Oh yeah.
Welcome everybody to our board meeting. Stand to the flag.
Okay. Roll call. >> Um, Mr.
» Mr. Johnson >> here.
» Mr. Hbert >> here.
» Mr. Warden >> here. Uh, communications.
» Uh, yeah. I have one. Uh, I'd like to suggest to the board that uh we update
the fee schedule for the clerk's office to incorporate a $10 fee for arms checks
as we recently had an issue and also to uh incorporate the uh uh dog license
late fee increase from $5 to $6 into the fee schedule as a future topic.
That's all. >> Okay. Thank you.
Okay. We're going to go right to open forum. Guest shall speak in an orderly
fashion or limited remarks of five time minutes or less. The speaker shall
deliver their comments or concerns in a civil tone without the use of profanity,
personal attacks, or other disruptive behavior which may result in offenders
removal from the meeting. The speaker shall not be interrupted except for
matter of urgency. Would anybody like to speak tonight?
Okay. All right. We're going to move right on
then. We're going to go to 5.1 wastewater
treatment plant updates. Old business.
So, we have the monthly update for the board from Barton and Lejudice.
Uh, one what? One payup and an invoice from Barton and Leudus.
Does anybody have any questions on those items? Um, are we ever going to
get that uh one one pump station that we don't control yet before the project's
over with or >> not?
» I was talking with Leen about that earlier today. I'm working on that with
her. >> Then I got to get back to Nate on the
acquisition.
Alex, do I understand what you're saying is that we're moving forward with with
the I mean that that's the goal, >> correct?
» Okay.
All right. Everybody's all set with that. We'll move on.
» I am. >> All right. 5.2 comprehensive plan
update. Text my gov update. Uh you got some background information.
Uh the committee met on August 11th last
Tuesday and they covered a lot of topics.
It's a pretty energetic group of people. Uh they want to make sure that as many
people has input in the comp plan as possible. So they got a note a lot of
things they've been doing here. Uh we got a spokesperson. We got Chris
Bodc. He's going to have media event sometime here and we're lucky to have uh
Lauren Brooks because he has media contacts so that's all falling into
place. I guess the biggest hangup we're having
is uh getting information on the grant money. Uh the state is not returning our
calls to get information what we have the rules and regulations we have to
follow follow and such. It's just a radio silence with them. So, uh, that's
where we stand on that. I think I don't know what the deal is. U, Renee
is making all the contact calls and stuff and she's just not getting nothing
back as far as I can tell. >> No, not yet.
» But I don't know how long we go or get close to budget season. I think as a
backup plan, we should possibly feel like we're going to fund
or fund it ourselves and not count on the grant. not falling into place.
Other than that, uh we have our next meeting coming up on September 15th, the
conference with meeting or group there. And our next meeting with CERS
themselves is the end of September, September 28th.
» Okay, everybody get the mailer. >> I got mine today.
» I got yours today. >> I got mine yesterday.
» I got mine yesterday. >> Yeah, I got mine yesterday.
Okay. Well, they're out there. >> Yeah.
» Probably see the surveys jump up now. Hopefully. That's our whole plan.
Surveys. >> All right. Any questions for
Dan? >> Yeah.
» And the uh >> the text mic of tomorrow at 10:00 is
when the text message is going out to 11,000 people in the town.
» All at the same time. >> All at the same time. I want to be
standing next to a whole bunch of phones go off.
» That's what's supposed to happen. >> All right, perfect. Let's get it going.
All right. Anything else? Good. All right. We're going to move on then. 5.3.
Clerk's office financials.
» Uh yeah, I have a letter that I'm sure you've read. Uh financials are a little
bit more present as of June. And uh currently Tim is over 28.75 hours and
$56810. I'm uh predicting a possible $750 by the
end of the year. And I have uh two lines I have suggested to venture the money
from.
Do you have um
the amounts from each line that you want to transfer to to to cover that 750. I
didn't see a breakdown of which line item you wanted. There were two you
wanted to pull it from, but I don't know how much.
» Uh, I can come up with that. I see what you guys wanted to do first.
» So, I I discussed this with Tom about using contractual money and personnel
lines and he says it can be done. It's usually not done towards the end of the
year. If you're going to run short towards the end of the year, then the
board can do it by resolution to move the money from contractual to cover a
personnel line. But they want to make sure he usually says most municipalities
wait till towards the end of the year to make sure whatever contracts contractual
lines are being used for what they need to be used for so you're not shorting
that line.
» What What is that was the other question um Adam that I was going to ask you
about is what what are the the budgets of $5,000 and $6,000
what made up those amounts and because I see that the records management is a
budget of 5,000 and it has 97% remaining and the central store room of five of
$6,000 has just over 74% remaining. So, uh, what makes up those line items and
are do you expect to use them? >> Well, this year we've been moving
through it slowly, obviously. Um, and I would be mindful of making sure that we
would have the funds to transfer. Uh, the central store room is basically
office supplies and things like that. Records management is just a bit of a
catchall for certain other supplies that are more related to the records room
than the office.
» Okay, Adam. They're both supply line items.
» Yeah. >> Distinction between the two is what?
» Central store room is office supplies >> and and what's the other one? if it's
supplies. What? Give me an example of what that would be.
» Uh well, off the top of my head, um I I really don't use a lot of money from
this and haven't yet. Uh just if we need uh books or binders to put minutes in or
things like that, >> right? And and and I agree with you that
there's there was budgeted $5,000 in there, you've used $150
» and we're in August. >> Yeah. So yeah, I was just trying to
understand what was in there and what would the expectation to be to have
monies in that line item at the end of the year. It seems like you may if
that's what it is >> and you're still
you're only you've got 70 what 4% left of your supply line budget.
» Mhm. >> Okay.
Does the board wish uh for the next meeting I will have budget transfers
for you to review and approve by resolution to fix some of the lines in
the budget? Do you want this or do you want to wait to see where it goes?
What is your recommendation, Adam? I know your letter
just states that you want to transfer them, but there is no
there's no time frame in that letter. So that I'm just want to know what your
recommendation is. You want to do it now or do you want to do it later?
» Uh I I figured we would wait until November, December. There's no harm in
that unless uh the board advises otherwise or Tom has a suggestion for
that. >> I think Tom's suggestion is to wait.
That would be that would be my thought. I I have no objection of, you know,
going with his recommendation. I just didn't see what Adam was. So, I'm fine
with waiting. So, no, Kevin, don't don't include it from
my point of view. >> The lines that I'm going to include are
ones that are short. Obviously, this line is not short now. So, understood.
» Okay. >> Yeah.
» So, you're just giving us a heads up. I mean,
» correct. >> Because I got I got the idea we had to
get this done soon. No, I think I I think the discussion was where are we
just because we knew it was over, but we didn't no one realized what the dollar
amount was. I think now that Adam's identified that and how we'll manage
that in the remainder of the year, it's just being vigilant to it so we don't
get the surprise in December.
I just I don't want it to go un
um as far as the process goes, the checks
and balance part of it. Um there's got to be, you know, what's the process,
Adam, that you're going to be putting in place that you're author, you've
authorized these expenditures that are over the line item without authorization
to spend the money. So at some I I would like to see a
written policy from you to the board on what your department policy is on
when you when you know that you're asking him to work more hours. That's a
that's going to translate into a line item expenditure and how how are you
dealing with that throughout the year?
» Do you mean to hunt down a policy or suggest a policy? Is that what you're
asking? That's what I'm asking for is to to see or for you to develop a
department policy on how you're handling all your line items, not just this, but
uh when you're when you're doing something that's going to be over
budget, how is your department handling that?
» Okay. As far as I know, there is, but I can come up with something to suggest
for that. >> Okay.
All right, we're going to move on. Everybody's good with that?
» Yep. >> All right. 5.4 Hometown Heroes. Uh Luke
couldn't make it tonight. Um everybody see the information that he has there.
We can uh we can put it on next meeting. >> Let him discuss.
» I'm sure he'd like to be here for that. >> Okay. So, we're going to table that till
the next meeting. Uh 5.5 department head probation discussion.
Uh you want me to put that back on there for this meeting?
Do you want to discuss it tonight or do you want to
table it for the whole board?
» I have no issue with tableing it for the for for the whole board.
So till next meeting we can just do it in the same.
» Yeah I think I think we should for the whole so for so when everyone's here I
think that discussion should include everyone.
Okay. Oh, >> I I
had sent um I did see that >> and not to interject, I don't want to
put that in because we're not going to discuss it. But one of the things I
didn't do um I didn't send was a a template for
um for the department head a whole outline issue for the a template for the
department head position with those items kind of broken out into different
sections and if you're interested with for that I
can forward that on. I would I would be >> because I I did read what you what you
had sent and and again not to carry on that conversation tonight, but I would
like to see that template. If you put that together and send that out, that'd
be great. >> I will.
» All right. Thank you. >> Thank you.
» All right. We're going to skip over the public hearing because that'll be at 6
PM. We're going to move on to there's no new
business tonight, so we're going to go right on to department reports 8.1
highway report. Uh first up, you'll see the Fox Road.
Um, I went ahead and got Hunts in there to do that for me and we uh made the
deadline of August 11th to get this submitted to the state so that we could
get that uh monitoring plan in place so that we can be removed off of the red or
to the inactivation uh report there for that. So, and I put the report in there.
So you guys have that doesn't mean that we're out of the water of not doing
this, but it opens us up to give us some time to for me to try to evaluate and
get a plan going to get that replaced or what we got to do.
Anything with that? Any questions on >> Darren? That was a periodic monitoring
particularly after a rain event. >> Yeah. So, pretty much they're going to
do it um after every um heavy rain or every 3 to six months. They'll check it
for us. That's how they wrote it up and they're going to do it. Uh I'm checking
it on a weekly basis because if something does happen in between, uh we
they'll come right out and take a look and see where we need to go. But I'm on
it weekly um if not a couple times a week. So, just because I don't want to
see an issue that I can't take care of. But but there is no date that says you
have to have a new one in place by this date.
» No. No, not right now. But uh they Hunts looked at it and said it definitely
needs, you know, we got time with it. It's not like it's the road's going away
completely. Um but something we need to put on our radar to get
» Yeah, we we do need to keep that on the front burner, keep it moving along for
sure. >> So, but it's not something tomorrow,
which is good. Um, at the same point, I'm reached out.
We're in the process of sending out letters um to Senator's office and to
Joangelino's office to see and let them know what we got with all this to see if
there's any help that they have maybe towards the end of the year or starting
at helping us next year. I also reached out to the BMTS
um Broom County one and she's going to get back to me. I have a meeting with
her coming up in two weeks or a week. Um, so I'm hoping we can talk about it
and see what they can do to help us. Um, so I'm looking at funding so gives us
some time.
Um, number two, the salt shade the salt shed update is you can see there um
asked for where I'd like the money to come from. That's where the extra would
come from. I also had talked with Hunts on this one and
this project is they're working on redoing the bid package to um to reflect
the start and end dates changing. So the start of of construction would be
sometime in either April or May of next year and completion would then be either
June or July. So it gives us next year in time and they feel that the price
will definitely come down as well. Um because it's to get it done them to get
into it do it this year and it gives us and they're going to change he's I
talked to them they talked to us today they're just they're going to try to
adjust some of the stuff for us to look at on like the wall and construction
there. So it gives us some more time. Darren, is there is it their opinion
that the estimate that we have is based on an expedited schedule?
» Yes, >> that's what they put it on.
» And then Darren, if you would just because I know we talked, you and I
talked with Joy about when we need to be under contract for purposes of the grant
because that's, you know, it's not shovel and ground. It's actually just
we've awarded and the contract is signed by what was the date? So, we have a
deadline of October whatever for us to do once the first step of the paperwork
and we're getting we're going to meet all that. It has nothing to do with
going to bid or signing contracts. I believe that
is November, but we have to get through the first step in October to meet that.
And then there's another deadline in November.
» Yeah. So, from what Joy was saying, it sounds like we have to be under
contract, you know, it awarded contract signed Yeah. for the grant by sometime
in in November. So, we we do have a little more time than I think we felt we
had earlier this year.
» Uh number three there, uh CDL training. I have one of my senior guys. We have uh
um the trailer and trucks situation with pulling our skid steer and stuff. He
went out, got his um class A um permit. So, I'm starting to use him to pull the
trailer and truck with our with Todd, our mechanic. But this is the guy that's
running the machine all the time. So, I've uh I'm going to sign him up for the
course and get it done so that he can get trained and be uh get his CDL so
that he can just pull that and I don't have and then it gives me the operator
and then Todd as a backup in case we need it. But this is going to help me
save time and stuff. And it shows the line item there where
I'm taking it from. So it's out of my highway, superintendent lines where I
have money in there for.
And then the last one is the job posting for um I want to put it back out because
I did it before. This is to replace the guy that's retiring. I'm still working
the full out details with him, but I just want to get the so I can get it let
you guys know. I want to get it posted and then he can let me know. We're
working on his schedule of his when he's actually leaving and then exact dates
and that way I can get a start on a guy coming in. My goal would be to have
somebody now um start which would be the end of September which would be either
September 28th or the 12th of October depending on time frame of me getting
applications and and that kind of stuff. But I just want to let you know I'm
working back on that. And then that shows the figures where I'd pull out of
the my highway fund balance um if for >> And that would be your shortfall on that
personnel line. >> Yes.
» And that shortfall is based on the 28th of September.
» That's based on the 28th as of right now. Yes.
But as I look at it, I'm trying to dates in place. So
because I'm probably going to post it for two weeks and then go from there.
See what I can get. But it wouldn't be more than that. No.
And then just one quick thing that I didn't get on here. I apologize, but
real quick, drop off days, cleanup drop off days are going to be September 16th
through the 19th at our landfill. At the same time, I'm going to have a dumpster
put in Castle Creek so that we can start removing and that week we can start
removing cleaning up some of the stuff in Castle Creek at the same time. And I
spoke with Greg about this and we'll work together to get it. I'll start on
it while we have the dumpsters for that. Just to give you a heads up on that.
» Excellent. >> Darren, that's remove that's removing
the debris that's at the top of the hill.
Yeah, we're going to move whatever's at the top of the hill plus we're going to
get the unit at the bottom moved that shed moved and then whatever's inside
that we'll get that cleaned up and put in a dumpster.
» Okay. >> Yep.
» Great. Thank you. >> That's the plan. So, as long as we can
get it done,
» any other questions for Darren? I just want a clarification on the salt
shed budget line item of 8 of a 878A.
I couldn't I couldn't find that specific one in the budget. So, I just wanted to
make sure that that was correct.
» What is it again? >> A 878A.
» It's on your financial
It's a capital improvement reserve. >> It's a capital improvements reserve fund
» as 1,464,231.74.
It's under fund balance. >> Okay. So, it's it's not
» it's not actually in the budget for it's what we put in
in the past. for reserve fund. Okay,
it's what we allocated fund balance to because we also have we have a whole
bunch of stuff in here. We have the roof the roofs in there, the parking
lot comprehensive plan,
building condition study, a lot of that's been used.
All right. So when when we get the fund balance report stuff all squared away,
we can include that in it like
that'll update the information. I couldn't find it in there. That's that's
why I was looking for that line item. That's all.
» So, but it it's actually the it's it's coming out
» the it's coming out of the fund balance which is got a subline for the uh
reserve fund. So >> yes,
» that explains it to me. Thank you. >> Yep.
» All right. Any other questions for Darren?
» I have none. >> Okay, we're going to move on then. Uh
8.2 attorney's report. >> Pretty short one. You'll see it
attached. Um if anyone has any questions for me
about things that you want me to look into, let me know. I'll be in the town
hall for my office hours tomorrow. Uh, I am out of town next week, so I won't
make next a week from Thursday, but I I will be working a bit remotely and
certainly available by phone for anybody.
Questions for Nate? >> I don't have any. Okay, we move on to
8.3 supervisor support report. You'll see the June monthly financials.
I just received the July financials hot off the press.
Um I will have those to you for the next
meeting and I hopefully have the I'll have the fund balance report and
hopefully budget line adjustments. >> He's catching up.
» He's catching up now. Um even the July we still have it's not complete. There's
still a few things we're still working on the trust in agency account. So, so,
but we're we're getting there. Um, hopefully once we get it all cleaned up,
it'll be easy moving forward.
Uh, also you will see the 2024 and 2025 uh core audit reports that Jay and Luke
did. If you have any questions, I guess
address them to Jay.
» How much time did it take you to do it? >> Well, we went through this. We spent
quite a bit of time, actually. longer than we would have if we had some
experience at it. So when we went up there um we asked the clerks to really
take us through multiple transactions and um and then after multiple
transactions we obviously had a series of questions while we were going through
those transactions and how all those items are handled, how the records are
kept and then all the paper transactions and then we reviewed we did a sample
review for each year. We just randomly picked several months from each year and
went through them essentially looking for irregularities based off of the
process that we went through when we talked to them. And quite frankly, it is
a really well-run organization up there. Um I I have to commend them. Um, I
probably I probably spent in total probably five hours with the
clerks and um, Luke was probably three going through some additional paperwork
and just random samplings just to see if the paperwork,
you know, the the documentation trail actually matched what they were telling
us. So, I personally was very satisfied with the operation up there. I think um
I think the clerks do do a great job and certainly take a lot of pride in what
they do.
» Weren't we supposed to have a resolution for this?
» I could have sworn I sent one to Jody, but
» we can certainly add it. I mean, it shouldn't be an issue to add it to the
next meeting. Yeah, because she can't send it in to
the reporting without a It has to include the court's resolution accepting
the audit. So, we'll have to do it for the next one and then we can file them.
It's my bad for not catching that.
Uh, the only other thing I have is that we uh do Does anybody have any questions
for Jay on the >> No, I don't.
» Okay. I uh budget sheets are out to the department heads. Um at the time I got
them to them that it was the May updated to the end of May. We we are updated now
to July. If you guys would like I can print updated sheets if you want to see
where your expenditures are up to July if that helps out.
» Okay.
» Okay. I
Okay.
» I haven't had a chance to even touch it with working with EDUs and everything
else. So,
» all right.
» You're welcome. Any questions for me?
None. >> All right, moving on to resolutions.
Resolution 9.1 approving abstract number 16.
» So moved. >> Second.
» Any discussion? >> None.
» None. >> Mr. Slaughter is absent. Mr. Simonus.
» Hi. >> Mr. Johnson.
» Hi. >> Mr. Halbert.
» No. >> Mr. Warden. Hi. Uh, resolution 9.2,
Jean, I think, um, you'd mentioned earlier this resolution, I think, was a
placeholder for that department head evaluation report or excuse me, form.
» Um,
well, we tabled the discussion. >> Yeah. So, I'm just
» So, I'll make a motion to table this um 9.2 resolution until next meeting.
» Second. >> Any discussion?
» None. None. Mr. Slo is absent. Mr. Simonus.
» Hi. >> Mr. Johnson.
» Hi, >> Mr. Halbert.
» Hi. >> Mr. Warden.
» Hi. >> And then Gan, I think 9.3. My
recollection was you were going to get pyramid to orid.
» Yep. I don't I don't have the uh I don't have the information to support that
resolution. So, make a motion to table that.
» Second. >> Well,
» any discussion on that? >> None.
» None. >> Mr. Slot is absent. Mr. Simonus.
» Hi. >> Mr. Johnson.
» Hi. >> Mr. Hullbert.
» Hi. >> Mr. Warden.
» Hi. >> Then 9.4. This is the resolution
amending the 2026 284 agreement at the last meeting. There had been a question
that stumped Darren and I because we were having a brain fart.
Couldn't couldn't read our own resolution. So, um, Jean, you had noted
that 215 number didn't match the number at the bottom of that exhibit. So,
that's on purpose. Those are actually two different uh amounts of money
because they're for two different categories of things. The first, the
215,000 is for the general repairs. And then the permanent improvements number
two says see attached list and the number at the bottom of that is the 280
to 335 and 1 cent. So those are that was on
purpose. We apologies for not being able to fully
explain that at the last meeting.
» So can you explain that again then? >> Yep. So number one is the general
repairs in the agreement. And then you'll see it says $215,000
for primary work and general repairs. >> Mhm.
» Permanent improvements is the road list attachment which is the reconstruction
and re uh and repair as described where it's mill and paving projects and oil
and stone maintenance general repairs which collectively is $282,335
in one set.
» Right. that's not necessarily identified in the attachment, right?
And that's what was ambiguous. >> We kept looking at that and saying there
must be another attachment or something that we're not seeing. But the general
repairs is an overall fund and the specific permanent improvements are
identified in the attachment which is a different amount.
that she
couldn't figure out. >> I just think to remove the ambiguity in
the future under section two of that resolution, it would have been good to
put the 282 in there. So then we would have seen that correlated with the
attachment. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I I can also see because
collectively it's, you know, 497, we should just say $497,000
is authorized as follows. General improvements number
uh whatever the other one's called number, just to to be clear.
» I agree.
Let's just forget it. >> All right. I make a motion to accept it.
» I make a motion to accept the resolution.
» I'll second that. >> Any discussion?
» None. >> None.
» Mr. SL is absent. Mr. Sonus. >> I.
» Mr. Johnson. >> I.
» Mr. Hbert. >> I.
» Mr. Warden. >> I
All righty. We're going to move right on to future board topics.
Let's get a meeting together for 92.
So, we're going to have let's just have our first two on old
business. Wastewater treatment plant. We have hometown heroes to move to next
meeting >> comp plan and then we're going to go
hometown heroes. We're moving that >> right. Um Jean, do you think you'd have
the information from Pyramid to asssure that they're following our procurement
policy to be able to have that on the meeting or not?
» Hard to say. >> Yeah, just keep it on.
» Why don't we keep it >> keep it on?
» Let's I agree >> for 92.
» Yep. >> What you want for 92?
» The u the network storage. You you just want that on as a
resolution with backup material. Correct.
» Correct. >> That's that's why I've left it on there.
John sent me an email today. So, >> okay.
» When you get a chance. >> Yep.
» We need the resolution for the court audits, too.
» Yes, we need a resolution court audit. >> Do we need to do them independently
because they're different years? >> Uh I I am not aware of a requirement,
but that's actually a good question. I don't know. I had originally I have
drafted it as just one resolution approves them both.
That's probably fine. Uh but if you guys I'll I'll break it up into two just in
case because it's not a big deal. Okay. >> I'd prefer to see it that way myself.
» I would too. >> It would probably be better for when she
has to file it, send it in to have two resolutions, one for each one.
Uh, >> do we want to uh
» do we need an update on the fee schedule?
» Yes. >> Let's get that out of the way.
» Yes.
» You want that under new business?
» Yes. >> There is some new fees. Some of the old
» Yeah, new business. >> Some of the old fees I don't think we we
never updated the schedule. So we just need to I guess we need a clean
resolution updating the fees. So I think we should have a discussion before we do
the resolution. >> The last time we had the conversation we
talked about doing those at year doing those at not
the year end but as the initial
um >> the year.
» Yeah. our our resolutions at the beginning of the year is are these fees
that then we were we were only going to do them mid mid year if there was an
urgency for increasing these fees. >> So a few of them there is an urgency
because they're being collected. So we need them on the fee schedule
because we approved it by resolution. >> So I think where something's already
been approved. It just needs to be sent off to general code for general code to
update it because that portion of your town code compilation says you can amend
this schedule by resolution and that's what you've done. It's just I guess no
one circled back with general code to say, "Hey, please change this." That's
fine. So, I don't want to get into it. We're talking about future topics, but
we've talked about the roofing permits and then the dog license late fee for
$1. Those are both approved by resolution by the board. So,
» oh, I don't remember the dog license being done by resolution, but if it was,
what >> we'd have to go back
» bring it up again. >> I think it's just to approve the fee
schedule, >> right? Isn't that what we need to do?
I do think we should just put it on I think we just put it on the agenda
» and we'll have discussion >> so we don't get into it right now.
» Okay. >> All right. That's fine. So under new
business,
uh department head probation discussion under old business.
Are we are we doing that tonight? We carried it over from last meeting.
» Do you want to do it without a full board?
» That was the only That was the only concern I had.
» I I have no issue with postponing. I just That's fine.
» Okay. >> It's It's It's up to you guys. It's your
It's It's your call. I have >> No, I I I think we should have a full
board. I >> I believe so, too. I Let's do that.
» Let's just do the full board and do it on 92.
» Okay. >> Okay.
» Uh we have uh for 92 we had uh Joyy's replacement discussion.
» You want that back on there? >> Yes.
» I have no I have no reason to change it. >> Me neither.
» New business. >> Um
» I don't think we discussed this before. Okay. So, this is new.
» Yeah. If there's room, Kevin, the secure vestibule, I do I do have a plan I can
share with everyone. >> Okay.
» I know that old business.
» How about uh we had the department head job
description discussion. Do you want that
on there? >> Yeah, we can include what you the
information you gave and anybody else has information they want to put into
it, we can get it on the agenda.
» Does anybody have anything else?
» I don't have anything. Oh, just have a question. When are we um when are we
doing our budget discussions? They're not they're not listed anywhere as a
bullet item or a date. So, I just
Yeah, we got we got to do we got to do something soon. Um but I suggest that
your next discussion on it just be deciding the dates. So if you may I
don't think it'll take you guys long on September 2nd to just talk about when
you want to have your meetings to actually talk about it because you guys
might need special meetings and better to figure that out sooner than later.
» So So the supervisor has to file the tenative budget to the town clerk by
September 30th. Do you guys want to dis I'd rather
discuss it with the board than me just filing
whatever I feel. Do you want it? Do you want to work on it?
» And Kevin, I I'll note that's a that's a deadline for you if you want to file it
sooner. >> Yeah, we can file it. You can
» Well, I can if you want I mean
I haven't got >> You want to put it on?
» S September 30th. >> September 30th is the deadline for the
tenative budget to be filed with the clerk's office.
» I I'd like to have the discussion on the 16th then.
» Perfect. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I can and hopefully I
can have all everything to you guys before on the agenda for the 16th, all
the department heads information, all the backup material.
» That'll be my goal. So, so >> let's do that.
» All right. I as soon as I even if it's before then so you can really go through
it. But >> I that was going to be my question. Do
you think we could you'd have it preliminary to us by the 16th? We hope.
» I hope. >> Okay, good enough.
» I I haven't had a chance to >> No, I know. I know. And we're in catch.
I understand. >> Okay.
» All right. But so so 9:16 is the the initial is the preliminary budget
discussion. >> Yes. Let's do 9:16.
» Okay. >> Do you want department heads here or do
you just want to look at what we have and work on it with is that that'll be a
future that that's when we go to preliminary. I believe
» I I I think it's just discussion for me and we can
that's all I need. Y >> okay.
» All right. We can do that. Okay.
Because we uh Do you want the other deadlines or do
you want >> just
Yeah. What are the other deadlines? >> So
says uh October 5th, town clerk presents tenant budget to the town board.
November 5th, last day to legal notice of public hearing on the town budget.
And November 10th, last day to hold public hearing on preliminary budget.
November 20th, we must adopt the budget, the final budget.
» Yeah, those are those are just the last days.
» Those are just the last days. Those are the deadlines.
» Um I had something I misunder I mis I misheard you. The 105 was the tenative
and then 11:15. So, so, so, so 9:30, September 30th would be the last day for
me or for this, it says supervisor, whatever, to file with the clerk, the
tenant of budget, and then the tenative budget gets presented to the town board.
It says 105, but I would assume it would be our next meeting.
» Okay. And then it was 11:15 and then you went
to 11:10. Did I misunderstand that? No, it was 115.
» 115 was the legal notice.
» Last day for legal notice and then >> and then 11
» 10 is the last day to hold the public hearing on the preliminary budget
and then 11:20 we must adopt final date to adopt the budget.
» Okay, I got it. Thank you.
All
right. Anybody have anything else for the future topics?
» None.
» All right. What would you We have 15 minutes before we can have
the public hearing.
Is there any executive sessions we have to do
that I can not that I think of nothing nothing that we can do in 13 minutes.
» Okay.
Well, we can take a recess for for 13 minutes until 6 p.m. We can't have the
public hearing because it's advertised for 6 PM. So, we'll have to take a
recess until 6 p.m. and then we'll start the public hearing. Okay. Thank you.
And so
disagree with you.
Monday
Oh, I don't I don't have it I don't have it written down, but I can Hey, Adam.
the uh the guest passwords >> for the Wi-Fi.
I'm horrible. I'm gonna do I'll do my best at it.
I don't think people understand.
You know,
I want to about 10 12
» I don't
Oh, perfect.
best
are going
It's time for
Why would you make it available?
And then I'll bring
No, I couldn't get enough.
I don't mind shoes, but I don't like high heels.
I don't know.
565.
No, I want to miss something.
What? >> I got
» I got 57. Am I off?
» Yeah, I have 57. >> I don't want to start the world.
Huh?
» 51. >> Mine says 58.
» I'm at 58. >> Oh, you're on. You said you're on the
network. >> Yeah, mine says 58.
» It says 58 on my phone. >> He's going to do an explanation to start
how little history of this and why we're here, what the val what it represents. I
just think everyone's going to be frust
using using little water. >> Yeah.
» Huh? >> Musical.
» That is what he wants. >> My head.
How are you?
Let me have the post.
Okay, it's 6:00 p. p.m. We're going to start the uh public hearing. I'd like to
welcome everybody for coming tonight. Uh we're having a public hearing tonight uh
for the 2027 assessment improvements for the
consolidated sewage district. This is a debt assessment.
Um this project started back in 2017 2018 was beginning engineering on it. It
it was uh required by EPA and the DEEC to upgrade the sewage our sewage
treatment plant and the way it's delivered to the plant with the pump
stations and the mains. Correct. Just correct me on it. I'm just trying to
fill everybody in why we're here tonight.
» So the the
» Hold on a second. He's going to get a microphone.
We have to meet DEEC and EPA requirements for our influ and our
effluent uh especially the effluent that's discharged into the Suscuana
River Basin. There's new guidelines out there.
So the the project cost is $45,999
$999,9998. There was a $11 million grant that the
town received and then a $5 million grant that the town received.
So the the portion that needs to be paid back is $29,967,996
and that is over a 30-year bond. So over the next 30 years, we have to
pay this back and it's it's spread out between all
everybody in the sewer district. And to clarify, the sewer district's
consolidated. Um I have seen some letters that came in regarding the old
sewer district numbers, but there is one particular sewer district. Um and this
has just anyone that has access to the sewer is being assessed these .edu
amounts whether you use them or not even if it's a vacant parcel. So, the way the
edus were developed were back in the 90s and that's how um some of you have
received response letters from the DPW regarding the road frontage and how the
edus were calculated. Um that can still be assessed by town code 56-5K
identifies how it's calculated for each parcel. So, I know I I've received
several letters identifying vacant parcels or parcels that just aren't
being used or parcels that don't have any plumbing in them. As long as you
have access to the sewer system, you are being assessed that it's no different
than, for example, I live on a state road. I don't live on a town highway
road, but I pay the town highway tax because I have access to those town
highway roads. It's essentially the same thing. So, as long as there's sewer in
front of your house, you will be assessed an edu in accordance with
56-5K. Just wanted to make that clarification.
So, the 56-5K is the town of Shenango code where the edu assessment was
applied to each property. Um, am I missing anything? Anybody else
like to add?
I did put copies of the town code over by the agenda. I didn't put enough
obviously, but there in that slot.
» And just so everyone understands, the edu assessment is different than your
use. Your use is a separate charge and that is based use. This has nothing to
do with how much water you use. It's it's the it's the paying back the cost
to upgrade our community system. The way these edus could potentially go down is
more users, people get on the system or useful,
you know, development of some sort. We can take more capacity. What that
capacity will be will be depending on what users are available or or how much
a new user would be using. So, you know, we are going to be getting to I think a
fairly signific significant cost to the edus and it is my hope is that as we go
through our comprehensive plan and the town develops more that those .eduus he
used will come down over the next hopefully sooner than later over the
course of the term of the bond which again Kevin pointed out is 30 years
» which brings us to 206 206.
» All right. So we're going to open the public hearing. You have five minutes to
speak. Uh so we'll read the little blurp here.
Hold on. Guest shall speak in an orderly fashion
or limited remarks of five time minutes or less. The speaker shall deliver their
comments or concerns in a civil tone without the use of profanity, personal
attacks, or other disruptive behavior which may result in the offender's
removal from the meeting. The speaker shall not be interrupted except in a
matter of urgency. We just ask anybody if you'd like to speak, please come up
to the microphone. Either one here, just so it's recorded and the people at home
cannot hear you if you don't speak into the microphone.
So, if anybody'd like to speak, we're open right now. Come on up.
» I live in Shenango Bridge and I am blessed with having one of those
monstrosities within 20 paces of my door.
And I was thinking, should I be compensated?
Should my neighbors 75 ft from my house be compensated
because it's so close? But I'm the lucky one
and it's that close to my house and I have no idea why I should be paying an
additional tax for anything.
I've had that thing, the old one. that bell used to go off at 1 in the
morning. My wife used to go, "What if we'd have
to call an 800 number and now we have this and now you're
asking for money?" I don't think that's fair. And I think
the other people that are that close to one of those things should also be
compensated. And if it meant no tax like this, I think that would be a pretty
simple idea. Anyways, that's what I got.
» Okay. Thank you.
We they don't have to give their name and address unless they unless they have
a complaint about their edu. You can give your name and address and we can
work with you to look at it. But if you if you'd like to speak, go ahead.
» Evening. Uh would you be able to repeat to me why we got the upgrade?
» I can't speak on that. Engineer or the head of department of public works can
speak on it.
We are subject to the regulations under the Susuana River Basin Commission. They
changed their uh phosphorus and nitrogen criteria several years ago. So, we knew
uh we knew we would have to upgrade our plant to those new criteria. It's part
of EPA mandates, river basin mandates. The DEC administers some of that as
well. So, we're just working to comply with those mandates. Uh we're a roughly
an 850,000galon facility. Had to upgrade to a little over 1 million. Uh we also
have two other plants, the Pen View plant, Shango Heights plants. Those are
being decommissioned to help out cost of eliminating operating costs at two other
facilities that are past their lives. Uh we're bringing those flows to the
Northgate plants. We have just one facility to maintain one permit with
with all those agencies and it will now comply with those those new effluent
limits. Um, so it was uh I guess what we usually say is it was an unfunded
mandate for the upgrades. Um, >> the EPA, DEC, their federal agencies,
correct? >> Correct.
» You mentioned that you received several grants earlier. Did you get them from
federal government? >> What was available is money through EFC
through the state? >> Okay. Did your comprehensive plan noted
earlier federal government to alleviate some of the strain on us? Uh federal
generally does not have that option, >> but they mandate you to do it.
» Correct. >> So there's no relief from the federal
government. No one asked any questions. They just
» relief's only been through the state thus far.
» Okay. And perhaps you could give us a breakdown what we're seeing on our tax
bill versus what we're getting.
» So So those are two two totally separate things.
» That's correct. >> What you're getting charged quarterly is
for the usage of the system and what you're getting charged is the debt
assessment for the debt that we have to pay. So if we owe next year $1,351,9680
that's principal and interest that is divided up among all the edus that are
determined in the sewer district to come out with the amount.
And that's and that's how the edu amount is determined. So it's spread out.
» Now suppose 300 people leave hypothetically speaking
bridgebody
go up. >> Well, how you're talking houses get
destroyed, removed people leave because they can't afford to live here.
» The house is still there. The house is still has to pay that that property has
to pay that debt assessment. or else it goes up tax
» and somebody has to pay that debt assessment.
» So >> an empty house is going to pay that.
» Okay, property taxes are always due. So that'll be part of the property tax. So
regardless of whether you live there or whether you're using the property, the
property owner, someone has to pay the property tax or it goes to foreclosure.
That is you're you're exactly right. So, if you're going to pay your property
tax, that'll be included. Your .edu will be included in there. If you decide to
pay partial tax, I'm not sure the county actually accepts partial, but not to get
into that discussion because there's a lot of folks that want to speak here
tonight. >> That's correct, sir. But, but people
that don't reside in houses don't pay property tax.
» We're not going to get into Right. Exactly. But the property owner will
» If they want to speak, I want people have the opportunity to speak.
» Yeah. >> Okay. And that's okay. But the property
owners, guys, the property owners are going to pay the tax or they're going to
lose the property >> regardless whether it's an edu or
whether >> that cost is what I'm asking.
» Who who what >> who recoups the cost from the lost
revenue from people that are leaving their
» who don't pay the property tax. It'll go to t it'll go to tax sale
» and then we'll we'll get something back from a tax sale. The taxes will be
satisfied when the property is resold. >> If it's resold,
» it'll probably we like our chances with the property being resold. If it's not,
hypothetically, yes, it does get reassessed. But
» one last question, is there any way that we can perhaps look into
federal grants to assist us with this? Have you gentlemen done this?
» So, this started back in 2017. I wasn't even
anywhere near this place. So, I I this this was all decided a long time ago.
So, I I'm sorry about that. I have to pay it, too. I I'm not happy about it,
but there's nothing that >> the debt is due. It has to be paid.
» Last question. By a show of hands, how many people are
res?
» Yeah, you have to. >> Okay. And I apologize. I apologize for
being brash. I spoke to a gentleman that was in the water department with
this about two months ago. Well, an employee an employee that was
out. Oh, yeah. >> Yes. They they don't have to be
residents of the town. >> That's irrelevant. I apologize for that.
But thank you. >> Thank you.
» Board, can I clarify my federal grant answer?
» Yes. >> So, he'd like to clarify his federal
grant answer. >> Just so everyone's aware on the on the
federal side, there are federal funds available, but some are based on the
income level of the town and other pieces. The funding that we were able to
pursue does have some federal allocations behind it. EFC does get
federal allocations behind them. Also, some of the grants are subsidized by the
federal government to keep the interest rates lower. So, a max interest rate
level. You get a lower one that's potentially has some federal allocation
behind it. So, our our engineering firm that work for us on this also has
pursued the grants and it stays on top of that grant pursuit for us. But for
clarification, Alex, for my own clarification, when you say federal
allocation, that allocation was delivered to the state and administered
by the state. >> Correct. What what we is state
administered with federal dollars behind some of it.
» Go ahead. >> All right. So, we got two grants from
the state, correct? >> That is correct. We got a
» All right. There's no other ones that we can get
from the state. >> This the grants would had been received
prior to the project. >> Sorry.
» And with the federal what is our percent >> with
» excuse me >> we're paying an interest
rate >> the interest rate with rate with the
bond. >> Yeah.
» It it fluctuates. Uh this next year we'll be paying 2.591%.
» Okay. Um, is it too late to apply or lobby for federal assistance on that?
» I I would I believe so, but I can't I'm
not going to answer. >> I mean, you can always ask,
» right? It's just a question of whether the federal government would find it in
their heart of hearts to throw money at a democratic controlled state right now
for a project that has already been built, already been financed, and it's
turning over to long-term financing, you know, within a very short period of
time. >> So, when will this process start the um
upgrading? >> It's it's it's almost done.
» Okay. >> And and you and you were already charged
last year for the first part payment. So in your taxes last year, you paid the
first payment. So this is this this we have to do a public notice every year to
to to let you know the amount >> that shows up under the
» one. >> One at a time when you when you we can
» you're welcome.
Does that show up under the cons on your tax
» under the sewer debt? Sewer bond >> consolidates. So cons means consolidate.
So it's consolidated sewer debt >> and that's different from the bonds.
» So the consolidated So the one that showed up there's there was two on
there. The reason there was a debt on there was because we are in short-term
financing, which means we have to only collect
money to pay interest on the money we were using at the time. And then when it
gets transferred to a long-term bond, then you have to pay the full amount,
principal and interest. So that will be removed. The the the smaller one will be
removed off the tax bills this year. So you won't have that one. And then and
then as far as the usage, so that's a totally different increase.
» And is that correct? >> So your usage when you get your
quarterly pay when you go to get your quarterly billing payment that's totally
different than for what you're paying here.
» So is this is this meeting have anything to do with why is the why has the usage
gone up also? >> That would be operating cost. That would
be Greg can speak. Greg is head of the the water sewer department of public
works. >> Electric costs go up, postage goes up,
chemical cost goes up, uh operation cost, salary.
I shut that one off. Get rid of that one.
» Give them the other one.
Sorry, sorry. >> So that's okay. I So there is there's no
uh time frame. Does that go up over the same amount over a certain time? You
know, like it's it went up and then it went up quickly again. It was the same
for that's just because of the economy. If if once we do our budgets and if what
we charge today doesn't cover the cost for tomorrow, then we will have an
increase. But until we know what our budgets are going to be for next year,
we don't do an increase right now. We've in we we've charged for the year's worth
of uh budgeting in your rates.
Hi. Sorry I I just missed the first 10 minutes of everything, but I want to let
you know I got a letter in the mail. I just bought property up on Warner Road.
I have a well there. I'm going to when my house gets built here within the
month, um I going to hook the line into the septic. So therefore, I
I'm going to be paying this extra money. When does this take effect?
» So, you won't you won't be charged this year
until you >> So, it's it's a what was said earlier,
right? The question would be is is she on the sewer line or not?
» N. Yeah, but I will be once my house >> Well, it's not a question of whether
your house is actually connected to the sewer or your property is connected to
the sewer. just whether the sewer goes by your property. And so, because there
are there are properties in the town who chose not to connect to the sewer for
whatever reason or chose not to connect to the water system for whatever reason.
Maybe they just got their septic installed and didn't want to connect.
» So, but you I guess it's a good question. If you would give us your name
and address, we can look it up and confirm that you are actually on the
line because if you're on the line, then you should be getting charged the .edu.
But if for some reason, people aren't perfect. If for some reason your
property got included in this district's benefit assessment and it shouldn't have
been, then we want to be aware of that to take it off.
» Okay. >> What's your name and address?
» It It's Deborah D E B O R H Lynch at 13 Warner Street.
L Y N C H.
» Okay, they can look that up. Yep. >> Okay,
» we're gonna let other people speak while they're looking that up for you. Okay,
you're welcome.
» My name is Lyn Lucker. I live at 16 Brook A. I just wanted to go back to the
math a minute because I'm kind of not understanding. I think I might have just
heard number one. I I mean I have my tax bill right here. So I've got the sewer
debt and the sewer bond. The sewer debt is I think what you meant by the smaller
one and that's the one that is going to not appear on my 2027 bill. Yes. Is that
correct? >> Okay.
» So this year the I have 32384. I think it was the highest I looked at them all
in tax net lookup or whatever it was. Um, and I understand that's the bond. So
that's 30 years. I don't understand this new one. I I got to say I the questions
that were raised by in my mind with this letter
and I say this respectfully. I don't know who wrote it, but I don't think it
was composed very well from your standpoint. It didn't
explain a lot and it probably caused a lot of angst that didn't need to be
there. And one thing I still don't understand is is the new .edu charge a
one-time charge on the 2027 tax or is it 30 years again?
» So, so the charge from 2026 is going to be replaced with the charge for 2027.
So, it's you're only going to get one, but it's going to happen each year for
30 years. And the exact amount is going to change actually every single year
because the debt payments are not level. They go up and down a little bit every
year. So, like last year, the total amount collected was like 1.1 million.
This in 2027, it's 1.3 million. So, we the edu value is going up slightly.
» Okay. So that is very key to me and I I hope if anybody else picks it up because
that means instead of me having 323 plus 264
» Oh no. >> which made my head explode and I
understand 33 is going away and being replaced by 264.
» Well, it's 264 and ED. It's a 264 and edu,
» right? >> So you need to know how many are your
property. >> Okay. per and it does say per
» per edu and you should have the number >> will be a little higher because I'm a
one one >> and that's why you were three something
last year >> so this year you'll be that 264
» so let me just make sure you answered my questions I think you did
» and and edus can change the amount of edus that that divide into the payment
that we have to make also fluctuates >> the edu
4,000 whatever we get can change which can also change that amount per EDU.
» I understand that. Okay. >> Okay. So, I just feel like I have to
throw out there that the change in my taxes from 25 to 26 was 40% of the for
the town. That's a big jump. And if I did my math right,
my if with this new Well, of course, now I didn't know mine might go down a
little bit. I don't know how that quarter I'd have to do more math real
quick, but I'm potentially looking at my taxes doubling in two years. So, oh, the
other question I had about this whole thing is you said this project is almost
done. Right at the end of Quinn Estates, there
used to be what I believe was a sewage treatment plant, right? And it's gone.
They took it down, which I love. It's much nicer looking there. Is that part
of this project, the removal of that? >> Yes.
» Okay. Is there any other big project like this looming on the horizon that we
should be prepared for? >> That that is a very fair question. Very
fair. >> Very absolutely fair. There is a water
upgrade for contaminants in the water system
that is being researched now being engineered and looked at by the town
board. Now >> that would hit our
» This is all public knowledge. So I would advise everybody to stay very informed
with the town and come to come to meetings. This new thing that we're
putting out there, text my gov. >> If we have public hearings, it'll be
shot out on there. You'll get it to your phone. you'll know what the public
hearing is. >> Might be the first one
» other than employees. All right. >> No, and that's the reason why we're
doing this is is but the the water thing is is in engineering studies right now.
It's not has not been approved to do to go forward. So,
» thank you. >> Okay. You're welcome.
» So, good evening. My name is Adam. Um, I live in the Frederick Road, uh, Kings
Row, South Frederick Road, uh, area. And I guess first and foremost, um, I I we
all know that we, you know, we have to help fund these, you know, as as
homeowners. I've lived in the town of Sheno since 2007.
Um, so I I chose the town of Sheno for a reason. Um
there's a lot of other places I could have chose, but I chose here and I' I've
lived here and I've remained here for a reason. I think one concern um that I
have is again, we all like to flush our toilets. We know we have to to help fund
the ability to flush our toilets and have it be safe. We all like clean
water. We know we're going to have to help with the with the water um issue.
My concern is over the last couple of years um I've noticed a steady decline
Uh we've been through two or three town supervisors in the last year. Um I we
have drainage issues on my street um that haven't been addressed. We you know
my street was one of the only streets uh in the entire neighborhood that wasn't
repaved this last year. Um so I guess I'm just trying to find out you know if
I I don't have a problem funding things. I don't have a problem with a little bit
extra tax as long as I'm seeing the benefits and I'm seeing the, you know,
we're reaping the benefits as homeowners and as, you know, we're raising our
families here. Um, but when I see my street overlooked for certain projects
or when I see, you know, this last year we had a water emergency and I spent
over $100 in bottled water. Um, several hundred dollar actually in bottled
water. I have a family of six. um first time that I know that we've had a water
emergency. Um so I guess my my mine is more of a statement more than a question
which is just I'm concerned as a homeowner that have been here almost 20
years and I'm starting to see a trickle of a decline um of the of the services
here. Um and so we're being asked to pay more money for less service that I'm
seeing. Um there are very good qualities of the town. I'm not I'm not certainly
not here to dog the town. I still um enjoy living here. There are a lot of um
you know, beautiful parks. There are, you know, nice services the town. I like
the town cleanup days. I love that. But those are some of the things that I
think the town can continue to do and maybe improve upon to make it friendly
to uh raise your family and to continue owning a home here and to not have as
much heartburn when we're asked to pay a little bit more for service. So that's
my comment. >> Thank you.
» I just have a quick question. Um,
going back to the the the edus and all that stuff, there's like five trailer
parks in this town. How do you figure what they pay?
» They're not all on >> They're not all on sewer,
» but if they are I mean some of them must be.
» It would be it would be one edu per mobile.
» I I believe it's in the code. >> Yeah.
» Okay. So So it is a per person even >> per dwelling unit.
» Okay.
» Yeah, absolutely. That's Yeah, that's >> Well, then come up and speak.
Castle Creek Road, but I also run the Castle Creek mobile home park. Uh, does
anyone here live in a mobile home? No. Mobile home. So, I'm going to correct
you on EDU. You mentioned EDUs nothing to do with usage. Unfortunately, you're
wrong because an EDU dwelling unit is a standard measure used
by utility companies to calculate water or sewer use based on a single family
home. So which makes sense. I mean I got this
education 10 years ago in the town of Irwin. I ran a park there and they
brought in city water and sewer to the park. And we sat down first they
notified me and said the average single family home does 300 gallons of water.
Mobile homes use less. And we showed them the meter bills. 90 gallons per
home. These are mobile homes. Most of them are two bedroom one.
They don't have outside complaints outside homes don't come with
we don't allow people to brush their cars. Uh it's totally different use
single family home. So your question over
because believe me I know it's going water sewer
Greg knows I'm the kind of guy I'm under three mobile homes every day
because mobile homes water
the plastic lines but
tell you
and I'm in the trench. So you know I'm up here because
home stats meter everything that's too
but when I meter 60 homes I had to buy my meters all my own
small All the lines in the streets, all the
streets in there
just like everyone else in the room has one connection in the street. So that's
why I'm here
20 compar
wasn't one for one more
Oh, you're fine. >> You're fine.
» Thank you.
» Great. Um, I was in here for years about the road frontage requirements in the
town of Schnangle. It's very hard to build a house in the town of Schnagle
with 310 ft requirement for road frontage. It took my dad and I probably
four years almost coming into this meetings and zoning boards trying to get
uh because we have no road frontage, gas stations 100 ft. We want to lower this
to get more people in the town of Schne right now. There there's plenty of land
to be building houses in here, but it's not easy because of our road front
requirements. Address those immediately. I just wanted
to get this on the minutes because I've been in here on the minutes since 2021
preaching this. So, you want more people in the town. Make it easier for me to
come into the town. I brought it up to you a lot, Jean, in here. A lot. So,
that's my two cents. Get more people in the town, this will go down.
It's a good slope, too. >> Thank you.
» Hi, my name is Dale Ball. I live on Cherry Lane. Uh, got a couple questions.
Can the can the can the charge increase for any reason other than interest rate
change? >> It can increase for the .edu amount.
If the .edu amount goes down, then that debt has to be spread out over less
EDUs. So the your amount could your amount could go up.
» So So as as an example, let's let's say there's a commercial building
um which they're they receive edus in part based on their water consumption.
Um and if it burns down and it's demolished and it becomes a vacant lot.
Let's say one of the car washes which are receiving the highest edus in the
town at over like a 100 edus. Let's say one of those burns down and now it's a
vacant lot. That'll get one edu. So the 99 edus are poof gone, right? which
means the value that those people were paying is going to be spread around
everyone else in the town and that is a way in which the value or the cost of
the edu will go up. >> So my my number of edus I have two
parcels. >> I have the one my house sits on and I
have a completely unbuildable sideyard being charged for. So on the top my
letter it says one and one the two levels. So the number doesn't change.
It's just the cost per ED per the multiplier
» in your case. So, and this is what the assessor has been advising people
because for some reason there's a lot of lots in the in the town where people own
a a small property immediately adjacent to them. Combine your lots because then
it'll be one parcel and it'll receive one .edu.
» Yeah, that's my that's my next question. U is that something I do with you guys
» through the assessor's office? >> Who who hears from the assessor's
office? That's a legal,
» right? >> Yes.
» So, if I combine the two lots into one lot,
» that eliminates one of the builds. >> Yeah. And Alex, Alex had a good point.
It'll end up being one point probably 1.25 because part of this is based on
your amount of road frontage. It's a complicated formula, you know,
unfortunately, but it caps out for >> that. That's why I said go to the
assessor's office because she could explain it to you.
» Okay. She she explained to you what what your front edi
what it would what what how it would change your assessment.
» So, just out of curiosity, I'm not trying to be difficult, but if it is if
it's only frontage,
well, that makes no sense at all because one house and you have a th00and foot of
frontage your utilization is exactly the same as
if I have 300 foot of frontage in one house. So what does the frontage have to
do with the cost other than the the amount of pipe
» when they buy the house? >> The the the theory
or the the reasoning behind that is because a person with in your example a
thousand feet of frontage has more potentially buildable lots than a person
who has only 80 feet of frontage which is you know the the one that'll just get
you the one. So I I've got another client who actually their code does
specifically say it it you know in your example of like let's say it's a
thousand foot of road frontage they actually do divide it up and charge
based on the actual buildable lots in Sheneno they cap it for residential
properties at 1.25
deal. So whether your your property would be 200 feet or a thousand feet
it's still going to be 1.25 25 because you're you're over the 80t and there's a
formula that if it was like 83 feet it would be less but it caps out for
residential dwellings at 1.25. So when you combine yours today in this
particular case, you'll reduce your .edu by 75 your total because right now
you're being charged two. >> And I'm just where do I find I mean I'm
sure it's a booklet this thick >> and I deal with school districts so I'm
used to stupid stuff but sorry it's the truth.
» I think we just caught astray. >> Is is
I didn't get to you. So, is there some place I can go and look at the math?
Because I'm just weird that way. >> Look at the map for the map.
» The assessment map or the or >> He wants to see the map.
» Oh, the ma. The math. I thought you said math. I'm sorry.
» Yeah. >> So,
» yeah. So, it's town code section 56-5K. >> Okay.
» Provides the formula, >> right? And then Greg's office, it did
the linear frontage calculations for every parcel.
And you know, again, people aren't going to be perfect. So they're if somebody's
like, you I'm actually one foot less. That's something that the town board
should know and we can send Greg out and have him roll it or something to confirm
that the frontage calculation. >> So it's as simple as just plugging my
frontage into this formula and outfits the Okay. All right. I can I can figure
that out. Um Oh, I got that one. Um you mentioned a
water project which made my ears perk up. Um do you have an estimate currently
on because we I we got that that that
letter very unclear letter um about potential possibly lead but no one would
tell us where. I couldn't figure out whether my house had lead
» and that's a separate that's a separate thing on sampling that Greg can explain
on that. >> But what I'm curious about is do we have
a potential estimate on what this water project's going to cost?
» There are estimates out there. They keep being adjusted based on the scope of
work. So we don't have anything firm yet, but as it comes in, we'll discuss
it. But nothing's been approved. Engineering is strictly looking at the
scope and what's available a in grants and the cost.
» Okay.
Think you got them all. >> Thank you.
» Anyone else? Oh, yeah. >> There are copies of the formulas that we
do use over there where the other the agendas are. It looks like this and it
explains how I calculate it's now there. Well, there's 20 and if anybody wants
one, we can make a copy. But uh this is how we calculated the
edus by what the town code reads today.
» Yep. Yep. Absolutely. It's it's on our website if you go to the code the town
code in the ordinance department.
» Go ahead sir. Robert Citri 25 Bishop Road
and in this community for over 45 years >> and how long ago anybody else been
» 63. >> What's the question?
» So you must have grew up here. >> I've been 54 years here. I could add
more years to that. I could add another 20.
Uh, I'm just show my ignorance here. What is an .edu and how does that affect
our bill?
» So, an EDU is an acronym. It stands for equivalent dwelling unit.
» Uh, I'm sorry, I'm using the microphone. I'm not if you want to come closer. I
because I I'm using the mic. maybe get closer to a speaker to your right
to your right. So an EDU is an acronym. It stands for
equivalent dwelling unit. It is a means of assigning in this case sewer debt
aortionment to all of the benefited parcels within the town sewer district.
Um and it's meant to assess the benefit of the sewer system as it was explained
by Mr. Simonus earlier this evening. It's not based on usage. Everybody who
fronts on the sewer line should be paying into the edus. Um and when it
comes to dwelling units, it literally means that. So a single family is
charged one, a two family's charged two, a 69 unit mobile home park is charged
69. And then commercial properties which obviously don't have dwellings in them,
there's a formula to assign them edus as well. It's all meant to, as Kevin
explained earlier, look at the amount of debt that has to be paid, add up all the
edus, divide it in, there's your number per edu, and then add it to the tax
bill.
Many haven't been in here for in this town for very long time. When uh they
built the sewage treatment plant, which this all has come down to,
it was woefully under undersized. And
so now now we're having to pay for it.
One of the letters that I got is a vacant lot.
There's no sewage. There's no water.
Matter of fact, for my own property, the town of Snagel will not give me
water.
That was Mr. Walls,
Jerry Kelly made sure that that happened.
Shame that something happened way back then.
And because the town has a essentially hasn't grown at all
over all those years. It's the same businesses
up and down. You know, the same ones are flushing the toilet.
There's no there's been essentially no new construction
in our area.
So that system built back in the 70s should be good enough
for everybody. But we know it wasn't because it was never designed never
designed to be
a workable system for what was existing even at that time.
So I guess the only question I got is I got
that vacant lot,
no sewer, never received a bill.
What's my obligation? So the the town code spells out that there will be one
edu assessed for a vacant lot if it is within the sewer district. So that that
is why you're receiving one edu for that vacant lot. As mentioned earlier, if
your vacant lot is next to your home occupied lot or another lot, the
recommendation is combine those two so that you have one lot. But if it's a
standalone vacant lot in the town and it's within the district and it fronts
on a sewer line, then you will receive according to the town code an .edu.
All
right. Thank you.
» We go go back a ways. You're talking about the edus and you said something
about the 1990s. That's when
the measurements were established or whatever. Is that statewide?
» This was every every municipality comes up with their own formula as to how they
choose to assess equivalent dwelling units when they utilize a system like
this for the repayment of debt. I mentioned earlier I've got another town
client that uses a very similar formula except they look at the total acreage of
a parcel and say how many buildable lots and they charge you per buildable lot
just limited and a cap on road frontage. I I literally was in a conversation
because one guy is getting eight units even though he's got one house on it
because he owns enough property that if it was divided up it could fit eight
buildable lots. >> So who actually came up with it? who
actually came up with >> the law was adopted in 1993. So it was
the town board in 1993 that >> Wow.
» established this formula. >> So talking to to Greg um was talking
about the car wash down in Front Street that's going to pay me bucks.
So what's to say they don't go out of business because they can't afford it?
And what's to say that other business down in Front Street don't go out of
business and we start looking really bad because they can't afford whatever they
can't I you guys can change that thing in the 1990s, right?
That's what you do. >> We could, but the dollar amount is still
the same. We could charge the trailer parks more. We could charge businesses
more. Um, at the time when this was assessed, it it it was a fair way to do
this. If that's a discussion going forward,
» this board could certainly take it up. But the dollar amount that we owe as a
community doesn't change. So just because someone else is going to get a
break, somebody else is going to pick that up.
» You compare I'm wondering back then in the 1990s if when they were coming up
with the way to do this, they were comparing it to other municipalities in
the state to see how they do it. >> And it could it could have been I'm sure
there was some >> I can't speak to that.
» You know, I wasn't here. >> Now you got All I'm saying is I'm sure
there was information information that was put together because the discussion
was probably pretty in-depth on how fairly to do this. Right.
» Right. Even when I look at it now, all right. In some cases, it does seem to me
personally a little unfair, but in other cases,
» I think some folks are getting a break. >> Right. How else do you do it?
» Right. So, how else would you do it? >> Right. Exactly.
» You know, to to try to be as even-handed as possible, car washes pay the most.
And you're right. If a car washer leaves, we still owe that money to the
bond. and it's got to get redistributed. >> Well,
bring something else into this. Yeah, we've been to a few of the meetings. We
were talking to the project management company out of Rochester
that we're trying to work with and we're trying to get the survey and all this
stuff. You just added all this money to
everybody's tax debt and yet you want to try and get people to come in here and
it's almost like a catch 22. I don't see it working
» and and it kind of is. And just to clarify too that whether it's highway or
department of public works, there are individual budgets there where we only
have one source to get the funding. So what we've tried to do as a board and
even previous boards, >> if you really identified through your
tax bill, you'll notice that the town tax the town tax is very low and it
hasn't moved since I've been on the board. Not one penny. So although it's
not a great consolation, it's something because anything that we can do where we
have general fund monies, the gentleman mentioned earlier about the parks, done
a lot of upgrades to the parks, trying to pave that, change playgrounds and
stuff for the kids. That is a completely different bucket and I wish personally
we could take some of that bucket and offset these edus. I'm paying them too
and they're and they're dramatic. I don't disagree.
» I don't know how you guys do it. I've looked at your budget. It's just uh
huge. >> Right. So, and like I said, every
individual if you if you look at the budget, there are certain aspects of it.
We can't like take money from the general fund to offset Department of
Public Works or offset highway has to come from those specific places. And
unfortunately, all of us in the sewer district
» are going to be burdened with this debt. >> I'm just worried about the future
because if you're talking water, I am too. Is that going to add, you know,
more to the tax burden again? >> Potentially.
» And we're paying a project management company that hasn't done a thing that
nothing. >> The which I'm not sure which project
manage the >> project management company that they
hired for the out of >> Oh, Kers. Yeah. It's a It's a That's a
completely different >> It's a different thing.
» It's a different It's a completely different thing, right?
» That's a completely different thing. >> It is. It is, but it's still our debt.
It's It's our debt. >> That is not
» No. No, no, no. I know that. But I'm saying if it raises our taxes because we
hired this company. >> It doesn't. It does not.
» See, I asked that question at the last meeting and nobody ever got.
» We're a little unorthodox here. It's supposed to be a public hearing, not a
question answer. But I understand.
» I just got a a question. Uh if you have a commercial
And there's a corner lock and there's no sewer line on one corner.
You get charged just for the frontage that has a sewer line.
Commercial or residential. If you if you are a corner lot, a you're charged on
the shortest frontage. So if one's 100 and one's 80, you get charged on the 80.
Um, if the sewer line only runs on the one, you should only get charged for
that uh frontage. So, if your right side of your house doesn't have frontage and
it's longer than the frontage that you have sewer on, you'll still get charged
that shorter of the two frontages. >> Okay. Uh,
we own the property on 141 Road and
We put the sewer line in there with an agreement with the town back in 98
and agreement said they would be charged 4.66 66 units EDUs
and the letter we got says 6.11
and also for putting the the sewer line in
letter from David from Mr. Wall attorney
said uh
The unit charge shall be 20% of the total unit charge of all other users
within the sewer district number two.
» So I reviewed your letter and the agreement that you sent. So um and the
correspondence for Mr. Walls. The agreement that you sent was unsigned. I
looked back at the meeting minutes and resolutions from 1998. I don't see that
the town board ever approved an agreement with you. And so if you have a
signed copy of that agreement, please send it to us. Or if you know when
exactly the town board took action to approve it, but otherwise there doesn't
appear to be a record of the town actually approving an agreement with you
on that. There was correspondence, but I don't see an approval by the town board
on that.
the the town board appears to have never authorized that.
So the the fact that you were charged the 4.66 appears to have been incorrect
when it was the prior debt service. Again, if you have a signed copy of that
agreement because what you sent was unsigned,
you know, please send it and we can look in the town clerk's records, you know,
more. But I I just didn't see anything in the town board actions from 1998.
» I I understand that, sir, but I just don't see where the town board actually
authorized what you're talking about.
If you can provide us with any other information that you have, we could
still look into it.
» I understand.
Okay.
My name is Katie Edwards, Ten Heights Court. Um, I'd like to understand really
where the origination for these the pollution requirements came from. Um, I
mean, I understand we want to have cleaner water going to our rivers. Uh,
but who is more responsible? Who gave us the more restrictive requirements for
the EPA or is the DEEC? >> The DEC essentially goes with the EPA
guidelines. So, they it's just a trickle down. So, it wasn't above and beyond
what the EPA recommended. >> No. No.
» Uh, my second question is, you know, a lot of us would need would get more
energy efficiency out of our houses by putting better insulation on, improving
our windows. Um, but, you know, I'm not going to go sign a contract to do that
unless I have the funds to pay for it. I'm not going to send a bill to all my
neighbors and say, "Well, hey guys, why don't you pay for it?" Um, so I'd like
to see that same sort of financial responsibility in this sort of
circumstance. Um, I guess my my suggestion would be is that well, if
we're going to increase this, we ought to pay this roughly $300 a year, which
is going to work out to be $8,000 at current rates for most people, $10,000
because we have a little bit of extra frontage apparently. Can we all agree to
not raise the taxes for that amount and just sideline this money for for just
this and, you know, put it hold back on our tax raises?
So, as as Mr. Simonus noted earlier, the the town general taxes, the town the
town collects less than $200,000 in town taxes. The highway tax is higher.
There's also a fire protection tax. Those are different things than the town
general tax. Um there there can be no way that the town board could possibly
commit to not raising those taxes because those monies can only go to pay
those things. The sewer has to come out of the benefited parcels. So like we
can't divert money from the other places to this. And Jay mentioned earlier, the
town board does tries very hard and has not since Jay's been on the board raised
the town general tax. And I mean, it's just a like
this board also cannot bind future boards. So in three, four, five years,
10 years when this sewer debt is still being paid, none of these guys might
even be here. and it'll be a completely different group of people up here who
will have to determine at that time how to fund town expenses and continue to
pay this particular debt going forward still. So it's I mean what you've asked
I think is a really difficult thing that the town just can't commit to.
» I understand but on the same token our property taxes go up, our school taxes
keep going up. It seems a little bit more financial responsibility maybe not
necessarily specifically in the town part uh but across the board to kind of
balance things out for the taxpayers. I also worry about the local businesses
that are going to be fronting a big big bill from this. Um, you know, I work in
academia. I'm familiar with grants. You know, if I don't get a grant, I don't do
the work. So, you know, now we're paying something that
» the the DEEC was going to impose daily fines on the town.
» Uh, yeah, >> daily fines on the town if the town did
not do this project. And this project is actually passed when it was supposed to
be done and only but for the grace of the DEEC saying we'll give us this an
extension. The town would be paying daily fines. So they have a pretty big
stick to hit us with unfortunately. >> And and I believe we are under a consent
order. Greg, is that correct? Correct. >> Yeah. So unfortunately,
we as a community, we kicked this can down the road about as far as we
possibly can because I remember when these new regulations came out and it's
been almost 20 years. So they uh they did allow municipalities to comply last
and we took every every day of that. >> And just remember you you get a public
notice anytime the town does anything like this. So if we have to upgrade our
plant, you will get a public notice for a public hearing like this where you can
come and voice your opinion. Um so that that that weighs a lot on the town board
if there's enough, you know, negative to it, they can make a determination that
way, >> right? And and we always discuss those
options of what we're required to do from a DEC or an EPA. So, someone had
mentioned earlier about the water project. We're not anywhere near that,
but as that does develop, if it develops, the text mygov app, all this
public notice, everything will be mailed out because absolutely we do want to
hear from everybody.
» Thank you. And if you did send me a grievance
letter after today's board meeting and the board reviews the responses to the
grievance letters, we will be mailing them out. Just an FYI.
» Good evening. Ed Branson, Shenangle Bridge Road. My only concern here is
here in the TBUS is what happens like this brought out
some numbers and an example. So if I had 100 ft of road frontage and a neighbor
has 75 ft and me and my wife family of two in our
house, family of five in the 75 ft. So I'm going to pay more than them even
though they're going to use the system more.
So you could see I might have an issue. >> I I get it. And you're 0.25 higher
because of your road frontage. That's that's just the way the formula works.
But I understand. >> Well, can't we just do a better formula?
Like put a percentage on the amount of water used.
» And that's a completely different discussion. Again, the debt amount won't
change. >> It might reduce it for you, but somebody
else sitting in the room is going to pick up the difference.
» Right. But I'm saying if they use the water,
» but it's not based on the usage. We base this off the frontage. If we were basing
this off of usage, you'll be get a big fluctuation in your EDUs because
nobody's going to use any water, right? And then all of a sudden that amount per
gallon is going to skyrocket because we're basing it off of that. This was
done in a pretty fair manner. Certainly, we could review it, but I understand
what you're saying. I'm in the same predicament.
All right. Thank you. >> Thank you.
Uh like I said earlier, similarly
with the water.
came in through the office when it was down on front street.
» I I don't want to interrupt you, but this is for the the sewer debt. This is
not this is not for the water district. >> Okay. Uh
» if anybody has any real concerns about the sewer district,
» you've only got 30 days to do something.
I know taking it to court division of New York State. You only
have 30 days to question the municipality.
» Yeah, it'll be 30 days from whenever the board votes to actually approve the
sewer edu assessments. So I I don't believe the board isn't planning to take
action tonight because there have been many letters sent to DPW saying, "Hey,
you know, I'm grieving it. I should be at this number, not that number, which
DPW has reviewed. They've given their comments to the board." The board will
review those probably after the public hearing is over just to look at them
more specifically and then they might choose to do it at the next meeting
depending on how late it gets. Uh but the board I think will not take action
tonight. Maybe at a meeting in September after they vote then yes 30 days.
» But you did say that we or at least some people were charged
last year.
» So well over 30 days
» to to challenge last year's assessment. Yes. challenged last year.
Still challenged this year. >> Correct.
» Anyone else before we close the public hearing
» or do you want to leave it open?
I heard that there's several people that have grievances against their EDU. So if
the you look into that further and determine that yes, they were
um calculated incorrectly and that they're they get lower then does that
mean everybody else's will go higher to make up the difference
» the the edu's assessment >> not the edu itself but the amount
» the unit rate >> so then will there be another public
will you have to have another public hearing on the new amount
» no the the amount is set the budget time >> okay so this is just for the edu
specifically even though it even though the letter gave the amount in there.
» Yeah, that that was the number from last year. So to put it in a context that
people might find more familiar >> just like your house in in the
assessment for your house, >> right?
» You know your house is worth $200,000. You get a notice that it's increasing
from 200 to like 225. You get that in the spring. You go to the board of
assessment review. You grieve it and the board of assessment review either agrees
with you or not. And if you don't like what the bar did, you file a tax cert
case challenging the assessment. This it's the same type of process. You get
edus. If you challenge it, you file a lawsuit against the town to say, "Oh, I
shouldn't have been at 1.13. I should have been at one or whatever the
numbers." >> So, this is specifically for the .edu,
not the amount of >> correct.
Anybody else?
All right, that looks like Am I closing it?
All right, I'm going to close the public hearing for the debt assessment for the
sewer district, Consolidated Sewer District. Thank you for coming.
» Um, do you are we discussing these tonight?
or what's the plan?
» There's more. So, yes. >> So, they keep coming in. There was a
list of >> I saw the responses to on those
» responses were for each one, >> but there was an updated list. Jean, to
your to your point, there's more that have come.
» They keep coming in. I I gave them to noon today to put to send them to you by
email, which I figured Right. >> But it's probably not. You know what I'm
saying? That's why I think future. So, what do you want to do for a cutoff?
What's the best? >> I mean, today was the cut off.
» This Let's just get it updated because there were some that came in today.
Okay. So, I'm in I'm in favor of updating that, reading through all of
them, and then having that discussion with responses
» with the responses. >> It's just
» the new five that I >> Is that what it is? Five.
» There was five that I sent out today. >> Right. Those those just need to be
included to what I I just printed off the spreadsheet, Greg.
» It's on the new spreadsheet as well. I >> Right. But I the responses the letters
and the responses that you initially sent with the original sheet. I think
» they're all on the agenda. >> If you click on the one, the two
» on the agenda under letters. >> I think he added some this afternoon.
» There's five more, >> right,
» that he sent by email that has his response with them. But we can put them
all together for a future meeting. >> Yes.
» Okay. And then the person who showed up tonight that I I think caught as an
actual like question to look into was Deborah Lynch at 13 Warner Road. Just to
check is she actually on the sewer line or not?
» Yes, she is. >> Yes.
» Yeah. So I put I mean she came she appeared. There should be just a
response to that to the town board so the town board knows.
» 13 >> 13 Warner Road. 13 Warner Road.
» Yeah. Warner Road. Yep.
» So, when do you want this? What What agenda do you want this on?
» I think we got to do this next.
» Yes.
Okay. 92 sewer edu agenda.
Okay. Anything else tonight?
» You didn't need to do an executive session.
» Yeah. >> Without him.
» Well, I thought you asked Alex to come. >> Oh, for RFPs.
» Is I I'm just trying to remember what we've talked about in the past.
Yes.
Okay.
Yes.
Huh?
» Yeah.
You want the process?
» Oh. Oh, the have to go back to old business.
» I I I don't know. I mean, >> it's I don't think you guys need to get
overly rott about it. You just want to have an executive session for the topic.
I mean, you're it's your meeting. You can bring anything up at any point if
you feel like you need to do it.
about doing this tonight or putting on a future topic.
» It's your It's your >> I was just trying to remind
» you can do whatever we want.
We wanted to convert
just
is the existing.
» So, which one do you want to do first?
» Huh? in executive session first and then
discuss out afterwards.
» Yes.
» I I agree. There's no reason why not.
I'll second that. >> Any discussion? None.
» I have none. >> Roll call.
» Mr. SL is absent. Mr. Sonus. >> Hi,
» Mr. Johnson. >> Hi,
» Mr. Mr. Hbert, Mr. Warden. >> Hi.
» Is that something you guys want me on?
» I don't think so.
» Sorry.
Thank you.
Yeah.
That's
question.
What's up?
Sorry.
Is
Thank you.
I will
pop it out.
Yeah.
You want to create?
Yes.
What was
One
Yeah.
that people
wasn't good.
That's it.
ridicul. Yeah.
So last
Oh yeah.
There's
going
around.
So what it
everyone.
address.
You
You're not
You actually.
Yeah, there's another gentleman
What's
not
I'll say
Oh, it's
Washington.
Jordan.
How many
That's coming out.
very
That's
motion 747.
Okay, we're back in regular session.
I'll second that. Any discussion? >> None.
» Okay. >> Mr. SL is absent. Mr. Sonus. Hi.
» Mr. Johnson. Hi. Mr. Halbert. Hi. Mr. Warden. Hi.
No, I think Alice can go, but Darren should say, right?
» That That was funny when you I'm sorry. That one was funny.
I'll be right here waiting for you.
How does it work?
It's All
right.
Are you sure?
That's hard.
There is
heat.
You have
Okay, thank you.
Yeah.
That's
All right, we're back in regular session.
Does anybody have anything else for this evening?
I just wanted to acknowledge that Mr. Crack stayed till the end of the meeting
and we appreciate his presence.
» Do I have a do I have a a second for the motion?
» Yeah. >> Second.
» All in favor? Hi. Hi. >> We're out of here.
I don't know. I was just guessing.
I saw those. I saw those