TOWN OF LAKE LUZERNE
TOWN BOARD AGENDA MEETING
OCTOBER 4, 2021
SUPERVISOR MERLINO CALLED MEETING TO ORDER AT 6 PM WITH THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS PRESENT: COUNCILMAN O’NEAL, COUNCILMAN FAZIO, COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE. ALSO PRESENT: HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT DEUEL, DEPUTY HIGHWAY SUPT. BROOKS, ZONING OFFICER KAREN PUTNEY AND ATTORNEY(S) FOR THE TOWN JOHN ASPLAND, JR., ROBERT CROWE, AND KARA LIAS OF THE LAW FIRM OF FITZGERALD, MORRIS BAKER FIRTH.
MICHAEL CROWE WAS INTRODUCED WITH EXPERTISE IN THE FIELD OF PLANNNG AND ZONING, KARA LIAS WHO IS BOND COUNSEL RATED.
RESOLUTIONS FOR REGULAR MEETING:
*TO PAY THE BILLS DESCRIBED IN THE VOUCHERS OF THE 10TH ABSTRACT
*TO PAY FOR EXPENSES OF THE PUG PARADE FROM OCCUPANCY TAX AS FOLLLOWS: ABSOLUTE SOUNDS $ 200.00, TABLES AND CHAIRS 245.00, PRINTING OF CERTIFICATES AND POSTERS 140.50, ADVERTISING IN LOCAL FIRST NEWSPAPERS – 246.00 TOTAL OF $831.50
THE ATTORNEY FOR THE TOWN WILL PREPARE THE REGULAR MEETING RESOLUTIONS.
TOWN CLERK RECEIVED THE 2022 TENTATIVE BUDGET TIMELY FROM THE BUDGET OFFICER AND DISTRIBUTED TO THE BOARD MEMBERS AT THIS MEETING FOR THEIR REVIEW.
TRACEY CLOTHIER GAVE AN UPDATE VIA ZOOM ON THE STATUS OF THE GRANT FOR CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF THE LAKE:
LARRY EICHLER CAME TO THE LAKE IN SEPT TO DO A PLANT SURVEY. HIS FINDINGS WERE THAT ARE SOME EURASION MILFOIL BEDS BUT THEY ARE MODERATE. BUT HE THOUGHT THAT THE LAKE COULD BENEFIT FROM CHEMICAL TREATMENT OF PROSELLACOR WHICH HAS BEEN USED SUCCESSFULLY IN ADIRONDACK LAKES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. GLENN SULLIVAN OF SOLITUDE LAKE MANAGEMENT HAS HAD SUCCESSFUL TRACKING OF THEM ALL OVER THE ADIRONDACKS AND IS THE EXPERT WITH THE APA IN KNOWING WHAT THEY WANT. HE CAME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION ON OUR LAKE. THE APA CAME TO THE LAKE AND CAME UP WITH THE SAME CONCLUSION. THERE IS ALSO A NON-INVASIVE MILFOIL NATIVE TO THE ADIRONDACK LAKES AND IS VERY SENSITIVE TO PROSELLACOR TREATMENT WHICH IS NOT WANTED. THE APA SUGGESTED THAT ANOTHER SURVEY OF THE NATIVE PLANTS INTERSPERSED AMONG THE INVASIVE PLANTS. SOLITUDE HAD A FAMLY EMERGENCY AND THAT SURVEY WAS POSTPONED. ADIRONDACK RESEARCH CENTER COULD NOT GET EQUIPMENT OR PEOPLE TOGETHER IN TIME TO DO THE SURVEY. THE APA FELT THAT IN OCTOBER IT IS TOO LATE TO SURVEY NATIVE MILFOIL BECAUSE IT DOES NOT ACT THE SAME AS THE INVASIVE TYPE. IT DOES NOT COME TO THE TOP. ITS WELL BELOW THE SURFACE AND HARD TO SEE. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE STUDY BE DONE NEXT YEAR. ALSO THAT THE CHEMICAL TREATMENT BE DONE EARLY BECAUSE THE NATIVE MILFOILD GROWS LATER IN THE SEASON THAN EURASION MILFOIL. SO DO A PLANT SURVEY, MAYBE TWO SHORT SURVEYS NEXT SUMMER AND THEN THE APA WILL MAKE ANOTHER VISIT AND THEN GLENN SULLIVAN CAN PUT TOGETHER THE APPLICATION FOR NEXT YEAR IN THE FALL OF 2022. HOPEFULLY, WE WOULD HAVE DONE ENOUGH RESEARCH AND WORK PUT IN A GOOD APPLICATION WITH THE APA AND ITS APPROVED FOR TREATMENT IN 2023. IT DOES MEAN WE NEED TO FIND A HAND HARVESTER, SUCTION PUMP FOR NEXT SEASON. THE APA PUTS OUT A LIST OF HARVESTERS WHICH GENE HAS. IT DOES SEEM THAT WHAT AQUALOGIC DID IN PRIOR YEARS REALLY DID MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THERE’S SMALLER BEDS AND AREAS AND MANAGEABLE AREAS, SO THE SUCTION HARVESTING WAS WORKING . THE PROSELLACOR TREATMENT IF DONE IN 2023, AS RESEARCH IS SHOWING IN OTHER LAKES, YOU DON’T HAVE TO TOUCH IT FOR FIVE YEARS. THE INITIAL INVESTMENT IN CHEMICAL TREATMENT WHICH SHOULD BE ABOUT $35,000 SHOULD MANAGE THE LAKE FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS.
THE APA WOULD LIKE TO ALSO SEE A LONG-TERM HAND HARVESTING EFFORT, BUT IT SHOULD BE MUCH LESS THAN WHAT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TREAT THE WHOLE LAKE. SO, THERE WILL STILL BE MILFOIL IN LITTLE PLACES TO BE MANAGED. SOLITUDE DOES NOT HAVE HAND HARVESTING.
THE TOWN WILL NOT HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT THE GRANT FOR THE MASTER PLAN UNTIL DECEMBER 10.
RAY SUPPLY HAS WORKED ON THE MEETING ROOM SOUND SYSTEM TO BOOST VOLUME AND PROVIDE FOR CD RECORDING.
*A RESOLUTION IS NEEDED TO PAY DAMAGES SUSTAINED TO VEHICLE OWNED BY JOAN MIRAGLIA WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE HIGHWAY DEPARMENT ROADWORK ON GLENS FALLS MOUNTAIN ROAD IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,342.53.
SUPERVISOR MERLINO ADVISED THAT THE PONTOON BOAT PARTS ARE AT THE BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS DEPARTMENT. THE PUMP MAY BE OF USE TO THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT.
DISCUSSION REGARDING THE HUDSON HEADWATERS MOBILE HEALTH UNIT THAT IS TO BE SET UP IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE TOWN HALL. AT THIS TIME, THE PARTS FOR A 50 AMP STATION ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
DUE TO THE HOLIDAY, THE OCTOBER TOWN BOARD MEETING IS RESCHEDULED TO WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH AT 7 PM.
DISCUSSION AS TO WHETHER THE TENTATIVE BUDGET CAN BE PUT ON THE WEBSITE.
TOWN CLERK:
A LETTER WAS RECEIVED FROM COUNTRYSIDE MEDICAL GROUP ADVISING OF AN ADDITIONAL $250 ADMINISTRATIVE FEE IN THE COMING CONTRACT.
ZONING OFFICER, KAREN PUTNEY:
DISCUSSION REGARDING INSTITUTING A PENALTY OF $250 FOR PEOPLE WHO BUILD WITHOUT A PERMIT IN LAKE LUZERNE. THE COUNTY HAS THIS PENALTY. WE HAVE PERMITS FOR THE TOWN THAT THE COUNTY DOESN’T HAVE. SOMETHING THAT NEEDS FURTHER DISCUSSION.
DISCUSSED THE NEED AND POSSIBILITY OF PURCHASE OF AN IPAD (PREFEREABLY) TO BE USED IN FIELD WORK BY HERSELF AND THE ASSESSOR THAT CAN IDENTIFY PARCELS AND TAKE PHOTOS OF THE WORK ON SITE.
ADDRESSED COMPLAINTS REGARDING ELECTION SIGNS ON TOWN OWNED PROPERTY. THE TOWN ORDINANCE SAYS THEY CANNOT BE ON TOWN PROPERTY. PUT THEM OUT ONE MONTH BEFORE ELECTION AND TAKE DOWN 7 DAYS AFTER.
DISCUSSION REGARDING ISSUES OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS. :
THE RECENT TOWN TOPICS ISSUE ADDRESSES SHORT TERM RENTALS. SEPTIC CROWDING WAS NOT MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE HOWEVER. PERHAPS A CAP ON RENTAL DAYS OVER A YEAR. AN OWNER REGISTRY. POSTING AN OCCUPANCY LIMIT. AVAILABILITY OF A PROPERTY MANAGER.
SPEAKER REGARDING MEGANS LAW TO COME IN AND SPEAK TO THE BOARD.
PLANNING BOARD AND ZONING BOARD MEMBERS REMOVAL IS ALSO IN THE ARTICLE. TRAINING HOURS, ETC.
COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE FELT THAT ANY FINE FOR BUILDING WITHOUT A PERMIT SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE TOWN BOARD BY PLANNING BOARD.
*A RESOLUTION IS NEEDED TO ACCEPT THE SATISFACTORY ANNUAL MOBILE HOME PARKS AND CAMPGROUND INSPECTIONS SO THE ZONING OFFICER CAN SEND OUT LETTERS TO THE OWNERS FOR OPERATING PERMITS WHICH RUN FROM OCT 1 – SEPT 30.
SUPERVISOR ADVISED THAT BOLTON HAS PASSED SHORT TERM LEGISLATION ALSO LAKE GEORGE, QUEENSBURY, AND WARRENSBURG.
ONE OF THE FEARS IS LOSING YOUR HOUSING BASE TO SHORT TERM RENTALS. SOME TOWNS HAVE ZONES FOR IT.
A KEY POINT IS HAVING PROPERTY MANAGER AVAILABILITY.
REGISTRY AND INSPECTIONS FOR SAFETY. INSURANCE ISSUES.
*THE BOARD NEEDS TO ADVERTISE FOR A CONSTABLE IN LIGHT OF THE RESIGNATION OF JIM FITZGERALD.
HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT:
DISCUSSED THAT FOURTH LAKE CAMPGROUND WANTS TO HOOK INTO THE TOWN WATER SUPPLY . THEY NEED A MAX OF 25 GALS PER MINUTE WHICH THEY HAVE PLENTY OF FLOW FOR THAT, AND TO PUT IN A NEW HYDRANT, AND BORE UNDERNEATH THE ROAD, THE COST OF WHICH IS ALL BILLED TO THEM.
THE BOARD DISCUSSED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE WATER SAMPLING TO BE TAKEN IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE DISTRICT PARTICULARLY AS PERTAINS TO LEAD TESTING. ALSO ADVISED THAT THE HIGHWAY DEPT QUALIFIED WATER TESTERS WORK WITH TERESA ON TESTING. DEPUTY HIGHWAY SUPT ADVISED THAT THERE ARE NEW REGULATIONS COMING OUT FOR LEAD TESTING. BY 2024 EVERY LEAD SERVICE LINE WILL BE REPORTED. ALSO THE NEWLY CERTIFIED TESTERS HAVE TO WORK WITH TERESA RIVERS ON TESTING.
*A RESOLUTION IS NEEDED TO LOOK FOR AND PURCHASE AN IPAD FOR THE ZONING OFFICER AND ASSESSOR TO SHARE IN THE FIELD.
SUPERVISOR HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING REGARDING THE GRANT SUBMISSION FOR REPAIR OF THE SILVER BRIDGE.
BROADBAND IS STILL BEING WORKED ON AT THE COUNTY.
ATTORNEY ASPLAND FELT THIS MEETING WAS A GOOD INTRODUCTION TO SOME OF THE CURRENT TOWN ISSUES.
SEPTIC ISSUES AT COUNTY LEVEL – LAKE LUZERNE IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE LAKE GEORGE BASIN.
KAREN PUTNEY TALKED TO COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ABOUT THE SEPTIC ISSUES. HE INDICATED IT IS NOT NEAR FINISH. TOWNS CAN OPT IN OR OUT AS WELL IF IT FITS YOUR TOWN’S NEED. THE TOWN CAN DRAFT LAWS AS WELL.
PAT GOLDBERG ASKED ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE LEASE OF THE ADIRONDACK FOLK SCHOOL. THE TOWN HAD TALKED ABOUT THE RENEWAL OF TWO 25 YEAR LEASES. SUPERVISOR WILL CALL SCOTT TO GET A PROPOSAL FOR NEXT MEETING. .
JIM NILES – EAST RIVER DR. MR. NILES WILL BE HAPPY TO GET OPINIONS FROM THE ZBA ON THE ISSUE OF FINES. HE HAS COPIES OF THE SHORT-TERM RENTAL LAWS PASSED BY BOLTON AND WARRENSBURG.
SEPTIC INSPECTION UPON TRANSFER OF PROPERTY, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL TO OPT OUT . PROBLEMS INCLUDE HOW TO DEFINE SEPTIC FAILURE. DYE TESTING SYSTEM COMPLIANCE. SYSTEN DESIGN AND FUNCTION ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS WELL. CURRENT STANDARDS DESIGN AND CODE. WORKING EFFICIENTLY. A FINAL DOCUMENT ON THE ISSUE AT THE COUNTY IS CLOSE. PUMPING WATER THROUGH THE SYSTEM IS ANOTHER TEST.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7 PM UPON A MOTION BY COUNCILMAN O’NEAL SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN WATERHOUSE. ALL IN FAVOR AYE.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED,
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CYNTHIA SHERWOOD RMC, TOWN CLERK