August 2015 Minutes

MINUTES August 17, 2015 The meeting was opened by Mayor Kevin J. Flint at 7:00 p.m. In attendance were Trustee Louis A. Guido, Jr., Clerk-Treasurer Dorothy E. Johnson, Attorney Dennis B. Laughlin, Interim DPW Superintendent David R. Hajczewski, Mr. Jeff Wait, and Mrs. Alice Hurwitz. MINUTES The first item on the agenda was approval of the minutes as members received in written form. It was upon motion of Trustee Guido, seconded by Trustee Harvey, unanimously carried, to accept the minutes as written. TREASURER’S REPORT Checking Account 08/01/15 Balance General $185,847.40 Water 37,466.78 Total Fund $223,314.18 Trust & Agency $518.02 Savings Accounts 08/01/15 Balance Water System Repair Reserve $ 2,896.10 Cemetery Capital Reserve 10,826.15 Unemployment Insurance Reserve 2,638.25 Water Debt Service Reserve 20,905.67 Parks & Recreation Reserve 3,494.88 Sidewalk Repair & Replacement Res 238.49 James Wait Basketball Court Fund $15,578.04 Water Taxes Taxes Unpaid 7/1/15 Water – Billed 7/1/15 $47,172.14 $48,158.71 Adjusted Paid in July 28,790.23 18,853.46 Unpaid 8/1/2015 $18,381.91 $18,539.24 It was upon motion of Trustee Guido, seconded by Mayor Flint, Unanimously carried, RESOLVED, to accept the report as given. EAGLE SCOUT PROJECTS Albert Wait – Handicapped Areas Mr. Albert Wait has successfully completed his project of creating and updating the parking areas in the village reserved for the disabled. James Wait – Outdoor Basketball Court Mr. James Wait’s project of creating the outdoor basketball court in Alden Field is near ready for paving. The area will be marked out tomorrow to complete preparation work. SIGNS As Mrs. Hurwitz had asked for the signs designating no parking, etc. be replaced. Mayor Flint apologized for the delay and said he has the new posts and has ordered the new signs. PROPERTY ASSESSMENT Assessment Error Town Assessor Kassandra Laymon and the Otsego County Real Property Department are working on this issue. Assessment Dispute The Village has been notified (as a tax collector) that Turn One, LLC has petitioned the Supreme Court to lower the assessment on the parcel located at 10 Main Street, Cherry Valley. After following the grievance process, the Board of Assessment Review (BAR) reduced the assessed value for this building from $371,100 to $240,000. Turn One, LLC, is asking the Court to lower the assessed value to not exceed $82,650 as the fair market value. The Village was not named as a Defendant in the lawsuit. The Village uses the values as set by the Town of Cherry Valley Assessor as the fair market value assessment for taxing purposes. DPW NEW WATER METERS After discussion it was decided to have the Clerk contact Vellano Bros., where the meters will be ordered to make sure the water reading computer program she has been looking into will be compatible with these meters, touch pads and readers. If the Clerk and Superintendent can find a workable system at a good cost, it will be brought to the board for further consideration. TREE REMOVAL Superintendent Hajczewski reported that all of the current tree work has been completed by Timberworks and his department. National Grid completed areas that were in the area of their lines KUBOTA The Superintendent was authorized to have the tractor repaired where he can get the best cost. MONTGOMERY STREET PROJECT Montgomery Street is scheduled to be repaved on Tuesday, August 18th. The street will be closed for most of the day, which residents have been notified of. ALDEN FIELD BRIDGE After further investigation, Mayor Flint feels that it would be best to not use a culvert in this area as it may be too high, but to make a bridge using the steel beams we have. CEMETERY A shrub/tree had been cut down by cemetery personnel, per his job description, as it looked like it was dead. The owner of the lot was very upset as she explained these types of shrubs will go through a period where this will happen, then come back good. Mayor Flint apologized to the owner and assured her that if it does not grow back, the village will replace it. He notified the DPW that in the future, the lot owner must be notified prior to any big trimming or removal of trees/shrubs on their lot. WATER SERVICES This past winter there were several places where the water lines froze, that have not frozen in the past, for various reasons. It was discussed and decided that these property owners must run their water to keep their pipes from freezing in extreme cold whether. The excess water will be at the owner’s expense as it is to save them from having frozen pipes. AUDIT OF CLAIMS After review by the board, it was upon motion of Mayor Flint, seconded Trustee Guido, unanimously carried, RESOLVED to make payment on bills as follows: General Fund Ch #’s 11373 - 11426 $24,769.74 Water Fund " 5,430.45 Total Fund $30,200.19 Trust & Agency Fund, Including deductions – Social Security, Medicare, Federal, Retirement 1851 - 1859 $4,492.98 $3,384.93 $7,877.91 EXECUTIVE SESSION Upon motion of Mayor Flint, seconded by Trustee Guido, unanimously carried, RESOLVED to go into Executive Session to discuss employment and personnel issues. CLOSE EXECUTIVE SESSION After discussion, the Executive Session was closed upon motion of Trustee Guido, seconded by Mayor Flint at 8:50 pm. NEW HIRE After review and full discussion, it was upon motion of Mayor Flint, seconded by Trustee Guido, unanimously carried, RESOLVED, hire Amy S. Herr as Deputy Clerk to be trained by the Clerk to take her place as Clerk-Treasurer on approximately the beginning of the next fiscal year, June 1, 2016. Mrs. Herr will receive $10.00 per hour while training and she will begin part time on or about the beginning of October 2015. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 8:55 pm upon motion of Trustee Guido, seconded by Mayor Flint. Respectfully Submitted, Dorothy E. Johnson Clerk-Treasurer August 24, 2015