Town of Glenville - Town Board Meeting Minutes 11/14/2007

Town Board Meeting Minutes 11/14/2007

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE TOWN BOARD

TOWN OF GLENVILLE

NOVEMBER 14, 2007

AT THE GLENVILLE MUNICIPAL CENTER

18 GLENRIDGE ROAD, GLENVILLE, NEW YORK

Present: Supervisor Frank X. Quinn, Councilmen Robert E. Bailey, Mark A. Quinn, Edward F. Rosenberg and Councilwoman Valerie M. DiGiandomenico

Absent: None

Supervisor Quinn called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. Supervisor Quinn gave the Invocation and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Supervisor Quinn – “There are three add on items to the agenda tonight, and at the end of the meeting we will be going into an executive session to discuss several items.”

Supervisor Quinn asked the Town Clerk, Linda C. Neals, to call the roll. Everyone was present and accounted.

Town Council Reports:

Councilwoman DiGiandomenico – “I would like to express my sincere condolences to our Highway Superintendent Richard LeClair and his wife on the loss of Candi LeClair’s father.”

Councilman Rosenberg – “We are still in the process of searching for a replacement for our assessor. As you see on the agenda we will be voting on a resolution to appoint Carol Corbett as our Acting Assessor until such time we get that position filled.”

Councilman Quinn – “I would like to send my condolences to Richard and Candi LeClair in the passing of her father.

Councilman Bailey – “My condolences to Rick and his family.”

Supervisor Quinn – “I would add to that and say that Malcolm Cinquino besides being a great citizen, he and his wife Barbara both, was also one of the few from the town in the past that was elected to the County Council.”

Supervisor Quinn – “This is a public hearing to consider amendments to the Freemans Bridge Road Master Plan.

Supervisor Quinn opened the public hearing at 7:45 pm.

Kevin Corcoran our Town Planner will lead us through the discussion of where this is at at this time and then we’ll open up the public hearing for anybody who wants to come forth and discuss any of the items related to this. We have been dealing with this master plan for several years and what it is is a policy document. What we are trying to do is make sure that we have the policy right so that later on when we get down into all of the various procedures and we get down into the various operations in our Glenville Environmental Committee and our Zoning Board of Appeals and our Planning and Zoning we have got the policy straight so that they can execute and implement.”

Kevin Corcoran – “The Freemans Bridge Road Master Plan was adopted by the Town Board in June of 2004, since that time we have been looking at various revisions to the plan and subsequent to that to the zoning. The plan itself consists of two key elements; one is the land use plan itself or the map which I have displayed here tonight. The other key element is the document itself, the plan itself which in this case is about an 85 page document with all the supporting information, engineering, planning, traffic projections and build out sceneries and recommendations that go into building what you see here, this is really the face of the plan. It is similar to zoning, it is not quite zoning yet, it is a step prior to zoning but you can liken this to a zoning map and to this as a zoning ordinance.

Early 2005 we prepared zoning amendments to try and employ the 2004 Master Plan, the amendments came before the town board but they did not pass. The board then directed staff to make revisions to the land use plan portion of the Master Plan you see here and several proposals have come before the board; the two most recent which I am going to summarize briefly.

This is the first one here, it is on page one of the handouts. I am calling this the previously proposed Freemans Bridge Road Land Use Plan, this is the one that was most recently considered by the Town Board, and I think it was in the spring. (Kevin pointed out different land marks on the map which was displayed). You are obviously not going to be able to see the text that is on the perimeter here but I just want to hit the highlights basically explain what the colors mean. The blue shows areas that were targeted for “multi-family” in this case above the railroad tracks it is a combination of multi-family and office. Where you have got the orange here off Saranowski Drive and up in the northern reaches of Freemans Bridge Road those are some areas targeted for office. The salmon color up and down Freemans Bridge Road itself and the bulk of the Piotrowski property that’s commercial or mixed use. We also have a mixed residential category, yellow is what we are calling traditional neighborhood which is high density mixed residential with small scale commercial. Then you have various shades of green, some targeted for land conservation and the darker green are wetlands and we have other areas that are targeted for conservation or passive park areas because they are really inaccessible and not developable for various reasons. We also show proposed new roads, connector roads service roads, town roads that are really needed to support the build out of this area. If this area developed as we show here on the map you need to have additional infrastructure including roads so the plan takes in to account that you just can’t build out this way without adding infrastructure.

Now again this went before the Town Board, it was a two to two vote with one abstention so it did not pass, so the most recent or the next version that the majority of the board has directed me to prepare is here. We are calling it the revised use plan this is the most recent version. Let me just highlight the differences between the one I just explained and this one.

(Kevin pointed out an area on the plan) This area on the previous plan it was earmarked for land conservation because the majority of that plan is within the runway protection zone of the north/south runway of the County Airport and there are also federal wetlands in that area. The change that we are targeting now is for commercial mixed use is south of Dutch Meadows Lane, north of the railroad tracks, west of the Horstman Creek the recent version that was targeted for combination office and multi-family and for this area we are also looking at commercial mixed use and then another larger block on either side of Maple Avenue on the lower end it was originally targeted for traditional neighborhood, we are changing that to commercial mixed-use as well and then the 12 acre Lyons property, that was contaminated and recently cleaned up and it was land conservation previously because it was contaminated, you could not develop on it. Now that it has been cleaned up it can be used for redevelopment of commercial use so we are targeting that for commercial mix use as well.

(Kevin pointed out the runway protection zones of the two runways, the western and southern approach. There are land use restrictions in these areas, typically related to height of buildings.) We also made some minor modifications to some of the proposed roads, eliminated a proposed connection, we also show an extension of Sarnowski Drive for the western area that could be developed for commercial. The difference between this version of the land use plan and all of the previous ones is that this is much more than cosmetic, we are now projecting quite a bit more commercial and industrial development then we had previously in previous proposals so in order to see if this will work we really need to address again the 85 page document, we will have to revisit build out scenarios, traffic projections, traffic modeling and determine whether both the existing and proposed roads and infrastructure can handle this additional level of development we just won’t know that until we actually do it.

This is where we are now; the board has directed me to prepare this to get early public comment before we can actually revise the entire document.”

Richard Pahl, Freemans Bridge Road land owner – “I am trying to get a handle on what these twelve acres are zoned (he pointed to the map). Now it is zoned light industrial and you guys are going to change it to commercial or spotty commercial what ever it is, I don’t want it changed to spotty commercial I want it to stay industrial. I have got plans to develop it. I appreciate you giving back our land to us through the green space. Can I address that with Kevin, he said you are the people that I am supposed to talk to, it is in your hands. I really would like it left the way it was.”

Supervisor Quinn – “Not change it to what you see up there.”

Mr. Pahl – “No, I want it to be back the way it was, just exactly what Kevin told us last time we were here.”

Supervisor Quinn – “Right and you are only speaking about that parcel that you just outlined for us.”

Mr. Pahl – “There is not a lot of industrial land in Glenville now.”

Jared Komar – “I represent Mike Sarnowski, 66 Freemans Bridge Road which you have right now under single family residential. I have five years background in urban planning so when he asked me to look at this it kind of caught me off guard. What you have right now is single family within feet of not only an active railroad but also a runway protection zone. I don’t know if anybody has ever lived near a runway protection zone but every single year the gas burned off from the planes leaves soot on the houses; now you also have waste disposal. You have a car lot, an automotive business, storage facility all in that area. We work with a lot of developers and from the developers that I talk to no body would ever be interested in developing this as single family residential or small use residential because of that. Nobody wants their children playing near railroad tracks, nobody want their children inhaling the dust from the gasoline burn off from the airplanes or the high voltage power lines that run on the south side.

What we are hoping that you can do is either leave it as is, light industrial or even just because you change the north side to commercial mixed use and the south side to commercial mixed use at least leave the 66 Freemans Bridge, which is about 42 acres, a mixed use retail development.”

We have talked to all of the neighbors and the neighbors are in favor of it, nobody really has showed any interest whatsoever in single family use and if you think about the revenue that you could get at the town from having retail and mixed use compared to single family or small unit housing I think it would be a pretty good incentive for you.”

Pat Popolizio – “I own Waters Edge Lighthouse Restaurant and Water Edge Marina. I would like to make a comment on the twelve acres that we just cleaned up. I would be very interested in developing that as town houses and waterfront development. I have the docks and the space for the waterfront and what is happening up and down the Hudson River, I don’t know how many of you have seen it, but that is the biggest thing going now is waterfront development. I think the City of Schenectady for all of us who have seen their master plan for the old Alco, which I reviewed, that’s their plan.

A townhouse that you build is $200,000, a townhouse with waterfront rights or a dock is now $400,000 and I think that makes a lot of sense for us, it would make that area a better area, more appealing and obviously economics makes sense because a $400,000 townhouse brings in a lot more taxes than just letting it go to waste.”

Ron Provost – “I don’t own this land anymore but I did own it. Many years ago I got fined by the State for $2,000 because of an oil spill and I didn’t even have oil. On Sarnowski Drive there where wetlands, all of a sudden there are no wetlands. That was all wetlands right next to my shop and all of a sudden it is showing on the map that there are no wetlands. I think I brought this up before. What happened to those wetlands? There is a creek right behind there on Sarnowski Drive on that land. That is all wetlands back there and you are not showing any thing here.”

Kevin Corcoran – “We are only showing state wetlands, federal wetlands typically are not on our maps. (could not hear all of Kevin’s comments, too far from the microphone).

Supervisor Quinn – “They are recognized; they just are not shown on the map.”

Adolf Zeglen – “I would like to know why my paper street was eliminated as the only good road that goes in there. Anything above me is too high, mine is right level with the project. They had it here and now they have eliminated it and also like I said last time at the meeting I don’t know who gave them the right to put a pipe in that all the water off their roofs and roadways is going to go through a pipe into my property and then into the creek.”

Al Mastrianni – “My father owns property that was zoned industrial; it’s now supposed to be commercial use and he would just like to know what the impact that change is going to make on his property? What type of development can be there?”

Kevin Corcoran – responded but the microphone did not pick up his comments (too far away).

Albert Hamey, Homecrest Kitchens – “My concern is that there is a creek that goes from the river all the way on up. What’s to become of that? That is the town’s drainage. All the water that drains through the whole town runs all behind my property, at the railroad track on Freemans Bridge Road. Right on the property in the back all along the property line from down at the river all the way up there is a creek there. Is that all noted on this map? I call it the town’s drainage and the reason why is it got plugged and the town tried to make me repair it and I had to go to litigation to make the town take care of their responsibility and I would like to know what’s happening with that responsibility.”

Supervisor Quinn – “We will have to get him an answer.”

Mr. Hamey – “I would like an answer on that because like I said, that got plugged and I gave the town easements to run new piping over my property and under the railroad tracks. I would like to know what is happening with that.”

No one else wished to speak; Supervisor Quinn closed the public hearing at 8:12 pm.

No one exercised the privilege of the floor.

Supervisor Quinn’s Comments:

Supervisor Quinn shared the following information:

We have all been busy, as you know, with budget items and so forth. Since our last meeting there has been no formal other business that I have been involved in. I have coming up on next Friday morning the meeting with the Local Government Council on the 20^th and we will be meeting again on the 21^st.

One of the resolutions tonight, I think all of the board members have it but I will share it with the other folks that are here tonight, it is an add-on and it has to do with the budget. It has to do with a reduction in the final budget that we have to work with so far by $84,000 in overtime across the three main funds. Of the $84,000 reduction it will actually bring us back to what was authorized by the board last year in 2007. The $84,000 will take us from where we are in the budget that is before the broad back to what we adopted last year at this time. Of this $84,000 we reduced the appropriated fund balance by $49,000 and the remaining $35,000 will be applied to reduce the tax levy and bring down the tax levy for this year.”

Councilwoman DiGiandomenico – “Part of that $84,000 in overtime, we increased the overtime budget this year to the tune of $50,000 more in addition to that so that our budget for this year was not $84,000 it was really the $84,000 plus the $50,000 which made it $134,000; correct?”

Supervisor Quinn – “Depending on how you are going to count the numbers I would say – remember in February we adjusted the 2007 approved budget by $50,000 for overtime so if you mean it that way then we added $50,000. What I am proposing in the resolution tonight is the number prior to the $50,000 which was amended in the budget in the winter of last year, this will …

Councilwoman DiGiandomenico – “The true budget for overtime this year is really the $134,000.”

Supervisor Quinn – “No, it is the amount of money that we approved this time last year when we passed the budget minus the $50,000 that we added during the year.

What this will cause if this resolution passes then any additional overtime by any of the departments in the three main funds then they don’t have the authority to go over that in overtime. If an emergency comes up, certainly we will deal with that but that will hold the line on the overtime.

This is an attempt to get our tax increase down to a more manageable number.”

Councilman Quinn – “Will George be available right before the vote because I am sure there will be some questions regarding the fund balance since it has changed a few times since the last time we met and even as late as yesterday it was one figure and now it seems to be a different figure?”

Supervisor Quinn – “Yes he will be available. If this resolution passes, it will then bring our fund balance back to the one million dollars that we thought that we all wanted to have in there, excuse me $900,000 that we all agreed on at one of our work sessions.”

RESOLUTION NO. 217-2007

Moved by: Councilman Bailey

Seconded by: Councilman Quinn

A RESOLUTION adopting the assessment roll for Water District No. 11 of the Town of Glenville, Schenectady County, New York and the assessment roll for Extensions No. 1 through 34 of said Water District.

WHEREAS, on November 7, 2007 the Town Board of the Town of Glenville adopted a preliminary capital expense budget for Water District No. 11 of the Town of Glenville and Extensions Nos. 1 through 34 of said Water District; and

WHEREAS, assessment rolls have been prepared by the Water Commissioners of Water District No. 11, Town of Glenville, Schenectady County, New York based upon said preliminary capital expense budget for and in connection with said Water District; and

WHEREAS, said assessment rolls were completed and filed in the office of the Town Clerk of said Town on June 1, 2007; and

WHEREAS, due notice of the completion of said assessment rolls and of the time and place when and where this Town Board would meet to hear and to consider any objections that might be made to said rolls was duly given by the Town Clerk by the publication of due notice thereof in The Daily Gazette, a newspaper published in the County of Schenectady and circulated in the Town of Glenville, and this Town Board duly met at the time and place specified and a hearing was duly had upon said assessment rolls,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS BY THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GLENVILLE, NEW YORK:

SECTION 1. Said assessment rolls are hereby approved, affirmed and adopted by the Town Board.

SECTION 2. This resolution takes effect immediately.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstentions: None

Motion Carried

RESOLUTION NO. 218-2007

Moved by: Councilman Bailey

Seconded by: Councilwoman DiGiandomenico

A RESOLUTION adopting the assessment roll for Sewer District No. 9 of the Town of Glenville, Schenectady County, New York.

WHEREAS, on November 7, 2007 the Town Board of the Town of Glenville adopted a preliminary capital expense budget for Sewer District No. 9 of the Town of Glenville; and

WHEREAS, assessment rolls have been prepared by the Sewer Commissioners of Sewer District No. 9, Town of Glenville, Schenectady County, New York based upon said preliminary capital expense budget for and in connection with said Sewer District; and

WHEREAS, said assessment rolls were completed and filed in the office of the Town Clerk of said Town on June 1, 2007; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS BY THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GLENVILLE, NEW YORK:

SECTION 1. Said assessment rolls are hereby approved, affirmed and adopted by the Town Board.

SECTION 2. This resolution takes effect immediately.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstentions: None

Motion Carried

RESOLUTION NO. 219-2007

Moved by: Councilman Bailey

Seconded by: Councilman Quinn

A RESOLUTION adopting the assessment roll for the Acorn Drive Sewer and Woodhaven Sewer Waste Treatment Plant of the Town of Glenville, Schenectady County, New York.

WHEREAS, on November 7, 2007 the Town Board of the Town of Glenville adopted a preliminary capital expense budget for Acorn Drive Sewer and Woodhaven Sewer Waste Treatment Plant of the Town of Glenville; and

WHEREAS, an assessment roll has been prepared by the Sewer Commissioners of the Acorn Drive Sewer and Woodhaven Sewer Waste Treatment Plant, Town of Glenville, Schenectady County, New York based upon said preliminary capital expense budget for and in connection with said Waste Treatment Plant; and

WHEREAS, said assessment roll was completed and filed in the office of the Town Clerk of said Town on June 1, 2007; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS BY THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GLENVILLE, NEW YORK:

SECTION 1. Said assessment rolls are hereby approved, affirmed and adopted by the Town Board.

SECTION 2. This resolution takes effect immediately.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstentions: None

Motion Carried

RESOLUTION NO. 220-2007

Moved by: Councilman Bailey

Seconded by: Councilman Rosenberg

A RESOLUTION adopting the assessment roll for Alplaus Sewer District No. 1 and Extension No. 1 of the Town of Glenville, Schenectady County, New York.

WHEREAS, on November 7, 2007 the Town Board of the Town of Glenville adopted a preliminary capital expense budget for Alplaus Sewer District No. 1 and Extension No. 1 of the Town of Glenville; and

WHEREAS, assessment rolls have been prepared by the Sewer Commissioners of Alplaus Sewer District No. 1, Town of Glenville, Schenectady County, New York based upon said preliminary capital expense budget for and in connection with said Sewer District; and

WHEREAS, said assessment rolls were completed and filed in the office of the Town Clerk of said Town on June 1, 2007; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS FOLLOWS BY THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GLENVILLE, NEW YORK:

SECTION 1. Said assessment rolls are hereby approved, affirmed and adopted by the Town Board.

SECTION 2. This resolution takes effect immediately.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstentions: None

Motion Carried

RESOLUTION NO. 221-2007

Moved by: Councilman Quinn

Seconded by: Councilwoman DiGiandomenico

WHEREAS there is funding available under a competitive grant process through the New York State Department of State under the Shared Municipal Services Incentive Grant Program 2007-08, and

WHEREAS the Village of Scotia, partnering with the Town of Glenville is desirous of filing an application under this program which provides funding to eligible local governments “to cover costs associated with shared services, cooperative agreements, mergers, consolidations, and dissolutions, and

WHEREAS the Village of Scotia is applying for funding to offset consultant, legal, and other related costs associated with the Scotia/Glenville Joint Public Safety Initiative on behalf of the Village of Scotia and the Town of Glenville, and

WHEREAS the Village of Scotia as the lead applicant commits to the required ten percent (10%) match equally an amount not to exceed $44,444, the cost of which will be divided equally between the Village of Scotia and the Town of Glenville, and

WHEREAS the Village of Scotia and the Town of Glenville agree to enter into an intermunicipal agreement where shared services (list type of services to be shared) are listed in detail, and

WHEREAS the Town of Glenville in conjunction with the Village of Scotia agrees to execute any and all necessary local actions required in relation to the project,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Glenville approves of the submission by the Village of Scotia, on behalf of both the Village and the Town of an application for funding offered by the NYS Department of State under the auspices of the Shared Municipal Services Incentive Grant Program, with a request amount not to exceed $400,000, and

BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED, that Frank Quinn, Town Supervisor is authorized to act on behalf of the Town of Glenville in all matters related to the Town’s responsibilities as project partner under the grant program.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstentions: None

Motion Carried

Discussion…

Supervisor Quinn – “Next is a resolution to amend items in the Town Budget, over time we have had the Tentative Budget, we had the Preliminary Budget and the Preliminary Budget ended up being approximately a 16% tax increase (15% and change). We have had other work sessions and in the other work sessions we made some changes, they’re in this document. In this document there are a series of asterisks where we have made changes from our prior approvals. If we make any amendments now then the tax increase proposed in the Preliminary budget would change and then the next item on the agenda is to vote the Final Budget for this year. We have to finalize it by the 20^th of November.

This is an opportunity; you have heard me say I want to introduce this resolution to adjust the Preliminary Budget by the thing that I mentioned earlier. There are other additions and deletions and changes in here bringing the tax rate down to about 7% or approximately $40 - $50 for a town resident tax increase on the average home and actually the Village goes down about $18 - $19.

I would like to add to that resolution the following: Reduce the 2008 Final Budget by $84,000 in overtime across the three major town funds, Town General, Town Outside and Highway Department.

An $84,000 reduction will match the overtime authorized by this board with the adoption of last years 2007 adopted budget, not the amended one but the adopted one at this time last year. Of this $84,000 reduction you reduce the appropriated fund balance by $49,000 using the remaining $35,000 and apply it to reduce the tax levy for 2008.”

Motion to amend item no. 23 on the agenda was moved by Supervisor Quinn and seconded by Councilman Bailey.

Councilman Rosenberg – “At one point our, as a group in a work session, we agreed to bring the fund balance down to $900,000 and then we were told that it had dropped to $751,000 today somehow. I am not sure that we got an answer to that yet from our comptroller. There was another $100,000 that was missed so that brought us back to $851,000. Part of this amendment would return $49,000 to bring us back to the $900,000 but I would still like to know how we got from $900,000 to $751,000 and then back to $851,000.”

Supervisor Quinn – “Just track the trail of what the proceedings were.”

Councilman Rosenberg – “At our last work session it was $900,000.”

Councilwoman DiGiandomenico – “I just wanted to say that the Village tax decrease of $18.00 was based on a $124,000 house and the Town increase of $40.00 was based on a $173,000 house. Just so everybody knows what it was based on.”

Supervisor Quinn – “We are looking to walk through the process of the fund balance and the how it has been adjusted.”

George Phillips, Comptroller – “The starting point to go forward from I think is the most easily discernible is to go to the official legal document of the Preliminary Budget, at that point we had $1,151,090 in the funds. We then had a Pre-Final #2 which took it down to $821,056 and then we had a Pre-Final #3 which took it down to $749,563. The difference between Pre-Final #2 and Pre-Final #3 is an additional $70,000 in appropriated fund balance. The distinction for Pre-Final #2 did not have added back into it, we had been talking about the $100,000 of which the police department was not going to spend in 2007 so we had on the table Pre-Final #2 which said $821,000 and you took $70,000 from that to get to $749,000. The $100,000 we were kind of keeping in our head of adding it back in which would have brought us up to $921,000 at the end of the cycle for Pre-Final #2 less the $70,000 which takes us down to $851,000.”

Councilman Rosenberg – “I think the part that I am missing, I follow what you just said, it sounds like some where along the line we miscalculated big, $50,000. Even with the Pre-Final going from $821,000, which was really $921,000, down to $749,000 which was really $849,000, it is still only $849,000 and not the $900,000 that we had agreed to. So where did we loose that $50,000?”

Mr. Phillips – “The documents that we had on the table that we were working from as we started from the Pre-Final were $1,151,000. As far as I can tell $900,000 was a rough rounded target that was the goal, at the close of the Pre-Final #2 document you could argue it was $921,000, the Pre-Final #3 you could certainly argue that it was…$900,000 is the goal that we are trying to get to.”

Councilman Rosenberg – “I guess I saw the process as we had x amount of dollars and we thru the process appropriated certain amounts of money which would have brought us to a certain level. Not at anytime do I remember any of us as a whole agreeing to drop it less than $900,000 so I am wondering how we got $850,000. It is a pretty big discrepancy.”

Mr. Phillips – “As you are going through a discussion, the budget document breaks out a total for the general fund; town wide, a total for town outside, and a total for highway. All of those are distinct taxable entities, they don’t really cross supply funds, we are looking at a $900,000 target as a combined and people are trying to add three numbers in their head simultaneously and rounding it to a whole number. I think that is how we lost our $50,000, because when you go to the details and you would add those details to a summary level you get those numbers that I just gave you and you can look at your Pre-Final #2 and your preliminary and see those numbers and track it through.”

Councilwoman DiGiandomenico – “I have a problem when we are rounding up from $850,000 to $900,000, when you are rounding up $50,000 that to me is a little bit too much rounding. Now we are looking at a $50,000 deficit. My understanding was we were at $900,000 and I still don’t know where that $50,000…I thought it was pretty clear we were at $900,000 and we all were under the impression that we had $900,000, now you are coming back and telling us that we have $851,000, after we added $100,000 back in. The numbers are just changing constantly here so I am not sure that I’m on board with what the numbers are or whether I agree with them.”

Supervisor Quinn – “With this amendment that we just talked about the bottom line is and the bottom line in the balancing of this budget will be $900,000 fund balance, is that correct?”

Mr. Phillips – “That is correct. We take the $84,000 in overtime, add back the $49,000 in terms of non-appropriated fund balance and we will be at roughly $900,000.”

Supervisor Quinn – “So with this resolution the goal we set of $900,000 mathematically turns out to be a $900,000 balance with the recommendation, the resolution that is on the table.”

Councilwoman DiGiandomenico – “I am not comfortable voting down the $84,000 in overtime in view of the fact of how we got down to that number in the first place because if we are cutting numbers I’m not sure that that overtime figure, I’m not sure that we can support it; in view of the fact that we did add $50,000 more.”

Vote called on amendment:

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: Councilwoman DiGiandomenico

Absent: None

Abstentions: None

Discussion…

Councilwoman DiGiandomenico – “I just want to make sure that I have the numbers correct. We are now talking about a 6.1% increase and a $900,000 fund balance.

I would like to preface my vote by saying: I will vote for the 6.1% because I do not want it to go back to the Preliminary Budget of 15% so I don’t want it to sound like I am contradicting myself. That will be the reason that I am voting yes on the 6.1%.”

RESOLUTION NO. 222-2007

Moved by: Councilman Rosenberg

Seconded by: Councilman Bailey

WHEREAS, the 2008 Preliminary Budget of the Town of Glenville has heretofore been filed with the Town Clerk on October 17, 2007;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the 2008 Preliminary Budget is amended for the 2008 Final Adopted Budget of the Town of Glenville by the changed items noted with an asterisk; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that overtime across the three major town funds be reduced by $84,000 in the 2008 Final Budget which will match the overtime authorized by this board with the adoption of last year’s 2007 Final Budget; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED of this $84,000 reduce the appropriate fund balance by $49,000 with the remaining $35,000 will be applied to reduce the tax levy rate.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstentions: None

Motion Carried

Discussion…

Councilman Quinn – “Yes the $900,000 fund balance was arrived at by a majority of the board just for the record. I have been pretty steadfast in my willingness to apply an additional $100,000 to the fund balance and I also mentioned the possibility of moving our History Center to a recently inherited building that would save us probably about $30,000 to $40,000 depending on how much of a mortgage we have left on that building but you still have the benefit over time of saving on debt payments as well.

That is a 2½% decrease in tax relief but I would apply half of that if you folks were to authorize it to restore a critical position or two in this town. I am very very concerned that we are hitting our staff where services are to the determent the most when it comes to the citizens and that is in our highway and our police departments. I firmly believe that we do have to make some difficult decisions and I give us all credit for looking at part-time, I give us credit for looking at attrition but I am very very concerned about the impact to those two departments especially and that is why I am voting no this evening.”

Councilman Rosenberg – “I would like to thank all of the department heads for waving their increase in salary for 2008. Special thanks go out to all of the employees who brought to this board many suggestions that helped us to get from where we were to where we are tonight.

This budget reflects the increased costs of our current and previous labor contracts which have increased our personnel service lines year after year. We have sixty plus people that we pay that aren’t even working for the town anymore as part of previous contracts.

I don’t think there is one department that hasn’t suffered a decrease in the number of tax dollars spent on personnel services from our initial budget. Had we not sharpened our pencils and merely gave everyone everything that they asked for in our initial budget we would have had an over 60% tax increase. We have increased revenues where ever we could and cut services and even cut out the equivalent of four positions yet our lines for personnel is still increased over $400,000 from last year. We can’t continue on in doing things the way we have done in the past and department heads will have to make tough decisions with the funds they have available to still get the jobs done. I am not happy with the increase even at 6% because I really wanted to get it down to 3%. I feel it reflects a valiant effort to become a leaner group of departments, have a positive attitude in regards to potential commercial tax base, increases in the future but that doesn’t help us today. Hopefully with increase in revenue down the road we may be able to restore some of the positions to provide the same level of service to our residents that they enjoy today for a similar costs. Collaboration efforts with the Village of Scotia will also help both entities as we struggle each year with increased costs and decreased revenue streams.”

Councilman Bailey – “In deed I think everybody is sacrificing here with this budget but I just want to sound a cautionary note that we are at is what I will call a buy nothing budget. We have cut out every appropriation that we can and that is tough to do because I know that the town employees want to do the right thing out there on the streets and take care of things but we have to cut back this year. If the economy continues going the way it is and I don’t see any reason to think that there is going to be a huge turn around overnight as much as I would like to see it I don’t think that anybody is going to expect the price of oil to go down and you know what that means. We are going to be facing the same situation again next year and it may in fact be worse. I did a projection about ten days ago based on the budget then and there has been some changes since then but that doesn’t change the bottom line here. If we assume for fiscal ’09 which would be the next budget that the board in place at that time will deal with if we keep the appropriations exactly the same as what we may pass in a minute here if we assume revenues are flat if there is nothing much else going to come in, is there somebody going to walk in here and give us a bunch of money, maybe if Lowe’s is up and running we could get $50,000 to $60,000 in tax money out of them but that is all. We have taken the fund balance down to the point that we are comfortable with so we can’t go much more. Just looking at the impact of what I assume in my little study was a 12% increase in pay and benefits and I assumed since department heads and unrepresented people gave up their raise this, okay, you can’t do that two years in a row so I assumed a 4% increase for next year. When you run those numbers through you are looking at a 22% increase next year and that is if we have another buy nothing budget. The next board is going to be struggling just like this board did.”

Councilwoman DiGiandomencio – “In view of the fact that we have a $900,000 reserve, I would have no problem increasing, taking $100,000 of that and applying it towards the budget and I think that that amount does not impact our financial needs in case we come across an emergency of some kind.

So I would see $100,000 that could be applied toward the budget if it is presently at $900,000.”

Supervisor Quinn – “A $900,000 fund balance that we are talking about here sounds like a very very high number. When you crank in the volatility of revenue that we are projecting when the county has just passed their budget and said “sales tax will be down next year” okay. We get the regular sales tax and metroplex tax. All of us know where the mortgages are these days, that the mortgage revenues that we achieve maybe down next year. When we have a volatility in revenue and a volatility in expenses around everything from health care and we look at the $900,000 we are…an one other thing the county and state monies that come to us show up in our bank on the first of January. If they decide to hold the money we will not see some of that money until well into February and maybe even March. We have payrolls to make in January and we have payrolls to make in February and with this budget without a fund balance in case there is a problem we don’t make payroll. I don’t think any of us want to be in that position while we are waiting for the state and/or the county to send us the monies they owe us. We can’t issue our staff IOU’s. My thoughts on the $900,000 is for me it is too low, we have it in here, it is in the budget so I will vote accordingly. I remind myself on occasion; (1) I am a senior citizen (2) most of my income is fixed (3) you just heard Councilman Bailey talk about next year is going to be worse, not better worse, by any projection that we have so I am sitting here saying what is best for 28,300 people not any smaller number than that and so that is where I am at.”

RESOLUTION NO. 223-2007

Moved by: Councilman Rosenberg

Seconded by: Councilman Bailey

WHEREAS, the 2008 Preliminary Budget of the Town of Glenville has heretofore been filed with the Town Clerk on October 17, 2007; and

WHEREAS, a duly public hearing was held on November 7, 2007, to hear all persons in favor of or against the Preliminary Budget as compiled for or against any item or items therein contained, and

WHEREAS, the Preliminary Budget has been amended,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that said amended Preliminary Budget be and it hereby is adopted as the Final Budget of the Town of Glenville for the fiscal year commencing January 01, 2008, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that said adopted budget shall be spread upon the minutes of this Town Board Meeting, in its entirety.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Bailey and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Councilman Quinn

Absent: None

Abstentions: None

Motion Carried

FINAL

TOWN BUDGET

For 2008

Town of Glenville

County of Schenectady

Village Within or Partly Within Town

Village of Scotia, New York

CERTIFICATION OF TOWN CLERK

I, Linda C. Neals , Town clerk, certify

that the following is a true and correct copy of the 2008 budget of the Town of ____Glenville________________as adopted by the

Town Board on the 14th day of November, 2007.

Signed________________________

Town Clerk

Dated ___________________________________

RESOLUTION NO. 224-2007

Moved by: Councilwoman DiGiandomenico

Seconded by: Councilman Bailey

BE IT RESOLVED that the Monthly Departmental Reports for October 2007 as received from the following:

Assessor Department

Building Department

Dog Control

Highway-Public Works

Human Services - Sept/Oct

Justice Department

Planning Department

Section 8 Housing Payments

Town Clerk's Office

Water Department

be, and they hereby are accepted, approved for payment and ordered placed on file.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstentions: None

Motion Carried

RESOLUTION NO. 225-2007

Moved by: Councilman Bailey

Seconded by: Councilman Quinn

WHEREAS, a number of public hearings were held pursuant to Sections 193, 194 and 202(b) of the Town Law, the Town Board of the Town of Glenville in connection with the establishment of Extension 1 to the Alplaus Sewer District and the approval of a comprehensive sewer project in the Alplaus Sewer District in the Town of Glenville; and

WHEREAS, at the public hearings the Town considered factors similar to those enumerated in the Eminent Domain Procedure Law, Section 204, subdivision B, and made findings concerning the public use, benefit or purpose to be served by the construction of the sewer lines in the Alplaus Hamlet in the Town of Glenville, identified the location of the sewer lines to be installed, determined the general effect of the project on the environment and the residents of the locality, considered such other factors, and made such other determinations as it considered relevant; and

WHEREAS, the Town Board, as Commissioners of the Alplaus Sewer District has requested that property owners along the route of the sewer lines grant an easement to the sewer district for the construction, maintenance and repair of said sewer lines; and

WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the Town Board that the acquisition of these easements in this instance is de minimis in nature so that the public interest will not be prejudiced by the construction of the project; and

WHEREAS, most, but not all, property owners have granted said easement to the district,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Board of the Town of Glenville, as Commissioners of the Alplaus Sewer District, that the Supervisor of the Town of Glenville and the Town Attorney are hereby authorized to take all steps necessary to obtain easements for the construction, maintenance and repair of all the sewer lines, lift stations and other appurtenances proposed to be constructed within the Alplaus Sewer District by the exercise of the power of eminent domain and to commence proceedings for this purpose under the Eminent Domain Procedure Law.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstention: None

Motion Carried

RESOLUTION NO. 226-2007

Moved by: Councilman Rosenberg

Seconded by: Councilwoman DiGiandomenico

WHEREAS, the position of Assessor has been vacant since September 30, 2007; and

WHEREAS, Carol Corbett, Real Property Appraisal Technician, Town of Glenville, lacks the authority to process certain paperwork required by the county in order to continue the efficient operation of the office of Town Assessor,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Carol Corbett is hereby appointed to the position of Acting Assessor for the Town of Glenville, effective November 14, 2007; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such appointment shall continue until such time that the Town of Glenville appoints a Town Assessor or rescinds the Acting Assessor appointment.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstention: None

Motion Carried

RESOLUTION NO. 227-2007

Moved by: Councilman Bailey

Seconded by: Councilman Rosenberg

WHEREAS there is funding available under a competitive grant process through the New York State Department of State under the Shared Municipal Services Incentive Grant Program 2007-08, and

WHEREAS the Town of Glenville partnering with the Town of Clifton Park and the Niskayuna School District, is desirous of filing an application under this program which provides funding to eligible local governments “to cover costs associated with shared services, cooperative agreements, mergers, consolidations, and dissolutions, and

WHEREAS the Town of Glenville is applying for funding to offset consultant, legal, and/or other related costs associated with the Glenville/Clifton Park Joint Sewer Project on behalf of the Town of Clifton Park, the Niskayuna School District and the Town of Glenville,

WHEREAS the Town of Glenville as the lead applicant commits to the required ten percent (10%) match, the cost of which will be divided equally between the project partners, and

WHEREAS the Town of Glenville, the Town of Clifton Park and the Niskayuna School District agree to enter into an intermunicipal agreement where shared services (list type of services to be shared) are listed in detail, and

WHEREAS the Town of Glenville agrees administer the grant and,

WHEREAS the Town of Glenville, the Town of Clifton Park and the Niskayuna School District agree to execute any and all necessary local actions required in relation to the project, and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town of Glenville approves of the submission of an application for funding offered by the NYS Department of State under the auspices of the Shared Municipal Services Incentive Grant Program, in an amount not to exceed $200,000 per project partner, and

BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED, that Frank Quinn, Town Supervisor is authorized as the Lead Applicant Contact Person and is authorized to submit an application to the Shared Municipal Services Incentive Grant Program and to act on behalf of the Town of Glenville in all matters related to the execution of all financial and/or administrative processes related to the grant program.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstentions: None

Motion Carried

Administrator’s Report:

“Our Health Fair for all of our employees and our retired employees was held today. The turn out was marvelous, we had upwards of seventy employees as well as five to six retired employees that came in and met with the four health care providers that provide us with employee benefits. Thank to Jean, Carol and Jamie for organizing this and a special thanks to CSEA for providing the pizza and soda.

Earlier this week Commissioner LeClair and I, staff from the Water Department along with the contractor BCI on the construction of the water plant. We went through the final punch list and the items that BCI has agreed to fix and we also discussed the game plan for adjustments that need to be made with the chlorination system. We are now dealing with the manufacture of the pumps that seem to be giving us the problem as well as the generic firm that apparently has great expertise in fine tuning chlorination systems.

This will be a full court press to hopefully identify what the problem is in our chlorination system and then correct it and get it running properly.

I think the notice of claim that BCI has filed is something that I will talk to you about in executive session but it looks like there is a settlement offer for that. The next step will be to identify the problem in the chlorination system.”

RESOLUTION NO. 228-2007

Moved by: Councilman Rosenberg

Seconded by: Councilman Bailey

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Glenville hereby adjourns into Executive Session to discuss Highway Department Union Contract matter, update on the Assessor recruitment process, BCI (water plant contractor) proposed settlement agreement and Tax Department and other related budget matters.

Ayes: Councilmen Rosenberg, Quinn, Bailey, Councilwoman DiGiandomenico and Supervisor Quinn

Noes: None

Absent: None

Abstention: None

Motion Carried

Supervisor Quinn adjourned this portion of the meeting at 9:12 p.m. and entered into Executive Session.

Time being 10:35 pm Supervisor Quinn reconvened the meeting.

Motion to adjourn was moved by Councilman Rosenberg and Seconded by Councilman Bailey.

The Town of Glenville Town Board Meeting was adjourned at 10:36 PM.

ATTEST:

______________________________

Linda C. Neals

Town Clerk