in the area flowing over it, or perhaps not too far from Enfield Creek. Those
are all. Potential sources of water that can keep the aquifer topped off.
Councilperson Mahaffey [01:18:54] So when we had our well, 10 or 20 years ago, the
person who dug the well said once, once we had good potable water that recharge well
enough, not great, but well enough, he said I wouldn't go any further. Many people in this
area. The deeper they go, the more likely they are to hit sulpher. Is that anecdotal or is that
true?
[01:19:24] I would say in the Valley area. That's absolutely true because in and this is a
function of of how wells are constructed and and kind of the hydraulics of where you are. If
you're in an upland area. Recharge does make its way through the till. Into fractured
bedrock and most upland area wells sat at bedrock wells that I've sampled in the past.
Look like real recent groundwater, very oxygenated, even at depth. And what happens is
Waters added. At the top of the hill, and the impetus is for that water to to move
downward. So when you have, say, a drill, a well. If you have a shallow fracture that's
receiving water from from recharge and then you hit a deeper fracture. All of a sudden.
Water from the shallow fractures of higher pressure. It's going to move. Enter the well and
move downward and exit from the deeper fractures. So in upland area, it's you. As soon as
you drill a well, you started setup this downward flow of recharge water. And so a lot of
even relatively deep wells and upland areas. Have fresher water than you would expect. In
a valley area, that's where kind of all the groundwater flow that can move to the local drain
is is trying to do that. And beneath the valley, you have the the oldest, slowest moving
water. And yeah, I've documented this in the southern tier of New York, that if you're in the
middle of the valley and you have a confined aquifer or qat or you're in shallow bedrock,
you're much more likely to see methane. You're much more likely to see high dissolved
solids. If if so, if I was in a valley if I was in Enfield, I would if I was in the valley proper, I
would. Do whatever I could to. If I can finish a well in the the shallower deposits, I would
then I think. Yeah. Drilling deep in. In the Enfield Valley is probably asking for trouble. But
in the uplands, it's not as much of an issue.
Councilperson Mahaffey [01:22:19] Thank you.
[01:22:20] Paul I've got a couple of questions for you. My experience. I live and I have a
deep water well goes down more than one hundred feet. And I am in the confined aquifer
area. I'm in the lower part down by Robert Treatment Park. And it's some of the best
tasting water I have ever drunk. And it tastes good. Don't ask my coffee pot because it will
clog it up because of the iron. But that's a different story. But it is delicious and the well
goes down there and I've had it for 50 years and the well hasn't exploded yet. So I don't
want to alarm people who may be in this area with deep water wells in this confined
aquifer. Is there any danger that they're coping with right now because of that methane?
Paul Heisig [01:23:12] All right. Well, first off, you can see the Act four map on here. OK.
So you're near the park right down and that weren't.
Councilperson Lynch [01:23:25] Where you're swinging to the farthest east. I'm in that
area. Yes.
Paul Heisig [01:23:29] OK, Rob. OK. So this is. Kind of a caveat. This is a different setting
them than up here, right here. You're sitting kind of a top bedrock and you front end, right.
There's confined conditions here. But you have you're on a hill slope, essentially. And the
water is moving kind of downslope. And you're probably in a much more dynamic system.
So you're getting a lot of water off this this hill slope. The bits sinks in here. And. That
would explain the non methane, because you're kind of above the bottom of the valley
here. So in this this area here where it's kind of cleaved by the beginning of Enfield Glen,
it's a different it's a different setting. So I I certainly believe that you have great tasting
water. I mean, if you have a little bit of iron. OK. Well, it's it's slightly low oxygen kind of
water. So but up here, if. Right. If people have. Deep wells. In this area. And they have
concern they might want to get it tested to see if they. I mean, if you have methane, you
know it. Your kitchen sink is spitting water because there's gas build up. The water tends
to be cloudy. So there it's it's not a silent issue. You'll know it if you have methane in your
water. So then it becomes system matter of. Do I have enough fit? This is a concern that I
should put a vent on my Well, or not.
Councilperson Lynch [01:25:40] The other question was concerning water quality, again,
referring to the summary in page thirty five. It said, Water quality in surface and
groundwater generally met state and federal drinking water standards. However, some
constituents fluoride dissolved solids, barium, iron, manganese and methane did exceed
those standards. And it goes on to the bottom of the section and it says the groundwater
quality in wells TM ten seventy five and TM ten seventy seven was on potable without
treatment and is a limitation on the resource. And I noticed that I think ten seventy five I
may be having these confused but one of them is at the highway barn and the other one
was near a an apartment complex and I wondered if we could have a problem at the
apartment complex with sewage runoff.
Paul Heisig [01:26:48] Wouldn't that Ben, if you have any comments, then I would. Are
you referring to. Well, that would serve?
Councilperson Lynch [01:27:03] One of the wells that you dug, right? Indicated there
was some, I think, dissolved solids or whatever. And I suspect that that that kind of
substance could be the result of septic effluent.
Paul Heisig [01:27:25] In 77... Right. Well, that's it. That is that both of those wells are
deep. Deeper, confined wells. And that is. In my opinion, it is not. So a septic influence
would have a different fingerprint. And this is a deep confined well with very low oxygen
conditions. That's suggesting it's not in communication with what's going on above. So if
there was. I mean, if there is septic fields nearby, it would more likely be impacting the
unconfined well at that site, which.
Councilperson Lynch [01:28:20] I guess the question the question in my mind was, if we
have a water quality problem at a couple of these wells, you know, it's nice. Like, I have to
be able to drill a well, drink the water without any treatment, without anything that has to be
done to it. And if you have wells that are going to use the word contaminated, which is
probably a wrong term, but I'm going to use it here for representative purposes. You're
going to have a problem, a quality problem that might have to be addressed by
government. And the question in my mind was, how did these wells become unpotable
with their water supply? What might be the source?
[01:29:02] There's the source when Ben talked about the chloride to bromide ratios this.
Basically, those two deep wells have a different chloride to bromide ratio than all the other
wells, and they. Refute those wells are those ratios are. Identified with oil and gas field
type. Brines meaning natural, naturally occurring brines in in deep bedrock. And those can
find aquifers. You can think of it as kind of it's osmosis. You have fresh water maybe there
initially. And if it's not flowing very much over time. Yes. In the surrounding bedrock. And
high dissolved solids in the surrounding bedrock are kind of diffuse into that lower aquifer.
So it is. A naturally, I would say that's a naturally occurring. Situation. It's not that
anything's happened to contaminate it. It's probably gotten more. Over over thousands of
years. It's probably gotten more and more mineralized. But it's a naturally occurring thing.
Councilperson Lynch [01:30:36] It's a naturally occurring thing, it's not necessarily a
manmade occurring thing.
Paul Heisig [01:30:40] No, no, not at all. No.
Councilperson Lynch [01:30:46] And I've got to use a nasty word in Enfield, and I'm
going to use it for representative purposes only, and that nasty word is fracking. And is it
basically we've got the same problem with the gases that the fractures want is the same
thing that's having a problem with our water?
Paul Heisig [01:31:06] Well, this this entire region is underlain by a series of black shells
which contain natural gas. I can't. I can't. I don't like to look that.
Councilperson Lynch [01:31:29] I know I do. I put you on the spot. I'm sorry.
Paul Heisig [01:31:32] Well, it's it's I can't say that it's an economic. You know that the gas
resources in Enfield are of economic interest to someone who is a driller. A gas driller. But
it is kind of a. A characteristic of the region. You are in the southern tier. Naturally
occurring methane in valleys is in valley wells, naturally occurring. Methane is under
uplands, just like Enfield. It's there everywhere. When you drill a well. You're most likely to
hit it in the valleys.
Councilperson Lynch [01:32:17] Bottom line from this study. You didn't find anything that
was really a major pollution source that we should have to worry about if there's any water
quality problem. It's just a natural occurrence?
Paul Heisig [01:32:31] The worst ones that we saw under the samples that we collected in
a we we collected stream samples. Then you know what one base folks sample, right?
Benjamin Fisher [01:32:43] So now four or five baseload samples.
Supervisor McGee [01:32:49] So.
Paul Heisig [01:32:50] over the over the course of four one synoptic survey.
Benjamin Fisher [01:32:54] Right. Rare. Yeah.
Paul Heisig [01:32:56] Well, we didn't look at what storm flow looks like. We didn't look at
a range of flows. So. You as long as you take that statement with the caveat within the
time frame that we sampled.
Councilperson Lynch [01:33:13] We don't have any serious pollution problem. Best thing,
that's the. The welcome. Result of this study, I guess.
Supervisor McGee [01:33:22] I think that's what we're gathering. So we are after eight
o'clock now, so I'm going and reaching out to the board to ask if they're would you like to
continue this or would we like to have questions come to maybe Stephanie, from anyone
in the public who would be interested in asking questions about it? And then I can connect
Stephanie with Gary to get those questions answered for everybody. Would that be all
right, Stephanie?
Councilperson Redmond [01:33:58] That sounds good to me. Oh, my questons were
answered.
Supervisor McGee [01:34:00] OK.
Councilperson Lynch [01:34:01] I've got my questions answered, and it's a very thorough
and informative study.
Supervisor McGee [01:34:08] Mimi. Where do you go? OK.
Councilperson Mahaffey [01:34:12] I think it's great. I think we have to keep in mind that
he wasn't and that this study does not encompass all of Enfield that is studying the aquifer.
So I think we should just make sure that we understand that we don't we don't really know
about runoff during storm periods and that kind of stuff that that could be occurring may or
may not be occurring. So.
Supervisor McGee [01:34:36] Great.
Councilperson Mahaffey [01:34:36] And the limits of the study, I don't I don't want to
expand our generalizations too much. That's what the next series is for.
Supervisor McGee [01:34:48] OK. So Paul, Gary and Ben, do you have any final
comments you want to finish with?
Gary Wall [01:34:58] I'll just say that, you know, we're happy to receive any any additional
questions and and work with folks to to address any concerns they have.
[01:35:10] OK.
Benjamin Fisher [01:35:10] I don't think this is we're just sending the body, you know.
Feel free to reach out anytime.
Supervisor McGee [01:35:15] Yeah. Yeah. And the aquifer study is actually available on
our Web site. Links to it so people are able to check it out. Sounds as well.
Gary Wall [01:35:24] Yeah. I will add, though, that I mentioned in my comments that we
we did update the data release associated with the with the report today. So there are
links. There's a new version of version one point one that just has a couple of links in there
for that new data release. So I'd encourage you to download re download the report. And it
has those minor differences.
Supervisor McGee [01:35:52] OK. Very good. Thanks for notifying of that.
Gary Wall [01:35:56] So one last thing. We're also working on publishing an RJS online
version of all the shapefile, that sort of interactive kind of like Google Earth, where you can
play around with each layer. You can look at the sufficient live close in the wells and look
at the information from all the wells, all that sort of thing.
Supervisor McGee [01:36:19] And when will that be available?
Supervisor McGee [01:36:24] That's a good question. Will it be sooner than the first
study?
Gary Wall [01:36:29] Yes. OK. OK.
Supervisor McGee [01:36:34] Thank you. Well, we really appreciate all the work that
you've put into this. This has been a very long process and it's I think it's going to be very
helpful.
[01:36:45] We appreciate your patience.
Supervisor McGee [01:36:47] Right. Let's see with it, Paul. Paul, can you hand over the
hosting, please? In the participants, let's say, you just click on participants and buy my
name and you make host. It says Enfield Supervisor McGee.
Paul Heisig [01:37:20] Here.
Supervisor McGee [01:37:30] Great. Thank you very much. OK. All right. Well, that is all
so thank you very much. And we will move on with our agenda. So we've got about eight
reports. If we could have those reports done in five minutes or less. That would be terrific.
So I'm going to go to let's see me open it up to Anne and.
Supervisor McGee [01:38:02] Dave is this here, too. So there you go. Anne, Dave who is
giving it this week?
Dave [01:38:14] I guess it's my turn this week.
Supervisor McGee [01:38:17] OK.
Dave [01:38:21] Hello everyone. The legislature passed the. Several resolutions around
the airport reconstruction project. And the fuel farm. Basically, we pass the Seeker. We
passed the resolution changing the ban bond anticipation notes to three million dollars. We
passed another resolution amending bond resolution for the County. So basically for the
same purpose and then an award, a bid for fuel, for relocation, Enfield. And an update
from Jason... CoVid. So and so forth, all pretty much through the extent of the meeting..
So that's my report.
Supervisor McGee [01:39:22] OK. Thank you. Anne Koraman if you have comments?
Anne Koraman [01:39:27] Just a couple quick things. I'm just being emailed now that Tom
DiNapoli from the governor's office leased eight rolls. Tax sales revenue, which is actually
March. So it's April's report. But it's for the March sales tax. So as a county, but as a
whole, we were down twenty four point seven percent, which we don't have that fleshed
out yet for the municipalities. And really, the only two other quick things that LGBTQ plus
Pride Month. And if folks are OK, I'll just drop off the pride flag. I'll figure out how to drop
that off to the Clerk again.
Supervisor McGee [01:40:13] Or just email Ellan at Town. Clerk get kind of Enfield dot
org and then the two of you can work on getting that.
Anne Koraman [01:40:23] OK. And then the last thing is, I know there'll be the municipal
court tomorrow that you guys will be on. And we're trying to get more information day by
day about the partial reopening that starts on Friday. And a lot of people have been asking
questions and seeing people out and about and thinking, oh, everything. It's really only
manufacturing. Retail can do curbside and industrial. So it's really not a whole heck of a
whole heck of a lot of stuff for the average person. And so we just want to remind people
that probably until there's a vaccine, people are still going to need social distance, wear a
mask, carry hand sanitizers and do all of those other things to keep us all safe. Everybody
has been doing that. And we're going to do, I think, really good if people can continue to do
that. And that's it.
Supervisor McGee [01:41:20] Thank you. Anybody have questions for Dave or Anne?
Councilperson Lynch [01:41:23] I have a question for Dave. Dave, you mentioned the
airport resolutions. It should be noted that they did not pass unanimously, did they? They
needed a super majority and they just barely got approved.
Dave [01:41:37] There were there were at least two or three dissenters, less than three or
three dissenters.
Supervisor McGee [01:41:48] Anyone else? All right. Thank you, Dave. Thanks Anne.
Dave [01:41:54] Your welcome.
Supervisor McGee [01:41:56] OK. Supervisor report. I'm going to keep this short. I just
want to mention a couple of things. I have spoken with Jason Morlino and Sheriff Osborne
and they are both interested in moving forward. So we do have that resolution on. I just
checked in with them just to make sure that there wasn't some change in the plan. I did
think that one of the reasons that they wanted to be out here was cost saving benefit. And
so I'd hoped that that was still something that would be of interest. So, yes, it is there will
be a couple of changes that they've asked for. Or one change that I asked for and then a
change they asked for that we can talk about in a little bit. Let's see, where are we putting
that? Let's put that on old business right after Aaron. Aaron's appointment. OK. And then
the other is I took a chair. We had approved the living wage certification and I read it more
carefully and it actually says any employer that pays all employees, at least a living wage,
can receive certified living wage employers status. And we do not. So I did not send that
in. So if the Town would like to do something different about that in order to earn that
status again, then once they do that, then we can apply for that again. So the other thing
that I went. Well. There are two elected positions that don't make a living wage. The Clerk
base is about.
Councilperson Redmond [01:43:41] Those are part of it.
[01:43:42] Everybody else is paid. Yes. Yes. So, yes, everybody else makes at least
eighteen dollars an hour. So unless it's the summer help for the highway and that's 16,
which is still over the living wage. So and then just the last thing is yesterday I went to.
Well-Now urgent care and had the antibodies test. It took 15 minutes from the time I stood
in the parking lot and called them to register and got in, got the test and got out. It'll take
about a week in order for it to the results to come back. You can check them online. They'll
also mail them to our email them to as well. And because I'm insurance, there was no
copay. I think that the two tests there are there are co-pays if you don't have insurance and
fortunately of fifty dollars for the CoVid test and one hundred for the antibodies test. But
you can check out with it too. It's right down. Right, right next to a Chipotle. Look in front of
like T.J., Max and that little mall, PetSmart stables and all that, so you have to do with the
firehouse subs is in there, too. What's the other one? Give me that other one anyway.
Core life. So, yeah, it's just tucked right in there. And it was very, very easy. Staff was very
pleasant. Everybody had PPE on. It was very clean. Very quick. And so. Get it done.
That's all I have oK, so Town Clerk report. Ellen?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:45:23] Hi. OK. I'll also try to keep it quick. I did want to
comment on just something that the supervisor said, which is to note that I have my deputy
at 15.67 an Hour just at living wage. So. So that that is how much she is being paid. But in
any case, it's been a super busy month at the Clerk's office. I wanted to touch first on
something a lot of residents have been contacting me about, which is rabies. We had a
rabies clinic scheduled for the 14th. That had to be postponed due to the pandemic. The
county. All of the Clerk's are working with the county right now. They are looking at
scheduling a rabies clinic that is drivethrough in the middle of the summer. And hopefully
that clinic will be able to accommodate all of the local volume and be located in this central
area. So, as you know, the county, a lot of people think the town does these rabies clinics,
but it's actually the county. They just go around to different places in the towns. So I just
encourage everyone to keep an eye on the Town website. As soon as I find details about
the rabies clinic. I will update it. And they will make a post that will generate an email. So in
April, the Clerk's office, we did a Web site makeover. So please check that out.
townofenfield.org. That's stage one. So any questions or comments? I'd be happy to make
further updates. I worked with the Clerk's of Danby, Newfield and Ithaca, as well as others,
worked with Tompkins County to submit my first tax return. That was tricky. But we did it. I
worked with the Food Pantry Fire Company, Ladies Auxiliary Grange and Community
Council to update public information on the Web site. We increase access to local
government by keeping the public information for our meetings updated and putting it on
several different platforms. So Instagram, Facebook, the Web site and also the marquee. I
welcomed our new deputy, Clerk, Patricia Speno. She's working out great and she had her
first week this week. So we're doing onboarding and we're working with the DEC to get the
hunting and fishing licenses online. Let's see...
Supervisor McGee [01:47:48] What was made her start date?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:47:51] Her start date was the 8th.
Supervisor McGee [01:47:52] I thought great...
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:47:53] If I did the 8th. And so the minutes are updated and
I, you know, refresh that page. So please check those out and get any comments to me at
Town. Clerk townofenfield.org. So let's see. I can skip a lot of that. We have a little free
food pantry and Enfield now, so please check that out and bring non perishables or take
non perishables. I wanted to share with the board that I have registered for. I registered for
a training called Fiscal Responsibilities of the Town Clerk. That's a webinar offered by the
state comptroller's office, encouraging everyone to get me names and links to Enfield
businesses for the Enfield business directory. And that's about it. So coming up next
month, I just want to share that we're going to be looking at whether or not we want to do
dog licenses online. We're going to be looking at upgrading the routers in the community
building in town hall. Still have to discuss that with Haefeley. And I'm looking forward to
developing reopening procedures in accordance with move forward New York. So still
working on a plan for that. I've had a lot of residents contacting me and asked to come in
in person, and I'm working on a way to safely accommodate that. Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [01:49:25] Thank you. I will just say that the Town board will be
creating a policy for how to reopen. Oh, no. Yep. So Stephanie has actually been working
on that with me. And we have quite a bit of information trying to develop it into a policy
strategy rather than just piecemealing it so that we can talk about that a little bit later.
Thank you, Alan. Anybody up.
Councilperson Redmond [01:49:50] ..I ask a question? Actually, this is a question for
both the Town, Clerk and the supervisor. And if you don't have a ready answer, I'm just
wonder if you can bring it to us in the future. But I'm wondering, based on the amount of
hours that you feel that you put in. I don't think the rest of us have an idea of that. How
much is the increase that you would need to have a living wage?
Supervisor McGee [01:50:12] So somebody else is going to have to figure that out.
Councilperson Redmond [01:50:16] But I guess I'm I guess I'm curious then how many
hours we're talking weekly or monthly so we can have an idea of a ballpark estimate,
because I don't think it's appropriate for the rest of us who aren't doing the job to have an
opinion about how many hours a week you guys put in.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:50:37] So I so I can speak to that a little bit. I have stopped
tracking my hours because my hours are any from when I wake up to when I go to sleep.
And I've never actually done so. I I've stopped tracking it because it's all the time. If I have
something else to do, I just try and squeeze that in. But I, I'm very optimistic that with the
deputy that that will get a little bit better. And I'm working on automation for some of my
task to try and streamline and make it more efficient. I will say that the next lowest Clerk in
Tompkins are the Clerk's of Danby and the Clerk of Caroline. And they make in the mid
thirties.
Supervisor McGee [01:51:22] And i have prepared a whole chart with all of the salaries of
other supervisors and their supports. But you might want to ask Bob because he insists
that these jobs are part time. So I can do that part time, but we'll have to have many,
many, many more meetings where other people do stuff every month. So but anyway,
moving on, the next report is the Highway Superintendents Report. And I'm trying to
unmuted him, if he doesn't have a report, then. There we go. Are you there?
Buddy Rollins [01:52:03] Yes. I don't have anything.
Supervisor McGee [01:52:07] Does anyone have questions for Buddy Buddy?
Councilperson Lynch [01:52:09] I might want to ask you one question, because I think
maybe some people in the Town might have questions and it's all legitimate. But when
they see the audit report for this month, because you had big repair bills on a couple of
your dump trucks this month and it costs thirteen thousand five hundred fifteen dollars,
...repair. You might want to just explain what had to be done to them. The invoices look
good, but you can explain it better than I can.
Buddy Rollins [01:52:43] There are major repairs on two different trucks.
Councilperson Lynch [01:52:51] OK, there was a whole lot had to be done with them, but
I guess we'll leave it there.
Buddy Rollins [01:52:58] I thought the invoices are there.
Supervisor McGee [01:53:03] So, Bob, do you want to elaborate on the work that was
done? There was...
Councilperson Lynch [01:53:06] I don't have the invoices might have been out of me, but
it looked legitimate. They had they had each had some engine problems, I guess a major
engine problems connected with the diesel operation of the engines. And it was a very
expensive repair job. I think one was the Ford truck and the other was an International.
Supervisor McGee [01:53:25] So I guess my question is, if we're the only ones that have
seen those invoices, who has questions about them so far, other people?
Councilperson Lynch [01:53:35] Well, you want me to answer that?
Supervisor McGee [01:53:37] Yeah.
Councilperson Lynch [01:53:38] Yeah. I thought that when the audit got approved and
people saw how much money was involved in the audit, if they looked at the minutes, they
might have concerns. And I thought the concern that they were legitimate expenses, but I
thought that the public deserved that they'd be explained.
Supervisor McGee [01:53:55] OK.
Councilperson Bryant [01:53:56] I read those invoices and, you know, they make sense
in terms of repairs. I'm just concerned about the age of the vehicle. I can't remember what
year it was. Pretty significant repairs.
Supervisor McGee [01:54:17] Any other questions? Is there?
Councilperson Redmond [01:54:20] How are you doing? Sorry.
Supervisor McGee [01:54:23] Go ahead.
Councilperson Redmond [01:54:24] How are you doing as far as materials? Are you still
able to get work done or are you running out of gravels? Anything like that, an issue?
Buddy Rollins [01:54:32] No way of knowing anything.
Supervisor McGee [01:54:38] So there are several other highway departments that are
back at full staff. Is there a plan to do that at some point this year?
Buddy Rollins [01:54:47] I'm waiting for the board to bring him back. The board laid them
off.
[01:54:52] No, no. Actually, the board didn't. We asked you to schedule them at the times
that you needed them scheduled. So if and we've also asked for you to have a plan for
what you need. So if that could be made available and we can have an idea of what works
going to get done and how many people should be on, how many hours need to be work,
then we can make a determination about how we're gonna move forward with that. So if
that can be forthcoming, that could be really helpful.
Buddy Rollins [01:55:24] When the town board tells me to bring them back. That's when
I'll bring them back the resolutions. The time board was laying them off the letter people
said the town....
Councilperson Bryant [01:55:35] We are not laying them off...
Councilperson Redmond [01:55:37] I think we've been very clear that we're just not
willing to pay for work that isn't being done, we are totally willing to pay for work that is
being done. So if you have work for them to do, please schedule it and let them do it.
Councilperson Lynch [01:55:48] Buddy have you've you got full time work for these
men? If so, we want to bring them back tonight.
Councilperson Bryant [01:55:57] If they don't, they could apply for a partial
unemployment like everybody else is doing.
Councilperson Lynch [01:56:03] Yes. If Buddy's got full time work for these for the
highway crew. And we have budgeted that that money to be spent for these roads. If he's
got work for these people to do, I think it is safe to bring them back. And I would be in favor
of bringing them back immediately.
[01:56:25] Well, I agree that.
Councilperson Mahaffey [01:56:27] We're not bringing them back. We never laid them
off. All we said is we need them if they're not working. That's the law.
Buddy Rollins [01:56:34] read your papers because it says the Town board is time laying
them off. And that's where they are. So the Town board can bring him back.
Supervisor McGee [01:56:47] OK. So, again, when we know that there is 40 hours a
week worth of work for each employee to come back to. Then we would love to have that
work being done and have everyone scheduled for all of that time. And I'm not sure I
mean, like I'm hearing from other highway departments that they couldn't stand to be out
of work. They wanted to be back at work. So I know people that are not working right now
who are going stir crazy and would love the opportunity to be back at work. If our
employees have work to do with us, then we would like to have them at work. At least I
would.
Councilperson Mahaffey [01:57:30] Is there a plan for social to maintain social distancing
in that department?
Supervisor McGee [01:57:36] Well, Buddy has said that he was he had the supplies. I
mean, we hate they've gotten masks. He said that they've been provided with masks other
than the ones that we can get. They have hand sanitizer.
Supervisor McGee [01:57:47] There are Cornell Local Roads. I mean, we also can we're
working on putting together a back to work plan. But he's indicated here in these meetings
that they're all that they are utilizing those things. So Cornell Local Roads and the county
have both offered the procedures for how to do specific types of jobs, how to get work
done. And like I said, other highway departments are doing it. I I'm I'm kind of at a loss
here. So when we have an idea that that is that there is work planned. Then it may mean
so if there's no workplan. Does that mean that we never have work that needs to be done?
I mean, so I mean, I guess I don't understand that. I mean, because we already with
capital projects, with paving and stuff, we have contracted that out. So that's something
that somebody else is doing. I'm not. I'm confused as to why there isn't work to be done
when the processes are in place to do that work. So and.
Councilperson Bryant [01:58:51] Other departments are scheduling work that may not be
full time work with their employees are getting virtual employment there.
Supervisor McGee [01:58:59] But there are departments that are all back to work. I think,
you.
Councilperson Bryant [01:59:04] Know, they're not.
Supervisor McGee [01:59:04] Gonna go back to four days a week, 10 hour days.
Councilperson Lynch [01:59:10] Buddy, are you prepared to bring all the people back to
work if the Town board allows it, which apparently we're going to allow it.
Councilperson Redmond [01:59:20] We've been allowing it?
Councilperson Lynch [01:59:21] Are you comfortable that they're going to.
Councilperson Redmond [01:59:24] We have never not allowed it.
Councilperson Lynch [01:59:28] The point is, whatever happened in the past is irrelevant
tomorrow.
Councilperson Redmond [01:59:32] No, it is relevant,.
[01:59:34] It is Not irrelevant.
Councilperson Redmond [01:59:36] It is absolutely relevant. We never laid them off. We
just said we would not pay for them not to work. Please just tell us when they want to work.
Let them work and we will pay for the hours that they've been working. This has been the
standard all along. We never laid them off. We just said we were not willing to pay for
hours, that they were not working.
Councilperson Lynch [01:59:54] All right.
[01:59:55] That's what I.
Councilperson Lynch [01:59:57] Now, you might want to bring them back right now. Do
you want to bring the men back on? Are they. Confident. Are they comfortable coming
back to work? Do they feel they'll be safe?
Buddy Rollins [02:00:10] Is it my turn now?
Councilperson Lynch [02:00:11] Yes, but please,.
Buddy Rollins [02:00:14] Again, one thing is I haven't contracted any work out yet. And
you have me at a illegal freeze at twenty five thousand dollars. So there's not much going
to happen with that little bit of money. And we are prepared safety wise and stuff to come
back at Monday after Town board says come back to work off, lay off.
Councilperson Redmond [02:00:47] We have never laid you off. You are welcome to
work.
Buddy Rollins [02:00:49] Have you laid off? It is in writing...
Councilperson Bryant [02:00:51] We haven't.
Councilperson Redmond [02:00:52] I will not pay. I will not sign off on paying for work
that you don't do. But all along, I've been saying that you are totally willing to work and get
paid for the work that you do and all of your men as well.
Councilperson Bryant [02:01:04] That's documented and work.
Buddy Rollins [02:01:06] That's not nothing you got to do that anyway. You're up there
working.
Councilperson Redmond [02:01:11] Yes, exactly. If you're working, we will pay for it. If
they are not, we will not pay for it. As far as the money that you say is available. Let us
know if you need more. But given that we are going to have 10 to 20 percent of our Town
budget cut probably and and the highway department is nearly 80 percent of our Town
board budget, that we have to control those costs, that we have money at the end of the
year to continue to have all these men working. Otherwise, we're going to have to actually
lay them off for real because we won't have money in our budget. It's very clear.
Councilperson Lynch [02:01:45] I will move your resolution.
Buddy Rollins [02:01:46] Wrong. We do. We get mortgage tax. We get sales tax. My
budget. It's there. The only budgets are really going to be affected is if we don't get our
chips money. And that's just not paving one road. That's not a big deal. We don't get it.
The other thing is the sales tax that you might get is A Fund and the board has been
spending the A Fund like a bunch of drunken sailors.
Supervisor McGee [02:02:15] OK. So we don't actually take sales tax, we apply sales tax
to the county rate, so there isn't sales tax that we're going to get.
Buddy Rollins [02:02:25] Correct.
Supervisor McGee [02:02:26] So. Well. But you just said that there was no. OK. So are
we going to move away conversation so it's productive? Or are we at an impasse? And
should we approach it at another meeting?
Councilperson Bryant [02:02:38] I think we should approach it another meeting.
Councilperson Lynch [02:02:41] I will move the resolution that the Enfield Town board
import endorses. Highway Superintendent Buddy Rollin's decision to bring all of this
highway workers back effective next Monday.
Buddy Rollins [02:03:00] I Second.
Supervisor McGee [02:03:02] If we have a plan about work for 40 hours a week for
people to bring people back full time like they were scheduled before. If we have an
understanding of what that work is, because we didn't have that understanding before, we
were told there was cleaning being done, some maintenance being done, but is if regular
maintenance that is listed in the two eighty four agreement is going to get done. I'd like to
know that. I'd like to know what that's going to be. Then I would be interested in an
entertaining that resolution.
Councilperson Bryant [02:03:42] Who seconded that motion?
Supervisor McGee [02:03:44] I did not.
Councilperson Bryant [02:03:46] Where did that come from?
[02:03:49] Buddy.
Councilperson Bryant [02:03:49] He can't Second a motion.
Supervisor McGee [02:03:56] OK.
Councilperson Lynch [02:03:57] OK.
Supervisor McGee [02:04:02] Thank you. All right. Where Is Alan? Allan.
Alan Teeter [02:04:15] Hi. I apologize first. My wifi has been going on and off all evening,
so I may lose you, but I'll give it a try.
Supervisor McGee [02:04:23] OK,.
Alan Teeter [02:04:24] So April, I did this due to building permits. One was for the garage
conversion and Haytes Road, which was approved by the planning board. The other
permit was for the new communications tower on Fish Road. So it looks like a start date
for that is probably in August. And being online October, the main carrier is going to be a
Verison and hopefully others will be some sooner, but should help a lot with cell phones.
Cell service in a Town next. Most construction, you know, still on hold. It looks like
construction will be opening up on the 15th. We're still waiting for final word on that and
what's going to be required. It looks like they're looking for contractors to have a plan in
place to work safely, which has to be submitted. We're not sure just to who, but hopefully
will find it out next couple days. Still been working with other code enforcement officers
and health department regarding what's going on and keeping in contact with them. The
2020 building codes have come out. They were effective yesterday. We have an online
version and also I have a PDF version. So they're on my computer. I'll set to go.
Supervisor McGee [02:05:40] Do o want to be on video Alan?
Alan Teeter [02:05:42] no. it's OK. It's questionable. My service here so... Also, I had a
couple of complaints. One was about construction going on with too many workers. That
was resolved fairly quickly. And another one about property lines would show that we
really don't deal with them trying to help the owners out with their the issues with a fence
on the wrong property. That's been going on for a couple weeks now. Two fences. They're
not getting along at all. But try and help with I can. Lastly, I've been contacted by a project
that Pines Road and what, Rockwell Road. I spoke to the board about it several months
ago. It looks like that's going to happen. I had the permit application in for a large
greenhouse, commercial sized greenhouse and a storage building. I think their plans are
to put small restaurant there, but they're starting with the greenhouse now and the
building. So that should be started pretty quickly, I think.
Councilperson Bryant [02:06:48] What is that again Alan?
Councilperson Redmond [02:06:54] That it's on Pines and. I'm sorry. Pines and
Rockwell.
Councilperson Bryant [02:06:59] Thank you.
Alan Teeter [02:07:00] Yes. The project. The house is on PInes Road. Greenhouse is
actually going to be on Rockwell Road 60 or partial...
Councilperson Lynch [02:07:12] And Allan, my condolences about your big barn.
Alan Teeter [02:07:16] Oh, thank you. It's been in bad shape for quite a while. So we
knew it was coming down. We just never expected it...
Councilperson Lynch [02:07:23] It's too bad.
Supervisor McGee [02:07:26] Was it the wind? It's been really windy.
Alan Teeter [02:07:30] It was after the wind, but it was mostly the rain and that the
foundation had been too much water pressure on the foundation caved the wall in. So it's
been tipping quite a while.
Councilperson Lynch [02:07:44] Too bad.
Supervisor McGee [02:07:44] OK.
Alan Teeter [02:07:45] So that was what I had for code enforcement.
Supervisor McGee [02:07:52] Go ahead.
Councilperson Lynch [02:07:56] Go ahead.
Alan Teeter [02:07:57] Fire report. Yes, sorry.. Faded out for a second. So the calls for
there were a total of 15 calls, 10 E.M.S. calls. Three service calls and two fire calls. One
was mutual aide to Trumansburg. And one was mutual aid to Odessa couple of things. A
board directors did meet last night. Talk about plans for how we're gonna go about
reopening with meetings and trainings. And we have a tentative plan for that. Looks like
we will start to some extent later this month. And lastly, there will be a blood drive, on the
19th next Tuesday to the Red Cross.
Supervisor McGee [02:08:40] Great. And how are they going to utilize the building Alan?
What are they? What are they going to do? How can people feel comfortable with that?
Because blood drives have continued. So if you could just give us a sense of what that's
going to look like for people, Alan.
Alan Teeter [02:09:00] The blood drives the Red Cross pretty much as in charge of. They
actually did one a couple of months ago when this CoVid thing has started, so they have
temperature checks at the door and check everybody coming again. And then obviously,
they're isolated. They give blood, but there's quite a need for blood. So we're gonna go
ahead and do that. We used to serve food there. Now, they're not doing that. So just
people come in and leave.
Supervisor McGee [02:09:33] OK, very good. Any questions for Alan? All right. Thank you
Alan, I appreciate it. How do you announce? Alan, did you want to announce something
about the supplies that you've got? Do you want to say something about that so people
can know.
Alan Teeter [02:09:54] Sure, the county through cooperative extension have a lot of hand
sanitizers and facemasks primarily available for local farmers. I volunteered to distribute
those as needed to farms and Newfield Enfield and Ulysses. So if you know of any farmers
who hadn't heard about that or are looking for supplies, we have a lot. I'll be handing them
out tomorrow and probably we'll do something next week to try to get them out to people,
especially people who have CSA and farmer's markets and things like that, where they are
going to go through quite a bit of that. So we have lots. We want to fast enough so you can
use it.
Councilperson Bryant [02:10:37] I have a question Alan And when the Red Cross does
its blood drive. Did they check temperatures before they come in?
Supervisor McGee [02:10:45] Yes, he kind of cut out when he said that they do a
temperature test at the door.
Councilperson Bryant [02:10:50] OK, thank you.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:10:52] And I just had a quick fire company thing to an OK,
which is just suggesting everyone check the Facebook. We were asked by Department of
Emergency Response to do a short video and their video series. And that just went up just
now. So after the meeting, I'm very proud of the young people that did that.
Supervisor McGee [02:11:16] Thank you. OK. Thanks, own planning board, Dan Walker.
You're here.
Dan Walker [02:11:24] Yes. OK. Am proud. We had our first video meeting last week.
Thank you, Beth And. Wherever I was, keep us running a business. I would say, yes, we
did. Proved the site planned for the two additional living units on the Hayts Road property,
which had been hanging out there for a while. So it was good to get that cleared off the off
the books. And then the other positive thing happening was Aaron, Abb unfortunately had
the same name as the applicant. So we were confused, which, Aaron, we were talking
about sometimes, but I've gone over his resume and the board is recommending his
appointment as an alternate to the board. I think. We'll see what happens next month if
we're still meeting by video or. Alan, I don't believe we have anymore. Any other actions
on the board that Greenhouse wouldn't do that trip on site plan approval?
Alan Teeter [02:12:37] That's not.
Dan Walker [02:12:39] OK.
Alan Teeter [02:12:40] Due to the size of the building.
Dan Walker [02:12:42] OK, that's fine. that's good.
Alan Teeter [02:12:44] It may? ...when they put the restaurant in? But...
Dan Walker [02:12:48] Right. Because There'll be a commercial use there. So we had our
agenda, our agenda for training is sort of held up because I don't know that it's going to
work too well. Some of the board members don't have good Internet connections. So,
we'll, as soon as we can start meeting. In the building, we'll be doing some training and
stuff.
Supervisor McGee [02:13:23] Are you talking about doing training together or other
training, bringing together?
Dan Walker [02:13:30] We are looking at training some of the videos, training the Internet
training that was available. If we can get. That approved for multiple people at the same
location. Believe it, the way it's set up now, what I've seen is you have to log in and it's
only good for one person for credit. But. Well, the other thing we will be taking up again is
just reviewing the site plan in the subdivision regulations again, which.
Supervisor McGee [02:14:03] So I don't think you're going to be able to meet in June in
the building because I think that crowd sizes are going to be limited to 10, probably. And if
you even if they do that that early. And if you have a public meeting, then you I mean, right
now we've got. Thirty four participants here. So there's clearly maybe not there. Maybe not
all interested being at a planning board meeting, but clearly there's interest in people being
at these meetings. So for as long as we cannot have more than, say, 10 people in a room,
I don't think that it's prudent for the Town board to have meetings in person because we'd
have to exclude the public from the meeting, which you can do. But you have to record
those meetings and you might need, you know, broadcast them from the town hall or the
Town community building. But if you're doing that anyway, why the why are you in the
building together? So I guess it doesn't make any sense. So we'll need to talk about that.
But I really don't think. Go ahead.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:15:15] If it's only a couple of people, it worked out fine for
Ellen to be, you know, kind of in the public space and me to be in a in the back office. The
Internet was fine. It was clear it didn't jump around. And it's a secure network now. So, you
know, if there's only two planning board members that don't have access or even three,
because one could conceivably be down at the town hall and then.
Supervisor McGee [02:15:44] They just have to be able to get in the building and. Not all
of them have keys.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:15:48] Oh, not all of them have keys. I don't know, Mike.
Probably one of the people that doesn't have great Internet. And if he let them in, then he
could lock up, too. So I don't know. I'm just trying I'm just trying to make it so that you could
actually have a good zoom meeting with the public invited. And even if not all of the
planning board members have good Internet because I myself have very poor Internet. If
it's raining, if it's windy, if it's snowing, I, I have no. So it was a clear day. I tried to you
know, I took my chances at home tonight, but in general, I have to go down there to meet.
Supervisor McGee [02:16:28] And then also, if they have access to the building, if you
can let them in or someone else lets them into the space and then locks them in so they
could just leave and the door locks behind them when they're done, then they can also do
the training there. They can also sit there together and do the training if there's two of
them. I'm not sure you want a quorum of the planning board there together, but you don't
even need to be in the back office. You can be separate enough in the bigger room to get
to utilize the Internet. So just just a few suggestions for people.
[02:17:01] Right.
[02:17:02] I want to do the training.
[02:17:04] So OK.
Dan Walker [02:17:07] OK. Well, it's pretty much up to the planning board at this point. So
you'll let us know Beth when you've we've got the re-opening plans generated.
Supervisor McGee [02:17:18] Yes. So, again, we'll talk about that a little bit later. How
we're going to move forward to the board can kind of decide how we're gonna move
forward on that. But the I think right now you should plan on not having an in person
planning board meeting. I mean, if you don't have anything before you and it's just the
subdivision or the site plan, whatever you're working on at this point, and, then you could
each do that individually and work through e-mail. You don't have to have a meeting.
Right. So how about if you just let us know how you want to proceed with that meeting? a
meeting. or, no meeting?
Dan Walker [02:17:56] I'll reach out to the planning board members and we'll work out a
plan to have. Still have some activity in the safe way.
Supervisor McGee [02:18:05] Yes. OK. And then hopefully by July, we could have
something more solid in place. Maybe. OK. Thank you. Thanks.
Dan Walker [02:18:17] OK.
Supervisor McGee [02:18:19] OK. TCOG
Councilperson Lynch [02:18:22] Good evening. I earlier this afternoon emailed Ellen a
copy of my written TCR report, which for the sake of time economy, I can e mail board
members tomorrow. One that members of the public, I guess they had a question. They
could contact the county clerk because she's got a copy that. I'll read the first paragraph.
The Tompkins County Council of Governments met virtually April twenty third. Our
featured topic was the New York stretched code, a higher standard building code, which
municipalities could either adopt or encourage, one that would achieve additional energy
saving objectives, as well as plan for the green energy opportunities of future presenters
were Terry Carroll of Coöperative Extensions, Clean Energy Communities Program, and
Lou Vogel, vice president of Tatum Engineering. And I can give you the rest of that report
in written form. As I gave the Clerk earlier today.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:19:22] Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [02:19:23] Thanks, Bob. And I am also serving on the TCOG,
Emergency Services Update Committee. And so we are working we did meet actually
twice since the last meeting. So we are working on plans for moving forward with TCOG
on some some different thoughts. OK. So any questions for Bob? TCOG All right. Consent
agenda. The only thing on the consent agenda this evening is the audit claims. So, Ellen,
would you read the audit claim, please? The warrant.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:20:04] Yes. Happy to read that the Town board authorizes
the supervisor to pay general fund vouchers. One hundred and eight to one hundred and
twenty one. Dated May 13th. Twenty twenty in the amount of eight thousand seven
hundred nineteen dollars and forty six cents. Highway fund vouchers. Seventy one to
seventy nine. Dated May 13th. Twenty twenty in the amount of seventeen thousand eight
hundred forty six dollars and twenty nine cents.
Supervisor McGee [02:20:41] All right. Thank you. I move that we adopt up consent
agenda.
Councilperson Lynch [02:20:46] On Second.
Supervisor McGee [02:20:50] Any further discussion,.
Councilperson Bryant [02:20:53] Second.
Supervisor McGee [02:20:55] Any further discussion? OK. would you call the vote.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:21:03] Sure. Councilperson Bryant.
Councilperson Bryant [02:21:04] Aye.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:21:04] Councilperson Lynch.
Councilperson Lynch [02:21:06] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:21:07] Councilperson Mahaffey.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:21:09] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:21:10] Councilperson Redmond.
Councilperson Redmond [02:21:12] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:21:14] And Supervisor McGee.
Supervisor McGee [02:21:15] Aye
Supervisor McGee [02:21:17] OK, so. One Second here. We're on to the appointment of
the planning board alternet, Aaron Abb. Would anyone like to start discussion about this?
Councilperson Redmond [02:21:47] He seems very qualified. ...It's exciting to have him
on there.
Councilperson Lynch [02:21:53] ...qualified have no problem.
Councilperson Bryant [02:21:56] I was there when he spoke at the planning board
meeting. I certainly support his appointment.
Supervisor McGee [02:22:08] I'm just trying to find a planning board appointment
resolution. OK. So I will move resolution. What is this, Ellen? Forty six. Forty seven?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:22:27] It would be forty six.
Supervisor McGee [02:22:28] Forty six. OK. Our Resolution 2018. Forty six. Town
Planning Board position. Whereas the Enfield Town board has asked for letters of interest
regarding a vacancy on the Town of Enfield planning board and a vacancy for an alternate.
Let's see. No. So we're going to just say a vacancy for an alternate on the Enfield planning
board instead of a vacancy for a Town... Let me reread that. Whereas the Enfield Town
board has asked for letters of interest regarding a vacancy for an alternate on the Enfield
planning board. And whereas the Enfield Town board has received a letter of interest from
Aaron Abb. Therefore, be it resolved. The Town board appoints Aaron Abb to the Enfield
Planning Board and we're gonna need the term. So I guess how many years? Let me ask
Dan. How many years is the term for the ...?
Dan Walker [02:23:38] Those are two year terms for....
Supervisor McGee [02:23:40] Two year term. OK. So that's going to run, but it's going to
run from now to the end of this year and then through the end of next year.
Dan Walker [02:23:52] Right.
Supervisor McGee [02:23:52] So the end of twenty twenty one. Resolve the Town border
points Aaron Abb to the Enfield planning board as an alternate for the term ending
December. Thirty first. Twenty twenty one.
Councilperson Bryant [02:24:13] Second.
Supervisor McGee [02:24:19] So did you. Do you have all that Ellen could do?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:24:23] I do. And will you send me the.
Supervisor McGee [02:24:26] No, I thought I was telling you what it was gonna be.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:24:29] That's fine. That's fine. I just thought you were
reading it from somewhere you could send it. But that's fine. I'll have it in the transcription
anyway.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:24:37] Cobbling it together.
Supervisor McGee [02:24:39] Yes.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:24:40] OK, I get it.
Supervisor McGee [02:24:43] All right. But I can send you this sort I'll just send you the
text that I have and then you can just adjust it, whatever is.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:24:54] Thank you
Supervisor McGee [02:24:55] OK So we got a Second on that.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:24:57] Councilperson Bryant Seconding
Supervisor McGee [02:24:58] Any further discussion? OK. Would you call the vote,
please?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:25:08] OK. So Councilperson Bryant.
Councilperson Bryant [02:25:11] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:25:12] Councilperson, Lynch.
Councilperson Lynch [02:25:14] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:25:15] Councilperson Mahaffey.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:25:18] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:25:19] Councilperson Redmond.
Councilperson Redmond [02:25:21] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:25:22] Supervisor McGee.
Supervisor McGee [02:25:23] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:25:26] Motion carried. Resolution Carried.
Supervisor McGee [02:25:29] Thank you.
Dan Walker [02:25:33] Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [02:25:36] OK. Thanks, Dan. Connect with Aaron. You have his
contact information now.
Dan Walker [02:25:44] Ellen, I'll give you a call sometime. Or maybe your and. Your
deputy, you can have a conference call to talk about. Usually in the past, the Deputy Clerk
has put together a book with the local laws and stuff for the planning board. I don't know.
That was out. I'll talk to you later.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:26:06] Well, I know she loves projects, so this will be
exciting.
Dan Walker [02:26:09] Okay, that's good. It's a good way to get familiar with all the
regulations.
Supervisor McGee [02:26:13] yes, he has to be sworn in.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:26:16] Yes. The oath, also. OK, will do.
Dan Walker [02:26:21] So that could probably happen. Doesn't have to be at a meeting. It
could be just.
Supervisor McGee [02:26:27] Can have it at the clerks office.
Dan Walker [02:26:29] Any time.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:26:30] At this point I'm like an experienced over so I'll think
ok.
Dan Walker [02:26:37] Yeah. Just let him know. He needs to take an oath of office inside
the books.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:26:41] OK.
Supervisor McGee [02:26:54] OK. Thank you. All right. So creation of an aquifer
protection committee. Oh, yeah. I want to make sure. I make sure let's not forget the sheriff
resolution to do the. Stephanie, would you like to begin this conversation?
Councilperson Redmond [02:27:16] Well, now that we've had the aquifer study
presentation, we felt it was important to develop an aquifer protection committee to
develop a law for an aquifer protection laws. We er' or I sent around a resolution
previously. Robert has done a couple alterations, which I feel like were good alterations to
that. And I know there's several people on here tonight that are interested in participating
in that. But we welcome other individuals to from the public to participate as well.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:27:55] So it's not that popular for a product protection plan,
right? It's a rural water source protection?
Councilperson Redmond [02:28:04] Yes.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:28:05] OK.
Councilperson Redmond [02:28:07] I. Should clear a broader.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:28:08] Broader than the aquifer. Right.
Councilperson Redmond [02:28:11] That's true. That's true.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:28:12] OK.
Councilperson Redmond [02:28:14] We have some guiding force. The New York Rurals
Water Rural Doctors Association.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:28:18] Yes.
Councilperson Lynch [02:28:23] I think it's rather important that any committee that's
formed consider water issues throughout the entire of Enfield, not just in the aquifer,
because, again, you've got to wonder, well, are you in the aquifer? Are you not in the
aquifer? Well, if you're in the town of Enfield, you'll be covered by this committee.
Councilperson Redmond [02:28:40] Yes.
Supervisor McGee [02:28:41] Right. Because damage to our water won't just happen in
the aquifer.
Councilperson Lynch [02:28:46] That's right.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:28:48] Well, it's a source water protection plan, it's
everything.
Councilperson Redmond [02:28:52] So this will cover things like the quantity that
corporate ..., should they come in like Nestlé, for example, could not come in and take
large amounts of water, will set a limit for that. And also aquifer water quality issues. So an
industry or even an individual can not contaminate our water sources. So it'll set some
limits to that. This shouldn't be overly burdensome, though.
Supervisor McGee [02:29:20] OK, so do you want to talk about the makeup of that
committee? There was a list of people originally that reached out to us that asked if they
could be on that committee. That was Dave Buck, Marcy Finley, Judy Hyman's Stephanie
Redman, Julie Schroeder, Becky Simms and Nancy Spiro.
Councilperson Lynch [02:29:40] Well, I when you ready? I wouldn't be ready to name the
members tonight because there might be people in the community once they know this
committee has been formed, that then they might want to take interest in it. We'll create
the committee tonight, that's no problem. But I wouldn't want to start assigning
membership, especially people like me are blindsided to it.
Supervisor McGee [02:30:02] So this would be an open committee with open meetings.
Anybody can participate. There is no voting power authority. They may discuss. They have
discussions. They research it, find the best practices. And then they recommend to the
board.
Councilperson Lynch [02:30:21] As I recall, when the Renewable Energy Advisory
Committee was committee was created, it was created in one meeting, but members were
appointed by the Town board at a subsequent meeting. And that's where I think we should
do here.
Supervisor McGee [02:30:35] Yeah. I don't have any attachment to any of it. I'm just
bringing it up. That's all, because there was a group of people that actually came to us
initially to request this. That's all.
Councilperson Redmond [02:30:45] I agree. And I'm happy to do it either. The board
liaison with that group. I do. I like Robert's idea of having a agricultural influence as well.
So I think it would be beneficial to ask around among the local farmers and see if anybody
is interested in participating.
Councilperson Lynch [02:31:01] I think there should be a member of the planning board
on it to.
Supervisor McGee [02:31:09] OK, so would anyone like to move that.
Councilperson Redmond [02:31:10] I'll move it
Councilperson Bryant [02:31:17] Second
Supervisor McGee [02:31:22] Any more discussion?
Councilperson Lynch [02:31:24] Do I have to move my revised amendment or is that. ..
Supervisor McGee [02:31:29] I thought you put together. I thought you put together that
resolution with those amendments.
Councilperson Lynch [02:31:36] I presume that the resolution that's on the table was the
one that was posted on the Town agenda. And mine was an amendment there to.
Supervisor McGee [02:31:46] OK. So how about if we move the one that was posted and
then the amendments that we're talking about, which were the changes of adding a
planning board member and the agricultural community?
Councilperson Lynch [02:32:00] I can move an amendment to that resolution. And I've
got it written in front of me. OK. And that would be to substitute the first bullet point under,
be it resolved. So I say, be it resolved that the town of Enfield will take the following steps
to develop and implement a source water protection plan. First bullet point. My
amendment form an Enfield Water Resources Advisory Committee, a planning group
whose objective is to develop and guide implementation of a source water protection plan
for the Town membership. On this advisory committee shall include at least one member
of the Enfield Town board, one member of the Enfield Planning Board and one member
engaged full time in the practice of agricultural production within the town of Enfield. The
Town board will appoint the committee's remaining members so as to ensure diverse
representation of the Enfield community. Drawing from the membership ranks of
applicable community groups and also from the general public. And then the second bullet
point was as written with the help of NYRWA.. The advisory committee will hold a source
water protection workshop with invited representatives from government entities that have
the authority or potential authority to protect source water in the planning area. And again,
the other following four bullet points were as the resolution was published on the agenda.
Supervisor McGee [02:33:41] OK, so I'll Second the amendments. Any further
discussion? OK. So we will have a vote on the amendment to that. And Bob, you'll send
that in a word file to Ellen so she can include that in I.
Councilperson Lynch [02:33:59] I already did earlier today, but I can do it again.
Supervisor McGee [02:34:02] OK.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:04] OK. Just to clarify, we're going to vote on the
amendments and then we're going to vote on the resolution. OK, I'm going to call the vote.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:13] Councilperson Bryant.
Councilperson Bryant [02:34:17] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:18] Councilperson Lynch.
Councilperson Lynch [02:34:18] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:20] Councilperson Mahaffey.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:34:20] Aye.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:20] Councilperson Redmond.
Councilperson Redmond [02:34:24] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:25] Supervisor McGee.
Supervisor McGee [02:34:26] Aye Thank you.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:28] OK, so the amendment carries.
Supervisor McGee [02:34:31] So any further discussion on the resolution itself? OK, Call
the vote.
Councilperson Lynch [02:34:38] Looks good.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:44] OK
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:44] Councilperson Bryant.
Councilperson Bryant [02:34:46] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:47] Councilperson Lynch.
Councilperson Lynch [02:34:48] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:51] Councilperson Mahaffey.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:34:52] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:54] Councilperson Redmond.
Councilperson Redmond [02:34:54] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:34:57] Supervisor McGee.
Supervisor McGee [02:34:58] Aye. Thank you, Stephanie. So you'll begin coordination of
that as the town board liaison.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:35:08] And that would be 2020-47.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:35:12] I want to publicly thank the group that put this
together and say that I think it's incredibly important. And I think it puts Enfield on the map
of being in front of the 8 ball here. Instead of behind. Instead of reacting, we're acting. And
I'm really proud of that. And thank you to the group of people who are so thoughtfully and
diligently working on this. This is a big deal and a big project. And thank you.
Supervisor McGee [02:35:45] Yes. And a long time coming. I mean, the aquifer study was
actually a combination of the petitioning process to ban hydro fracturing here and the
banning of it. By the town board at the time. So this was one of the conditions. The aquifer
study was one of the conditions of the moratorium to begin with. So that's really something
that this community should be proud of, to be protecting its water sources. We are a
community that's actually positioned pretty well to be abused in that respect by different
types of businesses or corporations that might be not have our best interests at heart. So
thank you.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:36:27] Water is the new oil.
Supervisor McGee [02:36:30] Right? OK. So the sherriffs, the resolution that I offered my
I'm going to offer it with an amendment, actually. So whereas the Enfield Town board
resolved to license space to the Tompkins County Sheriff's Department for a satellite office
at the town hall garage at 168 Enfield main road Ithaca. on March 11th, 2020, to be
effective April 1st, 2020, through March thirty first twenty twenty one. And whereas the
onset of New York pause due to the CoVid to CoVid 19 pandemic has precluded both
agencies, the town of Enfield and the Tompkins County Sheriff's Department from
executing this agreement. Therefore, be it resolved. Well, I'll I'll talk to you about the
amendment in a minute, then. Therefore, be it resolved that the Enfield Town board
authorizes the supervisor to execute this license agreement with the Tompkins County
Sheriff's Department with the new effective date of June 1st 2020. Through May, thirty first,
twenty twenty one. I guess I'm moving that, so I'd need a Second to start discussions, so.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:37:48] Second.
Supervisor McGee [02:37:51] OK. Thank you. So of course they would prefer a three
year term. And I think we had that conversation that after one year, we would like to look at
longer terms. So I think we've already resolved that discussion. But they would like instead
of a 90 day opt out clause, a 30 day. And I you know, I, I don't see any reason why we
can't do a 30 day as opposed to a 90 day, because really all you're talking about is it's not
like we're getting rent from it. They just remove their stuff and then we resume use of the
space in some other capacity or take use of the space in some other capacity. So if we
don't mind, I would move an amendment to this that we would change the agreement to
reflect a 30 day opt out clause instead of 90 day. Second that.
Councilperson Lynch [02:38:52] This was at the request of the county. They wanted the
30 day.
Supervisor McGee [02:38:59] They also say they have an order for phone service to
install themselves. So it will be their phone service. So I told them that we weren't going to
add an additional line. And also, the county agrees to share the cost of the heat pump. It
was twenty nine fifty, I think, and they had agreed to pay half that. And they still are fine
with that.
Councilperson Lynch [02:39:24] Why did they want the shorter opt out clause? Was it
financial?
Supervisor McGee [02:39:29] I don't know. But I don't know that it really makes a
difference. I mean,.
Councilperson Lynch [02:39:33] He didn't say.
Supervisor McGee [02:39:34] No. Trying to find that language so I can.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:39:51] So I have a question,.
Supervisor McGee [02:39:53] Shur.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:39:54] You said you offered it with an amendment and then
there was the amendment of the 90 day, 30 day. Are those two amendments or it's just the
one?
Supervisor McGee [02:40:04] Oh, so I didn't offer it with an amendment and just words
and written it because I, I didn't I was only going to ask for the change in the term. And
then when they responded to me this week, they said, well, we'd prefer a 30 day.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:40:21] So the 30 days, the only amendment at this point.
OK.
Supervisor McGee [02:40:24] yes.
Councilperson Lynch [02:40:27] Does the original agreement called for half the cost of
the heat pump. So that doesn't have to be amended either.
Supervisor McGee [02:40:35] No. We already asked that they do that. And they had told
us before they were going to do that.
Councilperson Lynch [02:40:39] That's in the agreement. Right. The one we approved
early on,.
Supervisor McGee [02:40:42] I think today is an agreement. Hold on. Let me get it up
here.
Supervisor McGee [02:41:06] Yep. The county contributing 50 percent of the cost of a
heat pump and its installation. And then let's say a ninty and ninety. OK. So this change is
actually in number two clause 2. So. We'll change the language. The amendment will be in
number two on the agreement that. We'll change it altogether. The agreement shall be for
a period commencing on June 1st, 2020 and ending on May thirty first twenty twenty one,
and then further down in that section. It will be changed to 30 days. After delivery of said
notice. And then also the next sentence at the expiration of said 30 day period. Ellen, do
you have this agreement?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:42:44] He sent it to me and I say all of the original
agreement. Yeah.
Supervisor McGee [02:42:48] Now, do you have the word document.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:42:52] Of the original agreement?
Supervisor McGee [02:42:54] This draft, one that we yeah, that we had done. Yeah,.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:42:57] Yeah, I mean, I believe I do. I could always use it
again, but I believe I already thave.
Supervisor McGee [02:43:03] OK. All right. So do we get a Second on that amendment?
Do.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:43:08] We do it, Councilperson Redmond. OK. So is there
any further discussion?
Supervisor McGee [02:43:17] OK. Call the vote.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:43:19] OK. Voting on the amendment,.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:43:21] Councilperson Bryant.
Councilperson Bryant [02:43:22] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:43:24] Councilperson Mahaffey.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:43:24] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:43:26] Councilperson Lynch. I'm sorry.
Councilperson Lynch [02:43:28] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:43:29] Councilperson Redmond.
Councilperson Redmond [02:43:30] Aye.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:43:32] Supervisor McGee.
Supervisor McGee [02:43:33] Aye. Thank you.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:43:39] It's hard to remember the order when you aren't
sitting there.
Supervisor McGee [02:43:43] There is no order. OK. So I'm going to send you. Um. I'm
going to send you a copy of this with the changes in it.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:44:00] Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [02:44:14] All right, so next on the agenda.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:44:17] Oh, we have to vote on the resolution, I believe.
Supervisor McGee [02:44:19] Oh, yes, we do. Yes. All right. Is there any further
discussion on the resolution?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:44:29] Councilperson Bryant.
Councilperson Bryant [02:44:30] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:44:32] Councilperson Lynch.
Councilperson Lynch [02:44:33] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:44:35] Councilperson Mahaffey,.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:44:37] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:44:37] Councilperson Redmond.
Councilperson Redmond [02:44:39] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:44:40] Supervisor McGee.
Supervisor McGee [02:44:41] Aye.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:44:44] Motion carried resolution Carried.
Supervisor McGee [02:44:49] OK, great. All right, the next thing. Cemetery maintenance.
So we had just put out the. The bid, so we realize that it's the 20th. Is that the deadline,.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:45:18] The 22nd,.
Supervisor McGee [02:45:19] 22nd. OK. So. We should meet on the twenty seven to
award.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:45:30] That would be after Memorial Day. Mm hmm. Mm
hmm.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:45:36] But the RFP says the cemetery, the first mow...
Supervisor McGee [02:45:40] Oh, that's right. Yeah, that's right. So I guess. You're going
to have to. Have at least three board members meet for a special meeting on. I don't know,
Saturday. I mean, I don't know. I mean, you're not going to be able to do it, I guess.
Councilperson Lynch [02:45:59] You're assuming that we can meet on Saturday. That's
no problem. The problem is, can the cemetery maintenance person get the cemeteries
mowed between that day and Memorial Day? I don't know.
Supervisor McGee [02:46:11] That's what I'm just saying. I mean, you're not going to be
able to do it.
Councilperson Lynch [02:46:15] You may not be able to.
Councilperson Lynch [02:46:18] Oh, we can try with some volunteers. I'll volunteer
some. But again, maybe. Maybe we can throw something together here in the next week
or so of volunteers, but no promises.
Supervisor McGee [02:46:33] OK. All right, Shall we.
Councilperson Lynch [02:46:38] Su is... Sue is in the meeting. You might want to ask her
question, a question of her.
Supervisor McGee [02:46:44] Stephanie, would you unmuted, too? I'm still trying to finish
up this for Ellen.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:46:50] Well, she's I'm meeting Sue. I would just like from a
Clerk's point of view, since the bids are coming to me. I, I, I. I would suggest doing a
Saturday morning meeting and attempting to award it because the RFP says that they
have to be mowed by Memorial Day. So if you don't do that and you switch to volunteers,
you're sort of changing the RFP.
Councilperson Redmond [02:47:14] I'm OK with the Saturday morning.
Councilperson Lynch [02:47:16] I am, too. I can meet then.
Councilperson Bryant [02:47:17] I'm fine with Saturday.
Supervisor McGee [02:47:21] That twenty third.
Councilperson Bryant [02:47:28] What Time?
Supervisor McGee [02:47:33] Nine, 30.
Councilperson Lynch [02:47:35] It sounds good.
Councilperson Bryant [02:47:39] Hope that's nine 30 am.
Supervisor McGee [02:47:43] Yeah,.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:47:44] I mean, we we couldn't you know, we couldn't be like
1:00 a.m.. Right.
Supervisor McGee [02:47:52] Last call for a warning. Okay, let's go. OK. So. All right, so
there's that. You're also going to run into the problem of there could be a death any day
and I'm pretty sure your contract for your burial coordinator has expired. So you're gonna
need to determine how you're gonna move forward with that.
Councilperson Lynch [02:48:25] Can we discuss that at the next meeting?
Supervisor McGee [02:48:30] Yes. And then keep your fingers crossed. OK.
Councilperson Lynch [02:48:39] I'll just put this out there and going through the recorded
minutes of last week's meeting. Virginia came up with a very good idea and that is to have
a base amount of compensation for the burial coordinator so that he or she will always
have a certain amount of income coming in so that it justifies doing the job. I wondered
whether perhaps a base amount of perhaps five hundred dollars would suffice. And then
any burials, the. I'm going to call it commission that the burial coordinator gets would be on
top of that. So at least there'd be a base amount of compensation. That's just my idea
based on what Virginia said last week.
Supervisor McGee [02:49:27] I do think it's good to do that. I will let you know that what
we pay is actually lower than what other cemeteries charge for but charge families for
burial. So another option might be three hundred dollars and then increase the rate of the
burial. So the Town is paying three hundred dollar flat rate and then increasing the rate
charged to families for the burial. I mean, I think I mean, a funeral home is charging
thousands of dollars comparatively.
Councilperson Bryant [02:50:09] Better than a dollar, a dollar a barrel that they pay
people on potters field in New York. I think anything we do to establish at a rate base rate
would be good.
Councilperson Lynch [02:50:22] Mm hmm.
s [02:50:26] So what is the what is a reasonable rate per Burial? Do you think that we
would want to do so? Because you'll you'll need to you need to decide. Number one, we
decided that the person who does it does a great job. Do you want to continue to work with
him to do that? And what do you want to pay him to do it?
Councilperson Lynch [02:50:54] We might want to banter around these issues and are
we meeting next year, next Wednesday or not?
Supervisor McGee [02:51:04] Well, I am gonna have to appoint a bookkeeper, so. And
with the. Well, I guess we can do this Via zoom anyway, quick on Saturday morning. The.
But I mean, I guess I could appoint a bookkeeper on Saturday morning too... for that
matter.
Councilperson Lynch [02:51:23] It's your discretionary appointment.
Supervisor McGee [02:51:26] So, OK. So I guess maybe we don't have to meet on
Wednesday?
Councilperson Lynch [02:51:36] Ellen has requested that she have Wednesday off, I
recall.
Supervisor McGee [02:51:40] I think we'd all like to have Wednesday. I mean, it shows.
Well, I guess what we need to do is get through this agenda. And if we don't get to this
agenda, then there are definitely things that we need to attack. So. All right. So if you want
to put I don't think that any of these things will take a long time. So if you want to have the
burial coordinator on Saturday? Discussion also? We can do that as well.
Councilperson Bryant [02:52:12] I think that's a good idea.
Supervisor McGee [02:52:13] We'll give people a chance to think about it.
Councilperson Lynch [02:52:15] Mm hmm.
Supervisor McGee [02:52:18] OK. So we have to.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:52:20] I'm not absolutely positive I can attend that meeting. I
will try. I am. I work on that day. OK. So I'll try to carve out some time, but I may not be
able to get away.
Supervisor McGee [02:52:33] OK. Is there a better time on Saturday?
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:52:41] No, in our normal world, that would have been
graduation weekend. Right.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:52:47] So I don't know what it'll bring. It's just everything's
up in the air. I mean, it's a beautiful weekend. We don't have enough staff hired back to
handle it. Is it? It's a very hit or miss thing. And all the owners are really the buffers.
Supervisor McGee [02:53:05] Right. Right.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:53:06] Mine. So I will plan on meeting. But then if I text in, I
may text in and say I'm not going to make it or I may have to leave early.
Supervisor McGee [02:53:15] OK. OK. Again, I don't think it'll be long.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:53:18] Right.
Supervisor McGee [02:53:19] And if we do have to meet on other issues here, then we
should do that. We're at nine 24 now, so I don't want to be at this meeting any later than
10. So we should talk about that. All right. So let's move on with the draft generic
environmental impact statement for the comprehensive plan. We've provided this.
Stephanie and I finished this up and is ready to be adopted as the draft unless there are
comments by board members that they would like changes made. Otherwise, I would
move that we adopt this as our draft environment or generic environmental impact
statement. At that point. Well, I'll just I'll move it.
Councilperson Redmond [02:54:14] Go to.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:54:15] Second from Councilperson Redmond.
Supervisor McGee [02:54:20] So what this means is this will start a 30 day comment
period that people are welcome to comment on. We'll put this on the Web site. It should be
up there now anyway. People can make comments about the items in it and then it starts
the 30 day clock and I will submit it to the county planning department. And that will be the
final piece of our approved like our county recommendation process for submission of the
plan. They already have the plan itself and they need this piece in order to finalize their
review of it. So are there any comments or any changes that need to be made to it?
Councilperson Lynch [02:55:04] I don't see any changes needed. I'm glad that we're
finally getting this thing going because this comprehensive plan has been hanging fire so
long. Let's get the darn thing adopted. And this is the next step.
Supervisor McGee [02:55:17] OK. All right. Any more discussion? Call the vote, please,
Ellen.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:55:28] I just have one question for Call the vote, which is
this is another resolution with the number or...
Supervisor McGee [02:55:32] This is just the motion where we're.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:55:34] OK.
Supervisor McGee [02:55:35] Accepting this as our we're accepting it as our draft generic
environmental impact statement for the comprehensive plan.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:55:43] Perfect. So, Councilperson Brant.
Councilperson Bryant [02:55:46] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:55:47] Councilperson Lynch.
Councilperson Lynch [02:55:48] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:55:49] Councilperson Mahaffey.
Councilperson Mahaffey [02:55:51] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:55:52] Councilperson Redmond.
Councilperson Redmond [02:55:54] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:55:55] Supervisor McGee.
Supervisor McGee [02:55:56] Aye . Thank you. All right. I will submit this to the county
tomorrow. OK. Next, CoVid updates. Like I said, Stephanie and I have been working on.
Reopenings policy for the board to review.
[02:56:25] I think that we can start sending that around, Stephanie, once we finalize that
together and then we'll we'll send it around in the next week or so. For the board to review
and make comments. And then we can have an actual document to begin discussing to
have in front of us to review the June meeting unless we meet sooner than that. Yes.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:56:55] So I just have a question. So I am because of the
May 15th date that's being publicized. I'm wondering, are town halls included in phase
one? I'm guessing they're not based on your timeline.
Supervisor McGee [02:57:08] I think that that's up to us.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:57:11] OK. And I didn't know if there was a state level
determination on that, and because I have had many, many people start contacting me to
want to come in for in-person appointment. So I would just say the sooner the better on
that, because it's something the public really is desired.
[02:57:29] Sure. So just because there are practices in place that people can utilize
doesn't mean they have to. It doesn't mean that we have to open. Those are just it's
available to do it. But I guess if you you know, if the board is in agreement with some
procedures that you're going to have in place and if it's by appointment and there is one
person coming in at a time and every everybody comes in with a mask, then I mean I.
Personally, I don't see a problem with that, but I would want to make sure that it doesn't
start becoming a congregation spot. So.
Councilperson Lynch [02:58:16] I would say that's what Town Clerk Woods is saying. I
think the sooner we open safely, the better. And you know that the governor is going to lay
out a whole lot of requirements that we want to make sure we maintain social distancing
masks and the whole nine yards. But the sooner we can open, the better. When when we
were there, I was doing invoices the yesterday or the day before somebody came in,
wanted to buy a dog license. I mean, they should be able to do it, providing the state will
permit it.
Supervisor McGee [02:58:50] We actually had two people and like 20 minutes.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:58:53] That's it. That's because I knew that when I send
out, like, I, I did do something which was send out all of the renewals. And I knew that
would sort of I did update the licenses just to know the new pandemic procedures, which is
utilize the drop box or mail to renew those. But I knew that people would start coming in.
That's why maybe at the special meeting or maybe the next regularly scheduled meeting,
we could talk about whether or not we want to allow people to do those online. I just
actually got a call from Danby's supervisor very randomly, and he told me that they have,
because of the pandemic, have chosen the Williamson option of having.
Supervisor McGee [02:59:41] The supervisor or the Clerk?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [02:59:42] The supervisor. Yeah, I must have called that
number. I think I was calling the Clerk and he he thought I called him so. But yeah, he just
happened to mention that they have moved their dog licensing online. And so I think
moving forward. What ever we you know, in this new reality that we're in whatever we can
do to reduce traffic and reduce people's burden, I'm having to come in would be good.
Supervisor McGee [03:00:08] So the setup fee is a one time fee of, what,.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:00:12] One fifty
Supervisor McGee [03:00:13] One fifty. And what do they charge us for that software
ongoing?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:00:18] 150 per year per year.
Supervisor McGee [03:00:19] I'm confused still as to why they charge us per year when
they make a fee per person.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:00:26] And if it works out, it works out sort of. So as as the
board might be familiar, the fee for using a credit card to pay your taxes is sort of steep.
Right. It can be in the fifty dollar range. However, the fee sort of starts at sixty four dollars.
So dog licensing never hits that window. Where it's like a percentage. So it's only one
seventy five per time. But, you know, I think what you're paying for is the integration with
the dog licensing rather than.
Supervisor McGee [03:00:59] So I move that we make the option for dog licenses to be
done online and that the setup fee and the annual fee be taken out of the Town Clerk
contractual line.
[03:01:14] Second that.
Councilperson Bryant [03:01:20] We were on the same wavelength.
Supervisor McGee [03:01:23] Any more discussion? And Ellen, you'll implement that?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:01:29] Yes. And I'll call the vote on it. It's motion.
Supervisor McGee [03:01:31] Yes.
[03:01:32] OK, yeah, I'll I'll implement that. And as soon as it is set up, I will announce it to
the public. OK. I just wanted to tell the public one great thing, which is it's not only going to
be allow people to pay online, but if people want to check their dog's licensing or rabies
status on line, just like you can check your tax bill, you'll now be able to do that. That's
right.
Supervisor McGee [03:01:54] OK, Call the vote.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:01:55] Councilperson Bryant.
Councilperson Bryant [03:01:57] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:01:58] Councilperson Lynch.
Councilperson Lynch [03:01:59] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:02:00] Councilperson Mahaffey.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:02:02] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:02:03] Councilperson Redmond.
Councilperson Redmond [03:02:04] Aye
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:02:06] Supervisor McGee.
Supervisor McGee [03:02:07] I. So I think we've already reviewed that. Thank you, Ellen.
I think we've already reviewed that we do not have highway work schedule. And with
regard to budget concerns, I think that we're still waiting for a lot of information. And so I
will put together my thoughts on that and send it to the board directly. And we can and,
you know, you can discuss it with me, ask questions or you can make proposals,
whatever, and then we can have something formulated for the June regular meeting.
Councilperson Bryant [03:02:46] There's so many unknowns still.
Supervisor McGee [03:02:49] Mm hmm.
Councilperson Redmond [03:02:50] Can I just add something to the CoVid up date?
Yeah, just something that could make this move a lot faster if we wanted to open the Town
Clerk some of the places that part of policy is looking at protective shield. So plexiglass
divider between her and incoming residents at the counter would be helpful for people or
places that people are walking through. Some people who have put up clear shower
curtains, which look a little bit hokey, but maybe we could look at make it look a little nicer,
but hanging those from the ceiling so that there's still space for transactions below that as
far as the Plexiglas goes, and then signage on the door asking only like one or two people
at the time. That's also helpful. So if we want to move ahead on that, that's something that
maybe we could look into installing.
Supervisor McGee [03:03:36] Yeah. So I can actually ask Norm about that. I was in a not
for profits call last week and someone was talking about that. It was not expensive at all to
do the shield,.
Councilperson Bryant [03:03:48] So to do it at the DMV. Now.
Supervisor McGee [03:03:51] There there's lots of places I'd do it at Lowe's and wait.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:03:57] Sorry. Post office has shower curtains.
Supervisor McGee [03:04:00] So I saw that. Yes, there are like car wash curtains. I didn't
know what that was with it. But anyway, I'm happy to get in touch with Norm Smith and see
what that would entail because he knows, you know, that space anyway and and see if he
would be interested in doing something like that.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:04:19] One of the all of those things, a good but nothing
beats handwashing for the people behind the counter and hand sanitizer as a requirement
for everyone walking in. We might ask them to bring their own pens and make sure that
anything that they any surface they touch is disinfected when they before they come and
after they leave, including door handles and whatever else might have come in contact,
because that's that's really important. Then the shield is great for coughing and sneezing.
But the contact, we don't really know exactly how this virus is being spread. So I think we
have to take as many precautions as we possibly can. You know,.
Councilperson Redmond [03:05:07] And a mask requirement would be. ..
Supervisor McGee [03:05:09] Right. And keeping people I mean, we can get signage on
the door that tells.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:05:13] Mask because I already required by the state.
Supervisor McGee [03:05:15] It's already required. Right.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:05:16] Well, you have to do is hang a sign saying per state
requirements do not appear without a mask.
Supervisor McGee [03:05:24] And the. We can kind of situate furniture in there so people
aren't compact. A lot of times people want to, like, walk up to the Clerk's desk beyond the
counter. I mean, it's just very comfortable in that open space. And we don't have a full
barrier there. So it might make sense to kind of move a sofa, you know, in a way where it's
something to keep people from walking over to the desk while you're there. But.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:05:50] When given that the weather is is nice. It is. We
could ask just one person to come in at a time. I mean, I really don't think you can fit two
people in that space without them being closer than six feet apart.
Supervisor McGee [03:06:01] They also don't have to be inside.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:06:04] Right.
Supervisor McGee [03:06:04] If they've made. But if they make an appointment. And
Ellen knows they're coming. You get the stuff from them outside. And then, you know.
Councilperson Lynch [03:06:12] What? If they're if they're masked, they they can still be
closer than six feet. It doesn't have to be both six feet apart in mask.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:06:20] Wouldn't it be nice?
Councilperson Lynch [03:06:23] They're going to be able to you know, they could be
closer than six feet. I don't think that's just a few moments.
Councilperson Redmond [03:06:29] That that is correct. Mimi. So if you can't maintain
social distancing.
Supervisor McGee [03:06:35] Well, they have to be sure to wear a mask.
Councilperson Lynch [03:06:37] Right.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:06:38] That's what it sounds like Councilperson Redman
can work on coming up with a set of policies for Friday and then. Well, you know, and
we're still you know, I'll just. We can include language that we're still very much limiting
traffic by appointment. And, you know, providing these new online options. You know, the
video Notary, video marriage licenses,.
Supervisor McGee [03:07:03] Though. What I would ask is that anything that you put
together as a policy that ultimately it gets incorporated into a CoVid 19 policy, a blanket
policy, because then it's one policy that can be amended as we need to amend it. We don't
have bits and pieces of different policies around. So if you want to put together some, you
know, procedures in order to reopen and then start taking appointments by taking them by
appointment, then that seems reasonable. But as a full it just seems much more organized
to have one policy and different pieces of that policy ultimately. So we can rescind the
whole policy when some year when all this goes well, you know what I mean? But yeah, I
mean, I think that the list of procedures that we've talked about here are are good.
Councilperson Redmond [03:07:56] I can send you what I have so far if it is helpful for
you to look at and see what would be helpful to draft for your part.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:08:03] Very helpful
Councilperson Lynch [03:08:04] We don't we don't even know how soon the governor
will allow municipal offices to open.
Supervisor McGee [03:08:11] So, OK. All right. So what time is it? Nine thirty nine. So
let's move on to medical insurance for retirees unless somebody has something else on
CoVid. Where'd she go? There she is. OK.
Betty Poole [03:08:40] I'm here.
[03:08:41] Yeah.
[03:08:42] Hi, Betty. So we're gonna be done at 10 o'clock.
[03:08:45] Yeah. OK, first of all, thank you for putting me on the agenda. I'm here tonight to
speak on behalf of the retirees of the town of Enfield regarding agenda item number 13
under new business, medical insurance for retirees. As a matter of disclosure, my husband
is a retiree of the town of Enfield. And I come before you only and strictly as a citizen and
taxpayer of the town of Enfield and then in no official capacity with regard to my position in
the Town, I want to make that perfectly clear. This issue changing the type of medical and
insurance change for retirees was brought to their attention in or around January. I think it
was 18 or 19 which the retirees were notified. Three of them. We have three retirees. This
issue was discussed at length back in May of 07. At that time, the Town had a personnel
committee which met quite frequently and a board member chaired the meeting. It was
decided that if changes were going to be made at that time, they would become effective
for new employees hired and leaving current employees and retirees. As is this, as well as
any changes made to the personnel policy since then have yet to be changed in the
manual or any employees. Given the stated 60 days notice, members of the board, we are
talking about three individuals who, when hired, were assured that upon their retirement,
individual health insurance premiums would be paid in full upon retirement by the Town
Benfield and upon reaching age 65, the Town would then pay for and I emphasize this
supplemental insurance also known as secondary insurance. They took Town of Enfield's
word. These men, many, many times we're working and giving up family time, missing
Christmas's, birthdays, holidays and time with their families. And most importantly, their
children. Most times giving up lunch and dinner breaks while working and at times working
15 to 20 hours. And coming home, catching in a couple hours. Sleep only to go back to
work to clear roads for the benefit of the residents. Their unwavering dedication to the
Town should not be overlooked. The Town does not offer any other benefits other than
sick days and vacation days like other towns do for their highway employees. It is a shame
that the Town feels they have to make money off the backs of the current employees and
most of all, the dedicated and loyal retirees who are now on fixed incomes to make up for
losses and to some board members. There needs mean nothing to them. How ungrateful.
It seems that the board not only are to current highway employees, but also also, most
importantly, the retirees themselves. Three. Again, I emphasize three retirees on board
and their promises mean absolutely nothing. Now, if I may, would the supervisors
permission. Just ask each town board member a question, if I may.
Supervisor McGee [03:12:24] Sure. OK.
Betty Poole [03:12:28] And I'll call them out by name as well. How much is that retiree
worth to you from one dollar to one thousand dollars per month? Councilperson Bryant?
Supervisor McGee [03:12:47] Can you clarify that question?
Councilperson Bryant [03:12:50] ... To me to answer.
Betty Poole [03:12:52] What? What is what is what? How do you value the retirees
monetarily?
Councilperson Bryant [03:13:02] Well, I certainly value retirees, I am, too. Not of the
town. But naturally, I have no financial. I have no financial information to know actually
what was promised or what was taken away.
Betty Poole [03:13:20] Well, I will come to that, but I'm I'm just asking you from one to one
thousand dollars per month. What do you just you know, on average, I don't need an exact
number and I'm not going to hold you to it.
Supervisor McGee [03:13:36] Well, I will say that up until last year, we were paying a
thousand dollars a month per retiree.
Betty Poole [03:13:43] But whose fault was that?
[03:13:46] Wow.
Supervisor McGee [03:13:47] What do you mean whose fault was it?
Betty Poole [03:13:50] Because at the age of 65. The consortium offers a supplemental
Medicare insurance.
Supervisor McGee [03:14:03] And the cost, and that is still over seven hundred dollars for
the Town.
Betty Poole [03:14:07] And it's actually five hundred and seventy six dollars.
Supervisor McGee [03:14:11] That must be new for this year, for the end field plan.
Betty Poole [03:14:15] With Lyn Dowe, I clarified that with her.
Supervisor McGee [03:14:19] For the Enfield plan?
Betty Poole [03:14:20] Yes,.
Supervisor McGee [03:14:22] OK. Because that that it was six hundred and fifty seven
dollars. When I looked into it.
Betty Poole [03:14:29] And that was sort of this supplement.
[03:14:32] For the Medicare supplement, which they actually didn't have available to us
prior to we were paying an active plan. So they didn't have the supplement available until
last year or the year before.
Betty Poole [03:14:46] It's been available since twenty. Eighteen, fifteen. Twenty sixteen.
Supervisor McGee [03:14:53] That isn't what they told me.They were actually negotiating
that in their directors meetings because at the time that I was researching this, when I first
became supervisor.
Betty Poole [03:15:04] So because when I when I turned 65 in twenty sixteen, they had
that available.
Councilperson Bryant [03:15:16] Sounds like you're getting mixed messages here that
we need to clarify before I would ever make a statement as to what something is worth.
OK.
Betty Poole [03:15:25] What would any other board member care to respond, if not I'll
move on?
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:15:31] I would never put a dollar value on anybody's life. I
think that's an absurd question. And I really am a little insulted by it.
Betty Poole [03:15:41] I don't mean to insult you with all due respect,.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:15:44] But it feels like to ask me to put a dollar value on a
human being's life and a human being, even ones that I have or have not met. So it
doesn't it. I really don't not understand posing that question. It is.
Betty Poole [03:15:59] OK.
Councilperson Bryant [03:16:00] I have to say, I agree with Mimi. She puts it much
more...
Betty Poole [03:16:04] I will move on then I will move. When? I guess this has it all. I've
not called the Town supervisor. Or maybe she did privately about the error in the amount.
The Town was paying for health insurance through the consortium for at least two of the
current three retirees for approximately seven years before it came to anyone's attention.
However, I can assure it was a large sum of money through no fault of the employees or
retirees, but due to oversight of whoever it was responsible throughout those years, I'm not
sure if anyone was aware the consortium had available to retirees who were 65 or older,
retired and Medicare, a much less expensive supplemental Medicare policy emphasis
added for retirees. I'm not sure if the supervisor investigated that option or not, but I
believe Beth just said she just did.
Supervisor McGee [03:17:13] I just did what I.
Betty Poole [03:17:16] Said, that you investigated the supplemental Medicare policy.
Supervisor McGee [03:17:21] Yes, I am the one that found the error. We actually one of
our retirees was Medicare eligible two years before he even told us that he was because
he was not 65 yet.
Betty Poole [03:17:31] So. Right. But is it up to the employee or the Town to know when
an employee and a retiree turns 65.
Supervisor McGee [03:17:41] If We're not notified? By them, by the insurance company,
over by Medicare,.
Betty Poole [03:17:49] Other Towns. Why are those? OK.
Supervisor McGee [03:17:51] All right, then. You need to hire an insurance administrator
in the town of Enfield. Or.
Betty Poole [03:17:59] Or just somebody to to take care of the personnel portion of it.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:18:06] I'm a little confused because I thought Beth and I met
with the retirees, with an engineer, insurance agent. Everything was laid out. All the
retirees said this is a win win situation for the Town and for us. And I'm looking for less
money and we all want to go with it. So there was discussion and unanimous agreement at
that meeting. And I'm confused why we're made out to be the bad guy now.
Betty Poole [03:18:35] So I'm not meaning to make you I'm I'm asking these questions,
OK?
Supervisor McGee [03:18:42] Betty was at that meeting.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:18:44] I know. But I am still confused.
Betty Poole [03:18:47] And I and I disagreed with it because I. I disagreed. I did not like
the plan. But because I'll tell you why. First of all, it's not a supplemental plan. This is
actual insurance, what the Town retirees have now. Actual insurance. I clarified it with the
state's attorney general. I clarified it with the agent and I also clarified it with two insurance
companies that this is primary. Now are our Medicare is worthless, with the exception with
this new insurance, so-called insurance plan. They still have to pay their Medicare Part B.
Now they're supposed to get their actual insurance, according to Section 807. As
supplemental Medicare policy. Not not in Medicare Advantage. Medicare Advantage is a
whole insurance policy. You don't need Medicare.
Supervisor McGee [03:20:11] So are you suggesting that we should not be paying for the
supplemental and we should only be paying for Part B, the hundred and forty four dollars?
Because I've. I'll move that.
Betty Poole [03:20:22] No. What I'm saying is I. OK. No, I saying that at all.
Supervisor McGee [03:20:28] Well, please clarify. But we have ten minutes. So,.
Betty Poole [03:20:32] Hey, I'm just saying that this insurance policy.
[03:20:38] That you gave the retirees is less, is less. Then what is offered to other Town
employees? Because of age. They have a five thousand dollar deductible. Do the other
Town employees handle five thousand dollar deductible?
Supervisor McGee [03:21:04] Where do they have a five thousand dollar deductible?
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:21:06] These numbers.
Betty Poole [03:21:08] Add up. I've got it in the pamphlet, if I gave you copies sent copies,
it was a little hard to read. But A states here under the enhanced PPO, you must continue
to pay your Medicare Part B premium. And it actually states that five thousand dollars
annual out of pocket maximum protection.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:21:38] Well, that's an out of pocket. That's not a deductible.
That's very different. Don't use those terms interchangeably.
Betty Poole [03:21:46] No. OK. So in in this term,.
[03:21:49] The out of pocket is very different than deductible. It doesn't mean the first five
thousand dollars gets paid for. That's what a deductible is.
Supervisor McGee [03:21:56] That's right.
Betty Poole [03:21:58] Now.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:21:59] It has co-pays. It has office visits at thirty five dollars.
If I remember two years ago, it was a great plan. It is better than any plan that I've been on
in the last 15 years, so.
Betty Poole [03:22:11] Well, it is. It's my plan that I have through the consortium. We had
a we had a retiree just a couple of weeks ago go in the hospital. For surgery, he was there
five days. He had to pay two hundred and sixty dollars per day. For his hospitalization,
that's twelve hundred dollars for the week that came out of this pocket.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:22:43] Was that bill resubmitted to Medicare?
Betty Poole [03:22:47] Medicare will not cover because of your.
[03:22:50] Medicare covers secondary. So if you're Medicare covers, they won't cover it.
First, you have to submit to your primary first and then resubmit to Medicare. And that's
what I do for my brother all the time. And then and then Medicare has better hospitalization
than this plan might have. So it might be that you paid a bill that you shouldn't. A bill paid
and insurance is extremely complicated. And to and to simplify it is not doing it justice. I
think that you should really talk to your agent and find out where Medicare should have
picked up part of that hospital bill because Medicare A. is the one that pays for hospital
bills.
[03:23:31] Yes
[03:23:31] A.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:23:32] B pays for doctor visits.
Councilperson Lynch [03:23:34] Can I interject here for a minute because I'm the guy in
this discussion who is already on Medicare. And I know a little bit about what it's it's about
here and and try to narrow the discussion a little bit. We've got to go by what the law is.
And the law I'm talking about is what the resolution of two thousand eighteen was
complemented by what's in the policy manual. When I send it when I came on the Town
board in January, I was given this. And this is your policy manual on it not and policy eight
or seven for employee retirees. Still states, rightly or wrongly, it's still states that the Town
will pay the Medicare Part B for the retirees. Now, maybe you intended to take that out, but
you never took it out. And I think that as long as it's still in the policy and not taken out,
you've got to reimburse the three retired employees for their Medicare Part B.. Now, what
the the supplemental insurance was that was all established in November of twenty
eighteen, which was that Excellus PPO plan that I.
Supervisor McGee [03:24:50] No that was actually established that was established back
in two thousand, six and seven. All we were doing is reaffirming the policy that we found.
Betty Poole [03:25:00] Yes,.
Supervisor McGee [03:25:01] That is leading policy. Will.
Betty Poole [03:25:03] We find the consortium in 2010? And their insurance certainly
doesn't.
Supervisor McGee [03:25:11] No, no, no, no. Not for retirees. We did not know we had
one retiree at that time and he was on the supplemental plan that we have. In fact, he's the
one that came to the Town board and asked that that be the plan that we paid for.
Councilperson M [03:25:26] Didn't he ask this to pay for that plan instead of.
Supervisor McGee [03:25:29] Part C,.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:25:30] That was the resolution that got passed instead of
Part B. He wanted us to pay for the supplemental plan.
Councilperson Lynch [03:25:37] Where does it say in any resolution that I read that the
supervisor submitted me in place of I looked for anything that called for a deletion of that
particular requirement for a public for Part B payment. I could not find it. So if I were
dealing with a woman who is a Town justice, you know, Judge Poole, what the plain
meaning of the law is. That's what is read in the law. When you read the statute and I'm
reading the statute, which in this case is the Town policy, it says you will pay the part B,
and that's where I go by. But I do think we got to reimburse it.
Supervisor McGee [03:26:18] That wait one at a time.
Betty Poole [03:26:20] But I'm bringing me to me before the board because.
Supervisor McGee [03:26:24] Mimi, did you have a comment?
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:26:27] You have to read through every Town, every Town
board meeting after that. If there was resolutions added to that, you can't go by one. You
can't just pick one out of a hat. I find every one. And I think Beth was the one that went
through every single meeting and pulled out everything related to this and put down the
history and laid it out for the three retirees at that time who all voted to do this at that
meeting. So.
Councilperson Lynch [03:26:57] Mimi I judge my analysis by what Beth sent me. I read
the whole thing.
Betty Poole [03:27:08] I I'm I still think that this assurance that you have provided to so
Mimi what you're saying is that. The employees that are there were two, three retirees that
are on this advantage. When they were in the hospital, they should should submit that bill
to Medicare Part A?
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:27:44] It they. It has to go to your primary first, which is the
advantage plan. And then when the advantage plan doesn't pay, then the hospital, you
should direct the hospital to submit it to Medicare Part A and the. And then. And see what
they pay because it it's really screwey. They bill you as if you do. And then you resubmit to
Medicare and they pay it. It's very screwy.
Betty Poole [03:28:10] Because I called I called to doctors offices regarding the Medicare
Advantage, and they told me that was the only insurance,.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:28:20] No because they had Medicare A and B, you have
that also.
Betty Poole [03:28:25] We've got the Medicare A and B only because, because we're 65
and older and we have to carry Medicare Part B. if we want the Medicare Advantage,.
Councilperson Lynch [03:28:42] Right, Betty, I'm on Medicare Advantage plan myself. It
has absolutely zero premiums on my part, but I still have to pay the part B, which amounts
to about sixteen hundred dollars a year. So I know what you're going through and what I'm
proposing tonight. I will move this resolution if necessary.... What?
Betty Poole [03:29:02] You have the advantage or you.
[03:29:05] I Have an advantage plan? I used to have a supplement. I was told the had
Medicare Advantage, which takes the place of Medicare Part A and part B, but not part B.
B is the medical stuff. You still got to pay that. But I don't have to pay any premiums on my
own. Medicare policy. That would be to cover A or prescription drugs, which is D. OK.
There are better plans that have dental. Perhaps that's what Enfield's retirees have. That
might cost a little bit. I presume that's where one hundred fifty some dollars a month.
Supervisor McGee [03:29:42] That that does include the. extended dental. Yeah. We just
approved that.
Councilperson Lynch [03:29:48] Right. So anyway, we need to move this conversation
on. Oh so.
Betty Poole [03:29:53] So the Medicare Part B, I supplied everybody with the figures and
may should be added on to that.And as Bob said, I see nothing that shows that it was
deleted from the policy itself.
Supervisor McGee [03:30:17] So I will also just make a note that at the time that we were
preparing the resolution and the letters to the retirees, those letters the attorney did ask
that we note to the retirees that even though we paid way beyond what we should have
over those years, that we were not asking them for reimbursement. So I will note that that
there could potentially be a situation like that. But in fact, we opted not to do that. So and
that's thousands of dollars at this point as well.
Betty Poole [03:30:59] Yeah. So. So. You're what you're doing is they that you paid
retroactive for highway. Departments pay. And their disability, when they wanted when you
wanted them to pay part. But the retirees, you're not going to pay retroactive due to an
error on the town's part.
Supervisor McGee [03:31:31] So I guess the question is still whether there's board
members that think that there's an error that took place because it really comes down to
how people read it. So I guess if somebody wants to move it now that we reimburse the
employees or the retirees for that, and if they get a Second, then we can certainly vote on
that. I will meet.
Betty Poole [03:31:53] With. What it was.
Supervisor McGee [03:31:55] Oh, excuse me. Could you please continue?
Councilperson Lynch [03:31:59] I will move that we reimburse the three part highway
department employees for the Medicare Part B premiums that they either paid directly or
had deducted from their Social Security checks and continue to do so until the policy 807
is amended to strip Medicare Part B reimbursements from it.
Councilperson Redmond [03:32:33] That would only be for two months if we put in
another..
[03:32:36] ...no it would be for the entire period.
Councilperson Lynch [03:32:38] would be fed the entire period, that would be for the
entire period. Some case, one case going back to 2014, I believe. I think we're obligated to
do it.
Supervisor McGee [03:32:55] Is there a Second?
Councilperson Redmond [03:32:59] I guess I don't understand why the 2007 resolution
doesn't preempt the 2004 resolution.
Supervisor McGee [03:33:06] It does.
Councilperson Redmond [03:33:07] That's what I thought. I mean, that's how I read it.
Supervisor McGee [03:33:10] So the board is having a discussion on a on a move on
emotion right now. So.
Betty Poole [03:33:16] The two thousand seven resolution, which was prior to the.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:33:23] There wasn't a Second there is no discussion.
Supervisor McGee [03:33:25] There is no Second.
Councilperson Lynch [03:33:26] No Second.
Supervisor McGee [03:33:41] I will also add that I don't know what everybody else pays
for insurance premiums, but my husband retired from Cornell a few years back and we still
paid three hundred and fifty dollars a month for insurance for, you know, through the
Cornell Plan, which is one of the better plans in the area for a retiree. And. I know it is an
unreasonable at all to have insurance premiums in retirement. So I.
Councilperson Lynch [03:34:10] I'm just looking at it. What Presumably the law would
say and it's one of the retirees took it to court. I suspect the judge would say the
reimbursement is necessary. But I'm not a lawyer.
Supervisor McGee [03:34:22] No, you're not. And actually, we did have our attorney's
guidance through that whole process. So and he's actually he's actually spoken to Betty
about it as well and made his understanding of it clear. And and that's the way it went. He
went, OK. I'm sorry that he didn't, but he notified me as to what he told you. So if we're still
in disagreement about it, then we'll have to be in disagreement about it. OK.
Betty Poole [03:35:01] Was really bad. This is really sad.
Councilperson Lynch [03:35:07] I'm just wondering why that reimbursement sentence
wasn't deleted from the policy when these other resolutions were adopted. That's the
mystery to me.
Supervisor McGee [03:35:17] So, again, other people are reading it that it it's in place of
it's not. It doesn't need to be deleted. The Pol.. The new policy was in place of.
Councilperson Redmond [03:35:32] Very clearly says on there that the Plan B becomes
effective June 1st of 2007. So if it's clearly saying the plans become an effective 2007,
that's clearly saying that we're using these plans instead of the 2004 resolution.
Councilperson Lynch [03:35:48] It doesn't say that we're ... We're withdrawing Medicare
Part B reimbursement. It doesn't say that. And the policy manual that you, Stephanie and I
got that we downloaded in January of this year still has it in there.
Supervisor McGee [03:36:04] So guess what? This is another reason why the Town
board needs to get busy redoing the policy manual, because there are lots of policies that
it took me months and months and months to go through and find all of the changes that
had happened with this insurance and many other things every single month that we go
through old minutes and look and research. So. So I've been saying that Mimi has been
saying that for two years now and we should get that on the agenda with.
Councilperson Lynch [03:36:37] What's fair is fair to our retirees. I think we should be fair
to them. We are Enfield,.
Supervisor McGee [03:36:42] I think. I think I'm absolutely fair to our retirees.
Betty Poole [03:36:47] No.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:36:48] Well, I disagree. I think we're. I feel like, oh, I don't
know who gets insurance for free. I don't know anyone.
Supervisor McGee [03:36:58] Oh, OK.
Councilperson Redmond [03:37:01] I have say that we if we don't really need it to say
that we're rescinding another plan, if we're saying that this new plan is what's in effect. We
were saying that that's the plan we're using. It's the one that's effective. It doesn't have to
specifically state that language that were reeson in the old one because we are using this
new one.
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:37:21] Well, that's what we have already gone through. Our
lawyer, our municipal lawyer on this whole question. So I don't pretend to be a lawyer, but
he guided us all the way through these discussions, you know? And not only that, but we
had a whole meeting with the retirees who all wanted this plan. So I really am very
confused as to why there's so much animosity about something that we were in total
agreement about at the time,.
Councilperson Lynch [03:37:50] Though, did know they were going to be losing
Medicare Part B reimbursement. Did they know that?
Councilperson Mahaffey [03:37:55] It was everything was very clear. It was crystal clear.
So, yeah.
Supervisor McGee [03:38:03] OK, so the last item on the agenda is the proposals for the
new laws. What would we like to do with those? ...Put them on the next agenda. They're.
Councilperson Lynch [03:38:17] Yes, put him on the June agenda. I do not think they
can wait. I moved to postpone them for the June agenda during regular meeting.
Supervisor McGee [03:38:29] All right. So then I will move to privilege of the floor. Anyone
would like to speak for the privilege of the floor, please use that, raise your hand. Option.
Betty. Betty.
Betty Poole [03:38:54] Yes.
Supervisor McGee [03:38:55] Your unmuted.
Betty Poole [03:38:57] Yes, I'm here.
Supervisor McGee [03:38:59] O.K. Go ahead. Yes. OK. OK, so we've we're and privilege
of the floor now so lets observe the rules of privilege.
Betty Poole [03:39:09] So what is the 144? Sixty per month. Are they getting reimbursed
for that? It's. Still in the handbook is the handbook seems to be OK for when you want to
refer to it. But when an employee or retiree refers to it, you don't want to hear it. I'm just I'm
just saddened by the fact that the Town board. Doesn't think that enough of their retirees
to provide them with. At least equal insurance. As opposed to lesser insurance. With. As
opposed to the current employees. I think it's a discrimination against age. And I'm
finished.
Supervisor McGee [03:40:22] Thank you. Uh. Nancy.
Nancy [03:40:30] Yes. Hello.
Supervisor McGee [03:40:33] Hello, Nancy.
Nancy [03:40:34] Hi. I want to thank you for passing the preferred committee. I think it's
very important to the Town. Can you hear me? I mean it. OK. And and I don't know if
people realize that the need the services of the New York State water. A water association
provide free technical assistance to help us with this. That wasn't set anywhere during the
meeting so that it's not just a bunch of people getting together and discussing what do you
think we should do that right. Actually, some 23 New York state, expertize that that will be
able to help with this process. So I'm happy to be part of this process. And I hope that
other Town people feel like they want to join in. So thank you.
Supervisor McGee [03:41:28] Thank you, Nancy. Thanks for being one of the ones to
bring it forward. Ellen.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [03:41:41] Reiterate that one of my colleagues at Human
Services Coalition is an insurance navigator. And I'd really love when we reopen or maybe
even before that to have some office hours. So, you know, he'd be happy to come out
here. His dad actually was the Newfield Town supervisor. So he'd be happy to come out
here and be available to anyone who wants to learn how to utilize their insurance in a
more effective way or to examine, like, state insurance options or any of that. He's really
good at that kind of thing. And there does seem to be a lot of confusion in the realm of
insurance in general. And it's really tricky to navigate for everyone. So I was just thinking,
hopefully we can work with the board to have some navigation services available here in
Enfield.
Supervisor McGee [03:42:31] I agree with you and I've actually talked about that a lot. So
I think that's a great idea. Thank you. Bob?
Councilperson Lynch [03:42:40] I just in closing, wanted to extend an apology to Becky
Simms, if she's still in our meeting or if she's not. She can go to this record back when I
the last meeting, the wreck's regular meeting in April. I was not aware that she had tender
to resignation because I was not informed that she had tendered his resignation.
Transparency is very important in Town government. And had I been aware, had other
Town board members been notified of Miss Simms resignation, that I never would have
indicated that she might have been terminated because I would have known the facts. If
you know the facts, then you don't end up putting your foot in your mouth. And again, I
meant Becky Simms. No, slight. And if she needs an apology, I will give it. Thank you.
Supervisor McGee [03:43:34] Thank you. I, I would just say that if you don't have the
facts, making assumptions is never a good idea. So.
Councilperson Lynch [03:43:44] Being informed helps.
Supervisor McGee [03:43:46] It does. So she did a tender, that resignation to the Town
Clerk. And appropriately, as she should have, and we discussed it at a board meeting at
an appropriate time. So.
Councilperson Lynch [03:44:00] And that resignation should have been shared promptly
with all board members.
Supervisor McGee [03:44:05] OK. All right. Is there anyone else? Let's do it just on mute.
OK. So everyone is unmuted. Is there anyone else who would like to speak for priviledge
right? OK. So let's define board members if you want to mute yourselves. Now. Or I will I
guess. OK. Is there anything else? All right. I'll make a motion to adjourn.
Councilperson Lynch [03:44:55] I second it.
Supervisor McGee [03:44:56] OK. Thank you. You have a good night. Thanks for hanging
in there.
[03:45:00] Night, night, night.