CLERMONT TOWN BOARD

JULY 2, 2012

The Clermont Town Board held their regular meeting on Monday, July 2, 2012 at 7:00 P.M. at the Town Hall. Those in attendance were Supervisor Raymond Staats, Councilman Edward Kahle, Councilman Robert Desmond and Councilman Evan Hempel. Councilwoman Nancy Moore was absent. There were six residents and John Mason, Register Star present.

MINUTES: A motion was made by Councilman Desmond to approve the minutes of the June meeting, seconded by Councilman Hempel. All in favor. So carried.

TOWN CLERKS REPORT: The Town Clerk read the report for July and presented the Supervisor a check for the General Fund in the amount of $652.50 and Trust & Agency for $275.00. A motion was made to accept the report by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Kahle. All in favor. So carried.

CORRESPONDENCE:

• Received letter from Town of Red Hook regarding public hearing on zoning changes.

• Received letter from resident of Mill Road in favor of keeping the road closed.

Supervisor Staats has spoken to eight residents on Mill Road and of the eight, five are in favor of opening the bridge and three are against.

• Web Committee: Councilman Hempel reported that Stephen Hammer has said that he would like to resign from the webmaster position and suggested that Councilman Hempel take over the webmaster position. Supervisor Staats will speak to Stephen.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

• BERKSHIRE-TACONIC GRANT: Councilman Kahle reported that a check was received from Berkshire-Taconic for the grant he submitted in the amount of $1500.00 to be used for the park.

• TOWN HALL INSULATION: Councilman Kahle received a quote of $1,500.00 to insulate the Town Hall attic, after the contractor did an actual physical measurement. This was $500.00 higher than the original estimate. The Supervisor said we will need to get two additional bids because it is over $1000.00. He will contact several contractors for quotes.

• Councilman Desmond thanked the Town Clerk for work done in recouping taxes, which were billed by National Grid and Verizon Wireless.

• Councilman Desmond reported that the basketball hoop has been ordered by the Supervisor and will go up at the park.

• Councilman Desmond has been notified by ZBA Chairman Charles Larsen that Deputy Chairman Bruce Unson would like to resign from that position. Chairman Larsen is recommending Hank Himelright to replace his as Deputy Chair. A motion was made by Councilman Desmond to appoint Hank Himelright as ZBA Deputy Chairman, seconded by Councilman Hempel. All in favor. So carried.

• Councilman Hempel reported that the Germantown school budget passed on the second vote. This month most schools have their organizational meetings.

OLD BUSINESS:

• MILL ROAD BRIDGE UPDATE: As reported earlier, the Supervisor received a letter in favor of keeping the bridge closed. Supervisor spoke to eight residences, five were in favor of opening and three for keeping it closed. There are others that use the road and would like it opened, one being the Kukon’s, who use the bridge for their farming operation. He has met with Livingston Supervisor Kevin McDonald on the Clermont side, and he realizes that we have no place to turnaround as they do on the Livingston side. Supervisor Staats has asked the County engineer, DPW Commissioner and Chairman Grattan to come down and come up with a solution for a turnaround. There is no money in this year’s budget but possibly in next year’s budget they can do something.

• SAULPAUGH SURVEY: The Saulpaugh Trustees are donating land to the Town, but the surveyor has encountered a problem with encroachment of one of the adjoining landowners on the Saulpaugh property. The Supervisor will speak to the Saulpaugh Trustees to see what they want to do. The surveyor will also survey the corner of the cemetery property at the same time, which he estimates the cost to be $500.00. The Highway department has cleaned up that area of the cemetery and we will have access to the property.

• REGANS WAY: Supervisor Staats spoke to John Moran about completing the road so that the town can take ownership of the road for snow plowing and maintenance. Mr. Moran said that it should be done in August.

NEW BUSINESS:

• PARK PROGRAM: Authorized payment to Germantown Park Commission, per the budget, of $3000.00. The rate for a child from a town which does not participate in the program is $100.00, and for those that do participate, including Clermont it is $50.00.

• BALLFIELD: We have donation for the basketball pole and backboard from our town attorney, Andy Howard of Freeman-Howard Law firm. Supervisor Staats thanked Mr. Howard for the donation and everyone who has donated for the ballfield.

• HYDROFRACKING: Supervisor Staats spoke with Supervisor Brown of Germantown and expressed our interest in the subject. He would like to have the three towns meet to discuss hydrofracking on Thursday, July 26^th at 7:00 P.M.(unconfirmed) in Germantown. Councilman Desmond asked if they would be discussing the ground water issues. Ed Kahle could contact NY Rural Waters and ask them to come to our next meeting.

• ST. LUKE’S CHURCH: Funds were budgeted for painting in this year’s budget. There is additional work, which needs to be done, such as carpentry work. Supervisor Staats asked Councilman Kahle if he would come up with an estimate on what needs to be done.

SUPERVISORS REPORT:

• COURT HOUSE: Bid for work on the Court House renovations could be awarded by July 11^th.

• PINE HAVEN: Received word that the CON will be reviewed at the August meeting of the NYS Health Dept. Supervisor Staats supports keeping the nursing home because they are now operating at a profit.

• HOMELESS SHELTER: Supervisor Staats is not on this committee but he believes it is moving along.

• DSS BUILDING: The site has been purchased and the results on the two and one/half acres have come back clean but he has not seen the report on it yet. The purchase should have a positive effect on the budgets over the next few years.

• CERTIFIED HOME HEALTH AGENCY: There was a presentation by the company, which is looking to purchase the CON. They are also willing to take the employees currently working for the county. The Board voted it down and this is unfortunate because the county loses money on this agency. We have 23 residents that we serve in the County. Reimbursements continue to go down and without residents to use the service it is estimated that the county will loose close to one million dollars this year. Supervisor Staats asked the Director to come back with solutions to reduce the amount we are spending on this program. There has to be a way to cut this back.

Councilman Desmond agreed with Supervisor Staats that this does not seem to make sense if the County is loosing money and there is a company willing to take it over.

• TOWN BARBECUE: Grounds open at 10:00 AM with the tractor pull, followed by a demonstration by Clermont Fire Department on Saturday, August 4^th. Meals will be served at 3:30 and 5:30 PM

ABSTRACTS:

A motion was made by Councilman Desmond to approve Highway abstract #7, vouchers #55 to 66 in the amount of $9,268.78, seconded by Councilman Hempel. All in favor. So carried.

A motion was made by Councilman Hempel to approve General abstract #7, vouchers #155 to 183 in the amount of $7,537.43, seconded by Councilman Kahle. All in favor. So carried.

PUBLIC COMMUNICATION:

• Judy Blessinger-Neary: When she first came here she went to the BBQ and there was a table for voter registrations and absentee ballots. She asked if this could be done at the BBQ. Supervisor Staats said if the politics could be completely out of it, but it would be up to the board. Councilman Desmond thought it was a committee decision, not the town board, but it is a tradition at fairs and such for campaigning, etc. Supervisor Staats said that it could be a recommendation to the Village Green. Councilman Kahle said that this may be a way to involve more young people.
• Chris Nolan: He was involved in setting up the tables and it was for voter registration and absentee ballots, with representatives of both parties. There are rules and should be checked with the Board of Elections before doing anything. He believes it would be a good thing. He asked about the appointment of new deputy chair of the ZBA and if Bruce Unson was resigning from his position at the end of the year. Councilman Desmond is not aware of that. Supervisor Staats did speak to Chairman Larsen and he feels much better, and we do have an alternate who can come to the meetings and step in when needed.

A motion was made to adjourn at 7:55 P.M. by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Hempel. All in favor. So carried.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Helen Shannon, RMC

Town Clerk