VILLAGE OF ALTAMONT
REGULAR BOARD MEETING
April 4, 2006
Mayor James M. Gaughan
Trustee William Aylward
Trustee Kerry Dineen
Trustee Dean Whalen
Trustee Harvey C. Vlahos
7:30 pm
Attending: Attorney, E. Guy Roemer; Clerk, Jean La Crosse; Chief AFD, Daniel Madison; Building Inspector, Donald F. Cropsey, Jr.; DPW Employees: Timothy McIntyre, Supt.; Larry Adams, Jr.; Water Treatment Operator; Gary Courtright, Wastewater Treatment Operator; William Courtright, Laborer; Jeff Moller, Assistant Supt.; Dan Mosbey, Laborer; Marc Shultes, Laborer; Commissioner Anthony Salerno; Approximately 50 guests.
Mayor Gaughan called the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance and asked for a moment of silence in honor of Timothy Moshier nephew of Village Treasurer, Catherine Hasbrouck. Captain Moshier, a helicopter pilot, was killed in Iraq this past weekend.
The Mayor welcomed guests and staff.
Trustee Whalen reported that the committee is progressing rapidly with gathering information. 900 surveys have been distributed by hand courtesy of the Boy Scouts. Additional copies are available tonight as well as from the Village Office or committee members. The first community workshop will be held Saturday, April 8, 10 am - noon.
Maple Avenue park’s committee will present a report at the May 2, 2006 meeting.
Business Collaborations did not report this month.
Mayor Gaughan thanked particularly Village Treasurer, Catherine Hasbrouck, as well as Clerk, Jean La Crosse, for their work in preparing the budget for tonight’s Public Hearing. The Mayor has set up a meeting with the Guilderland Town Assessor, Carol Wysomski, and the Town of Knox officials. Catherine Hasbrouck suggested a meeting concerning the increasing tax burden on the Village for reservoir property owned in Knox.
Chief Madison did not report this month.
Tim McIntyre reported that meter readings are complete. Bags and brush collection is in progress on Tuesday and Friday. Water main flushing will commence on Tuesdays and Thursdays April 11 – mid May.
Commissioner Salerno reported that 46 children participated in the CHILD ID PROGRAM on March 25, 2006. Chief Daniel Madison and Chief Paul Miller were thanked for the use of the firehouse facility for the event. The police department is in final stages of a highway study at Maple Avenue and Western Avenue to assess the need for an additional stop sign. Trustee Aylward questioned a potential problem at Main Street and Maple Avenue that he will discuss with the Commissioner.
The Mayor asked for a motion to accept the Treasurer’s Report in Ms. Hasbrouck absence. Trustee Vlahos made a motion seconded by Trustee Dineen and carried to approve the Treasurer’s April report. Roll Call: All in favor.
There was no public comments.
Mayor Gaughan presented the Organizational Meeting Agenda to the Board of Trustees. Elaine Van De Carr was reappointed to the Planning Board for a term of five years. Kate Provencher was reappointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a term of five years. Ms. Van De Carr and Mr. Provencher were thanked and congratulations.
Trustee Aylward made a motion seconded by Trustee Whalen and carried to accept the Organizational Meeting Agenda in its entirety. Roll Call: All in favor
Mayor Gaughan described the process of adopting the Village Budget including staff consultations, a public Budget Workshop held on March 21, 2006. The Clerk read the Legal Notice for the Public Hearing prior to adopting the 2006-07 Village Budget.
A gentleman questioned assumed mark-outs on the water fund budget.
Jean La Crosse, Clerk, explained that she used a highlighter to reference certain items on her personal copy of the budget and the copier picked up the mark. The marks are to be disregarded.
Trustee Aylward questioned the village property tax situation.
Jean La Crosse, Clerk explained that the Town of Guilderland Tax Assessor is working on the Senior and Veteran exemptions for our tax roll. Those figures are expected this week and the Village Treasurer will compute the property tax revenues for the 2006 Village Tax based on the new (2005) tax assessments from the Town of Guilderland. Mayor Gaughan confirmed that taxes would not increase.
The Mayor reported an increase of $51,000 in Sales Tax in the budget revenue line. The Treasurer confirmed this with the County. Additionally Mayor Gaughan stated that the budget was prepared keeping costs down with no property tax increase. Staff salaries overall reflect a
2.3 % increase due to conservative personnel budgeting.
Trustee Aylward made a motion seconded by Trustee Whalen and carried to close the Public Hearing. Roll Call: All in favor
Trustee Whalen made a motion seconded by Trustee Aylward and carried to transfer $31,000 from OSHA reserve fund to Police Car Reserve. Roll Call: All in favor
Trustee Aylward made a motion seconded by Trustee Dineen to hold a Public Hearing on
May 2, 2006 at 8 pm to consider using $41,020 from Police Car reserve to pay-off loans for
Ford Explorer Police Cars and purchase an additional new police car. Roll Call: All in favor
Trustee Aylward made a motion seconded by Trustee Whalen and carried to hold a Public Hearing on May 2, 2006 at 8 pm to consider establishing a Public Works Water Equipment Reserve Fund and establish a Public Works Sewer Equipment Reserve Fund. Roll Call: All in favor
Trustee Vlahos made a motion seconded by Trustee Aylward and carried to hold a Public Hearing on May 2, 2006 to consider spending up to $11,000 from Capital Improvement Reserve to repair Fire House Roof. Roll Call: All in favor
Trustee Aylward made a motion seconded by Trustee Whalen and carried authorizing the establishment of Public Works, Police and Fire Equipment (vehicles) replacement schedules to be annually reviewed and adjusted as deemed necessary. Roll Call: All in favor
Trustee Vlahos made a motion seconded by Trustee Dineen and carried to adopt the 2006-2007 Village Budget as presented. Roll Call: All in favor.
Trustee Aylward made a motion seconded by Trustee Dineen and carried to approve referrals to the Town of Guilderland Zoning Board of Appeals per recommendation of Altamont Guilderland Referral Committee for Dan Rucinski, 6424 Gun Club Road and the Thomas Family Charitable Foundation, 6378 Gun Club Road with referenced support of the project. (Referrals entered into Board Minutes) Roll Call: All in favor
Trustee Aylward made a motion seconded by Trustee Dineen and carried to enter into Executive Session to discuss litigation and personnel matters. All in favor.
Trustee Whalen made a motion seconded by Trustee Vlahos and carried to come out of Executive Session. All in favor.
Trustee Aylward made a motion seconded by Trustee Dineen to enter into Regular Session.
All in favor.
Village Attorney E. Guy Roemer reads the following Resolution between the Village of Altamont and Nancy and Michael Trumpler:
“Resolved that the Board of Trustees hereby do approve the terms of a certain Settlement Agreement between the Village of Altamont and Michael Trumpler and Nancy Trumpler, and the Mayor is authorized to execute the Settlement Agreement on behalf of the Village; and furthermore the Village Attorney and Mayor are hereby authorized and directed to take whatever steps are necessary and appropriate to complete the anticipated property agreement at which time the Mayor is further authorized to execute, under the Village Attorney’s advisement, all documents attendant to the property purchase from the Trumplers for a total purchase price of $225,000 as well as the general releases of closing to the Trumplers.”
Trustee Aylward made a motion seconded by Trustee Dineen and carried to approve the Settlement Agreement with Michael and Nancy Trumpler. Roll Call: All in favor
Trustee Whalen made a motion seconded by Trustee Aylward to distribute a pre-allocation of wage increases of $2,000 each from 2005-2006 Village Budget to Public Works employees Daniel Mosbey and Marc Shultes. Roll Call: All in favor
Trustee Aylward made a motion seconded by Trustee Dineen and carried to amend the approved 2006-2007 Village Budget with regard to the salary of Building Inspector. The amount should read $17,175. Roll Call: All in favor.
With no further business, Trustee Vlahos made a motion seconded by Trustee Dineen and carried to adjourn at 8:55 pm. All in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Jean La Crosse
Clerk
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