DRAFT TOWN BOARD MEETING
NOVEMBER
17, 2000
The regular monthly meeting
of the Town Board was held on Thursday, November 17, 2000 with the following
persons in attendance:
Supervisor
Ray Rice
Councilman
Marshall Courtney
Councilman
John Loughlin
Councilman
Peter Beisel
Councilman
Gloria VanVliet
Guests: Peter Ungerland, Building Inspector
Art Cross,
Highway Supt.
Dawn Letus, Daily Freeman Reporter
Bethany & Dan Snavely
Ann & Lou
Gordon
Ira Weiner
Greg
Gulbrandsen
Robert Richter
Recording
Secretary: Diane L. McCord
Town Clerk, RMC
Meeting called to order at
7:30 PM
Pledge to the Flag
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Peter Ungerland - Building
Inspector: Peter Ungerland is
requesting a full time assistant. A
letter to the Town Board has been written.
Former assistant Cathy Tomaseski cannot return to work. Debbie Lamb has been working for the
Building Inspector temporarily for six months and Peter Ungerland would like to
have her on a full time basis.
Supervisor Rice believes the right time to address this matter is the
first of January at the Organizational Meeting. Peter Ungerland explained he had been without assistance for
eight months and this was a hardship trying to keep up with the work. Debbie Lamb is now working and doing a good
job. She has the experience in the
other offices – the Assessor’s office as well as Deputy Tax Collector. Supervisor Rice agreed Debbie has done a
good job and we are looking forward to continuing this service.
Councilman Gloria VanVliet hoped we could notify Peter Ungerland and Debbie Lamb
before January as to what will actually take place for Debbie Lamb would like
to continue on and Peter and Debbie work well together. According to Councilman VanVliet this
position should be made full time.
Councilman John Loughlin asked if Debbie was still a Deputy Tax Collector? Debbie has spoken to Pat Huber, Tax Collector,
and there will be no problem with her accepting this position. Peter Ungerland was assured Debbie would
have the position and he appreciated this.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. Announcement of schedule for leaf pickup
2. Request for volunteers for the Recreation
Board
TOWN
BOARD RESOLUTIONS
1. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE SUPERVISOR TO
SIGN A CONTRACT FOR COURT BAILIFFS - 11/16/2000
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Board of the Town of Esopus, in the County
of Ulster, as follows:
WHEREAS, the Town Court Justices have requested that the Town
provide the services of a Court Bailiff for the Town Courts in the 2001 Budget,
WHEREAS, the Ulster County Sheriff has agreed to provide a
Court Bailiff on a contractual basis,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Town Board authorizes the
Supervisor to sign a contract with Ulster County for Bailiff Services at
a rate of $13.77 per hour with a total expenditure not to exceed $6,000 for
calendar year 2001.
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE
SUPERVISOR
RAY RICE AYE
COUNCILMAN
MARSHALL COURTNEY AYE
COUNCILMAN
JOHN LOUGHLIN AYE
COUNCILMAN
PETER BEISEL AYE
COUNCILMAN
GLORIA VANVLIET AYE
RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED.
2. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ACCEPTANCE OF
EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS AT THE
2000 LEVEL WITH NOTED CHANGES
DISCUSSION: There will be a
20 % increase in GHI Insurance with a $2,500 Prescription Cap and a $5 generic
charge, $10 brand-name charge and a $20 non-formula plan. There will be an increase in MVP. The Family Plan will increase from $517.29 a
month to $545.72. The Single Plan MVP
Plan will increase from $198.57 to $214.22.
Councilman Courtney commented
that in this day and age lots of employees are being asked to contribute to
their health plan. Our health plan has
eroded over the years. One way of
keeping the cost of our health care down is to increase the co-pay, however,
none of our town employees are overpaid and we should maintain the health plan
as it is as best we can.
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Board of the Town of Esopus, in the
County of Ulster, as follows:
WHEREAS, the projected costs of Employee health benefits has
risen dramatically for 2001, and
WHEREAS, the Town Board has considered numerous options to
contain this expense without reducing the benefit to our employees,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Town Board authorizes
acceptance of employee health benefits at the 2000 level with the following
changes: a $2,500 cap on GHI prescription plan and a three tier plan of $5, $10
and $20 for generic, name brand and non-formula prescriptions.
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN
SUPERVISOR RAY
RICE Aye
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY Aye
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN Aye
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL Aye
COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET Aye
RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED.
3. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ADOPTION OF THE
2001 BUDGET - NOV. 16, 2000
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Board of the Town of Esopus, in the County
of Ulster, as follows:
WHEREAS, the 2001 Town Budget was presented to the public on
November 2, 2001, and the following changes have been applied to the budget
since the public hearing,
1) line 264 A9060 Med. Ins. $ 81,000.00
2) line 397 9060 Med. Ins. 130,000.00
3) line 398 9061 Med Ins. Buy
Back
750.00
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Town Board adopts the 2001
budget in the form presented to the public with the above described additions.
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE AYE
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY AYE
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN AYE
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL AYE
COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET AYE
RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED.
Councilman Courtney commented
on the 2001 Budget stating it was a good budget and the Town Board will be able
to give our employees a cost of living raise and still provide a three and four
percent reduction in taxes.
4. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE
2000 BUDGET
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Board of the Town of Esopus, in the County
of Ulster, as follows:
WHEREAS, adjustments to the 2000 Budget are required in order
to properly reflect changes in certain accounts,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Town Board authorizes the
transfer of the following amounts from the indicated accounts and fund Balances
to the indicated active accounts.
From: A.1990.4 Contingency $1728.98
A1355.2 Assessor
Equipment 241.94
A599 Fund
Balance 6,129.85
Total.........................................$8,100.77
To: A.1110.4 Justice Contractual $ 103.11
A1355.4 Assessor
Contractual 497.61
A.1670.4 Postage 6.72
A.7140.1 Rec.
Payroll 6,622.84
A.8011.4 ZBA
Contractual 870.49
Total..........................................$8,100.77
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE AYE
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY AYE
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN AYE
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL AYE
COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET AYE
RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED.
5. RESOLUTION TO FUND A FERAL CAT NEUTERING
PROGRAM
NOV.
16, 2000
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Board of the Town of Esopus, in the County
of Ulster, as follows:
WHEREAS, feral cats are a recurring problem in some areas of
the Town,
WHEREAS, a program of utilizing volunteers to trap, neuter and
return feral cats has proven effective in some localities,
WHEREAS, a town resident has offered to match funds contributed
by the Town,
WHEREAS, Town employees would not be utilized for this program
and the Town’s sole involvement would be the partial funding of the neutering
fees,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Town Board authorizes that
$500.00 be allocated from the fund balance as the Town’s share for the
neutering program.
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE AYE
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY AYE
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN AYE
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL AYE
COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET AYE
RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED.
6. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PAYMENT OF BILLS
RECEIVED SINCE THE OCTOBER BOARD MEETING
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,
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, that the following vouchers
be approved for payment:
GENERAL FUND #759-863 $34,779.40
HIGHWAY FUND #279-306
17,050.26
STREET LIGHTING #11 4,165.61
PORT EWEN SEWER #160-170
5,137.30
PORT EWEN WATER #239-262
10,866.96
TOTAL...................................................................$71,999.53
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE AYE
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY AYE
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN AYE
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL AYE
COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET AYE
RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED.
8. A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MINUTES OF THE
OCTOBER
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD
A MOTION WAS MADE BY
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY TO ACCEPT THE
OCTOBER MINUTES OF THE TOWN BOARD. ALL
TOWN BOARD MEMBERS VOTED IN FAVOR. MOTION
CARRIED.
9. CORRESPONDENCE AND THE FOLLOWING REPORTS
OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES ARE
AVAILABLE AT THE TOWN
CLERK’S OFFICE:
Town Clerks Monthly Report
dated October 2000
Port Ewen Water and Sewer
Monthly Report dated October 2000
Fire Inspection Report for
October 2000
Monthly Report of the
Building Department dated October 2000
Report of the Highway Supt.
for October 2000
Planning Board Minutes dated
October 26, 2000
Town of Esopus Zoning Board
of Appeals Minutes dated October 17, 2000
Economic Development
Committee Minutes dated October 23, 2000
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Announcement of the
availability of correspondence and reports of committees.
Robert Richter - Esopus: Bob Richter asked if the buy-out of health insurance
was still the same? Supervisor Rice
stated it was one third the cost of the average of the two health plans? How many people are eligible continued Bob
Richter? Supervisor Rice answered four
or five.
Bob Richter also asked what
the status of the new water standpipe was up Snake Hill and are we moving ahead
with that? Supervisor Rice answered we
still have application with New York State for funding and we are on the
list. We are still investigating
getting clear title to the property.
Mr. Richter asked if it were possible for us to get clear title? Supervisor Rice believes we can get clear
title. This property was donated.
Ira Weiner - West Park: How much money was spent on engineering studies, surveys
and site plans for the standpipe on this property? Supervisor Rice did not have those figures at hand but suggested
Ira Weiner contact the Water/Sewer Supt. Don Kiernan.
Ira Weiner continued stating
he knew the Town had loaned a lot of money to the Library to do a site plan
review. Is there any plan for the
Library to pay that money back?
Supervisor Rice answered one loan for $10,000 had been paid back
immediately and the other loan for $25,000 is pending. Ira Weiner asked if the Library had approached
the Town Board for money toward funding for their expansion plans? Supervisor Rice said the Town had not been
approached.
Robert Richter - Esopus: Are all the playgrounds complete now? Supervisor Rice answered we still have
surfacing material to be placed in Connelly and that should complete the
playgrounds.
A MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS
MADE BY COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR RICE. ALL TOWN BOARD MEMBERS VOTED IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED.
Respectfully
submitted,
Diane
L. McCord, Town Clerk, RMC