Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Board       

of Trustees of the Village of Johnson City, New York, held at 7:30 PM in the Municipal Building on October 3, 2006.  

 

PRESENT:       Harry G. Lewis Mayor

 

                        Ronald Jones

                        Richard Balles

            Bruce King      

Donald Adams Trustees

 

                        Beth Westfall                Village Attorney

 

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

 

The meeting was opened with the pledge of allegiance led by Mayor Lewis.  

 

FIRE EXITS

 

The Mayor noted directions to the Fire Exits.

 

MISCELLANEOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Philadelphia Sales on Grand Ave. will be demolished starting Wed. Oct. 4.

 

The Coal House in Vestal will be moved to the trail on October 8.

 

The VFW on Grand Avenue on October 8 at 7PM  will be presented an award from the Federal VFW for being one of the outstanding Posts in the country.

 

The FEMA deadline has been extended to October 16, 2006.

 

APPROVAL OF BOARD MINUTES

 

Motion by Trustee Balles and seconded by Trustee Jones to accept and place on file the Village Board minutes for Work Session and Regular meeting of  September 19, 2005.

 

Motion carried              Ayes – 5    Nayes – 0   

 

BIDS –

 

Bids were opened and read aloud on September 29, 2006 at 10:00AM for the sale of

2 Endicott Avenue.

 

Bidder__________________  Bid_____

David Deamond                       $6,025.00

 

A motion was made by Trustee King and seconded by Trustee Adams to accept the bid from Mr. Deamond for $6,025.00.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                                      Ayes 5  Nayes 0

 

PUBLIC HEARING – None

 

PETITIONS RECEIVED

 

 James Howland – 50 Nassau Street presented a petition to the Board to eliminate

Parking on Nassau Street, north of Brocton Street.

 

A motion was made by Trustee Adams and seconded by Trustee Balles to accept the

petition and remit it to the Legal and Police Depts for review.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                                      Ayes – 5  Nayes – 0

 

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR – VISITORS

 

Charles Reigles – Southern Tier Horseshoe Club at Green Field.  Submitted plans to build eight new horseshoe courts since theirs was destroyed by the flood.  We have a contractor to build them, building at the club’s expense.  Johnson City would be asked to dig up the contaminated courts.  We submitted a plan which would replace 10 courts with eight courts, putting a new walkway between the tennis courts and the first horseshoe court.  We had to submit it to the Village before we could go ahead with the contractor.

There would be no cost to the Village.  The bid is for a cost of $10,000. 

 

Mayor Lewis asked if they could have two courts available for the public.

 

Mr. Reigles stated they could use it, the pins will be permanent and all he would ask is that they use the cones that are attached to the backstops to cover the pins when they are done.

 

Mayor Lewis asked if the contractor had insurance.

 

Mr. Reigles stated that he does.

 

Mayor Lewis stated he would make copies for the Board and Robert Bennett at Public Works.

Tim Rypkema stated he is the contractor and wants to know from the Village what the requirements are as the contractor as far as insurance so he can get the Village the binder.

Nelcorp will be coming in with more efficient lights for the courts. 

 

The Mayor stated he would get back with Mr. Reigles.

 

Trustee Jones asked if they could put up signs that say to “replace cones when finished playing”.

 

David Kellam – 42 Nassau Street, stated the No Parking signs were targeted at him.  They could mark parking spaces in front of the houses.   He would work with Mrs. Ingalls and Officer Parkinson to work out a solution.

 

Mayor Lewis stated they will turn the petition over to the Police Dept. and discuss it with them.

 

The Mayor closed the Privilege of the Floor.

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

Motion by Trustee King and seconded by Trustee Adams to accept and place on file

the following communications.

 

JCSD – Regular meeting, September 12, 2006

Town of Union – Regular meeting: September 20, 2006

Village of Endicott –August 14 and 28, September 11, 2006.

Liquor License – Cacciatore’s –365 Harry L. Drive (renewal)

Liquor License – Giblin’s – 256 Main Street

 

Motion carried                                                                          Ayes – 5  Nayes - 0

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS

 

None submitted

 

DEPARTMENT REPORTS –

 

Motion by Trustee Adams, seconded by Trustee Balles that the following Department

Reports be accepted and placed on file:

 

Code Enforcement                    September 2006

 

Motion carried                                                              Ayes – 5   Nayes – 0   

 

 

 

PAYROLL AND BILLS PRESENTED

 

Motion by Trustee Adams and seconded by Trustee Balles that Abstract #6 for the

Fiscal Year 2006-07 having been audited by the Board and approved, be ordered paid as

follows:

 

GENERAL                              $ 396,322.97

WATER                                   $   52,628.52

SEWER                                   $    4,054.46

REFUSE                                  $   39.329.94

LIBRARY                                $     7,640.08

JSTP-PHASE III                     $  42,179.50

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                              Ayes – 5   Nayes – 0  

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS –

 

None

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

                        RESOLUTION #150

 

Motion by Trustee Balles and seconded by Trustee King  to approve the Parade

Permit for the St. James Church Annual 5K Run/Walk on October 22, 2006 starting at

2:00PM.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                          Ayes – 5  Nayes - 0

 

 

                                                RESOLUTION #151

 

Motion by Trustee Adams and seconded by Trustee Balles to authorize the support of a

grant application being submitted by the Town of Union in the amount of $100,000 in an

effort to create a common Zoning Code and developing a cooperative agreement for

shared planning and zoning functions.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                          Ayes – 5  Nayes – 0

 

                                                RESOLUTION #152

 

Motion by Trustee Jones and seconded by Trustee Balles to waive the $25.00

reinstallation fee for a water meter at 4416 Watson Blvd.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                          Ayes – 5  Nayes – 0

 

                                                RESOLUTION #153

 

Motion by Trustee Adams and seconded by Trustee Balles to waive the penalty on a July

2006 water bill at 227 Harrison Street in the amount if $21.52.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                          Ayes – 5  Nayes – 0

 

                                                RESOLUTION #154

Motion by Trustee Adams and seconded by Trustee Jones to approve the travel request

for Mayor Lewis to attend the Perma meeting on October 19.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                     Ayes – 4     Nayes – 0   Abstain – 1 (Mayor Lewis)

 

                                                RESOLUTION #155

 

Motion by Trustee Adams and seconded by Trustee Balles to approve the promotion of

Lieutenant Nugent to Captain in the Fire Dept effective October 12, 2006.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                          Ayes – 5     Nayes – 0  

 

                                                RESOLUTION #156

 

Motion by Trustee Adams and seconded by Trustee Jones to approve the promotion of

Fireman Novobilski to Captain in the Fire Dept effective October 12, 2006.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                              Ayes – 5    Nayes – 0   

 

                                                RESOLUTION #157

 

Motion by Trustee Jones, seconded by Trustee King to approve the request for a handicap parking sign at 80 St. Charles Street.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                              Ayes – 5    Nayes – 0 

           

                                                RESOLUTION #158

 

Motion by Trustee Adams, seconded by Trustee Jones to authorize Attorney Alan Pope to represent the Village on a code violation matter.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                              Ayes – 5     Nayes – 0  

 

                                    RESOLUTION #159

 

Motion by Trustee King, seconded by Trustee Adams to authorize repair of the horsehoe courts according to the plan that has been submitted, subject to review by Mr. Bennett and submission of proof of insurance.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                              Ayes – 5    Nayes – 0   

 

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR-VISITORS

 

Marty Meaney – 54 Weymouth. Spoke on several subjects.

1)      Library tax on Town of Union taxes.  Are we reimbursed for the Library expenses?

2)      The waiving of water bill penalties or fees.

3)      Have the parks been transferred to the Town of Union

4)      United Way sign in People’s park.

5)      City of Binghamton resolution to merge Johnson City with City of Binghamton.

6)      Look at removing Broome County Government.

7)      Validation of signatures on Johnson City dissolutionment petitions.

8)      Vast majority want Village to keep as is.

 

Mayor Lewis, Trustee King, Trustee Jones and Attorney Westfall responded to Mr. Meaney’sthe subjects.

 

Leo Maney – 35 Greenridge St.  Spoke about the County Government and County Supervisor Fiala’s position on dissolution.

 

Mayor Lewis spoke on Mr. Maney’s concerns.

 

David Kellam – Nassau St.  Spoke on the petition submitted to the Board on the ongoing parking problem on Nassau St.  He had discussed the situation with several Police Officers.

 

Mayor Lewis stated the petition will be looked at and discussed with the Police Dept.

 

Marty Meaney spoke about the flyer received by him and other residents about dissolving the Village.

 

Mayor Lewis and Trustee Jones discussed the process.

 

Tom Brown – 211 Cyndy St. also spoke on the dissolution of the Village.

 

Trustee Jones and Trustee Balles spoke on the process.

 

Mayor Lewis stated that when they receive the petition to dissolve the Village then the Board is obligated to take action and appoint the committee and go through the next steps.

 

Attorney Westfall stated that it is the Board’s decision to decide how much time it will take for the study to occur.

 

Marco Machitti – 40 N. Baldwin St.  stated the flyer noted the taxes for a $55,000 house in Town of Union was $812.00 and the Village taxes are $863.00 for a $55,000 house.  For $51 more a year we have our own Police Dept and Fire Dept.

 

Attorney Westfall stated that people have been told when signing the petition that it is just to get it a study started and that is not correct.  If the petition is successful the whole process has to occur all the way to the vote.  If they are given a verbal message from the carrier that it is just to get a study started than that would be an invalid signature.

 

ADJOURMENT

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:00PM.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Betty J. Austin

Deputy Village Clerk