Town Board Meeting Minutes, 19 December 2022

Draft Regular Town Board Meeting Minutes Halcott Grange
December 19, 2022, 6:00 pm

Present: Deputy Supervisor Alan Reynolds, Council members Judy DiBenedetto, Eric Fronckowiak, Samantha Bouton, Highway Superintendent Russell Bouton, Town Clerk Patricia Warfield, Budget Officer Paul Tamaccio. Public: Vicki and Dave Carpenter. Absent: Town Supervisor Innes Kasanof.

Call to order at 6:00 pm with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of the minutes of the November 21, 2022, meeting: With the following addition: Clerk’s Report for October: Building Permits: 2 @ 100.00, BP Renewal: 100.00, C/O Search: 2 @ 25.00, Billy Haynes: 750.00. The Town collected and disbursed $1,100.00 for the month of October. Motion to approve by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, 2nd by Councilwoman Samantha Bouton, Councilman Eric Fronckowiak: aye, Deputy Supervisor Alan Reynolds: aye.

Highway Superintendent’s Report: (A) The Highway Department has not heard any additional news about the truck that was ordered except supply chain issues are slowing things down and the Town will be updated when new information is available. (B) The Highway Department is having trouble with tire chains purchased through state bid. It seems the metal used on the hooks is not strong enough and the chains will need to be replaced. Greene County has changed suppliers and new ones will be sent. (C) The Chevy needed to be towed due to a blown return line.

Voucher vote: General Abstract #G1222 – vouchers 194-197, 199 – 204 = $2,124.42. Highway Abstract #H1222 – vouchers 205-214 = $5,594.14. Motion to pay bills by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, 2nd by Councilman Eric Fronckowiak, Councilwoman Samantha Bouton: aye, Deputy Supervisor Alan Reynolds: aye.

Budget Officer’s Report (A) Budget Officer Paul Tamaccio presented the monthly finance report for November.

Clerk’s Report: Building Permits: 1 @ 80.00. BP Renewals: 1 @ 100.00, 1 @ 75.00, C/O Search: 25.00, Transfer Station Sept/Oct: 760.00. The Town collected and disbursed $1040.00 for the month of November.

Next Meeting: Organizational Meeting January 9, 2023, 6:00 pm. Regular Meeting January 17, 2023, 6:00 pm.

Motion to Adjourn at 6:18 by Councilman Eric Fronckowiak, 2nd by Councilwoman Samantha Bouton, Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto: aye, Councilman Eric Fronckowiak: aye, Deputy Supervisor Alan Reynolds: aye.

2023 Organizational Meeting Minutes, Halcott Grange

2023 Organizational Meeting Minutes, Halcott Grange
January 9, 2023, 6:00 pm

Present: Town Supervisor Innes Kasanof, Council Member Alan Reynolds, Samantha Bouton, Judy DiBenedetto, Highway Superintendent Russell Bouton, Town Clerk, Patricia Warfield. Public: Bill Capel, Joanne Catsos, Warren Reynolds. Absent: Councilman Eric Fronckowiak.

Call to Order at 6:00 p.m.

Supervisor Kasanof asked the Board if there were any questions or comments about the 2023 Organizational Document. Highway Superintendent Russell Bouton asked what the mileage reimbursement was. The federal mileage reimbursement rate as of January 1, 2023 is 65.5 cents per mile. Supervisor Kasanof stated that if there was a problem with the reimbursement amount she would be open to discussing it.

Public Comment: Joanne Catsos asked how the Code Enforcement Officer was paid. As per the 2023 Organizational document, the C.E.O. is paid $33.00 an hour plus mileage and training. It was then asked if the mileage paid would be the same if he is driving a vehicle other than his personal vehicle because the CEO showed up at the Catsos residence on December 23, 2022 driving a vehicle from his other job. Supervisor Kasanof said she would ask the CEO about it.

ZBA: Warren Reynolds informed the Board that he resigned as the chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals only, and will continue to serve until his term ends in 2024.

Next Meeting: Regular Town Board Meeting, January 16, 2023, 6:00 pm.

Motion to Adjourn at 6:12 p.m. by Councilman Alan Reynolds, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, Councilwoman Samantha Bouton: aye, Supervisor Innes Kasanof: aye.

2023 Town Board Organizational Meeting results

Last night the Board adopted the attached set of practices for 2023. Included are Highway Employment practices as well as an updated Building Fee Schedule. The 2023 Building Fee Schedule is available as a separate document here and on the CEO page.

Town Board 2023 Organizational Meeting, Monday 9 January, 2023

There will be a special town board meeting this Monday evening at 6PM at the Grange Hall to affirm the Town’s operating procedures.  A draft copy of agenda is in pdf form here.  

Town Board Minutes, 21 November 2022

Draft Regular Town Board Meeting Minutes Halcott Grange
November 21, 2022, 6:00 pm

Present: Town Supervisor Innes Kasanof, Councilmembers Judy DiBenedetto, Alan Reynolds, Samantha Bouton, Eric Fronckowiak, Highway Superintendent Russell Bouton, Budget Officer Paul Tamaccio, Town Clerk Pattie Warfield. LUC Chairwoman Karen Rauter. Public: Ariel Bogert, Paul, and Sybil Margaritas.

Call to Order at 6:10 pm with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of the minutes of the October 17, 2022, meeting: Motion to approve by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, 2nd by Councilman Eric Fronckowiak, Councilwoman Samantha Bouton: aye, Supervisor Innes Kasanof: aye, Councilman Alan Reynolds: abstain.

Highway Superintendent’s Report: (A) Greene County has been begun ditch cleaning and culvert work on Co. Rt. 1; and in addition, picked up a cylinder for the wing on the county plow truck to replace the one which was leaking. (B) Highway Superintendent Bouton confirmed the new town truck has been ordered. (C) Work on the Oshkosh has been completed and everything seems to be working well.

Budget Officer’s Report: Budget Officer Paul Tamaccio presented the monthly finance report for October. Supervisor Kasanof explained that we as a Town pay for ambulance service from Margaretville Hospital, this year $2,075.00. Greene County gives the Town reimbursement monies because we are out of their service area, usually more than the cost of the ambulance service. The excess money is then put towards our fire contract payment with the Village of Fleischmanns.

Voucher Vote: General Abstract #G1122 – vouchers 175 – 185 = $6,570.56. Highway Abstract #H1122 – 186 – 193 = $9,114.30. Motion to pay bills by Councilwoman Samantha Bouton, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Councilman Eric Fronckowiak: aye, Supervisor Innes Kasanof: aye.

Organizational Meeting: (A) The Organizational Meeting will be held January 9, 2023. (B) Rob Johnson will be the new Solid Waste Coordinator, Ariel Bogert will be the Deputy Clerk, Bill Capel will be the Deputy Highway Superintendent. (C) The Fire Department Liaison will remain open; the board will ask Todd Wickham for periodic reports. (D) Motion to reappoint Ted Johnson to the Planning Board by Councilman Alan Reynolds, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, Councilman Eric Fronckowiak: aye, Councilwoman Samantha

Bouton: aye, Supervisor Innes Kasanof: aye. Term will end 12/2027(E) Motion to reappoint Adina Johnson to the Planning Board by Councilman Alan Reynolds, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, Councilman Eric Fronckowiak: aye, Councilwoman Samantha Bouton: aye, Supervisor Innes Kasanof: aye. Term will end 12/2026 to stagger term endings. (F) Motion to reappoint John Dobsa to the ZBA by Councilman Alan Reynolds, 2nd by Councilwoman Samantha Bouton, Councilman Eric Fronckowiak: aye, Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto: aye, Supervisor Innes Kasanof: aye. (G) Motion to reappoint Christl Johnson to the ZBA by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, 2nd by Councilwoman Samantha Bouton, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Councilman Eric Fronckowiak: aye Supervisor Innes Kasanof: aye. One chair remains vacant. (H) Board of Elections alternate will be Warren Reynolds. (I) The dumping fee for haulers at the Transfer Station will increase to $300.00 on January 1, 2023. (J) CEO John Mathiesen revised the fee schedule for building permits, bringing them more in line with what other municipalities are charging. Motion to adopt the Building Permit Fee Schedule changes by Councilman Eric Fronckowiak, 2nd by Councilwoman Samantha Bouton, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto: aye, Supervisor Innes Kasanof: aye.

LUC Update: Good progress has been made; the next step is for Nan to take all the information gathered and begin working that information into the updated Comprehensive Plan. The Board will then walk through the recommendations with Nan and then will have a public hearing to gather public input. There is no LUC committee meeting scheduled at this time.

Next Meeting: Regular meeting, December 19, 2022, 6:00 pm.

Motion to Adjourn at 7:30 pm by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, 2nd by Councilwoman Samantha Bouton, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Councilman Eric Fronckowiak: aye, Supervisor Innes Kasanof: aye.