Village of Lansing

 

MINUTES of a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Lansing held on Thursday, May 15, 2008, in the Village Office.

 

PRESENT: Mayor Donald Hartill (arrived during meeting); Trustees Larry Fresinski, Lynn Leopold, Julie Baker, John O’Neill; Clerk/Treasurer Jodi Dake; Code & Zoning Officer, Benjamin Curtis; Supt. of Public Works, John Courtney; Laborer, Marty Moseley.

 

Deputy Mayor Larry Fresinski called the meeting to order. Marty stated that this month they have started mowing and have been doing shop maintenance.

 

Ben reported that the Town of Lansing proposed rezoning came up at the last Village Planning Board meeting. Many people are concerned with the proposed zoning changes. Ben thinks that the changes are fairly radical. The primary impact is on R1 and R2 areas which abut the Village. The main proposed change is the allowance of commercial uses in residential districts. These changes do not go along with the Town of Lansing Comprehensive Plan. Larry suggested that it may be time for the Town and Village Boards to get together. The Town is also interested in knowing how our Planning Board works. Ben has volunteered to either go there or have them come here.

 

Ben further reported that we are seeing a lot of change-overs in the malls with no big box stores coming in. The housing market is good. Millcroft Phase II is about a year out.  Bob Miller came in to meet with Ned Hickey and Ben and express his concerns. Bob felt things did not go well with Phase I and didn’t like how some issues were dealt with by the Village. Ben feels that before Phase II begins, this should be discussed further when Brent Cross and John Courtney can also be present. Ben stated that the bottom line is that EPA compliance with storm water management and treatment must be accomplished. Our engineer and their engineer had different opinions so they went to NYS DEC. The resolution of the disagreement ended up being more costly for Millcroft.

 

Ivar Jonson would like to close off the Lansing trails emergency road. This can not be done because there must be two means of access to a subdivision of more than twenty houses. It was suggested to Ivar that he put up a post and chain gate to stop people from driving through there. If an emergency vehicle needed to get through they could just cut the chain.

 

TCAT has approached the Village about putting in a bus shelter in front of the Sears entrance. While speaking with them, Ben asked about having the buses routed through Cayuga Mall. Ben was told that the Cayuga Mall would not allow it because they weigh 40,000 lbs. Ben suggested that in the future we should consider having construction standards on the roads going through mall parking lots. It was also reported that the number of bus riders has increased approximately 30%. Lynn added that there is also an increased number of bikers. John O’Neill asked about installing a bus shelter at the YMCA. Jodi asked who was responsible for paying for the shelters. Ben stated that through the Youth Commission we built two shelters, but TCAT usually supplies them.

 

Ben has had no problem doing the Planning and Zoning Board minutes since Carol has left. We are behind with fire inspections and our Code Administration Law. Ben has started going through this. Ben will be on vacation next week.

 

John Courtney stated that they have materials to replace the culvert on Burdick Hill; they are just waiting for drier weather. He and Marty have been cleaning up back behind the garage. They are rebuilding the flower boxes. John has ordered storm drain markers and the radar sign. The sign will be portable and also do traffic counts. Crack sealing has been completed.

 

We are still lacking a design for Northwood Drive. John called Dave Putnam this morning and he stated that the design map should be completed today. He is working on specs and he should have it for Monday night’s meeting. He also hopes to have a typical section design for Dart Drive for Monday’s meeting.

 

Carolyn Spicer may be coming to a meeting soon. She is unhappy with the pedestrian signal at the Triphammer Mall traffic signal. She is concerned because people roll through the intersection when doing a right on red out of the Triphammer Mall. Both she and John have put in calls to NYSDOT.

 

There is a problem at Dr. Manunts office on Catherwood East. When they paved the parking lot they took the asphalt all the way to the sidewalk. There have been complaints that cars are pulling over the sidewalk. There is also a sheeting problem. The solution would be to cut back the asphalt, put in top soil and seed. John O’Neill stated that the big question that Dr. Manunts has is who will maintain this little strip of grass. Courtney stated that it is in the Village right of way and that we maintain it. O’Neill will explain this to Dr. Manunts since she is his neighbor.

 

On May 24th there is an auction in Polkville and John Courtney would like to take our skidster there. He would like to keep our dump truck for the summer because we use it mainly as a water truck to water the new trees along N. Triphammer Road. We won’t have to do this after this summer so the truck could then be taken to the Lansing Auction.

 

                        Resolution #5457-To Surplus the Skidster and take it to the Polkville

                                                     Auction

 

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

 

Trustee Larry Fresinski-Aye                           Trustee Lynn Leopold-Aye                Trustee Julie Baker-Aye                               Trustee John O’Neill-Aye

 

Street sweeping has been done. John Courtney stated that we have a $700 credit from Bobcat due to returning a blade and he would like to use that to buy a box broom. Jodi stated that she could just call Bobcat and have them issue us a check. In the past we have rented box brooms, but John feels it would be good housekeeping to have one. They are on state contract for approximately $4,000. Trustee Fresinski thinks that we should compare renting versus buying and all the maintenance, storage and insurance costs that go along with owning one. John Courtney will get more information for next meeting.

 

Mayor Hartill arrived.

 

Jodi presented the Board with the Tax Warrant which needs to be approved before the tax bills go out.

 

Resolution #5458-To Authorize the Mayor to Sign the Village of Lansing

                              Tax Warrant

 

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

 

Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                 Trustee Larry Fresinski-Aye                           Trustee Lynn Leopold-Aye               Trustee Julie Baker-Aye                                  Trustee John O’Neill-Aye

 

The following is a copy of the tax warrant that Mayor Hartill signed:

 

WARRANT TO TREASURER TO COLLECT TAXES

 

To: Jodi L. Dake

      Treasurer of the Village of Lansing

 

            YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to receive and collect from the several names in the assessment roll, hereunto annexed, the several sums named in the last column thereof opposite their respective names, altogether a total of $961,631.78, for the following purposes:

 

            For the General Fund                                                 494,857.91

            For the Water Fund                                                              0.00

            For the Special Assessment-Sewer Collector Fund     20,811.08

            For Delinquent Water Rents                                          3,630.60

            For Delinquent Sewer Rents                                             204.19

            For Cayuga Heights Sewer Rents                               442,128.00

 

            YOU ARE HEREBY COMMANDED to receive as much thereof as may voluntarily be paid to you from June first to and including July first of this year, without additional charge, and after expiration of the time mentioned to proceed forthwith to collect the residue of the sums not so paid in as aforesaid, with five per centum charge for the first month and an additional one per centum charge for each month and fraction thereof thereafter, and you are to file the tax roll and warrant in your office on or before the 15th day of November 2008, at which time the taxes will be returned to the County tax roll.

 

Mayor Hartill stated that at the last SCLIWC meeting he was informed that there were three bids to install a wall in our office. The Commission is doing this to try to eliminate the sounds from the pumps next door. The low bid was under $10,000 but the three bids ranged in cost by a factor of 3 to 1.

 

Don and John O’Neill met with George Gesslein and Jeff Walters from the Lansing Fire Department. They have now decided not to build a new fire station in the Village. Instead they will upgrade the main station to comply with mandates. They will also be selling the 10 acres they own on Oakcrest across from the current station and refurbish the existing station from a two bay to a three bay station. This will save the taxpayers a lot of money.

They would also like to see if the elections could be held at the Village Office instead of at the Oakcrest Fire Hall. Jodi will call the election office and check on this.

 

Don also stated that he has met the new Mayor for the Village of Cayuga Heights. He will be meeting with him again to discuss different intermunicipal issues. The NYSDOT director was in town last week for TIP review and he was very complementary of N. Triphammer Rd.

 

Larry would like to add historical Planning Board minutes to the website. He also asked Jodi to send him any back Board of Trustees minutes that we may have. Jodi stated that she had them all the way back to 1998 when she started. Larry has not heard from Time Warner Cable so he is unsure when they will be connecting our service.

 

Lynn stated that she has been cleaning out the rain garden. The current fence needs to be replaced. The flower bed by the bank needs some mulch. Lynn will contact the Highway Department when she is ready for it.

 

Julie had nothing to report.

 

John O’Neil asked why we weren’t having any luck finding a fire inspector. His understanding was that we were going to out source it. It was questioned whether anyone was interested. Ben stated that the Code Administration Law is out of date by five months. We need to be issuing operating permits. We must go through their model law and come up with some changes. We need to set up a schedule to do this.

 

John O’Neill asked where we are with Dart Drive. Don stated that TG Miller will do a section design and then someone else can do the project. John suggested that we build a speed table into the plans. Don’s concern with doing that was with snow plowing.

 

Ken Horowitz will be in town in mid June and will meet with John O’Neill. Ken is now concerned about the most humane way to kill a deer. He wants to explore the option of hunting with gun. Don and Lynn did not agree and feel that we would not have support from the Village residents on hunting with guns.

 

Don asked if everyone had a chance to review the vouchers.

 

Resolution #5459- Abstract of Audited Vouchers

 

Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 12 for the General Fund, in the amount of $400,155.46 is hereby approved for payment, and

 

Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 12 for the Water Fund, in the amount of $222,404.07, is hereby approved for payment, and

 

Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 12 for the Sewer Fund, in the amount of $177,405.53, is hereby approved for payment,

 

Trustee Fresinski moved that the foregoing Abstract of Audited Vouchers resolution be adopted and Trustee Leopold seconded the motion.

 

                        Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                 Trustee Larry Fresinski-Aye                                       Trustee Lynn Leopold-Aye                 Trustee Julie Baker-Aye

Trustee John O’Neill-Aye

 

John Courtney stated that he and John O’Neill had interviewed 7 of the 17 applicants that applied for the laborer position. They immediately had it narrowed down to two and have finally made their choice. Mayor Hartill would like to speak with Adam Lalonde before hiring him. John Courtney will arrange an interview for tomorrow.             Mayor Hartill requested that the Board give him authority to hire someone.

 

Resolution #5460 - To Authorize the Mayor to Hire a Laborer

 

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

 

Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                 Trustee Larry Fresinski-Aye                           Trustee Lynn Leopold-Aye               Trustee Julie Baker-Aye                                  Trustee John O’Neill-Aye

 

            Motion- To Adjourn

 

Trustee Fresinski moved for adjournment. Trustee Leopold seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

 

Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye                 Trustee Larry Fresinski-Aye                           Trustee Lynn Leopold-Aye               Trustee Julie Baker-Aye                                  Trustee John O’Neill-Aye

 

The meeting adjourned at 2:00 PM.                                         

Jodi Dake

Clerk/Treasurer