| Town Board
JANUARY 14, 2009
The organizational and regular meeting of the Jewett Town Board was held on Wednesday, January 14, 2009. Supervisor Michael Flaherty called the meeting to order at 7P.M. Present were Board members Steve Jacobs, Michael McCrary, JR Quackenbush and Elaine Warfield.
Also present were Superintendent of Highways Robert Mallory, Justice Stephen Canfield, Town Historian Janet Nicholls, town residents Evalina Gates and Jaenne Soule, newspaper reporter Mike Ryan and the town clerk.
The Public Hearing was opened on Local Law #1 of 2009, “Establishing Income Levels for Real Property Taxes for Senior Citizens” and Local Law #2 of 2009, “Establishing Income Levels for Real Property Taxes for Disabled & Low Income Citizens”.
There were no comments from the public.
The public hearing was closed on a motion by Supervisor Flaherty, 2nd by Councilman McCrary and carried.
Supervisor Flaherty made a motion, 2nd by Councilman Quackenbush and carried to adopt Local Law #1 of 2009 establishing income levels for real property taxes for senior citizens.
The law reads:
“The Town of Jewett hereby adopts as the maximum level of income for persons eligible for the within exemption as $19,500.00. The ‘sliding scale’ provisions of NYS Real Property Tax Law 467 (1) (b) (1) are also hereby adopted, consistent with the levels adopted by the Greene County Legislature.”
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye Flaherty, Jacobs, McCrary, Quackenbush and Warfield.
Supervisor Flaherty made a motion, 2nd by Councilman Jacobs and carried to adopt Local Law #2 of 2009 establishing income levels for real property taxes for disabled & low income citizens. The law reads:
“The Town of Jewett hereby adopts as the maximum level of income for persons eligible for the within exemption as $19,500.00. The ‘sliding scale’ provisions of NYS Real Property Tax Law 459-c are also hereby adopted, consistent with the levels adopted by the Greene County Legislature.”
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye Flaherty, Jacobs, McCrary, Quackenbush and Warfield.
The Organizational meeting was opened.
Supervisor Flaherty made a motion, 2nd by Councilman Quackenbush and carried to adopt Resolution #1. This resolution lists the appointments for the year. This resolution reads:
Depository for town funds, Key Bank, National Bank & Trust of Norwich, National Bank of Stamford;
Official newspaper, The Windham Journal and The Daily Mail; Deputy Superintendent of Highways, Cynthia Mallory; Town Historian, Janet Nicholls; Custodian of Municipal Bldg, Robert Mallory; Association of Towns Delegate, Michael Flaherty, Alternate, Elaine Warfield; Insurance Broker, Thomson Agency; Attorney for the Town, Tal G. Rappleyea, Esq.; Dog control Officer, Bruce3 Feml; Registrar, Patricia Merwin; Deputy, Donna Lukas; Health Officer, Dr. Robert Schneider.
Committees: Highway, Flaherty, McCrary; Landfill, Flaherty; Website, Quackenbush, Warfield; Grants, Flaherty, Jacobs; Law. Quackenbush, McCrary; Fire Departments, Quackenbush, Warfield; Union, Flaherty, Quackenbush; Buildings & Grounds, Warfield, Jacobs; Ethics & Personnel Services, McCrary, Warfield.
Liasons: Planning, Quackenbush; ZBA, McCrary; and Technical, McCrary.
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye Flaherty, Jacobs, McCrary, Quackenbush and Warfield.
Supervisor Flaherty made a motion, 2nd by Councilman McCrary and carried to adopt Resolution #2. This resolution is the highway showing salaries, benefits, purchase agreements, etc.
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye Flaherty, Jacobs, McCrary, Quackenbush and Warfield.
Councilman McCrary made a motion, 2nd by Councilman Quackenbush and carried adopting Resolution #3. The resolution reads:
“WHEREAS the Town Clerk is required to give the Town Board an annual report of monies received during the year, and,
WHEREAS the Town Board must audit the Town Clerk’s cash book,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Town Board has examined the Clerk’s cash book and accepts the annual report of the Town Clerk.”
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye Flaherty, Jacobs, McCrary, Quackenbush and Warfield.
Councilman McCrary made a motion, 2nd by Councilwoman Warfield and carried to adopt Resolution #4. The resolution reads:
“WHEREAS the Town Justice is required to give the Town Board an annual report of monies received during the year, and
WHEREAS, the Town Board must audit the Town Justice books,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Board has examined the Justice book and accepts the annual report of the Town Justice.”
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye Flaherty, Jacobs, McCrary, Quackenbush and Warfield.
The Regular Monthly Meeting was opened.
Minutes of the December 10, 2008 regular meeting were accepted on a motion by Councilman McCrary, 2nd by Councilman Quackenbush and carried. Minutes of the December 22, 2008 year end meeting were accepted on a motion by Councilman McCrary, 2nd by Councilman Jacobs and carried.
Town Historian Janet Nicholls reported to the Board that she was working with Jerry Loucks to get the Town Historical Society going. She has been taking pictures and is answering letter on genealogy.
Councilman McCrary was asked to look into the price for a scanner.
Supervisor Flaherty made a motion, 2nd by Councilman McCrary and carried to go into executive session at 7:30 P.M. concerning a public safety issue.
Supervisor Flaherty made a motion, 2nd by Councilman McCrary and carried to come out of executive session at 7:50 P.M.
Attorney Rappleyea will be consulted on the issues raised.
The Board gave the Superintendent permission to order a new truck from Ben Funk, Inc. for $159,000.
Superintendent Mallory reported the Town’s 2003 pick-up was in an accident and was totaled. The insurance company will pay $14,000.
Permission was given the Superintendent to look for an emergency replacement truck not to exceed $16,000. This includes the monies received from insurance.
Councilman McCrary made a motion, 2nd by Councilman Quackenbush and carried to adopt Resolution #5. The resolution reads:
“WHEREAS it has been a long-standing practice in the Town to give Department Heads the prerogative and responsibility to appoint their immediate staff subject to budgetary guidelines laid down by the Board and final approval by the Board, and
WHEREAS it is sound policy to codify established practice as formal policy,
THEREFORE BEIT RESOLVED that the Board grants the prerogative and responsibility for proposing the appointment of immediate staff in any department to that Department Head subject to final approval of, and budgetary guidelines laid down by the Board; subject to the post having been advertised locally.”
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye Flaherty, Jacobs, McCrary, Quackenbush and Warfield.
Councilman McCrary made a motion, 2nd by Councilman Jacobs and carried to adopt Resolution #6. The resolution reads:
“WHEREAS it is considered sound governance to have a body to review ethical issues and to have a body to review and consider changes to personnel policies and to which Town personnel may present grievances,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that there shall be an Ethics and Personnel Standing Committee established consisting of two Board members not including the Supervisor.”
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye Flaherty, Jacobs, McCrary, Quackenbush and Warfield.
Councilman McCrary commented, “The Supervisor is always an ex-officio member of any committee anyway, that’s why he is excluded and he can always come in as a deciding vote unless of course, we are talking about him then that’s a different matter, then he can recuse himself.”
Councilman Quackenbush made a motion, 2nd by Councilman Jacobs and carried to accept the November Financial report.
Bank statements were made available for the Board to review.
The audit committee of Councilwoman Warfield and Councilman Jacobs audited the bills prior to the meeting.
Councilwoman Warfield made a motion to approve payment of the bills. Councilman Jacobs 2nd the motion and Board members voted Aye.
The general fund was $42,029.63 on abstract #1, claim numbers 1 to 28. The highway fund was $14,612.37 on abstract #1, claim numbers 1 to 11.
Supervisor Flaherty made a motion, 2nd by Councilman Quackenbush and carried to go into executive session at 8:20 P.M. concerning union negotiations.
A motion was made by Supervisor Flaherty, 2nd by Councilman Jacobs and carried to come out of executive session at 8:30 P.M.
The Town Clerk was instructed to inform Assessor Bower that she could hire Sarena Merwin as a clerk. There is a 4 month probation period with a starting salary of $10/hr.
Councilwoman Warfield and Councilman McCrary were appointed to the Ethics and Personnel Standing Committee. This will be added to Resolution #1.
Councilman McCrary made a motion, 2nd by Councilman Quackenbush and carried to adjourn the meeting at 8:35 P.M.
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Patricia Merwin, Town Clerk RMC
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