Dec. 19, 2007 Town Board Meeting Minutes
Town Of Russell
Regular Board Meeting
Russell Town Hall
December 19, 2007
7:00 pm
Present:
Knox - Town Supervisor
Foster - Councilwoman
Paige - Councilman - absent
Eells - Clerk
Whiteford - Councilman
White - Highway Superintendent
Coller - Councilwoman - entered at 7:15pm
Guests:
Bob Knox
Larry & Linda Cook
Courtney Jeannette
Gilbert Rivers
Fred Morrill
The meeting was called to order at 7:05pm by Knox
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES:
A motion was made by Knox and seconded by Whiteford to accept the minutes from November 21st 2007 as
presented by the Deputy Town Clerk Bonnie Howard.
Paige-A
Foster-y
Knox-y
Whiteford-y
Coller-A
Motion carried
CLERKS REPORT:
- We sold 2 dog licenses, 1 building permit, 1 certified copy and $524.00 in Decals for a total revenue
for the month of November of $549.00
- Tess asked if the board would change their minds about putting tax payers names on the tax lookup
site, she has been getting requests from tax payers. Knox will check with other towns Fred Morrill stated
that quite a few towns do.
SUPERVISORS REPORT:
- Financial records have been turned into the Town Clerk for the month of November.
- The Town received $709.50 from NYS for the STAR Program.
- The Town received $14,765.00 from the Pine Tree Club under the Fisher Act. This went into the General Fund.
- The Town received $1,581.75 from NYS for Court fines.
- The Town received $5,739.39 from St. Lawrence County for mortgage tax.
- The Town received $41,357.08 from NYS Thruway Authority for the CHIPS payment giving us a total
of $121,272.63 for the year.
HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT:
- We completed the blasting on Boyd Pond Road and Blanchard Hill Road. We have not been able to start
the clean up due to snow removal.
- We installed 1 pipe crossing on the Mackin Road; this should be the only one needed in
the section we are opening up.
- The motor went out in the 1990 International; we have started to remove it; we plan to replace it
with the motor from the GMC; as this truck will not pass inspection again.
- We replaced the transmission in the P/U again and there is still something wrong. We sent it out to be
checked at Snell’s.
- We have mostly been working on snow removal as winter came early; between snows and freezing rain it has
been very costly. I will be going over some transfers we need to make to cover the bills that were turned in
and will need more money in snow removal; both accounts.
- The men have been very busy with good results and I thank them.
ASSESSORS REPORT: Donna Goodwin
I have been sending out Senior Renewals for the STAR program and I am
processing routine transfers and other paper work. Weather permitting; I
will try in January to see if more building permits have been finished.
LEGISLATURE REPORT:
- Fred asked White if it was going alright with the Lazy River Bridge. White said it was good.
- The work on the jail is a little behind; the pre cast cells are slow coming.
- Knox stated the roof is coming along.
- Fred stated that there is $323,000 to help with clean up of old gas stations, etc.
- The county had a 1.6% tax increase.
- The county set aside $750,000 - 1/2 of sales tax to help with heating problems for the people in
need of assistance.
DCO REPORT: N/A
CEO REPORT:
Ike needs a key for door by post office.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
RESOLUTION # 112 -- (Audit)
A motion was made by Knox and seconded by Foster to pay the following bills:
- General: vouchers # 435-471 $15,505.71
- Highway: vouchers # 275-299 $41,407.17
- St. Lighting: voucher # 12
Russell (501.52)
DeGrasse (169.03)
$ 670.55
Paige-A
Foster-y
Knox-y
Whiteford-y
Coller-y
Motion carried.
LIBRARY/MUSEUM:
- Knox explained to the board members how much money was spent so far on the new lib/museum building; how
much both have distributed and how much is left in unpaid bills.
- The libraries money is tied up in fulfilling the two grants they received from Senator Wright - $15,000.00
and Assemblywoman Scozzafava - $5,000 as soon as the grants amounts are met and they get the money reimbursed
the library will earmark the money for more bills.
- The Town is at a short fall of $13,913.32 at this time; Whiteford stated that the Town will go along until
the grant money comes in.
- Knox stated that the Town received $14,765.00 from the pine Tree Club on the Fisher Act for trees
being logged; he suggests using this money to pay the bills.
RESOLUTION # 113 -- (General Transfer)
A motion was made by Whiteford and seconded by Coller to transfer $15,000.00 from the general
Fund Balance into A1010.2 to cover costs on the new Library/ Museum Building.
Paige-A
Foster-y
Knox-y
Whiteford-y
Coller-y
Motion carried.
RESOLUTION # 114 -- Highway Transfers
A motion was made by Knox and seconded by Whiteford to do these transfers:
- Transfer from D5140.1 $4,844.42 and from D5110.1 $2,000.00 in
to D5148.1 County snow removal.
- Transfer from D5130.4 $3,360.00 into D5142.4 town snow removal.
- Transfer from D5140.4 - $1,000.00 into D5148.4
- Transfer from D5110.4 - $5,300.00 into D5148.4
Paige-A
Foster-y
Knox-y
Whiteford-y
Coller-y
Motion carried.
- Knox stated the furnace was up and running at the new Lib/Museum.
- Knox stated that he received this letter of a complaint on the roads.
- White stated that they are not pounding the roads as much because of fuel increases they are up .60 a gal.
- Rain is causing ice buildup.
- They use calcium on the county roads and scrap them. The County pays to use 10% salt on the county roads so
that is what is used. If the board wants them to use more salt they will.
- Whiteford stated that with the fuel the way it is that cutting down on runs and using more salt; it will help
with the maintenance on the trucks also.
- Coller stated her daughter comes from Saranac and the roads are good until they hit our roads.
- Knox stated that with the county contract it should be changed so the town gets their money sooner.
- White stated the next complaint will be the roads are snotty because of using more salt.
- Knox asked what the board wanted to do with the $36,088.42 sales tax.
RESOLUTION # 115 -- sales tax (General & Highway)
A motion was made by Whiteford and seconded by Foster to put $15,000 from Fund Balance of the $36,088.44 sales
tax into D1120 highway revenue account and the remaining $21,088.44 will stay in the General fund.
Paige-A
Foster-y
Knox-y
Whiteford-y
Coller-y
Motion carried.
- Knox received a call from Robert White Sr. about a highway agreement for a right a way in 1992 on
property on Pleasant Street. Knox, White will meet with him to discuss what he wants.
- Whiteford talked to Jack Thomas about having the minutes put on a web site, no cost to the town.
RESOLUTION # 116 -- Minutes being put on a web site
A motion was made by Whiteford and seconded by Coller to have the minutes put on a web site each month.
Paige-A
Foster-y
Knox-y
Whiteford-y
Coller-y
Motion carried.
RESOLUTION # 116 -- (Advertisement for Organizational meeting)
A motion was made by Knox and seconded by Whiteford to have the Organizational meeting advertised to be
held on January 2nd 2008 at the Russell Town hall at 7:00pm.
Paige-A
Foster-y
Knox-y
Whiteford-y
Coller-y
Motion carried.
RESOLUTION # 118 -- (General Transfer)
A motion was made by Knox and seconded by Whiteford to transfer $1,000.00 from Contingent account
A1990.4 to A1110.4 justice expense.
Paige-A
Foster-y
Knox-y
Whiteford-y
Coller-y
Motion carried.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION:
- Gilbert Rivers stated the the DeGrasse Fire Department want to inquire about having their own pump
heads put on the pumps at the town barn; so they can keep track of it; they are willing to pay for the
expense of it. Knox stated if they send him a list of the fuel log he could keep better track of it.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00pm by Knox.
Respectfully submitted by
Tess Eells
Russell Town Clerk
