Village Board Minutes

July 16, 2025 (10)

A regular meeting of the Village Board was held July 16, 2025 at 6:00 PM in the Firehouse, 16 Saratoga Ave.

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

Roll Call: Trustee Bedell, Trustee Clark, Trustee Kirchhoff & Trustee Stollery were present.

Motion by Trustee Bedell, seconded by Trustee Clark, approved minutes of July 2, 2025 regular meeting as typed.
Carried – 4 – 0

CORRESPONDENCE

The Board received a letter from the Winslows on Main St with property maintenance complaints about 500 Main St.  Insp Hepner has sent a letter to the owner to remedy the issues.

PUBLIC COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & CONCERNS (AGENDA ITEMS ONLY)

Jim Murray, Center St, stated motorized skateboards and bicycles have become a problem and encouraged the Board to enforce laws already in the Code to address issues.  Mr. Murray also spoke in favor of making the Cetner St/Mechanic St intersection a four-way stop.

Terry Cleveland, owner of Cleveland Brothers Landscaping, addressed the Board about three recent accidents involving his work trucks and vehicles running the stop sign at Center St.  Mr. Cleveland also pointed out there is a lot of pedestrian traffic and children walking to and from the elementary school in that area and encouraged the Board to install a four-way stop at the intersection as a matter of public safety.

Jason Petrovitch, Pine St, supported a four-way stop at the intersection and suggested also installing blinking lights on the stop signs.

DEPARTMENT REPORTS

CLERK-TREASURER – Clerk-Treas Colson was present, report for 7/16/2025 read & filed.

Motion by Trustee Bedell, seconded by Trustee Stollery, approved payment of abstract #3 in the amount of: Payroll $50,026.98 (#0084); General $264,911.18 (#0085-0122; 0128; 0131-0135); Water $11,444.01 (#0123-0128; 0130-0133; 0135); and Sewer $21,567.33 (#0122; 0129-0135).
Carried – 4 – 0

Resolution #13 approved, budget transfer.

FIRE DEPARTMENT – Chief Granger was present.

DPW/WATER/WWTP – Supt Lozier was present.

Supt Lozier stated paving on William St will begin Tuesday.

BUILDING INSPECTOR – Insp Hepner was present, report for 7/16/2025 read & filed.

OLD BUSINESS – none.

NEW BUSINESS

Resolution #14 approved, acceptance of Robert Simons and Randy Winslow as members of the Corinth Volunteer Fire Department.

Mayor Miller stated discretionary State grants, including the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, require applicants to be certified as Pro-Housing Communities in order to submit applications.  The program was established to encourage housing development in the State.

Motion by Trustee Bedell, seconded by Trustee Clark, authorized mayoral signature on a letter of intent to certify with the Pro-Housing Communities Program to NYS Homes & Community Renewal.
Carried – 4 – 0

Discussion of a tandem truck purchase from DPW Equipment Reserves was tabled to gather more information.

The Board discussed details of annual testing requirements of firehose with Chief Granger including how hoses are identified and marked.  Chief Granger has received three quotes for testing: Waterway $0.29 per foot; Fire Equipment Testing, Inc $0.29 per foot; and FireCatt $0.45 per foot.

Motion by Trustee Bedell, seconded by Trustee Kirchhoff, approved annual fire hose testing with Waterway at $0.29 per foot.
Carried – 4 – 0

Motion by Trustee Bedell, seconded by Trustee Kirchhoff, approved attendance at NYCOM Fall Training School September 15 – 19, 2025 in Lake Placid for interested Board members and Department Heads; $765 plus expenses.
Carried – 4 – 0

Resolution #15 approved, reappointment of Jennifer Kietzman to the Planning Board for a term ending June 2030.

The Board discussed a potential four-way stop at the Center St and Mechanic St intersection.  Trustee Clark suggested asking National Grid to move a utility pole that is limiting visibility as well as requiring overgrown vegetation to be cut back by homeowners.  Atty Buettner stated NY State DOT recommends traffic studies before installing four-way stops and asked the Board if they want to move forward with repealing the schedules in the Village Vehicle & Traffic Code to allow changes to the schedules to be set by resolution instead of local law changes.  The Board instructed Atty Buettner to prepare documents to amend the local law to allow traffic devices to be installed per resolution and asked Clerk-Treas Colson to investigate availability of grants for traffic studies.

The Board discussed the 2026 Fire Protection contract with the Town of Corinth.  The Board has budgeted $625,000 for the contract but the Town has proposed $420,000.  The Board discussed the apparatus necessary to provide coverage in the Town that is not necessary to protecting the Village including ATVs, higher capacity tanker trucks and extrication tools.  Trustee Bedell also pointed out the liability borne solely by the Village and the costs of running the Department that are not included in Fire Department budget line items.  Mayor Miller asked Atty Buettner if the Village is required to provide the Town fire protection coverage, Atty Buettner stated the Village is not obligated to provide coverage if there is no signed protection contract.  The Board consensus was to issue a letter to the Town with a contract price of $530,000.

The Board discussed the operation of dirt bikes, mini-bikes, ATVs and go-carts on Village streets and sidewalks.  Mayor Miller stated per NYS law the motorized bikes must be registered & inspected, a driver’s license is required, and operators must follow all traffic laws.  The mayor has spoken to the Sheriff’s Department about the issue and Atty

Buettner will provide the Board with examples of laws specifically prohibiting electric scooters and e-bikes.  Atty Buettner stated enforcement remains an issue with young operators with Raise the Age law restrictions.

PUBLIC COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

Jim Murray, Center St, encouraged the dissolution of the Village Fire Department and creation of a Fire District.  Mr. Murray also stated he felt the Village should have voted for dissolution in 2012.  Trustee Bedell suggested Mr. Murray speak to the Town about creating a Fire District and stated he would never support dissolution of the Village.

Jennifer Michelle, Locust Ridge, suggested the Village have a plan in place in case the Town does not sign a contract for fire protection and expressed her discomfort with the conflict of negotiations.

Mike McKelligott, Black Bear Path, questioned if a go-cart or other prohibited motorized vehicle can be taken away from the operator for violations; they cannot.  Mr. McKelligott also encouraged the Board to consider the people and not just money when negotiating the fire protection contract.

Jason Petrovitch, Pine St, inquired about the website update.  A prototype is being reviewed by the Board.

BOARD COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

The Board discussed the Village employee policy on allowing volunteer firemen to attend calls during work hours.  The last policy update was 2019.  Atty Buettner will research what is required by law and the mayor will work on an updated draft. 

The Board also discussed the camera quote from the last meeting, Mayor Miller asked if the Board wanted to proceed with developing specifications for a bid or scale back the plans for cameras.  Board consensus was to go to bid.

Mayor Miller mentioned exploring options for installing electric car charging stations on Village property.  The mayor also stated he is working on obtaining the easements required for the Heath St/Hill Ave project & thanked Supt Lozier for his assistance with a recent site visit.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion by Trustee Bedell, seconded by Trustee Stollery, that Board adjourn, 7:38 PM.
Carried – 4 – 0

Nicole M. Colson
Clerk-Treasurer