The regular meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Mount Hope was held at Town Hall on April 3, 2017 @7:30pm with the following present: Supervisor Chad Volpe, Councilman Matthew Howell, Councilman Brian Carey, Councilwoman Janet Sutherland, Councilman Dominick Cambareri and Town Clerk Kathleen Myers.
OFFICIALS PRESENT: Dep. Highway Supt. J. Musial, Dep. Police Chief Corcoran, Attorney D. Bavoso.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence in memory of Mr. Rickard (Police Chief’s Dad), the Supervisor called the meeting to order at 7:30pm. Please silence all cell phones.
7:30PM PUBLIC HEARING FOR MS-4 LAW:
Supervisor Volpe called the public hearing to order. Public notice is on the table and additional information from Julie regarding the law for the audience to share. There were no questions from the board.
MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri 2nd by Councilman Howell to close public hearing at 7:34pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
MOTION TO ACCEPT PRIOR MEETING MINUTES:
MOTION offered by Councilman Carey 2nd by Councilman Howell that the minutes of the March 20, 2017 meeting as submitted are approved. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
CORRESPONDENCE:
1. Letter from MV Rotary to hold clothing drive April 22
2. Corres. from Adam Ramli (website rep) re: email issue
3. Board of Elections ribbon cutting 4-20-17 from 2-4pm
4. Letter from RPTSA re: Laura Sedita BAR member needing recertification
5. Letter from S. Zambrzycki, RSVP coor. Re: Mayors & Counties Recognition Day for National Service 4-7-2017
6. Financials from MH Fire Co. for 2016
7. Police Dept. Budget modification
8. 2016 Police Dept. annual report
9. Town Clerk added that the town meetings listed on the county website have been corrected
AT THIS TIME, Supervisor Volpe asked Town Clerk to read the correspondence from our website guy re: email issue. (Copy given to D. Loeven)
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Councilwoman Sutherland reported: no report from DCO. Library approx. 90-95 cards issued. ZBA meets 4-5-17 @ 7pm. Planning Board meets 4-19-17 at 7pm. 4H had about 45 walkers/runners for the 5K. They started a poultry club. She spoke with a couple ladies at Devan’s Gate. They have concerns about the new sidewalk. There is a step down. She is still waiting on 2 more estimates for fencing for the dog park.
Councilman Carey reported: Little league had their pancake breakfast: made approx. $1300. They need clay for the park. Opening day is Apr. 22. Football league reg 4-5-17 at Greenville senior center. They take credit cards. 3 new directors were hired for our summer rec. program. Sign ups are 4/24, 4/25 and 5/2. Camp counselor applications are on facebook page and on website. He spoke re: meeting & prior conversation of 3/6/17 regarding town attendance at village meetings. No one from town board has been to village board meetings since 4/7/16.
Supervisor Volpe reported that the website says we now accept credit cards. Staff training is 4-14-17. Community day – we have 18 spots rented so far. Howells cemetery can be added to the next supervisor’s report.
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HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT:
J. Musial reported that Amy wrote a grant for Arbor Day and $1,000 was awarded to us for. We have received $500 already. She needs a resolution to accept the grant money. She will get the wording for the resolution. She had to call a guy in for the storm the other night. We are prepared for tomorrow’s storm. She asked for a resolution to hold public hearing for the community development block grant to be held at the next meeting.
POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Supervisor Volpe asked Dep. Chief Corcoran if 5K went alright. Corcoran stated it was uneventful. Next year they (4H) would like to keep the race within the confines of the property.
VILLAGE OF OTISVILLE:
Ms. Loeven thanked Kathleen for reaching out to the website guy for the email issue. She asked for condolences to be passed on to the Chief on the passing of his father on behalf of herself and the village board.
FOTOS:
Supervisor Volpe reminded everyone that the vote is May 2, 2017 from 6am -9pm. Ballots have been ordered. We will need to change meeting date for the 1st meeting in May due to the scheduling of the vote date.
MOTION TO CHANGE 1ST MEETING DATE IN MAY:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri 2nd by Councilman Howell to change the first meeting in May from May 1, 2017 to May 4, 2017 at 7:30pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
MOUNT HOPE FIRE DISSOLUTION:
Supervisor Volpe stated that he has received the financials from the MHFC. Everyone received a copy. Atty. Bavoso explained that they are voting to permit the dissolution. For the creation of a fire company as a particular type of not for profit, it needs the approval of the jurisdiction to be formed. You are required to vote as to the dissolution. It’s the state’s way of seeing there is other fire protection provided and the town is consenting to the dissolution.
MOTION TO PERMIT MOUNT HOPE FIRE DISSOLUTION:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri 2nd by Councilman Howell to approve the dissolution of the Mount Hope Fire Company. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE MS-4:
MOTION offered by Councilman Howell 2nd by Councilman Carey to approve the 2017 MS-4. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE COUNTRY FAIR FIREWORKS:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri 2nd by Councilman Howell to approve the Lions Club Country fair fireworks on August 27, 2017. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE COMMUNITY DAY FIREWORKS:
MOTION offered by Councilman Carey 2nd by Councilman Howell to approve the Community Day fireworks on July 15, 2017 (rain day 7/16/17). All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET MODIFICATION:
MOTION offered by Councilman Carey 2nd by Councilman Howell to approve the following modification:
Decrease A200 by $10,000.00 and Increase A3120.4 Police Contractual by $10,000.00.
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
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MINISINK VALLEY ROTARY CLOTHING DRIVE:
Letter read by Town Clerk. Supervisor Volpe explained this was approved last year. You may drop off old clothes, sheets; Big Brothers picks up at 12:00. They will use Greenville parking lot also.
MOTION TO ALLOW THE MINISINK VALLEY ROTARY TO HOLD A CLOTHING DRIVE:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri 2nd by Councilwoman Sutherland to allow the Minisink Valley Rotary to use town hall parking lot on April 22, 2017 from 9am – noon. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Sutherland, Cambareri; Abstain – Volpe; carried.
MOTION TO SCHEDULE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT:
MOTION offered by Councilman Carey 2nd by Councilman Howell to schedule public hearing for the Orange County Community Development Block grant on April 17, 2017 at 7:30pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
SUPERVISOR’S REPORT:
Supervisor Volpe explained that $1,248,112.52 in to additional CD’s. He doesn’t anticipate needing to use it, if at all, until the end of the year. We are just shy of $4 million in CD’s.
MOTION TO AUDIT THE CLAIMS:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri 2nd by Councilwoman Sutherland to approve the following bills:
GENERAL A: #163-188 $ 47,745.75
GENERAL B: #25-28 $ 3,824.87
HIGHWAY: #48-53 $ 25,295.50
SEWER: #24-29 $ 56,280.51
CAP RES GEN B: #1 $ 2,000.00
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Sutherland, Cambareri; Volpe: Abstained from Gen A Voucher #169; carried.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
K. Pinkela: extended his and his family’s condolences to the Rickard family (from Bob VanCura and family). He requested to do a school inspection tomorrow due to the rain. Julie suggested coming around 7:30am and she will send a couple guys with him. He requested the town make a request for a check of the dusk to dawn light at the school to Orange & Rockland. He asked if the vote could go on the town sign. He also noted there will be yard signs for the vote and clarified the # of days before the vote that they could be placed. Supervisor: 30 days.
K. Hosking spoke re: a fire in Middletown & she saw that Mount Hope responded to a fire. Can they go & represent Mount Hope at a fire? Is there any legal liability? Bavoso: they may be hired by a different organization/municipality. It’s their company name. Supervisor: There’s no legal liability? Bavoso: no.
A. Miller inquired about Indigot Creek status. She didn’t see anything in minutes from last meeting. Supervisor added that we have someone to use as a hydrogeologist. We are waiting for permits and have been requested from DEC. We don’t know what they’re allowed to pull. They built a road off Murray Road without a permit. C/O Middletown built the road but it’s county property. Miller: they are still on our radar? Councilman Cambareri: the DEC permit he’s talking about is the existing one. Supervisor stated that he was ashamed at the response from Gillibrand’s office. They said they’re at a federal level but they are in contact with Amy’s Kitchen & Legoland all the time. Miller: have we contacted John Bonacic’s office? Supervisor: He wanted me to talk to the mayor and Steve Neuhaus. That’s done. I don’t want us to be the collateral damage.
J. Cook: He called C/O Middletown today about Indigot Creek. He’s waiting for a response. There’s a planning board meeting Wednesday night in Goshen re: conservation boards. Councilman Carey commented about a conservation advisory council. He spoke of the meeting Mr. Cook referred to. He will be going. He asked Atty. Bavoso if any other towns he works with has one of these.
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Bavoso: Warwick has one. Some planning boards do send items to a land scape architect or another consultant; the recommendations aren’t necessarily mandatory because it is an advisory position but the boards that use them or refer to them tend to incorporate them into a final approval. We don’t represent a town that utilizes one at the moment. Councilman Carey will go to meeting and get info. Supervisor knows of one other person that wants to be involved in this.
D. Loeven questioned summer rec sign-ups being the same day as the vote. Supervisor added that summer rec people will be directed to the building department office. She is waiting for the catalogs from Dominick. We have the options to buy the curtains and have them fire-rated. She noted that at a prior meeting she was asked for statistical reports from Janet for the fire department for their calls. She was told by her board that we are getting them. Supervisor added he has not received one for February. She noted the Community Advisory Board will be meeting on the 18th. If anyone has anything please let Dominick or Jim know.
M. Maurizzio spoke re: non-attendance of Janet at village meetings. She heard Janet was going to run for Melissa Bonacic’s seat in the county. Councilwoman Sutherland asked if she has to answer this now. Supervisor stated no. Sutherland stated yes she is. Mrs. Maurizzio gave some statistics regarding Melissa Bonacic: the area she covers and meeting dates/times. She asked when the ZBA & planning board meets. Councilwoman Sutherland stated ZBA meets 4/5/17 at 7pm and planning board meets on 4/19/17 at 7pm. Councilman Carey asked Diane about prior town board member attendance. Ms. Loeven added that Gary was the last town board member that came all the time.
T. Selg asked who issues the community block grant. Musial: part of it comes from HUD. It speaks to those demographics that are underprivileged. Selg asked if we applied for this grant. Musial added that we’ve applied in previous years for stuff at the park. Last year we applied and did not get that. Selg asked if this year’s grant could be used for the old school. Musial stated it could however it’s $125,000 per year. We could go for a 3 year grant @ $125,000/year. Those are hard to get & you have to be shovel ready on the day the funds become available. Selg thanked her for all her efforts. Councilman Carey noted that Rich Mayfield from the county came last year for a tour. As far as grants available – their office is a phone call away. Musial added it’s a great program and through their office our town has the opportunity to help underprivileged seniors having difficulties in the upkeep of their homes.
K. Pinkela added that this opens a lot of doors for the municipalities.
BOARD COMMENTS:
Councilman Howell: local news aired that a dog park in Rhinebeck was open for only 3 years before it closed due to the overflow of animal feces.
Councilman Carey: Still openings for the 1st aid class on April 4. He added he had a request on facebook for ZBA and planning board meetings to be video- taped. The Otisville Lions is having their Easter Egg hunt on April 8 at 2pm at Pierson’s Farm. The summer concert series grant paperwork has been turned in. We are waiting for the money.
Councilman Cambareri: the 2 guys that operate the sewer plant have completed more training.
MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri 2nd by Councilman Howell to enter into executive session at 8:35pm for a contractual issue. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
MOTION TO RECONVENE REGULAR MEETING FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION:
MOTION offered by Councilman Howell 2nd by Councilman Carey to reconvene the regular meeting at 9:00pm. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN AT THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT:
MOTION offered by Councilman Howell 2nd by Councilman Carey to adjourn the meeting at 9:00pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Sutherland, Cambareri; carried.
The next meeting is scheduled for April 17, 2017 at 7:30pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen A. Myers RMC, Town Clerk 37