TOWN OF GRANBY
BOARD MEETING
JANUARY 19, 2016
7:00 P.M.
CALL TO ORDER
Supervisor
Williamson called the meeting to order at 7:00 P.M. leading those present in
the Salute to The Flag. Present for the roll call were; Supervisor Ed
Williamson, Councilors Tracy Doyle, Melissa Fortier and Brenda
Frazier-Hartle. Councilor Eric Clothier
was not present. Also present were
Deputy Supervisor John Snow Jr. and Highway Superintendent Jeff Richards. There were 8 Residents and Guests in
attendance.
Councilor
Doyle made a motion, seconded by Councilor Fortier to dispense with the reading
of the minutes of the previous meetings of December 9th and December
30, 2016, all were in favor, none opposed.
PUBLIC COMMENT
John Snow Jr. – Mr. Snow Jr. welcomed the new Board
Members and thanked them for their participation. He is speaking during Public Comment because
he has some opinions and doesn’t feel it is proper to express them during his
reports. Mr. Snow Jr. stated he is proud
of the year we had last year. Our Fund Balance
is very healthy and we have money in the Capital Projects fund to do some
renovations. We also made some necessary
changes in the Employee Handbook. Over
the next two years he would like to see every Policy reviewed. He would like to develop a plan for the remaining
Town Hall renovations and develop a plan to update the Community Center. He would like to look at a commercial spot on
County Route 3 in Granby Center for future municipal uses. We need to solidify all Inter-municipal
agreements according to recommendations from the Comptroller’s Office. He would like to examine our Zoning Laws and
fees to make sure they are comparable with other Towns. We need to explore the possibility of using the
operating permit that is currently on our Law Books. We
need to negotiate a fair Labor Contract and also update our Five Year
Plan. We also need to examine our aging
sewer and water infrastructure. Mr. Snow Jr. suggested contacting an Arborist
regarding roadside trees and possible right of way issues and have a tree
management plan. We need to develop a Road Improvement and Maintenance
Plan. We need to examine the Comprehensive
Plan, it was done in 2007, it needs to be updated. We need to develop plans for a decrease in Sales
Tax. We need to explore Grant
opportunities, Shared Services opportunities and Consolidation. We need to look at removing trees in the Cemeteries. We need to get our Historical Commission together
for our 200th Anniversary in 2018.
He wants to get technology that will move us into the 21st
Century. Mr. Snow Jr. has a good feeling about this Board and feels they will
work for the people.
Christine Bassett – She is here
regarding the mine operations. She had newspaper
articles from 1993 and 1994 about the mine operations. Residents were concerned about dust, rocks,
noise, safety, health and quality of life.
These are the same concerns as today. Beside Town Meeting participation the
Residents have contacted the DEC, Legislators and Syracuse Sand and
Gravel. Their water supply continues to
be threatened by a proposed under the water table mining application. She is requesting that the Board review the Laws
that might apply to control of mining.
Do laws exist? If they do, they
need to be enforced, or the laws may need to be changed. If they don’t exist,
they need to be made. The mines must
adhere to regulations and the Town needs to make sure they are enforced. Councilor Doyle asked Mrs. Bassett what she
would like to see changed. Mrs. Bassett
replied she would like to see the Town put Laws into effect, or enforce Laws,
regulating the mining operations. She
also feels the under the water table mining is directly responsible for their
water problems and there is further under the water table mining pending.
Lynn Lyons -
Mrs. Lyons stated the 1999 Planning Board had concerns about the mine
and wanted to limit depth of the pond to 15 feet below the water table. They also wanted the speed limit in the area
reduced to 45mph. The speed limit has
not been changed and they have had two expansions under the water table since
then. In 2008 the Planning Board’s concerns
regarding expansion were traffic, speed and reclamation. In August of 2013 they wanted to go and
additional 14.5 feet below water table.
That went through easily because the Town gave up their rights as far as
saying anything about it. How did we get
from 1999, the Planning Board not wanting them to go any more than 15 feet
below the water table, and now they are looking to go 46 feet below the water
table. There are no plans for public water in the area. They are not adhering to the permit, there is
one violation after another. Mrs. Lyons
is meeting with John Dehollander of Oswego County Soil and Water. He is also concerned about why they want to
go so far under the water table. She
wants the Board to know that this is a very serious problem and she hopes they
take it seriously.
Harold Phillips – He has complaints
about the roads. They were in bad shape yesterday
and some roads were not even plowed. His
main concern is the plows were not out until after 3:00 P.M. What were they doing all day? He then asked the Board why the Town has five
people that are Union. Mr. Phillips also
questioned whether the Highway Superintendent’s position is part time or full
time. The Board replied that he is an Elected Official and they have no control
over the hours.
COMMUNICAITONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Supervisor
Williamson and Legislator Sorbello spoke with Carl Schmidt of the County Solid
Waste Department. The County will now
accept electronic waste for one week at the Transfer Stations for items found
alongside the road. The Town no longer
accepts electronic waste.
The
Town Board has received a memo from Supervisor Williamson regarding work hours
and purchasing. He suggests sending a
memo to the Highway Superintendent covering purchasing.
The
Town has been awarded a J-Cap Grant to replace the front entrance door of the
Town Hall. The door has been ordered
from Kelley Brothers.
Code
Enforcement Officer David Hanford addressed the Board regarding passing a
Resolution about Solar Energy. The State
of New York wants to unify and make it easier for applicants to get
permits. If adopted this would simplify
the process and give incentive for Residents to install solar power in their homes. Once adopted, the Town could receive a $2,500.00
grant to help cover costs. Mr. Hanford is asking the Board to pass the
Resolution as soon as possible.
Mr.
Hanford agrees with Deputy Supervisor Snow Jr. about updating the Codes fee
schedule and fees for fire inspections.
He will be giving the Board his recommendations for updating the fees. He is also working with the Fire Academy on
Comprehensive Fire Codes.
Whereas,
the Town of Granby wishes to encourage solar power within the Town.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of
Granby hereby fully formally adopts the New York State Unified Solar Permit
process from NY-Sun Solar Powering New York, and establishes the initial permit
fee of $50.00.
Councilor Doyle made
a motion, seconded by Supervisor Williamson to adopt Resolution #14-2016, all were in favor, none
opposed.
Councilor Doyle Aye Councilor
Fortier Aye
Councilor Frazier-Hartle Aye Supervisor
Williamson Aye
Councilor Clothier Absent
Deputy
Supervisor Snow Jr. suggested Supervisor Williamson, as Planning Board liaison,
send a letter to the Planning Board asking that they start working on specifications
for the ground panels so the Board can start reviewing it.
OLD BUSINESS
NEW BUSINESS
MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS
Councilor
Fortier made a motion, seconded by Councilor Doyle to approve training for the
Codes Officers in the amount of $360.00 each, all were in favor, none opposed.
Councilor
Frazier-Hartle made a motion, seconded by Councilor Fortier to approve the
service contract with Service Education, Inc. for the annual license agreement
for the SEI Program in the amount of $1,087.00, all were in favor, none
opposed.
REPORTS FROM DEPARTMENTS
Town Clerk/Tax Collector – Total
Revenue for December was $2,037.30. A
check in the amount of $99.00 was sent to NYS Dept. of Ag & Markets for the
Spay/neuter program and a check to the Supervisor in the amount of $1,938.30
for local shares.
Historian – Historian Snow Jr.
is working with the 12th grade English class from the Hannibal High
School on some Historical Projects where they will be interviewing people from
Towns that make up the Hannibal School District. He received maps from School District #3, Lakeshore
Road. He will be writing up a formal
donation request for the Board to approve.
Budget Officer – Budget Officer Snow
Jr. is working on the Annual Update Document.
The Board needs to pass, by Resolution, the acceptance of AUD in lieu of
a report from the Supervisor. He
misspoke at the last meeting by saying the Annual Audit needs to be done by
January 31st. It has to be
done by January 20th. We will
still shoot for February 15th and try to do better next year. He
will have audit packets ready for the Board for the next meeting. He has been working on the Tax Freeze. People
have been excited with the rebate they received from the Government. Mr. Snow Jr. is planning to do a
presentation on Google Docs at the next meeting.
Youth Director (Supervisor
Williamson) The Youth Group had a skating
party.
Dog Control Officer – (Supervisor
Williamson) Complaints 89, Dogs picked up 5, Destroyed/Died 1, Released to
Owner 2, Turned over to City of Oswego Shelter 3, Dogs still in mandatory
Confinement 1, Monthly supplies $349.87, Mileage 442, Impound Fees $10.00.
Assessor - (Supervisor
Williamson) The Assessor has been
doing field work and will be getting more prices for the re-valuation of the
Town. The assessor is researching how
much extra the taxpayers will have to pay because the Town equalization rate is
not 100%.
Highway Superintendent – Superintendent
Richards said the Highway crew has been out on the road 17 different
times. On the nice days they have been
washing down trucks and doing preventative maintenance on the vehicles. They have been doing tree and limb work and
filling pot holes. They did a temporary
fix on a drainage issue on Senior Ave. The 2007 truck is broken down. The insurance agent will be coming to look at
it this week. He attended the Town
Organizational Meeting and a Highway Superintendent’s meeting in Redfield. He has been spending a lot of time learning
about the Budget and its process. He has
been learning the voucher and billing systems as well as payroll. He has been reading about Highway Law and
watching the roads himself every night.
He gave each Board Member a copy of a Shared Service Agreement that is
brand new with the State DOT. This would
allow the Town to ask the State Highway Dept. for assistance without being in a
State of Emergency. Councilor
Frazier-Hartle asked why there were not plows out on Monday during the
snowstorm between 7:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M.
Superintendent Richards said they were out from 3:30 A.M. until 7:00
A.M. and he planned to send them back out at 2:00 P.M. They need an hour notice to come in and they
were not in the shop because it was a Holiday.
Councilor Frazier-Hartle feels they should not be given a winter Holiday
and that needs to be changed in the contract.
She stated the Roads were treacherous.
Deputy Superintendent Snow read the Highway Contract and sees nothing
about a one hour notice to be called in to work. The Contract reads Employees are subject to
duty 24 hours a day 7 days per week from November 1st to April 15th.
Town Board Reports/Comments
Councilor Doyle made
a motion, seconded by Supervisor Williamson to allow Councilor Frazier-Hartle
to order a book from the Association of Town at a cost of $10.00, all were in
favor, none opposed.
Buildings/Highway – Councilor
Frazier-Hartle reported we would be getting a new door for the Town Hall as
soon as we can. Deputy Snow Jr. stated
the cleaning person told him the Community Center did not get cleaned last week
because there was a strange individual on the property looking in the windows. Also a Court Clerk notified him there were
footprints around the Town Hall where someone was peeking in the windows. We need cameras and exterior lighting. Supervisor Williamson met with Volney
Multiplex and they are putting together a price for cameras.
Code Enforcement/Zoning - (Supervisor
Williamson) Building Permits - 30
for a total of $448.30. Inspections – 37, Violation Inspections – 17.
Supervisor
Williamson has pricing on replacing the heating units in the meeting room. Knapp Electric quoted $4,500.00 and Nodines
was $6,900.00. Deputy Supervisor Snow
Jr. questioned whether both systems would take the humidity out as we have a
mold problem in that room. Supervisor
Williamson will do more research on the systems.
PAYMENT OF TOWN BILLS
Councilor
Frazier-Hartle made a motion, seconded by Councilor Doyle, to pay the Town
Bills as audited on Abstract #0A and Abstract #1, with the exclusion of the
Water District 3 bill, all were in favor, none opposed.
General Fund $26,127.67 Highway
Fund $20,631.52
Wilobob Fund $94.73 SW1
Fund $40.86
SW2 Fund $11.76 SW4
Fund $17.96 SW5
Fund $.40
DATES FOR UPCOMING MEETINGS
Public
Work Session January 27,
2016 at 6:00 P.M.
Town
Board Meeting February 10, 2016 at 7:00 P.M.
Councilor
Frazier-Hartle made a motion, seconded by Councilor Doyle to enter into Executive
Session to discuss the possible Disciplinary action of an Employee, all were in
favor, none opposed.
The
Board entered in to Executive Session at 8:34 P.M.
Councilor
Fortier made a motion, seconded by Councilor Doyle to end Executive Session, all
were in favor, none opposed.
Councilor
Frazier-Hartle made a motion, seconded by Councilor Doyle to re-convene the
meeting, all were in favor, none opposed.
The
meeting was re-convened at 9:11 P.M.
Councilor
Frazier-Hartle made a motion, seconded by Supervisor Williamson to allow Volney
Multiplex to take the tower from behind the Town Hall, all were in favor, none
opposed.
ADOURNMENT
Councilor
Fortier made a motion, seconded by Supervisor Williamson to adjourn the
meeting, all were in favor, none opposed.
Meeting
adjourned at 9:12 P.M.
