January 21, 2009 Town Board Meeting Minutes

Present:
Richard Knox - Town Supervisor
Carol Coller - Councilwoman - absent
Evah Foster - Councilwoman
Courtney Jeanette - Councilwoman
David Whiteford - Councilman
Tess Eells - Town Clerk
Larry White - Highway Superintendent - absent

Guests:
Larry Cook
Linda Matthews
Dennis Griffin
Bobby Knox
Bob Best
Fred Morrill

The meeting was called to order by Supervisor Knox at 7:02pm

Acceptance of the minutes:

A motion was made by Councilwoman Foster and seconded by Supervisor Knox to accept the minutes from 12/17/08 and 01/07/09 as presented by the Town Clerk.

Coller - absent
Jeanette - yes
Foster - yes
Knox - yes
Whiteford - yes

Motion carried.

REPORTS

Town Clerk's Report:

We sold 8 dog licenses, 1 building permit, 12 certified copies and $340.00 in DECALS for a total revenue for the month of December of $505.00. I have collected $265,836.92 of taxes from 01/01/09 to 01/21/09.

Supervisor's Report:

1. Financial reports have been turned into the Town clerk for December.

2. I have put $100,000 for General into a CD and $150,000 for Highway into a CD.

3. I feel that the Highway Superintendent should notify me and/or board members when something happens to a truck or an accident occurs. The claims adjuster estimated $35,276.01 for the totaled truck and sander. There were salvage bids of $300, $200, and $209. The Town would like to buy back the truck for parts.

Highway Superintendent Report:

1. The weather has kept the plows quite busy. The 3 shifts we set up are working well and have cut most overtime to the weekends.

2. We have been busy on maintenance with the regular breakdowns of plowing and sanding as well as complete brakes and tires on the 2003 international, the clutch on the chipper, and regular maintenance on others.

3. We continue to cut fire wood as time and weather allows.

4. On 12/21/08 our 1990 International rolled over at the intersection of the Burnell and Blanchard Hill Roads. There were no injuries to the operator. The truck and sander are a total loss. I have not yet received the insurance payment amount. I have expressed an interest in purchasing the truck back for parts; the highest bid so far is $300.

5. We spent a few days screening and have moved the excavator into prep for brush cutting. We plan to start on the Pyrites-Russell Road to the Lazy River road.

6. The men have all worked well and I thank them.

7. Received 2 checks from Russell Rescue for fuel, diesel & gas; $228.07 & $356.05.

Assessor Report:

N/A

CEO Report:

N/A

DCO Report:

N/A

Legislature Report: Fred Morrill

1. I received this email from Bob McNeil on 01/08 - The treasurer’s office has the resolution from Russell. The parcel is in foreclosure, the County will probably acquire it in June. After the County owns the parcel, we will prepare a resolution for the board to consider doing what Russell is requesting. Any action prior to this would require legal action by the Town to assume control of the property or to permit the demolition of the parcel.

2. The ribbon cutting for new jail is 01/26 at 3:00pm. The jail is complete as of December 1st 2008. It cost 32 million to build; it bothers me that they sit on their hands when the inmates could already be in there.

3. All four items the town submitted for the Stimulus package of President Obama have been submitted. I also included the demolition of the corner store owned by the fire department.

4. Councilwoman Foster asked Fred if the comptroller’s job at the Newton Falls Mill was advertised; he said yes.

5. Councilman Whiteford asked him if he went to the Roof Top Highway Meeting; he said no he couldn’t make it.

AMP Report: Bob Best

Bob presented the board with a resolution from the Business Development Corporation for a Greater Massena for the town’s support for the construction of a four-lane highway in St. Lawrence County and urges the assistance of elected state and federal officials to make it a reality.

Resolution #24: Support for a four-Lane Highway in St. Lawrence County

A motion was made by Supervisor Knox and seconded by Councilman Whiteford to support the construction of a four-lane highway in St. Lawrence County and urge the assistance of elected state and federal officials to make it a reality:

Whereas: the economic impact of North Country transportation improvements is a key component of the North Country Study, and

Whereas: the economic development impact analysis has measured the value to the regional economy of efficiency gains through user benefits such as reductions in travel time, reduction in operating costs, and reductions in accidents due to improved safety, and

Whereas: the gains through increased social and economic development opportunities due to improved transportation access will reduce unemployment rates, reduce government transfer payments such as social welfare and unemployment insurance, and increase employment in the region, and

Whereas: the transportation improvements can enhance access to labor, customer, tourism and supplier markets, as well as to intermodal transportation facilities, making the overall region more attractive to transportation-dependent industries, and

Whereas: the construction of a four-lane highway within the boundaries of St. Lawrence County will begin to address the transportation improvements necessary to foster such economic growth, and

Whereas: our elected New York and Congressional representatives can be assured that the Business Development Corporation for a Greater Massena adamantly supports such a four-lane highway construction,

Now, Therefore Be It Resolved, that the Business Development Corporation for a Greater Massena urge New York State Commissioner of Transportation, Ms. Astrid C. Glynn, to cooperate with local transportation taskforce groups to push for the construction of a four-lane highway within St. Lawrence County, and

Be It Further Resolved: that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Commissioner Glynn, NYS Department of Transportation; Governor Patterson; NYS Senators Griffo, Aubertine and Little; NYS assembly Members Scozzafava, Russell and Duprey; United states senators Schumer, and Clinton; Congressman McHugh; St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton and Jefferson Counties; the Development Authority of the North Country; and the Citizens Coalition for Economic Infrastructure Development.

Coller - absent
Jeanette - yes
Foster - yes
Knox - yes
Whiteford - yes

Motion carried.

Fred Morrill stated that 500 resolutions of support are needed.

Bob Best stated that he met with 3 senators in Albany; they have a copy of the new bill and it will be sent in for a bill number for AMP. He also stated that he has a meeting with Steve Hunter in two weeks to discuss the feasibility study with the engineers, and then they will map out the system.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Resolution #25: Audit

A motion was made by Supervisor Knox and seconded by Councilman Whiteford to transfer $1,225.00 from account d2650.2 into d5110.5 and $400.00 from D2650 into D5110.4 and to pay the following bills.

General vouchers # 1 - 41: $37,269.04 ($37,954.54 TE)
Highway vouchers # 1 - 30: $ 51,421.81 ($51,429.81 TE)
Street Lighting #1:   Russell $493.41
                            DeGrasse 159.94
                                         $653.35

Coller - absent
Jeanette - yes
Foster - yes
Knox - yes
Whiteford - yes

Motion carried.

NEW BUSINESS:

Vaughn’s Ditch; Pete and Roxanne Vaughn inquired about getting the ditch cleaned out because it fills up and floods their property. The highway superintendent will check out the situation.

Theater furnace; we need pictures of the new furnace so they can be sent to Parks, and Recreation to be reviewed to get the $5,000 from the grant that was wrote, SHPO was suppose to give the okay before it was installed.

RSI will get back to the town in the spring to patch the town hall roof.

SHPO will have to sign off on the roof, and cement work on town hall if the town gets the stimulus money.

Town truck; Will discuss more when highway superintendent is available.

Health Center; the hospital met with contractors, there may be a problem with the furnace it may need to be moved or they may need to put a new one in. The bids go out on 01/29 to get started.

Resolution #26: Health Clinic Rent

A motion was made by Supervisor Knox and seconded by Councilman Whiteford to delay receiving rent for the months of January and February from EJ Noble Hospital for the new Health Clinic facility at 9 Pestle street Russell, NY 13684. Rent will be due the 1st of March 2009; the Russell Town Board decided to alter the contract to give EJ Noble Hospital a break until they can get into the building.

Coller - absent
Jeanette - yes
Foster - yes
Knox - yes
Whiteford - yes

Motion carried.

Resolution #27: Certificate of Adoption of Funds transfer

A motion was made by Councilman Whiteford and seconded by Councilwoman Jeanette to accept the Certificate of Adoption of Funds Transfer Agreement with NBT Bank, N.A. with the only change being an increase from $1,000 to $3,000 for maximum transfer amount.

Coller - absent
Jeanette - yes
Foster - yes
Knox - yes
Whiteford - yes

Motion carried.

Appointing Health Officer for 2009 was tabled.

Resolution #28: Appointing Town Lawyer for 2009

A motion was made by Councilman Whiteford and seconded by Councilwoman Jeanette to appoint Henry Leader from Case & Leader as the Town Lawyer for the year 2009 at the rate for legal services of $130.00 per hour.

Coller - absent
Jeanette - yes
Foster - yes
Knox - yes
Whiteford - yes

Motion carried.

Resolution #29: Agreement to Spend Town Highway Funds

A motion was made by Councilwoman Jeanette and seconded by Supervisor Knox to authorize the Agreement to Spend Town Highway Funds from General Repairs of $153,472.00 on 80.81 miles of town highways.

Coller - absent
Jeanette - yes
Foster - yes
Knox - yes
Whiteford - yes

Motion carried.

Resolution #30: Honoring Joe Devito Sr. as Firefighter of the Year 2008

A motion was presented by Supervisor Knox and seconded by Councilman Whiteford to:

Whereas: the Russell Town Board would like to acknowledge and congratulate Joseph DeVito Sr. on being the recipient of the 2008 Firefighters of the year Honors, and

Whereas; the Russell Town Board would like to thank him for the 33 years of service he gave the Russell fire Department, and

Whereas: the citizens of our community benefit from the knowledge, skills and dedication he brings to the Russell Fire Department, and

Therefore Be It Resolved, that the Russell Town Board encourages the community to observe and honor Joseph DeVito Sr. for his accomplishments and also for receiving the Firefighter of the Year.

Coller - absent
Jeanette - yes
Foster - yes
Knox - yes
Whiteford - yes

Motion carried.

Harvey Thomas asked the board if the fire department could paint the pump house this spring.

Courtney Jeanette asked if the vouchers could leave the town hall. Evah stated that a resolution was done stating the vouchers could not leave the building. Knox stated that the bookkeeper takes them home to write checks over the weekend and they are taken back to the clerk.

Adjournment:

A motion was made by Councilwoman Jeanette and seconded by Supervisor Knox to adjourn the meeting at 8:00pm. All were in favor, motion carried.