Category Archives: From the Town Clerk

News and announcements from the desk of the town clerk

Town Board Minutes, 20 September 2021

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Regular Town Board Meeting Minutes Halcott Grange
September 20, 2021, 6:00 pm

Present: Town Supervisor Alan White, Council members Yukari Day, Alan Reynolds, Innes Kasanof, Judy DiBenedetto. Town Clerk Patricia Warfield. Absent: Highway Superintendent Russell Bouton Public: Patty Kelder, Harry Saslow.

Call to order at 6:00 pm with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Budget Discussion: Finance Chair Innes Kasanof presented the 2022 Tentative Budget to the Board for review. The total tax revenue to be raised by the Town would be $320,034.36 which would put the Town at a 1.9 % tax increase, allowing for an increase in insurance costs, billable hours from the Code Enforcement Officer and Town Lawyer and salaries. Town Supervisor: $3,695.00, Town Board member: $818.00, Town Clerk: $4,682.00, Highway Superintendent: $51,510.00.

Approval of the minutes of the August 16, 2021 meeting: Motion to approve by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, 2nd by Councilwoman Innes Kasanof, Councilwoman Yukari Day: aye, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye.

Highway Superintendent’s Report: Councilman Alan Reynolds presented the Highway Superintendent’s report. (A) The highway department recently purchased a new pole saw with a slightly different design which is working well for them and is looking to purchase a chain saw as well. (B) Greene County Highway Superintendent Scott Templeton and Engineer Bill Stein were in Halcott looking at road conditions and may have found funding for the County Route 3 bridge project. (C) Tires are needed for the Oshkosh and after an extensive search due to a nationwide shortage, were located at a cost of $530.00 each. Motion to purchase new tires for the Oshkosh by Town Councilman Alan Reynolds, 2nd by Supervisor Alan White, Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto: aye, Councilwoman Yukari Day: aye, Councilwoman Innes Kasanof: aye.

Voucher vote: General Abstract #G0921 – vouchers 123 – 133 = $13,780.90. Highway Abstract #H0921 – vouchers 134 – 144 = $43,053.45. Motion to pay bills by Councilwoman Yukari Day, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, Councilwoman Innes Kasanof: aye, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye.

Finance Chair Report: (A) Finance Chair Innes Kasanof presented the monthly finance report. Clerk’s Report: C/O Search: 2 @ $25.00, Transfer Station: July $206.00, August: $308.00. The Town

collected and disbursed $564.00 for the month of August.

Other Business: (A) Billy Haynes removed the junk appliances which were illegally left at the town transfer station and the highway department cleaned up other junk which had accumulated as well. (B) Town Clerk Pattie Warfield will reach out to the Community Fund to work on a more fluid system for community use of tables and chairs and Grange rentals.

Public: (A) Town resident Harry Saslow spoke to the Board about concerns he had with an ongoing building project located next to his property on Turkey Ridge Rd. Supervisor Alan White was familiar with the project and had reached out to Town Code enforcement Officer John Mathesien to check on the status of the project. While the construction site may look like an eyesore to outsiders, all necessary

permits have been obtained and at this time the project is in compliance. (B) Patty Kelder spoke to the Board on a number of topics. Patty asked the Board to consider opting out of allowing marijuana dispensaries in the Town of Halcott. Patty also inquired about an odd looking speed limit sign on a town road and thought that perhaps it was not put up by the highway department. Each year flower boxes are filled and located under the town sign at the grange hall. Due to the cost of replacing these flowers each year, Patty asked if she could bring the geraniums into the Grange during the cold weather months which was fine with the Board.

Next Meeting: Public Hearing on the 2022 Preliminary Town Budget October 18, 2021, 6:00 pm. Regular Town Board Meeting to follow.

Motion to Adjourn at 7:24 pm by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, 2nd by Councilwoman Yukari Day, Councilwoman Innes Kasanof: aye, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye.

Town Board minutes, June 21, 2021

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Regular Town Board Meeting Minutes Halcott Grange
June 21, 2021, 6:00 pm

Present: Town Supervisor Alan White, Council Member Alan Reynolds, Yukari Day, Innes Kasanof, Judy DiBenedetto, Deputy Bookkeeper Sheri Reynolds, Highway Superintendent Russell Bouton, Town Clerk, Patricia Warfield. Public: None.

Public Hearing: Local Law #1 2021, Prior Written Notice Statute: Towns Notice of Highway Defects: Town Supervisor Alan White opened the Public Hearing at 6:00 pm. Supervisor White asked the Board for comments or input, hearing none and with no public to comment closed the Public Hearing at 6:10 pm.

Call to Order at 6:11 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of the minutes of the May 17, 2021 meeting: Motion to approve by Councilwoman Innes Kasanof, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, Councilwoman Yukari Day: aye, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye.

Highway Superintendent’s Report: (A) The Highway Department will conduct an interview on Tuesday June 22, 2021 for the Highway Department job opening. (B) Stone and oil work has been completed on scheduled town roads with the help of Greene County which allowed us the use of 4 trucks, 1 loader and a flag person.

Voucher vote: General Abstract #G0621 – vouchers 83 –87, 89, 90 = $14,500.82. Highway Abstract #H0621 – vouchers 91 – 95, 88 = $10,698.61. Motion to pay bills by Councilwoman Yukari Day, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, Councilwoman Innes Kasanof: aye, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Supervisor White: aye.

Finance Chair Report: (A) Deputy Bookkeeper Sheri Reynolds presented the monthly finance report. (B) As requested by Supervisor White at the May 17, 2021 meeting, Finance Chair Innes Kasanof presented a Solid Waste Income and Expense report for to the Board for review. The report shows a deficit of $2,309.68, the difference between monies brought in for garbage disposal and monies paid out for dumping fees and salary paid to the Solid Waste coordinator.

Clerk’s Report: Building Permits: 1 @ 75.00, 1 @ 200.00, Building Permit fines: 1 @ 100.00, 1 @ 450.00, Transfer Station /Garbage: 178.00, Billy Haynes: 250.00, Dog License (2) unneutered: 2 @ 10.00 each. The Town collected and disbursed $1,273.00 for the month of May.

Other Business: (A) Greene County gives the town a large metal container box with holes cut into it for the collection of all recyclable materials such as cardboard, plastic, cans and glass. There are no dividers in the container which makes it nearly impossible to keep materials separated. While there have been no complaints from Greene County, it was discussed that perhaps the town should request a visit from someone to explain exactly how the county’s collection of the recycled materials works. (B) The Town has been actively looking for an attorney to fill the vacancy which occurred due to the retirement of Town Attorney Carey Wagner. To that end Supervisor White received a resume for consideration from Attorney Shawn J. Smith, which was then sent to each board member for review. Board members felt he would be a good fit for Halcott as he is now and has been the Attorney for numerous local Towns and Villages and is also employed as the Chief Assistant District Attorney for

Delaware County. Mr. Smith limits his practice to municipal law due to his obligations to the District Attorney’s Office. Motion to appoint Shawn J. Smith to the position of Town Attorney by Councilwoman Innes Kasanof, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, Councilwoman Yukari Day: aye, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye. (C) The Town was informed that their request for funding from D.C.S.W for culvert replacement on Townsend Hollow Rd. and the mudslide on the Elk Creek Rd toe cut was denied. These are problem areas identified in the Local Flood Analysis. The Town will now submit paperwork seeking funding from the new Flood Hazard Mitigation Program. This may be a better fit as projects are not open to review and requests are seldom denied. Motion to have the Town Board accept responsibility as the Flood Commission for the Town of Halcott by Councilman Alan Reynolds, 2nd by Councilwoman Yukari Day, Councilwoman Innes Kasanof: aye, Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye.

Next Meeting: Regular Town Board Meeting Monday July 19, 2021, 6:00 pm.

Motion to Adjourn at 6:40 p.m. by Councilwoman Innes Kasanof, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, Councilman Yukari Day: aye, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye.

Town Board Meeting Minutes, 17 May 2021

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Regular Town Board Meeting Minutes Halcott Grange
May 17, 2021, 6:00 pm

Present: Town Supervisor Alan White, Councilmembers Alan Reynolds, Judy DiBenedetto, Innes Kasanof, Deputy Bookkeeper Sheri Reynolds, Highway Superintendent Russell Bouton, Town Clerk Patricia Warfield. Absent: Town Councilwoman Yukari Day.

Call to Order at 6:21 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Approval of the minutes of the April 19, 2021 meeting: Motion to approve by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, 2nd by Councilwoman Innes Kasanof, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye.

Highway Superintendent’s Report: (A) The Town has not yet received any viable applicants for the Highway Department job opening. (B) The Highway Department has been working on Mookas Road repairing storm damage from the Christmas storm. (C) Having a difficult time filling the open highway department position, the board discussed the possibility of hiring part time help to help facilitate the finishing of various road work repairs and maintenance projects scheduled for this summer. To make the part time position more attractive the board discussed raising the current rate for a laborer to $20.00 an hour. Motion to amend the Town Organizational Document to increase labor rates by Councilman Alan Reynolds, 2nd by Councilwoman Innes Kasanof, Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye. (D) The Town will submit paperwork to the State for additional monies from CHIPS/PAVE-NY/EWR rollover funds. “Rollover” funds are a municipalities unreimbursed funds from one or more previous year apportionments. (E) Emergency Use Roads: To be proactive, the Town Board discussed making improvements to alternative town roads in the event Delaware County Rt. 37 or Greene County Rt. 3 should become impassable. Highway Superintendent Bouton and Councilman Reynolds inspected various town roads and presented their findings to the Board. After careful consideration it was decided by the Board that Silas Lake Rd. would be the best and most cost effective choice for improvements to support higher traffic use in the case of an emergency.

Voucher vote: General Abstract #G0521 – vouchers 67– 75 = $2,027.71. Highway Abstract #H0521 – vouchers 76 – 82 = $24,197.74. Motion to pay bills by Councilman Alan Reynolds, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto: aye, Councilwoman Innes Kasanof: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye.

Finance Chair Report: (A) Finance Chair Innes Kasanof presented the monthly report.

Clerk’s Report: Building Permit: 1 @ $200.00, 1 @ $140.00: $340.00, BP renewal: $75.00, Certificate of Occupancy Search: 6 @ $25.00: $150.00, Subdivision: $250.00, Demo Permit: $25.00, Transfer Station/Garbage Money: Feb: $124.00, March: $168.00: $292.00. The Town collected and disbursed $1,132.00 for the month of April.

Other Business: (A) Town Clerk Patricia Warfield presented the annual report for Town Justice Ken Williams. There were no cases to come before the judge in 2020. (B) The Board acknowledged the resignation of BAR member Erik Johansen and discussed the appointment of Marta Weisz to fill the vacant position. Motion to appoint Marta Weisz to the Board of Assessment Review by Councilwoman Innes Kasanof, 2nd by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye. (C) Supervisor Alan White spoke to John Fairbairn in

regards to becoming the Halcott Town Attorney. Mr. Fairbairn did not know if that would be a conflict of interest due to his position as a judge but would look into the matter and get back to Supervisor White when he knew the answer. (D) Local Law 1-2021: A local law providing for written notification of defects and obstructions on town highways, bridges, streets, crosswalks and culverts in the Town of Halcott was recommended by the Town’s Insurance carrier for liability reasons. The Town Board having looked over the proposed law and having no negative feedback, will hold a public hearing on June 21, 2021 at 6:00pm. before the next regular board meeting. (E) Due to much heavier use of the Town Transfer Station, there is a more frequent need to pay Greene County dumping fees for trash removal. Supervisor White requested a solid waste report from Finance Innes Kasanof to be presented at a future meeting for the purpose of determining what the actual cost of garbage removal is for the Town.

Next Meeting: Regular Meeting Monday, June 21, 2021, 6:00 pm.

Motion to Adjourn at 7:04 pm by Councilwoman Judy DiBenedetto, 2nd by Councilwoman Innes Kasanof, Councilman Alan Reynolds: aye, Supervisor Alan White: aye.