July 11, 2022

A regular meeting of the Village Board held on the above date was called to order at 6:00 p.m. at the Village Hall, 1 West Main Street, Clifton Springs, NY  14432.    

Presiding:                              Mayor James Keyes

Village Trustees Present:   Jeff Linsner, Bryan Gray, Brian Rickerson

Village Trustees Absent:     Earl Lincoln

Also Attending:                     Street & Water Supervisor Jason Lannon, WWTP Chief Operator, Eric Merkley, Village resident D. Morphy, VFW Post 44 representative M. Watts and J. Sanford.

 Minutes:                                The minutes of the meeting of  June 13, 2022, were approved upon motion by Trustee Gray 2^nd by Trustee Linsner.   All members present voted AYE.  Carried.

Vouchers:                              General, Water and Sewer Vouchers #66  through #132 were approved for payment by Trustee Linsner 2^nd by Trustee Rickerson.  All members present voting AYE.  Carried.                                                                                                                                  

General Fund =                    $ 33,488.40

Water Fund =                        $ 11,177.10

Sewer Fund =                       $ 52,428.51   

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR:

J. Lannon – street and water report

Jason Lannon, Street & Water Supervisor appeared before the Board.

Street report:   Supervisor Lannon has had the crew working on tree trimming, trimming back shrubs, trimming around street signs and sidewalks.  Areas have been trimmed back for safety.  The new loader should be ready soon.  The Village will plan to put the current loader on the auction site, once we have a ship date for the new loader. 

The crew cut back a section near the top of Pleasant Street   This is a temporary fix until Hynes Concrete does the concrete gutter in this area. 

Water report:  Lightning struck the water tanks and fried the telemetry system.  A lighting “arrestor” will be installed, which should help in the future.  Also, the Village will obtain a price to have grounding done at the water tanks. 

The Crane Street water valve project has started and is going well.  When the new valve is replaced, the water should only need to be off, four hours or less. 

E. Merkley, sewer report

Eric Merkley, Chief Operator, appeared before the Board.

The Ashton Place lift station building is complete. The cylinder for the sewer department loader has been covered by warranty.  The warranty work was $6,300. 

The sewer plant is waiting on specifications for a generator for the plant.  Hunt Engineering is working on this.  The generator will come from state bid.  The sewer compost permit is in the hands of the Department of Environmental Conservation.

D. Morphy – odor complaint from G.W Lisk Co.

D. Morphy, resident from  Broad Street, appeared before the Board.  Mrs. Morphy is the closest neighbor G.W. Lisk.  Mrs. Morphy sent a letter to the Village, with her concerns about a smell that is being emitted from the evaporator at G.W. Lisk.  The evaporator is on a building that was built in 1991.  Mrs. Morphy indicated that this has always emitted an odor, but in the last couple of years, the odor has become worse. 

Meeting of July 11, 2022 continued:

Mrs. Morphy is concerned about what is being burned in the evaporator is not safe.  Mrs. Morphy has contracted the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. 

Mayor Keyes and Steve DeHond, Code Enforcement Officer, have checked into this.  The evaporator is permitted by NYS Department of Environmental Conservation for G.W. Lisk. 

Mrs. Morphy stated the odor seems to accumulate on her porch and she can smell the odor, even when the evaporator is not burning.  Mrs. Morphy stated the odor is soaking  into her porch and this concerns her.

Mrs. Morphy showed the Board a video, with the evaporator burning. 

Mrs. Morphy asked the Board if G.W. Lisk is in compliance with what they are burning.  The Board explained that G.W. Lisk has provided documentation on what they are burning, and that the compliance portion would be with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. 

Trustee Rickerson stated that the Village has not received anything from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation that indicates any violations. 

Trustee Rickerson suggested that Mrs. Morphy ask the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation to take a sample from her porch. 

Trustee Linsner questioned if the Department of Environmental Conservation monitors the stack of the evaporator?  No one present knew this answer.

Discussion was held on if the stack should be higher.  Trustee Rickerson suggested Mrs. Morphy discuss that with the Department of Environmental Conservation. 

Mrs. Morphy questioned what the responsibility of the Village is.  Mrs. Morphy stated that the area is zoned industrial, but the air is not.

Mayor Keyes and Trustee Rickerson indicated the evaporator is permitted thru the state, and that they suggest Mrs. Morphy address her concerns to the Department of Environmental Conservation. 

Mrs. Morphy stated that she feels the Village has a responsibility to address this.  Mayor Keyes suggested that Mrs. Morphy continue to work with the Department of Environmental Conservation. 

Mrs. Morphy will reach back out to the Department of Environmental Conservation.  Mrs. Morphy will ask them what is in the vapor, can they test what is accumulating on her porch and can they test what is coming out of the stack.

Mrs. Morphy said she will keep the Board updated. 

J. Sanford and M. Watts – Veterans Memorial Park

M. Watts, Commander of the Clifton Springs VFW Post #44 and J. Sanford, VFW Member, appeared before the Board.

In 2008 the VFW re- built the Veterans Memorial Park, with help from the Village and the Rotary Club.

The VFW would like to propose partnering with the Village and FLACRA to remove the existing hedgerow that abuts a sidewalk and replace with a stone and metal fence. 

The VFW believes this would improve the appearance in this area by adding a decorative background.  The proposed stone and metal fence would also require little maintenance.  This fence could still give the FLACRA property their own division. 

Meeting of July 11, 2022 continued:

Mr. Sanford and Mr. Watts said eventually they would like to add some benches and planter boxes to the area, but at this time they do not have a design concept. 

Mr. Watts and Mr. Sanford asked the Board for permission to purpose working with the Village and FLACRA on the decorative fence.  Motion was made by Trustee Rickerson 2^nd by Trustee Linsner to allow the VFW to pursue this.  All members present voting AYE.  The reason the VFW was seeking this support is because this property is part of the Village Park system.

Discussion was held on the flags being up for the July 4^th holiday.  Mr. Watts explained the Memorial Day ceremony is strictly to honor those who have fallen.  The VFW plans to bring back a student to say the Gettysburg address.

Mr. Watts and Mr. Sanford stated that they appreciate the crew putting up the Veterans banners.

CORRESPONDENCES:

Compost facility inspection

Copy of the compost facility inspection report.

Reviewed.  The report from NYS Department of Environmental Conservation found the compost facility to be in compliance, well run and maintained.

D. Morphy - G.W. Lisk odor

Emails from D. Morphy, 32 Broad Street and emails from G.W. Lisk Company Inc. regarding a smell that Mrs. Morphy is concerned about when Lisk uses the evaporator.  Information on the product being evaporated was included. 

Reviewed with Mrs. Morphy under privilege of the floor.

Proposed short term rental law

Copy of the short- term rental law. 

As requested by the Ontario County Planning Board, this proposed law would be its own chapter in the code book.  The short- term rental law will be reviewed by the Village Planning Board on July 13, 2022. 

ARPA funds – Covid relief

Letter from NYS Division of Budget indicating the remaining portion of the ARPA Funds will be coming this summer. 

Reviewed. 

D. Morphy - G.W. Lisk odor

Copy of an email from D. Morphy, 32 Broad Street,  that she received from NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

Reviewed.  This email is a follow up from the Department of Environmental Conservation inspection that was done at G.W. Lisk Company in June 2022.  The DEC inspector reported that the evaporator was not running during his inspection and that the DEC did not notice an odor inside or outside the building during there inspection.

STREET DEPARTMENT:   This report was covered under privilege of the floor.

WATER DEPARTMENT:    This report was covered under privilege of the floor.

SEWER DEPARTMENT:   This report was covered under privilege of the floor.

ZONING & PLANNING DEPARTMENTS:   Trustee Gray reported the following:

Meeting of July 11, 2022 continued:

Short term rentals

Reviewed under correspondences.

FIRE DEPARTMENT: Trustee Linsner reported the following:

Truck committee meeting

Mayor Keyes and Trustee Linsner will be meeting with the truck committee to discuss the next fire truck.

Background checks

Trustee Rickerson offered to meet with the fire department to discuss background checks. 

PARK – YOUTH DEPARTMENT:  

Parks – ARPA funds

Discussion was held on using some ARPA funds for park upgrades.  Clerk Reals was authorized to work with Todd Freelove, YMCA Director and Earl Lincoln, Trustee liaison to the park to meet and bring back possible ideas to the Village Board.  The Village Board will make any final decision on possible park upgrades.

SOCIAL MEDIA:  Nothing was reported.

POLICE DEPARTMENT:  Nothing was reported.

COURT DEPARTMENT:  Trustee Rickerson reported that the Court Clerk intends to retire January 1, 2023.  The Board authorized Clerk Reals to post this position with Ontario County Human Resources, in the paper and on the Village website. 

MAYOR KEYES REPORT:  Mayor Keyes report was also covered throughout the

meeting.  

CLERK REALS REPORT: Clerk Reals had nothing to report.     

OTHER BUSINESS:

Premium Pay-ARPA funds

Mayor Keyes and Trustee Gray are looking into premium pay for employees.  The county, some towns and villages have provided premium pay to employees who worked thru the Covid 19 pandemic.  This pay comes from ARPA (Covid19 funds) that have been provided to the Village from the Federal government.  No decision was made.  Clerk Reals was authorized to find out what other municipalities around Clifton Springs did regarding premium pay.

Cemetery wall(s)

Discussion was held on the Pearl Street cemetery wall(s) that need repair.  The Village has money that was left in trust to the cemetery, which can only be spent at the cemetery.  The Board would like to obtain some pricing to repair the front wall that faces Pearl Street.  Clerk Reals did reach out to a company in Pen Yan, and they have indicated that they will come and look at this project.    

Executive Session

Motion was made by Trustee Rickerson 2^nd by Trustee Linsner to enter into executive session at 6:55 pm to discuss a possible real estate transaction.  All members present voting AYE. Carried.

Chief Operator, Eric Merkley was asked to be part of the executive session.

Motion was made by Trustee Linsner 2^nd by Trustee Rickerson to exit executive session at 7:10 PM.  All members present voting AYE/

Meeting of July 11, 2022 continued:

No decisions were made in executive session.

Proceed with possible purchase of land from Leach Road Land Company for sewer plant project

Motion was made by Trustee Linsner 2^nd by Trustee Rickerson authorizing the Village of Clifton Springs to move forward with a purchase offer to purchase a parcel of land, from Leach Road Land Company LLC, which adjoins the Village of Clifton Springs property that houses the wastewater plant, for a purchase price if $40,000 plus survey cost and legal fees.  This land would be very beneficial to the expansion of the sewer plant.  All members present voting AYE.  Carried. 

Adjournment

There being no further business to come before the Board, motion made by Trustee Linsner 2nd by Trustee Rickerson to adjourn.  All members present voting AYE.  Meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,  

Lori A. Reals

Clerk/Treasurer