Town Board Meeting July 18th, 2022
NOT PRESENT: Councilman Jim Jennings
OFFICIALS PRESENT: D. Bavoso- Attorney, Deputy Police Chief M. Maresca, D. Hassenmayer- Highway Supt.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Supervisor Howell called the meeting to order at 7:30pm.
MOTION TO ACCEPT PRIOR MEETING MINUTES:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilwoman Davis that the minutes of the July 5, 2022 meeting are accepted as submitted. All in favor: Howell, Davis, Carey, Furman; carried.
CORRESPONDENCE:
1. Supervisor’s reports for April, May, June 2022
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Councilwoman Davis reports: planning board meeting is 7/20/2022 at 7pm. The bridge on New Vernon Road prior to the Robbins Road intersection will be closing on/around August 1 for approx. 96 days.
Councilman Carey reports: Wake Up to CCP Threat seminar on Wednesday at the youth center 7-8 pm. Village yard sale is August 6th. Contact info on the flier to get your address on the list. Tomorrow night summer concert band is ‘Sue and the Blind Band’ from 7-8:30pm.
Councilman Furman reports: Knights of Columbus (Lady of Mount Carmel) is hosting a blood drive on 7/24/2022 from 8-2. MVYFL is doing conditioning with cheerleaders in football. They’re doing that in Greenville. For new people moving here, this is the time of year that the farmers are hauling hay. Have patience with them as they are on the roadway. They can only go so fast. State DOT is mowing on Rte 211. County DOT is mowing on County Rd 78.
Supervisor Howell reminded board members that we have 2 meetings in August in the 1st week. The 1st meeting is the regular board meeting. The 2nd meeting is the SPECIAL meeting, 8/4/2022, for Hidden Valley residents at the senior center at 7pm. Then the 2nd regular monthly meeting on August 15th. He reminded everyone that the newsletter articles are due ASAP.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT:
Supt. Hassenmayer reports the guys are going around checking the towns roads for dead trees that can be safely cut down. 99% of the cases power lines/wires are involved. He needs to line up borrowing a bucket truck and operator to try to get some of the worst ones down. We are getting very little help from O&R. Their resources are tight like everyone else’s. He received a request from Lions Club to borrow the light towers and barricades for the fair. He ok’d this. The ag festival at the 4H park wants to borrow the light towers. Little league wrestling event wants to borrow the barricades. All arrangements have been made for borrowing equipment as he will be away from July 31 through to the end of the 2nd week of August.
POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Deputy Chief Maresca report the junior academy went well. The kids got to do a lot of different things. Hope to expand on it next year and get more students. Supervisor Howell added that the junior academy graduation was last Friday. He was there for this. There were 13 kids from the community to participate and graduate from the program. Right after graduation, there was already plans for next year.
MOTION TO ACCEPT SUPERVISOR’S MONTHLY REPORTS:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilwoman Davis to accept the April, May June 2022 supervisor’s reports as presented. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2022-2023 SNOW & ICE AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF WALLKILL:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilwoman Davis to authorize the town supervisor to sign the 2022-2023 Snow & Ice Agreement with the Town of Wallkill. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman; carried.
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DOG CONTROL OFFICER DISCUSSION:
Supervisor Howell reports the vacant position was advertised on website and facebook page. He did 3 interviews with Councilman Furman.
MOTION TO HIRE MELANIE DIRAIMONDO AS THE DOG CONTROL OFFICER:
MOTION offered Councilwoman Davis 2nd Councilman Carey to hire Melanie DiRaimondo as the dog control officer effective July 19, 2022. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman; carried.
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING:
Supervisor Howell reports he received a notice in the mail from the Division of Budgets from the State of New York. The town should receive the 2nd allotment for the ARPA funds $287,588.87. Any departments heads having a request for funding should let him know. He will send letters to department heads. He and Councilman Furman spoke. Chris provided quotes for work to be done at the plant. Supervisor Howell recommends the majority of the funding to go to Hidden Valley. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get this sum of money that’s not going to be a hit to the taxpayers. Councilman Carey reminds the supervisor that the historical society had requested funding for their new roof.
MOTION TO AUDIT THE CLAIMS:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Furman to audit the claims (Abstracts #27 & #28):
ABSTRACT #27:
GENERAL A: #339-354 $47,125.28
GENERAL B: #62-66 $ 7,404.03
HIGHWAY: #113-118 $30,081.67
SEWER: #59-60 $ 1,377.06
AND
ABSTRACT #28:
GENERAL A: #355-369 $ 9,279.52
GENERAL B: #67-68 $ 332.01
SEWER: #61-62 $ 341.61
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman; carried.
CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION:
Supervisor Howell spoke re: RESTORE grant. This would be a combined effort between the Cornell Coop Ext and the Town of Mount Hope to make the restoration of the barn building. After a conference call with Lucy, we are going to pursue the RESTORE grant. He will keep everyone informed of the status of this. We will need to submit a letter of intent for this. Councilman Carey asked once we apply for a grant with them, how locked in is the town? What will the town use it for going forward? Supervisor: we have 2 options. We can continue with our lifetime lease…..Atty. Bavoso: it was almost like an irrevocable license to go in perpetuity. Supervisor: OR we can terminate it. Councilman Carey: isn’t that on part of the walkway on our property? Supervisor: the barn was sold with the Cornell property. Part of the walking path goes next to the barn on the Cornell property. Carey: going forward, if we chose to, we could kind-f redo it where it’s more on our property away from the barn? Councilwoman Davis: isn’t that the area that gets washed away in the rain? Supt. Hassenmayer: we could turn it so it goes up the hill behind the football goal.
MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN SUPERVISOR TO SEND LETTER OF INTENT FOR RESTORE GRANT:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilwoman Davis to authorize the town supervisor to send a letter of intent to the RESTORE grant program. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman; carried.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
MELA: For the Wake up to the CCP seminar – we’re almost there. It’s Wednesday. An invitation has been extended to the board. We have a wonderful panel. They are known globally. Jenny Chung is very seasoned. This event has stirred up somebody’s nerves. Today we received a death threat at the number that’s on the flier. A police report was filed. We hope for police presence for this event. The CCP is used to using terror to scare people off. I have gone this far and will never go back. Honestly, I’m very disturbed because I’m going about my business in my day sharing knowledge and raise awareness but then you get a threat that says we’re good at doing the killing and we’re going after you – something like that. We’ll share the soundbite and phone number on Wednesday. I hope you can all come.
BOARD COMMENTS:
Councilwoman Davis: OC Ag & Family festival is July 29, 30 & 31st.
Councilman Carey: Someone painted the Hidden Valley sign & it looks nice. It is in bad shape. Chris/Lewis Signs is getting me prices for various signs needed throughout the town. He will also get a quote for the big sign out front of town hall.
MOTION TO ADJOURN MEETING:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Furman to adjourn the meeting at 7:55pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman; carried.
The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 1, 2022 at 7:30pm at Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted, Kathleen A. Myers, RMC/Town Clerk
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