The Regular Monthly Meeting for the Town Board of the Town of Brighton, Franklin County, NY, was held Thursday, September 12, 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 7:00pm
The “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag was recited.

ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS

PRESENT: Supervisor Peter Shrope
Council Members: Amber McKernan, C. Tracy Santagate and Steve Tucker
ABSENT: Lydia Wright
OTHERS PRESENT: Andy Crary-Superintendent of Highways, Elizabeth DeFonce-Town Clerk, Russell DeFonce-Town Justice, John Stack-Assessor, 3 residents

NOTICE OF MEETING:

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

REPORTS

Highway – Superintendent of Highways Andy Crary: finished chipping pine trees at the park; helped Tupper Lake with paving; mowed park, cemeteries, Town Hall, Town Garage and landfill; road raked the dirt roads; mowed the county roads for the second time; fixed the stop sign on North Brook Road; cleared a  storm drain on Keese Mills Road; weed whacked the guardrails on Keese Mills Road; helped Deputy Town Clerk Elaine Sater take old court records to Lake Placid for shredding; shouldered Keese Mills Road and rolled it after; removed a tree from Slush Pond Road; fixed the Town Hall back steps; fixed the plow for the F-350; adjusted the chain on the slide in the sander; performed road checks.

There is still one truck in Plattsburgh undergoing repairs. The other truck is having the same problem and will have to be sent there once the first one returns.

The 4 10-hour day schedule will end on November 1^st.

John Stack asked about having the Assessor’s filing cabinet delivered to his house. Andy will arrange it.

A question arose about mowing around the Civilian Conservation Corps monument in Route 30. Andy said they would weed whack around it.

 

Town Clerk- Elizabeth DeFonce: Total Revenue to Supervisor as of August 31^st was $872.50 for 1 Marriage License, 1 Certified Copy, 2 dog licenses, and 4 Building Permits

Replaced toner in the Sharp printer

280 pounds of old court records were shredded at the UPS Store

Created a new Town Clerk email – brightontownclerk@gmail.com

TOWN HALL REQUESTS: None

TOWN PARK REQUEST: Jones Family, baby shower, Saturday September 7, 10am-5pm

First United Methodist Church, picnic, Sunday September 15, 10am-3pm
Saranac Lake Baptist Church, barbecue and axe throwing, Sunday October 6, 10am-6pm

Tax Collector – Elizabeth DeFonce: Explored the possibility of buying a folding machine but found the cost prohibitive. Folding done by Compass Printing was only $75 so would like to continue to use them but will look for folding machine used by previous Tax Collector.

Historian – Elaine Sater: Took Court Records to the UPS Store in Lake Placid for shredding. Voucher to pay for 280lbs was submitted. Thank you to Andy Crary for driving me and the records to Lake Placid.

Attended the Open House for the new playground.

Went through all the records for the Town Hall Renovation Project 2004-2012. Construction documents are to be kept until 6 years after building no longer exists; they are in the Town Garage records storage room.

Indexing Minutes from Volume 14 (1988-1989).
Was asked about a plaque that was in the park in memory of Chris Oehler and Paul Claremont. Andy removed two plaques, both commemorating Chris Oehler. They will be mounted on the front and back of the park building after they are cleaned.

Town Justice – Russ DeFonce: 12 cases were disposed. The Supervisor was given a check for $1,475.

Brianna Sargent, Town of Moriah Court Clerk, will be here for training on Friday, September 27^th.

Code Enforcement Officer – Rodger Tompkins: Issued 2 Building Permits in August totaling $690. Checks and reports are now being given more regularly to the Town Clerk but nothing has been given to the Assessor yet. Supervisor Peter Shrope will speak to him about this.

Assessor – John Stack: Made arrangements with former Assessor Roseanne Gallagher and Supervisor Peter Shrope to review building permits given out over the past year – hasn’t received the newer building permits yet, will contact Rodger Tompkins

Roseanne will also review the budget with him

Talked with Tammie Brooks at Franklin County Real Property about the information that will be made available online – pictures will be freely accessible to all but other information such as deeds will only be accessible to assessors
Discussed the use and prevention of fraud regarding deeds
Asked about how the $1 per parcel county charge will be applied – he will ask Tammie

Mentioned that since the school tax bills have been sent he has heard that some residents didn’t know there was a reassessment and asked that anyone with questions about the reevaluation contact him

Applied to the state for aid; the allotment is based on how many towns did reevaluations

 

Supervisor – Peter Shrope:

BridgeNY: There is a pending reimbursement request of $30,533.01 with another voucher awaiting signatures

Deposits: Received $872.50 from the Town Clerk and $1,475 from the Town Justice

NYCLASS: For August – General Fund interest $534.92, total $122,666.46 ($20,000 for Town Hall). Highway Fund interest $203.90, total $46,747.65

Budget: latest report sent to Supervisor Peter Shrope and not Town Clerk or other Board members, he will forward it – $1.1 million total in accounts, in good shape

Accept/Amend Minutes

August 8, 2024 – Regular Board

Motion made by Amber McKernan, seconded by Steve Tucker,  to accept the minutes of the August 8  2024, Regular Meeting with the no changes

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

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: A resident complained about drivers not adhering to the 40 mph speed limit in Gabriels and reported that another resident has been harassed but Paul Smiths College students. She was instructed to inform the State Police.

BUSINESS

Two residents described problems they’ve had with their water due to road salt. One resident has reached out to the New York State Department of Transportation and learned about the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation where towns can apply for assistance with this issue. Supervisor Peter Shrope will contact Assemblyman Billy Jones and discuss how to move forward. The residents also mentioned and are planning to attend the Adirondack Champlain Salt Summit in Lake George on October 1.

Discussion about the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board’s Resolution #2 which states: “the Adirondack Park Local Government Review Board insists that our State Government enact a solution to quickly move surplus lands, not meeting Wild Forest definition and used previously for Administrative Use from State ownership to Private Ownership to benefit the Host Towns and Counties economically.” Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, seconded by Steve Tucker, to accept resolution as written.

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

Budget worksheets are due September 20. A budget review meeting will be held at 5:30 before the next Board meeting on October 10.

Supervisor Peter Shrope discussed the Paul Smith’s College (PSC) water district proposal with the Attorney for the Town, Scott Goldie. No action was taken on the proposal.

A PSC student wrote to the Town asking for assistance with getting the college’s pool back into working order but since the college is a private institution there’s nothing the Town can do. Supervisor Peter Shrope will contact her.

OLD BUSINESS: None

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: None

AUDIT OF VOUCHERS

RESOLUTION #43-2024

ADUIT OF VOUCHERS

Motion made by Amber McKernan, seconded by Tracy Santagate,

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

PREPAID FUNDS: Abstract #9 for Voucher #s 9A through 9C for 2024 GENERAL FUND in the amount $672.75 and Voucher #9C for 2024 STREET LIGHTING FUNDS in the amount of $77.05

GENERAL FUND: Abstract #9 for Voucher #145 through #157, for 2024 funds in the amount of $3,869.49

HIGHWAY FUND: Abstract #9 for Voucher #78 through #87 for 2024 funds in the amount of $13,334.13

 

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

Resolution #43 declared duly adopted.

 

ADJOURNMENT

Motion to Adjourn at 8:58pm made by Amber McKernan, seconded by Tracy Santagate

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

Respectfully Submitted,

Elizabeth DeFonce, Brighton Town Clerk