PATTERSON TOWN BOARD MEETING
PATTERSON RECREATION CENTER
65 FRONT STREET
PATTERSON, NY 12563
JANUARY 14, 2009
MINUTES
PRESENT: MICHAEL GRIFFIN, SUPERVISOR
JOSEPH CAPASSO, COUNCILMAN
ERNEST KASSAY, COUNCILMAN
GINNY NACERINO, COUNCILWOMAN
EDMOND O’CONNOR, DEPUTY SUPERVISOR
ANTOINETTE KOPECK, TOWN CLERK
TIMOTHY CURTISS, TOWN COUNSEL
Salute to the Flag and Roll Call.
Supervisor Griffin called the Patterson Town Board meeting to order at 9:10 p.m. with 35 in attendance.
REPORTS
Mr. Griffin made a motion to file the reports as read.
Code Compliance- January 2009
Code Enforcement-December 2008
Dog Control Officer-December 2008
E.C.I.- December 2008
Putnam Lake Fire Dept.-None
Patterson Fire Dept.-None
SUPERVISOR REPORT
None
MINUTES
Mr. Kassay made a motion to approve the following minutes:
Public Hearing Preliminary Budget-November 12, 2008
Town Board Meeting - November 19, 2008
Town Board Meeting – December 10, 2008
Organizational Meeting-January 5, 2009
Annual Audit Minutes – January 13, 2009
Seconded by Mr. O’Connor. All In Favor: Aye. Carried.
AUDIT OF BILLS
Mrs. Nacerino made a motion to approve the following bills chargeable to 2008:
General Fund $117,041.62, Highway Fund Item 1 – General Repairs $6,960.69, Highway Fund Item 3 – Machinery $6,408.33 , Highway Fund Item 4 – Miscellaneous $1,078.27, Highway Fund – Snow $11,487.61, Highway Fund - Employee Benefits $53,524.60, Capital Fund $750.00, Putnam Lake Light District $1,246.00, Patterson Light District $1,981.31, Patterson Refuse District #2 $33,497.60, Patterson Park District $10,109.15, Dorset Hollow Water District $1,718.40, Fox Run Water District $32.19, Grand Total Abstract $245,835.77.
PATTERSON TOWN BOARD JANUARY 14, 2009 PAGE 2
Seconded by Mr. Kassay. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Capasso; yes, Mr. Kassay; yes, Mrs. Nacerino; yes, Mr. O’Connor; yes, Mr. Griffin; yes. Roll Call Vote: Carried.
JOSEPH CAPASSO
NO AGENDA
ERNEST KASSAY
SPEED LIMIT REDUCTION REQUEST HAVILAND HOLLOW & HARMONY RD
Mr. Kassay stated I would like to thank the State of New York Transportation Department, DOT, the County of Putnam, Mr. Harold Garry and his office, the Town Board of Patterson for their assistance, and our Town Planner, Mr. Rich Williams. We have finally had the request granted. The following is a letter from the State of New York Department of Transportation Region 8 addressed to Mr. Harold Garry:
This letter is to advise you that the request for speed limit reduction on Harmony Road County Route 63 and Haviland Hollow Road County Route 68 in the Town of Patterson have been approved. The speed limit is presently 55 miles per hour on Harmony Road which runs off State Route 292 and the speed limit will now be 35 miles per hour. On Haviland Hollow Road from Route 22 heading East to East Branch Road the speed limit will be 35 miles per hour and from East Branch Road all the way down to the Connecticut line it will go from 55 miles per hour to 45 miles per hour.
A letter to Supervisor Michael Griffin and the Town Board is as follows: Mr. Garry has directed the appropriate staff members to prepare and install required signs when it is possible, meaning when there is no ice and snow. Also, the New York State Police Troop K and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department will be notified of these speed limit changes by copy of this letter.
Mr. Kassay stated again I would like to thank everyone involved. This took approximately six to seven months but I personally went over and hand delivered the paperwork to the County and the State. That is why it was done rather quickly. It was great to deal with all of them.
DRAFT-TABLING OF A MOTION POLICY
Mr. Kassay stated copies of a draft regarding tabling a motion have been provided to members of the Board for their review. I would appreciate if they would look this over and I will have this on my agenda for the next meeting. Whatever comments the Board has regarding this policy, I would appreciate hearing. We will reach a junction where a policy can be made by resolution and will be instituted. This way in the future there will be no problems as far as tabling motions go.
GINNY NACERINO
ADOPTION OF CONFERENCE REQUEST FORM
Mrs. Nacerino made a motion to adopt the Conference Request Form. We had it in draft for several weeks and we fine tuned it.
Seconded by Mr. O’Connor. All In Favor: Aye.
ADOPTION OF NUISANCE LAW
Mrs. Nacerino made a motion to table this until the Town Attorney has a chance to review it and fine tune it.
PATTERSON TOWN BOARD JANUARY 14, 2009 PAGE 3
Mr. Curtiss stated we should be ready with this in about two weeks.
Seconded by Mr. Kassay. All In Favor: Aye. Carried.
BOY SCOUT REQUEST
Mrs. Nacerino stated I have a request from Christina Rizzo. She would like permission to use the Recreation Center for their indoor sports day and would like the fees to be waived. Their tentative date would be February 28, 2009. This request was made originally in December and they never used the facility at that time, so basically this is to be used for February 28, 2009 versus the December date they originally requested.
Mrs. Nacerino made a motion to waive the fees for the Cub Scouts to use the Recreation Center for their indoor sports day on February 28, 2009.
Seconded by Mr. Kassay.
Mr. Ed Kerrigan stated is someone else using the facility on that day.
Mr. Ray Blanar stated someone else is using it.
Mrs. Nacerino stated this is a tentative date. She did not have a firm date to have the indoor sports day in place at the time of her request but did want the ability to know that the fees would be waived and she can move forward. This is not set in stone and she certainly is flexible in changing the date.
All In Favor: Aye. Carried.
EDMOND O’CONNOR
APPOINT DIRECTOR OF CODES ENFORCEMENT
Mr. O’Connor introduced the following Resolution for Appointment of Director of Codes Enforcement Position within the Building Department:
R-0109-02
WHEREAS, Nicholas Lamberti meets the qualifications as set forth in the attached job specifications as provided by the Putnam County Personnel Department for the competitive class position of Director of Codes Enforcement within the Building Department of the Town of Patterson; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Patterson, as appointing authority, wishes to appoint Nicholas Lamberti as Director of Codes Enforcement within the Building Department of the Town of Patterson with the job specifications as attached hereto; and
WHEREAS, Nicholas Lamberti wishes to accept the appointment to the competitive class position of Director of Codes Enforcement within the Building Department of the Town of Patterson with the job specifications as attached hereto;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Patterson hereby appoints Nicholas Lamberti to the competitive class position of Director of Codes Enforcement within the Building Department of the Town of Patterson with the job specifications as attached hereto; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town of Patterson hereby authorizes the Supervisor to execute any and all documents necessary to give effect to this resolution.
Seconded by Mrs. Nacerino
PATTERSON TOWN BOARD JANUARY 14, 2009 PAGE 4
Mr. Kassay stated discussion. Are we going to mention to the public the salary we agreed on for him to start at part-time.
Mr. Griffin stated $32,500.00.
Mr. O’Connor stated we will be saving about half of his normal salary. He will be starting next week.
Mr. Griffin stated probably February 1, 2009 or soon thereafter as he can become available.
PERFORMANCE BOND CODE CHANGES
Mr. O’Connor stated we recently had some discussion on our fees for our codes. Many people felt that the fees were too high for site development and the fees for the engineering costs were too low.
Mr. O’Connor introduced the following Resolution Introducing Local Law I-1 and Providing for Public Notice and Hearing - Fees:
R-0109-03
BE IT RESOLVED that an amendment to Patterson Town Code Chapter 87, entitled "Fees”, is hereby introduced by Edmond O’Connor, as Introductory Local Law #I-1 of the year 2009 before the Town Board of the Town of Patterson in the County of Putnam and State of New York, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of the aforesaid proposed Amendment, which is attached hereto, be laid upon the desk of each member of the Board, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Board will hold a public hearing on said proposed Amendment at the Town Hall, in the Town of Patterson, New York at 7:30 o'clock P.M. on February 11, 2009, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Clerk publish or cause to be published a public notice in the official newspaper of the Town of Patterson of said public hearing at least five (5) days prior thereto.
Seconded by Mr. Kassay. All In Favor: Aye. Carried.
Mr. O’Connor introduced the following Resolution Introducing Local Law I-2 and Providing for Public Notice and Hearing - Zoning:
R-0109-04
BE IT RESOLVED that an amendment to Patterson Town Code Chapter 154, entitled “Zoning”, is hereby introduced by Edmond O’Connor, as Introductory Local Law #I-2 of the year 2009 before the Town Board of the Town of Patterson in the County of Putnam and State of New York, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of the aforesaid proposed Amendment, which is attached hereto, be laid upon the desk of each member of the Board, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Board will hold a public hearing on said proposed Amendment at the Town Hall, in the Town of Patterson, New York at 7:30 o'clock P.M. on February 11, 2009, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Clerk publish or cause to be published a public notice in the official newspaper of the Town of Patterson of said public hearing at least
PATTERSON TOWN BOARD JANUARY 14, 2009 PAGE 5
five (5) days prior thereto.
Seconded by Mr. Kassay. All In Favor: Aye. Carried.
MICHAEL GRIFFIN
PROPOSED CHANGE TO ZONING “CONTROL OF ANIMALS” – DISCUSSION/SET PUBLIC HEARING
Mr. Griffin stated we had a problem recently. The latest incident was up on Danby Lane. There is a farmer who has cattle that wanders off to residential neighborhoods and Route 22. We realize that we had nothing in our Town Code to cover “Control of Animals”.
Mr. Griffin made a motion to introduce Local Law I-3 “Providing for Public Notice for the Control of Animals” for February 11, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall.
Mr. Griffin introduced the following Resolution Introducing Local Law I-3 and Providing for Public Notice and Hearing – “Control of Animals”:
R-0109-05
BE IT RESOLVED that an amendment to Patterson Town Code Chapter 154-22.3, entitled “Control of Animals”, is hereby introduced by Michael Griffin, as Introductory Local Law #I-3 of the year 2009 before the Town Board of the Town of Patterson in the County of Putnam and the State of New York, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of the aforesaid proposed Amendment, which is attached hereto, be laid upon the desk of each member of the Board, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Board will hold a public hearing on said proposed Amendment at the Town Hall, in the Town of Patterson, New York at 7:30 p.m. o’clock on February 11, 2009, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Clerk publish or cause to be published a public notice in the official newspaper of the Town of Patterson of said public hearing at least five (5) days prior thereto.
Seconded by Mr. O’Connor. All In Favor: Aye.
RECREATION REQUEST – SHARED SERVICES
Mr. Griffin stated we have a memo from Mr. Raymond Blanar, Recreation Director and he would like to discuss the possibility of sharing services with our maintenance staff, Mr. Paul Fava. He would like to split it up fifty-fifty or sixty-forty where Paul would spend fifty percent of his time working on issues at the Recreation Center and fifty percent of his time working at the Town Hall and other Town facilities, sewer plant and pump stations. He checks all the back-up generators, meter readings for the water districts and he will also be doing things like changing water filters and saving the Town a considerable amount of money, etc. Does the Board have any thoughts on this matter at this time.
Mr. Kassay stated I think it is a good idea.
Mr. Griffin stated there was one issue in here regarding nine to five.
Mr. Blanar stated nine to five was just an example. We have a custodian here from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. every morning Monday through Friday. The use of Paul here in the later part of the day is needed more when there is more activity and more things going on. If he has a laundry list of things to do at the Town Hall, which I know he does, there is no
PATTERSON TOWN BOARD JANUARY 14, 2009 PAGE 6
problem if he wants to go there earlier and come here later. There was no need for him to be here that early since we have a custodian and staff coming in an hour later.
Mr. Paul Fava, Maintenance Department stated I have been working for the Town for four years starting at 7:30 a.m. There are a lot of mechanical issues that go on early in the morning that have to be addressed prior to the building being opened, which I do look into. Also, the custodian works under my direction. He has been working under my direction for the past year to two years since we hired him. I assist him in a lot of his duties such as servicing some of the machines around here. I think it is advantageous to continue the work at the earlier hours and most of our contractors that come here to do contract work do start earlier in the morning. They don’t start at 9:00 a.m. They are usually here around 7:30 a.m. working on the HVAC system and things like that. I prefer to maintain the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. If there is a need for me to be here later, I will be more than happy to stay longer. It’s not a problem.
Mrs. Nacerino stated do you think it is necessary for Al to be here at 7:30 a.m.
Mr. Fava stated yes, because most of our cleaning is done early in the morning before the building is open. It is very advantageous for him to be here and also for me to oversee what he does. There is servicing that has to be done on the machines that he works with and it is hard for him to do it by himself.
Mrs. Nacerino stated I know you always work on flex schedule if need be. I feel we value your opinion and if you feel that the day should start off at that time then that is the direction that you and Al should go and I support your decision.
Mr. Fava stated I am flexible for anything. I work weekends and I’m here now. I am a twenty-four seven person.
Mr. Griffin stated the other thing I would like to point out is that Paul does come to the Town Hall in the morning and the Recreation Center and salts and sands the sidewalks. He makes sure the access to the buildings is as safe as they can be. So there are things that have to be done before hand.
Mr. Blanar stated I wanted to get the ok in writing for a flex schedule, not necessarily changing his schedule.
Mr. Griffin stated I am assuming everyone is comfortable with a fifty-fifty split on terms of the budget coming out of Town Hall maintenance and Recreation maintenance and the flex hours.
OTHER BUSINESS
Mr. Griffin stated Mr. Williams I have a question for you regarding the carp. Mr. O’Connor did you want to take it from here.
Mr. O’Connor stated we have been talking for some time about getting carp into Putnam Lake to alleviate the vegetation problem and in order for the Town to request to have a permit to put in carp you have to plan for putting in a carp fence. We have a proposal from Stantec Engineering to do a field survey along with final design documents which happened to be submitted with the request for the permit by the Town in order for the DEC to approve putting the carp in the lake. Everything with the DEC takes time. The cost of having this study done that would go along with the permit request would be $5,300.00.
Mr. Williams stated I went back to Stantec because they did the original preliminary design a number of years ago. At the next meeting I was going to give you the proposals that we have. Stantec was the cheapest. I have two other proposals; one for $7,000.00 and one for $8,000.00. Stantec did not give me a price. They gave me a proposal and said they were going to do it. At this point it looks like he is doing it for gratis.
PATTERSON TOWN BOARD JANUARY 14, 2009 PAGE 7
Mr. Kassay stated Mr. Williams are you going to be applying for the permit.
Mr. Williams stated if you authorize this then I will be putting the permit in.
Mr. Kassay stated I think we need to get started with this.
Mr. O’Connor stated the sooner the better. It is going to take a long time for this.
Mr. O’Connor made a motion to add to my agenda a request to authorize the payment to Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. in the sum of $5,300.00 to provide field survey and final design document for carp fence for Putnam Lake to go along with the request for added carp.
Seconded by Mr. Kassay. All In Favor: Aye. Carried.
Mr. Kassay stated will we ask Mr. Williams to apply for the DEC permit.
Mr. O’Connor made a motion authorizing the actual $5,300.00.
Seconded by Mr. Kassay. All In Favor: Aye. Carried.
Mr. Griffin stated now Mr. Williams can apply for the DEC permit.
Mr. Kassay stated I have one thing I would like to read into the record. I received a letter from Dr. Joseph A. Ross and Dr. JS Desay from Holistic Associates dated Monday, January 5, 2009 to Charlie Williams, Patterson Highway Department.
Dear Charlie:
Since I can never get you on the phone to thank you for the great work you are doing, I am trying to fax this to you. Over the years since you started, the Highway Department has gotten better and better at anticipating ice and snow and making sure the roads are safe and clear. Again, today you did a great job on Bullet Hole Road. I had planned on thanking you at least ten times, but when I get to work I am busy and forget or they say you are unavailable. This time I do not want to forget. You are the best Highway Superintendent we have ever had. Your men seem happy and your work is great. Thank you and have a great New Year. Dr. Joe Ross, McManus Road, Patterson.
Mr. Kassay stated thank you Mr. Williams. Another job well done.
Mr. Griffin stated we have a letter from BMMB Liability Corporation. This is a request for the return of a $4,000.00 check. We can’t give them the check back because it was already cashed. For fire hydrants to be located on the east side of Cornwall Hill Road it is part of the approval process for Cornwall Hill Estates. The hydrants have never been installed and unless someone has information on this I would assume that this gentleman is well within his rights to receive a refund.
Mr. Curtiss stated was there any effort to put the hydrant in.
Mr. Williams stated the issue came up during the subdivision. The fire department requested fire protection to be installed but nobody could decide what that fire protection method should be. At the time, it was finally decided that it would be required…. (unable to transcribe).
Mr. Curtiss stated it would appear that we should return the $4,000.00.
Mr. O’Connor made a motion to return the $4,000.00 to BMMD LLC.
Seconded by Mrs. Nacerino. All In Favor: Aye. Carried.
PATTERSON TOWN BOARD JANUARY 14, 2009 PAGE 8
PUBLIC RECOGNITION
None
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, Mr. Kassay made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 10:00 p.m.
Seconded by Mrs. Nacerino. All In Favor: Aye. Carried.
Respectfully submitted,
___________________________________
ANTOINETTE KOPECK, TOWN CLERK