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2000-09-18 SP SPECIAL TOWN BOARD MEETING SEPTEMBER 18, 2000 7:00 P.M. BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT SUPERVISOR DENNIS BROWER COUNCILMAN JAMES MARTIN COUNCILMAN DANIEL STEC COUNCILMAN TIM BREWER BOARD MEMBER ABSENT COUNCILMAN THEODORE TURNER TOWN OFFICIALS Rodney Mosher, Cemetery Superintendent Terry Higgins, Cemetery Commission Robert Edwards, Cemetery Commission Dr. George Wiswall, Cemetery Commission GUESTS Tom Nace Jon Lapper Leon Steves Matt Steves Supervisor Brower called meeting to order. . . DISCUSSIONS 1.1 Cemetery Commission Mr. Rodney Mosher, Cemetery Superintendent noted that we've had a problem with doing cremations with SCI which is the Company who have bought out the three funeral homes in the area... We have complied with everything they wanted with the exception of signing an agreement which by state law we shouldn't.... This afternoon, I had a call and as of tomorrow they are back, we're back in business with them. .. I talked to Ed Hann today who is the Senior Investigator for New York State Department of State Division of Cemeteries (submitted handouts to the board members from him)... I Did want to share with you that are revenue has not fallen behind because of this. Our cremations a year ago and I figured this through the eleventh of September were eighty-three thousand, seven hundred and thirty dollars. As the eleven of this month, this year, we're passed that to ninety thousand three ninety. So we didn't lose any revenue and I'm thankful that we're are getting them back. We've always had a good rapport but sometimes when you get with corporations, you run into problems. . . . Councilman Brewer-I went over, just so that the other people of the commission know and I don't know if everybody did this but I know that Dennis went over there and I went over there also just to see how everything ran, not that I could question whether you did something right or wrong, just for more information because I knew this was a topic of discussion. I personally didn't see anything wrong with the way we were doing things and supported the commission. Councilman Martin-I'll chime in, I haven't had much contact with the commission, I appreciate you coming out to the meeting tonight and I think you people do a fine job over there. I know Rod from the days I was here and he always ran a very tight ship over there. I never saw anything broken there and I don't see there's any need to fix anything either. I'm glad you came here and we had a chance to meet you. Ms. Terry Higgins-Also, as Rodney pointed out, that transmission we got from the Division of Cemeteries, even if we had wanted to sign a contract, we wouldn't or we couldn't, we're not allowed to. But we also would never had signed a contract with these people anyway... We did our homework... Supervisor Brower-This contract that they wanted us to sign, I didn't see anything that would be detrimental to the Town of Queensbury and I certainly felt that if we were losing revenue, it was a serious potential problem. But the bottom line is, they'll be using us, we'll be getting that extra revenue and I really appreciate you coming here tonight. I, unfortunately we don't get an opportunity to thank you for your service. I know sometimes when a situation like this comes up and you're getting heat from us, frankly to a certain extent, it's probably not appreciated. But certainly it wasn't done out of malice, it was done out of concern for the revenues of the town and I just hope you'll understand that that was our main concern, maximizing our revenue stream for an operation that may not be in the black but is an important operation to the town and it's citizens. We do thank you for your service. Ms. Higgins-And you'll see, we do, do our homework. Supervisor Brower-I know you do. Councilman Martin-I have faith in the commission and I faith in Rodney that if there were corrections to be made, you're working in the best interest of the town and I have faith in you to guide us to the right conclusion. 1.2Queensbury Forest Supervisor Brower-This board has been very concerned about Queensbury Forest, we felt that you have had a problem for years and it hadn't been solved so we took action early on. We made an agreement with the City of Glens Falls to be able to pipe ground water underneath Peggy Ann Road to the watershed which would not affect any other residence. Tom Nace worked with the city and came up with an agreement. He also was contracted to come up with construction drawings and he's going to bring us up to date on that.. Mr. Tom Nace, Nace Engineering-We had to satisfy the City of Glens Falls that connecting a drainage line from the Queensbury Forest area and taking it across the road to the Halfway Brook Watershed wouldn't pollute or endanger the city watershed and the drinking water supply that they use. So in doing that, we dug three holes at low points in the subdivision and we dye tested existing septic systems to try and make sure that the septic systems would not leach into the areas where we would plan on putting underground drainage pipes. That all came out fine, the testing was satisfactory. The results have been submitted to the city. Verbal feedback from the city is that they're satisfied with those results. When I was out doing that work, I talked to many of the people and nobody who I had talked to and the houses that normally have high water in the spring experienced a problem this SUllllller... I think we still probably ought to go ahead but so you know that you're aware, this SUllllller even though things have been wet, something must have changed. I don't know what but some subsurface conditions somewhere in the subdivision are different then they were previous years because everywhere else this spring, water was high. In your subdivision it appeared and even in the test pits we dug, it appeared to be lower then it had been in the past. So, I don't know what the current status is, whether people have ended up experiencing problems with water in the basement this summer. We're going ahead with the engineering. We're collecting field information and starting to put the design on paper. What the design is going to be is a series of underground infiltration pipes, perforated pipe surrounded by stone that will collect the groundwater and keep the groundwater down at a level below the basements. I believe the lowest house in the subdivision is Gilligan's house and we'd set a mark of trying to be two feet, the bottom of the pipe two feet below Gilligan's basement and then bring the pipe on out through the subdivision. When we get out near where the power lines cross, we'll go with solid pipe and head across, probably at the edge of the power lines and then across the Queen Victoria Grant property and across Peggy Ann Road to the watershed. That will all be solid pipe once we get to the power line. What our intention is, is to be able to keep the groundwater low enough that when you do get the storm event, there's storage space in the ground for that water in the existing drainage system to function properly. In essence we're creating, by lowering the water table and keeping it low, creating a reservoir there where the stormwater can use that space in the reservoir, fill it up a little without getting high enough to inundate your basements. Town Board held discussion with residents of Queensbury Forest... Town Board noted their agreement to move forward with the project. .. Councilman Brewer noted that he wants the pipe in the ground this year... Mr. Nace noted that the engineering study should be completed by the second or third week of October. . . The real issue will be easements from Nimo and Queen Victoria's Grant. Town Board held discussion regarding the drainage project design and the issue of sink holes that exist in the Queensbury Forest Development... l.3Meadows PUD Town Board held discussion with Jon Lapper regarding the Meadows PUD and whether it meets the criteria of the PUD zoning requirements. .. Agreed that it wasn't textbook but that it did meet the requirements. .. Town Board reviewed proposal. 1.4West Glens Falls Emergency Squad Representatives of West Glens Falls Emergency Squad spoke to the board regarding their plans to expand the building ... discussion held regarding the possibility of relocating their building. .. it was recommended to hold off on making any decisions until the Target site and the Main Street corridor is determined... should know something within the next sixty days. 1.5 GIS Mr. Matt Steves and Mr. Leon Steves spoke to the board regarding the GIS system... the board agreed to continue discussions at the next workshop with Chris Round, Ralph VanDusen and Rick Missita present. 1.6 Baybridge Sewer District Mr. Bob Valaro updated the Town Board regarding the proposed Baybridge Sewer District and the buy-in being charged by the City of Glens Falls for the use of the sewer treatment plant... it was noted that Mayor Regan gave Mr. Valaro a figure of $1.35 at a previous meeting held between the two of them. .. Supervisor Brower noted that he spoke with Mayor Regan today on the phone, he stated that he had a meeting with the city's water and sewer board and the new fee is $1. 50. .. board held discussion, not happy with the difference in the buy-in and agreed there's a need to meet with the Glens Falls Water and Sewer Board as soon as possible to conduct a special meeting to negotiate this further. . . 1.6Computer Manager Supervisor Brower noted that thirty-seven applications have been received for the position of Computer Manager. .. We're weeding down the applications, the unqualified applicants to get them down to six, the department heads involved will interview those six who will weed them down to three and they'll go before the Town Board and those department heads for interview.... At that point, we have a separate group of technical guys who will interview them to make sure that they're competent. . .. Councilman Martin recommended someone that's actually a programmer... Councilman Brewer, Councilman Martin and Councilman Stec noted they wanted to be involved starting with the six applicants... Councilman Martin recommended contacting Amtek for the criteria of the job description and scale for salary. . . . Other Discussions: Town Board held brief discussion on getting the RFP's out for Town Counsel, applications received for the position of alternates for the Planning Board and the sick leave bank... RESOLUTION TO ADJOURN MEETING RESOLUTION NO.: 375, 2000 INTRODUCED BY: Mr. James Martin WHO MOVED FOR IT'S ADOPTION SECONDED BY: Mr. Daniel Stec RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Queensbury hereby adjourns it's Special Town Board Workshop Meeting. Duly adopted this 18th day of September, 2000, by the following vote: AYES: Mr. Martin, Mr. Stec, Mr. Brewer, Mr. Brower NOES: None ABSENT: Mr. Turner No further action taken. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, DARLEEN M. DOUGHER TOWN CLERK TOWN OF QUEENSBURY