Regular
Meeting
Supervisor Grant declared the meeting open and
asked Councilman George to lead the pledge to the flag. Present were Council
Members Frounick, George and Mohun,
Councilman Gadd absent, he did leave a message on the
answering machine stating he might not be able to make it.
Minutes of the February Meeting - Supervisor
Grant asked if any corrections or amendments.
Motion made by George to accept the minutes as presented, seconded by Mohun, voting all ayes, carried.
General Fund claims #60 - 89 totaling $24,213.36 presented. Motion made by Frounick, seconded by George to approve the General Fund
claims, voting all ayes, carried.
Highway
claims #34
- 56 totaling $41,541.73 presented. Motion made by Mohun,
seconded by Frounick to approve the highway claims
submitted. Voting all ayes, carried.
Special
District claims:
Cowlesville Water District claims #10 - 13 totaling $965.84; Cowlesville Street
Lighting claim #2 - $184.00 and Fire Contract claims:
Supervisor Grant asked for approval of the
following inter-fund transfers, to repay monies transferred at an earlier date
to Cowlesville Water District and to town Highway Fund: To transfer from
Cowlesville Water District into General Fund $20,000; to transfer from Highway
Fund $53,349.34 and from Cowlesville Water $49,927.99, a total of $103,277.33
to be transferred into the General Fund. Councilman George questioned the
language used to make the transfers, wants to make sure it’s correct. After short
discussion, a motion was made by George, seconded by Mohun
to table the transfers until next month, voting all ayes, carried.
Correspondence:
Listing of the 2008 Officers and the Annual 2007
Financial Report received from the Varysburg Fire
Department.
Certified notice received from Quiet Times Golf
Course notifying the town of their intent to renew their beer and wine license.
Notice of Complaint on Tentative Special
Franchise Assessment for the year 2008 submitted by Citizens Telecommunications
Co. of NY to
the NYS Board of Real Property Tax Services.
Certificate of Liability Insurance naming the
Town of
Certificate of Workers’ Compensation Insurance
naming the Town of
Notice from the Town of
Notice from NYS Office of Real Property Tax
Services that the final equalization rate for
Memo read from Assessor Wittmeyer
re: NYS Budget Proposals.
Supervisor Grant has received the 2007 Tax Collection.
Minutes from the
US Rural Development’s 2007 Progress Report.
Information from Tompkins Insurance on
Regulation 87
PERMA Public Employees booklet on Worker’s Comp.
- News for Public Employers
Departments:
Highway: Bids for New Front End Loader opened
earlier this evening and were as follows:
Bidder
Brand Bid Trade In Net cost
Vantage Equip
Volvo $135,185.18 $33,000 $102,185.18
Milton Cat. Caterpillar 147,869.00 22,000 125,869.00
Baschman Ser. Liugong 113,560.00 35,000 78,560.00
All bidders had the non-collusive bidding
certificate.
Superintendent Jensen reported he wanted to
review the bids, make sure they met specs and will make a recommendation to the
board next month.
Park: Councilman Frounick reported that the lawn mower at the park needs
some serious attention, has a severe oil leak, also reported that the work on
the building is all done except for two vents. Councilman Frounick
will see that the lawn mower gets in for repair. He was also authorized to have
it serviced at the same time.
Transfer
station -
Discussion held on what to do about the compactor situation. Motion made by
George, seconded by Mohun to bite the bullet, call
Waste Management and get a new compactor ordered. Councilman Frounick reminded the board that it must be able to work in
our set-up. After further discussion, Mr. George rescinded his original motion
and made a motion to get a contract for a new compactor with option for a
multi-year payment schedule if possible and have for next month. Council Member
Mohun seconded the motion, voting all ayes. Carried. Waste Management’s originally submitted a purchase
price of $19,890.25 for a 3 yard compactor.
Clerk reported that right now town has to pay to
get rid of newspapers, Abitiby is willing to bring in
2 dumpsters for paper collection only, the town could
make a little money instead of having to pay to get rid of newspaper. Only
problem is they only take newspaper, magazines, junk mail, no
cardboard. Motion made by Mohun, seconded by Frounick to
try it for 6 months, see what happens. Voting all ayes,
carried.
Zoning: Home Occupations
renewals submitted by: Arthur Thomas (Counterpoint Holdings,LLC);
Arthur Buckley (The Bettinoll Company, LLC); Merlyn
Bissell (M.E. Bissell Law Office); Lawrence Zygaj,
Surveyor (Lawrence Zygaj, PLS,PC); John Brandon
(AERIE Design Services);Ronald Christopher (Cheektowaga Hunting); Richard LeFort (Custom Beds and Tables); Kelly Napieralski
(Kelly’s Cakes & Goodies); Michael Mohun (Law
Office of Michael M. Mohun); Nathan DeGroot (There’s No End Game Calls); Diane Lautenschlager (D&L Toy Trains); Paul Dersam (Alden Real Estate Group); Susan Knapp (Page One
Public Relations); and Alan Linsey (Precision
Cylinder Head). No complaints received on any of them. Motion made by Frounick,
seconded by George to approve the renewal of the above applications, voting all
ayes, carried.
Special
Use Renewal applications
received from Nathan DeGroot and Ray Reiner, both
applied for 3 year renewals. No complaints received on either of them. Motion
made by Frounick, seconded by Mohun
to renew Mr. DeGroot’s and Mr. Reiner’s application
for 3 years, voting all ayes, carried.
Historical
Society - Claudia Hojnacki
gave a presentation on what the Historical Society has discussed and planned
for a Veteran’s Memorial in
Joanne Mitchell stated they will also need money
for advertising, could the town help out. Short discussion held, maybe could
advertise in May along with Big Trash.
Supervisor Grant reported that she was at the
museum and it looks very nice, with the new carpet and stove, Board Members
should try and get down there to see how nice it looks.
Assessment: Assessor Whittmeyer reported that today, they removed the part in
the state budget above doing away with Elected Assessors and Tax Collectors,
but that doesn’t mean they won’t put it back in, also the senior citizens that
no longer have to file the 1040 federal tax form will NOT be eligible for the
Presidents Stimulus rebate unless this year they file a 1040 form. You have to
file the form to be eligible to get the rebate and many of these seniors won’t
know this and there is no way of contacting them, only get the word out by
mouth. After a discussion, a motion was made by Frounick,
seconded by George to run a small ad in the Pennysaver
to alert the senior citizens. The seniors can get help with this at the Office
for the Aging and also Esther Guylas is advertising this
service for $10.
Public
Concerns:
Claudia Mahoney just wanted to introduce herself, she is the General Manager for Frontier
Communications Solutions offering telephone and high speed internet in this
area, works with the 547 exchange.
Old
Business:
Planning Board Vacancy: Dan Krzesinski, Deborah Kipp and Deb Nye have applied for the position. Board
interviewed two of the 3 candidates tonight, Deb Nye is the current Alternate
and Deborah Kipp is the present Secretary. Motion
made by Mohun to appoint Dan Krzesinki
as the alternate member and Deb Nye to a 5 year term on the Planning Board,
seconded by Frounick. Council Members Mohun and Frounick voted Aye,
Councilman George and Supervisor Grant voted No. Motion then made by Councilman
George to table the appointment until next month, seconded by Mohun, voting all ayes, carried.
Sub-Division
Law -
Supervisor Grant reported that she has not received anything back from the town
attorney yet but that the town has to vote one way or another due to the time
frame, must make a decision within 30 days after the public hearing. She asked
for a motion to table, approve or dis-approve pending
the findings/comments of the town attorney.
Councilman Frounick doesn’t like the law,
feels too much responsibility put on the highway superintendent, which in his
opinion should be done by the town and will vote no. After a discussion a motion was made by
George to vote on the adoption of the sub-division law. No one voted aye -
there were 4 nays. Sub-Division law defeated at this time. Supervisor Grant
stated that the town can re-schedule another public hearing pending the
comments of the town attorney. After a short discussion, a motion was made by
George seconded by Mohun to re-schedule a public
hearing for the May meeting. Voting all ayes, carried.
Prosecutor
Position -
Supervisor Grant reported that since the Wyo. County District Attorney felt
that appointing Vince Hemming (
New
Business:
Sheriff’s Department Lease - Sub-Division for 2008 - Supervisor Grant stated
that it’s the same contract as other years, $600/year and they pay half of the
internet. Motion made by George,
seconded by Mohun to renew the Sheriff’s contract for
2008 and authorize the supervisor to execute same, voting all ayes, carried.
Right to
Farm Law -
Supervisor Grant reported that other towns are putting together a Right to Farm
Law, it’s more for public relations since the Ag
Districts have more teeth in their law. The law she put together is the same as
Sheldon’s except in Section 7, where Sheldon’s called for a committee to
consist of members from the Zoning Board, Planning Board and one from the Town
Board and since our town does not have a farmer on either the Zoning or
Planning Boards, she changed the wording to read “Members of the Planning Board and two
appointed officials, one from the Town Board and one from the agriculture
community”. Motion made by George to schedule a public hearing for the April
Meeting, also to advertise for letters of intent from residents in the
agriculture community to serve on this committee. Motion seconded by Frounick, voting all ayes, carried.
Aflac Insurance option - Supervisor Grant
reported she was contacted by a representative from Aflac
and they would like to come out and discuss with town employees a pre-tax
medical disability payroll option.
Motion made by George authorizing the supervisor to set up a meeting to
be held after working hours, seconded by Mohun,
voting all ayes, carried.
Councilman Frounick
reported that the Park Maintenance person, Dante Caselli
in the past was authorized $50 spending limit in his budget, asked if couldn’t
bring his limit up to what ever his budget is, he never abuses it, but once in
a while he has to buy the spray to kill the weeds which is more expensive.
After a short discussion, a motion was made by Frounick
to give him full use of his budget, seconded by George, voting all ayes,
carried. Supervisor Grant asked
Councilman Frounick if he could ask Mr Casselli to take care of the
poison oak up there also.
Council Member Mohun,
would like to schedule a meeting with Brad Jones on Wind Energy here at the
Town Hall on April 3rd. Met with him and he’s available. Councilman George asked if the town wants to
start these meetings with pros & cons, right now he’s on the fence (can go
either way), also feels the town should keep the meetings to just people
affiliated with the state. After a short discussion, decided that maybe this
meeting should be held at the bowling alley, if possible. Council Member Mohun will check and see if they can’t have the meeting
there. Councilman George agreed to split the cost of the advertising with her.
There being no further business, a motion was
made by Mohun, seconded by George to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at
Respectfully
submitted:
Judith
Brown, Town
Clerk