The workshop meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Mount Hope was held at Town Hall on January 20, 2015 at 7:30pm with the following present: Supervisor Chad Volpe, Councilman Matt Howell, Councilman Gary Ketcham, Councilman Dominick Cambareri and Town Clerk Kathleen Myers. NOT PRESENT: Councilwoman Janet Sutherland.
OFFICIALS PRESENT: D. Hassenmayer – Highway Supt., P. Freeman – Lt., D. Bavoso – Town Attorney.
Supervisor Volpe called the meeting to order at 7:30pm following the Pledge of Allegiance. He reminded everyone to silence or turn off their cell phones.
RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT PRIOR MEETING MINUTES:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri seconded by Councilman Ketcham that the minutes of the January 5, 2015 meeting as submitted are approved. All in favor: Howell, Ketcham, Volpe, Cambareri; carried.
CORRESPONDENCE:
- Correspondence from Assoc. of Towns re: delegates
- Supervisor’s report 12-2014
- Complaint re: Oak Street
- Letter from NYS DEC re: final permit for HV
- Dragon Springs sample advertisement
- Letter from NYS Dept. of Public Service re: Reforming the Energy Vision
- Rabies clinic flier 2-22-15; 11-1 T/O Wallkill
- Letter from the NYS PSC re: motion of commission to examine safety of electric transmission & distribution systems
- O&R resolution
- Info from Highway Supt. re: placement of new sign at entrance
- Budget modification from police department
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
POLICE DEPT. by Lt. Freeman:
Lt. Freeman reported that the Chief would like the budget modification approved for the purchase of the new police car. It is for $15,196.75 to come from police capital reserve to go into police equipment account. Councilman Howell stated: Paul brought this up at budget time, both reasons are we buy a car every year and it costs too much to maintain them which the average cost over 6 years to maintain and repair the vehicles is about $1300. On a new car or old car you’re going to have maintenance. I don’t understand spending $43,000 as opposed to spending $1500 for a year. Lt. Freeman: It’s got 94,000 miles on it. He’s looking to replace one of the current Crown Vics with AWD for a police interceptor which gives more options for utilizing it. The total cost is going to be for everything from radio, computer, lights, cage. The costs are going to go up the longer you have a vehicle. It’s approaching 100,000 miles; used 16 hours/day. Councilman Howell: in Paul’s email he mentioned most of the time is spent idling. Councilman Cambareri: asked about a hours clock. Supt. Hassenmayer: most don’t. Councilman Howell: asked about taking equipment from the old car to use in the new car. Lt. Freeman: anything usable is transferred.
HIGHWAY DEPT. by Supt. Hassenmayer:
Supt. Hassenmayer reported the guys have been very busy with the ice storms. Takes a toll on everybody. Hopefully everybody was safe this weekend. He didn’t see too many accidents in Mount Hope. We’ve been lending a hand over here at Town Hall with painting and cleaning. We started mixing sand/salt because our reserves are down. He spoke of the plans he gave everyone for the new sign at the entrance. This is a digital sign that was bought with grant money just under $5000. It’s controlled wirelessly through a computer most likely over here at town hall or in highway office. The area where we have the sign now with the plow, is where it’s proposed to be put. It’s the board’s decision. We need to order the top part which is a lighted box with a fixed panel that would say Mount Hope municipal building.
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HIGHWAY DEPT. by Supt. Hassenmayer continued:
The block/stone work at the bottom – we have a couple people from the Eagle Scouts that have already looked at the project. They can’t physically mount the sign. I/we would have to do it in the highway. I have the steel posts to mount it. I’d like to get moving on it as soon as we can. Underground electric has to be run out to it because it has to be heavier than what we currently have. He would like the board to have a final decision as to what the top would say. Supervisor Volpe showed the board what the proposed header would look like. Councilman Cambareri: Dean, are the posts powder coated? Galvanized? Dean: they are steel. They are actually the sign posts from the old school sign that we saved when we pulled that out. We sanded them and painted them black. He has a company that has down done powder coating for him before. Councilman Cambareri: it would do away with a lot of maintenance work for you guys. Dean will look into it. Councilman Cambareri mentioned Charles Charles that does it. Supervisor Volpe: we still need to order the header. Dean has the estimate on that. He stated it is $1850 and shipping is $375. The scouts want to start in the spring for their Eagle project. As they come up with their plan/sketch he will bring it to the board for approval. He spoke re: NJPA (National Joint Powers Alliance). They are a national bidding company. Town can use it at no charge. Other highway departments use it. No obligations.
HIDDEN VALLEY: No report.
MHFC: No report as they are at a serious car accident scene.
VILLAGE OF OTISVILLE by Trustee Loeven:
Trustee Loeven thanked the Supervisor for sending the inquiry letter over to her re: summer recreation program. She will be in touch with him re: resume for a sports/phys. ed director. Supervisor Volpe thanked Ms. Loeven for her help with the ID cards. He noted the time change for the joint meeting.
BUILDING INSPECTOR APPOINTMENT:
Supervisor Volpe noted that the building inspector needed to have his reappointment as it was not done at last meeting.
RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE SUPERVISOR’S REPORT:
MOTION offered by Councilman Howell seconded by Councilman Cambareri to approve the Supervisor’s report for December 2014 as submitted. All in favor: Howell, Ketcham, Volpe, Cambareri; carried.
DRAGON SPRINGS:
Supervisor Volpe noted that everyone should have gotten this info in their mailboxes. They want to have a public information meeting and use the senior center on March 7th. They do their own advertisement.
RESOLUTION TO CHANGE JOINT MEETING TIME:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri seconded by Councilman Ketcham to change the time for the proposed joint fire district meeting for February 2nd to 6:30pm. All in favor: Howell, Ketcham, Volpe, Cambareri; carried.
ID CARDS:
Supervisor Volpe reported that a few of the guys went to have their picture taken for the ID cards. We looked into getting a machine because a few highway guys asked last year about getting an ID card. Supervisor Volpe thinks everyone working for the town should have one. Within the next couple of weeks hopefully this will be complete.
NJPA CONTRACT RESOLUTION:
MOTIN offered by Councilman Ketcham seconded by Councilman Howell to approve the Supervisor signing the contract for NJPA. All in favor: Howell, Ketcham, Volpe, Cambareri; carried.
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O&R RESOLUTION:
WHEREAS, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc., (herein after ‘O&R”), as a subsidiary of an investor owned company, must demonstrate profitability to its shareholder; and
WHEREAS, O&R must very occasionally request from the Public Service Commission (hereinafter “PSC”) rate increase in order to sustain said profitability in light of increasing government fees, increasing property taxes, expanding services, inflation and other variables; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Mount Hope Town Board believes that O&R can meet its financial responsibility to its shareholders with a far lower rate increase;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Town of Mount Hope Town Board to oppose the O&R rate increase as it presently stands and urges the PSC to limit any increase to a more reasonable and sensitive level; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution will be sent to the Secretary of the NYS Public Service Commission, Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, Senator John Bonacic, Governor Andrew Cuomo & the President of the Orange County Association of Towns/Cities/Villages.
MOTION offered by Councilman Howell; SECONDED by Councilman Ketcham
ALL IN FAVOR – Howell, Ketcham, Volpe, Cambareri; carried.
RESOLUTION FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE HEADER FOR THE ENTRANCE SIGN:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri seconded by Councilman Howell to approve the purchase of the header, side and bracket for the new entrance sign for the amount of $2225.00.
All in favor: Howell, Ketcham, Volpe, Cambareri; carried.
RESOLUTION TO SURPLUS/DISPOSE OFFICE EQUIPMENT:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri seconded by Councilman Howell to surplus and dispose of a SHARP copier (Model #A150N/Serial Number 06516892) from the Planning Board office as it is no longer usable/no monetary value. All in favor: Howell, Ketcham, Volpe, Cambareri; carried.
POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET MODIFICATION:
Councilman Howell: I think we can defer it for a year at least. He asked Dean how old the newest vehicle/work truck/plow truck is in the highway department. Supt. Hassenmayer: the larger trucks? 2010. Councilman Howell: 5 years old. How old is the oldest truck? Supt. Hassenmayer: 2000. Supervisor Volpe asked to table this until he can talk to Paul this week. Councilman Howell: He doesn’t think there is much to change his opinion. If the highway department followed that same theory, they would have 4 or 5 brand new trucks. He thinks the highway trucks are used a lot more and have more severe duty that they work in on a daily basis than a police car. He cannot see spending $43,000 just to buy a new car this year because they buy a new car every year. Supervisor Volpe stated they will table this until next meeting.
DEFIBRILLATOR:
Supervisor Volpe spoke re: defibrillator in the hallway. New pads have been ordered for it. Hopefully in the next couple weeks he will get prices on ordering another one for the senior center. State mandates that any place occupying more than 25 people needs to have one. It will be built in over at the senior center. Someone would have to break the glass to use it.
RESOLUTION TO AUDIT THE CLAIMS:
MOTION offered by Councilman Cambareri seconded by Councilman Howell to approve the following bills:
GENERAL A: #12-32$ 38,843.64
GENERAL B: #3-6$ 2,353.72
HIGHWAY: #3-9$ 36,178.07
SEWER: #4-6$ 2,365.31
All in favor: Howell, Ketcham, Volpe, Cambareri; carried.
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PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
- Loeven: thanked the police department and fire department for their response to the pole that was hit in front of his house in the last snow storm and for checking to see if anything was needed when they had no power.
Dr. Roeder: The contract was submitted so as soon as you guys approve it, we are ready to go. The department of Ag & Markets have already been there and approved it. Supervisor Volpe: it will be ready for the whole board and they will take care of it at the next meeting.
D: Loeven: mentioned a Hometown Helpers 2 hour training session coming up for new volunteers. Hoping for the end of the month. Town Clerk mentioned that there is only one brochure left in the hallway rack.
TOWN BOARD COMMENTS:
Councilman Cambareri: Things look good here. Things are shaping up. He is looking forward to the rest of it being completed.
Supervisor Volpe: The carpeting will be done in this room on Thursday and Friday of this week. This is about a 6 week process for all of this. He thanked Dean for sending the guys over when possible. He also spoke about pricing for new thermostats especially for the senior center. What he is looking at is something could be done to monitor the temperature. Thanked the highway department for helping to beautify our town hall.
RESOLUTION TO ADJOURN:
MOTION offered by Councilman Ketcham seconded by Councilman Howell to adjourn the meeting at 7:58pm. All in favor: Howell, Ketcham, Volpe, Cambareri; carried.
The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 2, 2015 at 7:30pm.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen A. Myers
Town Clerk