TUG HILL COMMISSION

MINUTES OF MEETING

Carthage, New York

April 28, 2014

Chairman Bogdanowiczopened the meeting at 4:07pm. / Opened
Commission members includedMdm. Chereshnoski and Messrs. Boxberger, Yerdon and Vigus and Bogdanowicz. Staff included Mr. Bartow and Mrs. Amyot, RACOG Circuit Rider. / Attendance
On a motion made by Commissioner Vigusand seconded by Commissioner Yerdon members approved the agenda presented. / AgendaApproved
On a motion made by Commissioner Chereshnoskiand seconded by Commissioner Vigus members approved the minutes of March 26, 2014. / Minutes Approved
Chairman’s report followed. / Chairman’sReport
Chairman Bogdanowicz welcomed everyoneand introductions were made. Once again he wanted to commend the THC staff for their efforts on another tremendous Local Government Conference last month. Overall I think everyone enjoyed the sessions, our keynote was very good, and the food was fantastic! In your packets is the results from the LGC survey and they too appear to be excellent feedback.
It’s that time of year again when we all need to complete our Financial Disclosure Statements. In your packets is the annual letter which also notes the deadline is May 15th. In addition, we have put in your packets some information about mandatory Ethics training that has come up. In summary, within two years from our listings as public officers subject to financial disclosure (May 2013) we will have to complete 1 instructor lead ethics training and the 3 modules of on-line Certified Ethics Training Courses (CETC). A schedule of on-line courses is included in your packets. Please review these materials, let John know when this year you may make one of the 3 remaining instructor lead courses in Albany. For the on-line courses John and Felicia will be following up with you on these. We may be able to make travel arrangement for the Albany based dates.
Our next Commission meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 29th at 4 p.m. at the Ridgeview Restaurant, Lowville, followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and the Super Cog meeting. We’ll keep our business meeting within 1 hour then we can have some time to socialize with our COG leaders as they arrive for dinner and the evening’s presentation. Please confirm your RSVP with Gwen. / Welcome
Financial Disclosure Statements
Next Meeting
Mrs. Amyot introduced Mr. McIlroy, Village of Carthage President. Mr.McIlroy thanked the Commission for the support provided by them over the years on numerous projects. He thanked Mrs. Malinowski for her assistance as the village has recently become a metropolitan area with the MS4. He then introduced Mr. McHugh, Community Development Coordinator, to provide an overview on the Braman property. Mr. McHugh provided history of the former Braman Manufacturing Company being a family owned business and one of the largest producers of hardwood broom handles. Over the years the business was sold. Eventually the business fell to bankruptcy and later the property was abandoned. The plant sat idle since the late 1980’s and the building was decaying. In 2007, Jeff Cole through family ties to the property became involved and made efforts to utilize the property and approached the village. An environmental assessment was done and revealed the property to be environmentally safe. By 2010, the Carthage Industrial Development Corporation assumed ownership of the property. The Thousand Islands Area Habitat for Humanity approached the CIDC to build houses on the property. Habitat for Humanity will build five to six low-income homes on the property over the next three years. Mr. McHugh expressed that the project would bring economic improvement to the village. On May 8, 2014, a groundbreaking ceremony will take place on the former Braman property.
Mrs. Amyot updated the Commissioners on the RACOG. Current concerns with the budget include the property tax cap/freeze, highway maintenance, alternative energy options and on the environmental side the MS4. Projects include shared services for planning and land use, joint ZBA, shared community initiatives and the Black River Watershed and Recreation which includes the Twin Village swimming pool and waterfront development at Long Falls park and the South Main Street boat launch. / RACOG
Executive Director’s Report followed. / Executive Director’s Report
Beth Steria, CTHC Associate Circuit Rider continues to recover from her accident. She is making much progress and by all reports would love to get back to her CTHC duties. CarlaMalmgren’s FMLA for her mother continues through June 4, 2014. In your packets is the SFY 2013-14 Close Out. We have completed our close out transactions for PS ($14,000) and NPS acquisitions. The SFY 2014-15 Budget is also in your packets. The final budget includes level funding for SFY2014-15. We have the same cash ceiling concerns for 2014-15 as last year, but overall we will manage within our appropriations. / Administration
The NYCOM Summary of the 2014-15 Adopted State Budget for 2014-2015 is included in your packets. The property tax freeze is a concern. On April 25, 2014 we attended the Municipal Innovation Exchange Summit, a collaborationbetween NYCOM, AOT, NYSAC, and NYSBA.The summitwas an opportunity to engage with school district, county, city, village and town leaders from across the state to explore finding new, expanded and improved ways to efficiently share services for our taxpaying communities. A power point presentation from the summit is in your packets. Mr. Bartow will also email other presentations from the summit to the commissioners. The Comptroller’s Long Term Budget Planning Legislative Proposal is also in you packets. / NYCOM Budget Summary
On April 1, 2014 we attended the Lewis County Legislators briefing to meet Liz Swearingin, the new Lewis County manager. We provided a presentation about the Tug Hill Commission. We will follow up with her on projects and hope to see her at the May 29th meeting. / Lewis County Manager
In our search for a candidate to replace Gerry Ritter advertisements were placed in various newspapers through April 25, 2014. We have received 12 respondents. The NOCCOG review committee will start sorting through the resumes and scheduling interviews. Several candidates have asked for confidentiality since they have current employers and we will respect that through the process. / NOCCOG
The CTHC Spring meeting and dinner is scheduled for Thursday, May 22, 2014 at the Tug Hill Hideaway in West Leyden. If anyone is interested in attending please let Gwen know so we can RSVP to Angie. / CTHC
The Super COG meeting will be Thursday, May 29, 2014 at the Ridgeview Inn Restaurant in Lowville. The Commission meeting will be held at 4:00 p.m. and the SuperCOG meeting will follow at 6:00 p.m. Our primary topic will be Local Leaders Survey results and the upcoming Strategic Plan. Other potential topics would be the TAUNY Cultural Heritage Project, Loretta Lepkowski,EBFC and the property tax freeze and rebates. / SuperCOG
The Regional Economic Development Councils are in full swing for the fourth round with the focus on tourism, global exports and StartUpNY. We expect CFAs and 2014 guidance materials will be released in mid-May and awards in September/October. We have a lot of local requests this year. The CFA deadline is June 16, 2014. This will be a tremendous amount on staff with the six week turnaround / REDC’s
The Local Government Conference was a huge success. We had over 580 registrants in attendance and 30 vendors. Sponsorship was approximately $14,000. / LGC
In your packets is a handout from Jill Breit at TAUNY for the Cultural Heritage meeting on May 8, 2014 from 2-4 p.m. at the Lewis County Historical Society in Lowville or 6-8 p.m. at Dodge Pratt Northam Museum in Boonville. Jill will scope out a project for cultural heritage of the Tug Hill/Black River Valley. Please RSVP with Gwen if you want to attend either meetings. / Black River Valley Cultural
A successful Maple Weekend was held March 22-23 in Lewis County and 29-30 in Oswego andJefferson Counties. There was also a Tapping Ceremony on March 29 at Camp Oswegatchie. / Maple Weekend
The natural gas projects continue with Camden, Parish, and Constantia. In April, Camden began Phase 2 engineering ata cost of $65 million dollars. / Natural Gas
We continue to work with Prospect and Trenton fire departments on a joint fire district. Prospect will undertake a dissolution study. / Prospect Update
We are working on a Tug Hill portal. Perhaps this could be CFA. / Tug Hill Portal
In your packets is the EBFC flyer. The group will be meeting May 15, 2014 at the Alpine Restaurant in Constableville. This will be the first time the group has met in 6 years. / EBFC
Mrs. Malinowski has been doing a great job with the MS4 consortium. We are working on funding. / Urbanized Area
We continue to work with Lyons Falls. They voted down the bond for a sewer project.
Port Leyden’s EFC Study RFPs are under review. In your packets is a copy of the letter from Brian Fisher, US Geological Survey regarding the Tug Hill Aquifer meeting on April7, 2014. Monitoring will be completed in late May. We now need resources of $600,000 for modeling. / Sewer/Water
On March 4, 2014 we had briefing with Department of Transportation and Jefferson County regarding low volume roads. / Transportation
Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB)is in the farmland protection line and will receive $1 millionthrough Environmental Protection Fund in the Governors 2014-15 budget. Agricultureand Markets is looking for direction and have asked us to run Programmatic Environmental Assessment. / Fort Drum ACUB
The Black River Watershed Conference will be held June 4, 2104 at the Tug Hill Vineyards. The Wildlife Conservancy Society will do a presentation for our June staff meeting. There will be a meeting this week in Boonville,they are looking at Cycling in the Adirondacks as a CFA. / Black River Corridor
The SFY 2013-14 is in your packets. This is pending as we cannot get any report for closeout due to the SFS having the system down since April 1, 2014. Also, the SFY 2014-15 is in your packets you will seeit is much similar to last year. We have the same cash ceiling concerns, however, we will manage within our appropriations. / Finance Report
Chairman Bogdanowicz opened the meeting for public comment. / Public Comment
There being no public comment and no further business before the board, on a motion made by Commissioner Boxberger and seconded by Commissioner Yerdon members adjourned the meeting at 5:17 p.m. / Adjourn
Respectfully Submitted,
Tom Boxberger
Secretary