CLERMONT TOWN BOARD
FEBRUARY 3, 2014
The Clermont Town Board held their regular meeting on Monday, February 3, 2014 at 7:00 P.M. Those in attendance were Supervisor Raymond Staats, Councilman Edward Kahle, Councilman Robert Desmond, Councilman Evan Hempel and Councilman Kris Gildersleeve. There were four residents present.
The Supervisor opened the meeting at 7:00 P.M. with a salute to the flag.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: A motion was made by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Hempel at 7:00 P.M. to go into executive session.
A motion was made at 7:15 P.M. by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Hempel to come out of executive session.
MINUTES: The minutes of the 2014 Organizational Meeting were reviewed and accepted on a motion made by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Gildersleeve. All in favor. So carried.
The minutes of the January 6, 2014 regular meeting were reviewed and accepted by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Gildersleeve. All in favor. So carried.
The minutes of the January 18, 2014 Review of the books and policies were reviewed and accepted by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Gildersleeve. All in favor. So carried.
TOWN CLERK’S REPORT: The Town Clerk read the report for January and presented a check for the General fund in the amount of $1,406.00 to the Supervisor. A motion was made by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Kahle to accept the Town Clerks report. All in favor. So carried
CORRESPONDENCE:
- The Supervisor handed out the Budget and Review report for January 31, 2014 to the Board.
- The Clerk read the Building Inspectors report for 2013 as follows:
Building Permits issued 32
New Homes 4
Additions, Decks 6
Pools 5
Garage, Accessory 7
Commercial
(Carmelite Sisters) 2
Misc. Solar, fence, etc. 8
C.O.’s Issued 25
C.O. Search, pre-date letters 32
FOIL Requests 2
Courtesy Letter, Notice of
Violation 4
- Website: No report
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
- Councilman Desmond reported that he and Councilman Gildersleeve attended a workshop with the Clermont Fire Commissioners relating to false alarms and nuisance alarms. They will be requesting assistance from their attorney in preparing a law, which can then be presented to the Town Board for review for a Local Law.
The Fire Commissioners will meet on February 17th at 7:00 P.M and discuss this further during or after the regular meeting.
- TOWN PARK: Councilman Desmond wrote a request for prices for swings and rubberized fall surface and sent it to Morris Associates. They will be preparing it in the Request for Proposal format. They will also prepare the public notice for the paper. Councilman Desmond said that they also checked on the warranties on the fall surface, and it is a prorated feature. Once the bids are received, a meeting can be scheduled for a Thursday evening to open the bids. A motion was made by Councilman Desmond to have Morris Associates put out the RFP when it is completed, seconded by Councilman Hempel. All in favor. So carried.
- SCHOOLS: Councilman Hempel noted that the school budgets are being prepared and to check on the school websites to find out when budget meetings are being held. He also has heard that the 2% tax cut was going to be lowered this year.
OLD BUSINESS:
- MILL ROAD BRIDGE: The Mill Road bridge did not come up at the recent County committee meeting. Once it goes through the committee, which may be in February. The Supervisor has talked to Supervisors in Germantown and Livingston and they feel it should be open, as does the Traffic Safety Board. The Supervisor will update when he has more information.
- POLICIES: At the meeting to review policies, the Highway Personnel Policy in regard to sick days, was amended. Currently, there is a maximum carry over of 30 sick days, which can be carried over to the next year. Employees who reach the 30 days will loose their six earned days if they don’t use them. As an incentive to not use the days, we developed the change to the policy, which allows for payment of sick days in the amount of $75.00 in the last payroll of December for days in excess of 30 days.
NEW BUSINESS:
- Tax Stipulation: The Assessor has stipulated a settlement of a tax grievance case with Scott and Lori McCarthy. Our attorney has negotiated with their attorney to reach this settlement. He agrees that this is the appropriate settlement. A motion was made by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Gildersleeve to approve this settlement. All in favor. So carried.
- A letter was received from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Southern Columbia Memorial Post that they have not disbanded and still exists, which had thought to be the case in 2012. This will enable us to send the budgeted donation to them.
- Donations for the Park Program have been received as follows:
Robert Desmond in memory of Eva Desmond for $2000.00
Ethel Potts, Carol Staats, James and Faye Potts in memory of Sherman Potts, who was Town Supervisor for seventeen years for $1,000.00
Staats Contracting for $2,000.00
SUPERVISORS REPORT:
- COURTHOUSE: The project is still on schedule to reopen the end of March, but the Supervisor thinks it will be later. The bid for the windows came in at $800,000.00 so they will not be doing them at this point. This would put the project over budget.
- PINE HAVEN: The Supervisor has been appointed the chair of the sub-committee on Pine Haven. There are new Supervisors who have to be brought up to speed, so he will be coordinating the information for these members.
- AIRPORT: The Supervisor has not been on the Airport committee but he believes there will be a recommendation to the full board of Supervisors this month.
- 4TH QUARTER SALES TAX: We have not received the check yet this month because the County does not have enough money to send the checks out.
- The Clermont Fire Department roast beef dinner will be held on February 22nd at 6:00 P.M. at the Route 9G Firehouse.
- Our April meeting may be rescheduled from April 7th to Wednesday, April 2nd at 7:00 P.M.
ABSTRACTS:
A motion was made by Councilman Hempel to approve General abstract #2, vouchers #16 through #39 in the amount of $7,599.75, Councilman Desmond seconded. Councilman Kahle abstained because he had not reviewed the vouchers. Motion passed.
A motion was made by Councilman Kahle to pay Highway Abstract #2, vouchers #2 through #11, in the amount of $12,700.30, seconded by Councilman Gildersleeve. All in favor. So carried.
PUBLIC COMMENTS:
- Mary Howard said the Fire Commissioners could check for sample alarm laws on NYS Fire Prevention and Control website. She also suggested the County check with NYSERDA grants for the windows at the Court House.
- Councilman Kahle reported that his son did see a Mountain Lion off County Route 6.
- Dawn Brownson asked how the other Supervisors react to not receiving their sales tax checks. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of concern because finances are supposed to be okay.
A motion was made by Councilman Desmond, seconded by Councilman Gildersleeve to adjourn at 7:55 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Helen Shannon, RMC
Town Clerk