REGULAR MEETING
March 6, 2017
A regular meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Busti was held on Monday, March 6, 2017 at 6:45 p.m., at the Town of Busti, Town Administration Building, 125 Chautauqua Avenue, Lakewood, New York with the following members present:
Supervisor Jesse M. Robbins
Councilman Jim Andrews
Councilman Kenneth Lawton
Councilman Rudy Mueller
Councilman Todd Hanson
Supervisor Robbins called the meeting to order with the salute to the flag and a moment of silence was observed.
Present at the meeting were: Highway Superintendent Melvin Peterson, Lakewood Busti Police Chief John Bentley, Attorney Joel Seachrist, Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Swanson, Troy Bouckhuyt, Jack Knowlton, Ray Ayers, Chautauqua County Legislature PJ Wendell, Village of Lakewood Mayor Cara Birrittieri, Village of Lakewood Deputy Mayor E.J. McCague, and Jennifer Froah.
Village of Lakewood Mayor Cara Birrittieri requested the town board consider assisting with the funding to finish the new baseball field located at the Lakewood Fire Department grounds off of E. Summit Avenue; $30,000 is needed to purchase and install the fencing. The Village of Lakewood has designated $4,000 in the 2017-18 budget towards the project and will be responsible for ongoing maintenance. Troy Bouckhuyt and Jennifer Froah, Southwestern Area Sports, both stated they believe the field will be a benefit to the Village and Town communities: anticipated tournaments will bring in revenue that will lower the player registration fee as well as bring in people that will patronize local businesses. Mr. Bouckhuyt stated after the fence is installed there is still a need to construct dugouts which will cost an additional $20,000 to $30,000, however this can be done after the field is being used. Jack Knowlton, Lakewood Fire Department President, noted the Village of Lakewood has signed a 20 year lease for the use of the property which expires next year and is ready to renew for another 20 year lease. The fire department has donated the flagpole and the field sign. The field is being dedicated to Ralph and Fran Marra who donated $150,000 towards the construction of the field. An additional $50,000 was received through the Sheldon Foundation.
Councilman Mueller moved the following resolution which was duly moved by Councilman Hanson:
RESOLVED, the Town of Busti donate $5,000 from the Recreation Fund to The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation: Village of Lakewood Non-Endowed Baseball Diamond Fund .The funds are to be used toward the cost of the field’s fence at the Fireman’s Gounds.
Upon roll call vote, all aye, carried.
Chautauqua County Legislature PJ Wendell reported County Executive Vince Horrigan is very pleased with the fact that Town of Busti, Village of Lakewood, and Town of Ellicott have all received the Clean Energy Community recognition. Legislature Wendell noted the county is one of six finalists for Regional Solutions, which is approximately a $20,000,000 grant to be used towards shared service programs.
Town Clerk Darlene Nygren reported her office is continuing with tax collection and has collected $5,706,907 to date. Late notices will be sent out at the end of the week and April 3rd is the last day to collect at the Town Clerk’s office. She is able to upload lockbox payments and they are currently up to date on the county system. FSC will install the new camera system on Tuesday, March 7. Town Clerk Nygren noted Randy Graham, NYMIR agent, informed her that NYMIR does not offer a Public Officials Non-Monetary Suit Defense Cost Endorsement, which was discussed at the February 6th Town Board meeting. Town Clerk Nygren reported Diane VanDewark worked a total of 33.5 hours while Deputy Town Clerk Huffman was out of the office.
Police Chief John Bentley presented the LBPD 2016 Annual Report to town councilmen. He reported 771 incidents since the last meeting, 1,804 incidents YTD.
Highway Superintendent Melvin Peterson reported the department has taken down a number of trees, some have been at the cemetery at the corner of Lawson and Sandbury Roads, due to the recent high winds. The department has been working with residents and their driveway pipes. He was hoping to have the department off shifts this week but will have to wait for snow not in the forecast.
Code Enforcement Officer Jeff Swanson reminded residents that NYS Dept of Enviromental Conservation’s burning ban will begin March 16 through May 14 due to the increased risk of wildfires. Anyone with questions or concerns should contact DEC directly. He attended a free informational session about the process to apply for grant funding through Appalachian Regional Commission’s Area Development Program and will pass on the information to Councilman Lawton. The application deadline is May 31st. CEO Swanson will be attending training in Rochester the week of March 12th. He and Town Clerk Nygren have updated the NYSERDA energy information for 2016.
Jack Knowlton, Lakewood Fire Department President, reported 128 incidents year to date, averaging 2 per day.
Councilmen reviewed the Contractors Pollution Liability Insurance proposal from Slone Melhuish & Co.
Supervisor Robbins moved the following resolution which was duly moved by Councilman Mueller:
RESOLVED, to accept the Contractors Pollution Liability (Asbestos) proposal from Slone Melhuish & Co for Contractors Pollution Liability through Russell Bond Insurance Wholesalers in the amount of $2,759.25 for one year.
Upon roll call vote, all aye, carried.
Councilman Mueller noted he has continued to pursue the possibility of the Village of Lakewood moving their administrative offices and the police department to the town administration building. He has talked with Chief Bentley and discussed the amount of space needed for the police department. Mayor Birrittieri stated the Village Board of Trustees have not discussed the subject to date. Discussion followed.
Councilman Hanson moved to schedule a joint work session for the Town of Busti Town Board and the Village of Lakewood Board of Trustees to discuss shared services. Two possible dates to meet are Wednesday, March 29, 2017 or Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 6:30 pm.
All in favor, carried.
Mayor Birrittieri will discuss the meeting and dates with the Board of Trustees at their next scheduled Board of Trustee meeting.
Councilman Mueller presented information regarding the purchase or lease of an electric car, which could be utilized by the Code Enforcement Officer. Discussion followed. The board agreed not use proposed electric car purchase/lease as a NYSERDA Clean Energy Community project and possibly look at it again as a 2018 budget item.
Discussion followed regarding the NYSERDA Clean Energy Community projects and the grant applications, as well as who would be responsible to complete and submit the grant applications. The board was in agreement the following projects would be submitted to NYSERDA for Clean Energy Community grant funding: 1.LED Outdoor Lighting Conversion with National Grid 2. The purchase and installation of turnkey solar electric arrays for the Town Administration Building and the Highway Building 3. LED Indoor Lighting Conversion. The board agreed to work on the project grant applications and each councilman will work on certain narratives required in the application.
Councilman Hanson reported he, Highway Superintendent Peterson, Ryan White, Chad Beaver, and Steve Hook met and finalized plans for the Loomis Park Concession/Restroom building. The building will be a masonry building with split face block; will have two restrooms and a concession stand area. Construction should begin by the end of March, weather permitting.
Supervisor Robbins referred to correspondence received from Association of Towns encouraging “local governments to share information with the public about how local government officials are sharing services, improving efficiencies and hold the line on property taxes. The concerted effort is in response to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s countywide property tax savings plan proposal that requires county executives or county managers to create new countywide shared service property tax savings plans that are subject to voter approval at the general election in November. The county executive or county manager does not need the approval of town, city and village officials to put a plan before the voters that could include the transfer of functions to and from municipalities within the county. If voters approve a county’s plan, the proposals included in the plan must be implemented in 2018.
The correspondence stated “There is no direct funding proposed in the governor’s budget to fund the development of the county plans or to implement the proposals contained in those plans. In addition, the governor is conditioning the distribution of general purpose revenue sharing, otherwise known as AIM funding, upon the state Legislature’s inclusion of his countywide shared service property tax savings plan proposal in the final budget. The governor’s tax savings plan proposal is intended to lower property taxes but appears to be another unfunded mandate that threatens home rule.”
Discussion followed.
Councilman Hanson motioned Supervisor Robbins be authorized to submit a letter stating the town board does not support the governor’s countywide property tax savings plan proposal, duly moved by Councilman Lawton.
Upon roll call vote:
Supervisor Robbins – aye
Councilman Andrews – aye
Councilman Mueller – nay
Councilman Hanson – aye
Councilman Lawton – aye
Carried.
Supervisor Robbins moved the following resolution which was duly moved by Councilman Hanson:
RESOLVED, to authorize the Town Councilmen, Town Clerk, Deputy Town Clerk, Highway Superintendent, CEO, Town Justices, and Court Clerks to attend Southern Tier West Local Government Conference, May 10, 2017 at Houghton College, Houghton, NY; expenses paid by the town.
Upon roll call vote, all aye, carried.
Supervisor Robbins moved to authorize Town Clerk Nygren to attend NYS Census Bureau LUCA Informational Workshop, March 23, 2017 at the Prendergast Library – Fireplace Room, Jamestown, NY at no cost to the town.
All in favor, carried.
Supervisor Robbins moved the following resolution which was duly moved by Councilman Lawton:
RESOLVED, that Supervisor Robbins be authorized and directed to pay the presented General Fund, Highway Fund, and the Joint Recreation Fund for Abstract No. 3 from warrant #60 to and including warrant #131 in the amount of $453,716.27.
Upon roll call vote, all aye, carried.
Supervisor Robbins moved to accept the February 6, 2017 town board meeting minutes which was duly moved by Councilman Andrews.
All on favor, carried.
Supervisor Robbins moved to enter executive session on a personnel issue at 8:19 p.m., which was duly moved by Councilman Lawton.
All in favor, carried.
Councilman Hanson moved to reenter the regular meeting at 8:40 p.m., which was duly moved by Supervisor Robbins.
All in favor, carried.
Supervisor Robbins motioned to adjourn the regular board meeting at 8:41 p.m., which was duly moved by Councilman Andrews.
All in favor, carried.
Respectfully Submitted,
____________________________________ Darlene H. Nygren, Town Clerk