Town of Rochester Town Board
Regular Meeting
April 4, 2023 – revised 4-3-2023
Immediately following public hearings
Harold Lipton Community Center
15 Tobacco Road, Accord, NY
As of4-3-2023
To View the Meeting
Livestream Broadcast on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg7ykop50cWmqPFUpgDjRSQ
I. Call to Order – Pledge to the Flag – Roll Call
II. Resolutions
A. Acceptance of Agenda
Recommended Resolution: The Town Board accepts the agenda, as prepared by the Town Supervisor.
B. SEQRA Determination LL5-2023
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Boarddetermines Local Law 5-2023 will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment and should be classified as a Type II Action under the following 6 NYCRR Part 617 criteria. No further SEQRA review is required.
617.5 (c)(26), routine or continuing agency administration and management, not including new
programs or major reordering of priorities that may affect the environment.
C. Consideration of LL5-2023
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Board adopts Local Law 5-2023, a local law amending Chapter 128, Taxation of the Code of the Town of Rochester, and requests the Town Clerk file notice with the NY Department of State.
III. Supervisor’s Financial Report
• February and March 2023 report – Filed with the Town Clerk
March 2023 Financials
Revenue March 2023
General Fund $TBD
Highway Fund $TBD
Capital Fund $TBD
Expenditures
Abstract 15-2022
General Fund $10,724.84
Abstract 3-2023
General Fund $66,415.71
Highway Fund $110,202.20
Capital Fund $40,000.00
Street Lighting Fund $316.69
Ambulance Fund $0.00
Escrow Fund $5,702.50
Total Expenditures March 2023
General Fund $TBD
Highway Fund $TBD
IV. Supervisor’s Correspondence Report
V. Supervisor’s Update
a. Grant Updates
1. LGRMIF – Building Dept./Code Enforcement record conversion
2. NY Rising – Alligerville Firehouse, Harold Lipton Community Center
3. BridgeNY – Boice Mill Road Bridge
4. JCAP Courthouse bathroom grant
b. Sylvan Glades Water District – Liberty Utilities
c. 2022 AUD Report
d. TOR Agricultural Advisory Committee
e. O&W Rail Trail
f. Napanoch Paper Mill – DEC
g. UCRRA
VI. Attorney for the Town Report
VII. Town Clerk/Tax Collector Report
VIII. Highway Supt. Report
IX. Dept. Updates/Liaison Reports
X. TPublic Comment
To Comment in the Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88452237557?pwd=TXFWODdZeDAvcmVCR0ZQazFaS2NuUT09
or Dialin Number: 929 205 6099 Meeting ID: 884 5223 7557 Passscode: 289553
XI. Town Board Opportunity to Respond to Public Comment
XII. Town Board Member Time – Other Matters
XIII. Resolutions
D. Action on Minutes
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Board accepts the minutes of theFebruary 23 Public Hearings, March 2 Public Hearings, March2Business Meeting, March 23 Workshop meeting, and March 30 Audit meeting, as presented
E. Authorization for Prepayment of Escrow Voucher
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Board authorizes the Town Supervisor to make prepayment for the April audit of vouchers totaling $1,287.81 to be paid to CPL from the Escrow Account.
F. Acceptance of Donations
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Board accepts donation of $49,30 from St. Pauli Textiles and $350.00 from the Stewart’s Holiday Match.
G. Acceptance of Donations
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Board accepts donations of $65.00 from the Kerhonkson Accord Jewish Senior Citizens, $50.00 from Elaine an d Melvin Tapper, $50.00 from Alice Gray, and $131.00 in cash donations from various donors at the St. Patrick’s Day luncheon..
H. Acceptance of Donation
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Board accepts donations of $2,500.00 from the Michael Oremus Foundation for the 2023 Summer program.
I. Appointment to Board of Assessment Review
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Board appoints Claude Suhl to serve as a member of the Board of Assessment Review for a term ending September 30, 2027
J. Appointment to Ethics Board
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Board appoints Stephan Roberts to serve as a member of the Ethics Board for a term ending December 31, 2027
K. Change in Employment Position
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Board authorizes the Town Supervisor to request a change in employee position to the Ulster County Personnel office changing the Fire Inspector position held by Michael Banach from less than 15 hours per week to 20 hours per week. There is no change required in budget.
L. Declaring Town of Rochester as a Pollinator Pathway Chapter
Recommended Resolution:
WHEREAS, Bees and other pollinators are a crucial component of a healthy ecosystem and a vital link in our food system, providing the pollination responsible for over three quarters of the world’s plant species, and
WHEREAS, pollinator populations are in sharp decline due to human land use practices that are causing ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation, the expansion of pesticide use by consumers and professionals, and
WHEREAS, guidelines for land management best practice are available which allow residents, businesses, farms, and towns to manage their land in ways that increase pollinator forage and nest sites while decreasing maintenance costs, and
WHEREAS, recent scientific research supports the benefits of restoring and reconnecting isolated areas of habitats.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town of Rochester is hereby declared a Pollinator Pathway Community and that the town tasks the Environmental Conservation Commission with managing the Town of Rochester Pollinator Pathway project to help establish a network of pollinator friendly properties in the Town of Rochester.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Town of Rochester will set an example by seeking to adopt the pollinator-friendly practices below:
1. Plant more native plant species, especially those that provide forage for pollinators;
2. Avoid the use of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides for aesthetics; and do not plant flowering plants treated with systemic insecticides or use seeds coated with systemic neonicotinoids;
3. Reduce area dedicated to managed turf lawns, converting this area to pollinator friendly plantings when possible; and adopt organic or chemical-free lawn and landscaping practices, including allowing plant stalks, seed heads and fallen leaves and pine needles to remain through fall and winter, when possible, to provide habitat, food for birds, soil nourishment, and to give important protection needed by overwintering pollinators.
M. Introduction of Local Law _ of 2023
Recommended Resolution: The Town of Rochester Town Board sets a public hearing to be held Thursday May 4, 2023 at 6:30 pm on the matter of Local Law _ of 2023, a local law extending until October 1, 2023 the moratorium established with local law 3-2022 prohibiting certain land use development in the Town of Rochester. The Town Clerk is requested to circulate legal nptice of the public hearing and to submit such local law to the Ulster County Planning Board and Town of Rochester Planning Board for comment.
XIV. Discussion – possible resolutions
L. Boards and Commissions vacancies
M. Climate Smart Communities Committee
N. UICTC Transportation Funding Opportunities
O. Amendment to Chapter 132, Vehicles and Traffic
XV. In Memoriam
Bobbi Ercoline
Robert Keagle
Neil Zimmerman
Jimmy Ostrander
Donna Coombs
Ron Irwin
Daniel Miller
John Terranova Jr.
The people of Ukraine
XVI. Adjournment