Village of Lansing

MINUTES of a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Lansing held on Thursday February 14, 2008, in the Village Office.

PRESENT: Mayor Donald Hartill; Trustees Larry Fresinski, Lynn Leopold, Frank Moore; Clerk/Treasurer Jodi Dake; Code & Zoning Officer, Benjamin Curtis; Supt. of Public Works, John Courtney; Laborer, Marty Moseley.

Mayor Hartill called the meeting to order at 12:34P.M. Marty stated that they have been doing snow removal. Don asked how the salt spreader was working. They had taken the old salt spreader from the truck and adapted it to the tractor so that they could salt the icy sidewalks. It has worked for the few ice situations we have had this year on the sidewalks.

Ben updated the Board on where we are with the incident that occurred near the Fish & Game Club involving a 9mm bullet hitting a house on Murfield Drive in the Town of Lansing. There is some uncertainty as to where the bullet came from, but the property owner is assuming that it came from the Fish & Game Club. Ben reported that David Dubow, the attorney for the Village, has advised him that certain of the otherwise applicable restrictions under the NYS Environmental Conservation Law regarding the discharge of firearms are not applicable to target range activities at the Club. Therefore, the Village’s local law generally prohibiting the discharge of firearms within the Village is preempted by State law in the area of the Village occupied by the Club. Lynn Day, the Town of Lansing Building Inspector, stopped by to see Ben to have him participate in a joint inspection of the Club facilities. Ben doesn’t feel that he should do such an inspection if he doesn’t have the authority to do so. Don offered to draft a letter if Ben would like him to. Frank suggested witnessing an event as part of an inspection.

Ben also reported that the estate proceedings for the Dart property on Dart Drive have been settled. The west end is on the market and he suspects that we will see the middle section for sale soon. Don suggested that we make sure our proposed right-of-way stays there because the Village would still like to close off Dart Drive at its current intersection with Warren Road. Ben is unsure what will happen with this parcel. He had an inquiry about housing for the aging, but currently that is not allowed in that area. Ben further reported that the newly constructed Arleo Eye Associates building opened today. Parkview Medical offices are moving around. Don asked how many houses were built in the Village last year. Ben stated that there were 9 houses built.

John Courtney reported that Marty has had about 14 hours of overtime due to the snow. This past month they cleaned the office carpets. They are having plan maps scanned for about $1.50 a page. Cayuga Mall will be replacing their water lines. Don suggested that John contact Paul at Bolton Point to see if he could borrow their GIS System to help locate our lines.

It was reported that installation of a streetlight at the corner of Cayuga Heights Road and East Shore Drive will cost approximately $600 and the electric charges will be approximately $150 yearly. John also called the State for approval and they told him to file a service permit if we wanted to install the streetlight.

Resolution #5421 - To Install a Streetlight at the Corner of Cayuga Heights Road and East Shore Drive.

Trustee Leopold moved this resolution. Trustee Moore seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye Trustee Larry Fresinski-Aye Trustee Lynn Leopold-Aye Trustee Frank Moore-Aye

John reported that he is having trouble with people parking in the Millcroft Way turn around even though there are signs posted there. The Town of Lansing will not plow the road because they can’t turn around. John informed the Board of the confrontation he had.

John indicated that he needs a new computer because his is making a lot of noise and starting to have operating problems. The Board instructed John to go to Best Buy. John would also like to purchase a post pounder to attach to the skidster. The Highway Department has installed a lot of signs by hand and it is very difficult and time consuming. The post pounder would make the job much easier. Don told John to go ahead and order the pounder at a cost of approximately $2,800.

Lynn stated that the green light on the bridge was out this weekend. John reported that he reported the problem Monday morning.

The Town of Lansing plows the Village with a rubber blade. Frank stated that that only works with slush and not the ice that we have had. John stated that the Village plow has a steel blade and they go out and hit curves and intersections when needed.

John would like to get together with the Town of Lansing to do some ditching. The Village would like minimal ditching done. The east side of Cayuga Heights Road has a lot of standing water. Don would like to walk the Village with John in late March to observe the different areas that need ditch work. The Town of Lansing has just purchased a hydro seeder which can be used in the Village.

Jodi stated that Greg Potter from Tompkins County would be in at the end of the month to go over census information. The County is currently undertaking a project that will collect all departments’ data and create one database for Tompkins County. Ben will also sit in on this meeting to help resolve any issues. Jodi reminded everyone that budget requests are due to Don by Monday. Jodi gave all of the Trustees a copy of the proposed postcard that will be sent out advising that the Village newsletter will be available electronically instead of being sent out in hard copy in March. Larry gave a couple of corrections. Jodi pointed out that Fisher Associates, the Village’s consultants, sent the backup information for the North Triphammer Road Project delay claim so the Board members will see the final payments for the project coming out of the Capital Fund.

Lynn asked if we would have maps of the fly over. Ben stated that they are in the process of that. Lynn stated that she needs to start working on the annual storm water report and on a petition to have the speed limit changed on East Shore Drive. Don told Lynn to hold off on the petition because he was writing a letter to request the decrease in the speed limit.

Don stated that he met with Scott Pinney, the new Town of Lansing Supervisor, to discuss the new sewer that would connect into Horizons. It was indicated that at most it would be 100 units. Don asked Jodi to email him exactly how the current situation works with the Cherry Road Sewer District.

Larry stated that he had Time Warner Cable do a site survey in response to Danica not being able to provide service to us any longer. He explained that because the Village bought the domain we don’t have to change our email addresses when we change internet providers. Larry had Jodi factor our average monthly cost for phone, and it was determined based on that information that to have Time Warner provide our phone service would be more expensive.

Now that Carol has retired, Don indicated that he would like to reassess our personnel needs in the Village. Don asked the staff what they thought was needed. Ben stated that he had previously emailed the Mayor with a list. It was acknowledged that we will need someone to perform secretarial duties. Ben is unsure where the Planning Board Minutes actually go after he has edited them. Jodi will ask Carol when she comes in to get her check. We also need someone to do fire inspections. Don asked if we could hire someone to do that like we do with our electrical inspector. Ben will contact the Lansing Fire Department to see if there is someone who would want to do it part time.

Ben stated that the new Building Code is in effect as of January 2008. Currently we are supposed to be issuing operating permits for places of assembly. This would include hotels, restaurants and theaters. Ben explained that to do so the Village would need to pass a local law to amend the Village Code. There are 20 or more places of assembly in the Village. Currently commercial properties should be inspected every three years, places of assembly every year and apartments every two years. When there is a turn over in business we bring them into total compliance with the Code.

Ben will also be retiring in June of 2010, so maybe this would be an opportunity for a seamless transition. A new person could learn planning and zoning by transcribing the minutes. It would be a great opportunity to learn. Ben suggested getting a person that is very comfortable with the electronic age.

Jodi stated that someone has to be available to cover the office when she is out. Carol use to be there to answer phones and deal with the public when they stopped in. Jodi has taken over doing the census and newsletter which Carol had previously done. Lynn has taken over balancing the checkbooks.

John Courtney has an increased work load with North Triphammer Road and the new developments. He really needs someone from April to November, not just a summer laborer. John has more inspections and less time in the office. There are duties that Marty can’t do alone or that would be more efficient if he had help. John could then spend more time in the office setting up jobs and dealing more with the public instead of working with Marty. The Board will consider all this information and continue to discuss different possibilities.

Don entertained a motion to approve the vouchers. Frank Moore questioned what the payment to Tompkins County for the Digital Orthoimagery Project was. Jodi explained that the Board passed Resolution #5288 authorizing this payment back on 11/20/06. It was to upgrade the New York State Orthoimagery for Tompkins County Urbanized Areas to half foot pixel resolution.

Resolution #5422- Abstract of Audited Vouchers

Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 9 for the General Fund, in the amount of $22,801.00 is hereby approved for payment, and

Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 9 for the Water Fund, in the amount of $2,396.00, is hereby approved for payment, and

Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 9 for the Sewer Fund, in the amount of $158.87, is hereby approved for payment, and

Be it RESOLVED, that Abstract of Audited Vouchers No. 9 for the Capital Projects Fund, in the amount of $571,695.49, is hereby approved for payment,

Trustee Fresinski moved that the foregoing Abstract of Audited Vouchers resolution be adopted and Trustee Leopold seconded the motion.

Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye Trustee Larry Fresinski-Aye Trustee Lynn Leopold-Aye Trustee Frank Moore-Aye

Motion- To Adjourn

Trustee Fresinski moved for adjournment. Trustee Leopold seconded the motion. A vote was taken:

Mayor Donald Hartill-Aye Trustee Larry Fresinski-Aye Trustee Lynn Leopold-Aye Trustee Frank Moore-Aye

The meeting adjourned at 1:41 PM.

Jodi Dake Clerk/Treasurer