Town of Charlton

Town of Charlton

Saratoga County

Town Board

 

Agenda Meeting

January 28, 2008

 

7:30pm

 

 

The Agenda meeting of the Town Board of Charlton, Saratoga County, New York held at  the Charlton Town Hall was called to order by Supervisor Grattidge at 7:30pm.

 

Present:  Councilman Gardner, Councilman Verola, Supervisor Grattidge, Town Attorney Bob VanVranken, Town Clerk Brenda Mills

 

Absent: Councilman Lippiello, Councilman Salisbury

 

Supervisor Grattidge announced that this meeting is to set the Agenda for the Regular Meeting of the Town Board on Monday, February 11, 2008.

 

 

APPROVAL OF ABSTRACTS

 

A motion made by Councilman Verola seconded by Councilman Gardner to accept General Fund Claims No. 1049-1085 in the amount of $45,977.87 as set forth in the abstract No.102, and to accept General Fund Claims No. 802-803 in the amount of $123.00 as set forth in the abstract No. 8801.   APPROVED

 

Roll call vote:  Councilman Gardner: Aye,  Councilman Verola: Aye, Supervisor Grattidge: Aye    APPROVED

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND DISCUSSIONS

 

Supervisor Grattidge requested discussion of the Annual Highway Agreement with Michael Emerich, Highway Superintendent present in the audience.  The issue discussed was that the Highway Agreement submitted by Mr. Emerich lists one total for Gas/Diesel and Road Construction & Repair, and the Town Accounting records have the breakdown of the General Ledger account for Gas/Diesel and Road Construction & Repair.   The amount budgeted for the two accounts is a total of $87,000.  The GL account for Gas/Diesel is DA-5110.406 and has $17,000.00 budgeted, the GL account for Road Construction & Repairs is DA-5110.411 and has $70,000.00 budgeted.   Supervisor Grattidge will look back on his worksheets to verify the amounts before any voting is done.

 

Mr. Emerich said that the roads that they plan on working on in 2008 are Crane Street and Division Street.  He had planned on working on 2 different roads, but found that these 2 roads are in poorer condition.

 

Supervisor Grattidge requested that Mr. Emerich provide a list of what other roads are going to be worked on, that will come out of General Repairs.

 

Councilman Gardner asked Mr. Emerich what designates the permanent improvements vs recoating.  Mr. Emerich stated that the CHIPS are roads that are done every 10 years with State money.  About half of our Town roads are CHIPS roads.  Mr. Emerich stated that he did not feel that he would be able to complete the normal 4.7 miles of roads that are done each year, as one of the roads being resurfaced will consume a large portion of the money budgeted.

 

Supervisor Grattidge said that he will need more information from Mr. Emerich regarding a piece of equipment that is to be purchased. 

 

Councilman Gardner asked Mr. Emerich if all the other equipment is identified in good condition and if a record is maintained that could be given to the Board.   Mr. Emerich stated that they keep track of the equipment but no actual report is available. 

They will start with the Insurance Inventory.  The software that the Highway Department uses does not list that information.    This matter can be discussed further at the next Town Board meeting.

 

Supervisor Grattidge said that the Town Board will vote on the following Minutes at the next Town Board meeting: 

            January 14th Organizational Meeting

            January 14th TB Meeting

            January 24th Special Meeting

             January 28th TB Meeting

             December 2007 minutes if received by Heather Scribner

 

Supervisor Grattidge stated that on a happy note, we received a letter from the County Treasurer, stating that our Sales Tax income from the county that we received this year was $119,000 as opposed to $88,000 last year.

 

 

ZBA will be holding their first meeting on February 12, 2008 at 7:30pm. 

 

Supervisor would like to schedule a meeting for Party in the Park, on February 4, 2008 at 7:30pm.  He has asked Sue York to attend to take the minutes. He will ask the Fire Dept, George Eggleston for the Park Committee to attend. Board members are welcome.

 

Supervisor Grattidge stated that Councilman Salisbury requested that we take a look at the rates that the Town charges for water.  He stated that we have not raised the water rates in at least five years, and several updates have been done to the water system, and several more updates are being planned.  He stated that some of the large users are tax exempt from the Ad Valorem taxes that are due in January, and the increase would bring in more revenue to help with the expense of the planned projects.  The  current rate is $3.15 per gallon and they are looking at an increase to $3.50 per gallon, leaving the minimum alone. 

 

Councilman Gardner asked if in doing this, there would be some reduction to taxpayers after the projects are done.    He felt that this would be fairly taxing the large users for their use.  He felt that this should be reviewed at least every 1 - 5 years or so.

 

Councilman Verola asked then if we were talking about a $.35 per gallon increase.  Supervisor Grattidge confirmed this.

 

Councilman Gardner and Councilman Verola asked if Glenville increased our rates.  Supervisor Grattidge stated that they just increased the Ad Valorem tax, almost doubling it this year.   

 

Councilman Verola stated that she would like to see more of the figures of what we are paying Glenville and what we kept.   “We should not be in the business of making money off of this and of course we need to cover our cost.  I don’t know if we are not doing this”.

 

Councilman Gardner said when you think about this, the School District and the Charlton Girls School are quite large users and they are not paying anything Ad Valorem and they are getting water at a price that is very reasonable.  Councilman Verola agreed that they are getting water at a very reasonable price, but everyone else in the water district will have the bear the burden of the increase as well.   She stated that she thinks that this should be looked into more. 

 

Supervisor Grattidge said that he can certainly get Councilman Verola what our cost was from Glenville last year.  She wants to see the revenues brought in also.  He stated that the amounts were about equal.  Supervisor Grattidge stated that last year we dedicated $90,000 to our valve update and our bypass update, and the engineer and Water Superintendent talked about again this year the ability to isolate the water tank and keep water system fully pressurized and the tentative amount for that is about $100,000.

 

Councilman Verola asked how much is in the water account, between the fund balance and the reserve fund right now.   

 

Supervisor Grattidge said that the reserve fund is what was earmarked for the painting of the water tower. 

 

Councilman Verola requested to see the numbers.  Supervisor Grattidge said he would get the numbers.  If he can get them in the beginning of February they can discuss it at the February meeting, otherwise they will push it off till March.

 

Supervisor Grattidge requested an Executive Session immediately following tonight’s meeting to discuss a possible law suit.

 

Councilman Verola asked if Town Board still has to approve any and all Change Orders. 

Supervisor Grattidge said that the only time there is some leeway in the contingencies is if the Architect felt that there was something that had to get done, otherwise the Town Board is to approve all Change Orders.

 

Councilman Gardner asked if anyone had heard anything more about raccoons.    No one had heard anything.

 

Councilman Gardner asked when information would be available regarding the variable pump drive.   Supervisor Grattidge said that the last report that he got from the Superintendent saying that he had had an extensive meeting with the designing engineer for the variable speed drive on the motors.  They were going to bring that information to the Town Engineer and then meet with the Town Board.  He expects that we should be having that meeting in the next month.

 

Councilman Gardner asked about the follow-up on Selective Insurance that was discussed at the January 14th meeting.  Supervisor Grattidge stated that there is nothing new to report about it.

 

 

Meeting was adjourned at 7:55pm.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Brenda Mills

Town Clerk

 

 

 
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