The Regular Monthly Meeting for the Town Board of the Town of Brighton, Franklin County, NY, was held Thursday, November 14, at 7pm, 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 7:01pm

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, Elaine Sater-Historian, 1 resident

 

NOTICE OF MEETING:

Notice of the meeting was posted on the Town Clerk’s Sign Board

 

REPORTS

 

Highway – Superintendent of Highways Andy Crary: trimmed around the road signs in town; cleaned the shop; put gravel on the intersection at White Pine Road; raked the dirt roads; greased the trucks, prepared them for plow season; had the furnaces cleaned; prepared ad to hire part-time help for the winter; waiting for the snow

 

Town Clerk- Elizabeth DeFonce: Total Revenue to Supervisor as of October 31^st was $360 for 32 Copies of Vital Records, 1 Certified Copy and 2 Dog Licenses

Attended the Local Government Conference in Potsdam on October 15

Attended the New York State Town Clerk Association’s Election Law Update presentation on October 17

Posted the notice for the Public Hearing on the Preliminary Budget

TOWN HALL REQUESTS: None

TOWN PARK REQUEST: Homeschool Community, Saturday October 26, 12pm-3pm

 

Tax Collector – Elizabeth DeFonce: Working on the contract with AllPaid.

 

Historian – Elaine Sater: Completed indexing Minutes from Volume 15 (1990-1991). Starting on Volume 16 (1992-1997).

 

From the 1992 Minutes:

Community Action Agency (Nancy Reich and Sue LaRocque) asked for a Food Pantry for Senior Citizens. Committee is formed consisting of Bob Leavitt, Nancy Reich, Chair, Al Graf, and Robin Hogan. Modifications are needed to the Town Hall to accommodate a food pantry. Food Pantry opened 1^st and 3^rd Friday of the month. Bob Jaquis, Bob Leavitt, and Margaret Monteau to monitor.

Senior Citizens are meeting in Town Hall, holding lunches and educational talks.

New Tax Exemption Law by State to tax conservation easements at a different rate. Paul Smiths College wants more exemptions for their land.

Town signs up for HUD Grant for Low Income Families. Two people hired to run the program: Second Building Inspector and Administrator of Program. HUD Office built in Town Hall.

Bathroom made Handicap Accessible. There is discussion of installing a ramp on the building.

Board looking for volunteers for a planning Committee, Paul Smiths College wants to be represented on Committee.

Concession Stand is added to Park Building to bring in revenue. Ice Skating Rink in use and Exercise Trail being built by Boy Scouts.

Landfill is still under discussion as to who will close it. James Helms has purchased the property and wants the Town to dig more pits to find extent of buried garbage. Transfer station being made near Airport in Lake Clear.

Recycling Committee formed. Bins to be places around Town, possibly McDermott Road.

Cemetery Vault needs repairs, some stones need repair, letters sent to families to fix stones.

Resolution was made requiring the Highway Superintendent to attend every Town Board meeting, if not available Deputy must attend.

 

Note: Robin Hogan Law reported to the Historian that she was the youngest person elected to a Town Board in New York State.

 

Town Justice – Russ DeFonce: 45 cases were disposed. The Supervisor was given a check for $4,705.

 

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

 

Assessor – John Stack: no report.

 

Supervisor – Peter Shrope:

Deposits: Received $3,184 from Franklin County for mowing, $360 from the Town Clerk, and $4,705 from the Town Justice.

NYCLASS: For October – General Fund interest $491.45, total $123,663.30 ($20,000 for Town Hall). Highway Fund interest $187.26, total $47,127.55

Budget: is in fine shape.

BridgeNY: received 3^rd payment, another request has been submitted. Billing has been for design and development. There will be a Public Hearing on the project on December 3^rd.

Attended Emergency Response meeting in Malone this morning.

Hired Dave Knapp to replace the lights at the entrances to the Town Hall.

Spectrum replaced the modem in the Town Hill, will do Town Garage tomorrow.

 

Accept/Amend Minutes

October 10, 2024 – Regular Board

Motion made by Amber McKernan, seconded by Steve Tucker,  to accept the minutes of the October 10, 2024, Regular Meeting as written.

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

October 10, 2024 – Special Meeting

Motion made by Amber McKernan, seconded by Steve Tucker, to accept the minutes of the October 10, 2024, Special Meeting with the following change: replace a “.” with a “,” in the General Fund Balance line.

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

November 7, 2024 – Public Hearing

Motion made by Amber McKernan, seconded by Lydia Wright, to accept the minutes of the November 7, 2024, Public Hearing as written.

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

 

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: none

 

BUSINESS

Mention was to determine interest in attending the Association of Town Training in New York City in February of 2025. No action was taken at this time.

The Adirondack Park Agency has requested that members of local town boards attend their monthly meetings to give a 30-minute presentation about their town. No action was taken at this time.

 

RESOLUTION #49-2024

ADOPTED BUDGET

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, seconded by Lydia Wright

 

RESOLVED that the Town Board adopts the Preliminary Budget with no changes as the Annual Budget for 2025 after holding a Public Hearing for public comment on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at 7pm, as follows:

 

General Fund Appropriations $480,627

General Fund Revenue: $56,234

Less General Fund Balance: $111,053

General Fund Amount to be Raised by Taxes: $313,340

 

Highway Fund Appropriations: $502,212

Highway Fund Revenue $133,500

Less Highway Fund Balance: $40,000

Highway Fund Amount to be Raised by Taxes: $328,712

 

Special District Fire Fund: $112,908.

Special District Street Lighting Fund: $900

 

Tax Cap is $755,860 for the Total Budget

Change from 2023 is -49.7%

 

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

Resolution #49 declared duly adopted.

 

RESOLUTION #50-2024

AGREEMENT WITH SARANAC LAKE VOLUNTEER RESCUE SQUAD FOR 2025 SERVICES

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, seconded by Lydia Wright

 

RESOLVED that the Town Board authorizes the Supervisor to sign an agreement with Saranac Lake Volunteer Rescue Squad, Inc., for emergency medical and transport ambulance services in the amount of $41,807.00 for the year 2025.

 

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

Resolution #50 declared duly adopted.

 

OLD BUSINESS

Discussion on whether or not it’s in the town’s best interest to purchase a folding machine for the Assessor and Tax Collector to use. It was agreed that the previous decision to use a service for this purpose would stand.

Tracy Santagate investigated the issue regarding some residents’ concerns over the levels of salt in their water. Grants are awarded by the Department of Transportation for municipal water systems but not to individuals. The matter isn’t anything the town can help with; consistent advocacy on the part of the individual is necessary.

 

Nothing more has been heard in regard to Paul Smiths College’s request to form a water/sewer district.

 

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: None

 

AUDIT OF VOUCHERS

 

RESOLUTION #51-2024

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 #11 for Voucher #s 11A through 11C for 2024 GENERAL FUND in the amount $681.29 and Voucher #11C for 2024 STREET LIGHTING FUNDS in the amount of $77.47

GENERAL FUND: Abstract #11 for Voucher #178 through #190, for 2024 funds in the amount of $5430.04

HIGHWAY FUND: Abstract #11 for Voucher #100 through #108 for 2024 funds in the amount of $7276.68

 

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

Resolution #51 declared duly adopted.

 

ADJOURNMENT

Motion to Adjourn at 8:17pm made by Amber McKernan, seconded by Lydia Wright

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

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Elizabeth DeFonce, Brighton Town Clerk