Minutes of a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Lansing held on Monday March 1, 1999 at the Village Office.
PRESENT: Mayor Don Hartill, Trustees Cliff Buck, John Caren, and Lynn Leopold; Attorney Randall Marcus; Clerk/Treasurer Jodi Dake.
Mayor Donald Hartill called the meeting to order at 7:39P.M. and called for Public Comment. Steve Halevy of the Planning Board gave the Board a copy of their recommendations for 3 candidates for the Greenspace Advisory Council. The Mayor proposed that these three candidates be appointed and we keep the option open to continue interviewing additional candidates. Steve also handed out a list of his grammatical corrections on the Comprehensive Plan. He was one of five people that were reviewing the approved Comprehensive Plan for grammatical corrections. Steve stated that he spoke with Ned Hickey and he strongly suggested that we hire a proofreader. Steve showed the Board a cover of another municipality’s comprehensive plan and suggested we do something like they had done. The Mayor suggested a cover with scenes from the Village on it. Due to the time line this will be considered for the first revision. The Mayor asked Jodi to call Brent Cross regarding budget recommendations. Not only do we get recommendations from our staff but also from the engineers and our attorney to specific proposals and any rate changes.
Motion- To Close Public Comment Period.
Trustee Cliff Buck-Aye Trustee John Caren-Aye
RESOLUTION # 3523 - Village of Lansing Elections
Trustee John Caren moved that this resolution be adopted and Trustee Cliff Buck seconded the motion. A vote was taken:
Trustee Cliff Buck-Aye Trustee John Caren-Aye
The next item on the agenda was a resolution for compensation for the election inspectors as well as the machine custodians.
Be it RESOLVED, that the election inspectors for the Village of Lansing to be held on Tuesday, April 27,1999, will be compensated at the same rate as last year of $60 per day; and
Be it further RESOLVED, that the election machine custodians will be compensated for the setup and take down of the election machine on Tuesday, April 27,1999, at the same rate as last year of $60 each.
Trustee John Caren moved that this resolution be adopted and Trustee Cliff Buck seconded the motion. A vote was taken:
Trustee Cliff Buck-Aye Trustee John Caren-Aye
Next the Board welcomed Lynn Leopold as an official Trustee. Jodi will also get her payroll forms and a key.
Next on the agenda was the approval of minutes.
Trustee Cliff Buck moved that the meeting notes, as reviewed and revised by the Board, are hereby adopted as the official minutes. Trustee John Caren seconded the motion. A vote was taken:
Trustee Cliff Buck-Aye Trustee John Caren-Aye
Next on the agenda was the consideration of Proposed Local Law _ to Amend the Zoning Law Concerning Accessory (Moveable) Buildings. The Mayor feels that we should increase the square footage to 120.
Be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustee’s adopts Local Law _ Amendment of Zoning Law Concerning Accessory (Moveable) Buildings as Local Law #2 for 1999 as follows:
The purpose of this Local Law is to formalize by statute the protocol that has developed within the Village concerning the requirements for the location of movable or temporary buildings. It is the intent of this Local Law to add to Section 103, "Definitions," the definition of "moveable building" and to add a subsection to Section 104, "General Regulations," to state the requirements for placement of a moveable or temporary building on a lot.
SECTION II AMENDMENT.
A. The Village of Lansing Zoning Law Section 103, entitled "Definitions," is hereby amended to add the following term, following the defined term "Motel":
104.31 Movable Buildings.
(iv) If the movable building is placed within the area that would be required as a side yard or rear yard set back for an accessory building on such lot, the owner must obtain the written consent of the neighbor adjacent to such side or rear yard area and deliver such written consent to the Village’s Code Enforcement Officer for filing with the Village. Such consent shall be given in perpetuity and shall be binding upon subsequent owners of the adjacent lot.
This Local Law and the amendments to the Village of Lansing Zoning Law contained herein shall be effective ten (10) days after publication and posting as required by law, except that it shall be effective from the date of service as against a person served with a copy thereof, certified by the Village Clerk, and showing the date of its passage and entry in the Minutes of the Village Board of Trustees.
Trustee Cliff Buck-Aye Trustee John Caren-Aye
Next on the agenda was consideration of Proposed Local Law Q, Amendment of Lansing Zoning Law Concerning Additional Residential Building on a Single Lot.The Mayor stated that this law refers to having an elder cottage. The Village recognizes a need to have these additional residential buildings close.
Be it RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustee’s adopts Proposed Local Law
Q, Amendment of Zoning Law Concerning Additional Residential Building on
Single Lot as Local Law #3 for 1999 as follows:
Insert Local Law Q Here
Trustee John Caren moved to adopt Proposed Local Law Q, Amendment of Lansing Zoning Law Concerning Additional Residential Building on a Single Lot as Local Law #3 and Trustee Lynn Leopold seconded the motion. A vote was taken:
Trustee Cliff Buck-Aye Trustee John Caren-Aye
Next topic of discussion was the Electric Power Sale Agreement (NSI). This is a county wide power pool. Stuart Stein, chairman Electric Power Committee Representative, District No.3 had sent a letter to the Mayor regarding the County’s effort to secure lower rates for electric power. Both Tioga and Tompkins County have negotiated a master agreement with NSI. It is estimated that on this plan we will save approximately $904.
WHEREAS, the County of Tompkins and the County of Tioga entered into an agreement for the purchase of electric power with NYSEG Solutions, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, the contract provides that political subdivisions within the counties may obtain electric power under the contract; and
WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Board of Representatives adopted a resolution providing that political subdivisions within the County shall be included in such cooperative purchasing agreement upon the submission of a resolution approved by its governing body to the County Department of Finance; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Village of Lansing shall participate in the cooperative purchase agreement and may, thereby, purchase electric power under the contract with NYSEG Solutions, Inc.; and be it further
RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution shall be sent to the County Department of Finance.
Trustee Cliff Buck-Aye Trustee John Caren-Aye
Next on the agenda was Budget discussion. Don handed out a first draft of a budget for the trustees to think about. Next meeting the board will go over the budget line by line. The Mayor had received budget recommendations from the Planning Board and Dennis Reinhart and gave the following summary of these changes to the board:
The Planning Board has requested an increase from $10,000 to $15,000 for consultants but lowered the amount for engineering by $4,350. This is essentially a wash. Cliff asked if $500 would be enough for Planning Board equipment since they would be buying a camera. The mayor stated that this is something that we will have to look at at our next meeting.
Dennis’s recommendations were to increase the central garage from $500 to $1,500 so that a cement floor could replace the dirt floor in the salt storage building. Traffic control is a contract, which has increased slightly. Dennis has not put in for a helper. Don feels this should be a Wednesday meeting topic. This year Don would like to go through safety issues. Dennis has proposed we buy a new dump truck this year and sell the old one. Our dump truck is only two years old but NYS has such a large purchasing pool that when you sell the truck it ends up costing us a very minimal amount for use of that truck for two years. Street maintenance has decreased from $20,000. This includes chip seal for Burdick Hill Road. Shoulders on Burdick Hill Road are included under street improvements. The County took over Brown Road and this year is our last $28,200 payment for that. $20,000 is allocated for the repaving of Warren Road South of Rt 13. Snowplowing is contractually the same. Sidewalk maintenance includes handicap ramps. Funds for Sheraton Drive sidewalk are listed under sidewalk construction.
Don will be receiving numbers from TG Miller’s PC regarding the Cayuga Heights Road rebuild.
John stated that the board needs to also discuss any increases for the employees. Cliff read an article to the board from the Associated Press re. inflation rates. Cliff feels that giving benefits to the employees is cheaper than increasing their salaries. This is something he feels should be looked at. John feels the employees do a great job and to obtain a raise that puts them a little ahead is a good thing. Last year the employees received a 4% increase. The Mayor stated that they would work out details in executive session.
The Mayor went on to discuss the income side of the budget. He stated that most of our revenue comes from sales tax. We gain nothing as a Village for having a large retail section. Utility Gross Receipts, which is the tax you see on your residential electric bill, is being decrease.
Going on to water, last year residents paid $2.55 per 1,000 gal and this year it will be lowered to $2.04. We may have to change surcharge.
In the sewer fund we are going in the hole. We are now spending money for I&I, which we didn’t spend before. We must do something, be it surcharge on sewer rents or something else.
Cliff stated that not this year but next, he would like to see sidewalks on Janivar.
Don met with Mr. Thaler this afternoon and he agreed to a suggested price for acquiring a section of his land on Sheraton Drive for sidewalks. Don will write him a letter in reference to this. Don asked if Dave had spoken with Homik regarding his property. Randy will give Dave a call.
Trustee Cliff Buck-Aye Trustee John Caren-Aye
Trustee John Caren moved to come out of executive session and Trustee Lynn Leopold seconded the motion. A vote was taken:
Trustee Cliff Buck-Aye Trustee John Caren-Aye
Motion- To Adjourn
Trustee Cliff Buck-Aye Trustee John Caren-Aye
The meeting adjourned at 9:42pm.
Jodi Dake, Village Clerk