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Scipio Town Board Meeting The regular public meeting was called to order at 7:00 PM on Wednesday September 12, 2018 by Supervisor Mutchler with the following people present. Supervisor: Gary Mutchler Town Clerk: Tom Olenych Town Board Members: Leslie Baxter Highway: Mark Chamberlain Gary Whitten Code Enforcement: Howard Tanner / excused Vivian Cunningham absence Mark Ferrari Guests: Dee Allen, Maryl Mendillo & Keith Welch Motion to approve agenda for the, 2018 town board meeting. (Baxter / Whitten) All in favor. Issues to come before the board from town residents and guests.1) Keith Welch brought up the issue of the town’s flag not being flown at half-staff at times it should be. It was discussed that there is no one in the town responsible for seeing this is done so Tom Olenych, the town clerk, offered to take responsibility and will see that the town’s flag is flown at half-staff on those days that state and or federal flags are flown at half-staff. 2) Keith Welch, who chairs the town ZBA, zoning board of appeals, talked to the board about establishing a set night each month for the ZBA to meet. As it now stands the ZBA only meets when an issue comes up and this created scheduling issues with some of the board members. Because there is no set date some members are absent because they were not informed of the meetings early enough to rearrange their schedules to make the meetings. Keith informed the board the ZBA would establish the 1st. Tuesday of every other even month, Feb., April & June for example, as the date the ZBA would meet. Leslie Baxter brought to the boards attention she has been contacted by a town resident concerned with traffic speeding on Hunter Road and could the town post speed limits on town roads to keep the speeding down. Tom Olenych reminded the board he had previously contacted NYS DOT asking the same question. The DOT responded saying no, towns can impose axel weight limits within the town but not speed limits. Motion to approve the minutes of the July 11,2018 town board meeting. (Mutchler / Whitten) All in favor. Motion to approve the minutes of the August 8, 2018 town board meeting. (Mutchler / Whitten) All in favor. Town Board Members reports: Leslie Baxter: 1) Leslie reported to the board HAB’s, Harmful Algae Blooms, have now been found in Owasco Lake as well as Skaneateles, Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. She stressed to the ---PAGE BREAK--- board the importance of heeding warning signs about using the lake and to also make sure your pets don’t get into the lake as well. She told the board that water samples taken from the lakes in the area are taking longer to process due to the increase in the number of samples taken. Anyone wanting more information about this situation can call Cayuga County Health Dept. or go to the county’s web site, cayugacountywater.org. Leslie also reported the buoys placed in the lake near Martin Point have been effective keeping the HABs population down. 2) Leslie reminded everyone the Scipio Fire Department would be having an all you can eat pancake breakfast on Sunday September 23, 2018. Vivian Cunningham: Vivian told the board preparations for the October 6th. clean-up day had been taken care of and everything was in place. Mark Ferrari: 1) Mark told the board he had met with a contractor regarding the renovations to the town offices, but the town would need bids from two other contractors before awarding the job to anyone. Mark suggested hiring an architect to come up with plans and specs for the remodel. This way anyone bidding on the project would be looking at the same information. Mark estimated this would take anywhere from 40 to 60 hours and the going rate for an architect would be in the $70.00 to $75.00 an hour range. It was determined the door to the judge’s room did not need to be bulletproof glass, a standard glass door would be fine. The cost of this door was estimated to be $2,000.00 plus labor as discussed at the December 13, 2017 town board meeting. Motion to update the costs / estimates for the project. (Cunningham / Mutchler) All in favor. The board also discussed the need to look into alternative office space to be used while the offices are being remodeled. 2) Mark contacted a surveyor to help determine what property the town owns on Ensenore and Fire Lane 26. He reported some leg work has been done but the surveyor was going to be away on vacation for three weeks so the remainder of work to be done would be put on hold until the surveyor is back from vacation. Gary Whitten: 1) Gary spoke to the board regarding the superintendent’s pickup truck and whether or not it’s service length should be extended from two years to three years. Mark Chamberlain told the board the auction house the town normally uses to sell it’s used vehicles told Mark the additional year could reduce the vehicle’s value by as much as $10,000.00. It was decided more research needed to be done to determine whether an additional year would benefit the town financially. Town Supervisor’s report: 1) Supervisor Mutchler reported to the board the town must reimburse the state for unemployment insurance paid to a former town employee although the employee was hired on an “as needed basis” and was only on the payroll a short period of time. ---PAGE BREAK--- Gary sent a letter to the state asking that the charges be dropped due to the fact this was a short- term employment. The state rejected this but did lower the amount owed. Gary discussed this with the town’s attorney and, after being advised to do so, the town will pay the state the lower amount. 2) Gary asked the board to review the financial report and to approve the following transfer of funds. Debit A1990.4 Contingent Account $1,024.00 Credit DA9050.8 Unemployment Insurance Debit A1110.12 Justices Personal Services $200 Credit A1110.4 Justices Contractual Motion to approve the financial report and transfer of funds. (Mutchler / Whitten) All in favor. 3) Gary informed the board there would an increase of 5% in health insurance costs for the upcoming year. The increase reflects the change in policies because the town lost an employee who was single and replaced that employee with someone with a family and family plans cost the town more than single plans. 4) Gary told the board 2019 property taxes would be increased 1.02% which is allowable under the state levy growth factor, 5) Gary attended the fire commissioners meeting at which time the issue of the Scipio Fire Departments separation from the S-V-L fire district was discussed. The distribution of assets was discussed at the meeting and it was determined that whatever is in the Scipio fire house would stay with the Scipio Fire Department. This equipment, although it’s staying in the fire house, would be re-appraised at a late date. Gary also told the board the budget for the new fire department would be ready in 2019 for the 2020 calendar year. 6) Gary reported that representatives of Cayuga County municipalities have passed the “shared services” initiative being promoted by the state and county, but it would have little impact on the town as the town is already sharing services where it can. 7) the town received six applicants for the position of bookkeeper and has hired Denice Hall to replace Becky Rury at the end of September. 8) Lastly Gary told the board the Union Springs solar farm project has been increased from 2.0 megawatts to 3.1 megawatts. Town Officers reports: Assessor: Heather Garner submitted a written report for the board’s review. Town Clerk: Tom Olenych told the board the newsletter went out almost on time, about a week late due to some submissions getting to him late. To date he has only gotten 13 newsletters back and of that number 11 were the result of PO Boxes that are no longer being used. ---PAGE BREAK--- Code Enforcement: Prior to the meeting Howard Tanner submitted a report outlining permits issued, ZBA activity and his comments, questions and concerns. Highway Superintendent: 1) Mark Chamberlain told the board he has locked in a price of 1.49.9 per gallon for propane for the upcoming winter season. 2) the town crews have been helping “shared services” with surrounding towns and municipalities. Helping Genoa with chip and oil and Union Springs with paving. 3) Mark told the board he has been hauling grind millings from work being done on State Route 34B to Seneca Stone where the town gets an $8.50 a ton credit toward future purchases from Seneca Stone. Currently the town is paying $12.50 a ton for stone from Seneca Stone. 4) lastly Mark told the board the town crews put in four driveways the past month. Other Business: There was no other business to discuss. Approval of vouchers: General Fund 146 – 165 totaling $4,917.03 (Mutchler / Cunningham) All in favor. Highway Fund (DA): 78 – 93 totaling $170,382.70 (Ferrari / Baxter) All in favor. Motion to adjourn: 8:38 PM (Baxter) All in favor. Respectfully submitted, Thomas J. Olenych Scipio Town Clerk