Town Board Meeting Minutes for 11/15/2021

TOWN OF LAKE LUZERNE

SPECIAL MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET

NOVEMBER 15, 2021

7:00 PM

 

SUPERVISOR MERLINO CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER WITH THE FOLLOWING PRESENT:  COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI, COUNCILMAN FAZIO, AND COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE.

 

SUPERVISOR OPENED THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AT 7:01 PM, DEPUTY TOWN CLERK READ PUBLIC HEARING LEGAL NOTICE.  

 

COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE DISCUSSED FASNY PAY WHICH IS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LINE AND WAS COMBINED WITH THE PERSONNEL LINE, BOOKKEEPER WAS TOLD TO PUT IT BACK IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LINE AND TO CHANGE PERSONNEL LINE BACK.  BOOKEEPER STATED THAT WAS DONE BEFORE THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET.  HE ASKED HIGHWAY SUPT. WHICH LINE HE BUYS HIS EQUIPMENT OUT OF, DA5142.2. COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE ALSO STATED THAT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS ALSO HAS IT’S OWN EQUIPMENT LINE, TWO DRIVERS IN PARKS AND GROUNDS WITH CDL WERE ALSO BROUGHT UP TO $18.00.  COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI WANTS TO SEE THE CHANGES WRITTEN DOWN.  A LINE WAS PUT IN FOR A DEPUTY ZONING OFFICER AT $ 18,000.00, ASSESSOR DATA CLERK FOR $ 1,545 AND THE UNALLOCATED INSURANCE OF $ 63,000.00 IS NYMR THAT COVERS VEHICLES, LIABILITY, FIRE INSURANCE (ALL TOWN INSURANCE EXCEPT FOR MEDICAL HEALTH PLANS)

 

JACK HERRING – WERE ANY EMPLOYEES PAID ANY EXTRA MONEY TO PREPARE THE BUDGET.  

 

SUPERVISOR MERLINO – LINDA MASON WAS PAID $ 1,000.00 OUT OF THE BUDGET OFFICER LINE TO ASSIST THE BUDGET OFFICER IN PREPARING THE BUDGET.

 

JACK HERRING – ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE MONEY COMES OUT OF THE SUPERVISOR BUDGET TO PAY SOMEONE FOR THIS PREPARATION?

 

COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE – IT DID THIS YEAR THEY MADE A NEW LINE IN JULY  

 

COLLEEN COOK – THIS YEAR WE TOOK $1000 OUT OF THAT LINE TO PAY LINDA MASON AS A CONSULTANT, THAT WAS DONE AT A BOARD MEETING BY RESOLUTION

 

JACK HERRING – DOES THE SUPERVISOR RECEIVE ADDITIONAL PAY FOR PREPARING THE BUDGET

 

COLLEEN COOK – NOT ABOVE AND BEYOND THAT LINE

 

JACK HERRING – WHICH IS THE LISTED AS THE SUPERVISOR SALARY

 

COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE – IT’S THE BUDGETED OFFICER LINE $4000

 

SUPERVISOR ASKED IF EVERYONE WAS READY TO VOTE TO MOVE BUDGET FORWARD, COUNCILMAN FAZIO WAS NOT IN FAVOR OF VOTING AT THIS MEETING AS THERE WAS A SPECIAL MEETING ADVERTISED FOR NOVEMBER 19, 2021 CAN CHANGES BE MADE AFTER WE ADOPT IT? MR. CROWE SAID NO.  MR. CROWE SAID THE ADDITIONAL MEETING WAS SET UP MORE OF A BACKSTOP IN THE EVENT THAT THE BOARD NEEDED MORE TIME TO WORK ON THE BUDGET.  YOU CAN CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND VOTE TONIGHT OR FRIDAY, BY POSTING A MEETING NOTICE, NOT A PUBLIC HEARING, JUST A PUBLIC MEETING. COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE FELT THAT IF IT HADN’T ALREADY BEEN ADVERTISED, IT COULD BE ADVERTISED FOR EARLIER IN THE DAY.  COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI FELT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR COUNCILMAN O’NEAL TO MAKE A 4:00 MEETING.  SUPERVISOR MERLINO SAID JUST KEEP IT FOR THE 19TH.

 

COLLEEN COOK – ARE THERE ANY CHANGES YOU WANT MADE AT THIS POINT

 

COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE – I WANT TO GO THROUGH AND COMPARE, IF IS SEE ANYTHING I WILL LET YOU KNOW QUICKLY

 

RESOLUTION NO. 171 OF 2021– TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:35 PM. INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI.  ALL IN FAVOR  4/0, CARRIED.

 

RESOLUTION NO. 172 OF 2021 – TO SET A SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING TO PASS THE 2022 TOWN BUDGET ON FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021 @ 7:00 PM. INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FAZIO.  4/0 ALL IN FAVOR, CARRIED.

 

ATTORNEY CROWE – THE PUBLICATION FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET HAD AN ERROR IN THE ADVERTISED SALARY FOR THE HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT, IT WAS ADVERTISED AS $ 55,401.00, THEREFORE IT HAS TO STAY AT THAT AMOUNT.  PER THE BUDGET IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN $ 58,401.00.  ATTORNEY CROWE ADVISED THE TOWN BOARD THAT TO CORRECT THIS ERROR, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE BY LOCAL LAW WITH A PUBLIC HEARING.  YOU HAVE A PACKET WITH THE LOCAL LAW.  IT WILL HAVE A 30 DAY RUN TIME FOR PERMISSIVE REFERENDUM.

 

RESOLUTION NO. 173 OF 2021 – TO INTRODUCE PROPOSED LOCAL LAW NO. 2 OF 2021 THAT WILL ALLOW FOR SETTING HIGHWAY SUPT. SALARY FOR THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF $ 58,401 AND SET THE PUBLIC HEARING ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2021 @ 6:00 PM.  INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FAZIO.  ALL IN FAVOR 4/0, CARRIED.  

 

SUPERVISOR MERLINO ASKED HIGHWAY SUPT DEUEL ABOUT THE BRINE MACHINE $26,750.  

 

A MOTION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PURCHASE OF THE BRINE MACHINE WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FAZIO.  COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI QUESTION WHY IT SHOULD BE PAID IN FULL, HIGHWAY SUPT DEUEL SAID THEY DIDN’T HAVE ANY AND AVAILABLE, IT NEEDS TO BE MADE AND THAT IS WHAT THE COMPANY IS REQUESTING.  COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI, WHY CAN’T WE PAY 50% DOWN WITH THE ORDER AND COUNCILMAN FAZIO ASKED IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH GETTING IT DUE TO COVID, RON DID NOT KNOW.  COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI FEELS THE COMPANY DOESN’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY THE MATERIALS, RON, I WILL CALL AND ASK.  COUNCILMAN FAZIO IS WORRIED ABOUT PAYING IN FULL UP FRONT.  SUPERVISOR MERLINO ASKED HIM TO TALK TO THE COMPANY ABOUT PAYING HALF TO FILL THE ORDER AND THE BALANCE UPON TAKING POSSESSION, RON WILL LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT HE FINDS OUT.  MONEY FOR DOWN PAYMENT TO COME OUT OF THIS BUDGET AND BALANCE IN NEW YEAR BUDGET.

 

 A MOTION TO TABLE WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN FAZIO, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI.  ALL IN FAVOR 4/0

 

SUPERVISOR MERLINO – PREVIOULSY TABLED A RESOLUTION TO ACCEPT THE QUOTE FOR RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE PRESCRIPTION PLANS.  $221.95 PER MONTH FOR OPTION 2

 

RESOLUTION NO. 173A -TO AMEND RESOLUTION NO. 161 TO INCLUDE OPTION 2 AT $ 221.95 PER MONTH. INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE.  ALL IN FAVOR 4/0

 

SUPERVISOR MERLINO DISCUSSED THE CHAZEN PROPOSAL FOR THE DAM, COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THAT.  SUPERVISOR ASKED THREE (3) COMPANIES FOR QUOTES AND ONLY TWO CAME BACK AND ONE OF THOSE DID NOT DO DAM WORK 

 

RESOLUTION NO. 174 OF 2021 – TO ACCEPT THE CHAZEN ENIGNEERING PROPOSAL FOR THE DAM OF

 $ 38,100.00 TO BE PAID OUT OF STIMULUS MONEY, NO CHANGE IN BUDGET AND MOVE FORWARD CONTINGENT UPON ATTORNEY REVIEW.  INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN FAZIO.  ALL IN FAVOR 4/0, CARRIED. 

 

SUPERVISOR MERLINO GAVE ATTORNEY CROWE A COPY TO REVIEW.

 

SUPERVISOR MERLINO – VEGITATION PLAN CAME IN MOST IN COLOR AND WANTS TO IT TO THE PRINTER TO GET COPIES AS IT IS 37 PAGES, IT IS FROM THE DARRIAN INSTITUTE AND TRACY CLOTHIER

 

TOWN BOARD DISCUSSED A PRESS RELEASE STATING THE HUDSON HEADWATERS MOBILE VAN WILL BE STARTING TO TAKE APPOINTMENTS.  COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI MENTION PUTTING BROCHURES AROUND TOWN AT THE BUSINESS AND A MASS MAILING TO COVER HADLEY, LAKE LUZERNE AND SURROUNDING TOWNS. COUNCILMAN FAZIO SUGGESTED A BULK MAILING.  

 

SUPERVISOR MERLINO ASKED ABOUT PASSWORD FOR MAIL CHIP, COUNCILMAN FAZIO WILL CHECK ON GETTING ANOTHER USERNAME AND PASSWORD FOR MAIL CHIMP IN THE EVENT THAT SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS TO US IT.

 

SUPERVISOR MERLINO STATED THAT COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE IS AHEAD BY FOUR (4) VOTES FOR SUPERVISOR BUT THERE MUST BE A RECOUNT BY STATE LAW BECAUSES IT IS LESS THAN TWENTY (20) VOTES.

 

COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE WAS AMAZED THAT OVER 900 RESIDENTS VOTES IN THIS ELECTION

 

WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS A MOTION TO ADJOURN WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN LEWANDOWSKI, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE WITH ALL IN FAVOR.

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,

 

LORRI HOLCOMB

DEPUTY TOWN CLERK