REGULAR MEETING
May 20, 2019
A regular meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Busti was held on Monday, May 20, 2019 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 Rudy Mueller
Councilman Todd Hanson
Councilman Kenneth Lawton
Supervisor Robbins called the meeting to order with the salute to the flag and a moment of silence was observed. Supervisor Robbins asked those present to keep the family of Willie Davis in their thoughts and prayers, who passed away May 16th. Willie is the husband of Town of Busti Court Clerk, Elizabeth Davis.
Present at the meeting were: LBPD Chief John Bentley, Highway Superintendent Melvin Peterson, Attorney Joel Seachrist, Susan Lane, Ray Ayers, Jeremy Hasson, Busti Fire Department Chief Matt Stafford, and Post Journal Reporter – Eric Zavinski.
Susan Lane, Lakewood History Museum, stated the museum would like to pay up to $350 towards the cost of the Bentley Cemetery’s new sign and posts. Ms. Lane noted the cemetery is the burial site for several Civil War Veterans including Maj General, Chief of Calvary. Commander 3rd Army Corps George Stoneman, who was also the 15th Governor of California.
Town Clerk Darlene Nygren thanked the board for authorizing her to attend the annual New York State Town Clerks’ Assoc. conference, the sessions were very informative and the networking with fellow clerks is always beneficial. She reported she made the 2019 Tax Collection final payment to Town Supervisor in the amount of $2,338.51, the total amount of penalties and interest earned was $11,759.20. The 2019-20 Transfer Sticker renewal notices will be mailed out the first week in June. Clerk Nygren noted her office will be moving to summer hours on June 3rd through Labor Day. The new hours will be Monday – Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Employees will take a 45-minute lunch, which will keep their weekly hours worked at 37 ½ hours. She will inform the Town Justices and the Assessor of the change; it is their decision if they wish to have their offices make the same change.
Chief John Bentley reported the department has handled 3,630 incidents ytd and 363 since his last report to the town board.
Highway Superintendent Melvin Peterson noted there were questions at the last meeting regarding Mitchell Road that was recently micro paved. The road is 1.6 miles long and it would cost $102,000 to pave it with today’s prices. The last time the road was paved was in 2001, Superintendent did not have documentation of the cost at that time; however, it was micro paved 7 years ago at a cost of $65,000. This year the cost was $46,000 with using a heavy slurry. The current cost per mile to pave is $63,254, which would pave 2 miles under the current budget and some stone & oil. CHIPS money adds funding for an additional 2 miles. The department works on 8 miles per year with blacktop and stone &oil, with the intent of a 10-year revolving window. The department will begin to stone and oil the following roads beginning June 3rd: Pine Ridge Road, Nutt Road, and Mead Road. Superintendent Peterson noted the cost to recycle tires has increased from $1.75 per tire to $1.90. The town currently charges $2 per tire at the transfer station, which is close to the recycling cost. He was contacted by a Copper Ridge resident whose children would like to mow the entrance to the subdivision on Hunt Road, unfortunately private citizens can not mow town property. It has been difficult to mow at Loomis Park due to the extreme wetness. The concession stand’s restroom toilets and sink basins should be installed within the next week. Residents renting the pavilion will be charged a deposit fee, before given keys to access the restrooms and the concession area. South and Center Chautauqua Lake Sewer District is assisting with the installation of the vac tank and hook up. A gate should be installed for safety reasons.
Busti Fire Department Chief Matt Stafford reported the department has had 14 Emergency Medical Services, 10 Motor Vehicle Accidents, and 1 service call; 144 incidents ytd incidents which is 16 over the 2018 total of 128.
Supervisor Robbins acknowledged the passing of retired Town Justice Merle Elkin. Mr. Elkin served the town as an elected official for 30 years; as Town Councilman from 1980 through 1984 and Town Justice from 1984 through 2010. He is survived by his wife, Bernice; two children, Kristy Crandall and David Elkin; and four grandchildren.
Attorney Joel Seachrist noted Jamestown Board of Utilities Attorney Bill Wright will be scheduling a meeting with the City of Jamestown, Town of N. Harmony, and the Town of Busti regarding the Water & Sewer Agreement.
There was discussion regarding the items declared surplus at the last Town Board meeting. Highway Superintendent Peterson stated he knows a person interested in purchasing the vault door at scrap metal price.
Supervisor Robbins moved the following resolution which was duly moved by Councilman Mueller:
RESOLVED, Superintendent Peterson is authorized to sell the vault door at scrap metal price.
Upon roll call vote, all aye, carried.
Attorney Joel Seachrist noted the moratorium on Commercial Wind and Solar Energy Facilities, passed May 21, 2018 will expire this month and the board should consider extending the moratorium on Commercial Wind Facilities an additional six months.
Supervisor Robbins moved the following resolution, which was duly moved by Councilman Mueller:
RESOLVED, the Town Board of the Town of Busti set a public hearing at 7:00 p.m. on June 3, 2019, regarding a possible extension of Local Law No. 1 of 2018 entitled “A Local Law Enacting a Moratorium on Commercial Wind and Solar Energy Facilities”, which extension would apply only to the commercial wind sections of said law.
Upon roll call vote, all aye, carried.
The proposed local law would extend a moratorium on the construction of large-scale wind projects for another six (6) months while the Town works to draft appropriate regulations for them. The Town has already adopted new regulations for solar energy facilities.
Attorney Joel Seachrist will do an analysis on other municipalities’ Telecommunication Towers regulations and make a recommendation to the board regarding updating the town’s current regulation.
Supervisor Robbins noted there is a significant decrease in energy costs at both 125 Chautauqua Avenue and 3646 Lawson Road since the solar panels have been installed.
Supervisor Robbins moved the following resolution which was duly seconded by Councilman Hanson:
RESOLVED, that Supervisor Robbins be authorized and directed to pay the presented General Fund, Highway Fund, and the Joint Recreation Fund for Abstract No. 6 from warrant #261 to and including warrant #284 in the amount of $46,273.15.
Upon roll call vote, all aye, carried.
Supervisor Robbins moved to accept the May 6, 2019 Regular Town Board meeting minutes; motion was duly moved.
All in favor, carried.
Supervisor Robbins moved to adjourn the meeting at 7:22 p.m. which was duly moved by Councilman Andrews.
All in favor, carried.
Respectfully Submitted,
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Darlene H. Nygren, Town Clerk