Hammondsport village minutes

Editor's note: The following minutes have not yet been approved by the Hammondsport village board.

January 8, 2008

The Village of Hammondsport held its regular board meeting on Tuesday January 8, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. in the Village Office, 18 Water Street, Hammondsport. A Public Hearing was held before the regular meeting on the 2008/2009 General Fund and Water Fund Budget.

PRESENT: Mayor Emery L. Cummings, Jr.; Trustee Stella Pulver; Trustee Anne Green; Trustee Larry Foster; Trustee Bruce White; DPW Superintendent Randy Hoad; Police Chief Jack Merriam; Clerk-Treasurer Lela Martuscello

OTHERS PRESENT: John Jensen, Mary Perham.

PUBLIC HEARING

Mayor Cummings opened the public hearing on the 2008/2009 General Fund and Water Fund Budgets. No comments or questions from the public.

On motion of Trustee Green and seconded by Trustee Pulver and carried, all voting Aye to close the Public Hearing at 6:02 p.m.

BUSINESS MEETING

Approval of Minutes: On motion of Trustee Pulver and seconded by Trustee Green and carried, all voting Aye to approve the November 12, 2007 meeting minutes as corrected.

On motion of Trustee Green and seconded by Trustee White and carried, all voting Aye to approve the November 26, 2007 Budget Workshop minutes.

On motion of Trustee Green and seconded by Trustee Pulver and carried, all voting Aye to approve the December 11, 2007 meeting minutes.

Payment of Abstracts: On motion of Trustee White and seconded by Trustee Green and carried, all voting Aye, RESOLVED, that the Clerk-Treasurer is hereby authorized to pay General Fund Abstract #11, claim #340-380 totaling $20,412.55 and Water Fund Abstract #11, claim #190-205 totaling $7,678.91.

Department Reports

Police: Police Chief Merriam presented a report of Police Department activities for the month of December. Vehicle and Traffic activities included 36 radar details, 20 traffic stops, 5 tickets issued, 30 warnings issued, 19 parking tickets issued, 7 motorist assists, and 8 vehicle inspections. Criminal and Penal Law activities included a burglary/ criminal mischief at the Curtiss School, 2 gas drive offs, 1 larceny (cell phone stolen from vehicle), and 2 domestic disturbances. Security was provided for both Town of Urbana and Village of Hammondsport Courts. Other activities included 1 fingerprinting request, 2 lost & found items, 2 residential burglar alarms, 2 bank alarms, HCS basketball games, 1 vehicle repossession, and 3 assists to Hammondsport ambulance.

Police Benevolent Association money was discussed. Chief Merriam spoke with NYCOM and Clerk Martuscello spoke to the Comptrollers Office and the conclusion is to gift the money to the Village and purchase equipment for the police department.

Mayor Cummings presented a letter to the board regarding the reimbursement for court security. The letter suggests the Village Police Department could be reimbursed by the 7th Judicial District for court security. Police Chief Merriam will check into this.

Mayor Cummings reported that keys to the old municipal hall at 41 Lake Street have been released to SCAP. He is concerned because the Police Department still has records in the building. He urged Police Chief Merriam to go through the remaining records. Some filing cabinets could go to the DPW garage. The Mayor will check with the Town to store the remaining records in the Town's Records Room.

DPW: Superintendent Hoad presented a report of the Street and Water Departments for the month of December. The Street Department trimmed trees, patched streets, and plowed and sanded streets. The Water Department read meters; fixed water leaks, regular pump house maintenance, painted tank truck body, and attended a water meeting.

Superintendent Hoad talked to the board about a new listening devise used to locate water leaks. The cost is approximately $3000 and could be used in preventative maintenance. The board asked Superintendent Hoad to look into the exact cost and report back to the board next month.

Mayor Cummings presented a letter to the board from the Mayor of the Village of Prospect thanking the Village of Hammondsport for allowing Superintendent Hoad to help out the water department in Prospect. He praised Superintendent Hoad for his cooperation, work ethic and expertise in large water line installation to assist his community to install a water line to put a standby storage facility back on line. Through membership in New York Rural Water Association small communities are encouraged to work together. The Mayor would like the letter entered into the minutes and a copy be placed in Superintendents Hoad's personnel file.

Finance: The Clerk presented a written finance report to the board. Quotes were received from Xerox and Toshiba for a copier lease. The Xerox quote is much less and the Clerk needs approval to sign the lease. The lease for the postage machine is also up in January. The Clerk needs authorization to sign a lease with Pitney Bowes.

On motion of Trustee Pulver and seconded by Trustee White and carried, all voting Aye, RESOLVED, that the Clerk-Treasurer is hereby authorized to sign a 4-year copier lease with XEROX.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Mayor Cummings - Aye; Trustee Pulver - Aye; Trustee Green - Aye; Trustee Foster - Aye; Trustee White - Aye

On motion of Trustee White and seconded by Trustee Green and carried, all voting Aye, RESOLVED, that the Clerk-Treasurer is hereby authorized to sign a 4- year lease with Pitney Bowes for rental of a postage machine.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Mayor Cummings - Aye; Trustee Pulver - Aye; Trustee Green - Aye; Trustee Foster - Aye; Trustee White - Aye

Parks: Trustee Pulver reported that the Revive the Bandstand (ROB) committee would be meeting January 17.

KWIC: Trustee Green reported the next meeting is January 28 at the Village Office, 18 Water Street, Hammondsport.

On motion of Trustee Pulver and seconded by Trustee Foster and carried, all voting Aye to approve the Department Reports.

OLD BUSINESS

Peddling and Soliciting Local Law: Trustee Green presented a memo to the board regarding her research into the current local law for peddling and soliciting. The issue is in response to the Clerk's concern about valid requests for a Solicitor Permit. Trustee Green presented a copy of a NYCOM publication "Local Government and the First Amendment." The current local law is just fine according to the information in the booklet. Denial would only be valid if the Clerk had concerns about public safety or that public foot traffic would be impeded. A denial could be appealed to the Village Board of Trustees.

No further review is necessary.

SCAP: Trustee Green wanted to discuss the letter served to the Town of Urbana ZBA and Building Inspector. She asked the question why was the letter from Attorney Gee and not Attorney Reed, and who authorized Attorney Gee to write the letter on be half of the Village. Trustee Green stated that she was under the impression that the law firm was only hired to research the issue of following the Village Code as it relates to the Senior Housing Project at 41 Lake Street.

Mayor Cummings stated that the letter was a notice in response to the papers served to the Village by SCAP. He also stated that the law firm was hired to research a legal opinion to see that the Village of Hammondsport local codes are followed.

NEW BUSINESS

Hammondsport Chamber: John Jensen, President of the Hammondsport Chamber of Commerce addressed the Board regarding the Village of Hammondsport Local Law concerning the consumption of alcoholic beverages in outdoor public places. He requests clarification of Sect. 32 - 4A concerning outdoor tables adjacent to a restaurant and the serving of alcoholic beverages at these tables. This is allowed. His second inquiry would be if on occasion (under tight controls) events in the Village Park, in front of a business, in a closed street, or a parking lot could include wine tasting. Mr. Jensen is asking the board to look at the current local law and include a waiver or exception for such an event.

Chief Police Merriam researched the issue and a Special Use Permit would be required from the NYS Liquor Authority for each event. Chief Merriam is afraid this sort of event would get out of control. Mr. Jensen proposes this to be a once in a while thing and not every week for Music in the Park. He also suggests that the police department and the Village Board would be able to review every application and have total control over issuing the Park Use Permit.

Mayor Cummings suggested that a committee be formed. Trustee Pulver volunteered to organize the committee to look into this issue. The Clerk will contact the Village of Watkins Glen, Painted Post, and the City of Corning.

Election: Village election is set for Tuesday March 18, 2008.

On motion of Trustee White and seconded by Trustee Foster and carried, all voting Aye, it is hereby RESOLVED to set March 18, 2008 as Village Election Day with the polls open from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and the location of the polls to be Fred & Harriet Taylor Memorial Library, 21 William Street, Hammondsport, NY and the following elections inspectors and custodian are approved:

Lillian Elwood - Republican

Sharon Rooks - Republican

Joan Mistretta - Democrat

Alzina Turner - Democrat

Luther Perkins - Custodian

Meeting with Urbana Town Board: Mayor Cummings asked the Board if they would be willing to set up a joint meeting with the Town of Urbana to discuss future plans.

On motion of Trustee Foster and seconded by Trustee White and carried, all voting Aye to authorize Mayor Cummings to set up a joint meeting with the Town of Urbana.

ADOPTOION OF THE 2008 - 2009 PRELIMINARY BUDGET

On Motion of Trustee White and seconded by Trustee Foster, BE IT RESOLVED

THAT

A resolution adopting a budget for the fiscal year commencing March 1, 2008 and ending February 28, 2009, making the appropriations for the conduct of the government of the Village of Hammondsport and establishing rates of compensation for officers and employees for such period, and WHEREAS, this Board has met at the time and place specified in the notice of Public Hearing on the preliminary budget and heard all persons desiring to be heard thereon:

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the preliminary budget as amended and revised and as hereafter set forth is hereby adopted and that the several amounts stated in the column "adopted" in the General Fund and Water Fund be and hereby appropriated for the objects and purposes specified and the salaries and wages stated in the Wage Schedule of such budget shall be and are hereby fixed at the amounts shown therein effective March 1, 2008. Total appropriations for the Water Fund are $259,806.00 with a water rate of $4.70 per 100 cu. ft. Total appropriations for the General Fund are $577,884.00 with a tax rate of $11.33 per $1000 of assessed value.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Mayor Cummings - Aye; Trustee Pulver - Aye; Trustee Green - Aye; Trustee Foster -Aye; Trustee White - Aye.

RESOLUTION ADOPTED

Resident and business owner John Jensen asked to be placed on the agenda for the February 12, 2008 meeting to discuss the Village of Hammondsport Historic District.

On motion of Trustee Pulver and seconded by Trustee White and carried, all voting Aye to adjourn the meeting at 7:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Lela Martuscello
Clerk-Treasurer