Town of Mount Hope Town Board Meeting March 2, 2020
The town board meeting of the Town of Mount Hope Town Board was held at the Mount Hope Town Hall on March 2, 2020 at 7:30pm with the following present: Supervisor Chad Volpe, Councilman Matt Howell, Councilman Chris Furman Councilman Brian Carey, Councilman Jim Jennings and Town Clerk Kathleen Myers.
OFFICIALS PRESENT: Deputy Police Chief Maresca, Attorney D. Bavoso, Highway Supt. Hassenmayer.
Following the Pledge of Allegiance, Supervisor Volpe called the meeting to order at 7:30pm. He asked audience to silence cell phones.
MOTION TO ACCEPT PRIOR MEETING MINUTES:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Carey that the minutes of the February 18, 2020 meeting are accepted as submitted. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
CORRESPONDENCE:
- Howells Cemetery resolution re: cremains
- 2020 STOP DWI resolution
- Bid notice for 2020 trash days
- Proposed Local Law #4-2020 re: Amending Sec. 160-5 of the Town Code of T/O Mount Hope to Allow Alcohol in Town Facilities
- Approval for 2 rental applications permitting alcohol
- Suggested application for residents to obtain access cards for the youth center
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Councilman Jennings reported the village meeting is March 5 at 7pm. Our planning board meets March 18 7pm. Little league pancake breakfast is on March 22: 8-12. He distributed paperwork on fixing the basketball hoops at the town park. He was approached by some kids/parents that play there -they recommended the Port Jervis park person. They gave the information/website of where they purchased theirs from. He recommended the board members look it over and if anyone has questions. He reached out to both companies to see if they had deals on buying multiples. They said 6 was the minimum.
Councilman Furman reported there is no zoning board meeting this month. Youth football is meeting Wednesday night. Hopefully in the next week or 2 he will do a walk through at the park for some things that may need attention.
Councilman Carey reported summer camp director applications are due to Supervisor’s office by March 13. He compared OC Dept. of Tourism with our community day dates. Sept. 12 is General Montgomery Day. Apple fest is Oct 4. October 10 is Columbus Day weekend. Port Jervis fall foliage festival is Sept. 27. Boy Scouts Troop 1 had a fundraiser on Feb 22. They raised $650. He thanked the residents that supported them. He thanked Otisville fire department, Mobile Life & MHPD for their response to a motor vehicle accident on Highland Avenue in the village on Feb 22 which he witnessed. This Sunday is daylight savings time, spring forward. Reminder for March 20, 2020 5pm ribbon cutting at youth center. He spoke about the census and Megan, Admin. Asst. to the County Exec., will come to the March 16 meeting. He would like to have this added to the agenda for that meeting.
Councilman Howell reported that he & Councilman Carey worked with the court clerks to finish up a court specific audit for them. They are up to date and signed off.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT:
Supt. Hassenmayer requested permission for the guys to go to Dig Safely seminar tomorrow, March 3, at the Rockland County college, free of charge. He requested permission/approval to attend highway school May 31 through June 3. Cost for school is $125. Hotel is $477 for 3 nights. ($602 total). He spoke re: going to bid for bulk clean up & trash ad to go in the paper. He placed the police car on the auction site (AAR Auctions) and it ends 3/15. Supervisor Volpe added that the youth center is getting there. H’way Supt. receives deliveries daily.
MOTION TO ALLOW HIGHWAY GUYS TO ATTEND DIG SAFELY SEMINAR ON MARCH 3:
MOTION offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Carey to allow highway guys to attend seminar for DIG SAFELY @ RCC, free, on March 3, 2020. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO APPROVE HIGHWAY SUP’T TO ATTEND CONFERENCE IN ITHACA, NY 5/31 – 6/3, 2020:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Howell to approve the highway superintendent request to attend highway school in Ithaca NY May 31-June 3, 2020 for a total cost of $602.00. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
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MOTION TO AUTHORIZE HIGHWAY SUPT. TO GO TO BID FOR BULK TRASH DAYS FOR 2020:
MOTION offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Furman to authorize the Highway Supt. to go to bid for the Spring & Fall 2020 bulk trash days. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Dep. Chief Maresca requested the STOP DWI resolution be approved with permission for Chief to sign it.
MOTION TO AUTHORIZE POLICE CHIEF TO SIGN STOP DWI CONTRACTS FOR 2020:
MOTION offered Councilman Furman 2nd Councilman Carey to authorize Police Chief Rickard to sign the 2020 Orange County STOP DWI contracts. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
VILLAGE OF OTISVILLE:
Trustee Loeven spoke: traffic/parking issues in the village that were addressed with the Chief. Village election is March 18, 2020 from 12 noon to 9:00pm. Arbor Day celebration at the village park will be April 25, 2020.
CPR/AED CLASS & FIRST AID CLASS:
Supervisor Volpe informed everyone that the CPR/AED class will be April 1st and the First Aid class will be April 2. Both will start at 6pm and both will be at the senior center. Residents are free. Non-residents will pay $30. Little league will have to be bumped from using the senior center for their meeting on April 2, 2020.
COMMUNITY DAY 2020:
Supervisor Volpe and board members discussed dates for the 2020 Community Day. They agreed on October 3, 2020 with a rain date of October 4, 2020. If Mike Romano cannot do this date, the 2nd choice for date will be October 10, 2020.
ANTIQUE FIRE TRUCK:
Councilman Jennings requested to use the town’s antique fire truck to bring the ‘Easter bunny’ to the Lions sponsored Easter Egg Hunt on April 4, 2pm. H’way Supt. Hassenmayer stated that weather permitting, it should be good/ok to get the firetruck out from behind 3 or 4 pallets. Councilman Furman will volunteer to drive the fire truck.
HOWELLS CEMETERY RESOLUTION DISCUSSION:
Atty. Bavoso explained that the question had been brought to his attention if there was any town limitation as to the number of cremains that can be in a single plot in the cemetery. He had a couple of lengthy conversations with the state division of cemeteries. The rules are slightly looser for town cemeteries than they are for cemetery associations. All rules and regulations for a town cemetery can be adopted by a town resolution. They don’t have to be filed with the state. You have the ability to limit the number of cremains that go in to a single plot. The resolution seeks to do just that. Some municipalities in NY do adopt the rules/regulations as a local law so it goes in as a chapter in their code. He will be working on the general rules and regulations and meeting with Kathleen tomorrow to go over what the town does as well. This is just a resolution limited to the number of cremains per plot. Resolution as written was read by town clerk. Supervisor called for a motion. Councilman Howell: this affects anyone that has a plot not occupied? Bavoso: correct. Howell: if you have a plot that’s 10 years old, you be restricted to this? Bavoso: yes. Any plot currently used gets to continue to be used as is – there’s no exhuming. Moving forward these would be the restrictions on the plots. The division of cemeteries says that they recommend either one body and one set of cremains or 2 sets of cremains with no body. This a little more lenient that. There is no state law on the limitations. Councilman Carey doesn’t know how he feels about jamming that down some people that already own cemetery plots. Howell: would there be a way to make this applicable to new purchased plots or something along those lines? Bavoso: yes, you can make the oral modification to that right now stating that any plots purchased after March 2, 2020. Additionally, we are going to do an overhaul of the rules/regulations in general with the new plots coming. Even if this resolution is passed now it could potentially change when those get overhauled. Supervisor: would you rather see it grandfathered in? Howell:
I would think so because of the people that have had the plots – family sections of plots that had plans when they were purchased from the private cemetery board a number of years ago this way it’s not well now we’ve got to split the family and someone’s going to Greenville and someone’s going to Middletown. Councilman Furman: could we do an exemption basically prior to any plots that were already purchased? Supervisor: if this rule is effective for anyone today moving forward, then it doesn’t affect anyone from before. Howell: so, if you buy a plot tomorrow…Town Clerk: what if someone who bought 10 years ago wants to put 6 cremains in a plot – they’re allowed to? She asked what the dimensions are that Dean digs for. Dean: 18x18x24 deep. But I do know of one with a body and 2 sets of cremains. Discussion. Howell: how is this gonna restrict people that already have plots there & planned for families to be…this covers if the graves/plots are 4×8, we’re only allowing this many people in it. Where maybe, they’ve got 3 of those 4×8 plots and want to fill it. Dean: keep in mind, a lot of those are only 3’ wide plots – not the standard 4’.
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They were done before they were widened. They are on the small side to begin with. Town Clerk: Dean is the one who digs for cremains. When someone calls and wants that to happen, I have to contact Dean and together we coordinate and he knows where he has to go. Anything else is done by Monaco for a full body/casket. Councilman Carey asked what the cremains are put in. Dean: sometimes they are in a vault or an urn. Supervisor: what’s your thoughts Dean? Do you think 4 is the max? Dean: you could probably squeeze 6. For the most part, 4 is probably more than enough to suit everybody. Four cremains in a $500 plot is a good deal in today’s cemetery market. Board agreed that they don’t have a problem doing this form today forward. Town Clerk: what does that do for people that bought 10 years ago? Bavoso: they have no limitations.
RESOLUTION OF THE T/O MOUNT HOPE TOWN BOARD FOR THE HOWELLS CEMETERY CREMAINS:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Howell to approve the resolution as read and to amend the resolution that those regulations are in effect for plots purchased after March 2, 2020. Complete resolution at the end of these minutes. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
PROPOSED LOCAL LAW #4-2020 ENTITLED: AMENDING SECTION 160-5 OF THE TOWN CODE OF THE TOWN OF MOUNT HOPE TO ALLOW ALCOHOL IN TOWN FACILITIES:
Supervisor Volpe noted that they need to set a date for the public hearing on the proposed local law amendment. Bavoso: the amendment is to Section B.
MOTION TO SET PUBLIC HEARING FOR PROPOSED LOCAL LAW #4-2020 ENTITLED: AMENDING SECTION 160-5 OF THE TOWN CODE OF THE TOWN OF MOUNT HOPE TO ALLOW ALCOHOL IN TOWN FACILITIES:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Howell to set the date for the public hearing for PROPOSED LOCAL LAW #4-2020 ENTITLED: AMENDING SECTION 160-5 OF THE TOWN CODE OF THE TOWN OF MOUNT HOPE TO ALLOW ALCOHOL IN TOWN FACILITIES on March 16, 2020 at 7:31pm at Town Hall. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
FACILITIES USE APPLICATIONS FOR APPROVAL:
Supervisor Volpe noted we have 2 applications for facilities use for the senior center including consumption of alcohol agreement. Councilman Jennings asked how this will work. Bavoso: right now, you do the motion, then once the law is passed then the town board prescribes the method for approval as to who is going to review it. They have the applications in, it’s my understanding Kathleen’s recommendation is that they are complete. Town Clerk: they submitted what they needed to, the certificate of insurance & they signed the alcohol agreement. Chad saw both of them. Bavoso: if the board is happy with what they saw with the applications and consider them complete, then you just do a motion to allow them. Councilman Jennings: my question is after we pass this law, we don’t vote no more? Bavoso: that’s correct. Jennings: who approves this? Bavoso: it would be whoever the town board determines would be reviewing the applications & giving the approval. (to Dean) -I think at the moment for things like the pavilion, you get the applications. So, if you wanted to follow that process, basically state that’s how you want it to move forward. Supervisor: correct. In the examples now, my understanding, Kathleen will also do the youth center. Kathleen has done the senior center since I’ve been here. There was a checklist before to make sure they are residents. Now we’ve just added to those. If your application isn’t complete, you can’t get approved. We get probably 30 insurance binders a year from people we do business with – every one of them – Kathleen is the record keeper – every one of them Kathleen has. By resolution or by board vote, we can have anyone you want to have the responsibility but I like the idea of having one person that we can say; there’s the check list. Do they have this? Councilman Carey: since our last meeting, we have 2 applicants that want it. Supervisor: correct. Councilman Howell: David, the question I have on the last page, the hold harmless section is that enough to provide us with protection? Bavoso: yes. Realistically, in the American system, when you sue, you name everybody, the town no matter what is gonna be named. Having the hold harmless then puts the added responsibility on and gives the town a much higher chance of success at being dropped out of a potential law suit. Carey: as far as our check list, if it’s my particular weekend to check the senior center, I’m also gonna check the youth center. We’ll have a check list for both. Supervisor: not only a check list, we’ll have to check the youth center. There’s gonna be people there every day. Jennings asked about cleaning the youth center. We have issues at the senior center with the floor. Bavoso: the applicant, as I understand it, is ultimately responsible not only for cleaning up after themselves but if they want it in a particular condition prior. As long as the town is keeping it clean like they normally would, if an applicant wants to bring a professional cleaner beforehand then I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t be permitted to do that. I don’t believe the town has any obligation other than to have it broom clean.
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MOTION TO APPROVE 2 FACILITIES USE APPLICATIONS INCLUDING CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL AGREEMENT:
MOTION offered Councilman Carey 2nd Councilman Howell to approve the 2 facilities use applications for the senior center including the consumption alcohol agreement. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
MOTION TO AUDIT THE CLAIMS:
MOTION offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Carey to approve the following bills (Abstract #8 & #9):
ABSTRACT #8:
GENERAL A: #116-131 $ 63,592.36
GENERAL B: #13 $ 3,073.07
HIGHWAY: #32-37 $ 49,030.96
SEWER: #15-16 $ 2,011.27
AND
ABSTRACT #9:
GENERAL A: #132-144 $ 12,555.22
GENERAL B: #14-15 $ 253.11
HIGHWAY: #38 $ 144.00.
All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Jennings, Furman; carried.
RESIDENT ACCESS CARD APPLICATION:
Supervisor Volpe referred to the access card application. After our grand opening, any resident can come down and fill it out. Card will be valid from 6am to 11pm. In the event of a private party, the bathrooms will not be available. He explained the NIXEL system. Police Chief will set that up if it is checked off on the form. He noted the box for lost cards. There was discussion as to a cost for a lost card. He would like to do one per household.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:
Diane Loeven told the board that there’s a senior trip scheduled for March 19. She asked about the proof of residency for a non-property owner. Town clerk added that addresses can be verified with the tax rolls or utility bill. She asked if the alcohol agreement would require that the applicant provide names of designated drivers. Supervisor: no, but they are signing an agreement saying that they take full responsibility.
Alison Miller asked about the residency cards and having to come back to get it once it’s ready 2 trips to the town hall. Is there an easier way to do it? Supervisor: we could probably mail it. I don’t know the influx in the beginning. I’m assuming it’s gonna be nuts then it’s gonna die off. I’m here every afternoon. If you come in the afternoon and Kathleen verified you, you can get your card.
Mary Maurizzio questioned that the bathrooms in the new building would be closed during a certain time or when a function is going on. Supervisor: if it’s rented the exercise room would be open & the restrooms would not. She doesn’t like that. If you’re there in the building and you need to use the bathroom…Supervisor: go see Mike at the police station. She thinks it is inconvenient in theory. She then asked about the cards per household. Supervisor: the cards are costly, so I want to make sure everybody can get one 1st.
BOARD COMMENTS:
Councilman Carey reported the Port Jervis parade will be March 8 at 3pm. The Goshen parade will be March 15 at 2pm. Little league opening day will be April 18.
Councilman Furman reported he will be in the Goshen parade walking with the Goshen Lions Club.
H’way Supt. Hassenmayer informed the board that Wed. March 4 – he is going to Albany with other highway superintendents to beg for more money.
Councilman Jennings spoke re: basketball hoops at our park. After blacktopping they are not regulation size. The kids are talking about the backboard. Dean agreed the backboard could be changed without changing poles.
MOTION TO ADJOURN MEETING:
MOTION offered Councilman Howell 2nd Councilman Carey to adjourn the meeting at 8:27pm. All in favor: Howell, Carey, Volpe, Furman, Jennings; carried.
The next Town Board meeting is scheduled for March 16, 2019 at 7:30pm at Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen A. Myers, RMC
Town Clerk 28
RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD
OF THE TOWN OF MOUNT HOPE
WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Mount Hope owns and operates a cemetery better known as the Howells Cemetery; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Mount Hope establishes the rules and regulations pertaining to the Howells Cemetery; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Mount Hope seeks to establish rules and regulations related to the number of cremains permitted in each plot; and
WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Mount Hope may create or change its rules and regulations for Howells Cemetery by Resolution; and
NOW THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the TOWN OF MOUNT HOPE, Orange County, New York wishes to amend the Rules and Regulations for the Howells Cemetery by adding the following provisions for plots purchased after March 2, 2020:
- No more than four (4) sets of cremains shall be permitted in a plot without a body.
- No more than one (1) set of cremains shall be permitted in a plot with a body buried in the same plot.
Copies of this resolution to be forwarded to all elected officials of the State of New York whose district includes the Town of Mount Hope.
Motion to adopt made by Councilman Carey
Seconded by Councilman Howell
Ayes – Councilman Howell, Councilman Carey, Supervisor Volpe, Councilman Furman, Councilman Jennings
Nays – 0 Absent – 0
Dated: March 2, 2020
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