CLERMONT TOWN BOARD MEETING

 

October 2, 2006

 

The Clermont Town Board held its regular meeting on Monday October 2, 2006.  Those present were Supervisor Banks, Councilman Harned, Councilwoman Lent, Councilman Staats and Councilman Nolan. Others present were Paul Doherty, Judith Neary, Robert Desmond, Ray Tousey, George Davis, Dagmar Payne, Bruce Unson, Larry Saulpaugh, Dianne O'Neal, Phil and Nan Leonard, Richard Roth of the Independent and others.

 

Supervisor Banks opened the meeting with the salute to the flag.  Councilman Nolan noted corrections to the September meeting as follows:

·        Page 2 - #3 – ‘board voted to support it’ – Delete ‘it’ Add ‘the application’

·        Page 3 – last paragraph – insert ‘multiple’ before property owner.

A motion was made to approve the minutes with corrections by Councilman Nolan, seconded by Councilman Harned.  All in favor.  So carried.

 

PUBLIC COMMENT:

·        Dagmar Payne – Spoke regarding steering committees work, Independent’s article about Chairwoman Sethi and the Steering Committee, and volunteers in the community being much needed and should be appreciated for their work.

·        There was more discussion from Board members and those present regarding the grant proposal submitted by Chairwoman Sethi to the Musser Fund for a $25,000 grant and the letter of support which was unsigned by the Supervisor.  The grant was rejected and returned to the Supervisor by the Musser Fund.  The discussions included questions regarding how the grant could be rescinded when there was a resolution approving sending the letter of support and by whose authority the grant was rescinded.  Supervisor Banks response was that he was advised by the attorney to pull the grant back and as the Chief Fiscal Officer he has that authority.  The letter of support was not signed and should not have been sent.  He acted in the Town’s best interest to rescind the grant. Councilman Harned stated that no decision had been made as to what the subject of the grant would be.  The committee decided that it would request funds for a town map.  The motion was made to write a letter of support, not to apply for the grant.  Councilman Nolan asked who appoints the committee members.  The Supervisor makes appointments.

·        Robert Desmond would like to see another committee formed and additional planning carried on.  There are other grants that can be applied for, as well as from the Musser Fund. 

·        Phil Leonard asked about the town’s property and if there are any plans for its use. The property, which was donated by Catherine Hettling, is going to be analyzed by C.T. Male and recommendations made as to clean up of property.  The work is scheduled to start on October 16th.  Before planning for the use of the property, it must be cleared by DEC that it is safe for any intended use, such as a park, playground, town complex, etc.

 

 

Page 2                                      TOWN BOARD MINUTES               October 2, 2006

 

COMMUNICATIONS:

·        Letter from Town Attorney – Andrew B. Howard regarding proposed resolutions submitted by Councilman Nolan.The resolutions addressed: 1. Issues and concerns surrounding review of Clermont Zoning Ordinance, review with other municipalities, etc. 2. Landowners with multiple properties in the town and adjoining towns for which development is proposed.  His communication offered suggestions for the Board in regards to the issues brought up in the resolutions.  Councilman Nolan requested that the attorney might attend a town board meeting to discuss these issues.

·        Letter from D. F. Wheeler, Town Engineer regarding an overview of Town Planning Boards in regards to proposed resolution by Councilman Nolan on land use regional review between towns.

·        Letter from Dagmar Payne Regarding steering committees work, Independent’s article about Chairwoman Sethi and the Steering Committee, and volunteers in the community being much needed and appreciated for their work.

·        Town Clerk’s report for September – Check in the amount of $726.26.  Accepted on a motion made by Councilman Harned, seconded by Councilwoman Lent.  All in favor.  So carried.

 

OLD BUSINESS:

·        Supervisor Banks asked Councilman Nolan if he had resolved his error on the Con Ed worksheet to balance with the 12/31/05 annual report amount of $170,392. Resolutions were passed for transfer of $25,000 to match funds for the Athens Generating Grant and $15,000 for Kimberlea Shaw Rea for attorney fees for the LaMunyan investigation and Brownsfield investigation. There was discussion of the difference of approximately $18,000, which was put into the General fund and would have been used for payments in 1998 for work on the church, garage and Community House. 

·        After discussion on the windows, which need repair at the Community House, a motion was made to proceed with the repair of one window from the building account for no more than $1500 by Councilman Harned, seconded by Councilman Staats.  All in favor.

·        The Zoning Review Committee, chaired by Councilwoman Lent, would like to start the SEQRA process and hold a meeting for public comments on a zoning change to the RA1 district to an RA2 district- One-acre to two acres.  A public comment period was scheduled for Monday, October 16th at 7:00 P.M.

·        The public hearing for the Preliminary Budget will be held on November 6, 2006 at 7:00 P.M. prior to the Town Board meeting.

·        Streetlighting for intersection of Route 9G and County Route 6 – As reported by Larry Saulpaugh and Town Clerk, Traffic Safety Board does not make a decision on streetlighting.  If the town wants a new streetlight, the cost would be billed monthly by National Grid.  Town Clerk will contact National Grid for installation and monthly cost.

 

 

 

Page 3                                      TOWN BOARD MINUTES               October 11, 2006

 

NEW BUSINESS:

·        John Kurowski has repaired shingles that were loose on the roof of St. Lukes Church, at no cost.   He will stop by to check for any leaking around the church steeple.

·        It will be necessary to transfer money by resolution to pay for the paving of Moore Road, which came in higher than budgeted for, due to increase in prices.

 

A motion was made by Councilman Nolan, seconded by Councilman Staats to approve Trust and Agency abstract #9, voucher #16 – 21 in the amount of $1,392.50.  All in favor.  So carried.

 

A motion was made by Councilman Nolan, seconded by Councilman Staats to approve Highway abstract #10, vouchers #90 – 101 in the amount of $74,341.85.  All in favor.  So carried.

 

A motion was made by Councilman Nolan, seconded by Councilman Harned to approve General Fund abstract #10, vouchers #245 – 270 in the amount of $4,536.42.  All in favor.  So carried.

 

Councilman Nolan asked about two vouchers on the General abstract, reimbursement to Christine Van Ort for Quik books program and Deer Tracks for the Brownsfield investigation.  The computer program was purchased earlier this year by the bookkeeper and will be returned to the town when she is no longer keeping the books and Deer Tracks cleared the twenty-acre site for the investigation by C. T. Male.

 

A motion was made to adjourn by Councilman Staats, seconded by Councilwoman Lent at 9:10 P.M.  All in favor.  So carried.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Mary Helen Shannon

Town Clerk