The Regular Monthly Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Brighton, Franklin County, NY, was held Thursday, July 13, 2023, 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
Pledge to the Flag was recited.

ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS
PRESENT: Supervisor Peter Shrope
Council Members: Amber McKernan, Matthew Szeliga, and Steve Tucker
ABSENT: Council Member Lydia Wright
OTHERS PRESENT: Andy Crary- Superintendent of Highways, Elizabeth DeFonce-Tax Collector, Russell DeFonce-Deputy Tax Collector, Elaine Sater-Town Clerk and two residents
GUESTS: Susan Whitehurst, Rainbow Lake Association President

NOTICE OF MEETING:
Notice of this meeting was posted on the Town Clerk’s Sign Board.

RAINBOW LAKE ASSOCIATION – Susan Whitehurst: Thanked the Town Board for supporting the funding of a lake steward once a week for the Rainbow Lake waterways during the summer season. The contribution enables the Rainbow Lake Association to work together toward the mutual goal of keeping Rainbow Lake free of aquatic invasive species through contracting with the Adirondack Watershed Institute (at Paul Smith’s College) and its stewards. The Rainbow Lake Association provides volunteers to help with prevention and detection of aquatic invasive species. With the help of grants from the Lake Champlain Basin program there are stewards seven days a week at Buck Pond boat launch. This has been instrumental in preventing the introduction of invasive species. Trying to remove the invasive species after it gets into the waterways is very expensive. The Rainbow Lake Association is very appreciative of the Town supporting this cause and hope they will support it in the future.

REPORTS
Highway – Superintendent of Highways Andy Crary: Mowed and weed whacked the cemeteries, Town Hall, and Garage; mowed the Park; chipping on the Clark Wardner Road; greased the machines and trucks; cleaned the shop; serviced the chipper; removed beaver dam on the Keese Mills Road; cleaned out the Park building and installed a new sump pump; worked on Sunnyside Road and completed paving it, need to amend the Resolution as more tar was used then expected to level the road; Town was approved for the BridgeNY grant for the Keese Mills Road culvert; attended a Highway meeting in Town of Duane. Franklin County is replacing the culvert at the Jones Pond end of County Road 31 (aka Jones Pond Road).

RESOLUTION #29-2023 (Amended)
PAVING SUNNYSIDE ROAD
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Amber McKernan,
RESOLVED that the Town Board authorizes the Superintendent of Highways to pave the Sunnyside Road, a distance of .55miles, and hire Brunell & Sons, Inc to do the work, Not to Exceed $59,000.
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (McKernan, Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker), Nay 0, Absent 1 (Wright)
Resolution #29 declared duly amended.

Keese Mills Road Bridge Replacement – Supervisor Peter Shrope: The bridge will be replaced with a box culvert; emailed out requests for interest in replacing culvert, received 3 responses, deadline is for June 28. Funding is 1.48 million, work will probably take 1 month to be completed in 2024. Town was the only one selected for a grant in Franklin County, the County received some funding.

Town Clerk – Elaine Sater: Total Revenue to Supervisor as of June 30, 2023, was $ 100.25 from 3 copies of Vital Records, 1 Park Use Donation, 2 Dog Licenses renewed, and 1 copy on the copier
June 21 – Brighton Conservative Party filed notice of Caucus for July 6 at 559 County Road 60, Rainbow Lake, at 6pm.
July 1 – Assessor filed Completed Assessment Roll for 2023.
Note: Town Clerk’s Office will be closed from Thursday, July 20 to Tuesday, August 1. Deputy Town Clerk Kathy Hall will be available if needed. She will pick up the mail.
TOWN HALL REQUESTS: None
TOWN PARK REQUEST: Tuesday and Wednesday from July 5 to Aug 9 from 5 to 8pm, and Saturday, July 29, 9am to 12 Noon, Saranac Lake Youth Soccer Association; and Monday, September 4, 12 to 4pm, Saranac Lake Baptist Church
RECORDS MANAGEMENT: Indexing Vol 13 of Minutes (1985 thru 1987), completed shredding 2016 records per LGS-01 Records Retention and Disposition Schedule.
FOIL REQUESTS: None

Historian – Elaine Sater: Nothing to report.

Tax Collector – Elizabeth DeFonce: Enjoyed the Tax Collectors’ Conference with Deputy Russell DeFonce in Ithaca. Came away with information about First Amendment audits, shared with Supervisor Peter Shrope; would like to look into taking credit card payments for taxes; last check was given to Supervisor on June 30, interest for June was $0.04 and will be given to Supervisor, to make account at zero balance; ready to schedule a date for the audit.

RESOLUTION #31-2023
CREDIT CARD SYSTEM FOR TAX COLLECTION
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Amber McKernan,
WHEREAS people want to pay for taxes using their credit/debt card and are willing to pay the service fee, and
WHEREAS the Tax Collector is willing to accept payments by credit card,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Tax Collector Elizabeth DeFonce be authorized to explore obtaining a credit card system for Tax Collecting.
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (McKernan, Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker), Nay 0, Absent 1 (Wright)
Resolution #31 declared duly adopted.

AUDIT OF TAX COLLECTOR’S FINANCIAL RECORDS
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Amber McKernan,
TO CONDUCT THE AUDIT of the Tax Collector’s Financial Records for 2023 at 6:30pm on Thursday, August 10, 2023, and to start the Regular Monthly Meeting at the conclusion of the audit.
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (McKernan, Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker), Nay 0, Absent 1 (Wright)

Town Justice – Nik Santagate: Disposed of 25 cases during June and the Supervisor received a check in the amount of $1,904.

Code Enforcement Officer – Rodger Tompkins: Issued 7 Building Permits (BP#s 23-022 through 028) during June. One CO was issued for BP#23-026.

Assessor – Roseanne Gallagher:
Placed a notice in the paper for July 1 about the finalization of the assessment roll.
REVALUATION: Spoke with Robert Koszarek from KLW about the company getting an introduction letter sent out to Brighton property owners notifying them about the commencement of the revaluation project. Will discuss dates for informational meetings with Supervisor for August. One will be during the day and one in the evening at the Town Hall. Robert Koszarek is waiting to hear back from John Payton at the County IT department so he can get set up to use the live assessment file and come up with a mailing list. Waiting to hear what dates will work for KLW. Reviewed the letter without dates that they plan to send out.

Supervisor – Peter Shrope:
Budget: Copy provided to Town Board members as of June 30, 2023; Revenue received since last Regular Monthly meeting: $600 for cemetery plots, $24,727.79 for County Snow and Ice Contract, $2,555.34 from Tax Collector, $1,904 from Justice, and $100.25 from Town Clerk
NYCLASS: For June – General Fund interest $462.86, total $115,405.56 ($20,000 for Town Hall). Highway Fund interest $176.39, total $43,980.49

ACCEPT/AMEND MINUTES
June 8, 2023 – Regular Board Meeting
Motion made by Amber McKernan, second by Steve Tucker, to accept the minutes of the June 8, 2023, Regular Board Meeting, as written; Aye 3 (McKernan, Shrope, and Tucker), Nay 0, Abstain 1 (Szeliga), Absent1 (Wright)

June 19, 2023 – Special Board Meeting
Motion made by Amber McKernan, second by Supervisor Peter Shrope, to accept the minutes of the June 19, 2023, Special Board Meeting, as written; Aye 3 (McKernan, Shrope, and Tucker), Nay 0, Abstain 1 (Szeliga), Absent1 (Wright)

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS:
Alan Bock – Rainbow Lake: Said the Clark Wardner Road needs repairs, would like to know if the Town could pave or harden it.
Supervisor Peter Shrope said he would like to meet outside the meeting with Alan Bock and the Superintendent of Highways to discuss the condition of the road, other residents of the road asked to meet also.

BUSINESS
Cemetery Work – Supervisor Peter Shrope: Received an invoice for cemetery work that was done without a contract. Discussion was held on whether to pay the invoice or not. Bruce Sawyer from Pine Haven Cemetery Services was at the meeting.

RESOLUTION 32-2023
PINE HAVEN CEMETERY SERVICES INVOICE FOR $6,000
Motion made by Matthew Szeliga, second by Steve Tucker,
WHEREAS, the Town Board approved $5,000 in the 2023 budget for cemetery work, and WHEREAS, the Town Board did not approve the contract presented at the June 8, 2023, Regular Board meeting by Pine Haven Cemetery Services to repair monuments in Mt. View Cemetery in the amount of $6,900, and
WHEREAS, the Cemetery Committee was to meet with Pine Haven Cemetery Services to discuss cleaning monuments in the McColloms Cemetery to stay within the budgeted amount of $5,000, and
WHEREAS, Pine Haven Cemetery Services met with the Cemetery Committee at the Mt. View Cemetery instead, and
WHEREAS, Council Member Steve Tucker authorized Pine Haven Cemetery Services to continue with repairs at the Mt. View Cemetery but only to the amount of $5,000,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board authorizes the Supervisor to pay the invoice from Pine Haven Cemetery Services in the amount of $6,000 for monument repair at Mt. View Cemetery
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 2 (Szeliga, Tucker), Nay 2 (McKernan, Shrope), Absent 1 (Wright)
Resolution #32 declared NOT adopted.

COMMITTEES: No Reports

CITIZENS COMMENTS:
Alan Bock – Rainbow Lake: Commented on the process of purchasing and contracting for government work
Tom McKernan – Gabriels: Pine Have Cemetery Services was aware the budget was $5,000.

AUDIT OF VOUCHERS
RESOLUTION #33-2023
ADUIT OF VOUCHERS
Motion made by Amber McKernan, second by Matthew Szeliga,
RESOLVED that the Supervisor be authorized to pay the audited vouchers as listed on the abstracts as follows:
PREPAID FUNDS: Abstract #7 for Voucher #s 7A and 7B for 2023 GENERAL FUND in the amount $388.01 and Voucher #7B for 2023 STREET LIGHTING FUNDS in the amount of $63.16
GENERAL FUND: Abstract #8 for Voucher #135 through #153 for 2023 funds in the amount of $5,643.39
HIGHWAY FUND: Abstract #7 for Voucher 62 through #73 for 2023 funds in the amount of $61,421.47
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (McKernan, Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker), Nay 0, Absent 1 (Wright)
Resolution #33 declared duly adopted.

ADJOURNMENT
Motion to Adjourn at 8:55pm made by Amber McKernan, second by Supervisor Peter Shrope
Aye 4 (McKernan, Shrope, Szeliga, Tucker), Nay 0, Absent 1 (Wright)

Respectfully Submitted, Elaine W. Sater, Brighton Town Clerk