Village Board Minutes

February 7, 2024 (44)

A regular meeting of the Village Board was held February 7, 2024 at 6:00 PM in the Firehouse, 16 Saratoga Ave.

Mayor Pasquarell called the meeting to order & led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll Call: Trustee Bedell, Trustee Brown, Trustee Halliday & Trustee Kelly were present.

Motion by Trustee Bedell, seconded by Trustee Brown, approved minutes of January 17, 2024 regular meeting as typed.
Carried – 4 – 0

CORRESPONDENCE

Linda Walsh, Tri-Town Seniors, requested use of the Firehouse community room for monthly Tri-Town Seniors meetings March – November.  Chief Kelley confirmed the room is available.

Motion by Trustee Kelly, seconded by Trustee Brown, approved use of the Firehouse community room for monthly Tri-Town Seniors meetings March 2024 – November 2024.
Carried – 4 – 0

Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce submitted a letter thanking the Village for their annual membership.

Bob Palmer, former resident, submitted a letter regarding the potential purchase of 97 Main Street.

Phyllis Morreale, Hamilton Ave, submitted a letter regarding the potential purchase of 97 Main Street.

NYS Department of Health submitted the 2024 water sampling schedule.

PUBLIC COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & CONCERNS (AGENDA ITEMS) – none.

DEPARTMENT REPORTS

CLERK-TREASURER – Clerk-Treas Colson was present, report for 2/7/2024 read & filed.

Motion by Trustee Brown, seconded by Trustee Bedell, approved payment of abstract #17 in the amount of: Payroll $45,099.69 (#0777-0778); General $127,633.57 (#0779-0816; 0830-0832); Water   $11,166.60 (#0814-0820; 0831-0832); Sewer $19,334.85 (#0813-0816; 0821-0828; 0830-0832);             Capital Projects $1,504,362.87 (#0829); and HUD Housing $56,408.60 (CK #1431 & 1432).
Carried – 4 – 0

FIRE DEPARTMENT – Chief Kelley was present, report for January 2024 read & filed.

DPW/WATER/WWTP – Supt Lozier was present, report for January 2024 read & filed.

Supt Lozier thanked Insp Hepner for his help in getting homeowners to remove obstacles from the streets and sidewalks.

Trustee Halliday inquired about the DOH water sampling schedule, Supt Lozier informed him it is the usual testing required of the water system.

BUILDING INSPECTOR – Insp Hepner was present, report for 2/7/2024 read & filed.

SPECIFIC REQUESTS

Don Rhodes, Laberge Group, addressed the Board regarding infrastructure needs determined by their recent evaluation.  Main Street, Heath St and Hill Ave have critical water and sewer needs.  Main Street from the traffic light south has issues with both water and sewer which are contributed to by Sherman Ave.  His suggestion is to loop water service which dead ends on Sherman back out to Main.  Sewer lines in those areas are circa 1920/1930.  Supt Lozier pointed out once these remaining streets are done the entire system will have been updated.  There is funding available through EFC as with our other infrastructure projects and the Village has had very good luck reducing bonding by obtaining grant funds.  There has been a change to the CDBG program allowing up to 50% funding on sewer projects. 

Trustee Halliday pointed out that delayed projects escalate in cost every year.  The Board consensus was to move forward with preparations for a bond resolution and subsequent grant applications.

OLD BUSINESS

Resolution #49 approved, application to the Volunteer Fire Infrastructure & Response Equipment grant for $1,000,000 for a potential storage facility on the Firehouse property upon Board review.

Chief Kelley presented three quotes from grant writers for preparation and submission of grants for fire equipment over a 12-month period.  Quotes received were MJ Burben, Inc $10,000 for unlimited applications in one year; Robert J. Miller Associates $33,600 (paid in quarterly $8,400 installments); and CT Male Associates $5,000 for one application, $9,000 for two applications, $13,000 for three applications, and $15,800 for four applications with subsequent grants applications at up to $4,000 additional.

Resolution #50 approved, authorize mayoral signature on contract, subject to attorney review, with MJ Burben, Inc for one years’ fire equipment grant writing services for $10,000.

NEW BUSINESS

The recent proposal from Laberge Group for engineering full depth roadway reconstruction of Heath St & Hill Ave was incorrectly calculated, the total amount should have been $153,100 instead of $146,800.

Resolution # 51 approved, rescind Resolution #46 and authorize mayoral signature on contract addendum with Laberge Group to provide engineering and bidding assistance for Heath Street & Hill Avenue Improvements; $153,100.

Supt Lozier informed the Board the current wheel loader purchased in 2017 for $89,970 has significant transmission issues.  Supt Lozier acquired a quote from Nortrax to purchase a new John Deere loader with a $78,000 trade in allowance for the old loader.

Resolution #52 approved, authorization to expend up to $140,000 from DPW Equipment Reserves for a new front end wheel loader, subject to permissive referendum.

Resolution #53 approved, appointment of Valerie Milligan and Catherine Lozier as Election Inspectors at the March 19, 2024 General Election at the rate of $16 per hour and authorize the Clerk-Treasurer to appoint replacements as necessary.

The Board discussed a potential serial bond resolution to purchase and refurbish 97 Main Street.  The serial bond resolution would authorize up to $1.7 million financing.  That is a high estimate & the engineers are quite confident work will actually come in much lower than the initial estimate.  The bond resolution does not obligate the Village to borrow the funds, many factors could lead to abandonment of the plan before any financing took place.  Don Rhodes informed the Board of his recent visit to the former Stewart’s building on the corner of Main St and River St.  The building is approximately 2200 square feet, assessed at $400,000, and in need of a full rehabilitation of the interior and replacement of the HVAC system.  Therefore, the reconstruction costs would be similar to 97 Main St with a slightly lower acquisition cost and no income potential.  The Board agreed that passing the bond resolution allowed the inspections and appraisal of 97 Main St to move forward to determine is purchase and rehab were feasible.  The bond resolution is subject to a permissive referendum in which residents have 30 days to produce a valid petition to send the matter to a vote.

Resolution #54 approved, authorizing the issuance of $1,700,000 serial bonds for the acquisition and reconstruction of 97 Main Street and all grading and improvements on the site, original furnishings, equipment, and apparatus required for the purpose of which such property is to be used.
Trustee Bedell – no; Trustee Brown – aye; Trustee Halliday - aye; Trustee Kelly – aye; Mayor Pasquarell – aye.

Motion by Trustee Kelly, seconded by Trustee Halliday, authorize mayoral signature on contract with Fiscal Advisors for fiscal services related to serial bond debt issuance.
Carried – 4 – 0

PUBLIC COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

Jennifer Michelle, Locust Ridge, questioned the date of the FEMA Flood Maps.  The maps are from 1996 and in the process of being updated.

Franklin Bennek, owner of multiple Village properties, had questions about the water meters and if it was possible to install separate units in the multi-unit buildings.  The Board & Supt Lozier provided information regarding purchasing additional meters for each unit, how to read the meter with a flashlight, and the source of the current Water Code and Minimum Value Charge.

Jim Clark, W. Mechanic St, asked if a Phase 1 or 2 environmental study had recently been completed on 97 Main St.  Don Rhodes stated the current owner has not completed an environmental study.

Dwayne Burke, Oak St, thanked Supt Lozier and the DPW crew for their response to the winter weather and thanked Chief Kelley for running the Fire Department and the Board for all they do.

BOARD COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

Trustee Brown encouraged people to recognize learning opportunities in new situations and to strive to work together while disagreeing on issues.

Trustee Halliday highlighted some options under the water meter program to give residents more control such as deduct meters and installing additional meters per unit.

Trustee Bedell suggested the Village put a page on the website with “how-to” information on reading water meters.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion by Trustee Kelly, seconded by Trustee Brown, that Board adjourn, 7:18 PM.
Carried – 4 – 0

Nicole M. Colson
Clerk-Treasurer