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2006-12-11 SP MTG53 949 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING MTG.#53 DECEMBER 11, 2006 RES. 602-604 7:00 p.m. TOWN BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT SUPERVISOR DANIEL STEC COUNCILMAN ROGER BOOR COUNCILMAN RICHARD SANFORD COUNCILMAN JOHN STROUGH COUNCILMAN TIM BREWER TOWN OFFICIALS Sr. Planner Stu Baker Sole Assessor Helen Otte Data Collector/Assessor Ted Bigelow DISCUSSIONS RESCUE SQUAD CONTRACTS NORTH QUEENSBURY EMS CONTRACT Supervisor Stec-Reviewed paid staffing – for North Queensbury one person five days a week for a year, and ten weeks (summer) a second ELS person. Requested budget $98,904. the town adopted a budget for three and a half percent increase in operation adopted budget $87,958. Representatives of North Queensbury Rescue-Noted increase in gas prices and diesel, also noting increase in utilities… Councilman Sanford-Noted he needed to have some answers from the Auditors Loftus and Ross on the 2005 audit which showed a ninety four thousand dollar stated loss.. Supervisor Stec-Your operations last year was fifty six two hundred and forty dollars, you have requested an increase to sixty nine one fifty four we are eleven apart on those numbers. What is the increase? Representatives of North Queensbury Rescue-Noted increase in utilities, equipment-costs have gone up 1010.00 medical supplies up 1100.00 medical equipment up 300. Spoke on the growth of the company and the increase in the number of boating accidents causing more in expenditures. Councilman Brewer-Noted that they had agreed to six thousand for one car not twelve thousand for two. Representatives of North Queensbury Rescue-We recognize that fly car is 94-95 and does have some problems and we thought we could replace it by leasing a car. Noted that they do not have a Captains car. Asking for two six thousand dollar leases. 950 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 Supervisor Stec-Spoke about cutting six thousand eliminating one leased car, would be then very close in numbers. Budgeted request would then be at 92,904. Councilman Sanford-Well speak to the auditor, if I am comfortable with the questions that were raised, I will e-mail everybody and we don’t necessarily have to have you back. Supervisor Stec-Contract length- one or two year contract.. Board agreed to one year contract. BAY RIDGE RESCUE SQUAD CONTACT Discussion held on purchase of new ambulance, approximately 12,000 per year for five years. Councilman Sanford-Reviewed the audit of 2005. Noted he took what was realized converted it to cash equaliants transferred upwards, come up with a hundred and twenty five thousand using rounding numbers you are coming up with a hundred and seventy five thousand, you have twelve thousand for an ambulance, my number is one thirty seven to your hundred and seventy five, please explain the spread of thirty seven five. Representatives of Bay Ridge Rescue Squad-Increase related to need for new radios, extra stair chair, stretcher, …noted running about a thousand calls in 2006…cost up in utilities, repairs, more heat in the building all day… Councilman Sanford-Requested that the format of the budget line up better with the audit statement in terms of expense categories. Come back and proof out why in 2007 you need thirty eight thousand additional dollars. Councilman Boor-The fact that we may be missing is the volume this is based on seven hundred runs a year they are now in 2006 at thousand so percentage wise we are looking at almost fifty percent more. Representatives of Bay Ridge Rescue Squad-A lot of the increase is in the number of runs made by the Company. Supervisor Stec-Noted that with the paid staffing the company is getting out more than they used to, and you are working with West Glens Falls. Councilman Sanford-The bottom line is I want to give you the opportunity to tell me how you can close the gap at least partially . Representatives of Bay Ridge Rescue Squad-Question if the CPA Allen Powers should be brought in? Councilman Sanford-I know Mr. Powers and I will be happy to talk to Allen about this, maybe we should have him at a workshop. 951 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 Representatives of Bay Ridge Rescue Squad-Spoke on the five year plan outline interior work to be done on the building and up grading equipment. Supervisor Stec-Reviewed the life expectancy of an ambulance, based on number of runs…eight to ten years, each squad has two ambulances, (six) there is someday likely to be seven ambulances, to be replaced on a seven year replacement cycle, one ambulance a year for cash…that is a concept to be considered. Councilman Boor-The ambulance to be replaced in 2009 is a year 2000 vehicle, the squad is doing more runs than you used to do and I do not want to get into a situation where we delay you thinking that we are saving money and then this 2009 creeps up and you need two of them. Supervisor Stec-Will be meeting after Christmas… WEST GLENS FALLS RESCUE SQUAD CONTRACT Councilman Sanford-You came in with your request of three fifty five five hundred and I came up with three forty four ninety one a spread of fifteen thousand dollars, I do not think we have much of a problem. Ms. Boucher-Noted as of today they had two thousand seventy six calls todate. Supervisor Stec-There is only one lease for a fly car. Ms. Boucher-We own the other one. Board and West Glens Falls agreed to $345.500. Ms. Boucher-Noted her only concern was insurance they have paid more than the Town has allowed for insurance and we have taken it out of operating expenses. Supervisor Stec-We will be doing a one year contract, hope to have a public th hearing on January 8 to approve the three forty five, five hundred. Board reviewed consolidation of purchasing such as insurance etc. with the three companies… Supervisor Stec-West Glens Falls Rescue would like us next year to shop the bill for service third party biller they feel there are companies around here that could do better. HEALTH INSURANCE RENEWAL Supervisor Stec-Using Capital Financial Group the commission portion of the premium that the town pays is between forty three and fifty thousand dollars. 952 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 Councilman Sanford-Met with Mr. Weber today to reach a mutual satisfactory agreement it was not successful, he requested to come to this meeting. I got a direct quote from Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield which basically took last years rate and went up 4.1 percent, Mr. Weber presented at our last workshop 6.6 percent increase. The savings from the direct quote was fifty thousand five hundred and fifty five dollars and sixty four cents. I had reason to believe that three of the five board members would support a one point two five percent increase in our rates above the direct rate if Mr. Weber would stay on as the agent. That amount would approximate twenty six thousand three hundred and sixteen dollars increase by the one and a quarter percent commission added to it. It would bring in a savings from the 6.6 rate of twenty four thousand two thirty nine. Supervisor Stec-The name of the game for us as any town board is to get the maximum value on behalf of both our taxpayers, residents, voters if you will and as well as our employees. We need to balance that. Passed out unsolicited letters also one letter from Mike Lopez the Union President supporting Capital Financial. Noted he spoke to Brian Gilligan from Empire who handles the Town’s account, he handles a hundred groups and only two out of those hundred don’t use a broker, the normal route is to have the benefit of a broker. Town had called two months ago asking what the renewal would be without a broker, and the number was ten percent increase as opposed to the six point six percent increase. Councilman Sanford-Spoke on the percent increase over the last four years this town has had fourteen point two seven five average premium increases with our broker. Councilman Brewer-He has done the work regardless who gets paid and what that is, our rate, it started at fifteen he got it down to six I do not think it is fair or ethical to go in after the fact and ask him to cut his rate. Councilman Boor-We would not be setting here if somebody had not shined the light on this thing and said what are we doing. The fact that we are as low as we are the six point six that John came in with last is only because the light got shined on it. Councilman Brewer-Noted that a lot of employees value the service. Mr. Weber-Requested that the Board look at the whole time that he had represented the Town, it is not that high, every year that we had the rates on average HMO’s have increase 17%. Reviewed how the six point six was reached, due to the number of claims, experience rates. We are still at eleven percent under the HMO rates. We would like to move forward with the Town, you are asking for a sixty percent cut when we just spent three months doing the renewal. The bank was requesting that we split the difference 1.5 I do not think that is a larger number than the 1.25 that you mentioned to me. Councilman Sanford-Noted that he had told Mr. Weber that the majority of the Board would be prepared to move forward with a direct write situation in 953 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 the interest of trying to be cooperative and looking for a win, win solution I originally suggested a 1% commission fee, then one and a quarter at that point in time you said you would check with the bank, and then offered the one and a half which I do not think was acceptable, and that is where we are now. Supervisor Stec-Reviewed for the Board what our representative of Blue Cross said about the firm are we getting a good value for two percent? Mr. Gilligan said we were getting a great deal for two percent. Also spoke to Ms. Switzer who had done a lot of work with the company and she said in her opinion right now to change would be irresponsible for us to walk away from the offer that is on the table. Also talked to someone who manages Health Insurance for the County, Frank O’Keefe, he could not say enough positive things about how he values them. If we want to split hairs on a quarter percent from one and quarter to one and a half that is about seven or eighty thousand dollars which if I am not mistaken that could be one persons claim. Councilman Brewer-That is what it is about it is about the employees there has got to be a cost for value for employees. Councilman Boor-No employee of the Town is going to have any different insurance no matter what happens in this room tonight, whether or not they call John Weber, an eight hundred number or a consultant that is really what we are talking about. Supervisor Stec-If you call a one eight hundred number I am going to guess that any broker is going to be more likely to have greater success than an individual calling the one eight hundred number and some brokers are better than others. Mr. Weber if you were offered one and a half percent would you continue to be the broker? Mr. Weber-Yes. Councilman Sanford-We are not going to approve it, it is one and a quarter or we go direct. Supervisor Stec-I would like to hear from John and Roger. Councilman Boor-I am not going to comment, so not to make a hasty decision tonight what so ever on this decision. Councilman Strough-Questioned how much will it cost us to get just as good as administration or maybe better than what we have had? Councilman Sanford-Fifteen to twenty thousand a year will do it. Supervisor Stec-Who do you have in mind? Councilman Sanford-It is a bidding process, I do have a few people in mind. Councilman Strough-Questioned if Mr. Weber would do it for one and a quarter percent? 954 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 Mr. Weber-You have a union contract coming up next year I was involved in the last contract when it came to Health Insurance, I have spent a lot of time in Queensbury and lived here all my life in this area I think we have done a great job. You made a recommendation of 1.5 this afternoon and you told me the other board members if I accepted that would be willing to move along with that and I am going to go ahead on the Banks behalf, understand that I am an employee of the bank so I do not benefit from anything that comes into this organization anymore. I do not fully agree with what has happened here, there are a lot of things we do behind the scenes and probably because you do not hear a lot of complaints about your health care is because we take care of a lot of that stuff. The day after we got done with the meeting here last time a women did not pre-authorization and call for surgery and was charged fifty percent of the claim, she has been on the contract for three years, she called the eight hundred number and they told her there was nothing that they could do that is the way the contract reads and she would have to pay fifty percent of four thousand dollars for that claim. We went to bat for her and we asked for an exception, we got that claim paid. Those are the things we do behind the scenes. We will take the one point two five I will go with your commitment that if Capital was willing to do that we would be willing to move forward. Our recommendation for next year is to get together a few times look at what is happening on a monthly basis with the health care and show you what things might be able to be done when you negotiate your contracts. Would encourage those that have contact with Capital Financial to tell the Board in writing their experience with their service. Supervisor Stec-Thanked Mr. Weber for his service. SARATOGA ASSOCIATES CLUP CONTRACT Present Sr. Planner Stu Baker and PORC Member Chris Hunsinger Sr. Planner Baker-The PORC Committee is currently working on the Code Revisions both Chapter 179 and 183A . We have four sections for the Committee to review plus Councilman’s Strough’s paper on Professional Office Zones and a complete read thorough of all the revisions. Four to six months work to be done. Saratoga Associates expects to submitting a final invoice that will max out the current contract. I have proposed an extension of the Saratoga Assoc. Contract for up to six months at a cost of Eighteen hundred dollars per meeting, one meeting a month. Councilman Boor-Questioned the length of time needed. Sr. Planner Baker-Noted a lot of that is due to with the structure of the committee changed dramatically when five new people were appointed. Councilman Boor-Questioned when new members are not as familiar with the sections and what can and can’t be done why don’t they go to the staff for assistance, so the meetings are not slowed down? Sr. Planner Baker-We have invited the entire committee to do just that. 955 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 Councilman Boor-What is Saratoga Associates role with Zoning? PORC Member Hunsinger-When we moved from the Comprehensive Land Use Plan to the Zoning Ordinance they brought on the Attorney that was part of the contract, so the Attorney is at every meeting plus one staff person if not two from Saratoga Associates. The Attorney will draft the language and their staff making the corrections and keeping everything together. Councilman Sanford-Can we go back to Saratoga Association and definitely know when the process will end? Sr. Planner Baker-The Town Board could give a clear statement that you want the committee and consultants to finish their work in X months that would be the defacto cap. Councilman Sanford-How many meetings do you have in a month? PORC Member Hunsinger-One Asking for four to six additional meetings. Councilman Sanford-Accept this as five months to wrap this up. Sr. Planner Baker-I think that would be fine. Councilman Strough-I think we should be able to make that work. I think Saratoga Associates has done a great job in re-writing a lot of 179 and making it clear. Part B is being worked on by the Town Historian. Sr. Planner Baker- Part B is entirely the Town Board’s responsibility. Supervisor Stec-A resolution will have to be done to authorize the additional five meetings. Councilman Boor-Where will we be at the end of the fifth month? Sr. Planner Baker-We will have the revised zoning code and subdivision regs and the draft comprehensive plan. Once the draft comprehensive plan is its final form acceptable to the Town Board will still need County Planning Board review, APA Review and SEQRA. Councilman Boor-We have been reluctant to close the public hearing on the CLUP because we want to make sure that it matches with the Zoning. th Supervisor Stec-Will be taking some comments on the 18 on the CLUP and any further action would be in January. Now is the appropriate time in my opinion to do whatever we want to do with the strip along Bay Road. If we want to say only offices I do not have a problem with that, we might be able to lay enough on the table right now for you to bring back and start making those changes so that we can start wrapping up the public hearing process. Councilman Boor-When this process began we put all zoning changes on hold. We had four applications for Zoning Change one was on Bay Road someone with a residence wanted professional office, we know it will be 956 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 professional office and yet they are sitting there not being able to do it. We know that Top of the World was a wonderful plan with the garden and restaurant we are not allowing to start this thing, they have lost two seasons now. I think the ones that are already in the pipe line we might want to have PORC look at it or whatever but if these are in line with the CLUP and what we believe the zoning to be I would like to move forward on some of these. Councilman Strough-Reviewed the Zoning Change on Bay Road, Mr. Hughes. I suggest that we leave Mr. Hughes as he is and the rest of the professional office stay the way it is. There at a lot of little nooks and crannies that have to be investigated. Councilman Boor-The History portion can be done as an addendum after adoption. Sr. Planner Baker-The addendum has a lot of policy statements and should be integrated into the current document. Councilman Boor- Questioned if PORC was editing that? Sr. Planner Baker-No. I have been waiting for a clear direction from this board on what you want to do with John’s piece, and what I hearing from this Board is work with John and edit it down and integrate it in. I want to be assured that we will continue to move forward. The lawyer has expressed an interest in getting the Comp Plan in final form, reviewing the Committees work on the Code Amendments, make sure those are consistent with the Comp plan in final form and taking both to final public hearing for final adoption. Councilman Strough-Recommended that a committee be set up to review this on a quarterly basis and if the Planning Board, Zoning Board or Planning Dept. has suggestions it would all go to one source. PORC Member Hunsinger-It is in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan that the Town should revisit the plan on a regular basis and make updates as needed. Councilman Boor-Only concern with the Committee that it will become political. PORC Member Hunsinger-My goal was to get thorough it before the end of the year. WATER DEPARTMENT REQUEST FOR LOW LIFT DRIVE Water Superintendent Bruce Ostrander-Spoke to Rich Strough today and they said they would do the engineering for changing out the drives for ten thousand. Do not know the price of the drives as of today. For a generic 957 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 drive approximately 7,800 for each drive. Requested a resolution to hire B&L engineers, will put the three drives out to bid. th Board agreed to have a resolution ready for the 18 of December. Discussion-Hire B&L for Connector Road project. DISCUSSIONS Supervisor Stec-Spoke to the Board on the Director of Community Development position, one person has turned down the position…Will be interviewing for two individuals for Budget Officer Position on December th 12. DISCUSSION REGARDING ASSESSORS DEPARTMENT Sole Assessor Helen Otte-Re: Staffing level The Date collector is really a critical part of the Department because we do inspections, we do half of the inspections that the Building Dept. does in number if not more and they have three full time people out there and I have one and a half, that work outside and do the inspections. Compared for the Board Guilderland, Clifton Park and Malta number of employees, number of parcels, and budgets etc. Councilman Strough-We still have the most expensive Assessor’s Office in the Capital District. Sole Assessor Otte-We are not the most expensive when you look at the relative sizes and the number of parcels. Guilderland has ninety four percent of the count of the Queensbury’s parcels and their budget is ninety four percent of Queensbury’s budget so you have apples to apples. Councilman Strough-Spoke on construction being down, questioned the need for the part time person. Sole Assessor Otte-Requesting to stay at one and half data collectors in the field. Councilman Strough-How much does Glens Falls pay for their Assessor’s Office. Sole Assessor Otte-They pay twenty five to Queensbury, they have two employees there full time and the budget is about seventy thousand. Councilman Sanford-You work for both, are we subsidizing Glens Falls? Sole Assessor Otte-No, not at all. I serve there as a consultant to tell them the law and procedures and advise. They do all the field and clerical on the exemptions and meetings with the public. 958 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 Councilman Sanford-Inclined to wait six months to see how things pan out here, I am not saying that there isn’t a need but would like to see how it works out. st Sole Assessor Otte-By State Law every March 1. we have to do a complete canvas of all of the building permits that are open and active for the year and that means we have to go out and check the status for condition of the property. Is it completed, is it half completed because we have to put a st value on based on it physical condition as of March 1. We have four st hundred building permits at least open at present. Between now and the 1 of March is when I need the people the most, this is a critical time of year. Councilman Strough-We have four full time positions and one part time. You are saying you need the part time at least thorough the canvas period. Sole Assessor Otte-Yes. Councilman Strough-Are you saying you will not need the part time person after that? Sole Assessor Otte-No. Presented to the Board the past years datra and budgets for the department. Councilman Sanford-Is this the anticipation that we could look forward to having a department that is going to run us three hundred thousand dollars a year every year? Sole Assessor Otte-If the building permits continue a downward trend and there is less work there is less to do then we would certainly revisit this. Data Collector/Assessor Ted Bigelow-Reviewed for the Board how different Queensbury is than the Communities around us, along with the size of the town there is someone on the road all the time. Spoke about staffing in other municipalities. Sole Assessor Otte-The professional standard is two thousand parcels per employee. Data Collector/Assessor Bigelow-From a staffing standpoint by the IAA standards we are not overstaffed. Board will look over the information and get back to the Assessor. Councilman Strough-What is the average assessment for the average apartment in Queensbury? I did it and came up with forty seven five. Data Collector/Assessor Bigelow-You are in the ball park it might be lower. RESOLUTION CALLING FOR AN EXECUTIVE SESSION 959 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 RESOLUTION NO. 602, 2006 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Roger Boor WHO MOVES FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Richard Sanford RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby moves into an Executive Session to discuss personnel issues. TH Duly adopted this 11 day of December, 2006 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Boor, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Boor NOES: None ABSENT: None RESOLUTION ADJOURNING EXECUTIVE SESSION RESOLUTION NO. 603, 2006 INTROUDUCED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. John Strough RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns its Executive Session. th Duly adopted this 11 day of December, 2006 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Boor, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Boor NOES: None ABSENT: None No Action Taken during Executive Session RESOLUTION ADJOURNING TOWN BOARD MEETING RESOLUTION NO. 604.2006 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. Tim Brewer WHO MOVED FOR ITS ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. John Strough 960 SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING 12-11-2006 MTG. #53 RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns its Town Board Meeting. th Duly adopted this 11 day of December, 2006 by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Boor, Mr. Sanford, Mr. Strough, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Stec NOES: None ABSENT: None Respectfully submitted, Miss Darleen M. Dougher Town Clerk-Queensbury