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 May 23, 2006

PRESENT: Harry G. Lewis Mayor

Richard Balles

Ron Jones

Bruce King Trustees

ABSENT: Donald Adams Trustee

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

The Broome County Association of Towns & Villages will meet May 25, 2006 at 6:30PM at McGirks with Frank Roessner and David Rossi of the Press & Sun-Bulletin as Guest Speakers.

The Mayor reported that the Village of Johnson City received a Loss Contral award from its Workers Compensation Carrier, the Public Employer Risk Management Association (PERMA), at PERMA’s Annual Meeting.

The Broome County Department of Planning is sponsoring Local Government Training Session on Subdivision Review on June 6, 2006 from 6:00PM to 8:00PM at the Broome County Office Building Auditorium.

Johnson City Legion Post 758 and Johnson City VFW will hold their annual Memorial Day Parade on May 29, 2006.

The Johnson City Elks club recently honored the Johnson City Police Department for its dedication to public service, specifically Jody Kennedy. Trustee King presented a plaque and award to Patrolman Jody Kennedy of the Johnson City Police Department for being Police Officer of the Year.

BOARD MINUTES

Motion by Trustee Jones - seconded by Trustee King to accept and place on file the Village Board Minutes for the Work Session and Regular meeting of May 1, 2006.

Motion Carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

BID OPENINGS None

PUBLIC HEARINGS

Mayor Lewis opened the Public Hearing to consider Local Law No. 3 of 2006 to consider amending Section 270-46 of the Village Code dealing with Water Rates.

Jeff Rake – 341 Arthur Avenue – Asked for an explanation of the proposed rates.

Mayor Lewis provided details.

Jeff Rake – 341 Arthur Avenue – Stated the proposal hits the commercial business owners the hardest.

Joe Rogoff – 777 Aetna Road – Stated that he worked for the Water Department for a long time and he feels that the rates are high enough.

Liz Johnson – 230 Myrtle Avenue – Disagrees with any water rate increase.

Director of Public Services Robert Bennett explained the Water Department budget and why the increase is needed in order for revenues to meet expenses.

Steve Belo – 232 N. Hudson Street – Feels that the residents pay too much in property taxes and water and sewer fees.

Bill Van Wormer – 50 New York Avenue – Asked if businesses receive a break on water rates.

Mayor Lewis explained that businesses pay their share based on water usage.

Scott Gallagher – 122 N. Arch Street – Asked about the rates and when they would go into effect.

Mayor Lewis explained the rates and when they would go into effect.

Ken Kinsman – 179 Deyo Hill Road – Explained that in the City of Binghamton the bill is sent out four months after the usage period.

Steve Belo – 232 N. Hudson Street – Asked about freezing wages for employees.

Mayor Lewis stated that freezing wages would need to be negotiated with the various collective bargaining units.

Bob Zielewicz – 198 Deyo Hill Road – Asked about the amount of additional revenue needed to meet expenses.

The Clerk/Treasurer explained that expenses exceed revenues by almost $200,000.

Scott Gallagher – 122 N. Arch Street – Stated that the number of Water Department employees has remained the same for the last 10 years.

Trustee Balles heldover any action on water rates.

PETITIONS RECEIVED None

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR – VISITORS

Leo Meaney – 35 Greenridge Avenue – Asked about the flags that the VFW utilize for the Floral Avenue Park.

Mayor Lewis provided details on the flags for Floral Avenue Park.

Jeff Rake – 341 Arthur Avenue – Feels that the property owned by the Village need improvements, particularly high grass and weeds.

Scott Gallagher – 122 N. Arch Street – Listed several properties where there are unregistered cars. Mr. Gallagher also asked about the resolution related to the application for the Harry L. Johnson monument.

Trustee Balles explained that the grant being applied for is for the restoration of the monument.

Ellen Proctor – 60 Nadine Way – Asked about People’s Park and whether or not the bathtub that used to hold flowers can be removed.

Mayor Lewis stated that he would look into the situation.

Trustee Jones commented that a group of Johnson City business owners are meeting monthly as a way to bring additional events or business downtown. Trustee Jones added that festivals around the downtown area are being planned for this summer.

Liz Johnson – 230 Myrtle Avenue – Asked about a resolution to hire a firefighter.

Mayor Lewis stated that this person will replace a firefighter who retired late last fall.

Ken Kinsman – 179 Deyo Hill Road – Stated that the downtown merchants are the key to a vibrant downtown in addition to working together with the governing body of that municipality.

COMMUNICATIONS

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

Town of Union – Reg. Mtg: May 3 and 17, 2006

Village of Endicott – Reg. Mtg: April 10, 2006

BC Association of Towns & Villages – Reg. Mtg: April 2006

Motion carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Trustee Balles provided details on the recent fundraiser in support of the Gazebo Project. The spaghetti dinner held recently raised over $800.

DEPARTMENTS REPORTS

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

Code Enforcement	April 2006
Water Department	April 2006

Board members polled

Motion carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

PAYROLL AND BILLS PRESENTED

Motion by Trustee Balles - seconded by Trustee Jones that Abstract #21 for the Fiscal Year 2005-06, having been audited by the board and approved, be ordered paid as follows:

GENERAL	$668,845.04
WATER	$77,364.86
SEWER	$128,205.51
REFUSE	$72,641.80
LIBRARY	$12,447.15
JSTP-PHASE III	$928,030.71
OVERBROOK	$75.00

Board members polled

Motion carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

UNFINISHED BUSINESS None

NEW BUSINESS

RESOLUTION #82

Motion by Trustee King - seconded by Trustee Jones to appoint Tyson Sents from Civil Service List No. 65-068 to the position of Firefighter to replace a vacancy created by a retirement in October 2005, contingent upon his successful completion of the medical physical, physical agility and background check with salary based on the collective bargaining agreement.

Board members polled

Motion carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

RESOLUTION #83

Motion by Trustee Jones - seconded by Trustee Balles to authorize the Goodwill Theatre, Inc. to produce a festival called “Intersect” on the weekend of October 13 and 14, 2006 with the Village blocking off the area from Corliss Avenue from Jennison Avenue to Broad Street in addition to Willow Street from Main Street to the Railroad Tracks with the exception of public safety vehicles having access to the area described above and contingent upon Goodwill Theatre, Inc. adding the Village of Johnson City as additional insured on their insurance policies.

Board members polled

Motion carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

RESOLUTION #84

Motion by Trustee Balles - seconded by Trustee Jones to approve the annual Memorial Day Parade to the Frank A. Johnson American Legion Post 758 on May 29, 2006 starting at 10:00AM with the parade route being Main Street to Willow Street to Grand Avenue to Sherman Street and then proceeding from Floral Avenue into the Floral Avenue Cemetary.

Board members polled

Motion carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

RESOLUTION #85

Motion by Trustee Jones - seconded by Trustee Balles to authorize the Village Treasurer to make all budgetary adjustments to close all Village accounts for Fiscal Year ending May 31, 2006.

Board members polled

Motion carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

RESOLUTION #86

Motion by Trustee Balles - seconded by Trustee Jones to authorize the Mayor to sign and submit a grant application to the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation and Historic Preservation for $350,000 related to improvements to “Your Home Library”.

Board members polled

Motion carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

RESOLUTION #87

A proposed resolution to submit a grant application to the New York State Office of Parks and Recreation and Historic Preservation for $25,000 related to the restoration of the Harry L. Johnson monument was heldover by Trustee Balles

RESOLUTION #88

Motion by Trustee King – seconded by Trustee Jones to approve RFM 3B-0010 for

Phase III – Contract 3B – Electrical with Matco Electric for extra electrical work associated with connecting two sample points into a single Dual Analyzer at an additional cost of $4,232.00.

Board members polled

Motion carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

RESOLUTION #89

Motion by Trustee King – seconded by Trustee Jones to approve RFM 3A-0036 for

Phase III – Contract 3A – General with C.O. Falter for concrete crack repairs at an additional cost

of $54.00 per linear foot with a maximum of 1,000 feet of crack repairs or a maximum not to

exceed $54,000.00

Board members polled

Motion carried Ayes 4 Nayes 0 Absent 1 (Adams)

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR

Leo Meaney – 35 Greenridge Street – Asked about the time frame for demolishing the old Police Building.

Mayor Lewis stated that negotiations are on-going between the owner of the property and the Gorick Construction to demolish the building and that hopefully soon the building will be torn down.

Dick Paden – 312 Riverside Drive – Asked about averages in water and sewer charges as was reported in the local paper.

The Clerk/Treasurer provided additional details on an average Village water customer.

ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 9:30P.M.

_____________________________________

Thomas R. Augostini, Village Clerk/Treasurer