SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING OF THE
TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD, NEW YORK HELD AT
BUTLER MEMORIAL HALL IN THE VILLAGE OF
NEW HARTFORD ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16,
2006 AT 10:00 A.M.

The Town Supervisor called the meeting to order at 10:00 A.M. and led those in attendance in the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag. The roll was then taken with the following Town Officials and Department Heads being present during the progress of the meeting:

TOWN BOARD MEMBERS: Councilman Robert Payne III

Councilman David M. Reynolds Councilman Richard B. Woodland, Jr. Supervisor Earle C. Reed

ABSENT:                                         Councilman John C. Waszkiewicz III

OTHER TOWN OFFICIALS: Highway Superintendent Roger A. Cleveland

Town Clerk Gail Wolanin Young, CMC/RMC

Thereafter, a quorum was declared present for the transaction of business. Councilman Waszkiewicz was absent due to a prior out­of­town commitment.

2007 BUDGET REVIEW

Supervisor Reed asked Councilman Woodland, whom he had designated to “head up” the 2007 Budget, to brief the Board members on his progress. Councilman Woodland reported that he had met with Bookkeeper Carol Fairbrother last week; they reviewed the budget requests submitted by department heads as well as revenues anticipated in 2007. In addition, the expenditures for 2005 and 2006 had been reviewed. All of the small departments have been taken care of. The three (3) remaining departments to be reviewed are the Highway Department, Police Department, and the Parks & Recreation Department. The Board then began review of the following accounts with Highway Superintendent Roger Cleveland who indicated there has been some changes since the original budget estimates had been submitted:

·        General Fund AA5010 – Roger will review this and submit new budget estimates

o       Deputy Superintendent Salary – needs to be changed; salary would depend on what’s going on with that position in 2007

o       Account Clerk, Part­time – if the Town Board relocates a particular office in the Sanger Public Works Garage to Butler Memorial Hall, there will be one less employee to answer phones. This part­time position has been budgeted for three (3) days per week.

o       Summer Work Program – over­time for Candy Currier to assist with the Saturday “dumpster” days, etc.

Supervisor Reed inquired about the purchase of equipment and machinery and the Highway Superintendent responded that bonding would depend upon the useful life of these items. The Highway Superintendent would like to purchase two (2) grad­alls and another piece of equipment; the question is whether to purchase or lease. The Town Board or Bookkeeper needs to clarify with John Shehadi of Fiscal Advisors as to what can be bonded.

·        General Fund AA5010 (Continued)

o 5010.2 Equipment – Councilman Woodland stated that many equipment accounts haven’t been used in years; the Highway Superintendent’s request of $1,000 has been cut back to $500. Allocation of a computer has been appropriated in the computer budget. A laptop computer was originally deleted but funds will be allocated in the Sewer Department budget

o A50 10.4 contractual – Councilman Woodland said this line item had been pared back a little but after consulting the Highway Superintendent, the amount was increased

·        General Fund AA5 182.4 Street lighting – Because of the sidewalks being installed by Oneida County on Chapman Road and the possibility of the continuation of sidewalks by the Town into two (2) adjoining subdivisions, the Highway Superintendent believes the Town should consider lighting the intersection of Chapman Road and the Meadowbrook Development entry roads and possibly lighting the entire length of Chapman Road. Town driven, put in this account; definitely ask residents if they want lights. The Highway Superintendent estimated $4,000 for lighting this area annually. For today’s purposes, Councilman Reynolds asked that this amount be held. The 2006­budgeted amount was $22,500 (high); the 2007 projected line item was rolled back from the Highway Superintendent’s estimated amount of $22,900 to $16,000, which includes the Judd Road [NYS Route 840] lighting. For

·        General Fund A33 10.4 Traffic Control– The $68,550 estimate includes $13,750 for the annual road striping costs contracted with Oneida County as well as traffic signal maintenance/repair including the traffic signals the State Department of Transportation installed on the new Judd Road [NYS Route 840] and the Yahnundasis [NYS Route 5­12­12B] intersection for which the Town is now responsible. The total amount also includes signs for the continuing street sign program, traffic cones, National Grid signal repairs, a new controller for the Oneida Street­Roberts Road intersection and National Grid signal charges.

·        General Fund ­ Buildings and Grounds AA1 620.41 –

The Town Supervisor interjected, asking “.... for the bottom lines of accounts because Bob [Payne], Rich [Woodland] and Roger Cleveland] have reviewed the figures”. Salaries are dependent upon negotiations and matters involving bonding need to be finalized. Roger will finalize figures within the next week.

Councilman Reynolds gave a brief synopsis of the Public Safety Department, which includes Police and Dispatch budgets:

·           General Fund Police AA3 120 – includes all salaries and shift differential; bottom line is a reduction of $53,500 from the current budget because the union contracts are now in place.

o          A3120.2 equipment – Total of $83,761 for three (3) vehicles, radar unit, weapons and the K­9 unit for 2007; a net change of $2,177 from the 2006 budget

o          A3120.4 contractual expense – Total of $94,600 for vehicle maintenance, signs, gasoline, uniforms, training, etc.; a net change of $7,800 from the 2006 budget, the biggest increase being the cost of gasoline. Vehicle maintenance has also increased by $1,000

o          A3 120.49 Technology – Same as last year, $8,000

·           Police revenue: stayed pretty much the same as last year

Animal Control Budget

·           AA3510 – the 2006 Budget totaled $44,896; the 2007 budget is $46,985, after cutback on the dog enumeration to $3,000 per recommendation of the Town Clerk

·           Revenue Animal Control – anticipated amount of $17,546 from the Town of Kirkland and the Stevens­Swan Humane Society

Dispatch Budget

·           AA3220.1 Salaries in 2006 ­ $351,000; projected salaries for 2007 total $410,000, a net change of $59,000, reflective of contract changes

·           AA3220.4 contractual ­ computer supplies, records management, miscellaneous equipment – in 2006, $12, 500 was budgeted; for 2007 the amount is $10,576, for a $1,924 net change

·           AA3220.2 equipment ­ equipment transmitters $13,640, up from 2006 expenditure of $7,140.

·           Revenue – $22,805 from New York Mills, Yorkville, Whitesboro dispatch contracts

The Town Supervisor asked that Councilmen Woodland and Payne fine­tune the Highway Department budget and bonding matters by Friday, September 22, 2006. Then Councilman Woodland and the Supervisor will meet with the Bookkeeper on Saturday, September 23, 2006.

Councilman Woodland will work with Councilman Waszkiewicz on September 19, 2006 to review /finalize the Parks & Recreation budget.

REPORTS OF TOWN OFFICIALS TOWN CLERK:

Carnival/Circus Permit

The Town Clerk reported that the Montessori Guild of New Hartford, Inc. had submitted an application to sponsor a circus and that after review by the Police Chief, he found the application to be in compliance with Town Code, Chapter 44, Mass Assembly of Larger Number of Persons. Thereafter, Councilman Payne presented the following Resolution for adoption; seconded by Councilman Woodland:

(RESOLUTION NO. 264 OF 2006)

WHEREAS, on September 7, 2006, the Town Clerk received an application from the Montessori Guild of New Hartford, Inc. for permission to conduct a Carnival from September 21­September 24, 2006, upon the Home Depot premises on French Road; and

WHEREAS, the Codes Enforcement Officer and Town Police Chief have reviewed said application and find the contents therein to meet Chapter 44 of the Town Code,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of New Hartford does hereby approve the Montessori Guild of New Hartford, Inc. application to conduct a Carnival upon premises owned by Home Depot from September 21 – September 24, 2006, and the Town Clerk be, and she hereby is, directed to issue the permit under Chapter 44 (Assembly, Mass Public) of the Town Code.

The Supervisor polled the Town Board members who voted as follows:

Councilman Waszkiewicz           ­          ABSENT

Councilman Woodland               ­          Aye

Councilman Reynolds                 ­          Aye

Councilman Payne                     ­          Aye

Supervisor Reed                        ­        Aye.

The Resolution was then declared unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED.

Appeal – Freedom ofInformation Law

Town Clerk Young provided copies of the Appeal filed by James and Catherine Lawrence with regard to their August 9, 2006 Freedom of Information request for certain Town assessment information. In accordance with law, copies are also being filed with the State’s Committee on Open Government. The Town Clerk informed the Town Board that they, as the Appeals Board, have only ten (10) days to resolve this Appeal.

MATTERS SUBMITTED BY STANDING COMMITTEES ASSeSSOR COmmIttee:

Relocation ofAssessor’s Office

Councilman Payne recalled that at the last Town Board meeting the possible relocation of the Assessor’s Office to Butler Memorial Hall had been discussed and he asked if the Board was ready to move on this matter or table it.

Supervisor Reed noted that the Assessor had expressed concerns about moving, i.e., limited parking, etc. The Village Mayor informed the Town Supervisor that the Village would be able to dedicate parking space for town residents. Councilman Payne noted that there is difficulty parking at the Sanger Public Works Garage [where the Assessor is currently located] at certain times of day. Storage and location of old files can be resolvable; the Town Clerk said there’s storage room at the Records Center. Thereafter, Councilman Payne introduced the following Resolution for adoption; seconded by Councilman Reynolds:

(RESOLUTION NO. 265 OF 2006)

RESOLVED that the New Hartford Town Board does hereby authorize and direct the relocation of the Town Assessor’s Office from its current site in the Sanger Public Works Garage, 111 New Hartford Street, New Hartford, to Butler Memorial Hall, 48 Genesee Street, New Hartford.

The Board voted upon roll call as follows:

Councilman Waszkiewicz           ­          ABSENT

Councilman Woodland               ­          Aye

Councilman Reynolds                 ­          Aye

Councilman Payne                     ­          Aye

Supervisor Reed                        ­        Aye.

The Resolution was then declared unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED.

REPORTS OF TOWN OFFICIALS (CONt’d)

TOWN CLERK:

Reconfiguration – Town Clerk­Registrar’s Office

Due to confidential matters involving birth and death records, marriage licenses, disabled parking permit applications, etc., the Town Clerk recommended that the Town Board consider reconfiguring the Town Clerk­Registrar’s Office to provide privacy for customers. The Town Clerk will meet with Town Clerk Standing Committee members Richard Woodland and John C. Waszkiewicz.

EXECUTIVE SESSION

Councilman Payne introduced the following Resolution for adoption and Councilman Reynolds seconded same:

(RESOLUTION NO. 266 OF 2006)

RESOLVED that the New Hartford Town Board does hereby move to enter into an Executive Session to discuss potential real property acquisition.

A roll call vote ensued:

Councilman Waszkiewicz          ­           ABSENT

Councilman Reynolds                ­           Aye

Councilman Woodland              ­        Aye

Councilman Payne                     ­           Aye

Supervisor Reed                       ­         Aye.

Thereafter, the Resolution was declared unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED. All persons present, including the news media, were then excused from the meeting at 11:51 A.M.

END OF EXECUTIVE SESSION

Councilman Payne then offered the following Resolution for adoption and Councilman Woodland seconded same:

(RESOLUTION NO. 267 OF 2006)

RESOLVED that the New Hartford Town Board does hereby move to end its Executive Session and to reconvene the regular portion of the Town Board meeting.

The Board members voted upon roll call that resulted as follows:

Councilman Waszkiewicz           ­           ABSENT

Councilman Reynolds                 ­           Aye

Councilman Woodland               ­           Aye

Councilman Payne                     ­           Aye

Supervisor Reed                        ­           Aye.

The Supervisor declared the Resolution unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED; the Executive Session ended at 12:24 P.M. The regular portion of the Town Board meeting was immediately reconvened.

Authorizationfor Purchase Offer – Real Estate Acquisition

Supervisor Reed introduced the following Resolution for adoption; seconded by Councilman Reynolds:

(RESOLUTION NO. 268 OF 2006)

RESOLVED that the New Hartford Town Board does hereby authorize and direct Gerald R. Green, Attorney for the Town of New Hartford, to prepare a Purchase Offer based upon the appraisal of the Town for the building that they are proposing to purchase, subject to various legal conditions and contingencies and subject to bond and budget approval, and further subject to SEQR; Attorney Green is further authorized and directed to consult with the New York State Association of Towns on this procedure.

Upon roll call, the Board voted as follows:

Councilman Waszkiewicz           ­           ABSENT

Councilman Reynolds                 ­           Aye

Councilman Woodland               ­           Aye

Councilman Payne                     ­           Aye

Supervisor Reed                        ­        Aye.

The Supervisor declared the Resolution unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED.

Appointment ofSpecial Counsel – Small Claims Assessment Cases

The Town Supervisor offered the following Resolution for adoption and Councilman Payne seconded same:

(RESOLUTION NO. 269 OF 2006)

RESOLVED that the New Hartford Town Board does hereby ratify the Town Supervisor’s September 14, 2006 appointment of Attorney Walter Pratt as special counsel to represent the Town of New Hartford for Small Claims Assessment cases in Court; as a

condition of said appointment, Attorney Pratt shall be required to submit itemized bills with a synopsis of services rendered.

A roll call vote ensued:

Councilman Waszkiewicz          ­           ABSENT

Councilman Reynolds                ­           Aye

Councilman Woodland              ­        Aye

Councilman Payne                     ­           Aye

Supervisor Reed                       ­         Aye.

The Supervisor declared the Resolution unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to come before the Town Board, upon motion of the Town Supervisor and seconded by Councilman Woodland, the meeting was adjourned at 12:28 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Gail Wolanin Young Town Clerk