November 16, 2021 Regular Meeting Minutes
REGULAR MEETING – VILLAGE OF NORTHVILLE
Tuesday, November 16, 2021
The Village Board met Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 7:00 PM
Present: John Spaeth, Mayor
Steve Collins, Trustee
Sue Eckert, Trustee
John Markiewicz, Trustee
Absent: Sue Sedon, Trustee
Wendy Reu, Village Clerk
Nathan Matthews, Treasurer
Dan Reidell, Highway Superintendent
Public Attendance: Mike Warner, Lanie Groff
Mayor Spaeth called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Motion to approve the minutes of the October 19, 2021 Regular Meeting was made by Trustee Collins, seconded by Trustee Eckert, and passed by voice vote as follows:
Aye: Trustee Collins, Trustee Eckert, Trustee Markiewicz
Nay: 0
Abstain: 0
PUBLIC COMMENTS – Lanie Groff, representing the Tree Commission reported to the Board that she was the new Chairperson for the Tree Commission. She stated the Commission is looking at ways to improve communication with the Board and the public, and planned on being more active in getting the word out regarding the Commission. Mayor Spaeth stated that he Commission members want to take an active part in the budget process and want to get information out to the public about what the program does and how residents can benefit from it. It was discussed that a flier be drafted and distributed to the community and the Board was receptive to that.
REPORT OF COMMITTEES:
Police – Mayor Spaeth reported that the Police Dept. received a $ 10,000.00 donation from the estate of Barbara Henry. It was discussed that the money could be used to purchase equipment such as vests and carrier covers.
Trustee Collins reported that the committee was continuing to work on the logistics of expansion into the Town. He stated there needed to be oversight in signing off on payroll sheets and providing trip logs.
Streets – The DPW report was read and is on file at the Clerk’s office. DPW Superintendent Reidell wanted to make sure that we were going to address the requirement for clearing sidewalks of snow. Trustee Eckert stated that we have to enforce it across the board. Mayor Spaeth stated we have to have a plan for making it happen. He stated we have discussed contracting with someone to clear the sidewalks but unfortunately, we haven’t carried it out. He stated it is difficult to get that in place this winter as there are many aspects pertaining to liability that need to be reviewed and a process has to be developed for billing those parcels that are failing to maintain their own sidewalk. After discussion, it was determined that a notice would be sent out to property owners in the Village regarding the requirement for them to keep their sidewalks cleared of snow.
DPW Superintendent Reidell gave an update on the commercial garbage pickup. He stated that he and Mayor Spaeth met with the Town of Hope Supervisor and Highway Superintendent and they were all in favor of the shared services agreement. He stated that the Hope Supervisor never brought it to his Board members and at their most recent meeting, they wanted time to review the document before proceeding. Mayor Spaeth stated that Hope also shares their truck with Benson so it would be a three-way split moving forward.
Water – It was reported that usage decreased from 2,338,000 gallons in October 2020 to 2,186,000 this year. Water testing and operations were normal.
Mayor Spaeth reported there was a request from a water customer, account # 01-00098 to waive the $ 200.00 penalty for her delay in getting radio water meter installed. The Clerk reported that she has confirmed with Allen and Palmer that the customer has indeed had her new meter installed. Trustee Collins made a motion to waive the $ 200.00 penalty on account # 01-00098. The motion was seconded by Trustee Markiewicz and carried by voice vote as follows:
Aye: Trustee Collins, Trustee Eckert, Trustee Markiewicz
Nay: 0
Abstain: 0
Code Enforcement- The Code report is on file in the Clerk’s office. It was reported that 4 permits were issued in October.
Mayor Spaeth reported that as we now have a fully certified Code Enforcement Officer and a Code Clerk, he felt we should begin the formal cancellation of the Intermunicipal Agreement with the Town on sharing of the Code Officer. Treasurer Matthews stated he would review the document and initiate the paperwork.
Dog Control – No report.
Joint Youth – No Report
Marketing – No Report
LWRP- Mayor Spaeth gave an update on the need for a Local Consistency law to support the LWRP. He stated he reviewed the standard law that requires that the Planning Board be given the responsibility for overall management of the LWRP. Mayor Spaeth stated he was concerned about dumping more responsibility on a Planning Board that is made up of volunteers. He stated he discussed the issue with Scott Henze at FC Planning Department and Scott indicated they would take on the administration aspect of it and bill the Village for the additional services. Mayor Spaeth reminded the Board that we normally contract for $ 400.00 worth of services already so the increase might be double that.
Park Use Requests – No requests
Tree Commission – See public comment section
PAYMENT OF BILLS
The monthly financial report was reviewed and bills to be paid from the General Fund in the amount of $ 128,735.27, and from the Water Fund in the amount of $ 9,384.92, were presented for payment. Motion to approve payment was made by Trustee Markiewicz, seconded by Trustee Collins and carried by voice vote as follows:
Aye: Trustee Collins, Trustee Eckert, Trustee Markiewicz
Nay: 0
Abstain: 0
OLD BUSINESS:
Mayor Spaeth reported he obtained a new quote for the Third Street property in the amount of $ 45,000.00. He stated it had been several years since the first quote and it has gone up $ 13,000.00. He stated that the real estate market is high now and asked for the Board’s opinion on what to do with the property. Trustee Collins asked if we were still storing sand over there and DPW Superintendent Reidell indicated that it has all been moved to the High Rock facility. Trustee Eckert asked is it useful for us to keep it. DPW Superintendent Reidell stated we have no real use for the property and by keeping it, we have to mow and maintain it. He indicated that kids had been riding on the dirt piles that were being stored there and that they were using the yard hydrant there as well. Mayor Spaeth stated he felt if we were going to move forward with selling it that the time and effort to subdivide it would not put us any further ahead financially than if we sold it as a single lot. Trustee Collins stated previously we had discussed three uses for the lot: a firehouse, which he does not see going there; a municipal building, which is not right for a residential district; and a park. He stated that personally, he would like to see more residential construction in the Village. Trustee Eckert stated that unless we needed the money, she would hate to get rid of it at this time. Treasurer Matthews stated that we are no in dire straits to get funds. Mayor Spaeth stated that if we sold the property, that money could be utilized for any of the projects we have in the works now and we would not need to adjust reserves by that amount. After discussion, the Board tabled any action on the Third Street property for now. Mayor Spaeth stated there were questions of how to proceed if/when we wanted to sell the property and he would have to look into that process. He indicated he would reach out to NYCOM and the Village Attorney for guidance.
Treasurer Matthews presented updates to definitions in the Personnel Policy and Employee Manual, specifically redefining “immediate family”. Trustee Eckert made a motion to approve the definition changes as presented by Treasurer Matthews. The motion was seconded by Trustee Collins and carried by voice vote as follows:
Aye: Trustee Collins, Trustee Eckert, Trustee Markiewicz
Nay: 0
Abstain: 0
NEW BUSINESS:
Mayor Spaeth presented a request $ 600.00 contribution toward the OFA Senior Nutrition Program. Trustee Collins made a motion to approve $ 600.00 contribution to Senior Nutrition Program. The motion was seconded by Trustee Eckert and carried by voice vote as follows:
Aye: Trustee Collins, Trustee Eckert, Trustee Markiewicz
Nay: 0
Abstain: 0
Mayor Spaeth reported that the Personnel Policy Manual needed to be adopted in whole due to all the recent changes. Trustee Eckert made a motion to adopt the Personal Policy Manual. The motion was seconded by Trustee Markiewicz and carried by voice vote as follows:
Aye: Trustee Collins, Trustee Eckert, Trustee Markiewicz
Nay: 0
Abstain: 0
Treasurer Matthews reported to the Board that the Dental/Vision provider we are currently enrolled with will no longer be in existence after January 1, 2022. He indicated that United Concordia was bought out by Met Life and asked for the Board’s approval to continue with them. He stated that the benefits aren’t changing and that there will be a hold on the premium for three years. Trustee Eckert made a motion to proceed with the move to Met Life for Dental/Vision insurance. The motion was seconded by Trustee Markiewicz and carried by voice vote as follows:
Aye: Trustee Collins, Trustee Eckert, Trustee Markiewicz
Nay: 0
Abstain: 0
Mayor Spaeth reported that Treasurer Matthews completed credentialing certification to become a Certified Credential Officer and as a result of the compensation review, was entitled to an additional $ .50 per hour increase in salary.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: There was no further comment from the Public.
ADJOURNMENT:
There being no further business before the Board, motion was made to adjourn by Trustee Markiewicz, seconded by Trustee Eckert and passed by voice vote with no one dissenting. The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Wendy L. Reu, Clerk
