Town Board 12/27/18 (Year End)

TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY

YEAR END TOWN BOARD MEETING

THURSDAY 12/27/18, 12:00 PM

FRANK STOW, SUPERVISOR                                                                                         PRESENT

DICK SENA, COUNCILMAN                                                                                           PRESENT

DUNCAN MCNEILL, COUNCILMAN                                                                            PRESENT

LOUISE ORTMAN, COUNCILWOMAN                                                                        PRESENT

STEVE SENSKE, COUNCILMAN                                                                                   ABSENT

OTHERS PRESENT:  Dave Stapleton, Attorney; Brad Lawson, Zoning C.E.O.; Robin Miller, Bookkeeper; Howard Peacock, Justice; Stephanie Gibbs, Deputy Town Clerk; Robert Yates

• PLEDGE

• MINUTES:  12/10/2018

MRS. ORTMAN MOTIONED TO ADOPT THE MINUTES OF THE TOWN BOARD MEETING HELD ON 12/10/18 AS PRESENTED BY THE TOWN CLERK.  MR. SENA SECONDED.  YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, MCNEILL, STOW.  NO (0).  THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.

• ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• PUBLIC COMMENT:

 CORRESPONDENCE:

The following correspondence has been received by the Supervisor and is available for review:

1. SPECTRUM – BUSINESS INTERNET SERVICES
2. CLP – ANNUAL LETTER
3. HARMONY HISTORICAL SOCIETY – Newsletter and request for contributions to replace furnace

• OLD BUSINESS:

1.         EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK – ADOPT REVISIONS

• MOTION # 172 OF 2018

MR. SENA MOTIONED TO ADOPT THE FOLLOWING REVISIONS TO THE EMPLOYEE HAND BOOK:

• Page 15.  ARTICLE 6. HIGHWAY EMPLOYEES’ WAGE SCHEDULE

6.1 Paragraph 2:  The Deputy Superintendent is to receive $1.00 more per hour than a regular M.E.O. New full-time employees to the highway department commencing January 1, 2019 or after shall start at $17 per hour and shall increase $1 per hour every 6 months if and upon the recommendation of the Highway Superintendent with the approval of the Town Board of the Town of North Harmony until the rate of Highway Employees hired prior to January 31, 2007 is reached.Employees who are eligible for the $1 increase are not entitled to the annual raise, if any, given to full time employees.  When new employees reach the pay scale level of employees hired prior to January 31, 2007, they will be eligible for the annual raise, if any, given to full time employees.

• Page 18. ARTICLE 10.  HIGHWAY EMPLOYEES’ PAID VACATION DAYS
•           Effective 1/1/2019 after one year of employment, each full-time employee shall be entitled to the following paid vacation time based on the length of employment status.

Calendar Year beginning January 1^st         Hours

0 to 1 year                                                  0

2nd                                                             48

3rd                                                              56

4th                                                              64

5^th*                                                              80

6^{th –} 10^th                                                      96

11^th                                                             104

12^th                                                             112

13^th                                                             120

14^th                                                             128

15^th                                                             136

16^th                                                             144

17^th                                                             152

18^th                                                             160

          *M.E.O.’s hired in 1987 will continue to earn an additional 8 hours per year vacation time with no maximum limitation on total accrual time that may be carried over from calendar year to calendar year

*M.E.O.’s hired in 2014 will receive 96 hours vacation in years 5 – 10

          After permanent status is reached, vacation time will be awarded on January 1^st of each year.

As of 1/1/2019 vacation days may be carried over from year to year up to a maximum total accrued time of 40 hours or paid to the employee in a taxable cash payment.

*MUST BE TAKEN IN NO LESS THAN ONE HOUR increments.  NO HALF HOUR increments.

          *Two-week prior notice will be required for a week or more vacation.  Approval by the Highway Superintendent will be required.

ARTICLE 11.  PART TIME EMPLOYEES’ WAGE SCHEDULE AND PAID VACATION DAYS

          New Clerical hires will begin at NYS minimum wage: after 1^st  year $1/hr. raise; after 2^nd year $1/hr. raise; beginning 3^rd year and beyond a raise may be determined.

• (continued from pg. 19) ARTICLE 14.  HIGHWAY EMPLOYEES’ LONGEVITY PAY

          $30.00 per year for each year of service for Highway Employees.

This benefit will be paid in December of each year.  The benefit may be carried from year to year but shall be capped at 20 years for employees hired after 12/31/2013. 

• Page 20.  ARTICLE 17.  HIGHWAY EMPLOYEES’ AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PAYABLE

17.1  Highway Employees’ Accrued Vacation Days – not to exceed 40 HOURS at Retirement/Termination to be paid in a taxable cash payment.

• Page 21. ARTICLE 20.  (RESERVED FOR FUTURE USE)

MR. MCNEILL SECONDED.  YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, MCNEILL, STOW.  NO (0).  THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.

2.   ADOPT PERMIT FEES FOR NYS UNIFIED SOLAR PERMIT: $100 Residential / $200  Commercial

• MOTION # 173 OF 2018

MRS. ORTMAN MOTIONED TO ADOPT THE PERMIT FEES FOR NYS UNIFIED SOLAR PERMIT. $100 FOR RESIDENTIAL AND $200 FOR COMMERCIAL.  MR. MCNEILL SECONDED.  YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, MCNEILL, STOW.  NO (0).  THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.

• NEW BUSINESS:

1.       ADOPT TOWN BOARD MEETING DATES FOR 2019:  1/14/19; 2/11/19; 4/8/19; 5/13/19; 6/10/19; 7/8/19; 8/12/19; 9/9/19; 10/15/19; 11/12/19; 12/9/19

• MOTION # 174 OF 2018

MR. SENA MOTIONED TO ADOPT THE FOLLOWING TOWN BOARD MEETING DATES FOR 2019: 1/14/19; 2/11/19; 4/8/19; 5/13/19; 6/10/19; 7/8/19; 8/12/19; 9/9/19; 10/15/19; 11/12/19; 12/9/19.  MR. MCNEILL SECONDED.  YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, MCNEILL, STOW.  NO (0).  THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.

• BPU – Submitting unpaid water utility charges for 2019 levy in the amount of $384.45 on  property located at 2707 Salam Dr. 367.09-1-5.4 and owned by George and Virginia Roberts             (both deceased)

            Mr. Stow say what we might have to do is levy the charges to their taxes.

            Mr. Stapleton said typically they are levied quickly.

•       SET POLICY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE FOR PART-TIME EMPLOYEE’S INCLUSION AT NO COST TO THE TOWN

• MOTION # 175 OF 2018

MRS. ORTMAN MOTIONED APROVE THE POLICY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE FOR PART-TIME EMPLOYEES AT NO COST TO THE TOWN.  YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, MCNEILL, STOW.  NO (0).  THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.

Mr. Sena said that there should be something added into the employee handbook about the part-time employee’s health insurance.

• MOTION # 176 OF 2018

MR. SENA MOTIONED TO ADD A PARAGRAPH ON ARTICLE 16 TO THE EMPLOYEE HAND BOOK ON PART TIME EMPLOYEE INSURANCE.  MRS. ORTMAN SECONDED.  YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, MCNEILL, STOW.  NO (0).  THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.

• ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

• MOTION # 177 OF 2018

MRS. ORTMAN MOTIONED TO HOLD AN ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING ON 1/1/2019 AT 12:00 NOON. JUDGE HOWARD PEACOCK WILL SWEAR IN ELECTED OFFICIALS. MR. SENA SECONDED.  YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, MCNEILL, STOW.  NO (0).  THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.

5.         GAYLE MARTIN- Bookkeeper assistant

• MOTION # 178 OF 2018

MR. SENA MOTIONED TO HIRE GAYLE MARTIN AS THE BOOKKEEPERS ASSISTANT ONE DAY A WEEK AT $12 AN HOUR. MR. MCNEILL SECONDED YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, MCNEILL, STOW.  NO (0).  THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.

            Mr. Yates said he felt it was important to hire someone to help Robin, because if something were to happen it would really put the town in a pickle.

Mr. Stow said he can speak very highly of Gayle. REPORTS

MR. MCNEILL MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE GENERAL FUND VOUCHERS AS AUDITED AND REVIEWED EARLIER.  MR. SENA SECONDED. YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, MCNEILL, STOW.  NO (0).  THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.

• MOTION # 180 OF 2018

MR. MCNEILL MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE HIGHWAY FUND VOUCHERS AS AUDITED AND REVIEWED EARLIER.  MRS. ORTMAN SECONDED. YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, SENSKE, STOW.  NO (0).  THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.

• MOTION # 181 OF 2018

ON A MOTION MADE BY MRS. ORTMAN, SECONDED BY MR. STOW, AND NONE BEING OPPOSED, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 12:35 PM.

Stephanie Gibbs

Deputy Town Clerk