Town Board Meeting Minutes – June 2016

The Regular Town Board Meeting was held on June 2, 2016 at 7:00pm at the Town of Rochester Town Hall.

PRESENT:
Supervisor Chipman Councilwoman Chachkin Councilwoman Fornino
Councilman Drabkin Councilman Spano Town Clerk Gundberg
Attorney Christiana

PLEDGE:

Supervisor Chipman opened the meeting and led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD:
No comments made.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

A Motion was made by Councilwoman Fornino to approve the minutes of the 5/5/2016 Regular Town Board Meeting and the 5/26/2016 Audit/ Workshop Meeting.

Seconded by: Councilwoman Chachkin 5-0aye, motion carried

SUPERVISOR’S REPORT:

The Rondout/ Rochester Creek plans include decommissioning 2 lakes in the Town of Rochester. The “Mooney” lake located on Mettacahonts and the “ Woorly Development” lake off Roberts Dr.

LIAISION COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Councilwoman Chachkin: Planning Board: 5/9 meeting granted approval for Tobacco Road subdivision. A public hearing has been scheduled for expanded use at Acorn School. Pre-application for an Agriculture Tourism site on Samsonville Rd.
ZRC: at 5/20 meeting decided to hold off on the large scale solar and started working on short term rentals and digital signs.
Councilwoman Fornino: Youth Commission: end of the year celebration scheduled for 6/10. From 6/6-6/10 yard sale at the community center to scholarship the summer program. Summer baseball camp 7/25-8/9.
Councilman Drabkin: nothing to report
Councilman Spano: nothing to report
Supervisor Chipman: HPC: HARP meeting the group discussed positive things associated with Main St. Accord & what will be feasible.

NEW/ OLD BUSINESS:

CHIPS:
Resolution #92-2016:

A Motion was made by Councilwoman Chachkin that $ 63,015.88 of budgeted funds be spent for road repairs to allow funding for CHIPS( PAVE NY).

Seconded by: Councilman Spano 5-0aye, motion carried

SPECIAL EVENTS AT WOODSTOCK ANIMAL SANCTUARY:

Supervisor Chipman stated that the animal Sanctuary is debating on holding a special event of over 1500 people which would need Board approval but nothing has been submitted yet.

PHONE SYSTEM:

Supervisor Chipman stated the phone lines are finally digital and hoping for a quote to bring before the Board by the next meeting.

LARGE SCALE SOLAR:

Supervisor Chipman stated he would like to dedicate the audit meeting to the Large Scale Solar. Supervisor Chipman asked the board how they felt on solar businesses such as Cypress Creek attending the meeting and discuss decommissioning plans, solar farms, and their perspectives. Supervisor Chipman would also like to see firemen attend to discuss safety issues.

Councilman Drabkin stated that the Board should get ahold of John Dawson regarding solar businesses as well. He had mentioned a few people at the April meeting.

It was agreed to have the ZRC hold off on working on the large scale solar.

Councilman Spano stated that the businesses would be here for 1 agenda only and as long as the Board looks at all perspectives he has no problem with them attending.

HIRE OF CONSTABLE:

The Board reviewed the constable application.
Resolution # 93-2016:

A Motion was made by Councilman Drabkin to hire Ronald Plocek preliminary subject to background check at a rate of $ 12.00 per hour.

Seconded by: Councilwoman Chachkin

Discussion:

The Board discussed the maximum amount of hours to hire Constable and at whose discretion.

A Motion was made by Councilman Spano to amend the previous motion and state that contingent on completed background check, the Town Board hire Ronald Plocek as Town Constable with a maximum of 16 hours per week at the discretion of Chief Constable Miller or the Town Supervisor with a rate of pay of $ 12.00 per hour.

Seconded by: Councilman Drabkin 5-0aye, motion carried

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD:

Charlie Fischer asked about the rate of pay for the Constable compared to other salaries of Town employees. He also stated that he felt Town employees should live in the Town.

Mike Baden stated that NYS just released a model law for Large Scale Solar. He believes it was very well done, short and sweet 4 pages in total.

The Town Board asked to go into recess at 7: 35pm with the Town Attorney and include Highway Superintendent Wayne Kelder.

The Board reconvened the meeting at 8:30pm.

Chief Constable Miller told the Board that the applicant already passed the background check and the rate initially discussed was $ 10 per hour until probationary period was complete.

RESCINDING RESOLUTION HIRING TOWN CONSTABLE:
Resolution # 94-2016:

A Motion was made by Councilwoman Chachkin to rescind Resolution # 93-2016.

Seconded by: Councilman Drabkin 5-0aye, motion carried

HIRING OF TOWN CONSTABLE:
Resolution # 95-2016:

A Motion was made by Councilman Spano to Hire Ronald Plocek as a Town Constable for a probation period of 6 months at a rate of $ 10 per hour with a maximum of 16 hours per week at the discretion of Chief Constable or the Town of Rochester Supervisor.

Seconded by: Councilwoman Chachkin 5-0aye, motion carried.

PAYING OF CASING’S BILL:
Resolution # 96-2016:

A Motion was made by Supervisor Chipman to pay the Casings bill.

Seconded by: Councilman Drabkin 5-0 aye, motion carried

AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS:

Resolution # 97-2016:

A Motion was made by Councilwoman Chachkin that monthly revenue expense/ revenue reports will be reviewed quarterly and placed on the agenda for the July, October and April Audit/Workshop meetings for the Town Board to review and discuss in order to gauge budget projections.

Seconded by: Councilman Spano 5-0aye, motion carried

Resolution # 98-2016:

A Motion was made by Councilman Spano and Seconded by Councilwoman Chachkin that;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Town of Rochester adopts the following policies relating to internal controls for employee compensation;

1. The Highway Department employee time cards be forwarded to the Supervisor’s Office for review and secure storage along with the completed work sheet with updated computations for vacation, sick, and personal hours earned. All time cards must be properly signed and time stamped for proper payroll processing. It will be the Supervisor’s responsibility to confirm all calculations as per the highway employee’s bargaining agreement. No payroll check will be created without authorization of the Highway Superintendent and Town Supervisor or their duly appointed designees.
2. Overtime for all Town employees must only be granted with written authorization by the Town Supervisor for general fund employees and by the Highway Superintendent for highway employees with an explanation for such overtime being allocated on the overtime authorization form.
3. Overtime shall only be granted when an employee actually reports for work more than 40 hours. Be it further resolved that on-call status for the Deputy Highway Superintendent during the absence of Highway Superintendent does not constitute actual time at work and compensation will not be received unless said employee must report for duty. Be it further noted that the Deputy Highway Superintendent receives a stipend for extra duties as well as a higher rate of pay per hour as per the bargaining agreement as a foreman.
4. The Town Board will randomly audit both general and highway payroll at least twice a year to monitor accuracy and adherence to proper procedures.
5. All seasonal and part-time highway employees are not covered under the collective bargaining agreement and thus should not be paid a guaranteed minimum for reporting for work. Said employees are to be paid for only the hours that they have worked.

ADJOURNMENT:

A Motion was made by Councilman Drabkin to adjourn the meeting at 8:40pm.

Seconded by: Councilwoman Fornino 5-0aye, motion carried
Respectfully Submitted,

Kathleen A. Gundberg
Town Clerk