Village of Lansing

 

 

MINUTES of a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Lansing held on Wednesday, April 11, 2001, in the Village Office.

 

Present: Mayor, Don Hartill, Trustees Janet Beebe, Larry Fresinski, Lynn Leopold, Frank Moore; Jodi Dake, Carol Willard, Benjamin Curtis, and Dennis Reinhart.

 

Mayor Donald Hartill called the meeting to order at 12:15 p.m.

 

Dennis reported that brush pick up is April 30th. The following Monday the street sweeping will start. The City of Ithaca has agreed to maintain our signal lights. Rick from the City is drawing up a contract. The one thing that the City does not have is the detectors but we have those left over parts. The new Village logo signs are up. There have been many complements on how nice they look. The new logo is also on the Village trucks. Greg Spicer is willing to return again this year as our part time summer employee. He can start May 18th. Lastly, Dave Putnam has informed us that United Asphalt has gone bankrupt. Dave will touch on this at the Monday meeting.

 

Ben stated that there has been quite a bit of activity in the Village and with training on the new NYS Building Code. Ben was happy with the Board’s decision on a 4.5% salary increase and an increase of the insurance benefit but was concerned about the Board not approving the employee’s proposal to join the New York State Retirement Plan. The State has changed terms and seems to be a very attractive proposal now.  It would give the employees a firm foundation for retirement. Don stated that joining the NYS Retirement Plan needs to be looked at very carefully because once you join you can’t get out. The only reason it wasn’t considered further at this time was because of the short notice to the Board. Once the budget is complete Don would like to form a committee of two trustees and two employees to more thoroughly research this.

 

The Trustees asked if a video store was going in next to Applebee’s. Ben told them that only a shell was going up, there have been no permit requests yet. CFCU is going in across from Bishop’s. The property that has been brush hogged down on Oakcrest is the Fire Departments property. This property is in a low-density residential area.

 

Larry reported that on Saturday there were cars lined up 3 deep on to N. Triphammer Rd. waiting for McDonald’s drive thru. The Village is still trying to work out the lighting problem with McDonald’s. Don will contact Fred Remillard again once the budget process is completed. Lynn reported that the McDonald’s in Cortland has light covers on its roof.

 

Ben was asked if the Planning Board has dealt with the traffic issue with the Montessori School expansion. Ben stated that at the last meeting they were in solely to combine lots. There is a public hearing on April 24th for a special permit to do an addition of a gym and some classrooms to the school.

 

Jodi has put the proposed budget in everyone’s folders. The Village of Cayuga Heights is increasing their sewer rate so we will have to adjust this item on the budget.

 

Don has a water meeting on Friday April 13th. He expects to get a counter proposal to the letter that the Lansing’s sent. Randy has researched the issue of having Bolton Point Rd. be a minimal maintenance road and the Village will have no problem having this road. The public hearing concerning the repair to the sewer line on Hanshaw Road in the Town of Ithaca went very well and the project is going out to bid. So we should expect to get a minimum of 16 additional sewer units once this repair is completed. For every 1,000 gallons of flow that is stopped we get 3 units. The budget public hearing is Monday April 16th.

 

Dennis received a call from Ron Sherman, an engineer, wondering if we had chosen an engineer for the N. Triphammer Project. Don stated that if he were on the pre-approved list we would consider him.  Don’s main concern is to maintain the flow of traffic while this project is going on.

 

Lynn stated that at the Planning Board meeting they thanked Steve Halevy for being acting chairman and Philip Dankert for filling in as alternate. Ned Hickey is now back from Florida. Lynn also stated her concern with our special permit process, mainly with the Greenberg house. She is upset that we can’t protect our fragile unique natural areas. She would like the Village to consider changing our present law because she feels it doesn’t work. This is a complex environmental issue.

 

Frank reported that the Agricultural Committee he is on has a lot of interest in PDR’s. A report will be written on how to conserve and protect farmland in Lansing.

 

Janet attended the Recreation Partnership’s meeting last night. They are reviewing programs. The budget proposal will increase a little more than expected.

 

Carol stated that the codification is basically done. She asked if the Board wanted copies. Carol will get the electronic version to Larry so he can put the draft codification on the website. The draft codification has an adoption date of May 2001printed on it so hopefully the Board can set a public hearing for this in May.

 

Next the Mayor proposed a motion to approve the vouchers.

 

Resolution #3748- Abstracts of Audited Vouchers

 

Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 11 for the General Fund, in the amount of $35,075.72, is hereby approved for payment, and 

 

Be it further RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 11 for the Water Fund, in the amount of  $2,762.58, is hereby approved for payment, and 

 

Be it further RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 11 for the Sewer Fund, in the amount of  $1,475.25, is hereby approved for payment, and 

 

Trustee Janet Beebe moved that this resolution be adopted and Trustee Larry Fresinski seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

 

Mayor Donald Hartill- Aye                   Trustee Lynn Leopold- Aye

                        Trustee Frank Moore-Aye                    Trustee Janet Beebe- Aye

                        Trustee Larry Fresinski- Aye               

 

Motion-To Adjourn 

 

Trustee Lynn Leopold motioned to adjourn and Trustee Larry Fresinski seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

 

Mayor Donald Hartill- Aye                   Trustee Lynn Leopold- Aye

                        Trustee Frank Moore-Aye                    Trustee Janet Beebe- Aye

            Trustee Larry Fresinski- Aye

 

 

                                                                                                            Jodi Dake

                                                                                                Village Clerk/Treasurer