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Minutes

City of Beacon Council Meeting Minutes

March 17, 2008

REGULAR MEETING

The regular meeting of the City of Beacon Council held at the Municipal Center, One Municipal Plaza on March 17, 2008 was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by Mayor Steve Gold with the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

Council Members Present: Mayor Steve Gold, Deanna Leake, Sara Pasti, Eleanor Thompson (arrived at 7:30 p.m.), and Randy Casale.

Excused: Charles Kelly and Marlene Fredericks

Also in Attendance were: City Administrator, Meredith Robson

City Attorney, Richard Wolf

Media Represented by: Goldee Greene, Beacon Free Press

Residents at Beginning of Meeting 20

Public Comments: Pertaining to any item. Maximum time for this section is 30 minutes. Maximum time for individual public comment is 3 minutes.

Comments contain a brief synopsis of what the residents say at the podium. If you would like your comments posted in more detail in the minutes, please submit them to the recording secretary in writing. Include your name and address.

Sam Baldino: There is a coalition of about five towns who do things regionally. We appreciate the idea of doing things regionally. Then the developers will do the right thing. I have a question about the trees. Why are we going with concrete? Why aren't we going with sand?

Pam Weatherbee, 66 Mead Avenue: I want to thank the Mayor and Randy Casale and our police for what they did during the Pub Crawl. It was not as stressful a day. It was truly a big difference.

My husband wants me to say the following:

The Pub Crawl in itself is not a bad thing and has potential to do a lot of good. At the same time you are dealing with over 2000 people who are drinking. The Mayor saw this first hand and I think he realizes that the city MUST BE INVOLVED AND IN CONTROL. If the organizers and the city work together, I think that the Pub Crawl can be a truly effective fundraiser with planning.

I want to thank the Mayor, my Ward Councilman Randy Casale, the rest of the council, the Police Dept. and Public Works for support of our neighborhood's needs during the Pub Crawl. By closing off the neighborhood to parking and the police presence truly helped.

Lou Amoroso 14 Vail Avenue: It is my understanding that Baseball, Soccer and football are considered a recreation. Because of Hiddenbrooke and the Settlement Camp, we do need a full time Recreation Director. I would like to know how many people of the City of Beacon belong to these programs. I want to know in what direction this thing is going. The way I heard it last week, I don't think this will be a volunteer effort anymore. How many city people are going to be involved?

No further comments.

Public Hearings: None.

Community Segment: None

Approval of Minutes: Mayor Steve Gold asked for a motion to approve the following council meeting minutes:

February 19, 2008

March 3, 2008

Motion to approve minutes as written: Council Member Casale. Seconded: Council Member Leake. All voted in favor. Motion carried.

Reports: Text from the following reports for March 17, 2008 is at the end of these minutes.

Mayor's Communications Read by Mayor Steve Gold

City Administrator Report of Activities

City Attorney – First Meeting of the Month

Mayor Steve Gold's Read his Report of Activities

Council Members read their Reports of Activities

Mayor Steve Gold asked all council members present if they agree to hold an extra Workshop on Monday March 24, 2008. All members of the council agreed. The comprehensive plan that has been adopted is now on the City of Beacon website.

Mayor Steve Gold: Before we do the Public Comments, I am asking the council to add to the agenda an item that you may not have on your copy of the agenda. This is the approval to hire Robert Yeaple as Motor Operator. This is a position that this city had budgeted for last year. He has worked for the Highway Department in the past. He is a minority individual and the superintendent likes him very much. I am going to ask the council to put that on the agenda. I want the public to know this before the public comments begin.

Opportunity for Public Comments - Pertaining to This Agenda Only

Public Comments: None

UNFINISHED BUSINESS –

Resolutions:

Local Laws And Ordinances:

NEW BUSINESS

Resolutions:

1. Resolution No. 31 of 2008 - Council Approval of Mayor's Appointment of Robert Yeaple as Motor Equipment Operator. Read by Mayor Steve Gold.

RESOLVED, that the City Council approves the appointment of Robert Yeaple as Motor Equipment Operator; and it is

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Mayor of the City of Beacon is authorized to execute all documents necessary to effectuate this appointment.

Motion to Add to Agenda: - Council Member Leake. Seconded: Council Member Thompson. On roll call, all voted in favor. Motion carried.

Motion to Approve Resolution to Hire Robert Yeaple: Council Member Casale. Seconded: Council Member Thompson. All voted in favor. Motion carried.

Local Laws And Ordinances:

1. Resolution No. 32 of 2008 - Revise the City of Beacon Code Chapter 223 Zoning, Chapter 223-61 to abolish the $1,500 parking fee. Set Public Hearing on April 7, 2008. First Reading: Read by Mayor Steve Gold.

Mayor Steve Gold: This originally went through as a resolution and now it is going through as a Local Law.

Motion to set Public Hearing: Council Member Casale. Seconded: Council Member Pasti. All voted in favor. Motion carried.

2. Resolution No. 33 of 2008: Proposed Local Law to require Absentee Landlords to provide notification contact information. Set Public Hearing for April 7, 2008. First Reading: Read by Mayor Steve Gold.

Motion to set Public Hearing: Council Member Casale. Seconded: Council Member Leake. All voted in favor. Motion carried.

Mayor Steve Gold: This law will be discussed in detail at a workshop.

Council Member Thompson originally suggested a change in the law. I would like a change in Section 12 from "up to five rental units" to "three to five: rental units". This law is being created to solve the problem of when we cannot find the owner/landlord when there is a problem on their property.

Ratifications / Appointments:

Announcements:

1. Resolution No. 34 of 2008 - City of Beacon Fire Department

Remove Todd Pavlovic from the Active Rolls of Beacon Engine Co. No. 1. He has elected to go Honorary Effective March 4, 2008.

Motion to ratify: Council Member Thompson. Seconded: Council Member Leake. All voted in favor. Motion carried.

Announcements:

Mayor Steve Gold: The Council would like to announce it's First Town Hall Meeting. It will be on Saturday, May 3, 2008 at 10am (Veterans Building). Topics will be how to recruit volunteer firefighters, activities for our youth, activities for our adults and the recreation department.

Mayor Steve Gold: I would like to change the order of the agenda. I recommend that the Budget Amendments come before the Final Opportunity for Public Comments in case the residents have a question on any budget amendment. The council agreed. Beginning with this agenda and future agendas, the public comments will come after the Budget Amendments.

Budget Amendments: for March 17, 2008 requiring Council Approval submitted by Toni Tracy, Finance Director:

Amend the General Fund Balance for the Attorney Department (Code: A1420.450406) in the amount of $3,054. This is to cover the following expenses for the case of Littler, Mendelson for the case of Richard Sassi II vs. City of Beacon.

Motion to amend the General Fund Balance: Council Member Thompson. Seconded: Council Member Leake. On roll call, all voted in favor. Motion carried.

Amend the General Fund Balance for the University Settlement Camp in the amount of $205.00 to cover the following maintenance bills:

All Season Mechanical $205.00 – clean, service boiler

Mayor Steve Gold: I spoke to Zep on the work that has been done at the University Settlement Camp and he has done all the work for concerns which were the dead branches were going over the roads and the pathways. So he had his crew trim all of those branches. He also put in the posts to have the roadways into the camp closed off. He is painting the chains orange today. The signs will say something to the effect, "Park Closed", or something like that. That is what he has done so far but there is a whole list of other things that still need to be done.

Motion to Amend the General Fund Balance: Council Member Pasti. Seconded: Council Member Leake.

Discussion

Council Member Thompson: This needs to go to a workshop because they need a budget for maintenance and operating costs. Do we know how much the repairs for the University Settlement Camp are going to cost?

Council Member Casale: There is no line item code for this item.

Mayor Steve Gold: There will be before it gets paid. It will be on the workshop for discussion.

Council Member Pasti: Would it be possible to have a copy of their budget and expenses? We can use that for the development of a budget.

Mayor Steve Gold: We have to go forward with renewing Pat Freeman's contract. The last contract was done in December, which was for three months.

On roll call, all voted in favor. Motion carried.

3. Amend the General Fund Balance for the Attorney expense (Code: A1420.450417) in the amount of $6,007. This is the amount needed to cover the following expenses for Towne, Bartkowski and Defio Kean, P.C. for the case of Clark Gebman vs. City of Beacon. The bills for this case must be paid by the City of Beacon until the $50,000 deductible is reached.

Motion to amend the General Fund Balance: Council Member Pasti. Seconded: Council Member Leake.

Discussion:

Council Member Thompson: I am not happy with our attorneys. I would like this to go back to workshop for this and other cases.

On roll call, there were six "yes" votes and Council Member Thompson voted "no". With a vote of six in favor and one against, motion carried.

4. Amend the General Fund Balance for the Attorney expense (Code: A1420.4504XX) in the amount of $4,943. This amount is broken down as follows:

$ 190.00 Chief Sassi vs. Braun, et.al. A1420.450409

$3,553.00 Jennifer Piacente Discipline A1420.450411

$1,200.00 PBA Buddenhagen Arbitrage A1420.450402

Motion to amend the General Fund Balance: Council Member Casale. Seconded: Council Member Leake.

Question:

Council Member Casale: Is this the end of the Sassi attorney fees? Mayor Steve Gold: Yes.

On roll call, all voted in favor. Motion carried.

5. Amend the General Fund Balance for the Highway Department repair of building expense (Code: A5110.447300) in the amount of $4,500.00. This is the amount necessary to pay the Pop Warner organization for the emergency replacement of the roof of the field house. The old roof was blown off in a storm.

Motion to Amend the General Fund Balance: Council Member Thompson. Seconded: Council Member Leake.

Discussion:

Council Member Casale: I would like to find out why this expense was not charged to the Park Dept. instead of the Highway Department.

Motion to table: Council Member Thompson. Seconded: Council Member Pasti. All voted in favor to table. Motion carried.

6. Amend the General Fund Budget for the Finance Department in the amount of $10,000. This amount will be transferred from the audit expense (Code: A1325.440700) to the consultant expense (Code: A1325.452000). Previously, the city has contracted with the auditing firm, Sedore and Company for pre-audit work (cash reconciliation). Now this transfer will allow the city to pay a vendor for the same work at less than half of the hourly rate. This will also enable us to improve on the timeliness of the reconciliations and therefore the availability of our financial statements.

Motion to Amend the General Fund Budget: Council Member Pasti. Seconded: Council Member Leake.

Council Member Thompson: I would like General Accounting Practices to be discussed at a workshop.

On roll call, all voted in favor. Motion carried.

7. Amend the General Fund Balance for the Administrator’s Retirement Payout expense (Code: A1230.190000) in the amount of $80,504. This is the amount paid to Joseph H. Braun upon his retirement on January 11, 2008.

Motion to Amend the General Fund Balance: Council Member Casale. Seconded: Council Member Leake. On a roll call vote, all voted in favor. Motion carried.

8. Amend the General Fund Balance for the Police Department in the amount of $67,500. This is to provide funding in 2008 for items that were originally part of the 2008 budget requests. The items were then removed from the budgeted expenses and it was determined that they are part of the appropriated fund balance amount of $700,000. on the front page of the budget. The breakdown is as follows:

A3120.220001 - Purchase Equipment 47,500.00

A3120.250018 - Purchase Traffic Equipment 20,000.00

Motion to table: Council Member Leake. Seconded: Council Member Thompson. All voted in favor to table. Motion carried.

9. Amend the General Fund Balance for the Planning Department consultant expense (Code: A8020.452000) in the amount of $19,146. This amount is to cover Zarin and Steinmetz attorney's expenses related to the Hiddenbrooke property for the period ended December 31, 2007.

Motion to Amend the General Fund Balance: Council Member Leake. Seconded: Council Member Pasti. On a roll call vote, all voted in favor. Motion carried.

Review of Bills: Total Disbursements as of March 17, 2008: $240,030,39

Last Opportunity for Public Comments:

Tom Baldino: On the business of not divulging the upcoming packages of the people who are retiring. I think it should be a separate accounting even if it was not in the budget process. I want to bring up another topic I belong to an organization of citizens and it's about clean money and clean elections. In the County, State and National levels. NY has a reputation for being the worst in the country. I urge the people of Beacon to look into this. It means you have to take the results out of the big money realm. This ends up with a lot of things that we are not happy with.

Clark Gebmann: It is with honest and most sincere regret that I must respond to not provide property tax data. My wife left her company. It is with deepest regret that I do what I have to do. April 4, of last year I asked for data and was denied. Tonight the City of beacon will find themselves with a choice I do opine that I have been denied. I wish results could have been different.

Ray Fusco, 58 Washington Avenue: I would like to thank the people of Beacon for all the efforts putting forward. It looks like Clearwater wants to act prudently.

Shannon Murphy: I want to pick up the water issues. Water has been the saving grace of that property. I think it is a golden opportunity for Hiddenbrooke. We received good recommendations. I think it is an opportunity to look at Hiddenbrooke as a wonderful thing. There is a lot that we can work with here. As an artist, this is something that I relate to.

No further comments.

Next Workshop (Extra) Monday, March 24, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. – Municipal Center

Next Council Meeting: Monday, April 7, 2008 at 7:00p.m. – Municipal Center

Motion to go into Executive Session: None

Motion for Adjournment at 9:10 p.m.: Council Member Thompson. Seconded: Council Member Pasti. All voted in favor. Motion carried.

Text from reports for March 17, 2008:

Text from March 17, 2008 Reports

Mayor's Correspondence

To: Mayor Gold

From: Chief Scofield

Topic: Activity Report – March 15, 2008 – Pub Crawl Event

Date: March 17, 2008

The annual “Pub Crawl fundraiser” was held this past Saturday, March 15, 2008. By all accounts, this year’s event was the largest yet. In the weeks preceding the event, there was much discussion between the City administration, event organizers, the police department, other city departments, concerned residents and business proprietors as to how to better manage the event.

The sunny and unseasonably warm weather on that date necessitated a decision on my part to increase the number of officers detailed to police the event. There were eleven (11) officers assigned to work varying hours, at various locations, to ensure adequate police presence during the event. The final overtime costs are being calculated, but a fair estimate falls in the area of $3,500.00.

The following are the calls for service, complaints and arrests directly related to the “Pub Crawl” for the hours of 12:00pm on Sat. March 15^th to 12:00am on Sun. March 16^th:

Calls for Service / Complaints

Disorderly Group – 5

Disorderly Individual – 3

Parking Complaint – 2

Arrests

Disorderly Conduct – 2

There was an increase in calls for service / complaints as compared to the past years 2005-2007, but this can be attributed to the increase in the number of participants and the willingness of the community to report inappropriate behavior. I feel the officers assigned to the event performed their roles admirably under the circumstances.

I will look to meet with you in the near future to discuss the event in further detail.

DATE: March, 2008

RE: Political Contacts

Governor David Patterson

State Capital

Albany, NY 12224

http://www.state.ny.us/governor

4-Year Term

The Governor is New York State's Chief Executive. The Governor's responsibilities include preparation of the state's executive budget and the execution and enforcement of state laws. The Governor is also Commander-in-Chief of New York's military and naval forces.

Governor Patterson Goals:

Reducing Domestic Violence
Lieutenant Governor Paterson is committed to bringing New York State into the fight against Domestic Violence.

Increasing Use of Renewable Energy
As New York and the world struggle with the realities of global climate change, our state also faces compounding problems of growing energy costs and increasing rates of childhood asthma. New York must take responsibility for its own contribution to these problems by changing the way we generate and use our energy resources.

Funding Stem Cell Research
Medical research is an area in which new hope and opportunity is found every day in New York State. We must give the opportunity for our research institutions, teaching hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to remain world leaders in disease prevention.

Developing MWBE
Minority and Women owned businesses get renewed attention under Lieutenant Governor Paterson’s leadership.

New York State Senate:

Senator Stephen M. Saland

41st Senate District