Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Johnson City, New York, held at 7:30PM in the Municipal Building on February 20, 2007

 

PRESENT:    Harry G. Lewis                                     Mayor

 

                     Donald Adams

Richard Balles

                     Ron Jones                                            

Bruce King                                           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

 

Mayor Lewis made the following announcements:

 

The Broome County Association of Towns and Villages will meet on February 22, 2007 at 6:30PM at Grande’s Bella Cucina with NYSEG Representatives as Guest Speakers.

 

A letter was received from Broome County Executive Barbara Fiala stating that Broome County will assist the Village in securing funding for the purposes of studying the possibility of dissolution.

 

Time Warner Cable has indicated that the channel which airs “America’s Store” will no longer be available to Time Warner Cable customers after March 3, 2007.

 

BOARD MINUTES

 

Motion by Trustee Balles - seconded by Trustee Jones to accept and place on file the Village Board Minutes for the Work Session and Regular meeting of February 6, 2007.

 

Motion Carried                                                                          Ayes 5  Nayes 0      

 

BID OPENINGS                                                                      None   

 

PUBLIC HEARINGS                                                               None   

 

PETITIONS RECEIVED                                                          None

 

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR – VISITORS                

 

Jody Kennedy – 26 Orchard Street – Requested that alternate street parking be extended to 24 hours, as the recent snow storm illustrated the need for public works to be able to clear the entire street in a timely manner.  The current alternate street parking rules do not adequately address that need.

 

Mayor Lewis stated that this particular issue is discussed after the first major snowstorm of the season.

 

Trustee Jones brought up the possibility of dedicating certain streets as one-way streets.

 

Greg Deemie – 153 Zoa Street – Suggested that the narrow streets be looked at in terms of limited parking to only one side of the street.

 

Colleen Robinson – Apalachin – Stated that she is working on a project through the Mental Health Association related to those affected by the flooding.  She added that she will take referrals and will make herself available after the meeting to talk to anyone with questions.

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

Motion by Trustee King - seconded by Trustee Adams that the following communications be accepted and placed on file:

 

JCSD – Reg. Mtg: January 23, 2007

Town of Union – Reg. Mtg: February 7, 2007

Village of Endicott – Reg. Mtg: December 11 and 18, 2006, January 8 and 22, 2007; Organizational Mtg: January 1, 2007; Special Mtg: January 24 and 29, 2007

Liquor License – Best Western, 569 Harry L. Drive (Renewal)

 

Motion carried                                                                           Ayes 5  Nayes 0 

 

COMMITTEE REPORTS                                                         None               

 

DEPARTMENTS REPORTS                          

 

Motion by Trustee Balles – seconded by Trustee Jones that the following Department Reports be accepted and placed on file:

 

Code Enforcement

January 2007

 

Motion carried                                                                           Ayes 5  Nayes 0  

 

PAYROLL AND BILLS PRESENTED

 

Motion by Trustee Adams - seconded by Trustee Balles that Abstract #14 for the Fiscal Year 2006-07, having been audited by the board and approved, be ordered paid as follows:

 

GENERAL

$116,911.48

WATER

$12,159.40

SEWER

$1,913.77

REFUSE

$24,191.25

LIBRARY

$13,685.86

JSTP-PHASE III

$175,158.15

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                                    Ayes 5  Nayes 0   

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS                                                    None

 

NEW BUSINESS

RESOLUTION #31

 

Motion by Trustee Adams - seconded by Trustee Jones to authorize the Mayor to sign an amendment to the current lease agreement with HSBC Bank at 243 Main Street to include a Confidentiality Clause which would protect any confidential information regarding the bank’s customers that may come into contact with the landlord (Village) as a result of the landlord/tenant relationship created by the lease.  

 

Board members polled                                                                       

Motion carried                                                                                    Ayes 5  Nayes 0    

 

RESOLUTION #32

 

Motion by Trustee Balles - seconded by Trustee King to approve RFM 3A-0042 Phase III – Contract 3A General with C.O. Falter Construction to Install a New Chlorine Sample at an additional cost of $1,102.80

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                                    Ayes 5  Nayes 0

 

RESOLUTION #33

 

Motion by Trustee Jones - seconded by Trustee Balles to approve RFM 3A-0043 Phase III – Contract 3A General with C.O. Falter Construction for the Temporary Installation of Heat in the N and DN Galleries for an additional cost of $7,142.40 with these costs to be submitted for reimbursement to FEMA/SEMO.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                                    Ayes 5  Nayes 0

 

RESOLUTION #34

 

Motion by Trustee Balles - seconded by Trustee King to approve RFM 3B-0013 Phase III – Contract 3B Electrical with Matco Electric for the Temporary Installation of Power in the N and DN Galleries at an additional cost of $5,678.00 with these costs to be submitted for reimbursement to FEMA/SEMO.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                                    Ayes 5  Nayes 0

 

RESOLUTION #35

 

Motion by Trustee Adams - seconded by Trustee Jones to approve RFM 5A-0001 Phase III – Contract 5A General with C.O. Falter Construction for the Replacement of a 16 inch Gate Valve  at an additional cost of $25,145.66 with these costs to be submitted for reimbursement to FEMA/SEMO.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                                    Ayes 5  Nayes 0

 

RESOLUTION #36

 

Motion by Trustee Balles - seconded by Trustee Jones to approve RFM 5A-0002 Phase III – Contract 5A General with C.O. Falter Construction for the Modification of the four existing Terminal Pump Station Pump Bases at an additional cost of $5,071.20 with these costs to be submitted for reimbursement to FEMA/SEMO.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                                    Ayes 5  Nayes 0

 

RESOLUTION #37

 

Motion by Trustee Adams - seconded by Trustee King to authorize the Mayor to sign an Agreement with Broome County for a Selective Traffic Enforcement Program Grant in the amount of $3,250.00.

 

Board members polled

Motion carried                                                                                    Ayes 5  Nayes 0

 

RESOLUTION #38

 

Motion by Trustee King – seconded by Trustee Adams to accept the 2005-2006 Audit as prepared

by the Independent Auditing Firm of Ciaschi, Dietershagen, Little, Mickelson and Company,

LLP.

 

   Board members polled

   Motion carried                                                                                    Ayes 5  Nayes 0 

 

RESOLUTION #39

 

   Motion by Trustee Jones – seconded by Trustee Balles to set a Public Hearing to consider Local Law No. 1 of 2007 to amend Section 250 of the Village Code by adding 485-b of the Real Property Tax Law, a Business Property Tax Exemption.

 

   Board members polled

   Motion carried                                                                                    Ayes 5  Nayes 0 

 

   PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR                                                          

 

   Mayor Lewis stated the Village is still reviewing the petitions that were submitted on January 30,

   2007 to dissolve the Village.

 

Liz Johnson – 230 Myrtle Avenue – Asked for an estimate on when the petitions to dissolve will be completely reviewed.

 

Mayor Lewis stated the review should be completed within one month.

 

Marty Meaney – 41 Weymouth Lane – Stated that at the last Village Board Meeting, Real Estate Agent Paul Cirba stated that Village property taxes are 73% higher than Town of Union property taxes.  Mr. Meaney stated that the percentage is actually 33% and he has actual tax bills to show anyone interested.

 

Julie Deemie – 153 Zoa Avenue – Stated that her and her husband purchased their home in Johnson City after looking in the Town of Union and Endicott because Johnson City had the best to offer in terms of home prices and property taxes.

 

Chris Calafone – 440 Main Street – Stated that statistics illustrate that the Town of Union and the Village of Johnson City have lost population.  He stated that it was inaccurately reported at the last Village Board Meeting that the Town of Union saw a population increase while Johnson City saw a population decrease.

 

Connie Kozak – 91 Martin Avenue – Stated that statistics can be manipulated rather than be objective.

 

Rosemarie Hinkey – 244 N. Harrison Street – She stated that she passed petitions and she did not mislead people when she asked registered voters to sign.  She feels the study should be welcomed because we might learn something.

 

Jody Kennedy – 26 Orchard Street – Provided details on how he was approached to sign the dissolution petition.

 

Liz Johnson – 230 Myrtle Avenue – Stated that signing the petition is not signing to dissolve because a vote still needs to be conducted.  She feels that nobody should have signed without reading the petition.

 

Mike McCann – 36 Margaret Street – Asked how many people have requested that their name be removed from the petition.

 

Mayor Lewis stated that several people have requested that their names be removed and that the Village is reviewing each request on a case-by-case basis.

 

   ADJOURNMENT

 

   The meeting was adjourned at 8:20P.M.

 

 

      _____________________________________

   Thomas R. Augostini, Village Clerk/Treasurer