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DRAFT Regular Meeting January 12, 2004 Charlton Town Board Saratoga County New York
After the pledge to the flag, the invocation was given by Town Clerk Gail Hanchar.
At the regular meeting of the Town Board of Charlton, Saratoga County, New York held at
Councilman Alan Grattidge
Supervisor Acunto welcomed Councilman Verola as a member of the Town Board.
Motion made by Councilman Grattidge, seconded by Councilman Lippiello that the minutes of the December 8, 2003 Public Hearing, the December 8, 2003 Town Board Meeting and the December 29 Agenda Meeting be accepted as received:
Approved:
Motion made by Councilman Grattidge, seconded by Councilman Lippiello that the minutes of the January 3, 2004 Organizational Resolutions Meeting be accepted as received:
Approved:
ABSTRACT OF CLAIMS:
General Fund: Abstract of Claims totaling $13,532.53. Motion made by Councilman Grattidge, seconded by Councilman Lippiello.
Highway Fund: Abstract of Claims totaling $4,057.26. Motion made by Councilman Grattidge, seconded by Councilman Lippiello.
Water Fund: Abstract of Claims totaling $27,853.91. Motion made by
Vouchers for the month were #1-#59.
Councilman Grattidge - I will make a motion that we approve the vouchers with the exception of the voucher from Friends Lumber. Apparently we don’t have the proper documentation for the three prices that we need on that for the doorway at the highway garage. Mike Emerich presented the board with additional documentation.
Councilman Grattidge - You don’t have the actual quotes from the company.
Mike - Could not understand.
Supervisor Acunto - I suggest that we do what Alan is suggesting, that we pull that one particular voucher. (Voucher for Friends Lumber was for $509.00.) Motion to accept the Abstract of Claims. Correct total for Highway Funds will be $3,548.26.
Approved:
TOWN CLERK’S REPORT:
Gail Hanchar read the Town Clerk’s Report. She reported taking in $117.46. Motion made by Councilman Grattidge, seconded by Councilman Mitchell. PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR: (Agenda Items):
No comments.
SUPERVISOR’S REPORT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:
December revenue and expenditures:
Major expenditures:
Major revenue:
The Town Hall will be closed on January 19 in honor of Martin Luther King.
COMMUNICATIONS:
ASSESSORS:
The hours for January and February are Tuesday from 7 PM - 9 PM, Thursday from 9 AM to Noon and Saturday from 9 AM to Noon. STAR Exemption Forms are available in the Assessors Office.
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING COMMITTEE:
Steve Caine - The first meeting of the Committee was held on Wednesday, January 7. In the future, all meetings will be held the first Monday of the month at 7:00 P.M. at the Town Hall. The Committee agreed on administrative procedures and decided that on March 6 at 9:00 A.M. at the Charlton Freehold Academy there will be a town-wide Planning Workshop. A backup date for this meeting will be March 27. This meeting will consist of a fast paced small group exercise (people list what they like about Charlton and what they would like to see possibly changed or improved) and then a brainstorming session to identify possible solutions or fixes to make desired improvements and then groups will write down what they think Charlton should be like in the future. The committee will be gathering data on townspeople’s thoughts, feeling and attitudes through the use of a town-wide written survey, the town-wide Planning Workshop, interviews with town leaders and citizens and focus group discussions. We are taking the following measures to keep the Town Board and our citizens abreast of our activities:
* All meetings are open and townspeople are encouraged to attend
Marv Schorr - The ZORC started last January without the Master Plan being in the works. It is obvious, because of the timing of the Comprehensive Plan and the ZORC, that there is an overlap. Since any changes that we might recommend probably would come before the results of the Comprehensive Plan, I would anticipate that you would not want to take any final action on the ZORC recommendations until the Comprehensive Plan is presented to the Town Board.
CONSTABLES:
Constables Report for month of December:
Supervisor Acunto - The Town was able to get a new digital radar system for the constables. This particular radar unit is set up so that it has two heads. Most radar units are able to check the speed on on-coming cars. This added head will get cars coming from the other direction as well.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION COMMISSION:
Marv Schorr - In September the Town Board asked the ECC to study the site of the former Getty Station on Stage Road. The ECC has made two recommendations regarding that site. The first one is that the Town should not take ownership of a site unless there is a clean up of possible contamination or a detailed examination of the site shows that there is not any contamination. Recommendation two says that there is new State legislation that deals with brownfields and makes it attractive for municipalities to clean up the possible contaminated site. The municipality can get 90% reimbursement of its costs for clean up under this brownfields program. It may be a win, win situation between Getty and the Town whereby the Town would take ownership of the property from Getty in a "cost-sharing arrangement" where the Town would have the site evaluated to see if there is any contamination. It has already been cleaned up a few times. There may be contamination under the building or in the restroom leach field. Under the building it might be from where the hydraulic lift was due to spills of oil, etc. If there is contamination and the Town owns the property, then it can get clean up done under this new program and get 90% reimbursement which is not available to an industrial owner like Getty. We recommend that the Town try and negotiate a deal like this with Getty. The Town would not necessarily have to pay for the evaluation up front. It could be done with State funding. If there is contamination and the Town could go ahead and have it cleaned up and get the 90% reimbursement. There is also the possibility that we might get Getty to share in the additional 10% so that it wouldn’t cost the Town anything. There is also the possibility of Federal grant money. Getty cannot do anything with that site as it stands now because of the possibility of contamination.
Supervisor Acunto - I have had a conversation with the Town Attorney on this issue and gotten some recommendations on how to proceed from here. Bob VanVranken suggested that Town Board and ECC meet with him to review the report and discuss alternatives on how to proceed. At the Agenda Meeting, we can decide on a date that we can meet with Bob and the ECC and discuss this. We will move quite slowly on this issue.
Dick Lupi - Beechwood Ave - They passed the legislation and the governor is signing it. Was there money in the legislation or is that to be appropriated in the county budget?
Marv - There was money in the legislation. Lots of times the state or the feds will pass legislation and not appropriate any money. It wasn’t signed until October so we are assuming the money that was appropriated will be in the next budget.
Councilman Grattidge - The gas tanks are still present on that site?
Marv - The kerosene tank is gone but there are three gas tanks there. They have removed the contaminated soil from that part. The questions would exist under the building and in the restroom leach field. There were three gas tanks and a kerosene tank there of which all were leaking. In 1986 when Getty took over the site from Sousa, those tanks were taken out and new tanks were put in. The contaminated soil that was accessible was removed. To test the soil under the building, they would have to take the building down. In 1999 Getty applied to re-open the gas station. Their engineering consultant estimated the cost to tear down the building, take out the tanks, remove the underground piping, level the site and plant grass. That estimate was based on their not being any additional contamination found. At that time they said that if additional contamination was found, the cost would increase considerably. This makes it impossible for Getty to do something with that site unless they clear the site and determine that there is or isn’t contamination there.
Councilman Verola - Do you know the size of that lot?
Marv - .56 acres. It is too small for a building site without a variance which the town presumably would not grant as long as we don’t know if there is contamination there or not. It can’t be used as an industrial site because it is in a residential area.
Councilman Verola - If there is no contamination there it could be conceivably a building lot.
Marv - It would be up to the town board. The other residential sites on Stage Road are about ½ acre. The regulations that are going to be issued are supposed to be based on level of clean up. The amount of clean-up you do is going to depend on what the future use of the property is. The DEC regulations will define what that level of clean up is for whatever potential future there would be. There is a double wall tank there and it is filled with sand. The reason for that is that several times teenagers were found trying to start fires around the caps of the tanks. They were tack welded after the tanks were filled with sand. That was a safety measure.
HIGHWAY:
Councilman Grattidge - I think we need to get together with the Highway Superintendent and try to clarify some of the procedures we are going through.
Supervisor Acunto - There is a personnel matter, also. We will have a meeting this Wednesday at 7:00 P.M. We will open a Town Board Meeting and go to executive session.
Councilman Verola - Approximately what does it cost each time you go out to sand the roads?
Mike Emerich - I’ve never figured that out. Sand is about $6.00 per ton and salt is about $24.00 per ton. Could not understand.
Councilman Verola - Do so many inches have to fall before you go out to plow or do you use your own discretion?
Mike - The County usually gets hold of us. Ron and I go out and check the roads. If it is getting slippery we call the men in.
HISTORIAN:
Laura attended a holiday reception at The Saratoga Plan. There has been a merger of the Open Space Project and the Land Trust of the Saratoga Region to form one organization. There is land in Charlton that is becoming part of the Land Trust. It is the Marv Morack property on Eastern Avenue.
HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION:
All members of the Historic District have received an invitation to an informational meeting at the Town Hall on January 21. We will discuss what we have accomplished and where we are going. We are going into Phase 2 of our program which is the lighting district. We have set up a meeting with Mr. Ritchey to discuss the county’s role and how they feel about our lighting the hamlet. That will be January 14 at 11:00 A.M. We are hoping to get some kind of approval to proceed and have the material in hand to go out for grants. Doris Stauffer has talked with Susan Lombardi. She said we have everything we need to get grants. Dot Mitchell, Ron Gavin, Ginger Bailey and Doris will attend the meeting with Mr. Ritchey. Doris would like any comments from the Board.
PLANNING BOARD:
They will be meeting on January 19 at 7:30 P.M.
TOWN HALL:
Councilman Verola reported that she has taken the architect’s contract to the Town Attorney for review. He needs more documents that are probably available. She will be taking those to him.
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS:
The ZBA meets tomorrow night. They are having their organizational meeting. There will be a request for a variance on their agenda for February.
ZONING:
Dave LaFountain reported that there was a smooth transition. Leslie prepared a report and handed it in.
Marv Schorr - We changed Zoning Administrators and the Board liaison member is no longer on the Board. He will be replaced?
Supervisor Acunto - The liaison will be Sandy.
ZORC:
The next meeting will be January 28 at the Town Hall at 7:00 P.M.
WATER:
We need to consider the final movement on Water Extension #5 to bring all those people over the last several years into the water district.
Councilman Grattidge - The $250.00 for the DEC Application is when somebody comes in that is not living within the water district and what we used to call the outside user and they need to be incorporated, we will be doing that on an annual basis once a year. If somebody lives within the district and just hasn’t hooked up, they won’t be charged that fee.
Councilman Lippiello - That is correct.
Councilman Grattidge - The $300.00 fee is for somebody that is tapping that needs to tap our main or is that for somebody that has a curb box sitting outside their house but hasn’t hooked the water up.
John Morgan - The tapping of the main has to be by the property owner who requests public water. If there is no corporation in front of their house, they have to pay to have the main tapped out of their own pocket. They pay from the water main to the cellar. If there is a corporation and a curb box, that is included in the water district and all they pay is from the curb box to the house.
Councilman Grattidge - This $300.00 charge, this is for people even if they have a curb box sitting in front of their house. This is for hooking up to the town water if they are in the district or out of the district?
John Morgan - If they are in the district, no.
Councilman Grattidge - That is for an outside user. Is there a charge to hook in if you live in the district?
Councilman Grattidge - If someone has a curb box sitting in front of their house, then there is no fee?
John Morgan - Right.
Councilman Lippiello - They may have the corporation box and not have the lines run whereas they need the curb……………..
John Morgan - The curb box is already there. They have to pay from the curb box to the house.
Councilman Grattidge - They have to pay for the work done but is there a permit fee so that when you come to inspect it………………..
John Morgan - Not the way we have it set up now.
Marv Schorr - Have the water usage rates been set yet?
John Morgan - No.
Steve Caine - If somebody is coming into the district that has a bond issue, then they become participants in paying off that bond issue and then everybody else gets some sort of reduction because you now have more people helping to pay that bond issue.
John Morgan - Only in that district.
Councilman Lippiello - We had agreed to review and update the Rules and Regulations. On Page 1 of this presentation begins The Rules and Regulations for service. This has been developed with John and Dennis and gone over with Jim Mitchell. We need to act on this so we can put this in use on a permanent basis.
Councilman Verola - I would not be comfortable voting on this tonight. This is the first update since 1967. Are there a lot of changes in here since 1967?
John Morgan - Yes. The wording is changed because a lot of it is antiquated from 1967 compared to today’s operation.
Councilman Lippiello - We had to develop an application for someone who wished to become a member of the water district. This is only for people who are adjacent to an existing main. This is not an extension to the district. We can discuss this at the next Agenda Meeting.
Councilman Verola - Our water attorney has seen this?
Councilman Lippiello - His recommendations are included. We will need to act on Water District #5. Water Extension #4 does not exist. It was the application for Crooked Street. Extension #5 is some house keeping of the people over the years who have tapped into the Water District but have never been accepted into it. The people who were not in the Water District were "outside users" and now they need to be incorporated into the Water District as part of it. Jim Mitchell has updated the map. We need to make a motion to accept this as an extension to the Water District.
Supervisor Acunto - It is an extension to the Water District which will require a public hearing. We should do this before March 1st when the tax rolls are closed. Step 1 would be to accept this map and report of Extension #5.
Motion made by Councilman Lippiello, seconded by Councilman Verola, A Motion to accept Water District Extension #5 as the map shows it dated January 8, 2004, be approved:
Approved:
After some discussion, it was decided to hold a public hearing on January 26, 2004 at 7:30 P.M. prior to the Agenda Meeting, which would give the Board members a chance to consider comments from the public and then vote on the Extension #5 at the February 9, 2004 Town Board Meeting.
Approved:
COUNCILMAN REPORTS:
Councilman Mitchell - The newsletter deadline is January 22. It should be out mid-February.
PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR:
Marv asked about the Tree Give Away. There is money in the budget.
Jim Leupold - When you were talking about different rates that would be voted on, one was a $300.00 amount that was for "outside users" getting hooked up. I thought we were going to abandon the term "outside user"?
Supervisor Acunto - We are abandoning the use of the term but the potential is there that someone still may want to come into the district and they will be called an "outside user" for one year. Our plan is every year to redraw the district to include them into the district. Let’s assume that someone on Old Stage Road wants to get public water. That is not part of any district right now but there is a main in front of their house. They can apply to the Board to become part of Extension #5. Hopefully we allow that to happen. They are in the district but they don’t show on the map. At the end of the year we will have our engineers redraw District #5 and draw that particular residence on the map.
Jim Leupold - Is that part of the group of people that we have already allocated for while we were (could not understand) research because there is a bunch of people that have the potential of hooking up?
John Morgan - No. What this extension does is take care of all of the existing people that are "outside users" that are already contracted into this.
Jim Leupold - They are the ones that are paying the 1 ½ times rate?
John Morgan - That is correct.
Jim Leupold - And now they will no longer be paying that. They will just pay the regular rate.
John Morgan - That is correct. The Town Board will have the power to set a different tier and they might have to pay more than you do as an original resident.
Jim Leupold - To hook up or for a yearly fee?
John Morgan - As a yearly fee.
Councilman Mitchell - That could be done but not included in this schedule we have here?
John Morgan - Right. We haven’t gone that far with that yet.
Supervisor Acunto - We would have a two-tier system of billing.
Jim Leupold - Remember how we talked about a certain group of people. I think it was 17 homes that have access to hook up right now. I know they are different than these people.
Jim Leupold - The reason that I asked the question is because we have already accounted for people who we want to make sure that if we ever get to the point where we are at capacity, we want to make sure that we have allocated a reserved slot for those that are (interrupted)
Supervisor Acunto - You are talking about the 17 that are in the original district but have never hooked in. They aren’t affected by any of this. They are grandfathered until they choose to hook up.
Marv Schorr - I would like to expand on the question that Councilman Verola asked about salt in the dirt that is spread. We don’t spread salt as such except in an emergency situation because it may contaminate well water. They mix just enough salt with the dirt to keep it from freezing.
Supervisor Acunto - But only on town roads. We can’t say that for the county. How often this winter have you spread pure salt?
Mick Emerich - The day we had the ice storm and I think that was only one truck. The rest had a 50/50 mix.
Councilman Lippiello - It might to be an interesting number to have if you and Ron could work out for informational purposes what it means when those trucks start rolling.
Dick Lupi - I wasn’t at the Comprehensive Plan Meeting. Do you have a schedule for this program? How far out do you see this thing extending?
Steve Caine - Our consultant says that she anticipates 16-18 months. I would be happy to share with you the scope of work that she has given us and also the proposal that outlines (could not understand).
Dick Lupi - What is the tab?
Steve Caine - $21,250.00 maximum.
Steve Caine - The first four months this project is what she calls scanning the town. A lot of the emphasis will ride on the opinions of our citizens. The Planning Workshop is a rather non-structured thing where you are asking people to talk from their gut real quick on what they think is great or what they would like to see more of and what they think the solutions might be. The surveys are structured (changed tape) what Charlton strengths are, what the opportunities are in Charlton, what the potential weakness are of the Town and what the threats are to the Town. The weight at which she puts on a lot of the different issues will really depend on what feedback you get from the Town. There is no other town like Charlton. There are no other group of people that have diverse feelings like we do and it is really everybody coming out and then blending all of these things. In the end we will put the emphasis where this overall community wants.
Marv. - The way she put it, it will be our opinions and not hers.
Councilman Verola - I didn’t know what she might be thinking personally. She will have some influence on the group, I would think.
Steve Caine - She has an influence on the process. She has been down the road many times and she knows how to go about drawing out the town, getting the opinions and framing the questions. One of the things you might want to look at is a questionnaire. You don’t know in the interviews what weight people will put on different issues. When we have focus groups, the farmers will come in and we will look at their issues which would include who is maybe going to sell land, who will farm it forever or who is renting land. On the survey, you really have to have the right questions out there for our town. That is where I think the committee will have to do some of its best work. They are open meetings and we have a privilege of the floor at the end of each meeting.
The Agenda Meeting will be on January 26. The next Town Board Meeting will be February 9.
After everyone had the opportunity to speak who wished the meeting was adjourned at 9:10 P.M.
Respectfully submitted, |
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