Village of Lansing

 

MINUTES of a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Lansing held on Monday, November 4, 2002, in the Village Office.

 

PRESENT: Mayor Donald Hartill; Trustees Janet Beebe, Lynn Leopold and Frank Moore; Phil Dankert, Planning Board member; Bill Troy, Village Attorney.

 

Mayor Donald Hartill called the meeting to order at 7:38P.M. He opened the public comment period. There were a few high school students present but no comments.

 

Motion-To Close the Public Comment Period

 

Trustee Janet Beebe moved to close the public comment period. Trustee Frank Moore seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

 

                        Mayor Donald Hartill- Aye                   Trustee Frank Moore- Aye                                           Trustee Janet Beebe- Aye                     Trustee Lynn Leopold- Aye

           

Larry was not present at the meeting because his mother-in-law’s funeral was today. We have no new information on the cable franchise agreement so the board continued to leave this issue on the table until more information is available.

 

Next on the agenda was the return of delinquent taxes to the County. If Village residents do not pay their taxes within 6 months they are forwarded to the County and the County pays us. It then becomes the County’s problem and these delinquent amounts appear on the taxpayer’s County tax bill.

 

                        Motion-To Forward the Delinquent Taxes to the County

 

Trustee Leopold moved this motion and Trustee Beebe seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

 

                        Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                    Trustee Frank Moore-Aye                                            Trustee Janet Beebe- Aye                     Trustee Lynn Leopold- Aye

           

The Board then signed the delinquent tax affidavit, which will be sent to Tompkins County Division of Budget & Finance. It was a list of 12 property owners who didn’t pay their 2002-2003 Village taxes. The total unpaid tax and penalty was $3,992.51.

 

Next on the agenda was the approval of minutes.

 

Motion-Approval of Minutes for October 16, 2002

 

Trustee Leopold moved that the draft meeting notes, as reviewed and revised by the Board, are hereby adopted as the official minutes. Trustee Moore seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

 

                        Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                    Trustee Frank Moore-Aye                                            Trustee Janet Beebe- Abstain                Trustee Lynn Leopold- Aye

           

Motion-Approval of Minutes for October 21, 2002

 

Trustee Moore moved that the draft meeting notes, as reviewed and revised by the Board, are hereby adopted as the official minutes. Trustee Leopold seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

 

                        Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                    Trustee Frank Moore-Aye                                            Trustee Janet Beebe- Aye                     Trustee Lynn Leopold- Aye

                       

The Mayor has tried to reach the candidate for the County Youth Board but still has not been able to speak with him.  This gentleman is a Bush Lane resident who has expressed a strong interest.

 

The Joint Youth Commission has proposed an amendment to the current operating guidelines. Lynn asked for clarification as to what the difference was between the youth commission and the youth board.  Phil Dankert explained that the Youth Commission was formed by the Village of Lansing, Village of Cayuga Heights and the Town of Ithaca for combined programming. The County Youth Board is made up of representatives from every municipality in Tompkins County. The village Recreation Partnership Board representative is Janet Beebe. Barbara Nosanchuk is one of three possible representatives from the village on the Youth Commission. Phil stated that if a new member would like to know anything about the County Youth Board he would be happy to talk with them since he use to be our representative for several years.

 

The Board continued to discuss the proposed amendment to include two additional representatives, one from the Business and one from the Education Community. The problem the board is having is getting representatives to attend meetings. The Joint Youth Commission feels that by adding seats to the board it will elicit broader and more inclusive insights to the needs of our youth.

 

Resolution #3913-To Approve the Joint Youth Commissions Proposed Membership Guidelines to Add Two More Seats

 

The youth commission shall be comprised of 9 voting members: The Town of Ithaca Board shall at all times be represented by four members on the Youth Commission of which at least one shall be recommended by the Village of Cayuga Heights. Two members shall be appointed annually by the Town Board, each term will be two years. One member from the Youth Commission Business Community shall be appointed to a two-year term. One member from the Education Community shall be appointed to a two-year term. The Village of Lansing Board shall at all times be represented by three members on the Youth Commission. One member shall be appointed in odd numbered years by the Village Board to a two-year term. Two members shall be appointed in even years to a two-year term.

 

Trustee Beebe moved to adopted this resolution. Trustee Moore seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

 

                        Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                    Trustee Frank Moore-Aye                                            Trustee Janet Beebe- Aye                     Trustee Lynn Leopold- Aye

 

Frank asked if it was really that difficult getting people to serve on these two committees. It has been a problem finding people in the past. Frank suggested Chuck Collins on Janivar Drive as a potential person who may be interested in service on a recreation committee.

 

Next item on the agenda was to consider the design firm contract for N. Triphammer Road Reconstruction prepared by Fisher Associates. Don stated that he and Larry have not been able to get up to the NYSDOT to speak with Pete. Mayor Hartill has looked over the contract and it is ~$20,000 more than we had anticipated. The difference is mainly due to Fisher Associates wanting to do more survey field work for the project. The proposed contract has gone to Attorney Troy to review. Bill Troy had a few issues.

 

Mayor Hartill proposed that the contract be accepted this evening with the stipulations that Pete Bartolotta reviews to make sure there are no hitches. The Mayor explained that since the design portion of this project is getting 80% federal funding and 15% Marchiselli Funds, we have to make sure that we follow the procedure very carefully. The Village has secured the 15% Marchelli funds for the design portion of the N. Triphammer Rd. Reconstruction project but not for the construction portion. For construction we will be responsible for the remaining 20% not funded federally. Pete would like a letter from the mayor stating that the contract has been approved subject to NYSDOT approval.

 

Bill Troy was concerned with the amount of liability insurance was only $1 million. He questioned whether this was enough for this project. Don thought that this was only for the design portion and not the actual management of the construction. Other concerns Attorney Troy had were loose language in Article 20, whether we wanted arbitration in Article 29 and Article 14 regarding the death or disability of the consultant. These are minor issues but Bill still feels they need to be resolved.

 

Resolution #3914-To Accept Fisher Associates Design Contract Subject to Attorney Troy’s and NYSDOT Approval

 

Trustee Moore moved this resolution. Trustee Leopold seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

 

                        Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                    Trustee Frank Moore-Aye                                            Trustee Janet Beebe- Aye                     Trustee Lynn Leopold- Aye

                       

Next on the agenda was to discuss returning the McLain Escrow.  The remaining issue is the boulder that is at the corner of Pembroke Lane in the village right-of-way. The McLains have agreed to indemnification but the Mayor is concerned that this will not continue on if there is a new owner of the property. The Mayor stated that we had in the past indemnified Roy Park so there has been a precedence set. Mayor Hartill met with Kay McLain 3 weeks ago and she agreed to indemnification.

 

Resolution #3915-Authorize Mayor Hartill to Write a letter for Indemnification and Once a Recordable Encroachment agreement is executed on the deed for 1 Pembroke Lane, the McLain Escrow can be Returned.

 

Trustee Leopold moved this resolution. Trustee Beebe seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

 

                        Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                    Trustee Frank Moore-Aye                                            Trustee Janet Beebe- Aye                     Trustee Lynn Leopold- Aye

 

Next on the agenda was mayor’s comments. Cayuga Heights Road will be paved this week. Some final seeding will have to be done in the spring. Don met with Mike Nozzolio, who is running for the State Senate, 54th District. Don feels he is very committed to improving upstate New York. They discussed job creation and sewer issues.

 

At the sewer meeting last Thursday the engineers reported on their progress. Don is developing a short list of issues to focus on. The meeting on November 14th will be without the City of Ithaca. They are pressing for a decision to be made. Frank thinks that Plan B, which would involve the village putting in the Kline Road bypass, seems to be the obvious way to go. Don stated that this sewer issue needs to be resolved one way or another. Frank volunteered to investigate the effects on the lake by Plan A, what the sewer consortium is presently trying to do, and Plan B. A new plant would provide the best technology. Lynn thought it was strange that DEC does not see the increased energy use to operate the pumping stations as an important impact of the sewer project. Don feels this is all a political issue.  The board discussed the sewage process at the sewer plant in Ithaca. Jodi has provided Don with a history of sewer unit distribution and consumption reports, which he will analyze.

 

On the good water side it has been four years of negotiation and that needs closure. There was a proposed agreement from the City of Ithaca in September but they wanted a special deal. SCLIWC has always and will continue to have a uniform rate and there are no special deals. This issue has been going on for a long time and a conclusion needs to be reached. The City plant is failing and the city can not borrow any more money due to their financial condition.

 

Lynn asked if the mayor had a chance to go into Kate’s Hole. He has not yet but it will be done this fall. Brent Cross was going to communicate with Bob Nevin regarding Kate’s Hole.

 

Motion- To Adjourn

 

Trustee Leopold moved adjournment. Trustee Beebe seconded the motion.

 

Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                    Trustee Frank Moore- Aye

                        Trustee Janet Beebe-Aye                      Trustee Lynn Leopold- Aye

                       

The meeting adjourned at 9:25pm.

 

                                                                                                            Jodi Dake

                                                                                                            Village Clerk