Village Board Minutes

Call to Order: 8:00PM. Pledge of Allegiance

Members Present: Mayor William Maley, Trustee Alan Higgins and Michael Tancredi

Also Present: Larry Gardner, Esq., Village Attorney, Paul Slutzky, Planning Board Chairman, Charles Sweet, Superintendent of Highways and Kathleen M. Hilbert

Public Present: J. D., Cheryl Cornelius, Jim Ray and Michelle Yost, GCSWCD

Approval of Minutes: Minutes of Public Hearing held September 12, 2016
Minutes of Board of Trustees Meeting held September 12, 2016
with the following change under New Business: NYMIR letter dated August 1, 2016 – Loss control recommendations – The annual inspections for the Boiler and Fire Extinguishers in the Water Plant have been completed. Board to discuss recommended Policies and Procedures for the Office and Policies and Procedures, Fire Safety and Property recommendations for the Garage.

Minutes of Special Meeting held September 22, 2016
Minutes of Special Meeting held October 6, 2016

Privilege of the Floor:

Cheryl Cornelius – I am seeking advice of Counsel and the Board. There are some very tall dead ash trees in my neighbor’s wooded acre. I wrote her a letter suggesting topping them off. I have not heard back. Do I have the right to top off a dead tree that is jeopardizing my house? Larry Gardner – You cannot go onto someone else’s land. Mayor Maley – I would suggest you send future letters by certified mail.

NYC Flood Buyout Program (FBO) – Michelle Yost of the Greene County Soil and Water Conservation District reviewed this program and answered questions.

New Business:

Catholic Church – Mayor Maley – Larry, we have received an estimate for taking the Church down which is not what we want to do. The foundation and the decking is actually still stable and could be utilized for something. Trustee Tancredi believes there is someone interested in this building. Something must be done. We have to stop the possible hazard.

Old Business:

Brick Sidewalks – Jim Ray – Someone is complaining about the grass growing through the all the bricks in this end of town.

Cardboard Box Hotel – Trustee Higgins – We said we were going to go forward and let the Judge decide about this situation. Attorney Gardner – I would be in court with him but every week he is there and doing something. Mayor Maley – Dominick should be checking to see if the work that is being done is in compliance with the engineering study.

Correspondence:

1. Facility Compliance Inspection – September 30, 2016 letter from Dennis Covello, NYC DEP – All items were found to be satisfactory.

2. Municipal Financing Programs – September 21, 2016 letter from The Bank of Greene County – No action.

Correspondence (continued):

3. NYCOM Legislative Priorities Meeting to be held November 14, 2016 – October 4, 2016 letter from Thomas Roach, NYCOM President – No action.

4. Insurance Coverage – Letter from Carol Gallagher, Marshall & Sterling received October 6, 2016 – No action.

5. Catskill Watershed Corporation Notice of Preliminary Decisions dated October 5, 2016 referencing October 4, 2016 actions of CWC Board of Directors – E-mail from Frieda Suess, CWC – No action.

6. Mesonet Weather Tower Proposal, Gillespie Road – E-mail from Michelle Yost, GCSWCD Watershed Assistance Program – No action.

7. Invitation – Mid-Hudson Watershed Discovery Meetings – E-mail from Karen Whitbeck, Greene County Emergency Services – No action.

8. Route 23A Road Closure – October 3, 2016 letter from Mike McCarthy, NYS DOT – Info available in The Village Hall.

9. Central Hudson Policies for Application regarding Temporary Decorative Attachments on utility poles – October 3, 2016 e-mail – We do not attach anything to their poles. No action required.

Financial Reports:

1. Monthly Trash Bag Reconciliation
2. Bank Reconciliations
   • General Fund
   • Sewer Operating Account
   • Water Operating Account

Bills:

Account Voucher Nos. Abstract

General Fund V-160 to V-187 No. 5
Sewer Operating G-78 to G-92 G-5
Water Operating F-46 to F-57 F-5
Old Edwardsville Escrow Account TAO-1 TOA-1
Water Supply Capital Project H-4 H-4

The above vouchers were audited and ordered paid.

Executive Session:

Motion to go into Executive session made by Trustee Higgins for the purpose of discussing a personnel matter.

Mayor Maley – Okay, we are back in after Executive Session. I would like a motion to allow the hire of Tammy Schumacher to the position of part-time Deputy Clerk. She will be an hourly employee at the rate of $15.00 per hour.

Resolutions:

Resolution 2016-051
Appropriate Funds from Line Items with an Excess to Line Items with a Shortfall for Fiscal Year 2016/2017

Offered by Trustee Michael Tancredi; Seconded by Trustee Alan Higgins

RESOLVED that the Village of Hunter Board of Trustees authorizes the Clerk/Treasurer to appropriate funds as needed to line items with a shortfall from line items with an excess and from Fund Balance Unassigned, when line items with excesses are exhausted, for fiscal year 2016/2017 for the General Fund, the Water Operating Fund and the Sewer Operating Fund.

The foregoing resolution was put to a vote and was carried unanimously.

Mayor William Maley voting – yea
Trustee Alan Higgins voting – yea
Trustee Michael Tancredi voting – yea

The resolution was thereupon declared duly adopted.

Resolution 2016 – 052
Appointment of Outreach and Assessment Leads for The NYC Voluntary Flood Buyout Program for Flood Mitigation

Offered by Trustee Michael Tancredi; Seconded by Trustee Alan Tancredi

WHEREAS, the Revised 2007 Filtration Avoidance Determination of 2012 required New York City to fund a Flood Mitigation Program as a result of extensive flooding in August and September of 2011 that caused widespread catastrophic damage throughout Greene County adversely affecting many of its towns and villages and warranting the declaration of a countywide “State of Emergency;” and

WHEREAS, one component of that program includes a voluntary NYC Flood Buyout Program (NYCFBO) for communities to consider; and

WHEREAS, the terms and conditions of the voluntary NYCFBO for village and hamlet designated areas to consider in the New York City watershed have been completed. Unlike the existing Land Acquisition Program, these acquisitions are solely for the purpose of flood mitigation efforts with the agreement of the involved municipality; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Hunter’s Annex to the Greene County Multi-Jurisdictional All Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies supporting the purchase, relocation or retrofitting of structures located in hazard-prone areas to protect structures and public infrastructure from future damages and to ensure Greene County eligibility for State and Federal Hazard Mitigation monies; and

WHEREAS, Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) is charged with funding the expenses for an Outreach Lead to assist municipalities and interested applicants, as well as an Assessment Lead to evaluate the eligibility of properties for the NYCFBO; and

WHEREAS, participating municipalities in the NYCFBO are to provide a resolution designating an Outreach Lead and Assessment Lead to facilitate and represent the community through the process; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Hunter recognizes it may choose to conduct these tasks independently or where no local entity is willing or able to undertake these roles, NYC DEP, CWC or their respective consultants would be available to be the Outreach or Assessment Lead for a particular category of property; and

WHEREAS, the NYCFBO Program will not acquire properties unless the proposed acquisition is agreed to by The Village of Hunter based on the specific procedure(s) used to confirm such municipal concurrence as documented in the “NYC-Funded Flood Buyout Program Property Evaluation and Selection Process” dated June 1, 2016.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

The Village of Hunter designates the Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District (GCSWCD) as the Outreach Lead and Assessment Lead and will enter into an Agreement with GCSWCD to facilitate the NYCFBO on behalf of landowners eligible and approved by The Village of Hunter to go through the program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The Village of Hunter may change the Outreach and Assessment Leads at any time in the future, as there may be unique individual community circumstances and needs that may enable either the Outreach or Assessment Lead to be the only lead needed by the that community.

The foregoing resolution was put to a vote and was carried unanimously.

Mayor William Maley voting – yea
Trustee Alan Higgins voting – yea
Trustee Michael Tancredi voting – yea

The resolution was thereupon declared duly adopted.

Resolution 2016 – 053
Appointment of Part-Time Deputy Clerk

Offered by Trustee Michael Tancredi; Seconded by Trustee Alan Higgins

RESOLVED that Mayor William Maley appointed Tammy Schumacher as Part-Time Deputy Clerk to fill the current vacancy. Term expires April 2017.

The foregoing resolution was put to a vote and was carried unanimously.

Mayor William Maley voting – yea
Trustee Alan Higgins voting – yea
Trustee Michael Tancredi voting – yea

The resolution was thereupon declared duly adopted.

Adjournment:

A motion was made to adjourn the meeting by Trustee Michael Tancredi; Seconded by Trustee Alan Higgins.

Transcribed by:
_____________________
Kathleen M. Hilbert
Clerk/Treasurer

16-10-10 minutes tentative