The regular monthly meeting of the Town of Tompkins Town Board was called to order at 7:00 pm in the Town meeting room, Trout Creek, NY. With William Layton leading in the Flag salute.
Present:
- William Layton – Supervisor
- Howard Buttel – Councilperson
- Peggy Backus – Councilperson – Absent
- Brian Albanese – Councilperson
- Tim LaTourette – Councilperson
Others:
- Michelle Phoenix – Town Clerk
- Nancy Roberts – Bookkeeper to the supervisor
- Ronald VanValkenburg – Highway Superintendent
- Scott Piesecki – Town Resident
- James Hutton – Town Resident
- Carl Stuendel – Town Resident – Operator of the Town website
Opening of Stone crushing bids-
Clark – $3 per ton
Northern Crushing LLC – $2.90 per ton
E R Pope Excavating – $2.99 per ton.
On motion by Buttel, seconded by Albanese to accept the low bid of $2.90 from Northern Crushing LLC.
Vote: All Ayes
Guest Speakers:
Carl Stuendel – Carl advised the board he would no longer be running the website after December 2014 – Carl stated he had received an interest from another resident of the Town some time back but has not heard any more from them. After much discussion Brian Albanese agreed to post the minutes on the website via linking the minutes that have already been wrote up by Michelle in a PDF format. Brian and Carl agreed to meet and discuss the process.
Scott Piesecki and James Hutton – Stated they were here to follow up and advise the Board on their findings with the Hancock Transfer station.
Minutes Approval:
On motion by LaTourette, Seconded by Buttel, it was moved to approve the minutes from the Public Hearing for the 2015 Budget held on November 6, 2014
Vote: All Ayes – Motion Carried
On motion by LaTourette, seconded by Buttel, it was moved to approve the minutes of the regular board meeting held on November 6, 2014.
Vote: All AYEs – Motion Carried.
Monthly Financial Reports:
Town Clerk –
On motion by Buttel, seconded by LaTourette, it was moved to receive, approve and place on file the Town Clerk monthly report for November 2014.
Vote: All AYEs – Motion carried.
Supervisor’s Report –
On motion by Albanese, seconded by LaTourette, it was moved to approve and place on file the supervisor’s financial report for November 2014.
Vote: All AYEs – Motion carried.
Other Reports:
Planning Board – None
Assessor – Provided
Highway Superintendent –
- When Ron and the guys arrived on Thanksgiving morning as they opened the door to the shop they noticed the building was filled with smoke, Upon investigating they found that one of the trucks had caught on fire around the battery box but had luckily burned its self out. Ron contacted the simplex and had them come out and check the system and it was found that it had failed. They repaired what they could and we have received a bill for $3200.
- Bill had contacted fye-fyter a fire alarm system company they come and checked the system and stated it would cost apx $1000 to get the system up and running properly. – The board will discuss on what should be done and review options for a new or repaired system.
- Ron will be purchasing 16 tires.
- Repairs have been done on various trucks.
- Ron asked the board if he could get another phone line in the shop for a dedicated fax line. Bill stated he will look it to the cost.
Dog Control Officer – None
Supervisor –
- Applied for a grant through the CWC for the Storm water retrofit in the amount of $24,054.41 for operation and maintenance of stormwater. This is a onetime grant and the funds must last 20years. It was discussed that someone will need to be hired after further discussion it was tabled until next month.
- Michelle had received an anonymous call from someone upset with Ron and the personal use of the Town Trucks. The Board discussed this issue with Ron
- On motion by LaTourette, Seconded by Buttel, To approve Resolution 12 – 2014 stating that the Town of Tompkins Town Board herewith provides written consent for the abandonment of a portion of Rock Rift Mountain Road extending from a point in said Rock Rift Mountain Road, said point being 1.1± miles north along the said Rock Rift Mountain Road from its intersection with Readburn Road and being further described as the northern most intersection of the Rock Rift Mountain Road with the southwesterly property line of the Sal and Michael Calabrese property (tax map number 354.-1-7) as it exists in 2014, northerly through the premises of Sal and Michael Calabrese, Gertrude Trask, Phyllis Schiippel and Linda Trask, Rock Rift LLC, and Starlight Forests LLC, to its current northern terminus at Readburn Road.
Vote: All Ayes
Correspondence: None
Other:
Hancock Transfer Station – James Hutton and Scott Piesecki stated they have done some investigating on this issue and it seems that the Transfer station is unorganized. They had gone there many times and observed many people coming in without tags and nothing is done about it. They also observed that Truck loads of garbage were coming in and just dumping the garbage in one big pile and there was no separation of recyclables. They noted that one pickup truck that had a very large load one day dumped and then was there again two days later with the same amount of garbage, Scott stated this could not have been one residents garbage for a week. Scott also stated he had went to the Town of Hancock and went through the list of people that had purchased tags and was pretty sure that all that dump at the transfer station were not on the list for purchasing tags.
Brian Albanese stated that it sounds like the town of Hancock has to be more responsible of a better policy for the tag purchasing and the policing of such at the transfer stating. Brian felt that we should contact the Town of Hancock and advise them we are paying X amount of dollars and it is their responsibility to fix their issues and policing of the tags and their facility. Brian suggested they can charge the Town of Tompkins residents a $10 fee and the Town of Hancock be responsible for collecting this and the employees of the Transfer station enforcing that only those with tags.
The Board agreed it would be beneficial to hold a meeting with the Town of Hancock Supervisor and all other interested parties.
Creamery Purchase – The Board discussed the purchase of the creamery from the sewer district, so that it can continue to be used for cold storage for the town equipment. Bill will contact CWC with questions.
The board discussed once again to set up a meeting with the Hancock Rural Fire District Commissioners. Bill, Michelle and Luther Higley have all tried to find out who is in charge of the Fire District budget, when they call the Town of Hancock they are told to call the Village, when they contact the Village they are told to contact the Town. Luther has tried numerous times to find out who exactly are their commissioners and has yet to get an answer, between Luther, Bill and Michelle and the attempts to get these answers they are all told from the Village and Town that no one knows who the fire commissioners are. Michelle contacted the Hancock Fire chief and he stated who he thought they were but was not totally sure and that he thought they were down 2 commissioners. Luther has also been told that the commissioners will no longer be holding meetings for 2014, but when he contacted someone else about the issue he was told they are having a meeting this month. Then he received word that that meeting was going to be canceled. After much more discussion about this issue, while Bill attempts to set up a meeting with the Town of Hancock for the Transfer stations issues he will also try and get a meeting set up at the same time to involve the Hancock Rural fire district commissioners, And any village/Town employees. Bill contacted Christa Schafer – Clerk for the Del Co Board of Supervisors and she had stated she received the Hancock rural fire district budget from the Village of Hancock.
Sewer District:
On motion by LaTourette, Seconded by Albanese to approve the Abstract of Claims for December 8, 2014 for the sewer district in the amount of $5526.13
Vote – All Ayes – motion carried
On motion by Albanese, seconded by Layton it was moved to approve the 2015 sewer district Budget
Vote: All Ayes – Motion Carried
On motion by Layton, seconded by Albanese it was moved to approve change order #10
Vote: All Ayes – Motion Carried
On Motion by Albanese, seconded by Buttel it was moved to approve pay application #19
Vote: All ayes – Motion carried
The November sewer district worker report was provided for the board to review.
Michelle advised the board the need to get the snow plowing and shoveling done for the driveways and entryways to the pump stations. The Board agreed to put the bids out in the paper. On December 29th Michelle will open the bids and scan and send them to the Board via email. Via Email the board will motion on their acceptance of the winning bid.
On motion by Albanese, Seconded by Layton to renew the Administrative agreement between Michelle and the Town to run from January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2015
Vote: All ayes – Motion carried.
Abstract of Claims:
On motion by LaTourette, seconded by Layton, it was moved to approve the Abstract of Claims for December 8, 2014 as follows:
General Fund: $23948.87
Highway Fund: $71369.73
Vote: All AYEs – Motion carried.
Meeting adjourned at 10:00PM
Next Meeting to be held on January 12, 2014 – Starting at 6:00
________________________________
Date: December 8, 2014
Michelle Phoenix
Town of Tompkins
Town Clerk
Town of Tompkins in New York's Delaware County 