TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY
2020 YEAR END MEETING
MONDAY 12/28/2020 5:00 PM
ROBERT YATES, SUPERVISOR PRESENT
DICK SENA, COUNCILMAN PRESENT
LOUISE ORTMAN, COUNCILWOMAN PRESENT
STEVE SENSKE, COUNCILMAN PRESENT
OTHERS PRESENT: Robin Miller, Bookkeeper; Wendy Klinginsmith; Dale Robinson, Attorney; Nancy Thomas, Town Clerk
- PLEDGE
- MOMENT OF SILENCE:
Mr. Yates asked for a moment of silence in remembrance of Councilman “Mac” McNeill who passed away on 12/15/20. He also asked for prayers for Ellie McNeill and the family; Brad Lawson our Zoning C.E.O. in hospital; and all those affected by COVID.
- CORRESPONDENCE:
- Chautauqua Lake Partnership (CLP) – Request for donations
- Emails – Solitude & CLP
Mr. Yates said the emails don’t appear to be asking for a commitment but they would like to move forward with herbicide applications for 2021.
Mrs. Ortman asked if they had given any further details.
Mr. Yates said not really at this point. He said they will begin to review all the studies that were done to see which direction to go with possible treatment this year. He said Solitude wanted to know if the town would be interested in using them again in future applications. No contract talks at this time.
Mr. Senske asked if we had gotten the harvester that we had requested grant funding for.
Mr. Yates said we had not received the Mobitrac. He said he and Don Emhardt had met with The County and the Alliance (CLWMA) and they had asked if he and Mr. Emhardt would take a Skimmer instead. He said he and Mr. Emhardt had replied no since they are not much use without a harvester to cut the weeds. He said the Mobitrac’s Mr. Emhardt has now are in for repairs a lot and seem to be light weights in their size and work load capabilities. He said it appears now that the CLA will take the skimmers. He said the CLA had also asked for a donation and he indicated that the town has budgeted $15,000.00 for the lake and no decisions have been made as to where those funds will go at this point. He said he has spoken to persons who have expressed an interest in starting a lake weed harvesting business and feels that is a very good idea.
- NEW BUSINESS:
- AUDIT OF COURT CLERK AND TOWN CLERK’S 2020 BOOKS
Mr. Yates said Mrs. Zimmer will have the Court books ready for audit by mid-January and he and Mr. Sena will audit those. He said Mrs. Ortman and Mr. Senske will audit the Town Clerks 2019 and 2020 books. He said his books will be the only ones left and someone other than himself will have to do those.
- SET DATES FOR 2021 BOARD MEETINGS
Mr. Yates said dates need to be set for the 2021 board meetings and a legal notice posted. He said the Clerk has provided dates for the second Monday of every month with the exception of October’s date which falls on Columbus Day and that meeting date will be Tuesday 10/12/21.
- MOTION # 124 OF 2020
- SENA MOTIONED TO ADOPT THE TOWN BOARD MEETING DATES AS OUTLINED IN THE FOLLOWING LEGAL TO BE POSTED IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER BY THE TOWN CLERK:
TAKE NOTICE THAT THE REGULAR SCHEDULED TOWN BOARD MEETINGS
OF THE TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY ARE HELD THE 2ND MONDAY OF THE MONTH
AT 7:00 PM, AT THE TOWN OF NORTH HARMONY BUILDING LOCATED AT 5350 STOW RD., ASHVILLE, NY 14710. SCHEDULED MEETINGS FOR 2021 AT 7:00 PM ARE:
1/11/21; 2/8/21; 3/8/21; 4/12/21; 5/10/21; 6/14/21; 7/12/21; 8/9/21; 9/13/21; *10/12/21 (Tues.); 11/8/21; 12/13/21. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND.
MRS. ORTMAN SECONDED. THE MOTION WAS CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.
TOWN BOARD VACANCY
Mr. Yates said he had received one resume in response to the Board Vacancy article. He asked the Clerk to run the add again next week in the P.J.
Mrs. Thomas said it had run as a legal and on the Region Page and said she would ask them to run it again on the Region Page as that is more visible.
There was discussion of a probable vacancy on the Planning Board.
- MEETING TO DISCUSS PLANNING BOARD AND ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
Mr. Yates said he would be meeting with Don McCord and Dale Robbins mid-month to discuss Planning (PB) and Zoning Boards (ZBA) not specifically to join them, but to maybe make sure that the duties of the Planning Board are being followed in relation to their responsibilities and so that the Zoning Board of Appeals can be used for its purpose. He said if someone has a problem with the Planning Boards decision, they can go to the ZBA.
Mr. Sena said the PB has always been a “recommending” board.
Mr. Yates said it needs to be fine lined and let the PB make the decision so the ZBA doesn’t have to. He said let the PB make their decision and if the applicants are not satisfied; then they can go to the ZBA.
It was discussed that usually the ZBA will refer an application to the PB for review and recommendation.
Mr. Yates said anything that comes up that does not meet law/code needs to go to the PB first. He said that is in Town Law and Mr. McCord has verified this is how it should be.
There was further discussion of the PB’s role in the development of the law and the Zoning Board of Appeals not being a “Zoning Board” that develops zoning but serves for the appeal process. There was discussion of the length of time it would take someone hoping to do a project if it has to go before the PB and ZBA.
Mr. Yates said he hopes at the meeting with Mr. Robbins and Mr. McCord to get a handle on what the town is doing and make sure we are doing it right, simply because in the next 2 years the town will undergo a lot of changes with sewer coming soon, and hopefully water in the future. He said the interchange and the 394 corridor will be affected by these services.
- COMPREHENSIVE PLAN – REVIEW AND UPDATE
It was discussed and all Board Members agreed that it is time to review and update the Comprehensive Plan that was adopted quite some time ago.
- SIDEWALK SNOW REMOVAL AT NEW BUILDING
Mr. Yates said so far this year he has been able to handle the sidewalk shoveling at the offices; but during the last storm there was drifting and he had used the AFD blower. He said Mr. Short had said he would do it, but up to this point he has been Okay. He said if Mr. Short is needed, he also has permission to use the AFD snow blower.
- VOUCHERS:
- MOTION # 125 OF 2020
- SENA MOTIONED TO PAY THE YEAR END VOUCHERS AS REVIEWED AND AUDITED EARLIER AS FOLLOWS:
GENERAL FUND $3,428.94
HIGHWAY FUND $11,383.71
CAPITAL FUND $1,930.88
SPECIAL DISTRICT $3,211.26
- SENSKE SECONDED. YES (4): SENA, ORTMAN, SENSKE, YATES. NO (0). THE MOTION WAS CARRIED.
- MOTION # 126 OF 2020
ON A MOTION MADE BY MR. SENSKE, SECONDED BY MRS. ORTMAN, AND NONE BEING OPPOSED, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 5:37 PM.
Nancy Thomas
Town Clerk
