Town Board - January

CLERMONT TOWN BOARD

JANUARY 2, 2017

The Clermont Town Board held its regular meeting following the Organizational meeting on Monday, January 2, 2017 at 7:00 P.M. at the Town Hall. Those in attendance were Supervisor Raymond Staats, Councilman Robert Desmond, Councilwoman Dawn Brownson, Councilman Evan Hempel and Councilman Kris Gildersleeve. There were two residents present.

Supervisor Staats opened the meeting with the salute to the flag.

MINUTES: The minutes of the December 5, 2016 meeting were approved with a motion made by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Gildersleeve. All in favor. So carried.

The minutes of the December 27, 2016 year-end meeting were approved with a motion made by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilwoman Brownson. All in favor. So carried.

TOWN CLERK’S REPORT: The Town Clerk presented the Supervisor with a check for the General Fund in the amount of $239.00 and a check for Trust & Agency in the amount of $200.00. A motion was made to accept the Town Clerk's report by Councilman Gildersleeve, seconded by Councilwoman Brownson. All in favor. So carried.

CORRESPONDENCE:

  • Notification from the Town of Livingston for a public hearing scheduled for January 12, 2017 at 6:45 P.M. to adopt Local Law #1 of 2017 relative to solar energy uses.
  • Municipal Shelter Inspection Report from NYS Agriculture and Markets giving Pine Plains Veterinary Associates a satisfactory rating.
  • Reminder that town and county tax bills will soon be coming out but you can also view your tax bill online at the Clermont website using your Tax Parcel ID number.
  • Web Committee: No comments.
  • Supervisor Staats advised the Board of the deposits since the end of the year.

COMMITTEE REPORT:

  • Councilman Desmond reported that the Highway department has put the barriers up on the driveway to the park and has done a good job with the recent snow storms.
  • Councilman Hempel reported that he will be working on the upgrade to the website in the near future and the previous months meeting has not been uploaded to the website due to a problem with You-tube.
  • HETTLING PARK: Councilman Gildersleeve did get the information for Councilwoman Brownson on the backstop for the softball field. He asked Councilwoman Brownson if she has an update on the grants for this.
  • Councilwoman Brownson did submit to the Columbia County Historical Society for $125.00 to have a box constructed to house the replica of the Clermont in the Community House until she can have it restored. She also reported that the Bank of Greene County grant for $2500.00 for a backstop for the park. Councilman Gildersleeve said that he found that the shipping was over $750.00 and just under $2000.00 for the backstop. She asked what other major expense, other than the backstop and clay, would there be. Councilman Gildersleeve asked if a flagpole would be something that we could have at this field. We will have to clarify with DEC where we could put it. Councilman Hempel mentioned our discussions of using the park for other uses, so to put these ideas in the grant.
  • Councilwoman Brownson reported that there was a very good crowd for the Holiday event.
  • After the visit from the Capital Region Planning Commission, NYSERDA, last month Councilwoman Brownson followed up by inviting Germantown and Livingston to meet here and see if they can meet the high impact points. Councilman Desmond said we should be careful with any restrictions that may come with this.

OLD BUSINESS:

Supervisor Staats and Councilman Desmond met with DEC to discuss any other further remediation on field this year.The temporary entrance will remain closed until spring. They will come back in the spring, grade the dirt on the sides, which should take care of the flooding in the road, seeding will be done. We have not received an invoice from them and we will not be paying in full until it is completed and acceptable. They asked about options for screening and there is no restriction on what can be planted, but we can not break through the barrier with anything that is planted.

NEW BUSINESS:

  • Supervisor Staats thanked the Village Green Committee for the Holiday Event, it was well attended. He also thanked the Highway for putting up the lights and helping to set up. He also thanked the Highway Department for taking good care of the roads.

SUPERVISORS REPORT:

  • TOWN BUDGET FOR 2016: We have not yet received the Sales Tax check. We had anticipated about $62,000 coming from fund balance but probably won’t be taking anything out of the fund balance because of the increase in revenues coming in.
  • COUNTY BUDGET: The Supervisor was the only Supervisor to vote against the County Budget because the taxes were increased when they are putting two million dollars or more in the bank. The tax values have increased but the tax will be decreased.
  • The resolution to accept the fireworks being sold in Columbia County did not pass. It has passed in all other counties surrounding us. We are loosing the sales tax revenues on these sales. Councilman Gildersleeve asked if there was an argument against it? There were several County Fire Commissioners stating that it would be a fire hazard.
  • Supervisor Staats thanked Mary Howard and her husband for making a donation to the Park. Supervisor Staats and his wife also made a donation for the park.

ABSTRACTS:

  • A motion was made by Councilman Gildersleeve to approve General Abstract #1, vouchers #1-12 in the amount of $18,249.92, seconded by Councilwoman Brownson. All in favor. So carried.
  • A motion was made by Councilman Hempel to approve Highway abstract #1, vouchers #1-2 in the amount of $3,913.16, seconded by Councilman Desmond. All in favor. So carried.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

  • Sarah Takacs asked if there are grants to pay for the screening for the park. Councilwoman Brownson is looking at the Iroquois Community Grant for this. Sarah suggested that Jennifer Phillips might be able to help.

When asked about the cost of the remediation of the property, Supervisor Staats said that the budget is at about $900,000.00, and the Town share would be $90,000.00.

  • Mary Howard is in favor of a flagpole but suggests that it be put up near the cemetery because we have the Veterans observance there on Veterans Day when we are presented with a flag from the VFW and American Legion. Councilman Gildersleeve suggested that it may not be visible from the ballfield, but this would have to be looked into. Councilman Desmond said that we have talked about the possibility of a Veterans monument, and a flag could be in conjunction with this.

A motion was made to adjourn by Councilman Gildersleeve, seconded by Councilman Hempel at 8:00 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

　

Mary Helen Shannon, RMC

Town Clerk

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Town Board