CLERMONT TOWN BOARD

AUGUST 3, 2015

The Clermont Town Board held its regular meeting on Monday, August 3, 2015 at 7:00 P.M. Those in attendance were Supervisor Raymond Staats, Councilman Robert Desmond, Councilwoman Dawn Brownson, Councilman Evan Hempel and Councilman Kris Gildersleeve. There were eight residents present.

The Supervisor opened the meeting with a salute to the flag.

MINUTES: Councilwoman Brownson noted a correction to the July minutes on page 1, Community House Donation should read $300.00(Correction: $350.00) not $250.00. A motion was made to accept the minutes with correction by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilwoman Brownson. All in favor. So carried.

TOWN CLERK’S REPORT: The Clerk read the report for July and presented the Supervisor with a check for the General Fund in the amount of $1624.20 and for Trust and Agency in the amount of $5,675.00. A motion was made to approve the Clerk’s report by Councilman Hempel, seconded by Councilman Gildersleeve. All in favor. So carried.

CORRESPONDENCE:

• Town Offices will be closed on Thursday, September 10, 2015 because it is likely that there will be a primary election. If there is, the hours of the primary will be 12:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.
• Hudson Valley Blue Star Mothers – Serving Columbia, Dutchess, Ulster and Orange Counties. This organization consists of mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers and female legal guardians who have children serving in the military, guard or reserves, or children who are veterans. Others may join as associate members or donate monetarily or in-kind.
• Web Committee: Councilwoman Brownson suggested posting the office closing on the website.
• Supervisor Staats provided the budget and revenue reports for July for the Town Board.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

• REMEDIATION/PARK: Councilman Desmond gave an overview of the Little League property and property acquired from Kathy Hettling. He explained how some years ago the Town acquired property from Germantown Telephone Company on County Route 6. With donations and the work of our highway department we were able to locate the little league field on this property, some playground equipment and a basketball court. With the acquiring of this property on Route 9, there was an agreement that there would be a sign "Hettling Park at Clermont". He stated that the town had intended to do more work at the park on Route 6, but since DEC granted us the remediation funds of $600,000 for the Hettling property, this has become a priority. The plan for a primary recreation area would continue to be on Route 6, but the remediated area could be the site for development of a town park to include walking/interpretive nature trails, veteran’s monument/memorial, picnic area, softball field and parking. He discussed the survey, which was done in 2006 on what the townspeople would like to see in the park. The majority of response was for walking trails, parks and playgrounds. There have also been requests for a softball field. We don’t have complete plans because DEC is working on them, but hope to have them by next month.

Supervisor Staats told Councilman Desmond that this was an excellent explanation of what has been done and what the plans are. He also explained that the town is exempt from going to the Planning Board but we do have to file SEQR and hold a public hearing.

Ronald Miller asked where the remediation area is located. Councilman Desmond explained that it is the front seven acres, there will be a one-foot cover from the road but as it widens out further back there will be two-feet of fill where the active recreation would be located. We will have more details after we meet with DEC.

Maura DeKaser asked if they would create a drop off to her property. The contaminated soil will be dug out first, refilled and there will be a gradual grade. She also asked if trees would be cut. There would be some trees cut but not all the trees would be removed. Supervisor Staats said these details have to be worked out with DEC. Ms. DeKaser asked the visual effect and the Supervisor said there is the possibility for screening, where necessary.

• VILLAGE GREEN BBQ: Councilwoman Brownson reported that the Village Green Barbecue and Community Day is August 15^th, seatings at 3:30 and 5:00 P.M. Please buy your tickets in advance and there is a meeting on Tuesday, August 4^th at 7:00 P.M. Tickets are on sale at several area locations.

OLD BUSINESS:

• COMMUNITY HOUSE: The furnace in the Community House has been replaced and the garage furnace combustion chamber has been replaced.

• MILL ROAD TURNAROUND: The turnaround was to be done in July by the County but has not been done yet. Supervisor Staats was assured that it would be done this month. Our highway will do the paving work but at the cost to the County. The County has paved Lasher Road (County Route 4). Hover Avenue in Germantown has been worked on and will be paved. On County Route 33 they ran into a problem and stopped paving until they resolved the problem. Route 9G is in the process of being paved from the Dutchess county line to the traffic light in Germantown.

• DEC UPDATE: Supervisor Staats spoke to Michael Mason, Engineer from DEC and we can have Morris Associates, Town Engineer, proceed with the driveway entrance permit. Our engineer is very familiar with this project and the permit process.

NEW BUSINESS:

• TOWN BOARD MEETING: The September Town Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at 7:00 P.M. due to the Labor Day Holiday.

• RESOLUTION: Supervisor Staats asked for a motion to approve holding a public hearing to discuss future planning of the remediated property and SEQR review. A motion was made by Councilman Desmond to hold the public hearing on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at 6:30 P.M., seconded by Councilwoman Brownson. All in favor. So carried.

• RESOLUTION NO. 42 OF 2015: authorizing Court Clerk, Lee Gallant to apply for grants for the year 2015 related to the Justice Court. A motion was made to approve by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Hempel. All in favor. So carried.

• HIGHWAY STORAGE BUILDING: The Supervisor has been getting prices on materials for the storage building and feels that we will be able to come in under the proposed budget of $30,000.00. We will also have to file SEQR on this project.

• SALES TAX: Received the second quarter sales tax of $81,447.00, this is less than last year at this time. We are still within our budgeted estimate.

• BUDGET WORKSHOP: A budget workshop will be held on Tuesday, September15, 2015 at 7:00 P.M.

• LEAD AGENCY DESIGNATIONS: The Town Board received lead agency designations from the Town Planning Board for an application from Hart Perry, Southwood Properties on Woods Road for site plan review and special use permit to hold special events. A motion was made to consent to the Planning Board to be lead agency by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilwoman Brownson. All in favor. So carried.

A second Lead Agency Designation was received on an application from NYNEX Mobile for a special use permit and site plan review for a cell tower on Pleasantvale Road. A motion was made to consent to the Planning Board to be lead agency by Councilman Gildersleeve, seconded by Councilman Desmond. All in favor. So carried.

SUPERVISOR REPORT:

• PINE HAVEN HOME: No update.
• TAX SALE FORECLOSURE: Thirty-eight properties from 2011 were on the tax foreclosure list, 36 were sold with a profit.
• Village Green BBQ and Garden Tractor Pull will be held on August 15^th.

There was no other information to report but if anyone has any questions on County business, please contact the Supervisor.

ABSTRACTS:

A motion was made to approve General abstract #8, vouchers #196 - #223, in the amount of $8,073.45 by Councilman Gildersleeve, seconded by Councilwoman Brownson. All in favor. So carried.

A motion was made to approve Highway abstract #8, vouchers #86 - #97, in the amount of $4,330.74 by Councilman Hempel, seconded by Councilwoman Brownson. All in favor. So carried.

A motion was made to approve Trust & Agency abstract #6, vouchers #31 - #39, in the amount of $1,561.74 by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilwoman Brownson. All in favor. So carried.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

Jennifer Phillips: Ms. Phillips owns property that is on the north of the remediated property and is surprised that the town is going through a process without going through the Planning Board. She would like to see a map on the proposed project so that everyone knows what is being commented on. She noted the reporting on the survey was a good response rate for a small community but also noted that the largest number of responses was for walking and running trails and the ballfield was down on the list. She would like to see a semi-natural area. As an adjoining landowner, who has animals and does not use permanent fencing she would want some kind of permanent fencing to protect her animals from children and balls and there are also other community members who are concerned about noise and privacy. She also mentioned that there is new tree growth, which she would not like to see come down. She would like some of the land to remain natural meadow.

Councilman Desmond said that we were considering a softball field because there have been requests. Travis Sterrett, a neighbor, stated that there are other softball fields, which could be used, citing Germantown, Livingston, Red Hook, Rhinebeck. He also commented, that the fact that we are still talking about a survey almost ten years old when you now have a park on Route 6. The Supervisor said that we are going to have the driveway entrance and the parking areas done but anything else is not set in stone. He said that it is good to hear from everyone and get the comments.

Maura DeKaser asked if there are statistics on the use of the playground. We don’t have statistics but there are often people there.

Sara Takacs asked if there is information from DEC. Supervisor Staats said that there is a Record of Decision on file.

Chris Nolan spoke about the Village Green BBQ and Bake Sale. He asked that anyone who could bake please drop off at the Community House on Saturday morning, August 15^th.

A motion was made to adjourn at 8:15 P.M. by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Gildersleeve.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Helen Shannon, RMC

Town Clerk