Regular Board Meeting  November 11, 2021 (DRAFT)

CALL TO ORDER
Meeting was called to order at 7:00pm by Deputy Supervisor Steve Tucker at the Brighton Town Hall, 12 County Road 31 (aka Jones Pond Road), Paul Smiths, New York, on November 11, 2021
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited

ROLL CALL:
Present: Deputy Supervisor Steve Tucker
Council Members: Amber McKernan, Matthew Szeliga and Lydia Wright
Absent: Supervisor Peter Shrope
Others Present: Paul Blaine-Code Enforcement Officer, Elaine Sater-Town Clerk and two residents
Guests: None

REPORTS

HIGHWAY – Superintendent of Highways Andy Crary: No report

TOWN CLERK – Elaine Sater: Total revenue to Supervisor as of October 31, 2021, was $6,322.25 from 1 certified copy of a Vital Record and 1 Genealogical search, 2 Town Park donations, 2 Dog licenses renewed; 2 Building Permits (BP#21-037 and 038); and 1 copy on the copier.
October 18 – Posted notice of Special Meeting on October 28 at 7pm for Public Hearings for Fire Prevention District Contract and 2022 Preliminary Budget on the Town Clerkís Sign Board. Also published notice in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise on October 19.
October 29 – Filed Discharge of Mortgage for HUD Project #92-04 at Franklin County Clerkís Office in Malone.
Election – October 29 equipment was delivered to Town Hall, picked up sign-in equipment on November 1 after early voting was completed
Board of Assessment Review (BAR) Member Oath ñ Took Oath of Office from Tom Seymour for BAR member appointment
TOWN HALL REQUESTS: None
TOWN PARK REQUEST: None
RECORDS MANAGEMENT: Completed shredding/disposing of documents from 2014 and earlier as per LGS-01 Retention Disposition Schedule. Started indexing Vol 12 (1981 to 1982) of minutes

HISTORIAN – Elaine Sater: From the 1981 minutes:
January – a removable vestibule was to be added to the front of the Town Hall, windows were insulated, and the window bench was removed from the right side of the room. David Caldwell was hired to perform the work.
February – Discussion was held on creating a records storage space in the Garage attic as vault space was limited for storing records.

TAX COLLECTOR – Holly Huber: Nothing to Report
Amber McKernan reported that she heard back from the Association of Townís (AOT) attorney Katy Hodgkins that the envelope from a taxpayer that was lost in the mail for 5 months did have a legal United State Postal mark within the time period so penalty fees can be returned to the taxpayer. The voucher #153 submitted by the Tax Collector can be paid.

TOWN JUSTICE – Nik Santagate: Supervisor Peter Shrope received a check in the amount of $3,407.00 for 30 cases disposed during October

CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER – Paul Blaine: Issued 2 new building permits (BP#21-037 and 038) and 3 Certificates of Compliance (BP#21-019, 022, and 036); has two pending permits and that will probably be it for the year

ASSESSOR/DATA COLLECTOR – Roseanne Gallagher:
Has been working on collecting ongoing and new construction, will send out renewals for agricultural district exemptions and aged exemptions next month.

SUPERVISOR – Deputy Supervisor Steve Tucker
Charter Communications: Received notices concerning upcoming Spectrum changes dated October 15 and 21, and November 1, 2021
Rainbow Lake Association: Received a letter dated 11/12/2021 providing details from the lake steward program during the summer. Thanked the Town for contracting with the AWI to support funding for the program. Data from AWI: 1,633 boats were inspected, 2,529 visitors, 182 boats with organisms: 42 native niad, 22 native pond weed, 39 native plants, 44 with attached debris: 1 boat Eurasian Watermillfoil-boat in Silver Lake, 1 boat Water chestnut-boat was in Mohawk River.
Insurance: Supervisor Peter Shrope met with Pat McGuire and Superintendent of Highways Andy Crary to review the insurance policy for 2022. New vehicles are added.
Landfill Post Closure Report: Supervisor Peter Shrope received the Post Closure Report from Cederwood Engineering, it has been filed with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. A voucher for payment was submitted.
Port-a-potty: Discussion was held on keeping it until December 1, people passing through the Town use it. The spring on the door needs repair, Steve Tucker will call to see if it can be replaced
Budget: Update as of October 31, 2021, was distributed to Town Board. Revenue received $1,592 from Franklin County for mowing, $3,407.00 from the Town Justice, and $6,322.25 from the Town Clerk. There was a refund from overpayment of payroll taxes received ñ $2,077.28 (Highway share was $614.78).
NYCLASS investment interest received for October as follows: $3.27 for General Fund, Balance is $111,188.87 ($20,000 for Town Hall Roof); $1.21 for Highway Fund, Balance is $42,373.77

ACCEPT/AMEND MINUTES
Regular Board Meeting October 14, 2021
Motion made by Amber McKernan, second by Lydia Wright, to accept the minutes of the Regular Board Meeting of October 14, 2021, as written. Aye 3 (McKernan, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Abstain 1 (Szeliga), Absent 1 (Shrope)
Special Meeting October 28, 2021, Public Hearing Fire Contract and 2022 Preliminary Budget
Motion made by Amber McKernan, second by Lydia Wright, to accept the minutes of the Special Meeting on October 28, 2021, for the Public Hearings for the Fire Protection District Contract and the 2022 Preliminary Budget. Aye 2 (McKernan, Tucker), Nay 0, Abstain 2 (Szeliga, Wright), Absent 1 (Shrope)

CITIZEN COMMENTS:
Tom McKernan: The Town should outlaw Daylight Savings Time.
Jeremy Asmus – Paul Smith’s College: Thanked the Town of its support, especially the Highway Department who donated grindings from the airport construction to fill two large holes in roads. The water heater in one of the dorms have been fixed, there was a Co2 leak that caused the Fire Department to be called out twice in one 24-hour period.

BUSINESS

Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department Contract – Deputy Supervisor Steve Tucker: Public Hearing was held on October 28; some typographical errors need to be corrected on page 2 concerning the first yearís payment.

RESOLUTION #51-2021
PAUL SMITHS-GABRIELS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT, INC 5 YEAR CONTRACT
Motion made by Matthew Szeliga, second by Amber McKernan,
WHEREAS, a Public Hearing was held on October 28, 2021, for public comment on the Fire Protection District Contract, and
WHEREAS the dollar amounts in Paragraph “Third” need to be changed to reflect the correct payment for 2022 of $103,326.51,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board authorizes Deputy Supervisor Steve Tucker to sign a 5-year contract with the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., to provide Fire Protection Services for the Town from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2026, in the amount of a 3% increase per year as follows:
January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022: $103,326,51
January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023: $106,426.31
January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024: $109,619.10
January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025: $112,907.67
January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026: $116,294.90
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (McKernan, Szeliga, Wright), Nay 0, Abstain 1 (Tucker), Absent 1 (Shrope)
RESOLUTION #51-2021 declared duly adopted.

Town Budget 2022 – Deputy Supervisor Steve Tucker: Public Hearing was held on October 28 for public comment on the Budget. Increase in Town Justice salary by 10% (a 7% increase from the 3% initially proposed) was discussed.

RESOLUTION #52-2021
INCREASE IN TOWN JUSTICE SALARY FOR 2022 TOWN BUDGET
Motion made by Deputy Supervisor Steve Tucker, second by Matthew Szeliga,
RESOLVED that the Town Board authorizes a 7% increase in the Town Justiceís Salary (A1110.1) in the Preliminary Budget for 2022 from $14,926 to $15,943, with the increase to be added to the General Fund Balance for a total of $50,826.
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 1 (McKernan), Absent 1 (Shrope)
RESOLUTION #52-2021 declared duly adopted.

RESOLUTION #53-2021
2022 TOWN BUDGET
Motion made by Deputy Supervisor Steve Tucker, second by Matthew Szeliga,
WHEREAS a public hearing was held on October 28, 2021, for public comments on the 2022 Preliminary Budget, and
WHEREAS a proposal was made to increase the salary of the Town Justice by 7% to $15,943
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board adopts the 2022 Preliminary Budget as amended as the Town Budget for 2022 as follows:

General Fund:
General Fund Appropriations: $433,473
Estimated General Revenues: $43,984
Less General Fund Balance $50,826
Amount to be raised by Taxes: $338,663
and
Highway Fund:
Highway Appropriations: $405,876
Estimated Highway Fund Revenue: $110,622
Less Highway Fund Balance: $40,000
Amount to be raised by Taxes: $255,254
and
Fire District: $103,327
and
Lighting District: $900
and
Total 2022 amount to be raised by Taxes: $698,144
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 1 (McKernan), Absent 1 (Shrope)
RESOLUTION #53-2021 declared duly adopted.

Email – Matthew Szeliga: Discussion was held on getting some emails and not others. Town Clerk does not send Town information to personal emails. There is an email address assigned to each Town Official to use for Town business. Council members said they are not accessing these emails. Town Clerk provided each Council Member with the list of Town Official emails so they can use the Town email system.
Event at St. John in the Wilderness Cemetery – Deputy Supervisor Steve Tucker: Supervisor Peter Shrope received an email date October 19 from Matt Levenson, National Ski Patrol, inviting the Town Officials to participate in planning a rededication on May 2, 2022, for Charles Minot Dole who founded the ski patrol and the US Army 10th Mountain Division. He is buried in the St. John Church cemetery in the Town. Supervisor Peter Shrope is in contact with Matt Levenson.

COMMITTEES:
Adirondack Regional Airport – Amber and Tom McKernan: Painting was completed during the good weather. The work is completed for the year.

CITIZEN COMMENTS: None

EXECUTIVE SESSION
Motion made to GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION at 7:55pm by Deputy Supervisor Steve Tucker in accordance with Public Officer Law, Article 7, Section 105(e), collective negotiations pursuant to Article 14 of the Civil Service Law (Taylor Law), second by Lydia Wright, Aye 4 (McKernan, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (Shrope)
Motion made to GO OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION at 8:10pm by Amber McKernan, second by Lydia Wright, Aye 4 (McKernan, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (Shrope)

AUDIT OF VOUCHERS
RESOLUTION #54-2021
AUDIT OF VOUCHERS
Motion made by Amber McKernan, second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED that the Deputy Supervisor be authorized to pay the audited vouchers as listed on the abstracts as follows:
PREPAID FUNDS: Abstract #11 for Voucher #s 11A thru 11C for 2021 GENERAL FUND in the amount of $443.65 and Voucher #11B for 2021 STREET LIGHTING FUNDS in the amount of $69.65
GENERAL FUND: Abstract #11 for Voucher #153 and #183 through #198 for 2021 funds in the amount of $7,075.39,
HIGHWAY FUND: Abstract #11 for Voucher #93 through #100 for 2021 funds in the amount of $10,163.74
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (McKernan, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (Shrope)
RESOLUTION #54-2021 declared duly adopted.

ADJOURNMENT
Motion to Adjourn at 8:12pm made by Amber McKernan, second by Lydia Wright, Aye 4 (McKernan, Szeliga, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (Shrope)

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