Town of Sodus – November 14, 2013

Minutes and Reports presented and approved
PUBLIC COMMENTS: (Sarah Taft- Water Dispute)
Supervisor LeRoy removed himself from the Board Meeting.
Councilperson DeBadts (Deputy Supervisor) gave Sarah Taft time to address her concern regarding her last quarter water bill. Taft presented to the Sodus Town Board a packet of information regarding her findings on her last quarterly water bill. Taft argued strongly that there was no way she used 25,000 gallons of water this last quarter and adamantly stated she instructed her Mortgage Company not to pay her upcoming 2013 Town & County Tax bill because she refused to pay her last quarter water bill and now the water bill is relieved onto her taxes. Taft stated her Mortgage is escrowed and the Mortgage Company will not pay it, period. Taft argued with Sean Kennedy, Water Superintendent about the number placement on the meter and the readings on the Master Meter Reader and the stationary zero used in reading meters. Taft said, “I agree with the numbers but I didn’t use the water”. Taft started yelling at Kennedy, stating it killed her to test her meter with public water running down her tub. Taft left the tub running with water for at least 20 minutes and checked her meter as the water was running down the tub. She saw some numbers moving but not as quick as she thought it should move. Taft indicated she has a friend of hers that works with meters check the meter reader and his opinion (according to Taft) was the meter was not working properly. Kennedy stated they have checked everything out with the Meter Reader and was willing to check inside the house however, Taft would not allow Kennedy to come in and do the research. Taft stated she knows she did not have a leak and refused to accept this bill as recorded with the Water Billing Department. Councilperson DeBadts (Deputy Supervisor) stated that Taft’s time was up and Taft refused to allow the Town Board to speak. DeBadts asked Taft to leave the meeting because she refused to speak in an orderly manner required by the Sodus Town Board. Taft refused to leave at first. Councilperson DeBadts stated to Taft, “If you don’t leave we will have you escorted out of the meeting”. Taft informed the Town Board she will not pay the bill even though it will be relieved to her taxes and she will have to take legal action and will hear from her lawyer. Taft left the meeting abruptly.
Councilperson Grey motioned to have the Water Department write a letter to Sarah Taft that the Town Board found that the findings of Taft’s Water Bill was normal and no action will be taken to change the current bill relieved onto the 2013 Town & County Tax Bill. Taft is responsible for the entire water bill as relieved on her taxes, was seconded by Councilperson DeBadts. The Board stated each Board Member would sign the letter before it goes out with the exception of Supervisor LeRoy. Upon roll call the following votes were heard, LeRoy, abstained; DeBadts, aye; Pickering, aye; Grey, aye; and Boone, aye. Motion carried.
Patrick Burn (Boy Scout Troop # 125) came before the Sodus Town Board with the completed project of the Trail Head KIOSK at Camp Beechwood for his Eagle Scout Project. Burn presented pictures and a Trailhead Register example form for the KIOSK. Councilperson Boone suggested that he would like to see an “email address” part added to the registry otherwise the form looked great. Well over 200 hours were put in from start to finish of the KIOSK. All monies were funded by Burn. Patrick Burn noted he wanted to thank Mr. Burn (his father) for all the hard work in helping him with the KIOSK. Supervisor LeRoy signed Patrick Burn’s Eagle Scout paperwork in completion of the project. The Sodus Town Board thanked Burn for all his hard work and commended him on the wonderful job done with the Trailhead KIOSK. The Board stated the KIOSK looks great at Camp Beechwood. LeRoy will notify Wilma of the completion of Patrick Burn’s Eagle Scout Project. Councilperson Boone motioned to have a recognition plaque put on the KIOSK recognizing Patrick Burn (Troop No. 125) for his Eagle Scout Project and the KIOSK he built for Camp Beechwood was seconded by Councilperson Grey. Boone will order the plaque.
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE: (Fire, Ambulance, Emergency Preparedness)
Councilperson Grey gave her October 2012 STAC report. December 16, 2012 between 5:30pm-6:00pm, the Winter Fireworks will be held at the Wallington Fire Department. Grey asked where the Sodus Town Board stood on the sale of the STAC Ambulance Base. Supervisor LeRoy will contact Katie Villani, Town Attorney to see what the next step will be.
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS COMMITTEE: Councilperson Boone and Patrick Allen discussed an upcoming first annual Maple Festival sponsored by the Town of Sodus. Boone and Allen would like to talk the Sodus Center Fire Department and auxiliary regarding the first annual Maple Festival into a shared weekend event with dinners and the festival combined. Allen will talk with the SCFD and see if they would like to become involved. More research needs to be done and it may take about a year to get everything together. Allen stated, “Maybe in 2014 the first Maple Festival can be held”. Boone noted that Town Clerk, Lori Diver sent Mr. Ritz a receipt and certificate for the Burial Plot in the South Sodus Cemetery.
CAMP BEECHWOOD REPORT: Davey reported people are starting to use the garbage cans at Beechwood. The fire pit and kiosk built by the Eagle Scouts look great at Beechwood. The storm, “Sandy” knocked down two poplar trees and eight pines. A couple of the trees fell on the Lake Lodge house. Buell reported minimal damage was incurred to the house (mainly cosmetic damage). Kim Buell and Davey will look at the trees to see if they can do anything to help cut them down. The dumpster needs to be emptied again at Beechwood.
VANDEWALLE LABOR CAMP: Vandewalle Fruit Farm specifications and drawing provided meets all Town of Sodus Code and has been approved for build on Brick Church Rd by the Sodus Town Board as of November 14, 2012 Regular Town Board Meeting, and the board approved the Labor Camp on Brick Church Rd and Hendrikse will notify Vandewalle Fruit Farm by letter of the approval of such Labor Camp, which was seconded by Councilperson Grey.
TOWN OF SODUS CODE ENFORCEMENT PERMIT FEES: Town of Sodus Code Enforcement Permit Fees need to be increased, and the Town of Sodus Code Enforcement permit fee schedule is increased to double the amount on all current permit fees effective November 14, 2012, and the board approved Resolution 04 11-2012,
Supervisor LeRoy discussed that all appointments for the Zoning and Planning Board Members need to be updated and appointed for the upcoming year.
RECREATION/ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE: Councilperson Pickering stated they had a recreation meeting about 3 weeks ago. They discussed current budget issues with Recreation. Supervisor LeRoy discussed with the Town Board that Tom Miller, Recreation stopped in to discuss that Recreation would like to add $17,000.00 of monies Recreation has currently to the Recreation Budget for 2013. LeRoy stated to Miller that this could not be added to the 2013 budget hence the budget has already been adopted however, if he wanted to add $17,000.00 to the Recreation budget for 2014, he could definitely do that as long as the Board was in favor of it. The Sodus Town Board agreed this would be acceptable and should be discussed during next year’s budget process.
HEALTH INSURANCE STIPEND IN LIEU OF HEALTH INSURANCE: the Town of Sodus Health Insurance stipend offered to employees in lieu of health insurance has been updated to reflect the January 2011 single policy rate, and the Town of Sodus stipend offered to employees in lieu of health insurance will be $5,100.00 per year (equivalent to the 2011 rate for a single policy), and the payment in lieu $5,100.00 has been frozen and will not be increased again. The payments will be disbursed quarterly. The board approved.
Councilperson Grey motioned to have the Year End Special Board Meeting December 26, 2012 at 5:00 pm.Resolution Adopted.
Supervisor LeRoy discussed the Town of Sodus Insurance plans that will be offered by the Teamsters/Excellus. All Town of Sodus Employees were quite receptive to the plans the Teamsters were offering. Paul Markwitz, Labor Trustee, Co-Chairman of the Teamsters Health Insurance Fund stated the Town of Sodus could have two health insurance plans. The two plans offered to the Town of Sodus Employees is a 30/50 Healthy Blue and a 30/50 Simply Blue. The Town of Sodus has capped the employer contribution at the 2011 rate for the respective rate per individuals needs. The Town of Sodus employees’ responsibility for the premium of insurance is in excess of the 2011 rate. These insurance plans will not cost the Town of Sodus Employer any additional money.

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