Town Board Meeting March 20th, 2023
OFFICIALS PRESENT: D. Hassenmayer H’way Supt., Attorney D. Bavoso, Police Chief Maresca, Assessor D. Ketcham.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the Supervisor called the public hearing to order at 7:30pm.
7:30pm: PUBLIC HEARING FOR 2023 MS-4 STORMWATER:
Supervisor Howell opened the public hearing at 7:30pm and noted that the ad is available on the front desk as well as copies of the report/plan which be submitted to the state.
Town Engineer John Fuller explained to the public and the board that he prepared the report on behalf of the town. The town is classified as an MS-4 in compliance with NYS DEC requirements for what’s called SPDES control for stormwater run-off & discharge. Each year the town is required to prepare an annual report & compliance certification saying they have a plan in place, that they are following the plan & that there have been no deviations from the plan or any violations of note. Within the report there are 6 distinct minimum control measures that the town is required to follow in order to maintain compliance over each calendar year. Those minimum compliance involve the following: public education & outreach, public involvement & participation, monitoring of any illicit discharge or detection & elimination of such discharge. The bulk of it centers around construction activities; it’s certain that they monitor construction activities including pre & post construction controls & a full storm water management plan for the municipality. This past year, there’s been no significant violations/deviations from the ongoing annual plan that there is. This is before the public and to answer questions. We’re required under DEC regulations to do this annually and present a public hearing. There were no public questions. There were no board questions. Mr. Fuller recommends executing the document. The supervisor will certify the compliance and we’ll send it to the state for recording. The report will be posted on the town website.
MOTION TO CLOSE MS-4 STORMWATER PUBLIC HEARING:
MOTION offered Councilmember Davis 2nd Councilmember Furman to close the public hearing for the 2023 MS-4 Stormwater at 7:34pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman, Jennings; carried.
7:35PM: PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED LOCAL LAW #1-2023 ENTITLED: TO ESTABLISH A REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR QUALIFIED VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND AMBULANCE WORKERS:
Supervisor Howell opened the public hearing at 7:35pm and noted that the ad is available on the front desk.
Lou Ingrassia Jr. spoke re: encouraged the board to vote favorably on the new statewide exemption for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers. We’ve been working diligently on this legislation for the past several months since it was signed in to law by the governor in December 2022. Over this time speaking specifically for the Howells fire district we cover portions of 3 towns/2 counties/3 different school districts. We’ve had success in Town of Wallkill, Town of Mamakating, Minisink school district, Middletown school district. Howells fire district just passed this and hopefully the Pine Bush school board will hopefully be acting on this soon. This legislation will provide a positive benefit for out volunteer firefighters and hopefully will encourage more residents to volunteer. He made copies of the actual exemption which he will leave for everyone. The new parts of the law – there is a current exemption in place that’s been I place since 2006. The updated exemption allows for your board to enact the legislation as we certify to you the firefighters that are eligible you have the option of setting your law up to between 2 and 5 years. We recommend a 2-year exemption. Also, the new law allows for a lifetime exemption for anyone over 20 years. We hope you enact that as well. The new law allows for survivor benefits as well for the spouse of a firefighter. They would continue to receive that benefit as long as they utilized the home as their primary residence. We would like for you to take all of that into consideration. My fellow firefighters, ladies and gentlemen, felt it was important to come out and let you know how strongly we support this. We feel it is an extreme benefit to our firefighters and future firefighters. We do know that any savings that is enacted through this will be recouped through the rest of the taxpayers similar to any other exemption. We already certified to your Assessor, Mr. Ketcham, the names of 15 individuals that will benefit from this once it does go into action. We know there was a deadline on it of March 1st from the Governors office. We are hoping that it may be extended. If you do move forward and enact this legislation and file it with the state, as soon as possible, we may be able to benefit for the upcoming tax year. If not, you can pass it and then we’ll benefit for the tax years to come. He left copies for the board.
Diane Loeven asked if the town has since 2006 an exemption for firefighter on the books. Supervisor: yes. She verified that the current one will remain in effect until the new one is enacted. Supervisor: yes.
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Supervisor asked the Assessor if the date of the current exemption was from 2006. Assessor: yes, about. Different counties/municipalities opted into it at different times – it was an opt-in exemption. Supervisor: the main difference between what’s proposed currently and what’s in existence currently is a greater threshold of savings for the individual as well as the lifetime and surviving spouse exemption – is that correct? Assessor: the main difference, the surviving spouse and the lifetime are similar so that’s not a big difference. The main difference is that the new exemption removes the cap that exists on the other one and provides what we’ve technically always referred to as a ‘happy meal exemption’; because the firemen could actually go buy a happy meal with what they saved with the old exemption. The one difference is the current draft of your local law which I did have the opportunity to finally get this morning and read it – you do have the minimum threshold of service currently set at 5 years not 2. You can choose any amount of time between 2 & 5; the current draft has it at 5. Supervisor asked the attorney about the effective date. The town can make it effective today is we so choose then it would have to be filed with the Dept. of State. Attorney Bavoso: that’s correct. It would find the same local law filing as other local laws. Supervisor: also with the possibility of the extension of allowing for current applicants to take the exemption of the current or not the following taxable year if that’s a decision made by Albany then we would be notified of that and anybody applicable if our local legislation fell within that date range or the extension – is that correct? Assessor: yes, most likely. I’m unaware of that – that that’s what’s occurring. NYS taxable status date is March 1st. Any exemptions would have had to have been received and filed and the local law enacted by that date. Attorney: I will say that since particularly the STAR application went online, the state has been picking up exemptions throughout the year beyond that March 1st and often applying it. It’s within the realm of possibility that even it being enacted after March 1st, it could still get picked up for this year.
Diane Loeven: if firefighters currently receiving the exemption under the old law and the new law then is there, do they have to re-apply for the exemption? Assessor: yes.
Jim Finn: on the 2 year/5 year credit – the 2 year is really important for a recruitment tool where some of the other parts of the law are good for retention. I would encourage the board to look at the 2 year.
Councilmember Carey thanked everyone for showing up.
MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED LOCAL LAW #1-2023 ENTITLED: TO ESTABLISH A REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR QUALIFIED VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND AMBULANCE WORKERS:
MOTION offered Councilmember Carey 2nd Councilmember Jennings to close the public hearing for the proposed local law at 7:45pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman, Jennings; carried.
Supervisor Howell: Based on the public participation & comments we received regarding our draft of the local law, it sounds like 2 years of service would be a better fit for the people of the township and the community this will be applicable to. The board will amend the draft from 5 years of service to 2 years of service.
MOTION TO AMEND PROPOSED LOCAL LAW #1-2023 ENTITLED: TO ESTABLISH A REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR QUALIFIED VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND AMBULANCE WORKERS:
MOTION offered Councilmember Furman 2nd Councilmember Davis to amend the draft of the proposed local law to reflect 2 years minimum not 5 years. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO ACCEPT PRIOR MEETING MINUTES:
MOTION offered Councilmember Furman 2nd Councilmember Davis that the March 6, 2023 meeting minutes are accepted as presented. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman, Jennings; carried.
CORRESPONDENCE:
1. Letter from Otisville little league inviting town board members and the supervisor to the opening day ceremony on April 22, 2023 at 11:00am
2. Letter from OCDPW re: transfer station tipping fees
3. OC STOP DWI contract 2023
4. Mortgage tax receipt from OC re: February 2023
5. Highway spring/fall trash bid minutes from 3/20/2023
6. Tax collection summary
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Councilmember Jennings: village is holding public hearing for fiscal year 2024 annual budget on April 6 @ 6:30pm. Regular meeting will follow. He wished Mayor Wona the best of luck. Easter egg hunt is April 8 at 2pm at town park. He reached out to Howard from Knight Watch. He will stop by tomorrow or Wednesday to look at youth center issue.
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Councilmember Furman: Supplies for the youth center and senior center have now been streamlined. At the Hidden Valley plant – we are ½ way through the project. They have to come back to finish installing the screens either tomorrow or Wednesday. No ZBA meeting as of now. With regard to Minisink Valley school – per NYS law -we have to remove the Indian from the logo. He is a Minisink graduate. He wanted to make everyone aware of that. He went to Albany today to rally against the Governor for: any municipality with a train station & within a ½ mile radius of the train station, they’re going to build condo units. There’s no thought process, no infrastructure. They’re gonna do away with SEQR. He thanked Howells fire company for being here tonight.
Councilmember Carey: there are fliers for the easter egg hunt on the table. Please support our easter egg hunt; it will be a great event. Hope Alive 845 is down in Cuddebackville. There’s a flier on the table. Little league pancake breakfast was great. Last election, I wanted to talk about something that I brought Dennis Ketcham in here for and since our deputy mayor happens to be here for the village, I just wanted to clear up something with her since she’s here. It was not a smoke screen Diane Loeven, as far as me bringing in the tax assessor last time. I was asked by someone of the tax increase in the town of Mount Hope. I actually put something online that I’m going to read. Someone asked when they looked at their tax bill why their tax levy was 5.9%. I’ll explain this: I know when people get involved in politics, they like saying taxes are raised through the roof. As an 8-year member sitting on this board – I went back and did my research the entire time I’ve been here. He asked Dennis Ketcham to come in here last meeting and explain what the tax levy was. After the meeting, I went home and looked up his tax bills online. He read what his taxes were from 2016 through 2023. This is the point he brought it up. It wasn’t a smoke show or whatever we have to do to go online and complain how Brian Carey, what an embarrassment, what a tax increase. Dennis Ketcham was brought in here to explain to the residents of the town and village why their town taxes went down. It was no smokescreen. I had people that actually came to me and asked me and that’s why I brought the assessor in to explain – not the town supervisor. We are all up for election and sometimes an outside person that’s not elected to a position is a better person to explain. If that doesn’t explain it – Diane, you can go to the website and there’s 3 questions they ask you: tax bill #, tax map # and your p[property address. I am proud to sit here for 8 years – I’m happy taxes went down again. For those people that have a question about the difference between the tax levy and your percentage and I believe the supervisor made a comment last meeting that the taxes went up 5. something % but the % was less than that.
Supervisor Howell: the question you asked from your inquirer is around 5.9 based on what was printed on the tax bill. The town tax levy from 2022 to 2023 increased by $97,108 which percentage wise on that is 5.19%. The difference in the 7 almost ¾ of a % like the assessor explained the meeting is the difference between a levy on your tax bill and a levy from the town budget is based on either the state or county tax departments factoring in of different formulations of tax certioraris, exemptions anything that is outside the control of the town where we set the budget – that’s why that # can increase or decrease and he said within tenths of a % so approximately 7.1. The budgets are available for anyone to view. If you have questions, please come and ask.
Councilmember Davis: I ordered some window sign holders for the youth and senior centers with regard to private events.
Supervisor Howell: March 16 – May 14 there is a burn ban through the NYS DEC. You can find details online. Cornell Coop. Ext. is applying for another funding opportunity through Congressman Ryan. Supervisor wrote a letter of support for the project which hopefully helps to increase their application for the funding availability and continue their growth & build out of the site. He was notified last week by OCDPW engineering department, they have received all needed approvals for the Highland Avenue bridge replacement. They are hoping within the next 9 week window to have the bids/contracts completed/executed then they will move on to a construction date.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT:
Supt. Hassenmayer spoke re: trash days bid opening. He recommends Middletown Carting for the metal and C&D. He requested approval to attend highway school in Ithaca on June 5-7. Total cost $775.00. The addition out back should get wrapped tomorrow. He asked if there is a roofer lined up yet. Supervisor: not yet. Councilmember Carey: can we get a new flag put up at the park? Dean: we will. Councilmember Carey: boy scouts are working on their projects this weekend at the youth center/senior center. Did we call 811 and make sure we are good? Dean: yes. We started picking up the brush and we will be sweeping the roads.
POLICE REPORT:
Chief Maresca spoke re: STOP DWI contract. He is requesting approval for that. He called for the secretary list so he’s been working on that. He requested approval to hire a part time non-competitive police officer, Ricky Maldonado.
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VILLAGE OF OTISVILLE:
Trustee Lattimer reported it was the Mayor’s final meeting. Tomorrow is election day. Get out to vote. Village board public hearing on April 6 for the proposed budget. The contractor at the firehouse has started & completed the closet for the ladies room. Lance is currently working on getting bids together for the arborist down at Veterans park. Little league had a good showing this past weekend for the pancake breakfast.
MOTION TO ACCEPT THE 2023 STOP DWI CONTRACT AND TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERVISOR TO SIGN THE CONTRACT:
MOTION offered Councilmember Carey 2nd Councilmember Furman to authorize the Supervisor to sign the 2023 Orange County STOP DWI contracts. All in favor: Davis, Carey, Howell, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO HIRE RICKY MALDONADO AS PART TIME NON-COMPETITIVE POLICE OFFICER:
MOTION offered Councilmember Carey 2nd Councilmember jennings to hire Ricky Maldonado as a part time non-competitive police officer effective March 20, 2023. All in favor: Davis, Carey, Howell, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE OC GML 239 PROCESS UPDATES:
MOTION offered Councilmember Davis 2nd Councilmember Furman to approve and sign the agreement with Orange County for the GML 239 regulations. All in favor: Davis, Carey, Howell, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO AUDIT THE CLAIMS:
MOTION offered Councilmember Jennings 2nd Councilmember Furman approve Abstracts 10 & 11:
ABSTRACT 10:
GENERAL A: #115-129 $ 8737.55
GENERAL B: #29 $ 114.00
HIGHWAY: #52-53 $ 9,575.25
SEWER: #21-22 $ 2,711.13
HOWELLS FIRE: #1 $223,299.00 And
ABSTRACT 11:
GENERAL A: #130-143 $ 136,537.40
GENERAL B: #30-34 $ 7,648.45
HIGHWAY: #54-65 $ 80,307.55
SEWER: #23-28 $ 9,204.34.
All in favor: Davis, Carey, Howell, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE & SIGN THE EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT WITH POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL MARESCA:
MOTION offered Councilmember Furman 2nd Councilmember Davis to approve the employment contract with Police Chief Michael Maresca. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman, Jennings. Motion carried.
MOTION TO ALLOW HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT TO ATTEND HIGHWAY SCHOOL IN ITHACA NY:
MOTION offered Councilmember Furman 2nd Councilmember Carey to approve request from highway supt. to attend highway school in Ithaca NY June 5-7, 2023 total cost $775.00. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman, Jennings. Motion carried.
PIKE COUNTY LIBRARY CONTRACT:
Supervisor Howell explained last meeting we discussed the Pike County library. They were open to a library card/service for town residents. Everyone was sent the draft contract by email. They have their board meeting tonight. Hopefully tomorrow we get an approval them to go into contract. He recommends Pike County. Card cost will be $35. Port Jervis is $100. Councilmember Furman: PJ library is trying to extort money from the 4 towns in this community. He is also working with Supervisor of Greenville & Pike County to do a book pickup. Residents would order the books and then be able to pick them up at the respective town halls. Details to be worked out.
MOTION TO ACCEPT AGREEMENT WITH PIKE COUNTY LIBRARY FOR 2023:
MOTION offered Councilmember Carey 2nd Councilmember Furman to approve the draft contract pending the approval from Pike County Library. (copy in town clerk office) All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman, Jennings. Motion carried.
MOTION TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERVISOR TO SIGN THE 2023 MS-4 STORMWATER PLAN:
MOTION offered Councilmember Davis 2nd Councilmember Carey to authorize the town supervisor to sign the 2023 MS-4 Stormwater Plan so that it may be filed with the state. (copy on file win town clerk’s office) All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman, Jennings. Motion carried.
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MOTION TO APPROVE LOCAL LAW #1-2023 ENTITLED: TO ESTABLISH A REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR QUALIFIED VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND AMBULANCE WORKERS:
MOTION offered Councilmember Carey 2nd Councilmember Davis to approve LOCAL LAW #1-2023 ENTITLED: TO ESTABLISH A REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR QUALIFIED VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND AMBULANCE WORKERS with amendment to 2 years of service and effective todays date. (copy on file in town clerk’s office) All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO ACCEPT BID OFFER FROM MIDDLETOWN CARTING FOR 2023 SPRING TRASH DAYS:
MOTION offered Councilmember Jennings 2nd Councilmember Furman to accept the bid from Middletown Carting for 2023 spring/fall bulk trash for metal and C&D as presented. (see bid minutes at end of these minutes) All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Furman, Jennings; carried.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Brian Lattimer: verified the easter egg hunt start time with Councilmember Jennings. He thanked the board members for coming to the breakfast for little league. He added that the parade steps off at 10:00am. He thanked Dean and the guys for working with Brian Cutler and TAM with the topsoil etc. Numbers continue to grow.
Patti Seekamp asked for 6 more chairs for the exercise group.
Diane Loeven: the first trip for the seniors went well. We have 2 trips in May. April 19 the seniors were invited to the high school play. She wanted to recognize and thank Jim – he does a tremendous job as liaison for the village and town. Each year for earth day we provide activity books for the kids at the school. Lance is our liaison with the school and has difficulty with getting a census from the school. Jim’s wife helped with that. We are set to go now. She addressed Brian’s comments: I don’t think the board in total put your best foot forward at that meeting. If the intention indeed was to bring in Dennis to talk about what the tax levy increase means – he did a great job. I said that that night. But to leave it at that left myself and others – I didn’t start that conversation on FB. It sounded as if the implication was that there was no tax increase that the levy was increased. Once Brian responded on FB and today he put it all out here – had you followed Dennis’s presentation (this is my opinion) by saying yes taxes went up about 5% but last year they went down more than that. If you look at your tax bill over the last 8 years, it’s actually less than it was 8 years ago. That’s what I mean by I don’t think you put your best foot forward. Many of us left here with the impression that you were trying to hide the fact that there was an increase when you really had something to brag about.
BOARD COMMENTS:
Councilmember Davis: NYS residents have access to LIBBY (online APP where you can read books). We had the access through Port Jervis. I don’t believe we have it anymore. NYpubliclibrary.org/librarycard = you have free access as a NYS resident and you can access LIBBY as well as other online reading functions.
Councilmember Furman: reminded everyone the election is tomorrow.
Supervisor Howell: followed up with the tax levy increase – he didn’t want to get into the specifics with numbers & % because I didn’t have them.
MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT:
MOTION offered Councilmember Davis 2nd Councilmember Carey to adjourn the meeting at 8:33pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Davis, Jennings, Furman. Motion carried.
The next meeting is scheduled for April 3, 2023 at 7:30pm in the town hall meeting room.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen A. Myers, RMC
Town Clerk
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HIGHWAY SPRING & FALL TRASH BIDS
MARCH 20, 2023 10:00am
PRESENT: Kathleen Myers, Town Clerk, Liz Kulynych, Deputy Town Clerk, Dean Hassenmayer, Highway Supt., Amy Hassenmayer, Highway Clerk
Bids opened at 10:00am.
Two bids were received:
Middletown Carting, 83-85 Industrial Place Ext., Middletown NY 10940
6-30 yard containers for construction & debris with additional containers if needed
$220/pull each container; $117/ton of each container
3-30 or 40 yard containers for metal, no charge for containers; market value metal.
Sonny Zito Sanitation, PO Box 70, Slate Hill NY 10973
30 yard trash boxes $225/pull plus tonnage at $121.25
30 yard metal boxes $125/pull pay town @ $180/gross ton for metal weight
30 yard tire boxes $225/pull plus following prices per tire:
Car tires up to 15” $5/each tire
Truck tire up to 24” $25/each tire
Large truck tire up to 38” $100/each tire
NO BID FOR FREON UNITS OR ELECTRONICS.
Bids closed at 10:06am.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen Myers, Town Clerk
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