The Regular Monthly Meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Otsego was held on the 11th day of May, 2005 at the Town Building, Fly Creek, NY at 7:00 PM.

 

Those present were:

Thomas Breiten            Chairman

George Tucker Councilman

Nancy Iversen              Councilman

Bill Michaels                 Councilman

 

Others Present:

Pamela Deane               Town Clerk

Margaret McGown       Town Attorney

Louie Boyd                   Highway Superintendent

 

Chairman Breiten called the meeting to order and asked everyone in attendance to pledge allegiance to the American flag.

 

Chairman Breiten asked for a Motion to approve the minutes of April 13th and April 28th as given.

 

Councilman Michaels pointed out two spelling errors in the April 13th minutes.

 

MOTION by Councilman Tucker, seconded by Councilman Iversen, to accept the minutes of

April 13th and April 28th minutes as amended.

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

Chairman Breiten reviewed correspondence he received since last meeting.

 

  • Letter of notification of liquor license renewal from the New York State Historical Association.  The Board had no objections.
  • Final draft of the CSEA contract.
  • A letter from Katherine Daniels of the Planning Federation, stating that she has read the proposed Short-Term Rental Law and listed suggestions the Board may want to consider.
  • Annual 2004 MOSA report

 

Chairman Breiten opened the floor for comments.

 

Town Historian Tom Heitz submitted an article the Freeman’s Journal ran on May 20, 1880 announcing the first soccer game ever played.  The game was played in a lot across from the Court House in Cooperstown, Bachelors against Married Men.  The Journal refers to the game as football but clearly  they are describing soccer.

 

Ann Geddes-Atwell announced that the Fly Creek Fire Commissioners have changed their monthly meeting to the second Wednesday of the month, coinciding with the Town Board’s monthly meeting.

 

Jim Atwell asked the Board if they would consider changing their monthly meeting night.

 

Chairman Breiten stated that possibly the Fire Commissioners’ deliberately changed their meeting night to the same night as the Town Board, in hopes that some of their audience would choose to come to the Town Board meeting instead.  If that’s the case the Fire Commissioners will only change their meeting night again if the Town Board changes theirs.  He is hopeful that, in the not so distant future, problems they are having will be resolved.

 

Wayne Armstrong asked when Curry Road was scheduled to be resurfaced.  It is filled with pot holes.

 

Orol Burch stated that he was told by Cooperstown Schools before he built his house on Curry Road that they wouldn’t be able to send a school bus to his house to pick up his children because the road is too narrow.

 

Highway Superintendent Spike Boyd stated that this year they will be cleaning ditches, cutting the brush back, and placing culvert pipe, getting Curry Road ready to be paved next year.

 

With no further comments from the public, Chairman Breiten introduced Win McIntyre, Watershed Manager. McIntyre reported that, according to estimates from DEC, over half of the septic systems on Otsego Lake are not maintained and have lived out their life expectancies.  Informational letters have already been sent out to residents in the watershed, explaining that all septic systems in the watershed will be inspected within the next 5 years.  There will be no charge for the inspection,  however, the homeowners will be responsible for locating and pumping their tanks.

 

Councilman Iversen submitted minutes of the May 9th Watershed Supervisory Committee meeting which were reviewed by the Board.  The minutes state that the Otsego Lake Watershed Supervisory Committee (WSC) will be inspecting septic systems located within 500 feet of Otsego Lake’s shoreline and 100 feet of the lake’s tributary streams.  The reason for the inspection program is to protect Otsego Lake as a drinking water supply for the Village of Cooperstown and the lakeside residents that draw water from the lake.  The inspections will be conducted during June through September 2005.  The goal is to do 60-70 inspections per year.  If a system fails an inspection, the Watershed Coordinator will meet with the property owner to discuss options for a replacement system.

 

MOTION by Councilman Michaels, seconded by Councilman Tucker, to accept the Watershed report as presented.

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

Chairman Breiten submitted a financial report.  Balances are as follow in the various accounts.

General Savings:    $ 24,635.22            General Checking:    $   7,789.62

            Highway Savings:  $ 10,374.40             Highway Checking:  $ 39,726.77

            6 month CD:  $1,100,000.00

            3 month CD:  $   200,000.00

 

MOTION by Councilman Michaels, seconded by Councilman Iversen, to accept the financial report as given.

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

MOTION by Councilman Michaels, seconded by Councilman Iversen, to pay the following invoices:    

 

            General #104-#118                                          $44,405.52

            HWY    #101-# 125                                        $37,419.30

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

Louie (Spike) Boyd submitted his Superintendent of Highway report.  Fuel expenses are as follow:

 

FUEL               GALLONS                  TOTAL COST/MONTH         YTD GALS                 YTD EXP.

Gas                    -0-                             $   -0-                                            514.00                 $     738.61

Diesel               1,451.0                         $2,603.32                                   7,965.4                   $13,290.53

Heating    386.2                        $   735.71                                   6,140.09                 $  9,784.80

Svc.                   -0-                             $   135.11                                                                  $     500.95

 

Spike submitted bid tabulations for Liquid Calcium Chloride and Modified Binder.  They were as follow:                                   

Liquid Calcium Chloride:

                                                Central Asphalt                       $.758/gallon delivered and applied

 

                                    Hot Mix (Modified Binder) Paving:

                                                Hanson Aggregates                 $37.50/ton, projected cost $72,532.50

                                                Cobleskill Stone Products       $41.75/ton, projected cost $82,682.25

 

MOTION by Councilman Michaels, seconded by Councilman Tucker, to accept the low bids offered by Central Asphalt and Hanson Aggregates for Liquid Calcium Chloride and Modified Binder.

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

Chairman Breiten stated that Paul Lord has expressed concern with the Town dumping fill on what Lord thinks may be considered wetlands on Huff Road and Sunset Ridge. Landowner James Dean assured Spike that DEC has already determined that the area where the Town is dumping fill is not considered wetlands.

 

MOTION by Councilman Iversen, seconded by Councilman Michaels, to accept the Superintendent of Highway report as presented.

 

MOTION CARRIED: Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

Chairman Breiten read the Zoning Officers report.  He reported having nine site visits this month.

 

MOTION by Councilman Iversen, seconded by Councilman Michaels, to accept the Zoning Officer report as presented.

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

Planning Board Chairman Jonathan Bass reported Planning Board activity as being two major subdivisions, reviewing a café at the light in Fly Creek proposed by Votypka, and awaiting a DEC permit before voting on LaValley’s proposed Service Trade Establishment located on Keating Road.  He presented language addressing Health Care Facilities requested by Councilman Michaels.  Jonathan stated that he has been working with Otsego County Planner Matt VanSlyke, to design a more detailed Zoning Map.

 

It was the consensus of the Board that there needs to be a definition for Health Care Facility.  It was agreed that there are many different types and the Board needs to decide what types of Health Care Facilities should or should not be allowed.

 

MOTION by Councilman Tucker, seconded by Councilman Iversen, to accept the Planning Board activity report as presented.

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

Councilman Michaels presented and explained the Request for Proposal for the new Highway Garage. The proposal is divided into three phases, and includes a project schedule, qualification of consulting engineering firm, a Town truck and large highway equipment inventory, and a site visit summary of the Town of Burlington Highway Facility. 

 

The Board reviewed the RFP, made the decision to eliminated the site visit summary of the Town of Burlington Highway Facility from the RFP’s, and directed the Town Clerk to mail it out.

 

Chairman Breiten stated that he has sent out RFP’s for the Comprehensive Plan. The deadline was changed to June 3rd.  There have been no responses as of yet.

 

Chairman Breiten reported that the RFP’s for the Linden Avenue project have also been sent out.

 

Chairman Breiten suggested that the Board schedule a Short-Term Rental Public Hearing to gain public input before finalizing the proposed draft.  Councilman Michaels asked which draft the Board was going to submit for public opinion.  Councilman Iversen wanted to submit a revised version of the April 28th draft.

 

Councilman Michaels stated that he was not in favor of scheduling a Public Hearing before the Councilmen had an opportunity to review Councilman Iversen’s proposed revisions.

 

MOTION by Councilman Iversen, seconded by Chairman Breiten, authorizing Councilman Iversen to make revisions to the April 28th Short-Term Rental draft, have copies sent to all Councilmen within a weeks time and the Town Clerk will then advertise  a  Public Hearing for June 8th.

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

Councilman Michaels submitted for the Board’s interest notes he took at the April 15, 2005 Fly Creek Area Historical Society (FCAHS) meeting.    The FCAHS had invited Kathleen LaFrank of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation to speak about the possibility of creating a Historic District in the Fly Creek Area.  The areas she noted to be candidates for listings were Fly Creek, Oaksville, Cattown and Fork Shop Corners.  Ms. La Frank stated that, even if a property has the potential of being listed due to its historical significance, it has the same protections as a listed property.  Review by the department is triggered only by a private or public project that uses state or federal money or requires a state or federal permit.  All permits require type one SEQRA review.  The Commissioner will not support an application that does not have at least a 90% approval.  Residents opposed to a district creation must write a letter to that effect and have it notarized.

 

MOTION by Councilman Tucker, seconded by Councilman Iversen, to go into Executive Session to discuss the CSEA contract.

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

MOTION by Councilman Iversen, seconded by Councilman Tucker, to come out of Executive Session.

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

Chairman Breiten stated that, while in Executive Session, the Board reviewed the CSEA contract.   No decisions were made.

 

MOTION by Chairman Breiten, seconded by Councilman Michaels, to adjourn.

 

MOTION CARRIED:  Chairman Breiten and all Councilmen voted aye.

 

The next regular monthly meeting will be held on the 8th day of June, 2005 at the Town Building in Fly Creek at 7:00 PM.

 

Meeting ended at 9:05 PM.

 

                                                                                                            Respectfully Submitted,

                                                                                                            Pamela Deane/Town Clerk