The Regular Monthly Meeting for the Town Board of the Town of Brighton, Franklin County, NY, was held Thursday, October 10, at 6:20pm, directly following the Special Meeting at 5:30pm, at the Brighton Town Hall, 12 County Road 31, Paul Smiths, NY, with the following:

CALL TO ORDER: 

Meeting was Called to Order by Supervisor Peter Shrope at 6:20pm

The “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag was recited.

 

ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS

PRESENT: Supervisor Peter Shrope

Council Members: Amber McKernan, C. Tracy Santagate, Steve Tucker and Lydia Wright

ABSENT: None

OTHERS PRESENT: Andy Crary-Superintendent of Highways, Elizabeth DeFonce-Town Clerk/Tax Collector, Russell DeFonce-Town Justice, Elaine Sater-Historian, John Stack-Assessor, 3 residents

 

NOTICE OF MEETING:

Notice of the meeting was posted on the Town Clerk’s Sign Board and distributed to Town Officials on October 1, 2024.

 

REPORTS

 

Highway – Superintendent of Highways Andy Crary: got the 2015 plow truck that was in for repairs back; painted the plows and wings for winter; adjusted the sander chain and put the sander in the 2015 truck; chipped bush around the town roads; mowed the cemeteries, park, and Town Hall; moved the Assessor’s filing cabinet to his house in Saranac Lake; got plow steel in Bangor; removed a tree on Hobart Road; did shop work; took the 2013 plow truck to Plattsburgh for repairs; put the sand up; weed wacked around the Civilian Conservation Corps memorial; had salt delivered.

Steve Vincent will be deployed from January through March so a job opening will have to be posted. The position will be part-time; Andy has someone in mind.

 

Town Clerk- Elizabeth DeFonce: Total Revenue to Supervisor as of September 30^th was $825.78 for 1 Certified Copy and 4 Building Permits

Requested the Town Clerk’s email address be updated on the website

Submitted budget request for 2025

Posted notice regarding time of the Special Meeting for the budget

Received tentative budget

TOWN HALL REQUESTS: None

TOWN PARK REQUEST: Paul Smith’s College Rugby, Saturdays September 28, October 12, and October 19, 8am-5pm

 

Tax Collector – Elizabeth DeFonce: Responded to the usual requests from attorneys for tax bills and receipts. Directed people with questions about their school taxes to the Saranac Lake Central School District Tax Collector.

According to minutes from 2014, the folding machine was placed in the garage for storage. Elaine, Russ, and I looked for it but couldn’t find it. Even if we had it’s unlikely it would be salvageable. Requesting Board approval to take future tax bills to a service for folding. (The assessor would also like to use a service for this as well.)

Talked with Tom Snowden, Senior Account Executive for AllPaid. They offer their services at no charge but there is a 2.95% processing fee on each transaction. (Fees are paid by the taxpayer.) Funds would be deposited into the Tax Collector’s bank account within 2 days but reports on payment activities can be viewed online in real time. Funds are guaranteed by AllPaid – if a taxpayer had a problem with their credit card it would be worked out between them and AllPaid, the money would stay in the Tax Collector’s account. Transactions can be approved manually allowing the Tax Collector greater control over payments. If discrepancies occur there is an Account Manager at AllPaid who can be contacted. A report, accessible online, would provide the Tax Collector with information on that day’s payments. No data is collected or stored on their platform. There is a standard 1-year agreement that renews automatically unless one party decides to cancel. A written request is required for cancellation with a 30-day window. Our webmaster would work with AllPaid to create a link to their landing page. Setup takes about 2 weeks once AllPaid receives the signed agreement and completed bank form. While there aren’t many requests for online payment options there are a few every year and it’s possible more people would take advantage if it were available. Recommend moving forward with online tax payment option offered by AllPaid. If approved, wording for an insert to be included with the upcoming tax bills will be provided at an upcoming meeting.

 

RESOLUTION #44-2024

USE OF FOLDING SERVICE FOR TAX COLLECTOR AND ASSESSOR

Motion made by Lydia Wright, seconded by Steve Tucker,

 

WHEREAS the Tax Collector and Assessor are required to send large volumes of mail, and

 

WHEREAS the purchase of a folding machine is not practical,

 

RESOLVED that the Tax Collector and Assessor be permitted to use a folding service for their respective mailings.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright) Nay 0

Resolution #44 declared duly adopted.

 

RESOLUTION #45-2024

CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS TO TAX COLLECTOR

Motion made by Lydia Wright, seconded by Steve Tucker,

 

RESOLVED that the Tax Collector be authorized to collect tax payments by credit card online, by phone, or in person.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright) Nay 0

Resolution #45 declared duly adopted.

 

RESOLUTION #46-2024

ALLPAID CONTRACT

Motion made by Lydia Wright, seconded by Steve Tucker,

 

RESOLVED that the Tax Collector be authorized to accept an annual, automatically renewing, contract with AllPaid for the purpose of online tax collection.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright) Nay 0

Resolution #46 declared duly adopted.

 

Historian – Elaine Sater: Completed indexing Minutes from Volume 14 (1988-1989). Starting on Volume 15 (1990-1991).

 

Town Justice – Russ DeFonce: 35 cases were disposed. The Supervisor was given a check for $4,168.

Brianna Sargent, Town of Moriah Court Clerk, has been unable to come help train the Justice and Court Clerk due to family issues. The proposal to seek her help has been tabled.

 

Code Enforcement Officer – Rodger Tompkins: Issued 3 Building Permits in September.

 

Assessor – John Stack: Andy moved the Assessor’s filing cabinet to the second floor of his house.

The plans to go out in Supervisor Peter Shrope’s boat to examine properties fell through. He may go out in his canoe instead.

Handled phone calls about the reassessment and the STAR exemption.

 

Supervisor – Peter Shrope:

The Town is currently not experiencing any financial stress.

BridgeNY: Money was transferred on September 13. The reimbursement process is working well.

Deposits: Received $825.78 from the Town Clerk, $4,168 from the Town Justice, and $50 in petty cash from the Tax Collector

NYCLASS: For September – General Fund interest $505.39, total $123,171.85 ($20,000 for Town Hall). Highway Fund interest $192.62, total $46,940.27

Budget: is fine shape, there is plenty to cover costs

 

Accept/Amend Minutes

September 12, 2024 – Regular Board

Motion made by Amber McKernan, seconded by Steve Tucker,  to accept the minutes of the September 12, 2024, Regular Meeting with the following changes: correct “but” to “by” on page 2, Citizen Comments

Aye 4 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker,) Nay 0, Abstain 1 (Wright)

 

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: none

 

BUSINESS

The Town received a communication from Barton Mines asking that letters of support be sent to the Adirondack Park Agency endorsing their application to modify their mining permit. It was agreed that no action as a board needed to be taken.

The Association of Towns annual meeting and training in New York City will be held February 16-19. Discount pricing will last through the month of October.

There will be a groundbreaking ceremony for the Adirondack Regional Airport on Thursday, October 24, at 11am.

Both septic tanks have been pumped out. This was last done July 2021. The system is treated regularly.

Discussion was held about the regular dumping of garbage in the porta potty at the Town Park. The Town of Franklin has worked out a deal with Spectrum for a webcam to monitor their porta potties but they also have a summer attendant to watch them. There was the suggestion to add “carry in, carry out” signage as well a suggestion to create a town law or ordinance creating a fine for this behavior.

Only one light is currently working in the Town Park. Supervisor Peter Shrope will get the pole numbers of nonworking lights and contact National Grid. There was also the suggestion to add a motion light near the new playground equipment to deter vandalism.

 

RESOLUTION #47-2024

PRELIMINARY BUDGET

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, seconded by Amber McKernan

 

RESOLVED that the Town Board approves the Tentative Budget for 2025 with the following changes to be the Preliminary Budget for 2025:

All salaries were increased by 2.5%

General Appropriations increased by $350 from $480,227 to $480,627

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the town board will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 7, at 7pm, for public input on the preliminary budget for 2025.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright) Nay 0

Resolution #47 declared duly adopted.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Supervisor Peter Shrope contacted Assemblyman Billy Jones about the water issues some residents are experiencing and asked if he was aware of any DOT funding to alleviate the problem. Assemblyman Jones was not familiar with any funding programs but encouraged the residents to reach out to him. The residents in attendance were upset that more action was not taken on their complaints. Council members will review their notes from the last meeting and make plans to follow up.

The water system at Paul Smiths College (PSC) was cited for violations after an inspection by the Department of Environmental Conservation; they are currently working with Development Authority of the North Country (DANC) to address these issues. The proposal for the Town of Brighton to create a water/sewer district with PSC as its sole customer has been tabled for now.

 

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: None

 

AUDIT OF VOUCHERS

 

RESOLUTION #48-2024

ADUIT OF VOUCHERS

Motion made by Amber McKernan, seconded by Lydia Wright,

 

RESOLVED that the Supervisor be authorized to pay the audited vouchers as listed on the abstracts as follows:

PREPAID FUNDS: Abstract #10 for Voucher #s 10A through 10C for 2024 GENERAL FUND in the amount $684.67 and Voucher #10C for 2024 STREET LIGHTING FUNDS in the amount of $79.62

GENERAL FUND: Abstract #10 for Voucher #158 through #177, for 2024 funds in the amount of $9,858.23

HIGHWAY FUND: Abstract #10 for Voucher #88 through #99 for 2024 funds in the amount of $82,853.75

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright) Nay 0

Resolution #48 declared duly adopted.

 

ADJOURNMENT

Motion to Adjourn at 8:42pm made by Amber McKernan, seconded by Lydia Wright

Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright) Nay 0

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Elizabeth DeFonce, Brighton Town Clerk