Dec. 14, 2011                            Work Session                                            6:30 PM

Deputy Supervisor Mohun along with Councilmen Frounick, Gadd and George audited the Highway, General Fund and Special District claims. Discussed with Highway Superintendent Czworka the excavator. Mr. Czworka had prices on a wheeled excavator, a new Hitachi for $200,000 and a used 2009 Volvo with 75 hours on it for $190,000, also discussed a chipper and road side mowing. Board Members discussed dates and times for the year-end meeting, January Re-organizational/ Regular Meeting and the date for Town Board Members to audit the town’s financial records.

 

Dec. 14, 2011                                  Regular Meeting                                     7:30 PM

In the absence of Supervisor Grant (attending another meeting in Warsaw), Deputy Supervisor Mohun declared the meeting open and asked Councilman Frounick to lead the pledge to the flag. Present were Councilmen George, Frounick and Gadd, also Highway Superintendent Czworka and Planning Board Chairman Bob Gadd.

Deputy Supervisor Mohun opened the public hearing to consider the Harris Corners Fire Company By-Law Revision.

Minutes of the November and the Public Hearing held Oct. 19th to consider the Harris Corners Fire & Ambulance Contract. Deputy Supervisor Mohun asked if any corrections or amendments.  Motion made by Frounick/Gadd to accept the minutes as presented. Voting all ayes, carried.

Financial Matters:

General Fund claim #336 – 375 totaling $22,940.94 presented.  Motion made by George/Frounick to approve the General Fund claims, voting all ayes, carried.

 

Highway claims #330 -354 totaling $165,165.81 presented.  Motion made by Gadd/George to approve the highway claims, voting all ayes, carried.

Special District Claims: Cowlesville Water District claims #65-72 totaling $2190.87 and Cowlesville Street Light claim #12 ($165.73) presented.  Motion made by Frounick/Gadd to approve the special district claims, voting all ayes, carried.

Supervisor Financial Report: No report, bookkeeper had a problem running it.

Correspondence: Thank you note read from former Highway Superintendent Rick Jensen thanking Board Members for the Memorial Brick and organizing his retirement party.

Certified copy of the November 8th election results for Bennington.

Notice from the Wyo. County Planning Board of their meeting schedule for 2012.

Letter dated Nov. 30th from the Niagara County Department of Social Services re: Release of Lien re: Paulsen vs Spink, Town of Bennington.

Zoning Officer Kelly’s list of zoning permits to date for 2011.

Notice from Billie Jo’s Enterprises of their renewal application for an On-Premise Alcoholic Beverage License.

Letter dated Nov. 11th from Michael Mohun, Kern Road read re: The installation of 840 feet of twelve inch HDPE pipe, as well as a catch basin, on his property at 344 Kern Road forcing the drain off water from his property to a culvert pipe to the West. This was done because his neighbor refused to allow the town to install a 20 foot culvert pipe under a town right of way in front of his property, but has complained about water supposedly draining onto his property from Mr. Mohun’s property.

Town Clerk’s monthly report.

Letter dated Nov. 28th from Wyoming County Soil & Water Conservation District re: Agriculture District 30 Day Open Enrollment.

Town has received a copy of the Agricultural District #4, 2011 Final Report from Wyo. County Soil & Water Conservation District.

Deputy Supervisor Mohun read an Invitation to Troop 474, Eagle Court of Honor, Friday, January 6th, 7 PM at the Town Hall. RSVP’s required by Dec. 28th.

Report dated Nov. 7th from Assessor Wittmeyer re: American Tower Assessment Challenge.

Letter from NYS, Div. of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. State Office of Emergency Management re: Payment to the town of $6793.52  for the Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes and Straight-Line Winds of April/May 2010. (Federal share is $5,823.02 and State share is $970.50).

Departments: Highway: Speed zone postings in Cowlesville. Letter read from the State of New York, Department of Transportation re: Traffic conditions on Bullis, Urf and Lapp Roads. The State did a study and recommended that Urf Road be posted at 30 mph from Rt. 354 and a point 0.5 mile southerly, Bullis be posted at 35 mph between Rt. 354 and the Erie County line and Lapp Road be posted at 40 mph between Rt. 354 and a point  0.5 mile northerly. The state DOT is looking for town approval before processing the official orders. This doesn’t address an area speed limit for the roads within the hamlet. Supervisor Grant and County Highway Superintendent discussed the matter and are going to have a conference call with the Mr. Goehring from the state DOT. Short discussion held.

Zoning: New Home Occupation permits received from Ellen Czarniak, (A&E Embroidery) at 1045 Graff Road and Patricia Babin, (Canine Country Grooming) at 1109 Graff Road. Motion made by Gadd/Frounick to approve their applications. Voting all ayes, carried.

Public Concerns: Nothing

Old Business: None

New Business: 2012 Intermunicipal Medical Center Board Agreement – Same contract as in previous years. After a short discussion, a motion was made by Frounick/George to approve the contract, voting all ayes, carried.

Eagle Systems – Maintenance agreement for the Kyocera copier in the amount of $395 - Councilman Gadd feels should be under warranty for the first year.  After short discussion, a motion was made by Gadd/George to table until the year-end meeting and check on it. Voting all ayes, carried.

Comments on the Harris Corners Fire Company By-Laws Certificate of  Amendment which would allow the Harris Corners Fire Company to operate  as at tax-exempt corporation under  501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code:  Deputy Supervisor Mohun asked if any comments. There were 3  persons in attendance, only one Harris Corners Fireman (Ron Janish). There were no comments made. Motion made by Gadd/Frounick to close the Public Hearing, voting all ayes, carried.  Public Hearing closed at 8:04 PM. Motion then made by George/Frounick to approve the By-Laws Certificate of Amendment for the Harris Corners Fire Company, voting all ayes, carried.

Set dates for year-end meeting; Re-Organizational/Regular January Meeting and the Date to Audit  the Town’s Financial Records. Motion made by Councilman Gadd to hold the Year-end Meeting on Dec. 28th at 7 PM; the Re-Organizational/Regular January meeting on Jan. 4th with a Work Session beginning at 6:30 PM, Re-Organizational Meeting at 7 PM and the Regular January Meeting to follow; and to schedule the Audit for the Town’s Financial Records on Jan. 11th starting at 6 PM. Motion was seconded by Councilman George, voting all ayes, carried.

Approve contracting with Don Przybyl for auditing the 2011 Financial Records – Motion made by Frounick/Gadd to contract with Mr. Przybyl to audit the town’s financial records. Voting all ayes, carried.

Approve Holiday Hours – All town offices be closed Dec. 24 & 26th, Transfer Station will be open on Dec. 24th from 8AM to 2PM as usual. Councilman George if also when advertising could advertise for an alternate member on the ZBA. Motion made by George/Frounick to approve the closings and advertise such.

Councilman Frounick stated he received a complaint from a resident who called the County Dog Control Officer to pick up a dog, all they got was the answering machine, left a message and never received a return call, they called the sheriff’s office and was told that the deputies are not allowed to pick-up dogs and was informed that that was happening a lot. Short discussion held. Clerk will discuss with Supervisor Grant.

Mr. Robert Gadd, Chairman of the Town’s Planning Board was asked if he had anything for the Town Board. Mr. Gadd reported that they plan on working on the Comprehensive Plan next year, suppose to be updated every 2 years, hasn’t been done in a while. He would like copies made so that each Planning Board Member has one.

Councilman George stated that now that the town has a zoning officer and a deputy zoning officer, shouldn’t one of them make it to the meetings. Clerk reported that they both were here tonight. Mr. George asked if they are both always here at the same time or are they at the point where one can be here by herself now. Clerk reported that most recently, they have been here at the same time.  Mr. George feels need to address that. Councilman Frounick feels that after the first of the year, need to give them schedules. Councilman Gadd also feels that one of them should be at the meetings. Short discussion held. Deputy Supervisor Mohun reported that Zoning Officer Kelly did inquire about the deputy’s duties and thinks that a job description and duties sheet was given to her, also that she (Kari) had questions about who’s responsible it was  to determine the deputy’s hours and things like that. Ms. Mohun gave the clerk a copy of the job description/duties info to give to Supervisor Grant. Deputy Supervisor Mohun and Councilman Frounick feel that Supervisor Grant should set the deputy’s hours.

There being no further business, a motion was made by Gadd to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:26 PM.                      

 

                                                                                                Respectfully submitted,

 

                                                                                                Judith Brown, Town Clerk