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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1970-12-14 TOWN OF DANBY TOWN BOARD MINUTES December 14 , 1970 The regular meeting of the Danby Town Board was held at the Denby Town Hall December 14 , 1971 at 8 : 00 P . M . in the Town Hall . Present : Councilman Ralph Wilbur Councilman GeraB. Crance Town Justice A . Francis Wright Town Justice Floyd Dorn Absent : Supervisor Donald C . Makie In the absence of Supervisor Makie , due to an accident , Justice Wright announced that he had been asked to chair the meeting . NOTE : Pursuant to Town Law , in the absence of the Supervisor , the Clerk calls the meeting to order and the Town Board elects a Chairman . Councilman Wilbur moved to accept the November minutes as submitted . COMMUNICATIONS : 1 . Minutes of Regular Meeting of the Planning Board - 9 . 9 . 70 and 12 / 9 / 70 . 2 . Resignation of Town Clerk , Dorothy J . Roberts . 3 . Letter from Mildred Sundquist re : Problems of snowmobiles . 4 . Mention of Letter re : Lansing Local Law - Snowmobiles . 5 . Check of $1500 . 00 from the Fire Commissioners , to Town of Danby as partial payment for property where new fire house is located . 6 . From Tompkins Co . Department of Planning - re : Structure of County Planning & Suggested Reorganization of the County Planning Board . 7 . From Department of Motor Vehicles re : Denying renewal of vehicle registration . 8 . From Newfield Central School - Approval of income limitation from $ 3 , 000 . - $ 5 , 000 . on real property tax assessment for people over 65 years of age . 9 . From County Board of Representatives re : Conservation Advisory Council . 10 . Memo from Tompkins County Clerk that all officers ' take their Oath of Office . 11 . Agenda. of County Board of Representatives meetings - 11 /23 / 70 , 11 / 30 / 70 , 12 / 14/ 70 . PRIVILEGE OF FLOOR : Councilman Wilbur remarked at the small growth in the Town of Danby in the past 10 years compared to the Town of Caroline . He would like to see money in next year ' s budget appropriated for either a Citizens Committee , Community Council or Town Board themselves to promote Denby . Justice *E¢ t stated favorably of Justice Court facilities at new Fire House , and said the D . A . has expressed approval . Moses Peter spoke in behalf of Southern Tier Snowmobile Club , asking the Town Board to consider taking action which would allow some degree of co - existence between the snowmobiles, and those people who are so opposed to it . He would like Board action to adopt ordinance . Jim Fowler would like . to see Board adopt snowmobile ordinance . James Siegel would like snowmobiles abandoned from Nelson Road . Ralph Sager , representing the Senior Citizens in Danby , urged the raising to $5 , 00 . the income limitation on teal property tax assessment for people over 65 years of age . Mr . Sager , also that persons use the parking lot when at the new Fire House . COMMITTEE REPORTS : Highway - Wilbur reported road work pretty well done for this year . The Town Safe has been moved from Town Clerk ' s office to old fire house . New grader to bedelivered any day . New arrangements for Highway Employee benefits on the agenda . II/ Insurance - On Agenda . Refuse , Collection & Disposal - Crance - no report . ;' Youth - Wright - no report . Zoning - Dorn - no report . Fire - Wilbur - no report . .Water District - Crance to check the Water District electric bill from NYSE&G . Cemeteries - Dorn - no report . OID BUSINESS : Highway Superintendent absent . Zoning Officer - Gordon Roberts reported none other than what was in the Planning Board minutes and his monthly report . Planning Board - Chairman Olson reported that Rance and Eckert Planned Develop- ment District was approved by the Planning Board and is now between them and the Town Board . Appeals Board - Chairman absent . Code of Ethics - Councilman Wilbur moved to table until a Special Meeting . Seconded by Crance . 4 ayes , 0 noes , 1 absent . Retirement for Town Employees - Wright reported that Supervisor Makie stated there is a law passed, back in 1922 , that prohibits having a retirement plan with an insurance company--only can be done with the state- - and feels this law should be changed . Retirement plans and insurance plans were presented by the followings Darwin Geuther from Agway Insurance Mike Hogan from Prudential Insurance Joe Sady from Metropolitan Insurance There is a problem of employees not knowing what their policy coverage is . Present plan has been in effect about 5 years and only one man has a policy . Mr . Sady said that he would take care of this . Local Law Relating to Snowmobile Operation - Wright passed following information iron) Supervisor Makie : No matter what Board does , there is a state law saying all roads have to be posted-and what is cost of signs ? No operation of snowmobiles can take place on Town Roads until State has devised and designed signs and same erected by town in manner provided by law. Has heard the rumor and petition circulating to close Nelson Road. from 96B to Troy Road . Councilman Crance proposed to adopt the Southern Tier Snowmobile Club Ordinance date 10-29-70 , Town of Danby with the amendment of compulsory liability insurance and to have an attorney draw this up as per map . Seconded by Councilman Wilbur . Roll Call Vote : Crance - aye Dorn - eve Wilbur L aye Makie - absent Wright - aye 4 ayes , 0 noes , 1 absent , carried . Amend Real Property Tax Law - ' Wilbur moved to raise the income limitation to RESOLUTION 424 $5 , 000 . on real property tax assessment for ( attached ) people over 65 years of age . Seconded by Dorn . Roll Call Vote : Dorn - aye Wilbur - aye Crance - aye Wright - aye 4 ayes , 0 noes , 1 absent, carried . Makie - absent NEW BUSINESS : John Rance and Robert Eckert proposal for a. planned development area for a snowmobile track - Due to the Clerk feeling there should be legal advice given to follow this up pursuant to law and the changeover to a new clerk when the January meeting is too extensive with organizational business , nothing was done . Recommendation for the reorganization of the County Planning Board. - -Letter referred to Danby Planning Board Chairman . Appointment of Town Clerk - Councilman Wilbur moved to accept the Republican Committee ' s recommendation and appoint Mrs . Mildred LI , n•?iller as Danby Town Clerk to fill the unexpired term of Dorothy J . Roberts ending 12 / 31 / 71 . Seconded by 'Justice Dorn . 4 ayes , 0 noes , 1 absent , carried . County Environmental Management Council in regard to letter from Harry Kerr - Wright moved to appoint Councilman Ralph Wilbur as the Town of Danby member to the County Environmental Management Council . Seconded by Crance . 4 ayes , 0 noes , 1 absent , carried . i irrci or 1 • The Board of Water Commissioners of the West Danby Water District unanimously recommended - to the Danby Town Board that the following water use rate schedule be adopted , effective October 1 , 1970 , for the January 1 , 1971 billing ; and that the penalty for paying bills late ( 30 day grace period ) will be 10% of the bill : All rates apply per quarter ( 3 months ) Minimun rate applies up to 6 , 000 gallons - $19 . 50 Gallons over 6 , 000 to 12 , 000 - rate $ . 25 per hundred gallons " " 12 , 000 to 18 , 000 - rate . 20 " " " " 18 , 000 to 24 , 000 - rate . 15 " " " " " 24 , 000 - rate . 10 " This recommendation was accepted and adopted by the Town Board at their September 14 , 1970 regular Town Board Meeting . Several reasons were stated for this action : 1 . Billing at a quarterly:> rate would be easier to ' understand . 2 . A one time 10% penalty , rather than two of 5% , would _ . simplify record., keeping . . 3 . The old schedule was conceived prior to 1965 when yearly operating expenses were anticipated to be less than half of what they actually are today . 4 . Under the old schedule , the minimum user was paying at a rate of $2 . 25 per 1 , 000 gallons , or more if they did not use the full 6 , 000 gallons . Whereas those using over 6 , 000 gallons , paid at a rate of $ . 60 per 1 , 000 gallons or less . It was felt that this was too great a discrepancy and is corrected in the above schedule . 5 . This schedule will have the immediate effect of helping lower the ad valorem tax you are billed for in January , • by about 25% . a It was felt that lowering the high ad valorem tax might encourage people to build in the water district , thus becoming users and in turn helping to pay for operating the district . 6 . Actual water use should pay more than one half the cost of operating the district , rather than the one third it paid under the old rate schedule . c . • Town Board Minutes - December 14 , 1970 Page 3 Election Inspectors ' Pay - Wilbur moved to table until the January organizational meeting . Seconded by Dorn . 4 ayes , 0 noes , 1 absent , carried . Highway Bookkeeping Systems - Board agreed to table until the January meeting . Highway Employee ' s Benefits - Councilman Wilbur presented the following recommendations regarding highway employee benefits and moved its adoption : Vacation Schedule - after one year , one week of vacation after three years , two weeks ' vacation ?•: after ten years , three weeks ' vacation and , must be in employment at time to get vacation pay . Work Week - 4i hour week Retirement - not a major issue at this time . Pay - Town pays full amount of hospitalization insurance which amounts to about 10¢ an hour per employee , and to give a 5 ¢ an hour increase , effective 1 /1 /71 . Seconded by Councilman Crance . 4 ayes , 0 noes , 1 absent , carried Communication - From Draizen , Carmen & Young , attorneys in Binghamton representing - Capitol Bus Co . to acquire operation rights of5Southern Tier Stages , Inc . for the transportation of passengers between Ithaca and Owego , requesting needed information from the Town of Danby . • Town Board in agreement to go along with this request and refer to Supervisor Makie to handle accordingly . General Fund Bills - Crance moved to pay General Fund Bills # 114- through # 126 as listed on Warrant 12 totalling $ 478 . 37 . Seconded by Wilbur . 4 ayes , 0 noes , 1 absent , carried . Highway Fund Bills - Wilbur moved to pay Highway Fund Bills # 105 through # 116 as listed on Warrant 12 totalling $ 1 , 84.8 . 20 . Seconded by Dorn . 4 ayes , 0 noes , 1 absent , carried . Water District Bills - Bill # 22 to the New York State Electric atid Gas for $ 157 . 82 . ✓ Supervisor ' s Reports - Dorn moved to accept the Supervisor ' s Reports ( 3 ) . Seconded by Crance . 4 ayes , 0 noes , carried . Meeting adjourned at 10 : 30 P . M . Respectfully submit d , • Ler Dorothy J . Roberts , Clerk December 1970 minutes : TOWN OF DANBY RESOLUTION #24 ( 1970 AMENDMENT OF REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW RAISING INCOME LIMITATION FOR PERSONS OVER 65 YEARS OF AGE Councilman Wilbur offered the following resolution and and moved its adoption : WHEREAS , a public hearing was held. on November 23 , 1970 pursuant to a motion of the Town Board , dated November 9 , 1970 and WHEREAS , after discussion by the persons present at said. public hearing , b it RESOLVED , that the income limitation for persons 65 years of age or over , be hereby amended from $ 3 , 000 , as originally adopted in Resolution # 7 of 1966 minutes , to $ 5 , 000 income . Seconded by Justice Dorn . Roll Call Vote : Justice Dorn - aye Justice Wright - aye Councilman Wilbur - aye Councilman Crance - aye Supervisor Makie - absent 4 ayes , 0 noes , 1 absent , carried.