Town Board Meeting October 4th, 2021
OFFICIALS PRESENT: Police Chief Rickard, Attorney David Bavoso.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Supervisor Volpe called the public hearing to order at 7:30PM.
7:30pm: PUBLIC HEARING FOR 2022 PRELIMINARY BUDGET:
Supervisor Volpe opened the public hearing and noted the ad in the newspaper was on the front table. Councilman Carey commented for those that don’t know, this is the 8th year in a row that there’s been a decrease in the town budget. He doesn’t think any other town in Orange County has done that. He thanked the supervisor for getting the budget together.
Councilman Howell commented the budget unfolded in our workshop sessions with our department heads and various town personnel. We were able to reduce the tax rate without losing any services. Certain department we were able to add hours and still have a decrease in the tax rate.
Councilman Furman commented that he’s glad to be on a board with the members all in the same line. It makes it easier going through the process. This year was more in depth for him and he felt more comfortable.
Councilman Jennings agreed with everything that everyone said. He thanked the Supervisor and Angie for crunching those numbers.
Supervisor Volpe asked for public comment:
Ed Fairweather noted that he could not find page numbers in the budget. Mount Hope fire doesn’t exist anymore – it would be Otisville fire. He asked about the unexpended balance of $36,801 & where it came from. Supervisor Volpe explained the town works on a different year than the village and way back when we switched back to Otisville there was a half of year of service that money went into escrow because our calendar year doesn’t run the same as the Village’s year. He explained the fire line is called Mount Hope Fire Protection district – it’s the line of whoever we contract with. Mr. Fairweather applauds the board’s effort for maintaining equal tax rate and he thanked the board for that. Mr. Fairweather noted that he didn’t see any budgetary lines for the new rec center, how the budget was done for that and how it was paid for. Supervisor Volpe added that the only additional expenses is the cleaning of the building which we accounted for. And, also, the electric. Other than those, there’s really no other expenses – it’s keeping the doors open and keeping it clean. Mr. Fairweather asked about the construction and rehab of the building. Supervisor explained that he got grant money to do everything. Grants are never listed in the budget. Mr. Fairweather asked about buildings personal services last year to this year. Supervisor: we had someone internally that worked for the town and now it’s a contract so it went from .1 to .4. Mr. Fairweather asked about the MH fire protection district last year actual vs this year almost $61,000 increase. Supervisor explained that the preliminary figure is what we are looking to approve. Mr. Fairweather then asked about the Supervisor salary line advertised in the legal ad. He questioned the difference and asked if it is for health insurance. Supervisor Volpe explained that is for his secretary and the deputy supervisor.
Diane Loeven asked if the line on the 1st page of the budget called “library district” has always been there. Supervisor explained that’s for the Thrall library for the people that are in the Pine Bush school district that are still in the town. She next questioned page 5 – line for control of dogs being under the “A” budget which is a budget that the village pays into. She noted the mutual agreement whereby the cost of that service – the cost that the town would absorb would be the salary and the village would provide the car and any other equipment – so the village is really paying twice because we are paying into this budget for the salary and we are paying for the car and upkeep and equipment. Wouldn’t it be appropriate if this was in the “B” budget? Supervisor: there is not a line not has there ever been. She believes it should be in the “B” budget. She thinks this is a conversation the town and village are going to have to have.
Supervisor Volpe added that the state’s record was 5 years consistently going down in taxes. We beat that years ago.
MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Howell to close public hearing at 7:42pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
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MOTION TO ACCEPT PRIOR MEETING MINUTES:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Howell that the September 20, 2021 meeting minutes are accepted as presented. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
CORRESPONDENCE:
1. September 2021 & August 2021 Impound report from Palmer’s Ark
2. Police Dept. budget modification
3. Thank you letter from OMHPC re: food pantry donation
4. Thank you letter from Regional Food Bank re: food pantry donation
5. Complaint re: 506 New Vernon Road
6. Complaint re: 440 New Vernon Road
7. Thank you letter from The Otisville Lions Carnival
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Councilman Jennings reported the village meeting is this Thursday. The planning board meets 10-20-2021 at 7pm. He requested to table the generator purchase decision until next meeting so they could talk about indoor or outdoor.
Councilman Furman reported the football league is going strong. There will be no ZBA meeting this month. He commended Dean and the highway guys for pressure washing the senior center building. He asked if there is a 60/40 field at the park. He needs to find out because there is a travel league interested.
Councilman Carey reported that 10/30/2021 will be the last day of the fall classic softball tournament. Rain-date will be 11-6-2021. He will ask Brian Lattimer about 60/40 field. Little league would like to do a coin drop on 10-23-2021at the corner of Finchville Tpk & Mount Hope Avenue from 12-5. He spoke re: Trunk & Treat on Finchville Tpk parking field. There will be prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place prizes. This will be a drive-thru event. OMHPC will not be doing it this year. They will support the town. He posted that there were street lights that were out. He went online; it was very easy to report this. Within 24 hours he had 2 lights repaired. He spoke re: budget meeting on 9-20-2021. It was the most important meeting we had. He bought a 5X8 flag and donated it to the park. He noted the early voting starts on 10-23-2021 through 10-31-2021. He spoke re: FB Otisville Mount Hope family connection page with regard to playground equipment at the park. There was a bolt missing from our fairly new playground equipment. It was from one of our slides. He would like to talk about playground equipment inspections.
Councilman Howell spoke Middletown Elks lodge is hosting a fundraiser dinner for the Honor Flight on 11/11/2021. He spoke re: flag pole at town park. Howells fire dept will assist our highway guys in repairing the pole. He noted the meeting at the senior center for the library informational meeting on 10-6-2021. He spoke re: the VFW and the American Legion. The American Legion Aux has asked that we display some memorabilia for them which he hung up at the senior center.
Councilman Jennings added that he attended the library meeting last week. They are looking for a vote on this which will be in April. A lot of the concerns of the people that were at the meeting was where the location would be. Seems like it would be on the other side of the district. Atty. Bavoso added that the taxpayers would vote on it – it would a mandatory referendum. It would be a special election for only those in the district.
POLICE REPORT:
Chief Rickard noted the budget mod is for the Lions Club carnival policing. The NARCAN class is set for 10-25-2021 at the senior center. He met with Jason and did a walk through re: HVAC system.
VILLAGE OF OTISVILLE:
Trustee Loeven spoke re: cemetery walk was a centennial event. It was very well attended. October 21 will be the dedication of the centennial clock. That will be the last of the events until the time-capsule is buried. She invited anyone to donate anything for the time-capsule. Village liaison contact for street lights that are out is Lance Davoren. Councilman Carey asked about the blood drive. She unaware of the end result from the blood drive. He asked her if she knew of any of the items that are going in the time capsule. She stated that some of the things that were on display that Sunday ie: newspaper articles, things about COVID, things about election.
MOTION TO APPROVE LITTLE LEAGUE COIN DROP:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Howell to approve the Little League coin drop request for Finchville Tpk on 10-23-2021 from 12-5. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2022 TOWN BUDGET:
MOTION Offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Furman to approve the 2022 Town Budget as presented. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
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MOTION TO AUDIT THE CLAIMS:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Jennings approve the following Abstract 38 & 39:
ABSTRACT 38:
GENERAL A: #498-508 $ 13,258.93
GENERAL B: #87 $ 5,395.00
HIGHWAY: #159-162 $ 7,743.41
SEWER: #87-89 $ 13,147.39
And
ABSTRACT 39:
GENERAL A: #509-517 $ 45,633.86
GENERAL B: #88 $ 3,679.78
HIGHWAY: #103 $ 18,597.69
SEWER: #90-91 $ 2,967.31.
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings. Motion carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE BUDGET MODIFICATION:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Howell to approve the budget modification as follows:
Increase revenue line A1520 by $668.96 and
Increase expense line A3120.1 Police Pers. Svc. by $668.96. (Otisville Lions carnival reimbursement.)
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman; ABSTAIN: Jennings. Motion carried.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
ALISON MILLER followed up on the library initiative. She thanked Jim for attending and bringing info back to meeting. This group is determined to bring this to a vote. She asked how this group is able to bring a vote for this. Atty. Bavoso thinks it’s by petition. He will have to look it up. It’s like the creation of any other taxable district. What they are doing requires a petition signed by a certain percentage of either assessed value or certain # of taxpayers. He doesn’t know the specifics but usually it’s a petition to force a referendum. She added that this group stated they would be paying for it. They will bring it back every year until it does pass. Mount Hope residents are allowed to get a library card through the contract we have with the PJ library. Though the library group feels the library could cut this off at any time. Supervisor Volpe added that this contract is renewed every year. It’s a no-brainer for them. They already have their tax base. If I buy 100 cards from them – it’s extra revenue. Atty. Bavoso replied theoretically they could, realistically it doesn’t make sense. Supervisor Volpe stated they’ve not indicated to us that they want to stop this.
Councilman Howell asked Mrs. Miller how the project with the old school gym rehab is going. She stated it’s fantastic. It is almost done. Lowe’s wanted it done by October 31st. It will be a great addition to the community.
Diane Loeven asked the attorney, in getting a petition to force a referendum, would it be for the entire MV school district. Atty. Bavoso stated yes. It’s his understanding that they’re doing a school district library.
SPECTRUM:
Supervisor Volpe stated he emailed 3 people from Spectrum and has not received any emails back with regard to the $ amount. He is unsure of what they’re going to do.
BOARD COMMENTS:
Councilman Howell: Howell’s Fire in conjunction with Fire Prevention Month is having a wet-down/open house on 10-9-2021 from 1-4 at their fire station.
Councilman Carey: He went to the fire parade in Middletown this past weekend. Howell’s was there and the trucks looked great.
MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Furman to enter into executive session for a contractual issue at 8:21pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Furman. Motion carried.
MOTION TO RECONVENE REGULAR MEETING FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Howell to reconvene the regular meeting from executive session at 8:35pm. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Furman. Motion carried.
MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Howell to adjourn the meeting at 8:35pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Furman. Motion carried.
The next meeting is scheduled for October 18, 2021 at 7:30pm at the town hall meeting room.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen A. Myers, RMC
Town Clerk 90