Town Board Meeting Minutes
Posted on: 1/24/2008
Date of Minutes:
11/13/2007
NOVEMBER 13, 2007 TOWN OF
MINUTES
At 6:45 Supervisor Block
opened this meeting with Councilmember’s Dod Crane, Paul Niedercorn, Linda
Souers and Ellen Silverstein and Counsel Warren Replansky present.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rebuilding Together in
homeowners are available in Town Clerks Office.
Town Hall and Highway
Department will be closed November 23rd.
The Open Space and
Affordable Housing Committee will hold forums on November 14th from 6:30-8:30 at the Church of the Messiah;
November 17th at Upstate Films , 10- 12 noon, November 27 at Village
Hall from 6:30- 8:30 and December 3rd at the Beekman Arms from noon
to 1:30.
The winter snow ordinance
prohibiting overnight parking in the town will be in effect November 15th
through April 15th, 2008.
Hudson Valley Blood Services
is conducting a blood drive at Town Hall on November 23rd from
2-5:30.
Town Recreation Department
is seeking applicants for assistant basketball coaches and gymnastics
programs. Please call Karri Wolfe at
943-9526 if interested.
BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD
1. Paul motioned and Linda seconded to adopt the
2008 Preliminary Budget of $4,177,794, with $2,326,958 to be raised from taxes.
All were in favor.
2. Ted Fink reported on the
status of proposed new Zoning law and necessary hearings and SEQRA
process. A timeline has been established
to give a sense of scoping. In February
2007 the Zoning Review Committee starting consideration of a new zoning law to
coincide with new Comprehensive Plan.
Not until September 2007 were all zoning components in place. He has 3 more sub sections to draft. Linda asked about the Subdivision Regulations
and Ted stated they would be redone next year.
It is not a significant issue since it is not a land use issue. Sub division regulations just dictate
standards and it doesn’t need to be in SEQRA process.
law or the Town can take on the State DEC program.
wants to make sure we submit the proper language. Ted thinks it might be wise to re-scope
wetlands and zoning since they were not taken out the visioning sessions. Sharon Sherrod, CAC member, asked about
minimum and maximum wetlands information and Ted said the Army Corps of
Engineering definitions are used.
Steve wants a viable and
legal document. The Board needs to think
about the process and bring the newly elected members into the loop. We need to maximize knowledge. Tom Traudt, elected Supervisor, stated the
new members are open to your process and we appreciate your efforts in making
the transition go smoothly. We certainly
have a lot to learn. Dod reminded
everyone there will be zoning review sessions November 20th,
November 27th, December 4th, December 11th and
December 18th. It might be a
good idea to have the new board members at these sessions. Sally agrees the process needs to
continue. The missing piece is the three
new people must get informed and there is a lot to catch up on. There must be an effort to get prior work
sessions and information to new members.
Graham Trelstid, AKRF
representative, said a clean version of the Comp Plan is ready.
suggested supplying the new board members with a copy of the Comp Plan, Zoning
Law and Wetlands. Graham feels these
documents are almost ready for public distribution and hopefully in early 2008
the EIS is possible.
3. On motion from Dod and
second from Paul the 2008 Vanderburgh Cove Budget of $146,464.20 was unanimously
adopted.
Vanderburgh Cove residents which states the 1990 establishment of this district
is illegal. The problem with the lawsuit
is that it holds up the bond resolution which was passed in 2005 for the Bio Clere
system. One and half years later the
litigation is still ongoing.
dismissed. Anthony Gasparini, system
operator, feels the system may only have a few months left. He is into heavy life saving measures
now. We cannot bond for improvement due
to the lawsuit. The Town Board needs to
hold a public hearing with both Anthony and Ray present. We
are on the list for EFC funding but very low on the list. Shared services won’t touch funding. We do have several leads of other sources of
funding for this new system.
Sally Mazzarella. The validity of the
district needs to be solved before going out for funding. Mary Myerson asked if judges consider
emergency situation and
said you have to be careful because you don’t want to influence anyone and they
have 60 days to make a decision.
4. Committee on Aging wishes to survey local
businesses for senior discount for goods and services according to Steve. Paul is uncomfortable asking businesses to
give discount. He would rather see the
Committee go to the Chamber of Commerce.
What is their particular plan?
Dod asked if there were legal or ethical problems with advertising
businesses on our website. Steve
suggested the Chamber could advertise and then have a link to the Town/Village
website. Linda would like to have the
Committee survey local businesses and give us a report. Beverly Cain reminded the Board that
merchants are constantly hit for local fund raising. This needs to be an individual business
decision. Pat Varricchio thinks that the
local stores are not affordable to locals.
Who will this benefit, the tourists or the residents of Rhinebeck? Ray Polotaye feels that merchants are capable
of creating their own enticements. For
now this idea was put on hold.
5...
stated it is very difficult to convince DOT to lower a speed limit. Kathy Kinsella said it might help if the Town
mentioned that all other Town road have a 35 MPH limit.
said there is a specific form request a speed limit reduction. Mr. Richard Dillman at DOT,
needs to be notified of the specific road, speed limit being requested and
contact person in the Town. Town Clerk
will notify Kathy Kinsella.
6. Linda reported that the
Waterfront Committee wants to stay with the grass planting and not the $154,000
bulkhead project at the dock. Let’s wait
at least two years before processing.
7. Steve urged the incoming
supervisor to meet with all groups within the Town. We need to keep communication open. Tom replied he plans on attending the Open
Space and Affordable Housing forum and is eager to learn what the Town’s needs
are.
the new members to bring everyone up to speed.
8. Paul requested the cemetery mower be on the
November 26th agenda.
9. Paul motioned and Dod
seconded to appoint Rochelle Adair as permanent Assessor’ Aide at $11.00 per
hour for up to 20 hours per week. The
position has been vacant for 6 months.
Motion carried unanimously.
10. Linda moved and Paul
seconded to appoint Sharon Sherrod to the Thompson Mazzarella Park Committee as
liaison from the CAC through December 31, 2009.
All were in favor.
11. On motion from Linda and second from Paul, Michelle
Cassarino was unanimously appointed to Thompson Mazzarella Park Committee as
liaison from the Recreation Committee through 12/31/09.
12. Paul motioned and Dod
seconded to appoint Theresa Chamberlain as temporary clerk in the bookkeeper’s
office at $14.00 per hour for up to 20 hours per week. All were in favor.
13..Dod motioned and Ellen
seconded to set November 26th as the public hearing date for the
Hillside Fire Protection Contract at 6:45 and Rhinebeck Fire Protection Contract at 6:50. Motion carried unanimously.
14. Paul motioned and Linda
seconded to re-levy $1,211.00 to the Town tax bills for each of the following
delinquent Vanderburgh Cove Sewer District bills: Robert Rudolph at
Peter Lampasona at
15. Amending of employee
handbook to read “non-union employees may accumulate sick leave credits to a
maximum of 165 sick days” was tabled until the November 26th
meeting. Kathy Kinsella doesn’t feel it
is fair to exceed the highway department.
It was pointed out that they have a separate union contract with
specific benefits. Steve will meet with Kathy and review the
handbook with the Town Clerk.
16. Paul motioned and Dod
seconded to authorize $50 in payment to the Church of the Messiah for the Open
Space and Affordable Housing Forum on November 14th. All were in favor.
17 Paul motioned and Ellen
seconded to approve abstract 11, vouchers 155-238, checks 2869-2929 for
$86,603.11. Motion carried unanimously
18. On motion from Paul and
second by Dod the following budget transfers were unanimously approved.
Stone
03 04 5110 420 - $10,000
Landscaping 03 04 5110 422 -
5,160
Road Oil 03 04 5110 424 - 10,000
Equipment Rental 03 04 5110 425 - 10,000
Culverts, Rails, Basins 03 04 5110
426 - 2,500
Chips, Wurtemburgh 03 04 5112 200 - 81,000
Chips
Chips
8,760
Transfer Cap Pro H77 03 10-9950 900 +$137,500
Estimated Revenues 03 510 + $12,500
of Truck to Cemetery 03 2665
Appropriations 03 960 +12,500
Transfer sum of $150,000 to
H77 Highway Equipment to handle the purchase of 2 new trucks International
Truck 7400 class 8 with dump body, plow & wing $125,000 on state bid. Ford F250 pick up with plow not to exceed
$25,000
Blacktop 03 04 5110 421 - $5,500
To handle additional expenses of resurfacing
Rutsen Rd.
19. Paul motioned and Ellen
seconded to approve meeting minutes of October 4th, October 9th
and October 22nd, 2007.
Motion carried animoulsy.
At 8:40 the regular session
was recessed to go into executive session to discuss litigation related matters
concerning Vanderburgh Cove, EPA junk car situation and Kagan request for water
related repairs.
At 9:30 the executive was
closed and the regular meeting was unanimously adjourned on motion from Paul
and second by Dod.
Respectfully submitted
Barbara Cunningham
Town Clerk