April 14, 2004

A regular meeting of the Jewett Town Board was held on April 14, 2004. Supervisor Michael Flaherty called the meeting to order at 7PM. Present were Board members Thomas Hitchcock, Charles Kutcher, Paul LaPierre and Harry T. Wilson. Also present were Superintendent of Highways Robert Mallory, Building Inspector Robert Bosworth, Zoning Officer William Dwyer, Barbara Sturman, Jane Bostrom, Ann Dwyer and the town clerk.

Minutes of the March 10, 2004 regular meeting were accepted on a motion by Hitchcock, 2 nd by LaPierre and carried.

Minutes of the March 22, 2004 special meeting were accepted with the correction that Councilman Kutcher made the motion to support Collateral Bill S.622/A3483 and Councilman LaPierre seconded the motion.

The Supervisor's monthly report was distributed to the Board and bank statements were made available for review.

The building inspector gave a written and oral report.

A motion was made by Hitchcock, 2 nd by Wilson and carried to accept the report.

The zoning officer gave a written and oral report.

A motion was made by Kutcher, 2 nd by Wilson and carried to accept the report.

Barbara Sturman representing "Where its @ Youth Center" made a short presentation to the Board. She gave Board members copies of the youth center's annual report and their brochure.

Ms. Sturman explained that the youth center is trying to do programs for youths from the entire mountain- top. The center has been funded by the Bank of Greene County to do a series of free evening classes for teens in marital arts, yoga and kick- boxing or fencing. They are also being funded by the Dept. of Social Services to do afternoon classes for the middle school youth beginning this fall.

The youth center will be running the Tannersville youth camp this summer.

Justice Stanley Tater addressed the Board.

He requested an increase of 2 to 4 hours per week for the court clerk to allow her to clear up a large backlog. At present she works 6 hours per week.

A motion was made by Hitchcock, 2 nd by Wilson and carried to increase the court clerk's time by 2 to 4 hours per week for a three- month period. Justice Tater will then come back before the Board and advise them on the progress.

Superintendent Mallory spoke to the Board again about the purchase of a new snowplow truck.

He stated, "the department has four trucks but this past year has been working with three trucks because there were only three drivers. A new employee has been hired, which will enable the department to have four drivers with four runs."

"I believe we need the truck. It's not an additional truck it's replacing a truck that was used before we lost the fourth driver. I'm asking for one last consideration on the truck."

Supervisor Flaherty said he felt strongly that we need 4 trucks.

Councilman Wilson said he was looking at this from a dollar standpoint.

Councilman Hitchcock said he was not hearing the case made for the 4 th truck.

Councilman Kutcher said we probably do need a new truck but not right now and the Board should revisit this issue over the summer and look at the replacement schedule.

Councilman LaPierre said there are a number of things to consider cost aside such as ware and tare, public safety, driver fatigue, overtime, access for emergency vehicles and maintaining road service.

The Board voted the following:

Aye 1 Flaherty

Nay 4 Hitchcock, Kutcher, Wilson, LaPierre

Board members agreed this issue would be revisited at a later date.

The noise law committee of Kutcher and Wilson reported to the Board. They met with Attorney Rappleyea and reviewed the various options on sound laws and County Planner Ed Diamante sent them additional information.

The committee decided that what was need was a short- lived community committee. The committee would be made up of Councilmen Kutcher and Wilson, Town residents Jane Bostrom and Marybeth O'Mahoney. They are still looking for a 5 th person to fill the 5 th position hopefully within the next week

The goal of the committee is to have an organizational meeting in May. In June they should be identifying open issues and comparing it to a template. In July they hope to have a first draft. In August they would have the revised draft and in September hold a public hearing.

The committee will keep the Board updated.

Councilman Wilson informed the Board that he had the names of four people to discuss the present facilities but the first step would be to sit down and decide what is needed immediately reminding the Board that there would be a financial commitment by the Town.

A special meeting to discuss the present facilities was scheduled for April 29 th at 5PM.

Councilman Kutcher, "There's a potential problem in the current zoning law. In Article 3 there are minimum lot widths depending on what area you are in. It's almost always been assumed by the Planning Board, even by Tal, that minimum lot width was the equivalent of road frontage, but the definition of lot width in fact may undercut this intention and might allow us to get flag lots."

"The reason for that is that lot width is defined as 'the average distance between side lot lines taken at the front yard or building line and measured at right angles to the side lot lines along a parallel to the street.'"

"A yard front is 'a yard extending from the centerline of an existing highway or right-of-way to a building.'"

You can have in fact a flag lot where the average of a long driveway is averaged into the total. "You could have 100 feet of driveway 10 feet wide and then a lot that is 400 feet across and goes back 100 feet to make an average that meets minimum lot width."

"Beside the aesthetic issues there are also potential road hazards. You could not only have a flag lot you could have a series of flag lots. I think there are one or two major subdivisions trying to take advantage of this."

A motion was made by Kutcher, 2 nd by Hitchcock and carried approving Resolution #12. Resolution #12 refers the matter of the definitions of lot width and yard front to the Planning Board to initiate a legal review and recommendations to amend the law if necessary to solve this problem.

ROLL CALL: Aye 5 Flaherty, Hitchcock, Kutcher, LaPierre, Wilson

Nay 0

A motion was made by Kutcher, 2 nd by LaPierre and carried approving Resolution #13. This resolution declares a moratorium on any new applications which seek to impose on lot width a definition other than road frontage. The moratorium shall last 180 days or the maximum allowed by law or until the Board rescinds it, which ever comes first.

ROLL CALL: Aye 5 Flaherty, Hitchcock, Kutcher, LaPierre, Wilson

Nay 0

Councilman Hitchcock said "his concerns, as voiced in the past, are septic set backs and burying on private property."

Supervisor Flaherty recommended that since the Planning Board will be working on changing the zoning, the Board could work on and suggest changes to the zoning concerning burying on private property, containers, truck bodies and septic setbacks.

A motion was made by Flaherty, 2 nd by Hitchcock and carried to appoint a finance committee on Resolution #14. Board members will rotate at three-month intervals. The first committee will be LaPierre and Wilson. They will audit the vouchers prior to the meeting and recommend payment to the full Board.

ROLL CALL: Aye 5 Flaherty, Hitchcock, Kutcher, LaPierre, Wilson

Nay 0

The Board reviewed three pictures of what the Building Inspector considered unsafe buildings.

Because there exist a backlog on unsafe buildings Councilman Hitchcock suggested a moratorium on new additions to the list. He also suggested that the Town clear up what there is on the list and have the Town Board recommend what buildings are unsafe to the Building Inspector in the future. All Board members were in agreement.

Supervisor Flaherty had copied a letter from the Greene County Highway Department concerning upcoming projects. The County will be working on replacing two bridges in the Town. One on Rt. 23C by David Slutzky's and the second will be on Scribner Hollow Road.

The Supervisor had corresponded with the two mountain top legislatures seeking their assistance. Legislature Larry Gardner responded, Jewett's legislature Jim Hitchcock did not.

The Supervisor spoke with County Superintendent Harvey and insisted that there be some sort of go around for the project on 23C. as this project will last for 3 to 4 months.

Councilman LaPierre suggested that Legislature Hitchcock be invited to a meeting. All Board members agreed.

A motion was made by Flaherty, 2 nd by LaPierre and carried approving Resolution #15. This resolution initiates a Local Law in respect to the use of plastic pipe and proper back filling of foundations.

ROLL CALL: Aye 5 Flaherty, Hitchcock, Kutcher, LaPierre, Wilson

Nay 0

A public hearing on the local law is scheduled for the May 12 th regular meeting at 7PM.

A motion was made by Flaherty, 2 nd by Hitchcock and carried approving Resolution #16. This resolution is to increase the charge for copies of the zoning law to $25.00, subdivision regulations to $15.00 and flood map searches to $30.00.

ROLL CALL: Aye 5 Flaherty, Hitchcock, Kutcher, LaPierre, Wilson

Nay 0

Under other:

Councilman LaPierre told the Board about a communication from William Selders P.E. on the subject of "A cost savings concept - Hunter landfill leachate management".

Mr. Selders has offered his services to whatever extent the Town might wish to utilize them on investigating and perhaps working on artificial wetland.

A copy of the communication is on file in the town clerks office.

A motion was made by Wilson, 2 nd by Hitchcock and carried to have the Supervisor write a letter of commendation to the Town Superintendent and highway employees for the fine job they have done in past years and continuing into this year.

Bills were audited and ordered paid. The general fund was $10,382.88 on abstract #4, claim numbers 77 to 103. The highway fund was $5,368.48 on abstract #4, claim numbers 55 to 70.

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Patricia Merwin Town Clerk

April 29, 2004

A special meeting of the Jewett Town Board was held on April 29, 2004.

The purpose of the meeting was a workshop to discuss the Towns infrastructure.

Supervisor Michael Flaherty called the meeting to order at 5PM. Present were Board members Tom Wilson, Thomas Hitchcock, Charles Kutcher, Paul LaPierre and the town clerk.

Councilman Wilson had prepared a presentation.

This stated the objective: to determine current uses, limitations to current use, impact of expansion of use as Town growth occurs and possible new used of Town Hall facility and/or surrounding landscape in order to evaluate whether a new facility is required and in what timeframe.

Also in the presentation was a definition of the Town Hall, background, current functions of the building, growth factors, budget and objective and subjective observations.

The Board discussed the various items.

The meeting was adjourned at 6PM when Councilman LaPierre became ill.

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Patricia Merwin Town Clerk