More CHIPS Money Than Expected
by David Flint
Stephentown Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt started off the Town Board meeting on Monday with some good news. The CHIPS money has arrived. The State aid revenue from the Consolidated Local Street & Highway Improvement Program came in at $128,197, about $33,000 more than was estimated in the 2013 budget.
[private]Banking In Nassau
The Town will now be doing its banking at the First Niagara Bank in Nassau. According to Eckhardt, this is the closest branch to Stephentown of any bank that the Town can do business with and switching to this bank from Bank of America is agreeable to all affected Town officials. The Board passed a resolution authorizing the Supervisor to execute all necessary legal documents to arrange the move.
Banking will start the first of the year, but Eckhardt said it may take a couple of months to completely close out existing Bank of America accounts
First Niagara will not pay interest on the accounts, but they will also not charge fees such as the “analysis” fees that Bank of America charged – about $300 a month according to Eckhardt, who estimated the Town should come out about $3,000 ahead.
The First Niagara branch in Nassau is about 10 miles further from the Stephentown Town Hall than the Bank of America location in New Lebanon, which will be taken over by Berkshire Bank next month. Although Berkshire Bank won’t be accepting municipal accounts, the Stephentown Board had considered setting up a cash account at Berkshire Bank from which deposits would be swept into a municipal account elsewhere. Eckhardt said that for now they had decided not to do this. Deposits will be made in Nassau.
Still being considered, however, is the possibility of saving on mileage reimbursements by appointing one bonded courier to make deposits instead of each official making separate runs to Nassau.
Town Won’t Pay Property Tax
The Board was surprised last January when they received from the County a property tax bill in the amount of $1,857 for the property they had purchased in 2012 across the road from the Town Hall. Apparently the property they purchased for $45,000 had been assessed at $200,669, full value.
According to State property tax law, properties purchased by municipalities for public use are to be exempt from taxation. Eckhardt said they had asked for clarification from the County and now, after many months, they had finally received word from County Attorney Steve Pechenik on what to do about this. Following instructions, they now passed a resolution waiving the Town’s portion of the taxes. When the County receives notification of this Pechenik will, presumably, act swiftly and see to it that the County also waives their portion of the tax.
Land Use Regulations – Another Public
Hearing
The Board set a public hearing on revisions to the Land Use Regulations for Monday, January 13, at 6:30 pm preceding their next Workshop meeting. The Board has held several public hearings already on these minor changes to the Regulations having to do with legacy parcels, but it seems that surrounding towns were supposed to be notified of the hearings and that didn’t happen. So this should be the final one, Eckhardt said.
Bids for Road Materials
The Town Clerk was authorized to advertise for bids to provide the Town with gravel and other materials for road work. Sealed bids accompanied by a non-collusion form and mining permit are due to the Town Clerk by 4 pm on Friday, December 27.
Snow Clearing Contract Awarded
The Board received two bids to provide snow plowing at the Transfer Station and snow plowing, shoveling and salting of sidewalks at the Town Hall. Nathaniel Cowen asked $125 for each plowing at the Transfer Station and $55 for work at the Town Hall. Terry Sykes wanted $135 for the Transfer Station and $70 for the Town Hall. The Board voted unanimously to award the contract to Nathaniel Cowen.
Contract For Cleaning Of Town Hall
Four bids were received for cleaning the Town Hall. The job entails 4½ hours a week cleaning and garbage removal. One bid did not specify a price. Two bids specified $17 per hour, and one specified $20 per hour. The Board voted unanimously to award the contract to Kathleen Olson for $17 an hour.
Planning Board And Zoning Board
The Board authorized the Town Clerk to advertise for applications for a position on the Zoning Board of Appeals, for two alternate positions that will fill in as needed on either the ZBA or the Planning Board and also for the position of Planning Board Clerk. Responses are due to the Town Clerk by Friday, December 27.
Single Stream Recycling
Councilman Bill Jennings announced that a new steel walkway for the Transfer Station is now being constructed at Zwack, Inc. Installation is expected to be completed in early January and when that is done Jennings said that single stream recycling can start. Single stream means that cardboard and paper will now be commingled with the other recycled materials such as plastic, glass and aluminum. The Town will actually receive more for recyclables under this arrangement, and there may be additional savings in that there should be less non-recyclable waste to haul away.
Interviewing Applicants For Deputy Assessor
The Board set the year-end Reconciliation Meeting to tidy up Town accounts for Monday, December 30, at 7 pm. Prior to that meeting at 6 and 6:30 pm the Board, along with Town Assessor Tom MacVeigh, will interview two persons, Jennifer Van Deusen and Town Clerk Stephanie Wagar, who have applied for the job of Deputy Assessor. The term of the current Deputy, Joan MacVeigh, expires at the end of the year, and she will not seek appointment for another year. Since Tom MacVeigh has indicated he will retire after two more years, it is expected that whoever becomes the new Deputy is likely to succeed to the Assessor’s post.
MacVeigh noted that both applicants would be very well qualified. He pointed out, however, that there is a lot for the new Deputy to learn, and he urged that the Board keep Joan MacVeigh on as a consultant for the first two months of the new year.
Deposits & Spending
The Town Clerk turned over the sum of $817.37 to the Supervisor for the month of November. The distribution from the Office of the State Comptroller, Justice Court Fund to the Town was $1,472 for October and $1,029 for November. The Transfer Station deposited a total of $5,524.
The Board audited and approved claims in the amount of $59,698.40 from the General Fund, including $44,153 paid to NYS Retirement for the year 2014, and $108,805.92 from the Highway Account.
Upcoming Meetings
The Board set their Organizational meeting for Thursday, January 2, at 7 pm, their next workshop meeting for Monday, January 13, starting with a public hearing on Land Use Regulations at 6:30 pm and their next regular meeting for Monday, January 20, starting at 7 pm.[/private]