Citizens for an Informed Yorktown

 

Town Board

September 6, 2016

 

1. Resignations/retirements

Police:  Daniel McMahon, Chief of Police; John LaPlaca, Lieutenant

Building:   John Winter, Building Inspector

Library:Maureen Davis, Reference Librarian

Tax:  Nancy Calicchia, Senior Clerk

 

2. Appointments/Staff

Police:   Robert Noble, Chief of Police. (Salary was not made available.)

Engineering: Michael Quinn, Town Engineer. (Mr. Quinn was appointed to the position on a provisional basis on March 15, 2016. The new appointment, at the same $145,000 salary, includes a 12 month probationary period effective September 7, 2016.

Water:  Kenneth Rundle as provisional Distribution Superintendent (salary $105,000)

Highway:  A new tree trimmer

Water:  Adam Cerrato, as a Heavy Machine Equipment Operator (a transfer from an MEO position in Highway)

Parks:  Bryan O’Keefe as Groundskeeper at a salary of $49,217, a promotion from laborer

 

3. Appointments: Industrial and Commercial Incentive Board

Michael Ciniscolo, Clifford Weber, Joseph Visconti, Matthew Bloom, Jeffrey Jankowski, and Robert Giordano, alternate.

 

Supervisor Grace explained that the committee’s tasks will be to come up with a plan and map for how the 485b incentive plan should be implemented and also to recommend grant opportunities for revitalizing the town’s commercial base.  He said that most of the members were new to participating in town affairs and that given their expertise in real estate and finance they represented “new blood” and “fresh ideas.”

 

3. Recycling

Kim Angliss Gage, head of the Refuse and Recycling Department, announced that plastic milk and juice cartons can now be added to recycling bins.

 

4. 2015 Financial Audit

Representatives of O’Connor Davies, the town’s outside auditor, gave a brief summary of the 2015 audit. Their opinion: the town is in good financial shape and in a good position to weather the continuing slow recovery.  They reported that spending was less than budgeted and revenue came in higher. Supervisor Grace said he saw staple tax rates for the next two years.

 

In response to a question from Susan Siegel, the person writing this summary, during courtesy of the floor as to why only $954,000 of Spectra’s $1.5 million 2015 payment was allocated to 2015, Supervisor Grace said that the license agreement covered a two year period. (Siegel had previously stated that the license agreement did not specify how the money was to be allocated over a specified period of time.)

 

5. Public hearings on tax related issues

The board opened and closed two public hearings: one to change the deadline for filing applications for STAR exemptions, and a second to change the taxable status date.  The changes for both laws were supported by Town Assessor Kim Penner in order to increase the efficiency of the department.

 

There were no public comments. The board voted to adopt the amendments to both laws.

 

6. Request for Proposals (RFP) for new land use attorney.

In a 4-1 vote with Councilman Patel voting No, the board approved advertising an RFP for new outside counsel for the Planning Board.  When Councilman Patel asked why the supervisor was proposing the RFP, Supervisor Grace responded that some board members were looking to make a change.

 

7. Advertise bids relating to sewage treatment plant

Emergency generators: In a change from previous bids which were for one year, with the option to renew for another year, the new bid specs will be for a two year contract with the option for one 2-year renewal. The specs will also have two rates; one for basic annual service, and a second hourly rate when responding to emergencies. The Sewer Department has 15 generators. Town Engineer Quinn said he hoped that the longer contract term would result in lower costs.

 

Sludge removal: The board extended the existing contract to remove dewatered sludge for 60 days and voted to advertise for a new bid.  As part of the discussion, Mr. Quinn and Ed Mahoney, Assistant Plant Superintendent explained that they will be looking into the cost of removing sludge that has not been dewatered and will compare the pros and cons of both options.

 

8. Police cars

The board authorized advertising bids for the purchase of unmarked vehicles for the Police Department.

 

9. Land donation and parkland designation

The board declared five parcels in the Mohegan Lake area near Turus Lane totaling 3.5 acres as parkland. The land was donated to the town by Dornach Development. (For related activity on the parcels, see Planning Board meeting summary for Kelderhouse/Dornach.)

 

10. Jefferson Valley Mall/Dicks Sporting Goods

The board authorized the issuance of a temporary CO for the store in the event all site plan improvements have not been made before the store is ready to open for business.

 

11. Courtesy of the Floor

Roma Building: After Maria Flotta thanked Supervisor Grace, Councilman Diana and Town Attorney McDermott for their efforts to resolve the situation, Supervisor Grace said that as part of the lawsuit that led the DEC to take over the  remediation, the town would be receiving $25,000 and an additional sum (Councilman Diana said possibly $15,000) for some still to be determined public amenity.   Mr. Diana estimated that the remediation work was 1/3 to 1/2  completed.

 

YCCC bathrooms: Gil Kaufmann, speaking for the Senior Advisory Committee, expressed the group’s frustration at the lack of action on using the $100,000 state grant to upgrade the bathrooms, adding, “please let’s get something done.“ In response, Supervisor Grace said that an August meeting with Planning Director Tegeder to discuss the issue had to be cancelled but that the issue would be taken up at the next committee meeting.

 

12. Selected other resolutions

Alarm contract: Extended for an additional year the contract with Marshall Alarm Systems for servicing and monitoring town alarm systems.

 

Police stipend: Authorized a stipend of $280.76 per pay period for police sergeant Julianne Vicinanza to perform the duties of Administrative Sergeant of the department’s detective bureau.

 

Note: There will be no board meeting on Tuesday, September 13th because of the primary election. The next meeting will be September 20th.