June 12, 2018 Town Board Meeting

News Feed

Town Board Meeting 6/12/18

My Notes
(blanks mean inaudible)

1. Dick Voehnringer passed away.
2. The Union Fire Company is here honoring Edward Uline for 70 years of service. Motion passed unanimously.
3. Mr. Richard Voehnringer proclaimation was read. Motion made and passed unanimously.
4. Correspondence: The town received a thank you letter from Saratoga PLAN for the $2500 contribution.
5. Reports given:
• Building Inspector, Brian, gave report: 19 ______, 24 ______, 118 inspections, 15 fire inspections, _______applications 2, 7 planning board applications, 2 major subdivisions, plus more that were inaudible.

• Library Report given by Kelly: repairs to roof and to the a/c were discussed, summer programs can be registered for online or at the library. More, but inaudible.

• Kim Kotkowski gave report on sewer committee and on engineering committee:
- Sewer committee report: 135 easements are filed with county, 60 are outstanding. Meeting with Dock Association tomorrow nite. The new sewer law will not be ready until the end of 2018 to see a final product, not next month as was reported in the newspaper.

- Engineering committee report: Received permits for wetlands, comments for final plans received and being adjusted.

6. Farmland Protection Committee report by Kelly Jasinski: Supervisor said the owner of the old Grand Union plaza is willing to open up his parking lot to the farmers market. Kelly will get contact info from the supervisor.

7. Supervisor discussed the audit close-out: Supervisor worked with Jeannette, said the auditor was positive, all has been filed with the state. Financial condition is very good as stated by the auditor. Jeannette did a lot of hard work to get us where we are today. Budget workshops will be forthcoming with schedules for that coming out. The numbers came together better from a few years ago, no material weaknesses…all per the auditor.

8. Jeannette: regarding the audit, there’s a library account that the supervisor doesn’t sign on so that needs to be addressed. Much more discussion, see town clerk minutes. There’s a laptop that was purchased that is missing, we need to find out where that is. It is June and budget time is upon us.

9. Supervisor discussed the whole value of an employee: Jeannette put together the full value of employees , for example ss cost, medicare, ny state retirement system, medical deductibe reimbursement, etc…breaking down total salary and benefits, putting together a pie chart. Wants to do a cover letter for this comp package and send it to each employee of the town to show the full value of each employee position. Asked the board what they think of it. Mr. Goslin said it’s good.

10. Resolution 18-119 passed unanimously.

11. Supervisors Report:
-parade was a success
-attended 100 yr. celebration of BH Fire Dept
-attended groundbreaking ceremony of new Firehouse
-new school program has been implemented that has deputy’s in schools
-closed on Firemans Grove today at 3pm
-attended Mary Egans ceremony at Stevens school
-The VA wants to build an apartment building on Wakeman Road. A non-alcoholic venue. They have 19 employees and per diem workers that provide services to veterans.
-CVS opened. The old CVS building has interest from O’Riley Auto parts.
-Rick Reynolds, town historian, has another arch. Dig scheduled for 6/30 at Anchor Diamond Park.
-Kelch Family made sign at Anchor Diamond Park with the eagle scouts
project and planted shrubs. Will reimburse for costs, about $100.
-The town has had an intern, Seth Gulley (?spelling), for the last 3 months.
He just finished a report to give to his school guidance counselor. He sat in
on county committee and board meetings, saw the process of the Rt. 50
sewer referendum, was in on the sewer vote tally, went to a town board exec.
Session, and worked with the town attorney.
- landscaping looks great at town hall

12. Tonites exec. session will discuss litigation, and contract litigation. Will have expected action.

13. Mr. Goslin report: echos Tims comments on parade, and wants to thank Jeannette for helping with parade.

14. Mr. Antoski report: Stewarts construction begins when? Answer: this week. The gas needs to be shut off before demolition. Also, asked if CVS and Stewarts can coordinate lighting. A man from the planning board was in the audience and he said he had no comment.

15. Ms. Stewart: thanked Kelly Jasinski for minutes on Parkland committee. Hard at work for master plan with C-T Male. Schreider and Rotary will be working this weekend on a Kiosk for __________park and for mansion site that they are working with Rick on. Two eagle projects: picnic area and benches at Anchor Diamond Park. We thank our eagle scouts for that, we’ll recognize them. Need to find a contractor to work on the pavilion at Firemans Grove. The facility has been being used all along, now that the town owns it we should have it checked out and improved before we open it up. The committee is working on policy for renting the facility at Firemans Grove. It’s a concern to me that we’re bound to honor the contracts we already have to rent the facility but yet the facility needs work. Tim said that the cost for F. Grove was $145,000 but they withheld $20,000 until storage sheds are cleaned out and a trailer removed. Joann Devoe is planning to work on starting a paddle boat historical tour on Ballston Lake, and maybe kayaks and pontoon boats.

16. Mr. Curtiss: This stretch of weather we’ve had for the last month we haven’t seen in years and farmers are ahead as a result. Also, the county fair lost it’s executive director, Jeff. This is a huge loss, there will still be a fair this year. There is an interim director and resumes are being accepted for replacement.

17. Zoning Update: talked extensively about this at the agenda meeting and will continue at next agenda meeting.

18. Mr. Goslin: Carpenters Acres report: Map Plan and Report is being worked on by engineers.

19. Water Committee and Dolomite will be discussed in executive session.

20. Code Enforcement: There have been 6 complaints of tall grass. Ballston Hotel included. Letters were sent. Supervisors opinion is that the town is not in the lawn mowing business, it’s an expense for the tax payers—he wants to keep sending letters out. “ What is the language in the letter?” asks Mr. Antoski, “ What happens if people do not comply? “ The town attorney will review the letter.

Privilege of the Floor for Resolutions: No one spoke.

Resolutions 18-119,120,121,122 all passed unanimously.

18-123: The extension of gas line to Goode St. to the new Firehouse, the town hall and the highway garage. Much discussion:

Mr. Goslin did research and found that gas costs 1/3 the cost of propane. Will be cheaper for the town than the current propane. The payback will be about three years. Discussion then about how once a gas line is run, anyone can come along afterwards and tap into it for free. Mr. Goslin said it isn’t fair to make the firehouse pay the proposed 50% of the cost since the size of the town hall is larger than the firehouse, and the size of the highway dept is larger than the firehouse. Supervisor proposed to have firehouse pay 1/3 of the cost instead of 50% of the cost. Mr. Goslin said that if the town pays 2/3 of $88,000, the payback is then 5 years instead of 3 years. Goslin: “ It isn’t fair for the fire company to pay $44,000 when they are faced with paying for the building of the fire department and everything else. “ Mr. Antoski asked to have time to double check that Mr. Goslins numbers are correct, and asked “ So it’s free for the town hall and the garage to hook-up if the fire department pays the $88,000?” Answer: Yes. Supervisor said he wants to vote tonite. Mr. Goslin makes motion to pay 2/3 and fire dept pay 1/3. Tim seconds it. 3 vote in favor (Stewart, Goslin, Supervisor). Mr. Curtiss wants time to get more information. Ms. Stewart said “this was discussed last month, there’s no reason to distrust Mr. Goslin’s information, I’d like to see us investigate solar options for electricity but we had several weeks to gather the info we needed, I don’t know what more info that would be gathered between now and the next meeting that couldn’t have been gathered between the last meeting and this meeting. “ Tim: we have one abstention from Mr. Antoski and one NO vote from Mr. Curtiss, motion passes.

Res. 18-124: approving costs recommended by Jenkins Park advisory board. Motion passed unanimously.

Res. 18-125: Joe Whalen requested to reimburse Kelch family to reimburse $100. Passed unanimously.

Privilege of the Floor:

1. Kelly Jasinsky, 150 Middleline Road. Discussed geothermal use.
2. Susan Robbiano, 201 Kingsley Road. Is it true that the Spinney group was denied the zoning change to put 265 senior living apartments on Middleline and Wakeman Road? Supervisor said he’s not sure, but he’ll follow through.
3. Jeannette ________________, inaudible address, talked about the parade. Fundraising was a challenge.
4. A man, inaudible name and address. Thanked board for support. He’s on _____ building committee, the board saved them $15,000.

Motion to go into Exec. Session.