The Regular meeting of the Sidney Town Board was called to order by the Supervisor at 7:00 p.m. on October 13, 2022, in the boardroom at 44 Grand Street, Sidney. Prior to the meeting, bills were audited by the Board.
Present were:
| Eric Wilson | Supervisor |
| James Roberts, Jr. | Highway Superintendent |
| Bill Heath | Councilman |
| Bill Hunt, Jr | Councilman |
| Frank Selleck | Councilman |
| Paul Muratore | Councilman |
| Joseph A. Ermeti | Attorney |
| Sheila R Paul | Clerk |
PLEDGE TO THE FLAG
SILENT MOMENT OF REFLECTION/PRAYER
APPROVE TOWN BOARD MINUTES: of Regular Meeting held on September 14, 2022, Motion to accept minutes, by Mr. Muratore seconded by Mr. Heath and carried. AYES: E. Wilson, B. Hunt, F. Selleck. NAYES: None
APPROVE PAYMENT OF BILLS:
General A Fund Voucher: 22-355 thru 22-384 in the amount of $ 21,163.34 Motion by Mr. Heath, seconded by Mr. Muratore and carried. AYES: E. Wilson, F. Selleck, B. Hunt. NAYES: None
General B Fund Voucher: 22-9 thru 2-10 in the amount of $ 495.11. Motion by Mr. Muratore and seconded by Mr. Wilson and carried. AYES: B. Heath, F. Selleck, B. Hunt. NAYES: None
East Sidney Lake Voucher: 22-63 thru 22-72 in the amount of $ 7,883.72 Motion by Mr. Heath seconded by Mr. Selleck and carried. AYES: E. Wilson, B. Hunt, P. Muratore. NAYES: None
Total General Vouchers: $29,542.17
Highway DA Fund Vouchers: 22-134 thru 22-144 in the amount of $ 48,183.71 Motion by Mr. Muratore seconded by Mr. Wilson and carried. AYES: F. Selleck, B. Heath, B. Hunt. NAYES: None
Highway DB Fund Vouchers: 22-49 thru 22-56 in the amount of $ 31,045.17 Motion by Mr. Selleck and seconded by Mr. Muratore and carried. AYES: E. Wilson, B. Heath, B. Hunt. NAYES: None
Total Highway Vouchers: $ 79,228.88
CM Hospital Fund Vouchers: 22-151 thru 22-172 in the amount of $ 49,156.44 Motion by Mr. Heath seconded by Mr. Muratore and carried. AYES: E. Wilson, F. Selleck, B. Hunt. NAYES: None.
Total Vouchers paid: $ 158,467.54
CORRESPONDENCE: 4 bids for the roof on 39 W. Pearl Street, Clinical building by the hospital. Received the following bids.
Clapper: $25,754.00
Premier Roofing: $ 49,950.00
Newbauer Construction Inc: $ 37,500.00
Alpine Metal Roofing: $ 30,000.00
Mr. Wilson\’s Supervisor asked for a motion to accept the bid for $25,754.00 which was given by D. Clapper. Mr. Hunt motioned to accept the bid for $ 25,75.00 and it was seconded by Mr. Muratore and carried. AYES: E. Wilson, F. Selleck, B. Heath. NAYES: None
REPORTS/DISTRIBUTED:
Monthly reports of Supervisor, Bookkeeper, and Town Clerk. The clerk is submitting checks totaling $ 6,964.00 in fees collected during September 2022.
REPORTS/ORAL
HIGHWAY– Highway Superintendent- James Roberts: Gibson\’s road speed has been reduced to 45 through the DOT. Order signs and will be placing them. Helping Village crew, along with Masonville and Franklin. The village of Sidney has been doing road work and gave the Town of Sidney the grindings which will come in handy.
The truck that needed work had more issues, so the bill was higher than excepted, Mr. Roberts Highway Superintendent asked the board that $7,000 be more from DA 51242 to DA 51304. A motion was made by Mr. Selleck and seconded by Mr. Hunt and carried. AYES: E. Wilson, B. Heath, P. Muratore. NAYES: None.
Mr. Roberts\’s Highway Superintendent announced he is planning on retiring in April 2023 and introduced and recommended to the Town Board to appoint Codey Lambrecht as his replacement as Highway Superintendent.
SUPERVISOR– Eric Wilson: Wanted to give a big “Thank you” to Nate and Jamie, with both their help, it saved the town 100,000 on this project of replacing the oil tanks.
The Town Board needs to decide what to do with the remaining money from the American Rescue Plan funds. The first half was given to the Court for loss of revenue lost during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The remaining fund will be shared in the fairest way possible. Town Board is open to suggestions or requests from the community.
BOOKKEEPER– Karen Kropp: Nothing to report
TOWN CLERK– Sheila Paul- Nothing
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Highway-Selleck & Wilson: Getting ready for winter.
Hospital– Hunt/ Wilson: Replacing a roof on the Clinic building.
Insurance–Heath / Hunt: A meeting with Bill VanGorder is scheduled.
Zoning & Planning– Muratore/ Selleck: Planning board meeting is Monday, October 17th at 7:00 p.m.
East Sidney Lake– Heath/ Selleck: Good season. Doing some electrical repairs and finishing Wi-Fi. Looking for a truck.
Finance-Muratore-Wilson: There is a budget workshop scheduled for October 25th at 6:00 and the public is welcome.
IT– Hunt/ Muratore- Getting photos for the webpage. Looking at the hospital’s internet and phone services.
DCO liaison– Heath: Nothing
EXECUTIVE SESSION: Mr. Wilson asked for a motion to move into the executive session at 7:25 pm. A motion was made by Mr. Hunt and seconded by Mr. Muratore and carried. AYES: Mr. Wilson, F. Selleck, B. Heath. NAYES: None
Mr. Wilson asked for a motion to come out of the executive session at 8:15 motion was made by Mr. Muratore and seconded by Mr. Selleck and carried. AYES: E. Wilson, B. Heath, B. Hunt. NAYE: None
After the Executive session, the board scheduled a 3rd budget workshop to work out some situations with the tentative budget to have a preliminary budget for the public and for the board to vote on the preliminary budget to be able to adopt the budget for 2023. Mr. Wilson stated that we are currently at a 1% increase, but we are trying to do better than that. The Budget workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, October 25th at 6:00. The budget needs to be adopted by November 20th, 2022.
NEW BUSINESS
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Mr. Selleck brought up the request from the Wells Bridge Fire Department to have some of the American Rescue Plan funds, put toward the purchase of a new emergency vehicle.
COMMENTS FROM THE FLOOR: Below is a statement that was read by Mr. Roche.
William J. Roche
267 Hamlet View Road
Sidney Center, NY 13839
drwillroche@aol.com
I am speaking this evening as an ombudsman for a group of families
who reside in the Hamlet View Estates. Thank you for the opportunity
to address the Board. My name is William Roche. I reside with my
wife Christine and our 2 Old English Sheepdogs Maggie and Sox at 267
Hamlet View Rd Sidney Center NY.
I will be referencing the Town of Sidney Comprehensive Action Plan
throughout this presentation.
I want to begin by recognizing one of the statements found in the
Town of Sidney Comprehensive Action Plan under the heading of
Current Assets,
The Town Action Plan reports states and I quote “The Town Clerk
received the highest evaluation from respondents in the Town of
Sidney Community Survey – the Town Clerk ranked 1st out of a
total of 16 community services. That service to our community
continues to this day.
As newbies to our local politics, Boards, FOILS, Motions, and the
like we as a group from the Hamlet View Estates are thankful for
the professionalism, patience, and communication skills our Town
Clerk Sheila Paul has extended to us. We have come to appreciate
her and her work has been positively recognized in this Action
Plan. She represents you well.
Woven throughout the Town Comprehension Action Plan is a
a concept that I think we all would agree is the glue to any
relationship whether it be with your children, grandchildren,
spouse, your students, or your constituents and that concept is the
value of positive communication.
As an example, One specific statement in the Town Action Plan
under the banner of Government Vision states….
“The Town will improve both the frequency and quality of its
communication with the public at-large.”
The Town Comprehension Action Plan also goes on to acknowledge
that your constituents can’t attend every meeting and that a
the multitude of mediums need to be in place to address how you best as
a Town and Planning Board you can communicate/ share the
business of the people with the residents of Sidney, NY.
We have come to appreciate that these communication concerns are
beginning to be addressed by Paul Muratore and Sheila Paul. We
appreciate that there is movement toward a more uniformed
website, easily accessible, current, and transparent.
Many of us from the Hamlet View families have attended
Planning and Town Board meetings arrive unaware of the agenda
and therefore, come ill-prepared to rationally discuss a proposal that
may that very night come to a vote by a Board.
Many of the Board members, like your constituents are part of
larger organizations where multiple meetings occur each day. As
members in those organizations, we recognize that agendas are fluid
and can be unpredictable but also recognize that they are necessary
for colleagues ………in your case citizens…….to educate themselves
regarding an item noted on an agenda before the meeting therefore
providing the opportunity for an individual to decide on attending
that meeting and the posting would provide the time needed to
educate ourselves as to the pros and cons of the issues to be
discussed at a particular meeting.
Our group of families from the Hamlet View Estates asks you to
consider publishing/posting an agenda as you move forward with
our new town website.
Finally,
I’d like to share the thoughts of our group from the Hamlet
regarding changing the face of our truly generational family oriented
Hamlet View Estates neighborhood. I’ll share our group\’s
views in relation to the words, vision, mission, and recommendations
you published in the Town of Sidney Comprehensive Action Plan.
This Plan as explained on p19 of it was based on a window survey,
interviews with government officials, and business leaders, and a
random survey/ questionnaire of Sidney residents. Our thoughts
and questions are:
On p66 of the Plan. It states…. “The Town is zoned predominately
Residential-Agricultural. This zoning reflects and protects the rural
character of the community. Agricultural uses encompass much of
the land along the Susquehanna River and valley areas of the Town.
The Town does contain a number of wooded hills that offer
panoramic views of the countryside. Newer housing, such as Hamlet
View Estates has taken advantage of the Town’s scenic qualities.”
The report recognizes a worth in the Hamlet as a neighborhood that
persons are attracted to because of its scenic rural nature. The
report recognizes the value of the Hamlet in its well-planned 5,10-
and 20-acre homesites. As residents of the Hamlet, we welcome that
you appreciate our Hamlet View Estates as an attribute of Sidney,
NY. In essence, it\’s rural, agricultural setting is what attracted our
families to settle here.
60% of respondents to the Town of Sidney Community Survey, part
of the Town of Sidney Comprehensive Action Plan agreed that it’s very
important that agricultural land is a significant factor contributing
to its appearance and quality of life. Again, a primary reason for
those of us who reside in the Hamlet and call it home and we
support this finding.
Under the Plans banner: NEW ZONING CODES Executive Summary the
report promotes compatible development. It states “The goal of the
proposed zoning ordinance is to balance landowners\’ rights to use and
develop their land with the corresponding rights of neighboring
landowners to live without undue disturbances. This goal is
accomplished by promoting compatible development and safeguarding
against detrimental activities. “
The Comprehensive Plan then goes on to report on p42 under the
banner of CURRENT ASSETS to Sidney, NY…let me substitute some
synonyms for the word “asset” … blessing, strength, blueprint,
attraction, value, and merit. So here under this asset banner, it states….
“More developments like Hamlet View Estates will likely be proposed in
the future.” Hamlet View Estates in your own words in this report is a
CURRENT ASSET and a role model a blueprint for the future of a portion
of the town of Sidney. It’s your vision, what you strive for. When the
report says “like Hamlet View” on p29…. Let me transpose the word
“like” … in reference to “like Hamlet View” …
………Congruent, same as, similar, resembling, and identical to.
Let me remind you that Hamlet View Estates is all single-family
housing on rolling acres. The report on p29 states” The Town is in an
ideal position to provide land for the construction of mid-high
income, and one-family housing. The Hamlet is a pix postcard and in fact
The Hamlet View Estates resembles the very image you have hanging
in the lobby of this building and is the first image presented to the
public on your landing page of the town website. It’s what you are
proud of. It’s the image you want to project for the town of Sidney.
It\’s your first impression of all the good Sidney, NY has to offer
“LIKE HAMLET VIEW”….your role model, the same,
harmonious, like or identical to …….is not Flag lots, not one-acre
cookie cutter lots ………. nor is it multifamily dwellings. To think
that, to vote that is incongruent to your words in the Town of Sidney
Comprehensive Action Plan, incongruent to your planning, your
vision. Your Plan screams out on multiple occasions throughout the
report that the Hamlet is a prized possession in Sidney, NY. It’s an
area we need to emulate, be proud of, and leave alone. You recognize
Hamlet View Estates as a neighborhood whose proper planning by
the Patten Corporation in 1967 of single-family, 5,10 and 20-acre lots
is an strength in our town. Let’s go beyond just recognizing this in a
document. Let’s let the action of the Town Board create an action
plan to leave it be the star you’ve come to recognize.
The Plan on p20 goes on to recognize under the banner of FUTURE
CHALLENGES the water, septic, and sewer issues in Sidney Center.
The last application for a subdivision several weeks ago turned up a
Zero yes Zero Perk score. Why are we trying to create future
challenges in such an idyllic area of our town? Why takes this role
model of a community and look to create more water, sewer, and
land gradient issues?
I’ll end with the banner you used in your report entitled Pride in
Ownership”
In your Town of Sidney Comprehensive Action Plan on page 70 under
Strategy 1.41 you recommended that The Sidney Chamber of
Commerce and Sidney Community Leadership Forum develop a
“Properties of Merit” award program which on an annual basis
selects outstanding commercial and/or residential properties for
recognition.
I conclude by inviting you to the Hamlet View Estates. You’ll have
to look no further in being surrounded by a neighborhood full of
Pride in Ownership.
We look forward to your announcement of when the Public Hearing
on Zoning change recommendations made by our Planning Board and
hope that you consider some of our thoughts presented here this
evening.
Thank you
Mr. Wilson stated that we will do our best with the Town Board Meeting agenda being available in a timely manner.
Adjourn:
At 8:45 p.m. Mr. Wilson motioned to adjourn the meeting and it was seconded by Mr. Selleck and carried.
AYES: B. Heath, B. Hunt, P. Muratore. NAYES: None
The next Regular Board Meeting will be on November 10th, at 7:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sheila R Paul, Town Clerk
