VILLAGE OF HOBART BOARD MEETING MINUTES APRIL 15, 2019
A public hearing for the proposed 2019-2020 Village of Hobart budget was called to order at 6:04 p.m. by Mayor Aaron Kaufman. Those present were Mayor Kaufman, Trustees Amy Reinshagen, Jim Quarino, Kayla Mason and Gordy Key, Village Attorney John Hubbard, Clerk-Treasurer Kellee Estus, Superintendent of DPW Lucas McMullen, Chief Operator of Waste Water Richi Horne, Josh Mason, Jennifer Muthig-Currie, Jaiden Marcus, Andrew Flach and Kelly Chien. No comments were received. Mayor Kaufman closed the hearing at 6:25 p.m.
Mayor Kaufman called the regular meeting to order at 6:25 p.m. Those present were the same present for the public hearing.
Superintendent of DPW Lucas McMullen reported to the Board that the Ford F350 had to have new power steering lines put in. He stated the crew has been sweeping streets and doing pothole repair. He stated the sander has been taken off the truck and power washed with Neutro Wash. He also stated the crew has installed some more water meters. Mayor Kaufman asked about leaf pick up for those that were unable to get leaves raked up in the fall. It was decided that for three days – April 29th, 30th and May 1st the leaf vacuum will be reinstalled on the truck to pick up leaves. Trustee Reinshagen asked about no parking signs on Cornell Avenue. The signs were ordered and delivered. McMullen had some questions as to how and where to mount them.
Chief Operator of Waste Water Richi Horne reported to the Board that the DPW crew swept between the sewer plant and the DPW shop and by seeing this she wanted to thank the Board for being proactive and purchasing equipment that the Village can use to keep it looking nice. Horne stated they did CIPs on the micro filter racks and Muthig’s Plumbing and Heating took the heat system circulator to have it rebuilt at a better cost than to replace with brand new. She stated Boyle’s Excavating had looked at sewer lines with their camera and found two issues that were repaired. One was on Maple Park and the other was on Main Street. Horne also stated there are three properties in the Village doing renovations of property. Chief Operator Horne asked to go to a NY Rural Water conference that would cost $360 and would be 3 days. She also stated she got more quotes for the EQ blower replacement all relatively the same amount. She said it would cost $15,900 to replace the touch screens on the micro filters that would be 100% NYC as they are on the NYC side of the plant. She said there is still money in the budget that this cost would deplete those line items. In regard to water, she stated the hydrogeologist is working with Francois and Jason of Lamont Engineers and a representative of Rural Development is coming out tomorrow to take pictures of the water plant, Eklund well and the Village office. It’s moving along. Hopefully the well can be drilled next month. She also said that a modem was ordered for communication between the water plant and Eklund well to keep everything working. She asked the Board about having light bulbs and fixtures at the sewer plant rewired and replaced. She said there are 48 bulbs and it would be at a cost of $1800 to have Magnan Electric do the work. Mayor Kaufman said it was okay. Superintendent McMullen asked if pricing for the water plant bulb replacement could be done as well. Josh Mason asked if the back truck bay could be added to this as well. Mayor Kaufman said yes. Mayor Kaufman asked if we had riser for the manhole covers. The ones we have are not the right size. He asked if the manholes on Route 10 were ours or the State’s. The ones that need addressing are the State’s. Superintendent McMullen will contact Kathleen Van Valkenburgh of DOT about them.
Andrew Flach stated there is an exercise class at the HAC gym on Monday and Thursday that he attended and was giving positive feedback on it. In regard to the bike racks he said there were a couple of styles to choose from so he would email the link to Kellee. He also stated Rotary would be having highway clean up the next two Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m.
Josh Mason asked to confirm that the community center was booked for the fire department dinner on May 18th. He said cocktails are at 6:30 p.m. and dinner is at 7:00 p.m. He asked the Board members if they could attend. He stated the radio system for the fire department and EMS will change in August/September. They will need 6 mobiles, 9 portables and 25 pagers.
Mayor Kaufman continued the meeting with the March Treasurer’s Report. A motion to accept the report with the following changes was made by Trustee Reinshagen with a second from Trustee Quarino, with all in favor, carried.
In the General Fund, transfer $136.99 from 1620.4-A to 1325.4; transfer $6.37 from 1620.4-3 to 1620.4-2; transfer $473.20 from 4540.4-3 to 5142.4-1; transfer $187.93 from 7110.4 to 5142.4. In the Water Fund, transfer $17.37 from 8320.4-2 to 8320.1-4; transfer $3042.85 from 8340.2 to 8340.4; transfer $12.80 from 9060.2 to 9060.1. In the NYC fund, transfer $48.51 from 8130.4-30 to 8130.4-3. A motion to accept the minutes of last month’s meeting was made by Trustee Mason, with a second from Trustee Key with all in favor, carried.
Mayor Kaufman continued the meeting with old business. Regarding the Village property off of Reservoir Road, the Village has received a check in the amount of $73,540 from Northeast Timber Services. This item can be taken off the agenda. Superintendent McMullen stated the culvert on Maple Avenue – Grant Brook is really bad. It is a lot worse than it was last summer. Mayor Kaufman told McMullen to contact someone to come and look at it. In regard to the water issues, Mayor Kaufman stated Lamont Engineers said there were just a few more items to finish up with the application. In regard to the space at the Activity Center, Mayor Kaufman said there is office space available if anyone knows of someone that is looking to rent. Andrew Flach stated Project Independence would be as they are to the end of the summer, minimum and then maybe looking for a bit of space to still rent. The policy update was tabled.
Mayor Kaufman continued the meeting with new business. A motion to approve the 2019-2020 Village of Hobart budget was made by Trustee Key with a second from Trustee Reinshagen, with all in favor, carried. As part of the organizational meeting Mayor Kaufman appointed the following positions, Clerk-Treasurer: Kellee Estus, Village Attorney: John Hubbard, Deputy Mayor: Jim Quarino, Sewer plant: Jim Quarino and Gordy Key, Streets: Aaron Kaufman, Buildings and Grounds: Kayla Mason, Water Plant: Amy Reinshagen, official newspapers: Mountain Eagle and The Reporter, petty cash: $50. He also read a resolution to make the mileage rate the same as the IRS mileage rate for 2019 which is 58 cents per mile. All Board members said aye with no nays. A resolution to designate the Delaware National Bank of Delhi and the NBT Bank – both Hobart branches as the Village’s depositories was also read by Mayor Kaufman with all Board members saying aye with no nays.
A resolution to designate a standard work day for an elected official through the NYSLRS has to be determined based on a 3 month ROA (record of activities) that Trustee Mason has affirmed is true and then calculated based on the NYSLRS formula. This makes Trustee Mason’s work day 1 work day per quarter. A motion to pass this resolution was made by Trustee Reinshagen with a second from Trustee Quarino, with all in favor, carried. Mayor Kaufman asked the Board if they would like to have all of the sidewalks done at once to make them ADA compliant. The Board unanimously agreed yes to this. Mayor Kaufman stated he received a quote for blacktop in front of the truck bay of the fire house. The quote was for $12,000. He asked the Board if they would want to start with that section first and do the entire driveway in sections over time. The Board unanimously said yes to this as well. Discussion of equipment needing to be out of the elements followed. The brown barn could be cleaned out for storage. Jennifer Muthig Currie submitted a letter to the Board regarding her water pipe at her residence breaking and receiving a large bill. She asked for relief on her bill. The Board agreed to relieve the excess usage on the sewer portion of her bill. Mayor Kaufman read a letter from a Pearl Street property owner asking about the change of meter request and who was responsible for the corporate decision to install it at her property. A letter was read by Mayor Kaufman from Maria Moody requesting the fee be waived for a Girl Scout event being held at the Community Center in May. The Board unanimously said yes to this request. Jennifer Muthig Currie asked if something could be done about the stone wall in front of the Activity Center. She said when the kids walk across the top of the wall, the cap stones wobble.
A motion for Chief Operator Horne to attend the NYRWA training that she brought up earlier in the meeting was made by Trustee Reinshagen with a second from Mayor Kaufman, with all in favor, carried. Clerk-Treasurer asked the Board about what the procedure would be in the event someone receiving the senior citizen discount for water had passed away. Village Attorney Hubbard suggested if the obituary is obtainable, to keep it for record and send a letter to the person responsible for the bills stating the fee will revert to the regular charges. In the event of a senior citizen going into a retirement home, it is still considered their primary address. A motion to approve the following bills on Abstract No. 11 was made by Trustee Key with a second from Trustee Reinshagen, with all in favor, carried.
General Fund Voucher No. 295-316 $4,904.95
Water Fund Voucher No. 170-185 $5,276.57
Sewer Fund Voucher No. 200-219 $9,089.37
NYC Fund Voucher No. 222-239 $6,394.48
A motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:45 p.m. was made by Trustee Reinshagen, with a second from Trustee Quarino, with all in favor, carried. Meeting adjourned.
Respectfully Submitted,
Kellee J. Estus
Clerk-Treasurer
