January 9, 2020 Organizational Meeting

The 2020 Organizational Meeting for the Town Board of the Town of Brighton, Franklin County, NY, was held Thursday, January 09, 2020, at 7:00pm 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 7:05pm

The “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag was recited

OATHS OF OFFICE

Town Justice Nik Santagate took the Oaths of Office from Supervisor Peter Shrope, Council Members Matthew Szeliga and Lydia Wright, Town Clerk Elaine Sater, and Tax Collector Holly Huber.

ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS
PRESENT: Supervisor Peter Shrope
Council Members: Matthew Szeliga, Steve Tucker and Lydia Wright
ABSENT: Council Members Amber McKernan
OTHERS PRESENT: Paul Blaine-Code Enforcement Officer, Holly Huber-Tax Collector, Elaine Sater-Town Clerk, and several residents who are members of the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department (PSGVFD).

GUESTS: None

NOTICE OF MEETING:

Notice of this meeting was posted on the Town Clerk’s Sign Board on January 3, 2020, and in three local post offices. A notice was published on January 2, 2020, in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.

PAUL SMITHS-GABRIELS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT

Tom Tucker – Fire Chief presented his annual report to the Town Board. He presented a list of Officers and members for the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department. He will inform the Franklin County Self Insurance office of changes every six months. Cancer insurance has been purchased. Calls for the Fire Department have increased for 2019. October 31 wind storm caused several electrical outages including the fire house. Members spent 60 hours at the fire house, it was a comfort station for National Grid, water and dry ice was available to people affected by the outages. There was not a shelter available in the Town because Paul Smith’s College’s shelter was not available. The Red Cross was contacted for information. The Fire Department would like to see the former Camp Gabriels be made available for a shelter since there is water there. They currently have a Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of General Support (who owns the property), to use some buildings for training as well as get water for the fire trucks. Discussion was held concerning a meeting to be held with state and county government officials concerning the use of the property. The Fire Department is looking at adding another bay to the fire house for equipment storage.

RESOLUTION # 1-2020

PAUL SMITHS-GABRIELS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS AND MEMBERS

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Lydia Wright,

RESOLVED that the Town Board accepts the 2019 verbal report from Tom Tucker Fire Chief and the 33 individuals as the officers and members of the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department; Officers are as follows:

Tom Tucker – Chief
Steve Tucker – 1st Assistant Chief
Chrissy Raudonis – 2nd Assistant Chief
Ben Tucker – Captain
Amanda Menard – 1st Lt and Secretary
Sam Branch – 2nd Lt
Training Officers: Devin Cowan, Connor McCuin, Danny Whitson
Emma Houghton – Treasurer

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)
Resolution #1 declared duly adopted

APPOINTMENTS BY SUPERVISOR FOR 2020/2021

Deputy Supervisor – Steve Tucker
Bookkeeper/Budget Officer (Contract) – Richard Meagher of Lake Clear

APPOINTMENTS/DESIGNATIONS BY BOARD for 2020/2021

RESOLUTION #2-2020
APPOINTMENTS BY TOWN BOARD FOR 2020/2021
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,

RESOLVED that the following appointments by the Town Board are hereby approved for 2020/2021, except as noted:

Code Enforcement Officer – Paul Blaine
Town Historian – Elaine Sater
Registrar of Vital Statistics (2020 thru 2023) – Elaine Sater
Records Access Officer – Elaine Sater
Records Management Officer – Elaine Sater
Town Hall Custodian – Shelly Smith
Attorney for the Town (Contract) – Scott Goldie, Esq. Conboy, McKay, Bachman & Kendall, LLP, Canton

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)
Resolution #2 declared duly adopted

 

RESOLUTION #3-2020

DESIGNATION OF DEPOSITORIES FOR 2020/2021

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Matthew Szeliga,

 

RESOLVED that the Town Board authorizes the following depositories to be used by the Town Officials in 2020/2021 as noted:

Town Accounts – NBT Band and Community Bank NA

Tax Collector – NBT Bank

Town Clerk – Community Bank NA

Town Court – Community Bank NA

Investments – NY CLASS

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

Resolution #3 declared duly adopted

 

RESOLUTION #4-2020

DESIGNATION OF COUNTER SIGNER FOR CHECKS OVER $5,000 FOR 2020/2021

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Matthew Szeliga,

 

RESOLVED that the Town Board designates the Town Clerk Elaine Sater as the counter signer on all checks over $5,000 written by the Town of Brighton in 2020/2021, with the exception of the Trust and Agency payroll account checks.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

Resolution #4 declared duly adopted

 

RESOLUTION #5-2020
DESIGNATION OF OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR 2020/2021
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,

RESOLVED that the Town Board designates the Adirondack Daily Enterprise in Saranac Lake as the Official Newspaper for the Town for posting public notices during 2020/2021.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

Resolution #5 declared duly adopted

COMMITTEES – Discussion was held to eliminate committees until they are needed, on hold until February meeting

OTHER BUSINESS:

RESOLUTION #6-2020

OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR TOWN OF BRIGHTON BUSINESS AND MEETINGS FOR 2020/2021

RESOLVED that the following procedures shall apply to Town Board operations and meetings during 2020/2021:

Town mail address is PO Box 260, Paul Smiths, NY 12970

  1. Town Clerk will collect the mail
  2. Regular Town Board Meetings will be held on the second Thursday of each month starting at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise posted.
  3. Council Members who are unable to attend a meeting or who will not be able to arrive by the designated meeting time should notify the Supervisor in advance, as a matter of courtesy.
  4. Council Members or other elected officials wishing to have business items included on the meeting agenda should inform the Supervisor one week in advance of the board meeting, as a matter of courtesy.
  5. Public requests to be included on the agenda should be made to the Supervisor. Meeting participation by the public will be only by invitation of the meeting chair and speakers will identify themselves. All remarks will be directed to the Board.
  6. The following departments are requested to provide written monthly reports on activity, expenses, concerns, suggestions, etc., prior to the monthly meeting. These reports should be provided either directly to board members’ mailboxes or to the Supervisor within 3 days of the board meeting to allow for distribution to the Council Members. If there is to be no report please so inform the supervisor, as a matter of courtesy.
    1. Assessor – Roseanne Gallagher
    2. Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) – Paul Blaine
    3. Highway Superintendent – Andy Crary
    4. Tax Collector – Holly Huber
    5. Town Justice – Nik Santagate
    6. Town Clerk – Elaine Sater
    7. Town Historian-Elaine Sater

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)
Resolution #6 declared duly adopted

 

RESOLUTION #7-2020
AUTHORIZATION TO PRE-PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS FOR 2020/2021
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, Second by Lydia Wright,

RESOLVED that the Supervisor be authorized to pre-pay certain claims incurred during 2020/2021 prior to audit of the vouchers for payment, as follows: public utility services, postage, and freight and express charges. All such claims are to be presented for audit at the next regular board meeting.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)
Resolution #7 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #8-2020

AUDIT OF 2019 FINANCIAL RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK, JUSTICE, AND SUPERVISOR

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, Second by Matthew Szeliga,

RESOLVED that an Annual Audit of Town Clerk, Town Justice and Town Supervisor’s financial records be conducted in accordance with Town Law Section 123 on Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at 6pm at the Town Hall.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)
Resolution #8 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #9-2020

REIMBURSEMENT FOR MILEAGE FOR TOWN BUSINESS FOR 2020
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,

RESOLVED that Town Officials be reimbursed at the rate allowed by the United States Internal Revenue Service per mile (57.5 cents), from the Town Hall for the use of their personal vehicles while on town business during 2020, except for the Tax Collector Holly Huber and the Assessor Roseanne Gallagher, who will log mileage from their residences.

[Reference: “Beginning on Jan. 1, 2020, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 57.5 cents per mile driven for business use, down one half of a cent from the rate for 2019, https://www.irs.gov/irs-issues-standard-mileage-rates-for-2020]

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)
Resolution #9 declared duly adopted

 

RESOLUTION #10-2020
FILING OF SUPERVISOR’S ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT 2019
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Lydia Wright,

RESOLVED that a copy of the Supervisor’s annual financial report (AUD) for 2019 to the State Comptroller be filed with the Town Clerk within the first 60 days of 2020, unless the Comptroller extends the filing date by 60 days, in which case the same extension shall apply to the filing with the Town Clerk.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)
Resolution #10 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #11-2020

AUTHORIZATION TO BOND TOWN OFFICIALS FOR 2020
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,

RESOLVED, that the Town Board authorizes a blanket surety bond permitted by Section 11 of the Public Officers Law in lieu of individual undertakings as required by Section 25 of the Town Law, which indemnifies the Town for losses caused by failure to faithfully perform duties or by fraudulent or dishonest acts on the part of the Tax Collector, the Supervisor, and all other elected officials and employees for the years 2020-2021, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the amount of blanket surety bond through Municipal Crime Insurance Coverage will be $500,000.00 for all Town officials and employees individually.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)
Resolution #11 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #12-2020
AUTHORIZATION FOR SALARIES AND WAGES FOR 2020 ONLY
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, Second by Steve Tucker

RESOLVED, that the following salaries and wages be approved and are to be paid biweekly during 2020 for the following employees and elected officials:

Council Member (A1010.1) $   4,549.25/Year each

Justice (A1110.1) $ 14,210.00/Year

Court Clerk (A1130.1) $         15.60/Hour

Supervisor (A1220.1) $ 14,784.00/Year

Deputy Supervisor (A1220.1A) $       500.00/Year

Tax Collector (A1330.1) $     7,475.00/Year

Assessor (A1355.1) $   17,433.00 for 2020 only

Data Collector (A1355.1) $     1,485.00 for 2020 only

Town Clerk (A1410.1) $   11,444.00/Year

Deputy Town Clerk (A1415.1) $         15.60/Hour

Town Hall Custodian (A1620.1) $         15.60/Hour

Code Enforcement Officer (A3010.1) $   15,534.00/Year

Registrar of Vital Statistics (A4020.1) $       287.00/Year

Superintendent of Highways (A5010.1) $   53,000.00/Year

Deputy Superintendent of Highways (A5010.1) $       824.00/Year

Town Park Manager/Laborer (A7140.1) $         15.60/Hour

Highway Hourly Wage – General (DA5110.1) $   17.54/$26.31/$35.08 Hour/Over Time/Holiday)

Highway Hourly Wage – Snow Removal (DA5142.1)$   17.54/$26.31/$35.08 Hour/Over Time/Holiday

(2% for Highway for 2020 only)

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

Resolution #12 declared duly adopted

 

EMAIL: Town officials have designated Town emails which are to be used for distributing information only, Town business is not conducted via email.

ADJOURNMENT
Motion to Adjourn at 7:55pm made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,

Aye 4 (Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

Respectfully Submitted,
Elaine W. Sater, RMC
Brighton Town Clerk