The March Town Board Meeting was held on March 5, 2015 at 7pm 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 Colin Mc Donough led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
No comments made.
SUPERVISOR’S UPDATE /CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED:
Supervisor Chipman chaired the UC Supervisor meeting inviting Highway Superintendent and Police Chiefs from Ulster County. The purpose of the meeting was brain storming ideas on shared services and working together on the 1 % decrease on taxes for the 2016 year. Some good ideas mentioned were consolidation health plans county-wide, a centralized municipal courthouse, central location for dispatching with police departments. Supervisor Chipman stated that we want to send a message loud and clear to Albany that on a local government level we are trying to do our best to hit the 1% reduction, but we are being punished with increased state mandates.
Report from the Town of Rochester Food Pantry;
Thanked the Town for all their support! For the 2014 year $ 34,692 meals were served, approximately 20 tons of food. This averaged to be 25% of the Town Residents.
SUPERVISORS REPORT: filed with the Town Clerk
LEGAL UPDATE: Nothing to report.
LIASION REPORTS:
Councilwoman Chachkin: PB & HPC: no meetings held.
Councilwoman Fornino: The St. Patrick’s Day luncheon will be held on 3/11/2015 11:30-1:00pm. The Town purchased a 2003 school bus hope to be able to get it next week.
Councilman Drabkin: nothing to report.
Councilman Spano: nothing to report
Supervisor Chipman: Assessor’s office: Big thank you to Mike Dunham and Angie Hasbrouck for working hard on getting exemptions in and contacting residents. Supervisor Chipman spoke with Acting Assessor Mike Dunham and he agreed to stay on until the final roll is completed July 1, 2015. At that time the board can make a decision where to go from there as far as hiring. Supervisor Chipman also discussed with Mike Dunham moving grievance day to the last Thursday in May. Carl will be in contact with Zali Win, Chair of the BOAR to make sure this date will work for all parties involved.
SCHEDULED PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED LOCAL LAW # 1-2015: GRIEVANCE DAY:
Resolution # 47 -2015:
A Motion was made by Councilman Spano to schedule a public hearing for local law # 1-2015: Grievance Day for March 26, 2015 at 5:30pm at the Town of Rochester Town Hall and further authorize the Town Clerk to advertise the same.
Seconded by: Councilwoman Chachkin 5-0aye, motion carried
Proposed Local Law # 1-2015: Establishing a date for the meeting of the Town of Rochester Board of Assessment Review other than that provided in subdivision 1 of section 512 of the real property tax law.
BE IT ENACTED by the Town Board of the Town of Rochester as follows:
Section1. Pursuant to, and in accordance with, the provisions of the New York State Municipal Home Rule Las and the New York State Real Property Tax Law Section 512(1-a), the Town Board of the Town of Rochester, which is an assessing unit which employs an acting assessor who is at the same time employed by other assessing units, hereby establishes a date for the meeting of the Town of Rochester Board of Assessment Review other than that provided in Section 512 of the Real Property Tax Law. The Town Board of the Town of Rochester hereby establishes May 28th, and so many days thereafter as the Town of Rochester Board of Assessment Review deems necessary, as the date(s) for the meeting of the Town of Rochester Board of Assessment Review.
Section2. This local law shall take effect immediately upon filing in the office of the Clerk of the Town of Rochester, the secretary of State of New York and the New York State Commissioner of Tax and Finance.
APPOINTMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION COMMISSION:
Resolution # 48-2015:
A Motion was made by Councilman Drabkin to appoint Colin Mc Donough to the ECC with a term to expire 12/31/2015.
Seconded by: Councilwoman Chachkin 5-0aye, motion carried
APPOINTMENT TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION:
Resolution # 49-2015:
A Motion was made by Councilwoman Chachkin to appoint Howard Kagan to the HPC with a term to expire 12/31/2017.
Seconded by: Councilman Spano 5-0aye, motion carried
TOWN OF ROCHESTER SIGNAGE:
Councilman Drabkin received a price listing from Cynthia Gillespie from the Department of Corrections for the Town of Rochester signs. The Board agreed to order one to see the quality of the sign.
TELECOMMUNICATION CELL TOWER FEE:
Resolution # 50-2015:
A Motion was made by Councilman Spano to set the registration fee for Cell Towers at
$ 1500.00 (this is based on $ 500.00 per year for 3 yrs.).
Seconded by: Councilwoman Fornino 5-0aye, motion carried
ZONING MAP:
Supervisor Chipman stated that he studied the properties located in the R2 zoning district located on and adjacent to Route 44/55. The following 4 landowners of the parcels listed below were amendable with the zoning district change to AR-3, and supportive of an agriculture business in that located area.
76.3-2-35.11 31 acres
76.3-2-36.1 25 acres
84.2-1-45 17.6 acres
76.3-2-32 17.5 acres
Attorney Christiana is going to put together the law. Once the Law is in written form Supervisor Chipman will schedule a special meeting to advertise for the public hearing of the zoning map change.
CLOVE ROAD BRIDGE:
Supervisor Chipman stated that received an e-mail from the Town of Gardiner Supervisor asking the Town of Rochester to support the following resolution;
WHEREAS, the Town of Gardiner maintains a bridge along Clove Road over the Coxing Kill and;
WHEREAS, Clove Road is a thoroughfare that connects the Town of Gardiner with the Town of Rochester, the Town of Marbletown, and Mohonk Preserve at Coxing Kill; and
WHEREAS, Clove Road provides a means of access between the communities and serves residents of both communities; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Gardiner has received correspondence from the New York State Department of Transportation ( NYSDOT) that an inspection of the Clove Road Bridge has determined that the backwalls on each end of the bridge are severely deteriorated and that the stone masonry retaining wall is severely deteriorated; and
WHEREAS, the NYSDOT is requiring that the road and bridge either be: a. closed, b. posted; or c. repaired; and
WHEREAS, The Town of Gardiner has received a preliminary estimate of $ 500,000.00 as the cost of repairing the bridge and bringing into compliance with NYSDOT requirements; and
WHEREAS, The Town of Gardiner has notified this Town Board that given the significant cost of the repair and upgrades that it is considering closing Clove Road and the bridge permanently.
IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Rochester Town Board is opposed to the closure of Clove Road and Clove Road Bridge and objects to said closure.
Councilman Spano stated if the bridge is in such disrepair then why are we in support of this resolution? It is a public safety hazard.
Supervisor Chipman stated he is going to amend the resolution to state that we are in support of repairs to the bridge, and support the Town of Gardiner needing aid in making such repairs.
The Board tabled the resolution until next month.
GILES EDWARD ESTATE:
A Motion was made by Councilman Spano to authorize Attorney Christiana to start the proceedings demanding the cleanup of said condemned property located at 5001 Route 209 Accord, NY 12404.
Seconded by: Councilwoman Chachkin 5-0aye, motion carried
TRANSFER STATION:
Councilman Drabkin reported February RRA invoices reveals the following:
C&D
13 TL of C&D @ 116.94 per ton – We are charging $110
Average weight (without compacting) is now 4.5 Tons* – In 2013 it was 5.96 Tons
*and that includes snow
Household
2 TL of 35# Bag @ 111.16 per ton – We are charging $1.75 cost now $1.945
Good news: Fuel surcharge is down from 7-7.5% to 4.25%
Councilman Drabkin’s recommendation was to increase the C/D to $ 130.00 per ton.
Resolution #51 -2015:
A Motion was made by Councilman Drabkin effective April 1, 2015 the C/D and MSW fee will increased to $ 130.00 per ton.
Seconded by: Councilman Spano 5-0aye, motion carried
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD:
ADJOURNMENT:
A Motion was made by Supervisor Chipman to adjourn the meeting at 8:02pm in memory of Cynthia Stokes. She was a great friend and co-worker. The Town owes a lot to her dedication, when she became the Town Assessor she put 32 million dollars of assessed value on our tax roll. She will be irreplaceable and greatly missed!
Seconded by: Councilman Drabkin 5-0aye, motion carried
Respectfully Submitted,
Kathleen A. Gundberg
Town Clerk