Town of Hamden Town Board Meeting of August 7, 2013

Town of Hamden Town Board Meeting of August 7, 2013

Mary Beth Silano, Director of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and Shelly Johnson from County Planning spoke to the board about the West Branch Outdoor Recreation Initiative and the proposed boat launch at the Hamden Park. They are hopeful that the boat launch will be ready for use in the late spring of 2014.

Superintendent Dibble reported that the town suffered about $25,000 in damages to the roads from the rains of June 26 to July 4, 2013. This has been a FEMA declaration and Supervisor Marshfield has made out the necessary paperwork.

The board approved that the Grader and Roller be transported and used at the County Fair if desired.

Water District meetings were held on August 21st and Brinton Muller was reelected commissioner for Hamden and Ronald Pinney for DeLancey. James Newkerk resigned with regret from DeLancey and John Zammataro was elected to replace him.

The Towns 2008 one-ton Ford truck with 50,058 miles on it needs to have a replacement diesel engine. Ford Motor Company will in no way help defray the costs associated with it as we exceeded the five-year warranty, even though the mileage warranty is 100,000 miles.

A resolution was adopted to allow the supervisor to advertise for bids on the More/West Branch river stabilization project when necessary. That way we wouldn’t have to wait until the September meeting to get authorization.

A special town board meeting will be held on August 22, 2013 at 6:30 pm to interview three candidates for assessor. The candidates are: current assessor Mark Jacobs, Tina Moshier and Jerry Merrill. Data Collection in the next couple of years will be the towns top priority as a step toward re-evaluation. Selection will occur at the September meeting.

Councilwoman Bryden and Councilman Reed will attend the next Planning Board meeting as Supervisor Marshfield cannot make it, and to discuss the revisions of the Towns road takeover policy.

It was resolved that the Supervisor write a letter to the Teamsters Union shop stewards and urge them for another negotiation meeting for a final settlement. This way we will have the appropriate figures for the upcoming budget process. We have been negotiating with the union since March.

Joy Hamilton filed a complaint that she was unhappy with the final grading of her lawn after the Town installed a new septic system on her property. It was decided that we would have Pardee Excavating deliver topsoil, hay and seed to her for her own eventual finishing. This was done after she made the suggestion.

Respectfully submitted by Wayne Marshfield

Agenda for September 3, 2013, 6:30 pm town board meeting at the Town Hall.

1.  Water District results

2.  Executive session for discussion and appointment of assessor

3.  Fire Department water problem.

4.  Road Takeover Policy

5.  Union meeting

6.  FEMA meeting at town hall

7.  Budget time line

8.  DEP notification on More by 9/22/13

9.  All hazards Mitigation Plan adoption

10.  Others that may come before the board.

Delaware County Board of Supervisors Meeting of August 28, 2013

John Wolham from the NYS Office of Real Property Tax Service spoke on the new requirement of filing each year, on line only, for 2014 Star exemptions on school taxes. This must be done by December 31, 2013 and all residents of Delaware County will be receiving mailings on this in the next week or two. Mr. Wolham will be visiting the Town Board meetings of those requesting so. Hamden has requested and will await the date of the presentation and will let the public know the date.

A resolution was adopted accepting donations for the maintenance of the K-9 dog put on the Sheriff’s force. This money will pay for food, veterinary care and basic necessities for the dog.

A resolution was adopted transferring $666 from the District Attorney’s Office Miscellaneous account to an Equipment account to purchase a computer.

A resolution was adopted to transfer $14,000 from Public Health personal services account to the prescription account. A nurse or nurses have exceeded the annual prescription budget amount and the transfer is needed to meet the expected shortfall.

A resolution was adopted to transfer $6,000 from the Early Intervention program in Public Health to the equipment account for the purchase of child safety restraints, and education. Originally the grant was received from the NYS Governor’s Traffic Safety Grant.

A budget amendment was approved to take $14,000 from the Public Health Early Intervention program and transfer to Professional Fees Accounting for the hiring of a consultant to do the final audit on the CHHA and LHHCP programs that were sold in 2012.

A budget amendment was approved transferring $250,000 from the fund balance on the Department of Public Works to a Contractual expense account to pay for the estimated amount that the budget will be exceeded for the maintenance materials used on the County highways. Material costs are much higher than anticipated when the budget was done a year ago.

Awards to the lowest bidders were given to the following for the Department of Public Works: Guide Rail Components awarded to Elderlee, Inc. of Oak Corners, NY for $37,125 and Chemung Supply Corp. of Elmira for $28,147.

A low bid award was presented to Thompson and Johnson Equipment of Binghamton for a new Brush Chipper for an amount of $29,506.

A resolution was adopted to award the low bid for the Department of Public Works for a consultant for the design and construction phases of the Lake Switzerland Pedestrian Bridge over Vly Creek in the Village of Fleischmann’s for an amount of $196,800. This is funded as a FEMA project and when complete, will be turned over to the Village of Fleischmann’s. This bid was awarded to Modjeski and Masters of Poughkeepsie, NY.

A resolution was adopted to award the low bid for the Department of Public Works for professional services of environmental studies, hydraulic analysis, final design and construction phase services in the amount of $240,700. This is for the bridge on Bridge Street over Bush Kill in the Village of Fleischmann’s. This too is a FEMA project and will be turned over to the Village of Fleischmann’s when completed. This bid was awarded to Modjeski and Masters of Poughkeepsie, NY.

A resolution was approved to purchase 1.782 acres of land in the Town of Sidney for $4,526 per acre for a tower site on Pine Hill Road. This is for the new emergency radio communications system.

A resolution was adopted to continue the sales and use taxes of one percent through November 30, 2015.

A resolution was adopted to rescind a 2007 resolution giving the Department heads the authority to assign county vehicles to staff for commuting purposes as a part of their direct service function on a trial basis.

A resolution was adopted adding 2,704 acres of land to agricultural district #1 and removing 3,810 acres from the same district.

A resolution was adopted urging NYS to commit equitable investments in other Delaware County Ski Centers other than Belleayre.

A resolution was adopted to execute deeds on 4 more tax map parcels sold at the annual tax sale.

A resolution was adopted to approve the final Delaware County Multi-Jurisdictional All-Hazards Mitigation Plan. This will allow the County and Towns to be able to access further disaster funding.

After the board meeting, Hamden, Delhi, Franklin, Walton, Masonville, and Sidney listened to a presentation by a company that will be submitting a plan to NYS for a 345 kV electric transmission line from Oakdale in Broome County to the Delhi, Fraser’s substation.

Respectfully submitted by Wayne Marshfield