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2005-12-12 SP MTG55 227 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING MTG. #55 DECEMBER 12, 2005 RES. 577 7:00 p.m. TOWN BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT SUPERVISOR DANIEL STEC COUNCILMAN ROGER BOOR COUNCILMAN THEODORE TURNER COUNCILMAN JOHN STROUGH COUNCILMAN TIM BREWER COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD TOWN OFFICIALS BUDGET OFFICER JENNIFER SWITZER SR. PLANNER STUART BAKER Supervisor Daniel Stec-Opened the Meeting 1.0LAKE GEORGE WATERSHED CONFERENCE PRESENTATION - DAVE DECKER MR. DAVE DECKER-Updated the Town Board on the activities of the Lake George Watershed Conference. Thanked the Town Board on their past support and seeking continued support in the future. Presented a packet to the Town Board. Noted there are twenty five members including the nine towns and three counties and State Agencies and non for profits. Noted there are two applications for grants for the Town of Queensbury, will receive notice sometime around February. Lake George has received more grant moneys than any other body of water in New York State except for the New York City Watershed reservoirs. Accomplishments and work done: 1. Reduction of non point source pollution such as storm water runoff, stream corridor degradation, and or run off associated with failing septic systems. 2. Basin wide water quality initiatives, two year regulatory review, the result of that the conference will provide a circuit planner, planning assistance backup 3. Reviewed for the Board a project review committee…the Towns will receive a formal report as to what the priorities for the next three years will be. COUNCILMAN BOOR-Questioned if they would work on an enforcement tool that would be larger than what a Town can do? MR. DECKER-That is the purpose of the Circuit Planner and inspector, they will try and promote a standardization of how things are dealt with across the board. Looking at on site wastewater treatment regulations throughout the whole of the watershed. They are required to adopt those at some point in time. COUNCILMAN STROUGH-We have discussed standardizing storm water treatment. MR. DECKER-That was a significant point that was made during the regulatory review, operations and best management practices were also looked at. COUNCILMAN STROUGH-Also an outreach program on the use of pesticides and herbicides. MR. DECKER-A recommendation coming out of this was to promote the interest to totally ban the use of fertilizers within the watershed. Also spoke on the use of salt and chlorides in the watershed, seeking alternate uses other than salt. COUNCILMAN STROUGH-Spoke on Septic Maintenance Districts. 228 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 MR. DECKER-That is the subject of the grant application we made last fall, spoke with DEC today, that application received the highest rating of any of the applications the bad news is the grant was set up to the an implementation grant so what they would like us to do is rewrite the grant taking the portion of the grant for a feasibility study out of the grant, they will fund the rest of it to set up the maintenance districts. The feasibility study will be funded through the EPF funds. Dec is focused on implementation only. The feasibility study will be lake wide, but recognize if the Town of Queensbury is of a mind that they would like to do one, lets go ahead and set up one now and use that as a model for the rest of the basin to subscribe to. At some point in time you can consolidate the districts into one major district. COUNCILMAN STROUGH-What are we going to do as far as controlling the use of fertilizers, pesticides. MR. DECKER-There is a model resolution that is offered as part of municipalities to consider for adoption banning the use of fertilizers within the water shed, you will be seeing that proposed resolution the first week in January. SUPERVISOR STEC-Thanked Mr. Decker for his presentation. 2.0FIRE CONTRACT DISCUSSIONS WITH INDIVIDUAL FIRE COMPANIES REGARDING BUDGETS Discussion to be held to a one year contract. QUEENSBURY CENTRAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY SUPERVISOR STEC-We will hold the discussion to a one year contract, we are not planning on making any language changes. Regarding the budget we went through for all the companies and identified your debt to our knowledge, we know what insurance is, then we took operations we budgeted in our adopted Town Budget a three percent operations increase. REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-Amount requested 576,803 BUDGET OFFICER SWITZER-$572,440 is what we budgeted. COUNCILMAN BREWER-What does the company purchase under the line item of small equipment for $40,000. REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-That is defined by the Town in terms of accounting purposes, any equipment that costs less than a thousand dollars. You can combine Fire Fighting and Small Equipment. The difference between what falls in one line and another line is the dollar value of it for accounting perspective. Anything over a thousand dollars is fire fighting equipment so it can be capitalized and depreciated for our books the other one goes into small equipment which is expensed in the year that it is acquired. SUPERVISOR STEC-Noted the 572,000 is close to their 576,000 the board needs to know how you got to that figure. The debt that they have asked for we projected their debt at 277,000 as opposed to last year at 205,000, that additional 72,000 is the truck. They asked for 238,000 and that is because they do not have a years worth of truck payments. They are saying they like the Town’s final number but we want less of that number in debt and more in operations. We need to know as a Board is that unless something else changes next year the rest of the debt will catch up. REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-Noted money does move around in the budget lines, we have spent nothing in building improvements this year, we budgeted fifty three hundred dollars that money was used to cover higher fuel costs, and replacement of two generators on the trucks and increased costs in medical supplies. We 229 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 know we have a roof problem that will need to be repaired next year, that is why we need more in operations for next year. COUNCILMAN STROUGH-The Building and Grounds 38,850. how much of that is for building repairs? REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-Some of it is our plowing, maintenance on outside, some of it fixing door locks, anything to do with maintaining the building and grounds. COUNCILMAN STROUGH-In maintenance of the grounds, if we all got together and made one bid, lawn care etc. questioned if it would be cheaper? REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-If you can make that happen John, I would entertain it, right now we go with our most substantial bid, not necessarily the lowest bid but it is what we are looking for. Our operations expenses are going up 19%. Noted that the contract last year went up 3%, we had repairs to trucks that we didn’t come back to the Town for. COUNCILMAN BREWER-We are giving you more money it is not a flat budget, the 572,000 is a five point four percent increase. SUPERVISOR STEC-The debt it the debt, Councilman Brewer is concerned over the 19% increase in operations. Last year you were at $255,000 and we budgeted 3% over that which is 262,820. but you are asking for roughly 300,000, about 19% more which is a far cry from inflation. REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-We are now looking at deferred things that now have to address, the roof, we want to do things to prevent capital projects. SUPERVISOR STEC-It is a 19% increase in operation, it is a forty five thousand dollar increase in operations. REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-You gave us $543,000 last year, I could care less what it is for, we are asking for $572,000 it is a five percent increase why do you care less of what it is…next year we come in for $600,000 then what is the big deal, if that $600,000 happens to be a higher debt payment and lower in something else, lower in operations then you accomplish what you guys are trying to accomplish. SUPERVISOR STEC-You are giving us over two years a ten percent increase. That is five percent a year, to us that five percent is a lot of money. Our own operations budget went down each of the last two years. REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-We have some issues that are going on, I think this is the ideal opportunity for us to stay within a reasonable increase and fix some of the issues that we have in the building which we have not spent any money on. COUNCILMAN BOOR-You guys wouldn’t accept the $570,000 REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-We would go to $572,000. SUPERVISOR STEC-That is a half a percent higher than what you said you would be out the door with. BUDGET OFFICER SWITZER-Are they willing to accept the $572,000 as we have it operations, insurance and debt? REPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-No. SUPERVISOR STEC-We need to know that for their budget because there are restrictions on the debt. 230 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 RESPRESENTATIVE OF QUEENSBURY CENTRAL-As you know what we would do as the $572,000 goes we will have Chris break that up … stth SUPERVISOR STEC-On the 1 of the year I would like a resolution authorizing the 12 rd payment so we can cut checks on the 3. We see where you guys are, the Board will be meeting on this at a later date. SOUTH QUEENSBURY VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY SUPERVISOR STEC-You have been operating under an agreement meeting with the Budget Officer, Supervisor and Councilman Turner on a monthly basis reviewing your finances for the past year. I think Eric, Jason and Jason have done a really good job trying to get things back under control. We are going into 2006 to talk about a one year contract, no language changes… REPRESENTATIVE OF SO. QUEENSBURY FIRE COMPANY-Questioned when bills are submitted the lag time for payment is causing late charges. BUDGET OFFICER SWITZER-Noted that she will look into that, it may be because of the Town Board Meeting dates. SUPERVISOR STEC-Last years budget 140,000 we added three percent, we have budgeted with room for negotiations $144,200. for next year. So. Queensbury has requested $191,562. We know what your debt is $91,942. and your insurance. BUDGET OFFICER SWITZER-The debt includes mortgage payments, vehicle payments on truck and Chief’s Vehicle. REPRESENTATIVE OF SO. QUEENSBURY FIRE COMPANY-Spoke to the Board noting that they had reviewed their monthly expenses, spoke on older trucks and the increase in maintenance on them. BUDGET OFFICER SWITZER-Projections based on the past years bills-todate we have spent approximately $162,000. if I take out what we have paid them and the expenses of 2004 that were paid in 2005, which is $162,000. that is of today. For the year I would expect $180,000. I think there are recurring expenses that we will not see again…they can do what they are doing now or a little bit less. I agree that they need the $162,000 to operate that building down there but that doesn’t include additional maintenance or to keep gear in the condition that it needs to be and for that to be bought on a rotating basis. REPRESENTATIVE OF SO. QUEENSBURY FIRE COMPANY-We need to get onto a five year rotating schedule. Spoke about needed repairs to the building such as repairing of the furnace; floor and drainage repairs are needed. The trucks are getting old, need to start planning for a newer truck. Requested that funds used for repairs be put back into a truck fund. SUPERVISOR STEC-We eliminated truck funds. If it is time to buy a new truck come and talk to the Town Board. COUNCILMAN BOOR-You are recommending 162,000 Jennifer? BUDGET OFFICER SWITZER-I would recommend about a $170,000. for them. COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-What is ten thousand less than $180,000 what items in 2006 won’t they need that they needed in 2005 to the tune of $10,000? BUDGET OFFICER SWITZER-They purchased six thousand dollar computer and all the peripherals, and they bought other office equipment, file cabinets, desk, chair, replaced pagers. 231 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 COUNCILMAN STROUGH-Reviewed their budgets, noting items that were not itemized for, immunizations, communications etc. COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-What do you see here that is not essential? BUDGER OFFICER SWITZER-I am looking at do they really need $1,000. for the Tahoe? COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-A Thousand dollars really doesn’t Go that far. COUNCILMAN BREWER-There is $20,000 for vehicle repairs and maintenance; you are not always going to spend five thousand on those three pieces of equipment every single year. REPRESENTATIVE OF SO. QUEENSBURY FIRE COMPANY-The maintenance contract for each truck is $800. per truck for servicing…$400. for pump tests…$1500.00 for tires… COUNCILMAN STROUGH-This is a unique situation what appears to be an awful high increase, you cannot go by the one forty figure it is not fair. BUDGET OFFICER SWITZER-They are just getting one year under their belt to see what it costs, if they need to come back to us have them come back to us. COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-Dan do you see in the case of Central that this will carry over into 2006 before you have resolution with them on the budget? SUPERVISOR STEC-Yes, we need to set and have a public hearing. COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-In my particular case I am a guest here and I don’t case a vote but I will in 2006, before we come to an understanding at a low number like this with the anticipation that they will be coming back, my preference would be to wait, address it in 2006 I could do a little bit more work and weight in with a more intelligent perspective. SUPERVISOR STEC-That is fine, we will not be acting on this until 2006. There will be no action tonight, we will come back to this we may meet with you again, we may not. The next time I envision the Town Board getting together on fire budgets is in 2006. Thanked the members of So. Queensbury Fire Company for speaking to the Board. BAY RIDGE VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY SUPERVISOR STEC-Will not be discussing districts, most companies are interested in a one year contract, we are not intending to change language we are here to talk about a one year budget. The earliest to set a public hearing would be the second half of January. There will be a resolution for the organizational meeting that would authorize us to make th the 12 payment. How did we arrive at budgets, what we did was we believe we know everyone’s debt and insurance, we budgeted them aside and we took what was left and called that operations, heat, electric, repairs, gasoline understanding that fuel has been a special item. To your operations budget we added 3%. We have room for negotiations. REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-We increased the lines that were deficient in last years budget, increased fire fighting equipment a $1,000. due to shipping costs, building and grounds we had the same problem increased due to surcharges increased by $1500.00 the other increases were in utilities, a little shy of 9% over all increase. SUPERVISOR STEC-What was your fuel line and what did you propose? 232 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-Our vehicle fuel is at $6,300. we raised it to $10,000. SUPERVISOR STEC-What about heating fuel? REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-The falls under building and grounds and utility line so there isn’t a line item on that. Utilities is $3,000 across the board that would be a 10% increase in the utilities line. SUPERVISOR STEC-The debt reduction or formerly known as the vehicle fund, the Town has eliminated that. REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-If you want to hold onto vehicle restricted fund obviously we see the direction you are taking but I will say last year we had a thirty six thousand dollar payment for a truck that was due, everybody else received their restricted vehicle fund as a one lump one time pay down debt gesture, we did not receive that gesture. If you want to take this out of our budget we would like to be awarded the same thing that everybody else was awarded. If it was afforded to the other four companies I think we should be able to be afforded this. SUPERVISOR STEC-You are saying that last year there was thirty six thousand dollars missing from the budget and we took that from the vehicle fund contribution, I understand what you are saying, Assuming that we do not institute this money that you are saying give us the forty grand this year and you will not ask for the forty grand next year. REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-That is an understanding that we do have. SUPERVISOR STEC-The thirty six thousand was not put in their budget to us so we did not know about it so we did not budget for it so when we didn’t call the vehicle fund a vehicle fund anymore we will call it debt reduction they need the forty thousand debt reduction to cover debt for the truck. If we do not give any other company debt reduction or vehicle fund or any other chuck of monies that looks like that then what you are saying that this is the money that you would have felt that we should have given you last year…what would you do with it? REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-We would probably split it between trying to lower our truck and building payment. SUPERVISOR STEC-You would put it toward debt? REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL.FIRE COMPANY-Yes. SUPERVISOR STEC-Which of the two has the higher interest rate? REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-We have to refinance our building next year, in ’07. Lets put some money down on that and lower our debt service. COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-There is about a fifteen thousand dollar variance if you buy into the logic that has been thrown on the table in terms of what the Town has come up with and what they are asking for, is that correct? SUPERVISOR STEC- The $366,000 is the adopted number … Regarding operations- on fuel we were prepared to bring you up $5,500. and we are short $9,500. of what you are asking for. Their operations requests vs our budget is off $10,000. COUNCILMAN BREWER-I will go back to my initial statement for the Town our operation budget decreased two years in a row this year was seven and a half percent, how come all these companies that we have met with tonight nobody else can comply. 233 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-I guess when you have decreased our budget two years in a row and now you are offering us a three percent increase if you had increased us three percent over the last two years, three percent would have be right in line with what I am asking for. Our runs have increased, our fuel has increased the telephone has increased the utilities have increased how do you stay flat? Noted only five line items were increased the rest stayed flat. COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-What did you spend in 2005 on fuel? That is a big jump from $6,300. to $10,000. REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-The prior year it went up 40% … noted they moved monies from another line. COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-What would be the fuel number year to date in 2005. REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-Vehicle Fuel expenses year to date is $2,000. over budget. COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-It would be $8,500. REPRESENTATIVE OF BAY RIDGE VOL. FIRE COMPANY-We still have through the end of the year. SUPERVISOR STEC-Will discuss this over the next few weeks…noted that the grand total fund balance for fire and ems is around $237,000. From what we have seen so far there is a question amount on the large dollar amount but not how you got there I am not concerned that we are not going to be able to come to a number in the near future at all, your budget was close. NORTH QUEENSBURY VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY SUPERVISOR STEC-Reviewed for the Fire Company that the Board has not to this point settled any contacts, will review the budgets and get back to the boards. Will not discuss districts and will have a one year contract and no change in any of the contract language. We know what your debt is and insurance costs, in regard to operations we took last years operation and added 3% there is room to negotiate. REPRESENTATIVES OF NORTH QUEENSBURY VOL. FIRE COMPANY-We have two outstanding loans, one is the mortgage at 2.6% which will be paid off in two years and second is an air pack purchase/lease arrangement. Use the money toward truck … plan to eliminate two trucks and consolidate to one truck. Spoke on the advantages and disadvantages of selling one of the trucks to Fort Ann. Discussion held on truck payments… SUPERVISOR STEC-If the first truck payment that you will need isn’t until December of next year then we do not need to give you twelve months of payments we need to give you one month of payments. REPRESENTATIVE OF NORTH QUEENSBURY VOL. FIRE COMPANY-We were to use it to keep the debt down. Spoke on the savings for short term financing. We are the one department that came in at a lower budget. Discussion held regarding operation funds. REPRESENTATIVE OF NORTH QUEENSBURY VOL. FIRE COMPANY-We are eighty thousand over vehicle repair, we have a generator that is down on an engine, we have a light tower that needs repair, we have a large valve on the rear of the tanker that 234 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 we do not have. Our vehicle repair comparing it to any other departments is much lower the operation budget is lower also, we do most of the work ourselves. COUNCILMAN BREWER-The Town has not budgeted for truck funds. SUPERVISOR STEC-We will have to sit down after tonight and make some decisions. REPRESENTATIVE OF NORTH QUEENSBURY VOL. FIRE COMPANY-Under Operation Budget the big one for us was vehicle repairs and maintenance which went up $3,000.. Professional Services went up $500. we also use non fire money for that also. Fire Police Budget went up $500. because we were over on the budget, officer’s transportation went up over $400.. We did not buy a Chief’s vehicle and we bought our utility a few years ago. We have seven new members to buy turn out gear for,. COUNCILMAN BOOR-What do you do with a fire company that has its building paid for and no debt but you know you are going to have to replace vehicles? COUNCILMAN BREWER-I have no qualms’ about replacing vehicles. REPRESENTATIVE OF NORTH QUEENSBURY VOL. FIRE COMPANY-We feel that it is fiscally responsible department to have that money for continued debt reduction and we want the money. COUNCILMAN STROUGH-I was in favor of the vehicle funds, the point that Tim brings up is that we are not doing it for anybody so if we did it for one it opens up a whole can of worms. What you are asking is operations is $13,000. more than last year? REPRESENTATIVE OF NORTH QUEENSBURY VOL. FIRE COMPANY-Yes. All the operations in all the departments should be very similar. COUNCILMAN STROUGH-If you take out the truck fund then you are down to $268,240. for a budget. SUPERVISOR STEC-I understand where you are coming from, and you are right to a certain extent how much do you penalize a company that managed itself very well over the years. In a nut shell that is our American Society where a certain segment of the population is always carrying somebody else. We will not be able to throw a switch and make it all better it has built up over years and we are trying and we need partners in this, you guys are coming to the table with your stuff together and you are organized and that is great. COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-There is a sizable component for mortgage payment what’s the issue again so it is clearer in my mind. REPRESENTATIVE OF NORTH QUEENSBURY VOL. FIRE COMPANY-What will be done, it is put into a fund so that when we do to finance the truck that we are not financing $400,000 or a half a million dollars for a down payment we will have two hundred thousand to put down or whatever. COUNCILMAN ELECT RICHARD SANFORD-What is the justification for it? REPRESENTATIVE OF NORTH QUEENSBURY VOL. FIRE COMPANY-Because we are going buy a truck we want to keep the debt down over time. The justification based on current rates our debt service will cost the town an extra two million dollars in interest if we carry it out over twenty years the way you guys are asking. So, instead of our truck fund costing two and a half million it will cost four and a half million. COUNCILMAN STROUGH-Looking at the bigger picture the Budget Officer is saying if you had that money and you are only earning three percent but when you take out a loan it will be five percent so there is a differential there. So, there is an argument in opposition to it too, if you look at the bigger picture not your picture specifically because you are planning on making a purchase next year this is going to go toward it so in your 235 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 picture it works well but with four other departments and three ems squads it is not going to work out well. REPRESENTATIVE OF NORTH QUEENSBURY VOL. FIRE COMPANY-If you look back over ten, twenty years it is not that we have gotten any more money with the debt our debt has been shorter, we have paid less in interest. SUPERVISOR STEC-You are a nice problem to have I wish we were all fighting over somebody that came in says we are going to spend thirty six hundred dollars less next year than we did this year. This issue is that yes for you localized you have no debt, what you are proposing absolutely works for you, the thing is on a town wide basis there is so much debt out there that it is crazy to be putting money into a vehicle fund at two or three percent when you are paying down debt that is double didget in some cases. To catch in an ideal world if you could win the lottery and pay off all debt then the way to go forward is to pay cash in advance because you will save the interest that you are talking about. That is an acidemic argument that will not be realistic until all the debt is gone and it will be many decades before all the debt is gone. That is the sins of this Town Board and many Town Boards and Fire Company Boards before us and now we have got a large amount of debt to deal with and unfortunately you don’t and so you are getting penalized and it is not right and there are solutions possibly to this but we are not going to discuss them tonight. We have enough information from you for us to talk amongst ourselves, with you, with staff and we have weeks, we anticipate getting back together early next year either formally have you come in again or it may be resolved, where we say ok, this is a proposal that we are comfortable making. We will set a public in stth January. January 1 we will pass the 12 of operations in that first week in January so your operating expenses will be covered until be get a budget in late January or early February. Thank all that attended. WEST GLENS FALLS VOLUNTEER FIRE CO. INC. SUPERVISOR STEC-We have not arrived at a dollar amount with any of first four. Will th be forwarding a 12 of the money for operations while we are in contract negotiations in January. We are not talking about districts, looking for a one year contract…no language changes to the contract…need to talk about the 2006 budget for company. We believe we know what everyones debt and insurance run, we budget for that and for operations we took last years operations portion of the budget except for debt and insurance and tacked on 3%. Noted there is not enough money in the coffers to cover every request that every company has made. In operations we budgeted for $223,000. and increase from $216,000 and we are looking at a significant difference there. REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-The debt we have is not going to change. We all know that utilities are going up and gas and oil, a flat line 3% that is not going to work for us. Building and Grounds Maintenance is a bid number item…that has to come up this year and from that point forward we seem to be balancing it out. It is the oldest building out of all the fire companies in the Town, and we have a lot of issues with the building right now. It looks like a $16,000 + repairs for a couple of heating units on top of the hall. We are looking at an average of $22,000. just to take care of the grounds, mowing, snowplowing etc. noted that the building is used for banquets and events which causes extra maintenance. The air conditioning has just been replaced, all the thermostats are being replaced now. The telephone system has to be replaced. COUNCILMAN BREWER-When you put in your budget $50,000 to do repairs why does it go to 2007 and 2008 as well. A one time occurrence shouldn’t be left in a budget. REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-They are not one time occurrences, every time we turn around there are things falling apart in this building that we cannot keep up with. Every year we are pulling out of other line items to try and make ends meet. The building needs to be acid washed and re-caulked, the pavement needs to re-sealed. We have sealing tiles that we were just written up for at 236 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 an OSHA inspection we have to replace…this is one line items that is really hitting us hard. Training and education is $3,700. to train fifty guys. COUNCILMAN BOOR-How much longer is your mortgage payment? REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-About 20 years. There is a truck fund that we have and take that money and purchase the tow vehicle for the trailer that we have. COUNCILMAN BREWER-I thought you had grant money for that. REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-The grant money is coming after, you have to buy the truck first, when we get the truck here take the money from the State and pay off the roof with that. COUNCILMAN BOOR-The State is a guarantee? REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-Yes. COUNCILMAN BOOR-What is the time frame on the money from the State? REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-They said it would be within 2006, $30,000. COUNCILMAN BREWER-Why wouldn’t you buy the truck and put the money back into the truck fund for the next purchase you are going to make? REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-It is just sitting there right now otherwise we would have to take out a loan to do this. COUNCILMAN BREWER-Take your truck fund buy the vehicle, when the money comes back put it back in the truck fund rather than pay down the roof, we already budget for that. REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-Asked for a three year contract. SUPERVISOR STEC-We will do a three year if we can agree to a three year. In the 2005 contract we gave $40,000. for debt reduction what did you put that against? REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-For Station II that air packs, and gear, paid off five different loans. Outstanding loans, the mortgage, roof and engine 310, everything else is paid off. COUNCILMAN BOOR-What is the interest rate on the mortgage? REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-I will have to look it up the re-did it a year and a half ago and it went down $1,800 / $2,000. Would like to have a pad for the chopper landings, it would be a overflow parking area that they can land on. COUNCILMAN BREWER-Suggested asking Albany Med if they could help in the payment of the pad. REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-Discussed the use of the building, just breaking even but that does not cover, snow removal, would like it self-sufficient. SUPERVISOR STEC-Trying to understand the $90,000 increase, I am following on what you are saying on operations end but why are we asking for a $40,000 in debt reduction. 237 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-The $40,000 was part of the budget from before. SUPERVISOR STEC-Last year was in fact the last year we were going to do it. COUNCILMAN BOOR-We have said no to every body else just so you know. thst SUPERVISOR STEC-Noted that the 12 payment is covered on the January 1 meeting…will discuss the fire company budget, we might need another workshop, set public hearing in January for late in January or early February. REPRESENTATIVE OF WEST GLENS FALLS VOL. FIRE COMPANY-Would like to change their purchasing policy and will have to have approval of the Town Board. SUPERVISOR STEC-Asked if there were any further questions. Spoke on preparing a resolution for the Tow Vehicle. Thanked West Glens Falls Vol. Fire Company for coming in. 3.0DISCUSSION – REVISIONS TO THE TOWN EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK Clarification on vacation time accruals and elected officials and retirement. Budget Officer Switzer-Vacation accruals – right now a non union employee of the Town you receive your vacation on your anniversary date. If for some reason you do not retire from the Town or you resign on that date and you work for another three to six months or nine months you would actually be entitled to that time that you had accrued your vacation time, but because we only give it to you, we only put it on the books on that date we do not pay it out when you leave. So, the idea is if you don’t retire or you don’t terminate for any reason on your anniversary date you will accrue that vacation time and at the date that you actually do leave the Town you will be pro-rated and paid out the vacation time that you would have earned. This is if they did not take it. The most that anyone can build up is thirty days of vacation, if it goes over that it needs board approval. The other had to do with health insurance for elected officials who are retiring should they or should they not, the employee handbook is not clear, whether an elected official is entitled to health insurance upon retirement, there are elected officials that are getting it. Supervisor Stec-It is past practice. Councilman Strough-It is past practice but you have to put in minimum amount of time in ten years with the Town then lets say I was twenty years old I work for ten years that means I can gain the benefit of this health insurance the rest of my life? Budget Officer Switzer-No. What this is saying is that you have to meet the same eligibility requirements that a non elected official or an employee of the town has to meet. You have to be at least 55 years old, and you have to be eligible to get a pension from the New York State Retirement System which means you have to have five years of vested service in. You have to be at least 55, and have five years with the retirement system and ten years with the town. So, the number of people that are going to meet this eligibility requirement is going to be very small. Councilman Strough-Questioned the cut off date, lets say I turn 65 and I get full Medicaid full benefits I can still take the Town’s Health Insurance? Budget Officer Switzer-If you meet those requirements yes. Councilman Elect Richard Sanford-Don’t you have policy that treats the governmental program as primary and that you are secondary so the premium is reduced? 238 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-12-2005 MTG. #55 Budget Officer Switzer-yes. Councilman Strough-What are the areas of employment where you can work for ten years quite and then you still get our health insurance. Councilman Boor-You have to be over retirement age. Councilman Strough-I would like to see the law written out and then we can deal with it. Supervisor Stec-This would treat them the same as any other Town Employee that has ten years of service with the Town, five years vested with the State and if fifty five years old and retires. RESOLUTION ADJOURNING TOWN BOARD MEETING RESOLUTION NO. 577.2005 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Theodore Turner RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns its Town Board Meeting. th Duly adopted this 12 day of December, 2005 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Boor, Mr. Turner, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Stec NOES: None ABSENT: None Respectfully submitted, Miss Darleen M. Dougher Town Clerk-Queensbury