Town of Mount Hope Town Board Meeting December 16, 2019
The town board meeting of the Town of Mount Hope Town Board was held at the Mount Hope Town Hall on December 16, 2019 at 7:30pm with the following present: Supervisor Chad Volpe, Councilman Matt Howell, Councilman Brian Carey, Councilman Jim Jennings, Councilman Chris Furman and Town Clerk Kathleen Myers.
OFFICIALS PRESENT: Police Chief Rickard, Attorney D. Bavoso, Highway Supt., D. Hassenmayer.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Supervisor Volpe called the meeting to order at 7:30pm & asked audience to silence cell phones.
MOTION TO ACCEPT PRIOR MEETING MINUTES:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Howell that minutes of the December 2, 2019 meeting are accepted as submitted. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
CORRESPONDENCE:
- Requests to fill vacancies on various boards from: Patricia Myers, Jan Muller, Blair Reynolds, Jeff Boyd, Kenneth Hilley, William Karamitis
- Supervisor’s report October & November 2019
- Budget modification from Supervisor’s office
- Tax collector bond approval from the County of Orange
- T/O Mamakating public hearing notice 12/3/2019 & continued 12/17/19 re: zoning code amendments
- T/O Wallkill 2019-2020 Snow & Ice Agreement fully executed
- Fuel agreements from Cornell & Village of Otisville fully executed
- Police Dept. monthly report November 2019
- Building Dept. report November 2019
- Community Advisory Board minutes 11-12-2019 meeting
- Otisville fire call report Nov. 2019
- Palmer’s Ark impound report November 2019
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Councilman Howell spoke re: picking a date later in the meeting to audit the receipt books.
Councilman Carey thanked Steve Walsh for contacting Santa for our tree lighting & Howells fire department & Brandyn Howell for bringing Santa here. He wished everyone Happy Hanukah & Merry Christmas.
Councilman Furman reported there is no ZBA meeting in January. Hidden Valley sewer district filed a report with the DEC last week. He thanked Howells FD for bringing Santa. It was a nice event the other night. He requested permission to attend a training school in Albany from January 15-17, 2020, Rooms are approx. $125/night and the cost to attend is $200.
Councilman Jennings reported the planning board meets 12-18-19 at 7pm.
Supervisor Volpe thought the tree lighting went very well. The youth center seems to be coming along. Still has a target date of February.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT:
Supt. Hassenmayer recommended hiring/appointing Corey Williams to the open highway machine equipment operator position. He would like him to start on January 2, 2020.
POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Chief Rickard requested executive session for a personnel issue and a contractual issue. The tow licenses have been signed off on all of those. The locker rooms – we finally got that straightened out with the state. It’s been fully funded and we are waiting on signatures. The new bail agenda change law goes in to effect 1-1-20. Coffee with the Chief is tomorrow at Otisville Mart. We’ll switch with Mick’s Deli. Darlene Rosenwasser from the DA’s office is coming to speak. Merry Christmas. Happy New Year.
VILLAGE OF OTISVILLE:
Trustee Loeven spoke re: their planning board meets 12/18. There will be no 2nd meeting for the village board this month. Next village meeting will be January 2. She stated they still haven’t heard from the county on the 1st public hearing on the replacement of bridge. They contacted the Mayor and asked about a tentative date of January 13th to hold the meeting at the firehouse & haven’t heard anything since. We will let you know when we hear about it.
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ZONING BOARD, PLANNING BOARD & BOARD OF ASSESSMENT REVIEW VACANCIES:
Councilman Furman is working on the vacancy for the ZBA. Councilman Furman should have a candidate for the next town board meeting. Councilman Jennings is hoping to have planning board candidate interview this Thursday. Supervisor Volpe asked if anyone else would want to do interview with Dennis for vacancy on board of assessment review. Councilman Howell will do this. Councilman Carey asked what the cut off is for the vacancies. Supervisor would like it to be cut off now. Due to discrepancy in previous vote on MaryBeth Horzepa he requested a re-vote.
AMENDMENT/RE-VOTE TO APPOINT MARYBETH HORZEPA TO PLANNING BOARD VACANCY:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Supervisor Volpe to appoint MaryBeth Horzepa to the vacant planning board member position from the alternate position. All in favor: Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; NAY: Howell. MOTION CARRIED.
MOTION TO APPROVE SUPERVISOR’S MONTHLY REPORT:
MOTION offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Jennings to approve the October & November 2019 Supervisor’s reports as presented. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
AUDIT OF RECEIPT BOOKS:
Councilman Howell & Councilman Carey will agree to a date and Town Clerk will advise all departments.
MOTION TO APPROVE SUPERVISOR OFFICE BUDGET MODIFICATION:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Furman to approve the modification:
Increase Revenue line A4089 Other Gov’t. Aid Grants $17,500 AND
Increase Expense Buildings Contr. A1620.4 $17,500.00. (for the walking trail)
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE TAX COLLECTOR BOND:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Carey to approve the Tax Collector’s bond in the amount of $1,600,000.00. (on file in Town Clerk’s office) All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE THE TOWN BOARD MEETING DATES FOR 2020:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Howell to approve the 2020 Town Board meeting dates as presented. (see end of these minutes) All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO AUDIT THE CLAIMS:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Jennings to approve the following bills (Abstract #39 & #40):
ABSTRACT 39:
GENERAL A: #762-796 $ 34,055.26
GENERAL B: #105-109 $ 8,756.64
HIGHWAY: #177-187 $ 22,579.95
SEWER: #101-103 $ 2,051.87 AND
ABSTRACT 40:
GENERAL A: #797-811 $ 52,483.84
GENERAL B: #110-112 $ 3,052.99
HIGHWAY: #188-197 $ 34,632.17
SEWER: #104-106 $ 1,250.78
All in favor: Howell, Volpe, Furman, Jennings, Carey abstains from ‘General A’ voucher #768 A & B; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE ELECTED OFFICIALS TRAINING SCHOOL FOR COUNCILMAN FURMAN:
MOTION offered Councilman Jennings 2nd Councilman Howell to approve Councilman Chris Furman to attend training for elected officials’ school in Albany NY January 15-17, 2020 for a cost of $755.00. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE NEW HIGHWAY MACHINE EQUIPMENT OPERATOR COREY WILLIAMS:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Furman to hire Corey Williams as a machine equipment operator effective January 2, 2020. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
Marybeth Horzepa reported the planning board public hearing on Wednesday is for the Kowalczik solar farm.
William Karamitis introduced himself as 1 of the applicants for the ZBA vacancy. He already spoke to chairman of ZBA.
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Alison Miller spoke re: the purpose of the planning board alternate position. Supervisor Volpe explained we need the alternates so they can fill in when there isn’t a quorum for a vote because in the past applicants would have to have waited an additional month or more if there wasn’t a quorum. There are 7 planning board members and 2 alternates. She asked if there are specific qualifications and how are they chosen. Councilman Carey answered that Chris and Jim are the liaisons to those boards and they will interview the candidates and make a recommendation to the town board. Atty. Bavoso stated the only true requirement is that they live in the town. Planning board members have to do required training throughout the year. She stated the planning board meetings are not run nearly as smoothly as these are. They are not video-taped. She further stated the name plates are never out. She asked the attorney if the planning board me4etings can be recorded by the public. He stated that she could with the board’s consent. They can’t be recorded for purposes of an official record because after they’ve left the room, we have no idea if they could have been edited. The only thing that board is required to do is have an accurate record of the meeting via the audio recording and written minutes. She further spoke re: directing that board to record their meetings. Atty. Bavoso: generally speaking, this board can’t require that they do it. They can request it but the town board has the legislative function – those 2 boards are the enforcement boards so they’re more of an enforcement agency more than anything else. The control they have over them is appointing the members. She asked if the liaison to that board could request that it be record it also. Atty: yes. Councilman Carey added that we get a lot of feedback. When we started doing this back in 2016 – we started recording meetings and people watch it. Our audio isn’t the best. Hope to work it out next year.
Diane Loeven also watched the video. It appeared as I was listening to it, if there was a breakdown at all it was between the planning board and building department. In that, the building department has to enforce what the planning board said to do so they really need to be on the same page. She asked if Julie routinely sits in on the planning meetings. Supervisor Volpe: Julie usually attends the meetings but it’s definitely not required.
MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Howell to enter into executive session at 8:03pm to discuss a police personnel issue and a police contractual issue. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO RECONVENE REGULAR MEETING FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Howell to reconvene regular meeting from executive session at 8:47pm. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN IN THIS EXECUTIVE SESSION. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE POLICE UNION CONTRACT EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2020 TO DECEMBER 31, 2022:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Furman to approve the Police Union contract effective 1-1-2020 to 12-31-2022 pending 207C section review by Attorney Bavoso. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
BOARD COMMENTS:
Councilman Jennings – Happy New Year.
Councilman Furman – Happy holidays and a safe New Year. He reported the FOTOS had the clothing/toy drop off; there were approx. 160 family members that came through. It was a great day. He thanked the public for their donations.
Councilman Carey – Merry Christmas. Swearing In ceremony will be at the next board meeting.
Councilman Howell – Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
Chief Rickard – Car 155 hit a deer the other night. It’s at Star Collision. Insurance company called today. Hopefully, we’ll be getting that repaired.
Supervisor Volpe – Merry Christmas, Happy New Year.
MOTION TO ADJOURN MEETING:
MOTION offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Furman to adjourn the meeting at 8:50pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
The re-organization meeting is scheduled for January 6, 2020 at 7:30pm at Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen A. Myers, RMC
Town Clerk
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2020 TOWN BOARD MEETING SCHEDULE
JANUARY 6 21 (Due to Martin Luther King day)
FEBRUARY 3 18 (Due to President’s Day)
MARCH 2 16
APRIL 6 20
MAY 4 18
JUNE 1 15
JULY 6 20
AUGUST 3 17
SEPTEMBER 8 (due to Labor Day) 21
OCTOBER 5 19
NOVEMBER 2 16
DECEMBER 7 21
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