DRAFT MINUTES OF THE TOWN OF SARATOGA
REMOTE TOWN BOARD ZOOM MEETING
12 SPRING ST., SCHUYLERVILLE, NY
AUGUST 10,
2020
7:00 P.M.
Supervisor Thomas Wood opened the meeting at 7:05 p.m. and welcomed everyone to the remote zoom meeting.
Roll call: Town Clerk, Linda McCabe, called
the roll: Supervisor Thomas Wood-
present, Councilman Michael McLoughlin – absent (zoomed in at 7:22 p.m.), Councilman
James Jennings – present, Councilman Gary Squires - present, Councilwoman Ruth Drumm - present.
Others
present: Zoning Officer Gil Albert, Deputy Clerk Michelle Conover, Attorney William
Reynolds, Bookkeeper Pat Temple and Dave Meager.
Approval of Minutes: A motion was made by Councilman
Michael McLoughlin and seconded by Councilman James Jennings, to accept the July
13, 2020 Remote Regular Meeting minutes as written. Roll Call vote as follows: Supervisor
Thomas Wood - aye, Councilman Michael McLoughlin – absent (arrived at 7:22
p.m.), Councilman James Jennings – aye, Councilman Gary Squires - aye, Councilwoman
Ruth Drumm - aye.
Carried 4 - 0
Supervisor
Thomas Wood stated the Town monthly reports of the Town Clerk, Zoning Officer,
Dog Control Officer, Highway Superintendent and the Supervisor’s Financial
report are in the Board’s packets, as well as on file in the Town Clerk’s office.
The
following is the Supervisor’s Financial report for the month of July:
SUPERVISOR’S REPORT JULY 2020
GENERAL FUND – TOWNWIDE (A FUND)
Balance
on hand 7/1/2020 $ 888,900.80
Revenues + 52,245.62
Disbursements - 62,436.29
Balance 7/31/2020 $ 878,710.13
GENERAL FUND – OUTSIDE VILLAGE (B FUND)
Balance
on hand 7/1/2020 $1,676,346.62
Revenues + 4,772.50
Disbursements - 6,565.14
Balance 7/31/2020 $ 1,674,553.98
HIGHWAY FUND – OUTSIDE VILLAGE (DB FUND)
Balance on hand 7/1/2020 $ 703,788.65
Revenues + 292,442.93
Disbursements - 49,338.23
Balance 7/31/2020 $ 946,893.35
SCHUYLER PARK CAPITAL PROJECT 7/31/2020
$173,036.02
YOUTH RECREATION & SERVICE 7/31/2020 $ 8,673.85
HIGHWAY EQUIPMENT RESERVE 7/31/2020 $ 202,219.55
BUILDING RESERVE 7/31/2020
$ 367,995.18
SCENIC BY WAYS QRTRLY 7/31/2020 $
311.69
PARKS RESERVE 7/31/2020 $
356,956.55
TRUST & AGENCY
7/31/2020 $
568.30
HOME IMPROVEMENT GRANT 2 7/31/2020 $
113.53
(holding checks until funds are deposited)
HISTORIC HUDSON HOOSICK RIVER 7/31/2020 $ 11,377.92
CDBG PROJECT 7/31/2020 $ 350.00
PROPERTY TAX CAP RESERVE 7/31/2020 $ 1,310.68
GFNB Certificate of Deposit 7/31/2020
$ 500,000.00
NYCLASS 7/31/2020 $
701,758.10
Sales Tax received for July
2020- $153,253.00
Mortgage Tax received for June
2020- $22,681.50
Supervisor
Thomas Wood introduced the Town’s insurance agent, Dave Meager, AMSURE
Insurance, saying he was present to give a brief summary of the renewed insurance
policy.
Dave
Meager stated that New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal (NYMIR), is a
non-profit insurance company owned and operated by its subscribers; NYS counties,
towns, cities and villages, although it is designed for towns and most Saratoga
County towns are in the program. This
program provides members access to customized, dependable and affordable
coverage by allowing members to exercise substantive control over all elements
of their insurance program. NYMIR has
grown to represent many municipalities in NYS and at first the Town was charged
a capitalization fee, but due to its growth, the Town now receives checks
reimbursing the profit earned, based upon contribution. He reviewed the 11 page summary with the Board
and explained the different coverages within the policy, as well as the ‘disappearing’
deductible. He asked if there were any
questions; there were none. He told the Board
once they read through the entire policy to please call him if they have any
questions or concerns, as he’ll be happy to answer them. He then thanked the Board and recommended that
the Town continues with NYMIR.
Supervisor Thomas Wood thanked
him for his summary and said it’s always nice when premiums drop a bit. He also added that NYMIR was right here when
we needed them.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood updated the Board on the Rt. 4 boat launch and said the dock is now
in and all questions of the Canal Corp. have been resolved and the photos that
were required have been sent to them. He
encouraged the Board to go see the dock.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood stated Saratoga County urges towns to prepare, as they believe the covid virus could get worse. The Town office has been able to obtain a
number of PPE supplies and he has been working with FEMA, as the Town will be
reimbursed 75% of those PPE costs, as well as reimbursed for the work Gil
Albert has done in putting corridor windows in for some of the Town offices.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood then told the Board that there have been long concerns with the
mile long Siege Trail fence. Saratoga
Plan had set up and hired a contractor from Easton to install the trail fence
and that contractor did not put the posts in properly which is why there is
such issue with the fence. The fence
posts were supposed to be 3 ft. in the ground and they found the posts were
only 1 ft. in the ground. There is a
remainder of $3,500.00 of the original grant, which will be used to pay Anvil
Fencing to install the fencing properly.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood said the Town has received three separate $10,000 grants for trails
from Saratoga County and he will apply for another $10,000 grant for the boat launch.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood then stated the air conditioning repairs have been completed by
Northern Mechanical. The total bill came
to $7,800.00 and the insurance company paid $6,096.68 of that cost.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood reminded the Town Board again that the service contract signed last
year for generator services will expire at the end of the month. (The new contract includes every aspect of
the generator, including oil change, filter change, coolant; anything relative
to the operation of the unit, at a cost of $900 for the year.)
At last
month’s meeting Councilman James Jennings stated he thought that cost was too
high and he was going to have Joe Lewandowski come by to look at it. As of yet, Joe Lewandowski has not come to
look at it. Councilman James Jennings
also was going to contact Conover’s Electric to look at it, but he said he needs
to follow up on that as well.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood stated last month Mr. and Mrs. Fortune spoke with the Board on the
problems with the Airbnb’s at Saratoga Lake and the Board had directed Town
Attorney William Reynolds to gather information from other municipalities on
Airbnb regulations. He then asked Attorney
William Reynolds to update the Board.
Attorney
William Reynolds told the Board that other municipalities consider Airbnb’s
Short Term Rentals. Short Term Rentals,
in their definitions, are rentals for under 30 days. He said he sent an email to Supervisor Thomas
Wood with a summary of what he’s found.
Milton passed a local law last fall which was vehemently opposed by many
residents, and due to that they withdrew that law.
Zoning
Officer Gil Albert questioned what classifies Short Term Rentals as the Town
has property owners at the lake that live on the second floor of their homes
and rent out the first floors to numerous people.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood said this may be more complicated and we need to make sure we get
it right. Stillwater won’t touch it and
Malta and Saratoga Springs have nothing either.
We want to be sure we do it right.
Zoning
Officer Gil Albert added that we also have issues with the Maranville
Farm property on Rt. 29 as well. This
needs to be classified and we need to know how to enforce it.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood stated this is for non-owner occupied properties.
Zoning
Officer Gil Albert responded those are the ones causing these problems.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood replied we will continue to gather information.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood then told the Board that the Town has received a check in the
amount of $32,699.96 which is the Town’s 2019 profit share from the
landfill. The profit sharing was built into
the sale of the landfill and the amount of our share has gone up this year;
last year’s share was $31,000+.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood noted he told the Board last month that a resident’s well, at Saratoga
Lake, clouded up due to hydrofracking near his home. He said he thought the Town had enacted a
local law banning this years ago.
Zoning
Officer/Building Inspector Gil Albert said he thought there’s been a ban on
this for the past ten years as well, which is why we’ve had no issues with this,
but now realizes the Board didn’t ban hydrofracking in those areas when they
put a moratorium on it. He stated he
believes we should continue with the ban as agreed upon in 2011, as we have nothing
to stand on. It wasn’t written up
correctly ten years ago, so we should write it up properly now and get it passed.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood stated a person can sue them in civil court, according to the Town’s
Attorney, so the Town doesn’t have to do anything. We don’t want to negatively impact the
farmers. Zoning Officer/Building
Inspector Gil Albert responded that Ag & Markets law protects the farmers,
so this would not affect them at all.
Councilman
Michael McLoughlin left the meeting at 8:01 p.m.
Supervisor
Thomas Wood said he’s been working with Bookkeeper Pat Temple on budget
preparation and they can accomplish what normally is done in Workshop #1. He asked the Board to look at their calendars
as they need to set a date for Workshop #2 in September.
The
Board discussed a cost of living increase for all employees, as the highway
employees will get a 2% increase. The
Board agreed, stating in fairness everyone should get the 2% increase.
New
business: Supervisor
Thomas Wood thanked the Town Council for coming in and auditing the bills earlier
today.
On
a motion by Councilwoman Ruth Drumm and
seconded by Councilman Gary Squires, the following Resolution #20-64 – Transfer
of Funds-$10,000 to A9710.6 – Serial Bonds Principal, was adopted by roll call
vote: Supervisor
Thomas Wood - aye, Councilman Michael McLoughlin – absent, Councilman James Jennings
– aye, Councilman Gary Squires - aye, Councilwoman Ruth Drumm
- aye.
Carried
4 - 0
WHEREAS, there are un-appropriated funds in
the A9710.7 - Serial Bonds Interest; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, by the Town
Board of the Town of Saratoga, to transfer $10,000.00 from A9710.7 - Serial
Bonds Interest into A9710.6 - Serial Bonds Principal to cover refunding bond
payment for Principal.
On
a motion by Councilwoman Ruth Drumm and
seconded by Councilman Gary Squires, the following Resolution #20-65 – Accept
Proposal & Authorization to Enter into Contract – Adirondack Trust
Insurance Agency with New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal (NYMIR), was adopted by roll call vote: Supervisor Thomas Wood - aye, Councilman
Michael McLoughlin – absent, Councilman James Jennings – aye, Councilman Gary
Squires - aye, Councilwoman Ruth Drumm - aye.
Carried
4 - 0
WHEREAS, the Adirondack Trust Insurance Agency has been the
insurance agent for the Town’s property-casualty insurance for the past 31 years;
and
WHEREAS, said agency has offered superior service and advice to
the Town and has marketed the insurance again this year for the Town’s benefit;
and
WHEREAS, the analysis of the proposals by said agency has
shown that NYMIR has offered the lowest premium with improved coverage, now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Town of Saratoga hereby accepts the
agency’s property-casualty proposal through NYMIR (Crime with Travelers) for
the upcoming year, 8/13/2020-8/13/2021, with a renewal premium of $42,330.64, minus
rebates of $778.01 and $183.16, for a final annual net cost of $41,369.47,
which is a decrease of 0.33%, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Supervisor is authorized to sign the
Subscriber’s Agreement with NYMIR after review and approval by the Town
Attorney.
On a motion by Councilman
James Jennings and seconded by Councilwoman Ruth Drumm,
the following Resolution #20-66 – Adopting Retention & Disposition
Schedule for New York Local Government Records (LGS-1), was adopted by roll
call vote: Supervisor Thomas Wood - aye, Councilman Michael
McLoughlin – absent, Councilman James Jennings – aye, Councilman Gary Squires -
aye, Councilwoman Ruth Drumm - aye.
Carried 4 - 0
WHEREAS, the Town of Saratoga has received notification of
the new General Retention and Disposition Schedule for NYS Local Government
Records, issued pursuant to Article 57-A of the Arts & Cultural Affairs
Law for the disposal of records; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the
Town of Saratoga adopts for use by all officers in legally disposing of
valueless records listed therein, in accordance with Article 57-A:
(a) only those records will be
disposed of that are described in Retention and Disposition Schedule for New
York Local Government Records (LGS-1), after they have met the minimum
retention periods described therein;
(b) only those records will be
disposed of that do not have sufficient administrative, fiscal, legal or historical
value to merit retention beyond
established legal minimum
periods.
On a motion by Councilman
Gary Squires and seconded by Councilman James Jennings the following
Resolution #20-67 – Accepting Resignation of Zoning Board of Appeals
Member Clarence Fosdick, was adopted by roll call vote: Supervisor
Thomas Wood - aye, Councilman Michael McLoughlin – absent, Councilman James Jennings
– aye, Councilman Gary Squires - aye, Councilwoman Ruth Drumm
- aye.
Carried 4 - 0
RESOLVED,
by the Town Board of the Town of
Saratoga, to accept with sincere regret, the resignation of Zoning Board of
Appeals Member Clarence Fosdick, as he is moving out of the Town of Saratoga.
On a motion by Councilman
Gary Squires and seconded by Councilman James Jennings, the following
Resolution #20-68 – Appointing Mark Solan as Alternate Member to the
Zoning Board of Appeals, was adopted by roll call vote: Supervisor
Thomas Wood - aye, Councilman Michael McLoughlin – absent, Councilman James Jennings
– aye, Councilman Gary Squires - aye, Councilwoman Ruth Drumm
- aye.
Carried 4 - 0
WHEREAS, Mark Sullivan resigned his position of Alternate Member
of the Zoning Board of Appeals and took on a Full Membership position; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED,
by the Town Board of the Town of
Saratoga, to appoint Mark Solan as Alternate Member to the Zoning Board of
Appeals, effective August 10, 2020 through December 31, 2025
Upcoming
meetings:
v Tentative Agenda meeting –
Thursday, September 10, 2020 at 7 p.m.
v Tentative Regular Town Board
meeting –Monday, September 14, 2020 at 7 p.m.
Audit the Bills: On a motion by Councilwoman Ruth Drumm and seconded by Councilman Gary Squires, the following Resolution #20-69 - Approving
the
Payment of Bills
in Abstract 8G of 2020 was adopted by roll call vote: Supervisor Thomas Wood
- aye, Councilman Michael McLoughlin – absent, Councilman James Jennings – aye,
Councilman Gary Squires - aye, Councilwoman Ruth Drumm -
aye.
Carried
4 - 0
RESOLVED,
by the Town Board of the Town of Saratoga to authorize
payment of the bills listed in Abstract 8G
of 2020 in the following amounts:
General
Fund DB No. 538 – 550 $
7,856.32
General
Fund A No. 512, 525, 527, 551 - 576
$ 65,559.91
General
Fund B No. 577 $ 415.35
Schuyler
Park H No. 528, 578 - 580 $ 1,883.19
Hudson-Hoosic No. 581
– 582 $ 122.49
CDBG No. 519 –
524 $ 51,307.90
Grand Total $ 127,145.16
A motion to adjourn was made by Councilman Gary Squires, seconded by Councilman James Jennings, at 8:26 p.m. Roll Call vote: Supervisor Thomas Wood - aye, Councilman Michael McLoughlin – absent (left the meeting at 8:01 pm), Councilman James Jennings – aye, Councilman Gary Squires - aye, Councilwoman Ruth Drumm - aye.
Carried 4 - 0
Meeting Adjourned
Respectfully Submitted,
Linda A. McCabe
Town Clerk