MINUTES of a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the
Present: Mayor Donald Hartill; Trustees, Larry Fresinski, Lynn Leopold,
John O’Neill and Frank Moore; Attorney David Dubow; Clerk/Treasurer Jodi Dake.
Mayor
Hartill called the meeting to order at 7:41 P.M. and opened the public comment
period. Julie Baker stated that she was representing the observers this
evening. There were no other comments.
Trustee O’Neill moved to close the public comment
period. Trustee
Trustee John O’Neill-Aye
Trustee
Mayor Donald Hartill -Aye Trustee Frank Moore-
Aye Trustee Larry
Fresinski Aye Trustee
John O’Neill-Aye
Dan Veanor asked if the bottom line was that there is no
change in the tax rate but because of the increase in assessment there is an increase
in the amount of taxes collected. The Mayor stated that it is roughly a 2%
increase, less than inflation. The Mayor further stated that we have the lowest
tax increase in
The Mayor gave an overview of the budget. In 2008-09 the Village will be doing a lot of overlay of existing streets. This will add life to the roads. We will be replacing some highway equipment and adding a full time position to the Highway Department. We have moneys for a half time position for consultants to replace Carol. It has not been finalized yet, but it looks like someone from the Fire Department will be contracted to do fire inspections. The employee salary increases are competitive as compared to the rest of the County. Don hopes to see a decrease in the tax rate for 2009-2010 due to the increase in assessments. He indicated that the goal of the Village is to keep budget increases at the inflation rate, that he takes very seriously how much this costs people in the Village, and that it takes good management to do what we do.
Trustee Fresinski moved to close the public
hearing. Trustee O’Neill seconded the motion. A vote was taken:
Mayor Donald Hartill -Aye Trustee Frank Moore-
Aye Trustee Larry
Fresinski Aye Trustee
John O’Neill-Aye
Trustee Lynn
Leopold-Aye
Resolution#5432-
To Adopt the 2008-09 Proposed Budget as the
Official Budget
Trustee
Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye Trustee Larry
Fresinski-Aye Trustee Frank
Moore- Aye Trustee
John O’Neill-Aye
Trustee Lynn Leopold-Aye
Resolution #5433- Abstract of Audited Vouchers
Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 11 for the General Fund, in the amount of $51,694.14 is hereby approved for payment, and
Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 11 for the Water Fund, in the amount of $232.37, is hereby approved for payment, and
Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 11 for the Sewer Fund, in the amount of $115.68, is hereby approved for payment, and
Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 11 for the Capital Projects Fund, in the amount of $2,000.00, is hereby approved for payment,
Trustee Leopold moved that the foregoing Abstract of Audited Vouchers resolution be adopted and Trustee Fresinski seconded the motion.
Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye Trustee Larry Fresinski-Aye Trustee Lynn Leopold-Aye Trustee Frank Moore-Aye Trustee John O’Neill-Aye
It was asked if there was any feed back on the electronic newsletters.
Jodi stated that she received several postcards back. She didn’t think that the
business mailing list had been updated in quite some time. Many of the
postcards she received back were from empty apartments. There have been about
30 people that have called the office to get copies of the newsletter mailed to
them. Larry stated that many have signed up to receive email notices.
Mayor Hartill entertained the following motion:
Motion - To Approve the Minutes from March
24, 2008.
Trustee O’Neill moved that the
draft meeting notes, as reviewed and revised by the Clerk/Treasurer and the
Board, are hereby adopted as the official minutes. Trustee
Trustee John O’Neill-Aye
The next item on the agenda was to consider a resolution
prepared by the Tompkins County Council of Governments (TCCOG) regarding health
insurance benefits. Don explained that they have set up a consortium to evaluate
a program for insurance coverage for the County and all local governments
within the County. It is estimated that it might save municipalities 10%. To
proceed, the TCCOG is asking all municipalities to pass a resolution authorizing the execution of an
inter-municipal agreement with TCCOG members to participate in the review of
the development of the health benefits consortium. Upon a complete
review and plan design of a health benefits program, the Village will have the option of
joining a health benefits consortium in which case the Village would be required to sign another inter-municipal
agreement. Don feels there will be a lot of details to work out if we even
decide to join. TCCOG’s goal is to have something in a year. Frank stated that
that they need a bigger participation to negotiate. Others will save in
administration costs, but this doesn’t affect the Village.
Resolution #5433-To Support the Council of Governments’ Review of
Health
Benefits for
WHEREAS, the
Whereas,
in 2007, the County, on behalf
of TCCOG, accepted an incentive
grant award under the New York
State Shared Municipal Services Program,
Whereas, the grant will assist the municipalities in
WHEREAS, the health care
consortium will seek to develop health benefits coverage for all municipalities
with the intent to provide a net savings to the taxpayers of
Resolved, on recommendation of the Board of Trustees, That
the Mayor is authorized to execute an inter-municipal agreement with TCCOG
members to participate in the review of the development of the health benefits
consortium, and
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the
AGREEMENT
by and between the County of Tompkins, with main offices at 125 East Court
Street, Ithaca, New York 14850, hereinafter referred to as COUNTY, and
______________________________________ ____________________________________
(MUNICIPALITY
Name) (Contact Person's Name)
______________________________________
_____________________________________
(MUNICIPALITY
Address) (Contact Person's Title)
______________________________________
(MUNICIPALITY
Address) hereinafter
referred to as MEMBER.
Whereas
a partnership was formed by the following members for the provision of
conducting a comprehensive review of municipal health benefits plans:
City
of
Town
of
Town
of
Town
of
Town
of
PROJECT
DESCRIPTION:
Through
this agreement, the partnership agrees to collectively review the MEMBERS’
health benefits plans with a goal of achieving maximum efficiency at a lower
cost for the partnership. The COUNTY has received a Shared Municipal Services
Incentive grant from the State of
NOW,
THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises, covenants, and agreements
contained herein, the parties agree as follows:
1.
This agreement shall be in force from the date on which is signed
through project completion.
2.
The MEMBER agrees to provide the necessary information requested by the
partnership’s Health Benefits consultants.
3.
The COUNTY accepts responsibility as lead agency to enter into certain
contracts to effectively complete this project.
4.
There is no cost to any MEMBER for the provision of the terms of this
agreement.
5.
The MEMBER understands that upon a complete review and plan design of a
health benefits program, the MEMBER will have the option of joining a health
benefits consortium that would require the MEMBER to sign another
inter-municipal agreement.
Trustee Fresinski moved this resolution and
Trustee Leopold seconded the motion. A vote was taken:
Trustee John O’Neill-Aye
The next item on the agenda was to consider Proposed Local
Law B, Amendment to
David stated that Ben has indicated that as far as flood exposure, this Proposed Local Law and the new Chapter 78 will cover only a small area of the Village down by the lake. Ben thinks that there is maybe one project that may occur in this area. David explained that this Proposed Local Law will need to be submitted to DEC for their review since the format has been changed to make it Village Code friendly and consistent with our current flood related definitions in the Zoning Law portion of the Code. It was acknowledged that this new Chapter 78 will create the potential for a lot of administrative issues, but because our maps show only a small flood area, there should be minimal administrative effort needed by our Code Enforcement Officer. This adds another permit for which an application will need to be submitted. Dubow stated that the Village has been advised that with this new local law adopted Village residents will be entitled to purchase flood insurance.
It was decided that John O’Neill will forward Proposed Law B to Jaime Ethier at NYSDEC so that he can review the proposed law before anything further is done. It was suggested that the Board wait until April 21st to set a public hearing for the last meeting in May. This will give the County and surrounding municipalities a chance to review the proposed law. John stated that we are the only municipality around us that does not already have this law. Don feels this proposed law is completely irrelevant except for the insurance issue.
Mayor Hartill informed the Board
that he had drafted a MOU for the Town of
Draft Memorandum of
Understanding between the Town of
This memorandum of understanding covers the use of
Past Agreement
Currently, the residents in the Cherry Road Sewer District
are billed through the Town of Lansing for the capital costs of sewer lines
that are used in the Village of Lansing at a rate of 1.5 times that the Village
residents pay. This is for payment of the bond used to construct those lines
that is paid for half by units and half by assessed value and will be paid off
in 2021. Last year the Village residents paid $14.34 per unit and $.07 per
$1,000 of assessed value. So the Town
residents paid $21.51 per unit and $.11 per $1,000. The Town residents pay the Village of Cayuga
Heights directly through the Town of
Proposed New Agreement
The Cherry Road Sewer District would continue as
before. For the new Warren Road Sewer
District, the new users would pay the same as the present residents in the
Cherry Road Sewer district for the capital costs of the Village infrastructure
and the units cost to the Village of
Don stated that all Board members should have received a letter from Ben Curtis regarding the “hum” noise from Bolton Points' pumps next door. The letter on low frequency noise was forwarded to Paul Tunison at Bolton Point. The estimate to build a wall to isolate this noise came in at $13,000. Since it is over $10,000 it has to go out to bid.
Larry stated that Richard P. Baggett, Sr. Contract Administrator for Time-Warner Cable Business Class, contacted Jodi today and emailed her a copy of the License Agreement being requested by Time-Warner Cable. It needs to be signed and returned in order to commence construction towards installation of Business Services for the Village. Richard needs two signed originals mailed back to him, and after Joella Wind, the division Vice President, counter-signs, Richard will send back one (1) counter-signed original for our records. Dubow quickly reviewed the proposed agreement and indicated that his only significant issue was with the lack of specificity as to where on the Village property Time Warner would be licensed to install the cable and related equipment. He explained that the proposed agreement is pretty standard, but it would be appropriate to attach a map as to where they will be placing the line. Larry also noticed that the zip code was incorrect in two places. Larry will contact Richard to resolve these two issues.
John O’Neill stated that five years ago a pond was installed
behind his house to resolve the water problems in that area. It has silted up
and needs to be dredged. His questions were who is responsible for performing
the necessary work and who pays for it. Dubow indicated that he will need to
review the original agreement. It was acknowledged that the pond behind
Swartout also needs to be dredged.
The Board and those present at the meeting acknowledged that
is Frank Moore’s last meeting as a Trustee. Don thanked him for all he had done
for the Village especially on the Sewer Committee. Frank stated that it had
been an interesting eight years, and that there have been interesting people to
work with. He feels that the Village boards need to continue with philosophical
work about what the
Motion- To Adjourn
Trustee Leopold moved for adjournment. Trustee
Trustee John O’Neill-Aye
The meeting adjourned at 9:18 PM.
Jodi Dake
Clerk/Treasurer