Monthly Town Board Meeting
Catskill Town Hall
November 1st, 2005 7:00 PM
Attending: Supervisor, Joseph Izzo
Councilman, Chuck Balsano
Councilman, Joseph Leggio
Councilman, Robert Antonelli
Town Clerk, Karen Sprague Johnson
Absent: Councilman, Joseph Hanusik
Supervisor Izzo opened the meeting with a moment of silent prayer, and the Pledge of Allegiance.
NEW BUSINESS:
MINUTES TO BE ACCEPTED:
10/04/2005 Public Hearing # 13-2005( D.Valentine/M.Ward)
Motion Councilman Antonelli
Second Councilman Leggio Ayes 4, Nays 0, Absent 1, (Councilman Hanusik)
Motion Carried
10/04/2005 Monthly Town Board Meeting
Motion Councilman Antonelli
Second Councilman Leggio
Ayes 4, Nays 0, Absent 1, (Councilman Hanusik)
Motion Carried
10/19/2005 Monthly Town Committee Meeting
Motion Councilman Antonelli
Second Councilman Leggio Ayes 4, Nays 0, Absent 1, (Councilman Hanusik)
Motion Carried
10/20/2005 Tentative Budget Workshop Meeting
Motion Councilman Antonelli Second Councilman Leggio
Ayes 4, Nays 0, Absent 1, (Councilman Hanusik)
Motion Carried
10/25/2005 Budget Preliminary Workshop Meeting
Motion Councilman Antonelli
Second Councilman Leggio
Ayes 4, Nays 0, Absent 1, (Councilman Hanusik)
Motion Carried
RESOLUTION:
RESOLUTION # 93-2005 GREENE COUNTY EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SYSTEMS, ALS AMBULANCE SERVICE
CONTRACT FOR JANUARY 1ST, 2006 to
DECEMBER 31st, 2007.
Councilman Robert Antonelli, presented the following for consideration and adoption,
WHEREAS, the Town of Catskill would like to renew the agreement with Greene Co. Emergency Medical System, Inc. for Emergency Medical Services through an Advanced Life Support Program (“ALS”), for the Town of Catskill, and
WHEREAS, the “ALS” service will be for a two (2) year period starting January 1st, 2006 thru December 31st, 2007, for the Town of Catskill, and
THEREFORE WE, the Catskill Town Board, do hereby authorize the Catskill Town Supervisor to sign the agreement with Greene Co. Emergency Medical Systems, Inc., to supply “ALS” service to the Town of Catskill, for a total cost of $283,802.00, for the year 2006 only. The new figure for 2007, will be received in September of 2006.
Councilman Joseph Leggio, seconded this motion.
Ayes 3, Nays 1, (Councilman Leggio) Absent 1, (Councilman Hanusik)
Motion Carried
COUNTY RESOLUTIONS :
Resolution # 355-2005 Approving Reimbursement to Community Colleges.
(Town of Catskill portion for the Summer & Fall Semester of 2005 is $3,390.66)
CORRESPONDENCE:
Notice from Keith Valentine, Gr. Co. Legislator, about a special Veterans Day Ceremony at the Catskill Point Park, on Nov. 11th, 2005 at 11:00 am. Mr. Valentine, would like to know if the Board can participate, and if so to please let him know.
Received copy of agreement from Gr. Co. Dept. of the Aging, on using the facilities at the Washington Irving Senior Center, for the purpose of preparation and serving of meals at the center, for home distribution of meals, and other individual and group services and activities for senior citizens in coordination with the Center Director. Councilman Antonelli, said today was the first day of operation, with the Meals on Wheels program.
Received copy of new contract with Columbia-Greene Humane Society that needs to be reviewed after the Budget is passed and have a resolution for January 1st, 2006 to December 31st, 2006. we will have a resolution to pass at the November workshop meeting
Letter from Catskill Mtn. Housing Development Corp., in regard to Application for Apartment Renovation Program, from John Doyle, owner of 17-19 Harrison Ave., Catskill, NY, who will agree to rent to income qualified tenants for five years.
Thank you to Ms. Mildred Cameron, for donation to the Town of Catskill Ambulance Service.
The Greene County Council on the Arts, Inc. submitted their Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Statement for the period ending September 30, 2005.
Letter to Helena Andreyo, of the Hudson River Foundation, for the Town of Catskill’s Hudson River Improvement Fund grant application. The Town is seeking $10,000 in funding for a joint comprehensive plan with the Village of Catskill, it will be a $40,000 project. Supervisor Izzo, wants to thank Dan & Mary Howard, for there efforts in getting this Grant together on short notice.
Correspondence was received from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation informing the Town that Catskill Sewer District #4’s Wastewater Treatment plant was sampled for its issued SPDES permit parameters and all parameters sampled were within permit limits. Laboratory results for the samples were taken.
REPORTS:
Town of Catskill Comptrollers Cash Report for the month of September 2005
Town of Catskill Highway Report for the month of October 2005
Town of Catskill Cemetery Report for the month of October 2005.
Town of Catskill Code Enforcement Report for the month of October 2005.
Town of Catskill Ambulance Report for the month of October 2005
* Copies of all reports are available at the Town Clerk’s office upon request.
Supervisor Izzo announces that the Budget Hearing will be held on November 9th, 2005 at 6:00 p.m.
At the last board meeting, a gentleman from Palenville, requested the establishment of a lighting district on Pennsylvania Avenue. Also a gentleman from Cauterskill Avenue has made a inquiry to the procedures involved in establishing a lighting district there. Supervisor Izzo explains that in Section 8.5 of Town Law, the Town is permitted to form an improvement district. There are two types of improvement districts: Ad valorem districts and benefit. The ad valorem district, that is the cost of constructing and maintaining the facilities and special improvements, or of supplying the services the district furnishes, is paid by taxes assessed, levied and collected from the real property located within the boundaries of the district according to the assessed valuation there of, that is, “in the same manner and at the same time as other town charges” and those districts that fall within this category are: Parks, Public parking, lighting, water, and etc., so that is how the district
would be paid for. For the establishment or extension of the district the Board can do it by a Petition or by a Town Board motion . The petition must describe the boundaries of the district or the extension. The petition must then be signed by the owners of taxable real property located in the proposed district or extension owning in the aggregate of at least one-half of the assessed valuation of all the real property in the district/extension. Upon the petition, the Town Board must, or may on its own motion after a public hearing, make a study of the proposal for such purpose. A public hearing, a publication of estimated costs, and a determination are then required. If there is any borrowing, the Board would need the consent of the State Comptroller’s Office.
Supervisor Izzo will send a letter to the individual’s requesting the districts detailing these procedures, and in this case we are talking about Pennsylvania Ave., in Palenville, and Cauterskill Rd., in the Town of Catskill. A map would have to be drawn up of the boundaries of the lighting district, and the lighting district would then need to be amended. A discussion is necessary with the residents of Pennsylvania Avenue to determine whether or not they want a lighting district. Supervisor Izzo, said that maybe in January at the committee meeting we could have a special meeting at the Palenville Fire house to discuss the lighting district. Councilman Leggio, said that in the mean time we might ask Central Hudson to give us a appraisal what it would be from Rt. 23 to Pine Ave.,
Supervisor Izzo, said he would have the Assessor figure out what the assessed value is of that area and then once we get costs from Central Hudson the Board can come up with what the cost will be for the whole district.
Councilmen Leggio explains that he would have liked to negotiate the ALS contract with Greene County EMS, thereby explaining his reasoning behind voting against the Resolution.
Planning Board Chairman, Dan Howard, explains there was one respondent to the request for a consulting firm to assist in the creation of the joint Town & Village comprehensive plan. The budget was for $35,000 and the proposal submitted was for $40,118. The committee recommends that they contract with Saratoga Associates pending a review by the Boards and Town Attorney. Supervisor Izzo suggests that a contract is created, reviewed by the attorneys, and the committee makes an official recommendation.
Councilmen Balsano questions the reassessments of property. According to his understanding, Supervisor Izzo explains that upon the sale of a property, the property is assessed at market value based on the property at the time of the sale. The Assessor will review both the property and the sale and determine if that is an appropriate price. Councilmen Leggio suggests conducting periodic updates of assessments. The problem with conducting a re-valuation of properties at this time is that the market is at a prime and would not genuinely reflect the value of properties.
Lou O’Connor explains that people feel as though they are being penalized for making improvements to their properties through increases in their assessment. He recommends that, depending upon the improvement, there should not be a charge attached to the building permit, or there is a charge but no change in assessment. There needs to be guidelines. Supervisor Izzo states that the Assessor’s Office does follow a set of guidelines in reviewing improvements. There is concern that the tax base is going up and consequently forcing some people out. Councilman Balsano, feels that anyone who does keep their property nice is penalized un-necessarily.
Dan Howard recommends that Assessor, Sue Golden, attend the next meeting and explain how properties are assessed.
Supervisor Izzo, asked for a motion to go into executive session to discuss some legal issues and also the upcoming hearing with the National Regulations Board on the union issue, and some issues in regards to the sale of properties.
Councilmen Leggio , made the motion, and Councilman Antonelli, seconded the motion.
Ayes 4, Nays 0, Absent 1, (Councilman Hanusik)
Town Board came out of executive session at 8:00 p.m., and Councilman Leggio, made the motion, and Councilman Antonelli, seconded the motion to adjourn.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Sprague Johnson
Catskill Town Clerk
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