Town Board

December 15, 2020

 

Absent:  Councilman Diana

 

CLOSED SESSION

Personnel about the employment f a particular person and litigation and negotiaitons with the town attorney

 

REGULAR SESSION

 

1. Appointments

Recreation Commission. Patrick Cumiskey was reappointed and Christine Dunn was appointed.

 

2. Courtesy of the Floor

Hallocks Mill Road. Mara Ziedens asked the board to do something about safety issues on the street, including the lack of enforcement of the ban on trucks on the street. In response, Supervisor Slater said that the town has looked into this in the past and that it should be looked at again by the outside traffic consultant the board is thinking of hiring in 2021. Highway Superintendent Paganelli said that based on his earlier review of traffic, most of the traffic is coming from Connecticut and that a simple solution would be to make the street one way. He added that any solution to the problem involved both    positives and negatives.

 

Senior Center. On behalf of the Senior Advisory Committee, Rosemarie Panio thanked the board for its vote to create a senior center.

 

Tax incentives. Susan Siegel, the person writing this summary, asked the board if it had decided whether it should opt out of a state law that would automatically grant 15 year tax incentives to developers of battery storage facilities and solar farms. In response Supervisor Slater said he has discussed the law with the town assessor and that the board needed to be educated on the issue.

 

Fluoridation. Calling attention to the health benefits of fluoridation as well as the cost to residents when the town’s water supply is not fluoridated, Dr. Carl Tegtmeier asked the board to proceed with the project. When Susan Siegel, the person writing this summary, asked the board to vote during the meeting on a resolution authorizing the additional $70,000 needed to complete the project, Supervisor Slater explained that the board needed more time to consider how to cover the additional cost. Councilwoman Roker said that the board has not said “no” to the project.

 

3. 2021 Budget/Public hearing

(See Town Board 12-1-2020.) The board reconvened the hearing. Mark Lieberman and Susan Siegel, the only two speakers, asked the board if it was going to revise the budget to use the more accurate actual 2020 tax rates levied in April, 2020 when comparing the tax impact of the 2021 budget to 2020 taxes on all relevant pages in the budget book.  They pointed out that when the actual 2020 tax rates were used instead of the tax rates that were budgeted, the typical taxpayer with water and a house assessed at $10,000 would see a 2021 increase of $3.36 instead of a tax decrease of $13.03.

 

Most the discussion centered on the water district budget:  While Councilwoman Roker said that she had been assured by Water Superintendent Rundle that the budget reflected his department’s needs, Ms. Siegel pointed to the board’s previous discussions of the department’s many infrastructure needs and questioned why the board was lowering the water tax rate.

 

The board closed the hearing and adopted the preliminary 2021 budget without making any changes, noting that now was not to time to have any increase in taxes. It was not clear whether any changes would be made to the 2020 tax rates.

 

4. 1917 Commerce Street/BP gas station/public hearing

(See Planning Board 11-23-2020.)  Mr. Tegeder discussed the issues in the Planning Board’s memo, adding that the town was concerned about improving the overall appearance of Commerce Street as new applications came in for review and approval.. The applicant advised the board that he did not think there was room for a monument sign but said he would consider a double pole sign.  He also advised the board that he planned to repaint the building white and would address the sign issue.  The board advised the applicant to work with the Planning Department and return to the Planning Board before the Town Board took up the issue again.

 

In response to Jay Kopstein’s comments about the lack of compliance with both New York State and town codes, the board noted that in the absence of any town law prohibiting parking on Commerce Street, the town had no authority to deal with the parking issue. It did note, however, that the Building Department should look into the clothing collection bins that appeared to be in violation of the town code that requires these facilities to be licensed by the town.

 

The hearing was adjourned.

 

5. 3205 Crompond Road/Mobil Gas Station/ Public hearing.

(See Planning Board 11-23-2020.) Due to the absence of the applicant because of a family emergency, the board decided not to open the hearing. It did, however, advise the applicant to appear before the Planning Board and ABACA before the Town Board opened the hearing.

 

6. Selected Resolutions

 AAA  Carting. The board extended the existing contract for one year at the same terms and conditions in the original contract.

 

Staff vacation time. The board authorized a long list of employees to carry over unused 2020 vacation time.

 

Worker’s Compensation. The board authorized a budget transfer of $34,217 from the Highway fund balance to cover worker compensation costs.

 

Obsolete vehicles and equipment. The board authorized putting up for auction a list of obsolete and no longer needed vehicles and equipment.