TOWN OF ESOPUS TOWN BOARD MEETING

OCTOBER 20, 2011

 

A regularly scheduled Town Board Workshop Meeting was held on October 20, 2011 in the Town Hall on 284 Broadway in Port Ewen, New York with the following persons in attendance:

 

                                                                Supervisor John Coutant

                                                                Councilperson Gloria VanVliet

                                                                Councilperson Wayne Freer

                                                                Councilperson Donna McAuley

                                                                Councilperson Kyle Barnett

 

                                                                Administrative Recorder:  Diane L. McCord, Town Clerk

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 PM by Supervisor John Coutant.

 

1.  Introduction of Local Law No. 4 –to Override the Tax Limit Established in General Municipal Law 3-c

 

New York State has imposed a two percent tax limit for municipalities.  If the town adopts a budget with two percent and there is an honest mistake in the calculations, that make the budget go to 2.1 percent the town is now liable to be sued by the State.  A copy of the following law is available to the public by visiting the Town Clerk’s Office:

 

A Local Law to override the limit on the amount of real property taxes that may be levied by the Town of Esopus pursuant to General Municipal Law 3-c, and to allow the Town of Esopus to adopt a budget for the fiscal year 2012 that requires a real property tax levy in excess of the “tax levy limit” as defined by General Municipal Law 3-c.

 

Section 2.  Authority

 

This local law is adopted pursuant to subdivision 5 of General Municipal Law 3-c, which expressly authorizes the Town Board to override the tax levy limit by the adoption of a local law approved by vote of sixty percent (60%) of the Town Board.

 

Section 3.  Tax Levy Limit Override

 

The Town Board of the Town of Esopus, County of Ulster is hereby authorized to adopt a budget for the fiscal year 2012 that requires a real property tax levy in excess of the amount otherwise proscribed in General Municipal Law 3-c.

 


Section 4.   Severability

 

If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, or part of this Local Law or the application thereof to any person, firm or corporation, or circumstance, shall be adjusted by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unconstitutional, such order or judgment shall not affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to t he clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, or part of this Local Law or in its application to the person, individual, firm or corporation or circumstance, directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment or order shall be rendered.

 

Section 5.  Effective date

 

This Local Law shall take effect immediately upon filing with the Secretary of State.

 

A Public Hearing will be held on this local law on Monday, November 7th at 7:30 PM and will be advertised in the Daily Freeman.

 

2.  Roof – Ross Park Pavilion

 

Supervisor Coutant said the roof on the Ross Park Pavilion will be completed tomorrow.  We reserved $5,000 to do the roof and the Recreation Department did the job.  Both the Recreation Department and the Highway Department always go the extra mile.  They are a good crew.

 

3.  Public Access Television – Channel 23

 

The rack for the wheel for Channel 23, which contains the calendar, is now located in the Town Hall building, commented the Supervisor.  This has been a long time coming.  We are filming our Town Board Meeting today as a test to see how it will go.  Time Warner has promised us our own Government Channel and we do not know if it will be Channel 23 but one channel will be available for our meetings.

 

The Supervisor thanked Brian Barnes, our KPA representative, for his work on Channel 23 and Bob Rizzo who is producing the recording of this meeting.

 

4.  Resolution – Environmental Board Appointment

 

Be it Resolved, by the Town Board of the Town of Esopus, in the County of Ulster, State of New York as follows:

 

Whereas, there is a vacancy on the Town of Esopus Environmental Board,

 

Therefore, Be it Resolved, the Town of Esopus Town Board approves the appointment of Mark Ellison as a member of the Environmental Board to a term that will expire 12/31/2011.

 

Resolution offered by Supervisor John Coutant and seconded by Councilperson Wayne Freer. 

 

                                                                                Supervisor John Coutant                              Aye

                                                                                Councilperson Gloria VanVliet                  Aye

                                                                                Councilperson Wayne Freer                       Aye

                                                                                Councilperson Donna McAuley                 Aye

                                                                                Councilperson Kyle Barnett                        Aye

 

Resolution duly adopted.

 

                                                                                   

5.  Headless Horseman

 

Supervisor Coutant said it was a pleasure to have the Headless Horseman in our town.  Owner Mike Jubie’s business is known nationally and has now been recognized as the No. 1 Halloween Business in America.  Mike was interviewed by the Today Show on Sept. 17th and this was televised October 17th.

We will try and get a DVD and make it available.  The Supervisor congratulated Mike Jubie for placing the Town of Esopus on t he map.  We are all extremely proud. 

 

6.  Doris Street Generator Purchase

 

It will cost a lot of money to bring this generator unit back into service.  It was originally purchased in the 1980’s.  We are looking at $6,000 or better in repairs and our Water Superintendent has recommended we purchase a new generator.  We received the following four quotes :

 

                                                Peak Power Systems                                     

                                                Middletown, N. Y.                                           $16,700.00

                                               

                                                Gen-Plus, Inc.

                                                Tillson, N. Y.                                                        $16,130.00

 

                                                Troy Belting & Supply Co.

                                                Watervliet, N. Y.                                               $18,450.00

 

                                                Milton Cat

                                                Clifton Park, N. Y.                                             $19,950.00

 

The quote from Gen-Plus did not meet the specifications.  The Town Board in Tuesday evenings Workshop told Supt. Don Kiernan to purchase the unit and to do the hookup to natural gas.  The previous machine used diesel fuel which had to be replenished every few hours. 

 

 

7.  Mary Jo Wiltshire – Recreation Board Resignation

 

The following resignation letter was read into the minutes:

 

Dear John and Members of the Town Board;

 

It is with regret that I am resigning from the Town of Esopus Recreation Commission.  Due to personal reasons I do not feel I can give the time and energy that the Commission deserves.

 

We have accomplished a great deal in my time here.  I feel we have improved the quality of life for the residents of Esopus and I am very proud of those programs.  I could not have led this Commission without the help of my fellow commissioners;   Dave Kwasnowski, Roger Brandt, Bernice McNierney and Kathy Robinson.  We especially could not have reached the level of professionalism and quality in our programs without the hard work of Kathy DiSciullo.  She has been wonderful to the youth of this community and is an outstanding asset to the Town Board and the Recreation Commission.

 

                                                              

Thank you for placing faith in m over these years to lead this Commission; it has been a wonderful experience I hope in the future I can be of service to the Esopus community once again.

                                                                                                Respectfully,

 

                                                                                                Mary Jo Wiltshire

 

Supervisor Coutant said he would publicly like to thank Mary Jo for the work she has done on behalf of the Town Board.  We will give her a Certificate of Appreciation for an outstanding job.

 

8.  Water Chestnut Machine Award Presentation

 

On October 28th an award of $4,500 will be presented to the town of Esopus for cutting the Water Chestnuts in the Hudson River.  One of our volunteers, Diane Dindruff, placed our town in a competition for a national award on the internet.  Slides were taken and presented as well as a training program and that program has gone to the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation.  We won the East Coast Division competition and a $4,500 check will be brought up from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  A representative from the Interlux Corporation will present the check to us.  The Supervisor is extremely proud and hopes this presentation will be shown on Channel 23.

 

9.  Sculptor Raquel Rabinovitz

 

Councilperson Wayne Freer met with our sculptor at Lighthouse Park and she will begin our project in the spring.  She is a well-known artist and has worked with the DEC.  We were selected because we are one of the most beautiful spots on the Hudson.

 

Supervisor Coutant said the shore line is rocky and the artist will use the rocks artistically and this will open up a passage for a boat to get out to the lighthouse and it will help with our Water Chestnut Harvester.   If an emergency boat had to be placed there we would have a direct access to get to the lighthouse.  By the end of next year we will be in a favorable spot.  Councilperson Freer said it will be beautiful.  Raquel has directed many projects throughout the Hudson Valley and hopefully it will bring in tourism.  She expects the project to take two or three weeks.  She has a crew that comes in with her.

 

10.  Movie Sets

 

Supervisor Coutant said many movie companies are coming to Lighthouse Park and River Road.  The Town Clerk has received a thank you from the latest movie company.  Councilperson Freer mentioned a movie company did a film at Mt. St. Alphonsus recently. 

 

11.  Budget Adjustments

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS

OCTOBER 20, 2011

 

Be it Resolved, by the Town Board of the Town of Esopus, County of Ulster as follows:

 

  

Whereas, the Town of Esopus has been presented with budget adjustments and the adjustments have been examined and approved by the Town Board,

 

Therefore, Be it Resolved, the following budget adjustments be approved for payment:

 

Budget Adjustments

                                                                               

 Fund Balance                    AAO0599.000  to AO1460.4 Records Management            $      20.37

Fund Balance                                                  to A0. 3510.4 Dogs Contractual                      $    442.39

Fund Balance                                                  to AO7110.4 Parks Maint. Contractual        $  1,639.62

Fund Balance                                                  to AO8162.4 Parks Maint. Contractual      $     446.60

 

Resolution offered by Councilperson Kyle Barnett

Resolution seconded by Councilperson Donna McAuley

 

                                                                Supervisor John Coutant                              Aye

                                                                Councilperson Gloria VanVliet                  Aye

                                                                Councilperson Wayne Freer                       Aye

                                                                Councilperson Donna McAuley                 Aye

                                                                Councilperson Kyle Barnett                        Aye

 

Resolution duly adopted.

 

12.  Payment of Vouchers

 

PAYMENT OF VOUCHERS

OCTOBER 2011

 

Be it Resolved, by the Town Board of the Town of Esopus, County of Ulster as follows:

 

Whereas, the Town of Esopus has been presented with vouchers for payment and these vouchers have been examined and approved by the Town Board,

 

Therefore, Be it Resolved, that the following vouchers be approved for payment:

 

                                General Fund                    111495-111554                  $  46,306.30

 

                                Highway Fund                   112212-112236                  $  54,403.77

 

                                Capital Fund                     

 

                                Street Lighting                  116010                                  $     6,030.75

 

                                Port Ewen Sewer             113145-113168                  $   90,718.21

 

                                Port Ewen Water             114230-114260                  $   25,170.43

                                                                                             

 

 

TOTAL……………………………………………………………….$221,629.46

 

Resolution offered by Councilperson Wayne Freer

Resolution seconded by Councilperson Gloria VanVliet

 

                                                                Supervisor John Coutant                              Aye

                                                                Councilperson Gloria VanVliet                  Aye

                                                                Councilperson Wayne Freer                       Aye

                                                                Councilperson Donna McAuley                 Aye

                                                                Councilperson Kyle Barnett                        Aye

 

Resolution duly adopted.

 

13.  Approval of Minutes

 

A Motion was made by Councilperson Donna McAuley and seconded by Councilperson Kyle Barnett to approve the minutes since the last Town Board Meeting.  All Town Board Members voted in favor.

Motion Carried.

 

14.  Communications and Reports of Boards and Officials

 

The communications for October were received and are on file in the Town Clerks’ Office.  The following reports of Boards and Officials are available in the Town Clerk’s Office:

 

Supervisor’s Monthly Report for September 2011

Town Clerk’s Monthly Report for September 2011

Assessor’s Monthly Report for October 2011

Building Dept. Monthly Report for September 2011

Planning Board Minutes dated September 22, 2011

Environmental Board Minutes dated September 27, 2011

Port Ewen Water and Sewer Board Agenda dated October 11, 2011

 

A Motion to adjourn the Town Board Meeting was made by Councilperson Gloria VanVliet at 8:05 PM and seconded by Councilperson Kyle Barnett.  All Town Board Members voted in favor.  Motion Carried.

 

                                                                                                                Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

                                                                                                                Diane L. McCord

                                                                                                                Town Clerk, CMC, RMC