TOWN BOARD MEETING TOWN OF MOUNT HOPE, OCTOBER 29, 2018

The regular meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Mount Hope was held at Town Hall on October 29, 2018 at 7:30pm with the following present: Supervisor Chad Volpe, Councilman Matthew Howell, Councilman Brian Carey, Councilman Jim Jennings, Councilman Dominick Cambareri & Town Clerk Kathleen Myers.
OFFICIALS PRESENT: Dep. Chief M. Maresca, D. Bavoso Town Attorney.

Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Supervisor Volpe called the public hearing for the 2019 Preliminary Budget to order at 7:30pm. He asked everyone to silence or turn off their cell phones.

7:30pm PUBLIC HEARING FOR 2019 PRELIMINARY BUDGET:
Supervisor Volpe opened the public hearing at 7:30pm. He noted the legal ad is on the table if anyone wants to see it. Thank you to the board. This year (2018) we’re paying $6.3096/thousand. 2019 will be $6.3078/thousand which is a decrease about 1/10th of a percent. A couple things that have changed and I will go over quickly: we now have a contract with Minisink Valley school district for a SRO (school resource officer). The budget for police personal services goes up because of this. The police dept. now has a revenue line for this also. We get reimbursed from the school for the SRO. Veterans, program for aging went up $100. Health insurance went up. Our revenues have gone up. We are renegotiating interest rates. He asked the board if they had questions. There were none. He asked the audience for questions.
Diane Loeven asked about the ‘this year amended’ line – that’s not what was actually spent – that is what was budgeted – correct? Supervisor – yes. She asked about the fire budget on the 1st page and the estimated revenue $9959? Supervisor: that’s actually in the wrong spot. That’s supposed to be unexpended balances. He explained the ½ budget of the fire department. With the tax cap we are limited in how we can get it back to the taxpayers. Either write a check or offset the budget for years to come.

MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Howell to close public hearing at 7:36pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Cambareri; carried.

MOTION TO ACCEPT PRIOR MEETING MINUTES:
MOTION offered Councilman Cambareri 2nd Councilman Howell to accept the minutes from October 15, 2018 as presented. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Cambareri; carried.

CORRESPONDENCE:
1. Surplus/destroy request from bookkeeper’s office
2. (2) police budget modifications
3. Highway budget modification
4. Highway trash report October 2018

BOARD REPORTS:
Councilman Howell: reminded everyone of the Veteran’s Day parade on 11-10-18 at 11:00am. Comprehensive plan zoning update – just got a notification from the planning company this morning. The planning company is in final stages of making the draft available to the committee. Then hopefully this week everything will be complete. Robert spent a lot of time with David. He hopes to have a draft available for the next meeting. At that point we can plan & schedule a public hearing.
Councilman Carey: the fundraising for Minisink youth football was put on facebook. He will post future fundraisers on facebook.
Councilman Cambareri: reported there was a little issue at the sewer plant this weekend. 2 ultraviolet bulbs went out. We have a spare bulb so it was installed. The plant is 100% operational. We will have to purchase a spare bulb. He explained the alarm problem which has been corrected.
Councilman Jennings: reported he went to the village meeting. There were zero fire calls as of 10-18. Quiet month so far. Dec. 1st is their Christmas tree lighting at the firehouse. Dec. 7th is the patriot tree lighting. Trustee Loeven reported there’s a change in the tree lighting due to fundraiser for Aron Seeley. They will have tree lighting Dec 2nd.
Supervisor Volpe asked Brian to secure Santa for this year’s tree lighting. He asked board’s thoughts for our tree lighting. After discussion, the board agreed on Dec 8th at 7pm here at town hall.

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT:
Supervisor Volpe reported for Dean about the starting salary for a seasonal snow removal person. There’s a suggestion for the starting pay for this person (non-competitive/non-union worker) to be $20/hour up from $16.25/hour. There would be no overtime. Needs to be changed in the handbook. They need CDL.
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MOTION TO APPROVE PAY AMOUNT INCREASE FOR SEASONAL SNOW REMOVAL POSITION:
MOTION offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Carey to upgrade the seasonal snow removal person to $20/hour for the per diem employees. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Cambareri; carried.

COMMUNITY CENTER:
Supervisor Volpe reported we are moving along. The electrician is working there running wires. Windows and doors have been ordered.

WALKING TRAIL:
Supervisor Volpe reported we received a fully funded grant (from Aileen Gunther) for the walking trail by Devan’s Gate. Dean is ordering the materials needed for the trail. The benches were ordered. He is trying to get a gazebo. As soon as we spend the money, we send it in and we get a check back.

POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Dep. Chief Maresca reported the speed trailer has been moved to another location. Once it snows we’ll take it off the road. We have a lead on the road sign thief/thieves. We believe its teenagers. Looks like a 2001/2007 Chevy Tahoe, light colored. They have it on the facebook page. Supervisor Volpe asked if the new law has taken place yet for the juveniles. Dep. Chief Maresca: yes for the 16 year olds. 17 year olds takes place next year. Supervisor Volpe asked for the data from the last location of the speed trailer. Dep. Chief Maresca will check with Paul.

VILLAGE OF OTISVILLE: no report.

MOTION TO SURPLUS/DESTROY COMPUTER MONITOR / BOOKKEEPER’S OFFICE:
MOTION offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Cambareri to approve to surplus then destroy the HP Elite Display E201 monitor from the bookkeeper’s office. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Cambareri; carried.

MOTION TO APPROVE POLICE BUDGET MODIFICATION:
MOTION offered Councilman Cambareri 2nd Councilman Howell to approve budget modification:
Decrease Revenue A2770 by $170
Increase Police Contr. A3120.4 by $170. (police vehicle tow reimbursement)
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Cambareri; carried.

MOTION TO AMEND POLICE BUDGET MODIFICATION FROM SEPT. 21, 2018:
MOTION offered councilman Cambareri 2nd Councilman Howell to approve the amendment as follows:
Increase Revenue A1520 Police Fees by $250
Increase Police Contr. A3120.4 by $250. (reimbursement for recruit training ammunition for Savannah Dooley)
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Cambareri; carried.

MOTION TO APPROVE HIGHWAY BUDGET MODIFICATION:
MOTION offered Councilman Cambareri 2nd Councilman Carey to approve the following:
Increase Revenue Refuse/Garbage DB2130 by $885
Increase Refuse/Garbage Contr B8160.4 by $885. (revenue from 2018 fall trash collection)
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Cambareri; carried.

MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2019 TOWN BUDGET:
MOTION offered Councilman Cambareri 2nd Councilman Carey to approve the 2019 Town Budget as presented. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Cambareri; carried.

WILLIS PILOT:
This will be tabled until next meeting.

MOTION TO AUDIT THE CLAIMS:
MOTION offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Jennings to approve the bills (Abstract 23):
GENERAL A: #656-677 $ 73,200.49
GENERAL B: #112-114 $ 24,736.36
HIGHWAY: #167-168 $16,475.32
SEWER: #89-90 $ 1,169.72
CAP RES GEN B: #9 $ 1,000.00
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Cambareri; carried.

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PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
Chris Furman reported the FOTOS tricky tray made approx. $16,000.00. He thanked the public. As things are progressing, our bills are starting to increase. This will help us carry through next year. They also have good news from the community block grant. There was a hearing and they are in line to get some money. They don’t know how much yet though. For safety reasons with the parking lot, the public won’t be allowed to park at the old school this year for Halloween. Supervisor Volpe asked if the water is on there. Mr. Furman replied the water is run to the building but not on inside the building. He appreciates the community support.

BOARD COMMENTS:
Councilman Cambareri thanked Aileen Gunther for the grant and being so generous. He thanked Angie and the Supervisor for all their work on the budget.
Councilman Carey agrees with Councilman Cambareri’s comment on budget. He would like to talk to Dean about the Honor Flight at the next meeting.
Councilman Howell agreed – job well done on the budget.
Town Clerk Myers reminded everyone that EZPass tags are on sale now. Three sold so far. $25 each.

MOTION TO ADJOURN:
MOTION offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Carey to adjourn the meeting at 8:01pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Cambareri; carried.

The next meeting is scheduled for November 8, 2018 at 7:30pm. .

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen Myers RMC
Town Clerk

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