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2013-06-10- Mtg 24 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 06-10-2013 MTG#24 135 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING MTG. #24 JUNE 10, 2013 RES. 259 6:30 p.m. TOWN BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT SUPERVISOR RONALD MONTESI COUNCILMAN ANTHONY METIVIER COUNCILMAN BRIAN CLEMENTS COUNCILMAN JOHN STROUGH COUNCILMAN TIM BREWER DISCUSSION QUEENSBURY LAND CONSERVANCY Mr. Leon Steves-Reviewed the history of the Queensbury Land Conservancy forming in 2000. The purpose of promoting, fostering, encourage and facilitate the preservation of undeveloped open space in the Town of Queensbury. The maintenance of such lands in its natural state, to preserve our natural heritage for the benefit of present and future generations. On February 11, 2013 the Department of Parks and Recreation wrote to the Town Board copying Steve Lovering, QLC and OIS regarding a sixty-eight acre parcel of land owned by OSI, known as the Faith Bible Church Property at the end of Division Road. The letter stated that the ten year management agreement expired in 2012 and they did not wish to renew that agreement. OIS called and asked if we would be interested in the property and QLC responded, a definite yes. Supervisor Montesi talked to the City about crossing their property along Clendon Brook so as to have a connection to Hudson Pointe Reserve trails. It has come to our attention that the Town is interested in the ownership of the property, I am here to persuade you against this action. We believe QLC offers a greater advantage of ownership. 1. Continuous and dedicated only objective not subject to political change. 2. Less government if owned by QLC 3. Less cost, most maintenance is by volunteers 4. Contracted to work with the Town and will do so as long as deed restrictions are not violated. 5. Costs are lower than if maintained by the Town 6. We are the best stewards for passive use of land. 7. We already manage three properties in the Town 8. Merging the OSI property with adjoining Hudson River Open Space provides for future contiguous open space parcel. Councilman Strough-Regarding the bridge we have everything we need without paying you to do it, we could probably do it more efficiently and effectively. Councilman Brewer-They are there for the same benefit we are, they want to improve the land why it is such a hard thing to make an arrangement or agreement that if the town wants to provide money and or materials or labor to make an improvement they will agree with us. I do not see a down side of it. We have had option since 2000 to do something with this land and we have not done anything. Whether it is these people or some other group my preference would be to let them manage the open space property like that because they have the time and more expertise. 135 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 06-10-2013 MTG#24 136 Councilman Strough-There is more than just building a bridge; you have to get DEC wetland permits and storm water pollution prevention plans. You do not think it would be more efficient for the Town to do it and then turn it over to the Conservancy once we get it done? Supervisor Montesi-Regarding the bridge the only thing on OSI property will be the footings. Councilman Strough-Does the Conservancy have the power to prohibit certain uses like motorized vehicles? Mr. Steves-We do but we cannot enforce that. Councilman Strough-We can make a town law that makes it enforceable. Do you have the power to intercept the ATV's that might ruin the trails? Mr. Steves-no Councilman Strough-If we set things up the laws the trails the bridge and then hand it over to you doesn't it make more sense to you? Member of Queensbury Land Conservancy-Do you see Queensbury having a recreational purpose for this down the road? If you don't foresee that then it doesn't make any sense to not have us protect and make it part of ... Member of Queensbury Land Conservancy-I don't know that anyone here disagrees with you building a bridge what we are trying to say to you is we are a perfect organization to owe this parcel when ultimately the Town decides that they are not going anywhere with this parcel. We will put trails in that is the extent of what we will do with that parcel and maintain them. Mr. Steves-Spoke about Clendon Brook Reserve...negotiating neighbor for access across...opening a larger trail .... Councilman Strough-Some of us think the Town should keep it in order to get things done and then make laws regulating it and then hand it over to the Conservancy after we get our work done without going through the Conservancy for all of that. Member of Queensbury Land Conservancy-If you get it I think you will have a few steps before you can give it to anybody, if it goes directly to Land Conservancy that is not an issue. Member of Queensbury Land Conservancy-The issue of insurance and liability the town would steer clear of those if they allow the transfer to occur between OSI and Land Conservancy. If you take possession of it that brings you right into another level. Supervisor Montesi-We are not very far apart on this we can continue our quest to build a bridge across ... I think if we agree to allow the Conservancy to take OSI 136 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 06-10-2013 MTG#24 137 property that part of that consideration ought to be the other property that Queensbury owns. Councilman Brewer-I would be in favor of that. Councilman Metivier-What are the disadvantages of giving to you over the Town? The first one would be upkeep, but beyond that? Member of Queensbury Land Conservancy-One of the biggest issues I would have with it would be perception. We were created to do this passive recreational ownership and maintenance of green space and if we are not doing that then what is our function? Member of Queensbury Land Conservancy-One of the negatives is you limit your options, this will be passive this will not be active. Councilman Metivier-Do you welcome people to your property? Member of Queensbury Land Conservancy-It is passive recreation, absolutely. Councilman Strough-My mind set comes from is from my experience, look at Rush Pond Trail, I do not thing that would ever have happened with a conservancy. I have had to deal with several landowners, surveying, wetland permitting, storm water pollution plan, archeological reviews the paper work of eight years I have two boxes full of paper work. Then organizing the construction of the trail itself, it has been a lot of work. I would hate to have to go through another governmental layer to try and get this done. Unknown-This group would welcome you taking care of all the permits and getting everything in place for the bridge to be built. Councilman Strough-My position on that is building the bridge and development of some of the trail system is what Ron and I had envisioned. Councilman Metivier-If you took this land it would basically be deemed conservation. Supervisor Montesi-The town will build that bridge... Unknown-No matter where ownership is on either side the Town is willing to pay for the bridge to be constructed, I think what it really comes down to if the Town Board decides that this land should ultimately be held by Queensbury Land Conservancy it really comes down to, do you want to place the land with us right away or wait until you develop it and then place the land with us. I think we as a group feel it would be easier and more cost effective for the Town to place it with us right away. Councilman Strough-If there is an issue with the Town taking it and then transferring to the Conservancy that is something I didn't see, we should ask Legal and see if that is an issue. The bottom line is we both want the same thing. 137 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 06-10-2013 MTG#24 138 Supervisor Montesi-Will have the surveyor going out to pin point the site for the bridge then I can go to the Mayor and get the paper work signed. If we were to say to you to go to the OSI and get that this may be a little bit longer for us to get to you I think if we do that one you ought to get this one. I think it is a little bit more involved because we must have the title. Councilman Brewer-We do not have the deed to the open space property right now. Councilman Strough-Spoke about connecting this to the Feeder Dam ... we should work out a game plan and start piecing this together. Mr. Steves-One of our priorities is the Hudson River, this is part of it right here. Supervisor Montesi-Looking for a grant working with the owner of Carey Industrial Park to run sewer line from Exit 18 up there... My feeling is to let you take the OSI property and let me work with our Attorney to see what it would take to give up the Queensbury property for conservation, passive recreation. Town Board in agreement. DISCUSSION SOLAR ENERGY Councilman Strough-We have been investigating solar power — We have looked at three companies and the possibility of the Town buying and owning and getting its own grants and doing the solar cells. CT Male estimate was that it is not a good idea because we are not experienced in that kind of maintenance and you would have to hire it done, it is expensive and liability issues, better to go with one of the other companies. Looked at a firm from up north offering a 10% savings with a ten year contract. The two companies I focused on were Monolith and New York Light Energy...both had twenty year terms ... because we sign a preliminary with Monolith, we get fifty kilowatt per hour solar array. New York has limited it forty five kilowatt...If we went with New York Light Energy the maximum they could put on site would be a forty five kilowatt hour. We would be paying two electric bills, your normal supplier and you will pay for the solar power produced. Currently our bills are running five and a half cents per kilowatt that does not include delivery that is just supply. Last year it was six next year it could be seven, eight, down the road ten. Monolith stays with a firm figure, seventy five percent of our average annual supply cost is what they will charge for electric use. If you were paying ten cents a kilowatt from your usual supplier what you will pay for the solar produced would be seven point five cents a kilowatt hour. That would be for twenty years. New York Light Energy they also have a twenty year term they have another term that is a ten year you can buy it but again not recommended. I looked at the twenty year term. They are limited to forty five kilowatt arrays per unit. They charge six and a half cents for kilowatt generated by their solar cells. You have to pay deliver charge also. Focusing on Town Office, in a year uses 173,200 kilowatts, using Monolith, with fifty kilowatt array is to produce up to 62,640 kilowatts, that is thirty six percent of this year's 138 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 06-10-2013 MTG#24 139 kilowatt age. If we assume that is what is produced full sun etc. using the most ideal situations. We would pay Monolith at 75% of the sixty cents which be 4.5 cents, totaling two thousand eight hundred and eighteen dollars and eighty cents for their solar production. That would make a total annual bill of nine thousand four hundred and fifty two dollars vs what it would be if we do nothing of ten thousand forty five dollars. What we pay for solar we also save on delivery charge. The potential would be over four thousand dollars just for this building. Monolith is the best at guaranteeing you a savings. Potential savings using Monolith on six buildings of ten thousand a year. Supervisor Montesi-A potential savings on six buildings of ten thousand a year with no investment in any of the solar panels, no damage on our roofs. Councilman Metivier-They don't care about the roof, these systems can preserve the roof so you could have a twenty year roof and because it is being protected get thirty or forty years out of it because of the shield over it but if your roof goes you have to take these things off. Councilman Strough-Monolith would remove them at their expense...this will be in the contract. Noted New York Light Energy will not do that. My leaning is to Monolith it is the better deal. Supervisor Montesi-Lets ask the question do we want to go Solar and number two based on John's experience do we want to go Monalith? Councilman Metivier-Concerned about the twenty year contract, it is so new technology. Councilman Strough-It will be in the contract if better technology comes along they would install them.... Board ...agreed to have Councilman Strough continue the research... DISCUSSION JOHN MCCORMACK — COURTHOUSE ESTATES Attorney John Lapper-Representing John McCormack 40 Acres by Courthouse Estates like to see it Zoned Commercial. Councilman Strough-Mr. McCormack did present this to the Board and was asked to do the paper work on this... Attorney Lapper-It will have to be planned outright but he has got the room he could do a hundred foot buffer leaving the trees...we will get the paper work into you... Supervisor Montesi-It is important to have a pre-application meeting with Craig and Stu. DISCUSSION O'CONNOR ON MEADOWBROOK 139 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 06-10-2013 MTG#24 140 Attorney Lapper-They are happy with smaller density and they are getting a plan drawn, it would be townhouses for sale., in the Glens Falls School District, single family ownership. DISCUSSION SEWER VARIANCE Supervisor Montesi-Noted residents in the Main Street Corridor would like to have a variance, giving more time to hook up to the sewer. Councilman Metivier-Suggested that until the property is in development phase those properties will not have to hook up to the sewer, they would continue to pay the tax rate for being in the district. Councilman Strough-Suggested have a two year stay and at that time revisit the sites that have not hooked up. DISCUSSION RATES Supervisor Montesi-1 had proposed an increase in rates for ambulance, six hundred to six fifty, nine hundred to nine fifty and eleven hundred to twelve hundred and eighteen dollars a mile to twenty. We just paid for a new ambulance at a hundred and forty nine thousand, an extra flex crew on, to cover North Queensbury and then flexible for the rest of the year at a hundred and forty four, so that total was three hundred and ninety two thousand which we had in a reserve. That leaves a reserve of three seventy five and that's about three months of money, come January 15t we don't have any money we would be down to nothing and by hoping to raise the rates we were looking at maybe raising fifty thousand dollars a year, or raise the tax four cents a thousand. Councilman Metivier-1 feel we need to stop putting pressure on the insurance companies because the trickledown effect is getting severe. I would rather see slight increase in the tax rate. Councilman Clements-How do we compare to other regions around? Supervisor Montesi-Ok, we are a little bit low, with the increase we would be at the higher end of the scale. DISCUSSION STOP SIGN Councilman Brewer-A stop sign at Broadacres and Ashley Place? Councilman Strough-Mike Travis is opposed to it as are some of the neighbors. Councilman Brewer-Will contact Mike... Board will go to the site RESOLUTION ADJOURNING TOWN BOARD MEETING 140 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 06-10-2013 MTG#24 141 RESOLUTION NO. 259.2013 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. John Strough RESOLVED, that the Special Meeting of the Queensbury Town Board is hereby adjourned. Duly adopted this 10th day of June, 2013 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Metivier, Mr. Clements, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Montesi NOES: None ABSENT: None Respectfully, Miss Darleen M. Dougher Town Clerk-Queensbury 141