Full Text
Scipio Town Board Meeting Wednesday July 8, 2015 This regular meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, July 8, 2015 by Supervisor Janet Reohr with the following people present: Supervisor: Janet Reohr Town Clerk: Tom Olenych Council Members: Howard Nelson Highway: Mark Chamberlain Greg Rury Keith Welch Gary Whitten Visitors: Erica Heim, Pat White, Gary Mutchler, Ron Curvin and Heather Garner, town assessor. Supervisor Reohr reviewed the agenda. Review and approval of minutes: Motion: to approve the minutes for the June 10, 2015 board meeting as corrected. (Rury/Whitten) All in favor. Star Exemption discussion: Erica Heim who owns Lakeview Manor trailer park spoke to the board to voice her dissatisfaction with Heather Garner’s lack of responsiveness regarding the basic STAR Exemption some of the residents of the park should have received. She stated she tried contacting Heather by phone and e-mail as early as December of 2014 but never got any response or help from Heather until after the March 1, 2015 deadline. As a result six residents of the trailer park did not receive their basic STAR Exemption for 2014. The town board asked that Heather be more responsive in the future as all of this could have been avoided had she made any effort to contact Erica and straighten this out before the March 1, 2015 deadline. Opendore Project grant: Pat White spoke to the board regarding the progress of the Opendore project. She shared with the board some photos of work being done and she also showed an architect’s drawing of the building plan with shaded areas designating phase III of the project. Pat also had a draft letter she asked the town board members to sign, stating the board will lend its support to the Howland Stone Store Museum’s 2015 EPF Grant application request in the amount $150,000.00 to support the continued development of the Opendore project. Resolution to support the EPF grant. (Reohr / Whitten) All in favor Cork Street road damage: ---PAGE BREAK--- Janet reported that Dave Thurston the town attorney spoke with Bob Barry, who has represented the VanNostrands in the past and whose law office still does work for the VanNostrands, to say the town has not yet gotten a response to the letter that was mailed to the VanNostrands in June. It was decided Dave Thurston would write the VanNostrands a second more strongly worded letter expressing the town’s concern at the lack of response from them and to once again convey to the VanNostrands the town’s desire to settle this matter through the VanNostrands insurance company and not the courts. Howard Nelson suggested a group forum between the farmers and other members of the community to discuss farm related road damage and to see if there are ways to avoid these situations in the future. It was decided that a letter to the agricultural community would be a better means of communication at the present time. Howard Nelson will draft a letter with Mark Chamberlain’s input. Heather Garner could supply an ag exemption list which could be used as a mailing list. Possible Fund Balance use to cover costs of Cork St. damage: The subject of splitting some of the costs for the repairs to Cork St. between the highway fund and the general fund was brought up. Janet Reohr indicated she opposes this because it sets a bad precedent. Keith Welch suggested nothing be done at the present time because the town will not know for sure the full cost of repairs until there is a resolution to this between the town and the VanNostrands. To date the cost is $24,000.00 which includes $9,000.00 to $10,000.00 for 11 loads of patch, 8 from the town of Venice and 3 from the town of Genoa. Mark said he will need another $30,000.00 for chip and oil. By shuffling rotations Mark can come up with $20,000.00 to be applied to these repairs. Resolution on Town expenses for new driveways: A resolution, attached, was adopted by the town board, effective immediately upon approval , to limit the amount of gravel the town will provide in the construction of new driveways. It was resolved that the town would provide the first load of gravel, approximately 20 tons, at no charge to the land owner. The culvert and all remaining gravel needed would be purchased by the land owner. (Reohr / Welch) All in favor. Supervisor’s report: • Setting speed limits on town roads, which had been discussed at the June 10th. 2015 town board meeting will not be pursued by the town. ---PAGE BREAK--- Highway Department Report: • The town crews have been busy patching Cork Street, mowing, ditching, setting tile and helping other towns. Clerk’s report: • The board moved to have the town clerk purchase an exterior bulletin board. Tom would purchase this with his credit card and submit a voucher to the town to be reimbursed. • Tom will contact the printer/copier company so a review of the town’s contract with them can be reviewed. Code officer’s report: • Review of Code Officer’s report. Attached. Assessor’s Report: • Heather has been busy doing field reviews and home visits. Motion: To approve the supervisor’s fiscal report. (Reohr/ Whitten) All in favor. Other business: • Howard Nelson talked about the solar project saying he has heard back from Solarize NY and we are on their list of 110 possible sites being considered for their solar panel project. Motion: to have Bill Hall install a vent in the transfer station office sometime before winter. Mark Chamberlain will look into the dimensions and the style vent to be installed. (Welch/Nelson) All in favor. Motion: to approve vouchers as follows: General Fund #107 - 119 $13,103.16 (Welch/Nelson) All in favor Highway #61 – 71 $13,786.04 (Welch/Nelson) All in favor Motion: to adjourn at 9:41 pm (Whitten) Respectfully submitted, Tom Olenych Town Clerk ---PAGE BREAK---