HomeMy WebLinkAbout10_14_2020 Transcript Regular Meeting10142020RegularTownBoardMeeting.mp3
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:00:00] All right, I'm going to call this meeting
to order. This is a regular Town board meeting for the town of Enfield on Wednesday,
October 14th at six thirty p.m. Via zoom. Just as a reminder, this meeting is being
recorded. First, we will start with the privilege of the floor. If you would like to speak for
privilege of the floor. Please use the raise your hand button. If you are calling on a cell
phone, you can do this by pressing star 9. I will unmute everyone at the end to be sure,
everyone has an opportunity to do privilege on the floor. Please be sure to address your
comments to the Town board as a whole. You will have three minutes to speak. So please
wrap your comments in that time.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:00:40] Is there anybody who would like to
speak for prvilege of the floor?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:00:47] Oh you did make it.
Deputy Clerk Patrica Speno [00:00:47] There you are.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:00:47] I'm gonna unmute you Ellen
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:00:55] All right. I do not see any hands
raised for privilege of the floor. So I'm gonna go ahead and unmute everybody now. Oh,
we have Ariel. Let's go ahead with that.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:01:06] I'm going to umute, you Ariel.
Ariel Casper (Town of Ithaca Planning Board) [00:01:09] Just a quick question. I'm not
quite sure what privileging the floor is?.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:01:14] Privilege of the floor is for you to say
anything you'd like for three minutes. Anything that you want to address with the Town
board. I'll ask you to start your video, too, if you'd like.
Ariel Casper (Town of Ithaca Planning Board) [00:01:26] Is this not so concerning the
agenda items specifically? Or we'll have time later to address that.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:01:34] You can add. Agenda items, too, if
you'd like. Is there something you're interested in?
Ariel Casper (Town of Ithaca Planning Board) [00:01:38] I was curious about the board
standing on the broadband study, and I just want to call in and say that I'm very much in
favor of the broadband study. And I think you guys should go ahead and fund it. You know,
in this day and age, access the Internet. I'm very I live Very Close to Enfield and I don't
have Internet. And like, I have to pay exorbitant amounts for very slow speed Internet. I'm
at 10 megabytes a second.
Ariel Casper (Town of Ithaca Planning Board) [00:02:11] We have two kids here at
home and I'm working from home and my partner is working from home. And we could
barely do it. It's a struggle every day. Like we have too many people watching, you know,
instructional videos for classes. They'll stop and buffer. We can't have our videos on all the
time for Zoom calls and meetings because it will lag out and will glitch. So I think you
know, anything that furthers greater access to unserved or underserved areas in Tompkins
County is something that we should really be looking into because, you know, we have
electricity like we could run some cables to my house and have better Internet. And, you
know, as the state has been saying, you know, 100 megabytes a second is should be the
bare minimum of Internet speeds in this day and age, especially with all the high speed
applications that hungry applications that we're using. .
Ariel Casper (Town of Ithaca Planning Board) [00:03:14] You know, when I was
growing up, you know, 20 years ago, a large file was a megabyte. You know, I was looking
at 2005. Microsoft was saying it's a large download to fix office, 2007 at 13 megabytes.
The new office packages are one point two six gigabytes. That's twelve hundred. And
that's just for your basic office applications. So I have to plan when I'm going to be
downloading important documents or new programs to do my work and education for the
kids. So we don't like, run out of Internet. So I really hope you guys will support, you know,
this study, that's all.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:03:55] Thank you.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [00:03:57] Thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:04:01] OK, is anybody else interested in
privilege of the floor? Go ahead and raise your hand.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:04:09] I don't see the item on my computer, maybe
because I'm cohosts, but I wanted to say something very, very briefly if everybody else.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:04:18] Yeah, you want to go ahead. I'll let
othe people go after you.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:04:21] That's good. I just wanted to give a thumbs up
and a word of compliment to our departed Councilperson Mimi Mahaffey. I sent this to
everyone on the Town board in an email earlier about last week, but I'll just use just six
sentences of it.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:04:42] The sudden resignation of Mimi Mahaffey, from
our Town board, the evening of the 5th of October surprised me by its timing. I knew Mimi
as has much on her mind these days. I know her decision came only after careful
deliberation. Not true with the two of us. Didn't always agree at all times. But Mimi
contributed much to Enfield governance. I wish you well in your future endeavors for
guidance will be missed. Thank you, Mimi.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:05:19] Thank you, Robert.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [00:05:20] Thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:05:22] All right, Nancy Spero, unmuted you.
I'm asking you to start your video.
Nancy Spero [00:05:35] Hi. Let's see, I'm trying to. Can you see me? I think it worked.
Can you hear me? Yes. OK.
Nancy Spero [00:05:46] But I, too, am very sad that Mimi Mahaffey has left the board, and
I think it's very important that her seat gets filled as soon as possible because we really
need a full complement of people on this board. And I also am very concerned that I would
like to see Stephanie made.
Nancy Spero [00:06:13] I don't know what the word is interim supervisor, whatever it is, so
that we can hire a person for her seat, that that's normal Town procedure that when
somebody resigns, that you refill a seat. So we have a full complement on the board.
There's a lot of work to be done. And and I also want to specifically say, Bob Lynch
mentioned last time that the vote in November on the two propositions would show
whether people want a special election or not for that position as supervisor.
Nancy Spero [00:06:45] To me, they have nothing to do with each other. What I decide to
vote on those propositions has nothing to do with my opinion about making Stephanie,
who was the assistant supervisor or whatever.
Nancy Spero [00:07:00] I'm not doing well with the terms right now. As the acting
supervisor now and filling the board, because we really need a full complement.
Nancy Spero [00:07:10] We really need to be getting work done in this town. And the
state has much better things to do than try to solve our problems. And I also don't want to
see Town money spent on some special election. That's not what I want to see my tax
money going to. So that's I hope that was clear. Thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:07:31] Thank you, Nancy.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:07:36] OK, is there anyone else who would
like to speak for privilege of floor? I thought I saw Barbara maybe or someone. Ellen, did
you have your hand raised, did you want to speak? OK. I thought . unmuted you. But let
me do that, you're good.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:07:56] Yes.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:07:59] So I would just like to say as a citizen that I am truly
hoping that when we fill, when the Board chooses to fill the Mimi Mahaffey spot, that that
process would be as open and transparent as as possible for a Board. That it would be
advertised very widely in the paper and all conceivable mediums, and that a wide, wide
range of candidates would be selected and to be interviewed, maybe up to even six
candidates interviewed, you know, more than the typical three, because I truly feel that it's
been unfortunate that the Board votes have been always four to one, always no seconds
on resolutions.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:08:50] And I'd really not like to see that continue. I'd really
like an open process, a transparent process, and to look for candidates who are not
maybe known to any of the current board members and not some type of prearranged
appointment.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:09:06] And I would also like just to speak to Nancy Spero's
comment about a special election, because we all know that the deadline for a resignation
before a Special Election was known to the Board and it was known to the former
supervisor. That deadline has been known. It's been publicized. So the idea of blaming the
Town or the townspeople or certain Board members, I mean, first of all, the Governor is
not going to fund or call a special election and the Governor is not going to do an
appointment. But if they did, that would not be the fault of Board members who want to
hold out for an Election. So that's all I have to say.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:09:58] Sorry, I was muted myself. I unmuted
you, Michael. And I'm going to ask you to start your video now.
Michael Carpenter [00:10:12] I think I want to reiterate mostly what Nancy says, although
I also like the idea when you suggested that you can say anything you want. I was hoping
somebody would come up with something that would lighten the mood a little bit. It's
gotten so serious lately.
Michael Carpenter [00:10:30] What I would like to say is that having spent a lot of time on
the board and kind of gotten a sense of what happens when you get there, it does get very
serious. It does get very personal.
Michael Carpenter [00:10:42] I spent 10 minutes yelling at somebody one time in a
meeting and regretted it ever since. We certainly have our own agendas. We have our
needs. We have our own special things that matter a lot to us. And that's been much in
evidence over the last few months or so and even longer. It's hard not to feel that because
I think everyone that's on the board and the Town, Clerk and the Highway superintendent
as well, take their jobs very seriously and take their roles and the things that they're given
to do very seriously. I guess what I'd just like to ask is that we all kind of let go a little bit of
the personal and go back to thinking what's best for the Town of Enfield at this point. And I
think what Nancy, said is very true. Having the full contingent of four board members and a
superintendent in place is very important.
Michael Carpenter [00:11:35] If we can get to that, it may not be today. It may not be the
next meeting.
Michael Carpenter [00:11:38] But I think we should work for that and do some inner
communication between the board members as the interim supervisor and also to
hopefully include the Town clerk on that I know that there's been some difficulty there. And
I know that there's some issues in terms of finances. We've always been really careful with
finances and I think. We don't.
Michael Carpenter [00:12:00] When I thought about it the other day, I said we don't really
have a good sense of what the job is for Town clerk. I don't know that there's any criteria
actually that's even given for what the Town clerks job is. I think at some point that should
be developed. We should develop criteria for the job and understanding of what it entails
and understanding of what the time entails. A real picture of it, a real sense of what's going
on for the Town clerk job and then adjust the dollars accordingly. Know, we find that there
can be less work. That's fine.
Michael Carpenter [00:12:32] Maybe that'll make it easier for Ellen she can get another
part time job. If we find that there's a lot of work and maybe more than than what we had
envisioned, what's going to happen? Maybe we can pay her accordingly. So that works for
her as well. And so she can continue to do a good job.
Michael Carpenter [00:12:48] So what I'm asking is just try and get along, figured this out
and get to where we need to be. Thanks much.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:12:58] Thanks, Mike.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:13:03] Well, anyone else for a privilege of
the floor.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:13:12] OK, I'm going to unmuted everyone.
You all unmuted anyone who has not had a chance to speak, you may do so now.
Background Comments - Unknown Speaker [00:13:21] And that's what I'm going to be
taking a look at today and see what roads are right nearby and what address some of
those where...
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:13:28] You are unmuted.
Unknown [00:13:33] Backroad.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:13:34] Hello, is there someone that would
like to speak for privilege of the floor?
James Ricks [00:13:37] Yes. This is James Ricks...
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:13:40] OK. Hang on just a minute. Let me
mute everyone and I will unmute you, are you the set three one zero number?.
James Ricks [00:13:48] Yes.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:13:50] OK.
James Ricks [00:13:50] That would be me. I'm on a phone so...
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:13:53] Oh. All right. I think I unmuted you,
hopefully.
James Ricks [00:14:04] Hello..
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:14:04] there you go. James, hello.
James Ricks [00:14:09] Yes, I don't know who the gentleman was that spoke before me,
but I really agree with what he was saying about people trying to get along. My name is
James Ricks. I was at a friend's house and I was observing the meeting. Maybe it was two
weeks ago, but I saw some really seemingly dedicated people.
James Ricks [00:14:33] And I felt there was some animosity between them. And I stopped
listeninig. And then I saw one gentleman make such a passionate defense of the highway
workers and guys not losing their jobs during the CoVid. And that was that was really
great.
James Ricks [00:14:51] I didn't know what who would oppose anything like that. But I did
see opposition. And then I saw the opposition seem to be generated from people having a
difficulty of paying the taxes as they were and couldn't stand that a tax increase. So, I
mean, this guy was arguing for workers and them not losing their job and other people on
the board were arguing or trying to protect as. They saw the citizenry of Enfield and. I
thought they both have such honorable aims. And I was wondering, you know, it's like
getting caught between a rock and a hard place because there seemed to be a money
issue that if they kind of would work together to try to alleviate that. Believe me, I am not a
civic person and I don't know how it could be done. But I saw one group, fighting for the
residents Enfield and another group fighting for, you know, these guys not to lose their job,
especially during the covid and all of that, and was truly a little bit.
James Ricks [00:15:57] ...a little bit disappointed that they were seen to be, ah, conflicting
with each other, not seeing that, and that really they both had the same goals, just different
ways to reaching it.. and I'm interested, I saw on the Ithaca Times that there was some
vacancy for the seats in Enfield and I want to I'm interested in finding out what that person
has to do. What what are they responsibilities? Because I've been kind of a guide, a
standard on the side most of my life complaining about stuff. I'm 71 years old now.
James Ricks [00:16:37] And, you know, I have I have eight acres here on Rothemitch
Road. And I have grandchildren that'll probably be here after I'm gone. And I want this to
be kind of a sustainable place for everybody. It's a small group of people. There's only
3000 some are three thousand three hundred people in Enfield. And I don't know how you
generate the income to maybe alleviate the property taxes and still be able to take care of
your road crews and all that. So everything is kind of flowing seamlessly. But I just wanted
to add, I thought I was really interested in what had taken place. I kind of admired
everybody. I didn't see anybody that I didn't disagree with. But I guess when they're on
this, they try to say nice things, which I can understand. But I'm kind of sad to see the lady
that was leaving the meeting quit. I'm sorry to see that. And this lady Mimi Mehaffey, they
seem, everybody seems so sincere. Even the woman tells me, man, I can't afford to pay
any taxes. And I've probably talked too long, but I'm just saying I throwing my hat in the
ring. And also, I want to say that I am black and I haven't seen anybody black on the
computer or even the road crew who when they come down my street. Very nice guys. But
being black, I just noticed I haven't seen anybody that looks like me. And I don't know,
maybe it's because the demographics and population. But these are the kind of things I'm
interested in. Also, like I said, I have three amazing grandkids.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:18:20] Thank you. We'll be talking about
that appointment tonight. Thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:18:29] Roy Berrier, I'm going to unmute you
and then ask you to start your video.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:18:41] Are you able to unmute?
Roy Barriere [00:18:45] How's that?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:18:46] Perfect? There you go.
Roy Barriere [00:18:50] OK. All right. Well, most folks would look at this as a bad thing to
have two vacancies on the board. Obviously, it is very risky and I agree it is a bad thing
because every decision that's brought to the board at this point needs to be unanimous in
order for it to go through.
Roy Barriere [00:19:12] But now I've got a little bit of a different take on it. I look at this as
a good thing. The current board has to come together in order for things to get
accomplished. It's critical for all the board members now, more so than before, to be open
minded and focused on the community instead of their personal agendas, as the previous
board did. That was made very clear at the last public hearing was which was the most
important public hearing of the year. Normally the budget also say weeks after the public
hearing, allowing time for each board member to hear from their constituents. Finally,
finalizing the budget on the same night as a public hearing is unheard of. Not to mention, it
sends a very clear message to the Town and residents that the majority of the Town board
clearly had their minds made up beforehand. So what the public had to say did not matter.
With all that being said, hopefully the current board will be a little more open minded and
listen to the residents as we move forward at this point. The most important task, which
has been mentioned quite a bit at this evening, is to fill those two vacancies. I'm sorry to
see Mimi leaving or had left, but that's the vacancy that needs to be filled first and then we
can move forward. Thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:20:45] Thank you Roy.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:20:51] Is there anyone else who would like
to speak for privilege to the floor? I'm going to, umute all again if anybody would like to
speak for privilege of the floor, please let us know now.
James Rich [00:21:08] Could I just add one more thing?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:21:11] We will be privilege of the floor at the
end. You did go a little over your time. Do you want to save it to the end, or is it something
that's very urgent to say now.
James Rich [00:21:19] While it's urgent because I'm on a friend's computer and I'm happy
to.
James Rich [00:21:23] I'll have to leave. It only takes about two minutes. I'm sorry I went
over the time, I didn't know how much time I had.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:21:31] OK. Yeah, go ahead. I just wish you
could.
James Ricks [00:21:36] OK. So I want to leave on a good note. I mentioned that I was a
black person. And this is has a lot to do with me. Want to be on the board. When I came to
Enfield, I saw people driving down the street with Confederate flags on their truck, a few of
them hanging off from their porches. And it gave me a really a negative view of Enfield in
general, all the whole Enfield. And from meeting people and seeing that this isn't how
everybody is, you know, I try to stop stereotyping people of something that hard to do. The
things that we learned from when our when we're children, before we even realized we've
learned anything.
James Ricks [00:22:16] Well, from meeting a few people here, definitely my opinion and
my introspection has taken a kind of different turn. I just wanted to mention that it broke a
lot of stereotypes when I met some of the people that were involved in doing this right now.
That's it. I'm done.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:22:34] Thank you.
James Ricks [00:22:36] OK.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:22:38] All right, I'm going to unmuted all one
more time. Everybody.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:22:47] There anyone else who would like to
speak for privily to the floor? No. All right, I'm muting everyone again. And we will move on.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:22:59] Robert, I'm going to, unmute you and
Virginia, I'm going to, unmute, you. OK.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:23:07] Is there any are there any changes
or additions to the agenda? I know I have a couple. One is a budget amendment. And then
the other thing is I would like to move the resolution to support the over target request for
Tompkins Councty to undertake a broadband planning study. I would like to move that off
of our consent agenda and move that below our discussion about the resignation, just
because I think that we should discuss that a little further and see if there's a monetary
compensation or a monetary contribution that we'd like to make to that.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:23:41] I would support moving the agenda.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:23:45] Is there anything else that you'd like
to add?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:23:49] OK.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:23:51] The first thing that we have is the
county legislature.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:23:57] I don't think that Anne Koreman or
Dave are on yet. I know they had another meeting, so we might have to have them come
on at the end.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:24:10] Why don't they go ahead and give
the supervisor report?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:24:15] So the October supervisor report is I
procured some face shields for the highway crew to use during the cleanup days, the
cleanup days or this Thursday from one to five, Friday from one to 5:00 and Saturday from
eight a.m. to noon. We completed the tax cap forms and filed them with the county. Beth
McGee was removed from all bank accounts for the Town and I, Stephanie Redman
became the signer on all accounts. We prepared a new senior citizens contract and
prepared a resolution supporting the over target request for Tompkins County to undertake
a broad band planning study. We prepared a resolution to approve a prequel of the twenty
and twenty, twenty, twenty and twenty twenty one amendments to the Municipal
Cooperative Agreement for the Greater Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance
Consortium completed the annual payroll certification for the county, filed the quarterly
worker's compensation form, worked on updating the W-9's for the IRS, met with the
Water Protection Committee and we had a presentation by the New York Rural Waters
Association. Worked on outreach for the Committee to review the New York Stretch
Energy Code. Filed the ENV for the comprehensive plan, which is the final step with the
seek for profits process. Met with the NYMR insurance rep, met with the Fire Co. with
Robert Lynch to negotiate that new contract, participated in the broadband committee
meeting, met with the county regarding the resiliency plan, discussed the need for new
representatives with the Heat Smart Non-profits, a local nonprofit that advocates for
practical means of eliminating fossil fuels in our homes. They are looking for a new
representative from Enfield. So if anybody is interested in being the representative for Heat
Smart, please let us know. It's a great program. And then I took some sexual harassment
trainings through and I did my through NY... These are mandatory for all Town employees
and elected officials. So please try to get those done if you have not already. And then I
also participated in an AOT emergency plan...webinar, and then I started a webinar
regarding our community solar. Let's see. Next, we have the Town Clerk report. I'm going
to unmute you, Ellen.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:26:40] OK, so before I go into my report, I just want to
briefly touch on the comments that were made during privileges for we cannot act like we
don't know what the Town Clerks job entails. We know that in every Town and Tompkins
town clerk is compensated for full time employment. We know we really need. I can
respond. I can respond to these comments and we know that. Enfield is the only town in
Tompkins where the Town Clerk is earning less than the Supervisor, that is known. Those
charts are available. So I just I want the progressive's in this community who support a
living wage to really think about what they're doing when they say, a year of my life, they're
going to just ponder.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:27:26] Ellen, we're gonna need to stop. We
need to focus on what we're doing as our procedural meeting now. Can you do that? OK,
I'm going to, um, you know, we really need to focus on the Town Clerk and the Report.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:27:38] Thank you. You are muted. OK.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:27:47] Thank you for hearing me about those concerns.
Thank you. And charts are available.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:27:52] So this month we were back up and running with our
DECALS system. That was very exciting. We sold a lot of hunting license and fishing
licenses, and that was something me and my deputy both learned how to do. And so it's
an exciting new way to serve the residents. And our total revenue from that this month was
fifty one dollars and forty four cents. Most of the revenue from the DECALS program does
go to New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. But it is a valuable
service that we provide for the residents.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:28:28] We sold two cemetery plots my Town clerk and I, my
deputy clerk and I continue to work on sort of on modeling a difficult situation with the
cemeteries. And so we are working with former Town, the current Town historian and
former president of the Cemetery Committee, and Matt Lincoln to try and get that situation
really well handled for the residents.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:28:56] We sold 50 dog licenses were a total of six hundred
twenty five dollars in revenue. We sold eight building permits. So this is the height of
building permits season. Really exciting. And one culvert permit. So exciting
achievements.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:29:14] This this time for the Town Clerks office is we have
secured a new copier printer scanner that is from the hangar theater. They'll be donating
that to the town of Enfield. So we're picking that up on Friday. It's about half the age of our
current printer copier scanner and it will be able to do color and we'll be able to expand
printing services for the residents. So we're really excited about that. And that will be a
donation. It's being serviced by our current company, which is Eastern. So I expect that
transition to be really seamless.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:29:51] And other things that we've done this month is just
continued serving the residents. We are still offering virtual services. It's important to really
remind residents of that as we're seeing increasing cases of CoVid in Cortland has a lot of
cases right now and all of the surrounding counties. So just reminding residents that we do
offer virtual services and if they would like to avoid coming into the town hall, they are
welcome to. We are also always wearing masks and sanitizing. Thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:30:26] Thank you, Ellen. OK.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:30:28] Next, we have the Highway
superintendent report. I'm going to try to find you Buddy. OK, there you go. I'm you and I'm
going to ask to start your video. I think I asked to start your video.
Highway Superintendent Buddy Rollins [00:30:42] Yeah, start the dumpsters are
delivered today for a clean up start tomorrow of the procedure. It's going to be different this
year because of all this CoVid stuff. We're going to have a guy at the gate, Letting people
in two people at each dumpster at a time. And we'll have a person in the yard directing.
And then we'll have a person in the loader. If they have big stuff or need help, then we can
load it in the loader and put it in the dumpster. So it's going to be a little longer. Might be a
little way just for precautions and stuff. And we got all the safety stuff now that got the face
shields today. That was a last minute thought about working outside with the public and
talking and stuff and mask.
Highway Superintendent Buddy Rollins [00:31:39] And I think we'll be OK. We've been
doing some.
Highway Superintendent Buddy Rollins [00:31:47] Tie up work from summer work,
patching and fixing some bad spots. We pave the top of Rothemitch Road. Today. That we
hadn't got done yet this year. We finish set just today. and.
Highway Superintendent Buddy Rollins [00:32:09] We've been working hard on Teeter
Road. We've been working on that for a couple years, but we've been working hard and
we've had a couple of driveways put in there that people wanted. And. Getting ready to
start up the changeover for winter. That's about it. Thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:32:29] Buddy. The only question that I had
was some vouchers that we signed. They totally matched what you had there. But I was
just wondering why the numbers were changed. And in written in to some of them, was
there like a credit on the account that wasn't obvious on the on the sheet.
Highway Superintendent Buddy Rollins [00:32:47] Talking about the Suit Kote ones?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:32:49] Yeah.
Highway Superintendent Buddy Rollins [00:32:50] And if they've charged me for a full
day for equipment when it was just a half a day ago and they know about it, they that's
why they told me to change it like that stuff.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:33:02] I mean, it matched. I just wanted to
clarify it.
Highway Superintendent Buddy Rollins [00:33:04] That's all the.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:33:06] OK. Thank you. Yeah. All right.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:33:10] Next, we have Alan Teeter with a
code enforcement report.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:33:14] Let me find you, Alan. Through you
are. Ask you to start your video.
Code Officer Alan Teeter [00:33:29] Not sure what's going on. Do you have a team do be
working?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:33:32] Oh, let me see.
Code Officer Alan Teeter [00:33:37] Maybe on my end I'm on my cell phone so....
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:33:40] OK, I'm not sure.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:33:52] You're muted again. Let's see. Let's
try this again. How's that?
Code Officer Alan Teeter [00:34:01] I'm sorry, it's unable to access my camera, so I'm not
sure.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:34:05] That's OK.
Code Officer Alan Teeter [00:34:08] Anyway, so my report first September actually
issued nine building permits. One is for a new home. But actually in the month of October,
I've already issued or I'm working on applications for five other new homes. Some things
really picked up last month. Update the cell tower. I think it's all completed, but I still have
to do their final electrical work. Apparently, because it's still not working. Verizon wireless
service. But hopefully I'll be online soon. I've completed my in-service training for the state,
which is 24 hours. I'm still taking a few more courses because it takes a couple of months
for the courses to show up on my record. And I want to make sure I have more of the
necessary just to be safe. Last couple of things. I've installed a couple of new house
numbers for people and the left I had was I met with Kerry from assessment a couple
weeks ago, she went over the last building permits and plans for the last several months.
So that's all caught up with them. That's what I had most was any questions?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:35:17] I actually do have one request.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:35:21] I'm hoping you're willing to take on. I
was talking to the NYMER insurance rep and they would like it if we could keep track of
the trainings that everybody has gone through for the both the employees and the elected
officials. And she sent me a list of it and I would be one. I was wondering, since you are
the enforcer, if you would be willing to sort of keep track of that and everybody can turn in
their their certifications for these to you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:35:49] If Buddy wants to do that for his
team, he can just get them to you. I was wonder if you would be willing to be the point
person for that?
Code Officer Alan Teeter [00:35:57] Sure it's fine, people recommend to me, I'd gladly
keep them here and keep a record of it and a file of it. That's not a problem
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:36:04] Thank you. I'll send you the printout
from from the insurance rep for all the trainings that everybody's required to have. OK. All
right. Do you want to give the Enfield Fire Company report since you're already unmuted
and ready?
1st Assistant Chief Alan Teeter [00:36:18] I will do that. The total calls for September
were 19. There were 13 E.M.S. calls. One more vehicle accident. Three service calls.
There were two fire calls. One was for a mutual aid for Newfield and one was for
Trumansburg our October trainings. First, we had our general meeting last week get a
training on chimney fires. This Thursday, we have cold weather training and dressing
properly and safe driving in winter conditions? The 22nd we're going to back. Flush the dry
hydrants in the Town and also do our monthly truck checks. Twenty ninth are doing Hose
advance and SCBA training for our interior firefighters. Couple of things, we are doing a
Halloween community party at the fire station where it's going to be kind of drive through
thing for people. We're going to get a set up of codes and handle pre bags of candy, I
believe. And lastly, our next officers meeting will be November 3rd.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:37:27] Can you tell me a little bit more about
the drive through, like what time it's going to be? Is it going to be actually on Halloween?
1st Assistant Chief Alan Teeter [00:37:33] Yes. Yes. And I'm not sure the time. Probably
like four or five. Same every year I think it's on the politically that it's on the signboard out
front by the town hall. It probably is time I haven't paid attention.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:37:52] Perfect. Thank you. Thank you. OK.
Next, we have.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:38:02] Dan Walker with the planning board,
let me find you. There you are now, asked to start your video. Very Good.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:38:16] OK. Planning board meeting last week
and. I can think that. OK. We had a presentation by Dan Huntington of Norbut Energy
proposing a 20 megawatt solar farm on the Applegate Road. So that's owned by the Nino
family. He did a pretty detailed preliminary discussion or explanation that he gave us and
or he said he's they're planning to get all the materials together by 10 days before the
11th. So the meeting on the.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:39:11] Seven November 11th, we no November
the fourth meaning.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:39:17] So we're. We've got on the agenda for the.
For the next planning board meeting to. Do the preliminary review. Because LaBelle
Associates is is doing the site plan preparation. That was me, the company I worked for
part time. I'm recusing myself. I can still, I think, facilitate the meeting as as but Henry
Hansteen, as a as the deputy or whatever we call them, will be actually running that part of
the meeting. I think you attended the same NYMER harassment training that you did,
Stephanie, Online in August. I guess it was so I fulfilled that. I'm not sure how many of the
plane or other planning board members did a check with them on that to make them aware
of their need to get that training. Any questions for anyone?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:40:26] What is the general turnaround time on the solar
farm proposal? I'm just wondering, because we on the Town board have got to discuss a
pilot agreement for that solar farm. But it would be kind of nice to have at least four
members on the board at the time that's discussed. Somebody's coming on board. So I
didn't know if this is something that has to be done right away or whether there's going to
be several months of deliberation by the planning board. So we've got a little more time.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:40:56] It's going to be at least two more months.
Next month, they'll be submitting the complete plans, the SEFER and all the other
documents that are required by the solar and site plan review laws. And we'll be really
reviewing that next month if all at all those documents are found acceptable by the
planning board, we could conceivably schedule a public hearing and final approval for
December. I'm not sure how the discussion will go. And. If when you have the public
hearing and forget a lot of comments that we may not do the approval at the December
meeting.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:41:52] But. And I think. One of the things we
probably put in is a condition that I would normally recommend.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:42:01] And I'll be recommending that to the board
that the...
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:42:11] The would be having at least a draft pilot
agreement and, you know, have those discussions, so. I know the best in the most
efficient world it could it could get approved in two meetings more. Normally it takes at
least another one after the public hearing to get it finalized.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:42:40] There, as I recall, they're not planning on
constructing until May at the earliest.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:42:46] Right. All right.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:42:47] We're going to get the panel's or not. And also,
we've got a little bit of time to negotiate a good pilot agreement. So these things always
take longer than you expect. But. Right. That probably the hearing might be in December.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:43:01] For the for the pilot?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:43:02] Well, for the for the for the plan anyway. I don't
know if the pilot would be ready by that.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:43:08] You know, we would have our public
hearing. Probably the schedule would if everything is submitted on time, which this is a big
project. And I know they have a lot of documentation to prepare. We have to have
complete plans before we can have a public hearing. And that usually at the preliminary
site plan review, we usually come up with comments and ask them to provide some
additional information. And so that we can have all the documents available for the public
to see before the public hearing. Yeah. So I'm very earliest would be December probably
might go on to January. The final approval. We also after we get the full documentation in,
we will be, that has to be submitted to the to the county for a two thirty nine review. And
usually they turn it around fairly quickly. So we would anticipate having that by the
December meeting too. That's and, you know, we have the Seeker. We'll be discussing
the seeker at the November meeting.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:44:24] So I was actually hoping that we
could have a special meeting. They had asked to present to the Town board as well. And
then we could go further with our discussions about, you know, pilot agreements and such.
And I was I was thinking we would schedule it sort of be at the end of the meeting. But
since we're on topic, does everyone agree that October twenty seven, six thirty p.m. would
be a good time? They were hoping to do it before the planning board meeting that they're
going to attend in November.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:44:56] So that's that would be before our
next regular meeting. Would that be OK? Twenty seven, right? Yeah. Tuesday at six p.m..
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:45:06] Tuesday at six p.m.. I have no problem.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:45:08] Sorry, six thirty six, thirty p.m. there,
Clerk said. Asked to have it a little later than 6:00 because they wrapped their stuff up
around then.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:45:17] You certainly do hear the materials. So
obviously I think they're probably going to be several discussions. Several meetings
probably to discuss the pilot in detail. But at least we could get some sense of what they're
proposing and what parameters they might establish.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [00:45:35] Now, we can be more in step with their
process.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:45:38] OK, so I'm going to set a special
meeting to hear from that. Norbut.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:45:46] I don't know how to say thank you
solar farms. And so let's let's go for October twenty seventh at six thirty pm where if of the
board members.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:45:59] Well, I know. Bob was there, and I think
you were listening.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:46:03] Yeah, I was there and I discussed it
with him there, that that he would like to present to the Town board before the next
planning meeting.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:46:10] So but if anyone else is interested, they
believe the audio is on the Web site now, that.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:46:19] From the meeting.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:46:22] OK, I know.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:46:24] I would welcome a planning board members to
attend that meeting on the twenty seventh.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:46:29] Yes. Yes, sir. No doubt the invitation to
them. Definitely. And I'll reach out to them. Also be on the twenty seventh at.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:46:39] 630.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:46:39] 630, right?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:46:43] Let's see, I'm I'm I'm unmuted both
the Deputy Clerk and the Clerk because they might have a problem with that night.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:46:49] So we are actually open till 7:00 on Tuesdays. We've
been open till 7:00 on Tuesdays all year.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:46:57] They do. Both of you have to be
there until 7:00. Can one of you step out there?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:47:02] So so Patricia has to be there till 7:00. And I have a
communication and leadership training that I do every Tuesday night. But in addition, I just
want the board to consider that most months of this year we have had a meeting every
single week. That is not reasonable or that's not a reason...
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:47:25] Let's go ahead and make it for,
seven, 30. Is that OK? I mean, I know that's a bit later, but.
Patricia Speno [00:47:31] It better be because we are recording secretary for the planning
board and I would like to attend.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:47:40] Robert, what was that?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:47:41] I said, what about seven o'clock, right when the
Town Clerks office closes?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:47:46] I think that they might eat a little bit of
time, too. Yeah.
Patricia Speno [00:47:50] Did you mean and.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:47:53] To be ready, let's go for seven, 30.
All right. Yes, go.
Patricia Speno [00:47:57] Thank you so very much.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:48:04] OK. OK. Yes. Anything else?
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:48:07] No, that's all I have this point. Oh, you
know, with that, we do have to have a discussion about building permit fees and things,
too. But I think. That we will be coming to the Town board. But I think and I talked about a
little bit and we'll be talking a little bit more about it and recommendation.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:48:26] And you guys are still working on
redoing the subdivision law on the site plan review.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:48:31] Yeah. As well. Right. The Sailplane abuse
pretty pretty much how the shape of the subdivision we're still looking at still. Yes. But this
project is going to take up pretty much a fair amount of time for the board right now. So,
again, concentrate of that.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:48:49] OK, thank you.
Planning Board Chair Dan Walker [00:48:51] You're welcome.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:48:53] All right, Robert. You're up next with the
TCCOG report.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:48:59] Yes, I would request that maybe we postpone
the Teets on home until our discussion of the broadband issues, since we're taking it off
the consent agenda. Since my entire TCCOG report, which is about two and a half pages
long as it's very detailed deals with that broadband presentation, and it might be less
redundant if we just did it, then.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:49:22] OK, that sounds great. OK.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:49:26] I still don't see. Anne Koreman or
Dave McKenna on here.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:49:31] So I guess we're gonna pass them
out. I know they were interested in being a part of that discussion, too. When we talk about
the broadband committee,.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:49:40] They're probably got a county budget meeting
tonight.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:49:42] Do they do those things? They start off like by
five or five thirty. So maybe we'll be over by the time we get the other discussions done
and they can join in then.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:49:54] Yeah, that's that. I talked to Anne
earlier and that's what she was saying.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:49:58] All right, let's go ahead and move the
concept agenda on a cassette agenda. Are the auto claims and then the resolution to
accept the senior citizen contract, the resolution to approve the twenty, twenty and twenty
twenty one amendments to the Municipal Cooperative Agreement for the Greater
Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:50:21] ...them to move for that... And then
we have one other budget amendment that I added.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:50:33] Let's see if I can find.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:50:37] And that is to move funds for the
supervisor and contractual. The confidential secretary is no longer with us. She resigned.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:50:43] So I am proposing to move her
salary from her line over to the contractual line because the contractual line is getting low.
So I need a Second for that. Only we need to have Ellen go ahead and read the audit
claims first before we have a Second for that.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:51:06] Are we ready?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:51:09] The Town super board authorizes the acting
supervisor to pay general fund vouchers 217 to 235 dated 10-14-2020 in the amount of
sixty thousand, $60, 057.54. Highway fund vouchers, 147 to 160. Dated 10/14/2020 in the
amount of $55,064.89. And also TA vouchers one and two dated 10/14/2020 in the
amount of $291.89, so that's two hundred ninety one dollars and eighty nine cents.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:51:54] Thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:51:56] Do you happen to have numbers for
these resolutions? The resolution for the senior citizen contract and the approval for the
greater Tompkins?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:52:05] Should we want to just give me a moment? I will
grab those.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:52:09] OK. We could do it at the end, too, if
it's too much of a bother.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:52:14] We're also going to need ones for the
budget amendments. If you have that available easily.
[00:53:32] OK.
[00:53:52] You're on.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:53:54] OK. So that is #2020-68 is the resolution we're
starting with and then...
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:54:02] #2020-20 is the budget amendment. If that's the next
budget amendment.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:54:10] OK, so for the highway. That'll be
2020-20. And then the other one for the supervisor contract will be three. Twenty, twenty -
Twenty one. Right. I'm getting this right. I'm hoping. You can correct me if I'm wrong later.
And then the resolution, the senior contract is gonna be - sixty eight and the Greater
Tompkins County Municipal Health Insurance Consortium, that's gonna be - sixty nine. Is
that correct?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:54:42] I'm hoping that's correct. OK.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:54:47] All right, so I move that we have a
Second for that?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:54:49] I'll second it.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:54:51] OK.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:54:53] I don't know which you guys of came
at the same time, so I'll let Ellen choose who she's going to put in for a second. And Ellen
you can go ahead and call the vote.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:55:05] Is there any discussion?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:55:07] Oh, sorry. Yes. Is there any
discussion to the consent agenda?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:55:10] The only question I had was on the moving the
contractual money of confidential secretary money to contractual. Do we know what we're
going to be spending that contractual on yett?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:55:23] No, we don't. It just was getting low
and Brian was asking me to move money into that line. I don't have any real plans to to
use it. He just wanted to make sure we had a buffer in there by.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:55:36] All right, we're ready now. Call the
vote.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:55:40] Councilperson Bryant.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [00:55:41] Aye.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:55:43] Councilperson Lynch.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:55:44] Aye.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [00:55:45] Acting supervisor Redmond.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:55:49] Aye.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:55:51] All Aye..
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:55:53] Next, we have the discussion about
Councilperson Mimi Mehaffey's resignation and discussion about the appointment of a
Councilperson. First, I'd like to read her resignation letter is dated October 5th, 2020. Dear
fellow board members and citizens of Enfield, I wish to resign my position on the Enfield
Town board effective immediately. Three years ago, I was encouraged to run for a position
on the board.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond reading a letter from Mimi Mehaffey
[00:56:20] I'd been active on committees and had regularly attended meetings for years
after I was elected. I brought my knowledge and experience as a businesswoman to the
board. Working hard to ensure the Town operated on solid financial ground. I was also
interested in the town's energy policies getting a moratorium on fracked gas. Was the
issue that got me involved in local politics as a board member or as a member of the
board. I helped research, write and adopt policies on solar and wind energy. I learned a lot
and feel I did my best to represent the interests of the citizens of Enfield. It is time now for
me to step down. This has been an extremely difficult year for me personally. In April, I lost
my sister. And that has left a huge hole in my life and increased my responsibilities. Since
February, I've been working overtime trying to reinvent our business, which has profoundly
impacted by the CoVid 19 pandemic. Now, as a board member, I am being publicly
attacked on social media and in the press by our own town clerk for refusing to increase
property taxes and for working to prepare the town of Enfield for an uncertain economic
economy ahead, Highway superintendent Rollins has, in defiance of New York state labor
law, allowed his staff to work through their lunch, as well as refusing in my mind to have a
reasonable discussion with the board about almost anything, given that such a huge
percentage of the town's budget is directly related to the highway department. This makes
it nearly impossible to manage the town's funds in a responsible way. Frankly, I have
neither the will nor the energy to engage in this kind of negative exchange. I prefer to
spend the time I have left doing something more positive. I wish to thank my fellow board
members for continuing to work hard for the people of Enfield and to the people in this
town who continue to work for the best interests of its citizens. Sincerely, Mimi Mahaffey.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:58:16] On a personal note, I would just like
to thank me for her years of service.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:58:19] She has brought so much wisdom
and patience and real cooperation to this board and I thank her for her service here. I'm
sad to see her go.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [00:58:32] I echo that.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:58:35] I said my comments earlier, she will be missed.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:58:41] So moving forward, we need to have
a discussion about the appointment of this Councilperson to take her seat. We I know we
had one person who is interested tonight to throw his hat in the ring, which is lovely.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [00:58:55] Do we want to discuss broadening
the search beyond the one person that has offered themselves? Does anybody else want
to give input on that?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:59:05] I think that I needed to both of my remaining
colleagues on the Town board. My concerns. I think we should have a very open and
transparent process. I think we should involve as many people as possible and invite as
many people as possible. I suggested that we engage both the Democratic and
Republican parties and contact their chairs to see if they wanted to field candidates for this
position.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [00:59:36] I know it only is going to go for 14 months
because this position will be subject to an election in November of twenty twenty one. But
still, it's important. There are many important decisions that we will be probably making in
the next 14 months. We need a very responsible and conscientious person to sit by our
sides and help us make those decisions. I also would suggest that because not everybody
is aligned with a political party, that there'll be an advertisement on the Town Web site
inviting candidates to step forward. I had suggested in my memo to both of my colleagues
on the board that we set the November meeting as the target date to make a decision on
appointment of someone on this Town board. Now, I know there may be people in the
community. This is Bob and Stephanie and Virginia. Why are you making this appointment
instead of us, the voters? And I think there's an important reason here, and that is because
we cannot be a board of three.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:00:42] It is too dangerous. If one of us gets ill, if one of
us gets called for jury duty. If one of us has to go out of town on an urgent errand or if
there's a death in the family or something of that nature. We would be an incapacitated
board because two people can't make a decision here. It takes a minimum of three. And
by having a fourth person on the board, we at least have a cushion so that No. One, we
have the op, the ability to have a quorum, even if one person has to be excused. And
secondly, we have a little room for a little Democratic disagreement. If somebody doesn't
agree with the other three, well, there's a three to one decision. And the person who is the
odd man or woman out just doesn't prevail. And right now, we have to have unanimity on
all issues, which is good in one respect. But it's also dangerous because not everybody
agrees on everything. So I would suggest that we move expeditiously to appoint this
position. And I would say that we should target the November 11th meeting for a decision,
if at all possible. But that said, we should also, before that time, engage the public. We
should invite candidates to come forth. And ideally, we should have an opportunity for the
public to meet those candidates and ask questions of those candidates, even in an online
format like this before November 11th. And that's my position on it. And I'd like to hear
other ideas.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:02:23] Virginia, did you want to add
anything?
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:02:25] I'm not really in disagreement with that.
Excuse me. That's for me. What? Sorry, go ahead.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:02:34] That's not in disagreement with that process,
because I think we have to move. We can't we can't delay. We can't help spread this out. I
think the process is how do we do this? How do we get the public involved in that relatively
very short period of time? Keep it transparent, keep it open, but still get it done, because
we cannot operate. As Bob has said, and I totally agree with the board like this, we've got
to fill that seat and then move on and fill another seat. So I'm in agreement. We need to
move forward with some pretty rapid and open steps to get the public involved in and have
people who are interested make it known. I mean, it's it's a rush job, but Beth's that that
happens in real life and other boards when people resign or die or whatever.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:03:27] You've got to figure out how to fill that seat or
we're going to be in this position, which is not which is just in an impossible position for a
board to do business well for the Town. So I don't know where we want to go from here,
but I'm in agreement that we move towards that November target.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:03:48] So I think my suggestion would be...
I'm going to I'm to eat a little noisy.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:03:55] My suggestion would be that we within the
week, go ahead and reach out to the Democratic and Republican Committee, as well as
put a notice on the Web site. I think it should be as nonpolitical as possible, basically
stating the basic fact that we are in need of a appointed Councilperson. And then I think
we should put that on our agenda for the twenty seventh as well. For anyone who would
like to come forward and state their intentions and speak their piece at that moment. I think
that would be a good idea. And then we'll put that on our agenda for the November
meeting to move forward with that. I did try to unmute you again. Virginia.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:04:36] Yeah, I'm in total agreement with that. And,
you know, I don't want to spend thousands of dollars putting newspaper announcements
and so forth, but it could be published and put on not only the Web site, but may be posted
at the corner store. I don't know how we do these things, but as open as possible.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:04:58] How about putting a sign board for that be
possible to do something like that?
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:05:03] We can what? Bob, I didn't get that.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:05:04] Put it on our signboards outside our town hall.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:05:10] It have to be pretty concise. We don't
have a lot of space on that. But maybe I'm sure Ellen can be creative with it. Hopefully I'm
going to unmute you Ellen, how do you feel about that? Think you can fit that on there?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:05:23] I'm sure that we can advertise it widely and then we
can put it on the sign board. That's a good idea. And then I have a legislative window in
the Town in the town hall that we can post it on. And there is a board that is considered a
space to post a legal notice outside the community building at 182.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:05:43] So that could be a place that would be good
because then our patrons to the food pantry who walk in there might see it. And one of
them might be running.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:05:54] And I if I may add. We also have some basic
the basic criteria. And you have to be a resident of a Town. Obviously, if there are any
other requirements that I'm unaware of because I'm so old. But anything other
requirements that ought to be. Not not posted persay, but readily available on the Web site
for sure.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:06:18] OK, that sounds good. I'll try to draft
something brief and pass it to both of you. Make sure that it's OK. And to Ellen, too. We'll
try to get that up. Do we want to look into a newspaper listing as well? And it costs a little
bit of money. I don't know if it's necessary, given that it would go out to Ithaca. more than
Enfield, but I'm open to suggestions.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:06:39] I would say that a legal notice. I don't know how
many people actually read those. And I can look into it if the legal notice is required. But I
don't I don't know that a legal notice is required. Well, what I could do is a press release
and so maybe that would generate a little coverage.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:06:56] That would be great.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:06:57] That might be a good idea. Do you
do you know the cost on that paper?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:07:02] Oh, a legal pad tends to be about seventy five
dollars and a press releases, of course, free. If they decide to pick up your story, they
decide to pick it up.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:07:12] I would welcome the press release because
nobody's going to read the legal notice.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:07:16] Oh, my God, Erin, everybody's doing an LLC
these days. Very boring.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:07:22] All right. Let's try to keep it as a as
nonpolitical as possible. That's my only request, is that we just try to keep to the basic
facts.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:07:29] And you're going to say anything that goes out
before it goes correct. Stephanie?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:07:34] Yes. You all will. Well.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:07:36] Well, OK. Thank. I'm sure that everybody's on
fire.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:07:40] Yeah. I mean, I'm getting the basic
gist of what we want just from this discussion, so I'm not going to expand on that very
much beyond that.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:07:47] One thing I'm going to suggest, because I don't
think they are, I'm used to working in radio where you have affirmative action
requirements. And it might be wise here that this Town because we are a forward thinking
Town get a little bit of affirmative action or some for this. I don't know if the Tompkins
County Human Rights Commission would be the place to go, but somebody that has
involvement with perhaps people who have traditionally been excluded from the process of
selecting board members, if there might be an agency like that to be contacted. And just to
let them know that they've got to be an Enfield resident. But you might be interested in
applying for this position.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:08:31] That would be a good idea. Let's look
into that further.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:08:37] All right. Are we in agreement then
we can wrap this this part of this up and go on to the next part of our agenda,.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:08:44] Lets target the November meeting for making a
decision on this?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:08:47] Because it's got to be done.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:08:49] Yeah,.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:08:49] OK. And I'll also add it to the special
meeting on the twenty seventh.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:08:54] And I would like people to realize that we three
members are in agreement on this point. There's no dissension tonight on this.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:09:01] It's true. They really can't be. All
right.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:09:06] So the other thing that is in regards
to Mimi resignation is that we she was the alternate member on the health consortium.
And so Ellen is the delegate on there. But if she can't make it, then we need an extra
alternate.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:09:26] Betty has her hand raised. So I'm
going to unmute her because maybe she's willing to be that altrenat.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:09:35] Betty.
Judge Betty Poole [01:09:36] Yes, you did.
Judge Betty Poole [01:09:38] Yes, I just when Ellen with all due respect, Ellen, when you
mention in those signboard outside the community building, that board is used for the court
and for Alan and I have two signs that are mandated still mandated by the state.
Judge Betty Poole [01:10:05] And of course, Alan needs the other side to.
Judge Betty Poole [01:10:12] Let people know what is ours are and so on and so forth,
so there's not going to be room. I don't believe for an announcement.
Judge Betty Poole [01:10:28] Maybe something.
Judge Betty Poole [01:10:32] Other than that, I don't know. But that's that's my opinion,
and I have to leave those signs up until I'm ordered to take them down. And I know Alan.
You know, he needs his office hours and so forth posted as well. The the signboard isn't
that big unless the Town boards willing to get another signboard put right next to it.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:11:04] All right. Thank you. We don't
necessarily need to use that, but that's fine. Thank you, Betty.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:11:09] The window for community building up here is
where people line up to go to the food pantry. That might be an alternative location.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:11:17] That's a good idea.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:11:19] So if any residents are interested or
council people are interested in being the alternate on the health consortium, please let us
know. We need an alternate on that group. And then the other thing is Mimi was also the
representative for the Tompkins County Recreation Partnership. So that's another person
that we need, either someone from the community who's willing to be that representative
or someone on our board, maybe our new Councilperson would be interested. But at this
point, I'm just letting people know that those are two positions that need to be filled. Now
that Mimi a stepped down.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:11:56] So like I said, and please let us.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:11:58] Know that they might know of somebody for that
recreational partnership. If there's somebody on the ECC might know. I don't Anne Ryder
was part of our meeting here earlier.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:12:08] I don't know if she's a participant now or not, but
she might take that back to ECC and maybe somebody there is interested in being a
representative.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:12:19] I don't see her on our meeting any
more, but I'll reach out to them and let them know that that's a good idea, Robert. OK.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:12:28] So the next thing we have, then, is
the resolution to support an over target request for a Tompkins Co. to undertake a
broadband planning study. So when this first came on our, across our desk, let's say the
other towns around us, such as Caroline and Danby, had offered a monetary contribution
in the thousands, you know, two to five thousand, basically. And I remove them on
Robert's request because he did not feel that he wanted to add money to that. But I since
had the impression from him that he may be willing to change his mind. I spoke with Anne
Koreman and she made it very clear that Enfield would...
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:13:12] It would be one of the first locations
that would be targeted by this, because we have members that are residents that are not
served at all with any sort of connection. So I would like to add some money if we if
everybody's in agreement. We do have over eleven thousand dollars in our contingency
line.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:13:32] So if you if everybody's in agreement
with that, we could put some money toward that.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:13:40] Well, I'm certainly I agree. And we've been in
the in the dead zone for... I won't even say how many years, and the gentleman the
gentleman who spoke to score this beginning of the meeting, his 30 minutes was
extremely clear on how difficult it is, particularly with CoVid to try to deal with the lack of
Internet and so on, we've been without it, adequate for years. So I think we just look away
from that. What are you suggesting, terms of amount?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:14:16] I don't know, Robert, do you have an
opinion one way or another?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:14:19] Well, why don't I read that report that I was
going to give for my TCCOG report? And it may provide some insight. And I'll say
something a little bit after that. And this was written before, of course, we had a I guess, a
subsequent discussion here even tonight before we heard Mr. Carpenter's opinion and his
appeal. So what I've said and what I recommended in the TCCOG report is subject to
change. But let me read what I prepared. It was the board members got it written form late
this afternoon. However, the public hasn't heard it.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:14:57] So for their benefit. I think I will read it. So bear
with me. The Tompkins County Council of Governments TCCOG held a special meeting
on September 25th called at the request of Tompkins County legislator Anna Kelis. The
Legislature's liaison to TCCOG issue she requested to be discussed was the state and
expansion of world broadband service within Tompkins County. A resolution coming as a
result of that meeting is on our Town board's consent agenda tonight. Now it's been
moved out of the consent agenda into the regular job. Central to the meetings discussion
was a presentation by Steve Manning, executive director of the Southern Tier Network.
That's S.T.N. A not for profit regional provider of so-called dark fiber middle mile
broadband infrastructure. STN operates in five southern tier and Finger Lakes counties,
Stuben Chemung, Skyler Tioga and Yates STN and effectively string's fiber optic cable,
which is then lit, quote unquote by other customers, primarily Internet service providers or
ISP, is like Haefeley connect. Manning emphasized STN does not provide ISP content,
nor does it presently provide so-called last mile service, such as connecting to individual
customers homes. Word of caution, the discussion is quite technical, a highly complex one
can easily get lost in the weeds. So my written report gave a URL to the Tompkins County
TCCOG discussion meeting on September 24. I should say September 25th, which
addressed this. And people can go there. The Tompkins County Web site. Click the link
and see the whole meeting, which lasts about an hour and a half. What legislator Kelis
proposed is to bring to her county legislature later this month. What's called an over target
request, or an OTR are essentially an add on to the county's proposed twenty twenty one
budget now under review. This OTR would provide eighty thousand dollars in county
money for a study into the feasibility of a municipally owned broadband system
constructed in cooperation with S.T. N. Two principal arguments were advanced by Kalis,
S.TN's Manning and some TCCOG members. First, commercial broadband providers to
the ISP does serve too few rural areas. Secondly, those providers who do serve rural
communities, Charter Communications Spectrum Service was singled out as an example
exercised monopoly control. They provide too little bandwidth and charge customers too
much money. An entire municipal system, its supporters maintain, would be more
responsive, quote unquote, to local needs. And I quote to legislator Kelis here. Having
municipally owned middle and last mile infrastructure really could change the game of
prioritizing getting out to the most rural areas. The municipal system would create
consistency, diversity in the system, economies of scale and stronger bargaining power.
Now on tonight's consent agenda, our regular agenda now the Town board has placed a
resolution that endorses the eighty thousand dollar OTR request at the time I wrote this
report. There was no request for local funding of this, which has been already done,
including in Caroline. I will at the end of what we are going to be considering and likely
adopting tonight that you're endorsing the OTR request for Tompkins County to spend.
Caroline had inserted the following further, be it resolved that the Town of Caroline
pledges five thousand dollars to be paid to Tompkins County in 2021 when the contract for
the above deliverables that's basically the study agreement is executed. That's a quote
from Caroline.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:19:13] I will eliminate some of the rest of this report
because it really gets into the weeds and I don't want to belabor the point, but STN's
possible expansion to last mile local service may flow from what's called the Fujitsu's
study, which is still in the final drafting. Expect to hear more about the study in future
weeks and months. But for now, the Tompkins Councty OTR requestion remains the
priority. It keeps future options open. And municipal broadband service sounds ambitious
for Enfield because that's what they're talking about. They think talking about localities or
perhaps in conjunction with the county, actually setting up a broadband service to serve
the community. Should Tompkins County take the lead in this initiative. Collaborative
opportunities could later arise. I will say one thing further before we hold a vote on this or
take an initiative to fund. As many know as members of Town board know. I'm a very close
personal friend with Anna Kalis the county legislator. And so it's it's while it's not an ethical
conflict of interest for me to vote in favor or against this, I'm going to defer to my
colleagues to really take the initiative on this. Since there are only three members on the
board, I cannot abstain because abstaining would be a negative vote. But if both
councilpersons Redmond and Bryant agree to fund and agree on a funding number, I will
go along with that. If they should oppose that, I will go along with their opinion on that, but I
will not stand in the way of funding this. It sounds like an ambitious project. I know that I've
been, quote unquote, lobbied by Anna Kelis for much of today regarding. Yes, Enfield
should put in some money. I have extended my opinion to legislator. Kelis how frugal we
and the Town have been this year. How reluctantly we are to spend money. However this
sounds like a pretty good project. Anna is very much behind it. I trust her judgment. And if
others would want to proceed with funding to a reasonable amount of money, I would
certainly not want to put in more than Caroline has put in. But, you know, a reasonable
amount of money, I'd be willing to go along and I'll leave it there.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:21:37] Would you be willing to match
Caroline at five thousand.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:21:41] If my cup for an agreement to do that?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:21:44] I would. OK. I would kind of I'm reluctant
because I know how concerned the community is about general fund spending this year.
But, you know, I defer to my colleagues on this one.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:22:00] But I think there's this whole issue of
broadband and prior to that, Internet access for Enfield and so on has been going on for
years. It's time to cut to the chase, shall we say. But I know how the budget is, I. I don't
know.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:22:20] Without looking at it, without sitting down with
the two of you, whether we could pick a number that would make sense is 5000 too much.
Can we do. No, but I mean, yeah, I mean,.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:22:34] We could we could do 5000.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:22:36] I'm kind of wishing that I had gone
along with the idea of increasing the contingency account. We had the budget in front of us
before. Right. Right. Right. But I think we could do 5000. So
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:22:49] we have a lot of happy infielders who were in
the house who had been struggling during this CoVid particularly with home schooling and
trying to do work.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:22:59] Oh, yeah. John, whose vote first was right up.
Right on the money. He was right on target.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:23:09] So I think that we should go ahead
and try to go for 5000 with this. I think it's a small price to pay, given that, you know, we
are in a new world in the sense that people are now reliant upon their connection for a lot
of things, whether it's education or income. And and this could serve a lot of residents if we
can move it forward.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:23:30] So if everyone's are in agreement,
I'm going to add that amendment on to this resolution,.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:23:37] All agreed to vote on the amendment.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:23:39] We'll need to vote on the amendment
first and then we'll need to vote on the resolution. So, you know, I'm going to go ahead and
move that amendment to add a five thousand dollar contribution from our Town.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:23:49] Second.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:23:50] Any more discussion? All right, Ellen,
will you go ahead and Call the vote?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:23:58] Voting on the amendment Councilperson Bryant.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:24:01] Aye.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:24:03] Councilperson Lynch.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:24:04] Aye.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:24:06] Acting supervisor Redmond.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:24:08] Aye.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:24:10] All right, and any discussion on the
resolution before we move forward with the vote?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:24:14] I will make a couple of.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:24:17] Second
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:24:18] I will make just a couple of points of insight on
this. That part of what Southern terror network is planning it and it's just still in the design
stage and it's not contingent on this kind of funding or the county's funding, but they're
going to be running one of those dark fiber cable.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:24:38] Just got to ask you about the dark fiber in the
dark lab.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:24:44] That's what they call them and...
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:24:45] I know I read you.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:24:46] I read your meeting, but they're going to be
running a cable all the way down three twenty seven all the way from where it junction's
revert 13, all the way up through through Enfield Center, up to where the school is with the
corner Millers corners. And then it's going to go west. Is Trunk line toward Watkins Glen.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:25:07] I read your rather. That's why I was joking
about the dark land, the dark web.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:25:13] So the the nice thing apart is if Enfield ties into
this and we can work something, you're going to have the main highway, if you will. This,
this, this, this fiber optic highway, this dark fiber. This is gonna go right through Enfield
center and right through the heart of our community. So it will be handy.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:25:32] They won't have to run a cable a long distance
from a long distance might be able to use your cell phone at Enfield Miller's coroners.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:25:42] Right. So do we have a Second on
it? On the resolution we never got a second on the Resolution.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:25:51] We.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:25:51] Second.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:25:52] we voted on the amendment first,.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:25:53] We'd we already voted the
amendment.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:25:55] We did that.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:25:56] Now I need the resolution seconded.
OK. But let's go ahead and call the vote for this resolution.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:26:04] Councilperson Bryant.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:26:05] Aye.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:26:06] Councilperson Lynch.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:26:08] Aye.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:26:08] Acting supervisor Redmond.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:26:11] Aye.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:26:13] This is spending money, but it's for the good of
the community. We're spending it with the intent that we are going to get better broadband
service for a heck of a lot of Enfielders that don't have it right now. So that's that's a good
investment, I think.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:26:28] I apologize if I injected a little humor. Good.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:26:32] Now it's welcome. We need more
humor. That's what that's what Mike Carpenter was saying. Crack as many jokes as you
want. All right. So that's it for our agenda.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:26:44] Let's go ahead and move to privilege
the floor again. If you would like to speak for privilege of the floor, please use the raise
your hand button. If you are calling in by a cell phone, you can do this by pressing star
nine at the end. I will be unmute everybody, to be sure, everyone has the opportunity to do
privilege on the floor. Please be sure to address your comments to the Town board as a
whole. You'll have three minutes to speak, so please wrap up your comments within three
minutes.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:27:11] Betty. Well, it's going to go ahead
and go first.
Judge Betty Poole [01:27:19] I'm here.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:27:21] OK, I'm going to ask you to start your
video if you'd like.
Judge Betty Poole [01:27:24] No, that's alright.
Judge Betty Poole [01:27:29] I just had an issue. Back when Debbie Kelly was the
bookkeeper for the Town. She would distribute all of the bank statements to everyone
because she was able to get them on line. I have not received a bank statement from our
bookkeeper since May.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:28:05] OK, I'll ask him about that.
Judge Betty Poole [01:28:09] And if he is unable to or if it's not feasible, I will go to the
bank and start having them send them to me.
Judge Betty Poole [01:28:22] I'm not sure if there's going to be a cost. Going back to
May, I gave it a couple of months for him to become acclimated to his job.
Judge Betty Poole [01:28:38] But we.
Judge Betty Poole [01:28:41] Obviously, you know, every year we have to submit our
bank statements and our audit.
Judge Betty Poole [01:28:50] And I have not gotten any since May.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:28:55] OK. I'll let him know.
Judge Betty Poole [01:29:00] So I would need them from May to current.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:29:06] OK. Thank you, Betty.
Judge Betty Poole [01:29:09] Thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:29:11] All right. Ellen, you have your hand.
Andrei's did you want to speak to?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:29:16] Yeah, I do have to do the work day resolution I
submitted to the board right before the meeting. I'm concerned that we have to pass that. I
do have something for Kojo, the poor. But I wanted to mention this first.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:29:28] OK. I didn't see that. I'm sorry. I
must've not checked my e-mail right before that.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:29:34] Hang on just one minute. OK. I'm
seeing that now. Did everyone else see these standard workday documents? They were
submitted beforehand. I'm hoping that they're correct because I.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:30:00] They they really should have been
here a week prior, so we can look at them.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:30:05] So if you want to postpone. I didn't see anything
about the 14th in any type of documents that I looked at. So if you want to postpone them
till the twenty seven. That seems reasonable.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:30:17] OK, OK. For some reason, I thought
they were supposed to be in by the 14th. But. How do other board members? I mean, you
can kind of see it. I think I can pull it up on my computer.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:30:29] It's hard for me to tell you what to put
here. I mean, this looks good as far as I can see. But it's hard for me to to look at over this
quickly and I'm sure that it's it's good. How do other board members feel about this?
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:30:53] They have a hard time reading it. If it can wait
until the next meeting, I would be in favor of it, I hate to act on stuff just without to...
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:31:07] I'm Trying to find it.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:31:10] OK. Let's go ahead and move that
until the twenty seventh then, and hopefully. I actually don't. I did not see anything seeing
that it couldn't. So I just want to make sure my just had the 14th in my head. But hopefully
that'll.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:31:28] That'll be OK.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:31:31] Did it come from the Town clerk?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:31:34] Yeah, I mean, technically, it's
supposed to be here beforehand, but it's OK. We can we'll move it to the twenty seventh
and.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:31:42] And I just I just want to, you know, plug into a
search.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:31:46] Yeah, it's. I just got it. Let's see it.
What time?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:31:54] Not that long ago.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:31:57] Like four 430, if that helps at all.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:32:02] OK.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:32:03] Yeah, I think we should probably
postpone accepting that then at this point, just so we have a chance to look it over. I'm
sure it's fine. I just want to give everyone an opportunity. So, yeah, we'll put that on the
twenty seventh. Do you want to go ahead and speak for privilege on the floor as well.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:32:20] Do. I would just. I'd like to speak to the board about
...
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:32:27] It is you know, it's very I really appreciate increasing
access to broadband. I see more of our problem in Enfield to be a cellular problem rather
than a broadband problem, specifically in Enfield. But I do want to say that it's extremely
painful for me when I am making just two thousand dollars less than minimum wage. I
have money consistently diverted to other places. And it just feels like minimum wage
would be a dignity point for me. And the fact that the Town is sort of withholding that really
is painful for me. And I just want the whole Town and the board to understand that that two
thousand dollars might not seem like a lot, but it is the difference between dignity and
degradation to me.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:33:14] And so I want everyone to really clearly understand
that. And I also want the board to understand that my fear when they put these initiatives,
Proposition one into on the ballot was that it was going to open the door to campaigning
and libel against me and the town Highway superintendent, Buddy Rollin's.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:33:33] And when Supervisor McGee submitted her
resignation letter, the Town attorney actually said to me that he was very concerned about
libel and he would never have approved that resignation letter if he had had the
opportunity to see it. And then Councilperson Mehaffey's resignation letter was a little bit
like, hold my beer, I'm going to wipe those so much harder. So what I'm going to say is
when you're working over 40 hours a week, four of us, the minimum wage, having people,
libel you makes it like one hundred percent worse.
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:34:04] And what I am saying is it's very hard to have a
political job for sure. And I do the best that I can. And I would say just for the record, what I
actually did was with well within my rights was to say that I've been a really faithful patron,
even through the pandemic and even donating money to Councilperson Mehaffey's
business. And I said when she voted against me to earn even a minimum wage, that I did
not feel like I would ever do that again. And so that wasn't a personal attack. That was a
statement that I was well within my rights to make as a citizen. So I want to say that I do
the best I can. I want to say that I'm doing a great job serving the residents. And I want to
say that I believe that this Town board should be treating their Town Clerk bout a thousand
times better than I'm being treated. So thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:35:02] Thank you, Ellen. Mackenzie,
Newheart.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:35:07] I'm going to unmuted you and ask
you to start your video.
Mackenzie Newhart [01:35:12] I'm good on the part, but I just want to get on here and let
everybody know that I'm really happy to see you all working together through this meeting
and putting your best foot forward and working for our Town. I mean, it's better than what
I've seen in the past meetings. So thank you guys very much. I also want to say that this
Second privilege of the floor is really nice. I was gonna mention it before that.
Mackenzie Newhart [01:35:43] It should always be an option because it lets people to
speak within a time before forgetting what was happened in the last meeting. So this is
really nice, but thank you all.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:36:01] McKenzie, just to let you know,
there's always privilege of the floor at the beginning and the end of our regular meetings.
But they're not at the special meetings of special meetings. It's just at the beginning.
Mackenzie Newhart [01:36:10] Got cha, OK.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:36:13] Unmute you. Is there anyone else
who would like to speak for privacy, the floor?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:36:22] I don't see any hand, so I'm going to
unmute everyone.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:36:27] You are all unmuted, if you would like
to speak.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:36:34] Ok..
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:36:37] I'm going to go ahead and unmute
again.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:36:42] ope I muted you. Sorry. There you
go.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:36:47] Neither I presume neither of our county
legislators have yet come out of their meeting.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:36:51] I just got a text from Anne saying that
they're still going on that. So she's not going to make it, unfortunately. Let's see.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:36:59] Are there any announcements? The
only announcement that I had that I will want to put out to the residents is that we have
been talking about ways to move our meetings a little bit earlier.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:37:09] The Town Clerks are not available
until after 6:00. So we cannot do with them at 6:00. But even at six, fifteen would make it a
little bit earlier. And then we're not going quite so late. But I know that those quarter hour
time slots can be a little confusing for people. Or maybe it doesn't give enough time for
residents to get home from work in and get checked in to the meeting. So I'm open to
hearing from residents about moving the time slot to 615. We would not be doing that until
January when we do our first meeting of the year as our organizational meeting. So
between now and January, please weigh in and let us know if you would like us to move
our meetings to 615 or if that for some reason is not doable.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:37:57] And is are there any other
announcements?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:38:01] Betty Poole.
Judge Betty Poole [01:38:06] All right, I got you. OK.
Judge Betty Poole [01:38:16] I just. Happen to be thinking.
Judge Betty Poole [01:38:21] Is there a way I know that Tompkins County has their Web
site for open positions? Is there any way that the county or and or the board of elections
could put something on the web regarding elected officials and vacancies. That might
assist us in filling vacancies not only for our Town, but for other towns as well.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:39:07] That's a good idea.
Judge Betty Poole [01:39:09] It's just a thought. It's just a thought,.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:39:12] Good question.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:39:16] That's again, I'll reach out and see
what we can find out. I'll call the board of Elections and see what they're they're willing to
do or or the the county as well.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:39:24] I want to get Dominic Brooky, all of the county's
communications director. He might be able to put something together. I don't know what
their policy is.
Judge Betty Poole [01:39:34] I mean, they're obviously there aren't that many. But, you
know, just a Web site and maybe a PSA or something.
Judge Betty Poole [01:39:48] Even with the radio stations or et cetera, you know, it might
help get more people involved, more interested in maybe serving their community. You
know, I've served in civil service all my life, and, you know, I've only found out by word of
mouth. But this with our technology today, there's got to be a way. And I was just thinking
of the board of elections.
Judge Betty Poole [01:40:27] And no,.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:40:29] Betty, we explore every avenue we think I.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:40:33] Yeah, IDA. Thank you. Thank you.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:40:39] Ellen, did you want to add to that
person?
Town Clerk Ellen Woods [01:40:41] Oh, I will I will assure Buddy that, you know, within
every capacity that I have, I will broadcast the board's announcement as far as I can. And
also, I would like to just share just an announcement that the very last rabies clinic of
twenty twenty is October 24th. So if any so it's important to get that done October 24th.
And if you want to register the phone numbers, 607-274-6688. And I will put that on the
Town website as well.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:41:17] Great. Thank you. Any other
announcements?
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:41:24] All right. I will move to adjourn,.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:41:27] I Second.
Acting Supervisor Stephanie Redmond [01:41:29] All right. Thank you, everyone. Have
a good night.
Councilperson Robert Lynch [01:41:33] Thank you everybody working so collegially
tonight. Thank you.
Councilperson Virginia Bryant [01:41:37] Thank you.