Workshop Minutes

City of Beacon Council

January 9, 2006

 

The City of Beacon Council Workshop began at 7:00 p.m.

 

In attendance were:  Mayor Clara Lou Gould, City Administrator, Joseph Braun, City Attorney, Gerard Pisanelli, Council Members Lee Kyriacou, Elizabeth Foster, Philip Shea, Steven Gold and Eleanor Thompson.

 

Not in attendance was:  Council Member Charles Kelly.

 

The Items as they appeared on the Agenda are in bold print and underlined.

 

Appointments

 

Official Newspapers:  Poughkeepsie Journal, Southern Dutchess News/Beacon Free Press and Hudson Valley Press.

 

Council Discussion:

 

Mayor Clara Lou Gold:  These newspapers have been used for the past six or seven years.

 

Council Member Thompson:  I know that we use them for advertisements but what about our Council Meetings?  I notice that the Poughkeepsie Journal and Hudson Valley Press have been delinquent in covering our Council Meetings.  Is there a way that we can write them a letter and ask them to cover us a little bit more? 

 

Mayor Clara Lou Gould will write them a letter. 

 

This item will be placed on the agenda for January 17, 2006.

 

Historic Overlay  Additions suggested                           by Historian and Beacon Historical Society.  Previous Council Members agreed with suggestions, and wanted Council to have the option to suggest other properties for addition.

 

A good idea, but since grants are available with a spring deadline, the Historical society list should be put in place as a first step with other properties to follow – suggest a deadline of June 1st or perhaps September 1st for those.

 

In the meantime, David Stolman is preparing the language necessary to add to the Historic Overlay.  It is a process like a local law.

 

Discussion by Council:

 

Mayor Clara Lou Gould:  We discussed this at the last Council Meeting.  As you can see, the previous council members agreed with the suggestions made by the Historian and the Beacon Historical Society.   They want the Council to have the option to suggest other properties for addition which is a good idea.  Some grants are available with a spring deadline and the Historical Society suggests that we put this in place as a first step.  He didn't say this but I am suggesting that June 1st should be the deadline.  Maybe if we set June 1st as the deadline, people would be more likely to get to work and review it.  This will not be a serious deadline but something so that this doesn’t go on forever.

 

Some properties on the list are the East End and west end of Main Street, the Craig House property and the factory.  There are many properties that may be included. The benefits for being in the historical overlay are typically the grants are matched and supplied by the people applying for the grants.  It isn't costing the city anything.  We have been designated a "Preserve America" community so we do have that to give us brownie points for some grants.

 

Council Member Kyriacou:  I thought that we could do most of them right away.  The overlay itself is a zoning classification.  If you are in the Overlay, you cannot alter your façade without permission.  .

 

Mayor Clara Lou Gould:  Not exactly.  There are grants that will say the National Register, state register or local designation..  Deadline for applying for the grant is May 6.

 

Council Member Kyriacou:  I would suggest that we do this as soon as possible.  The other thing I would like to add is that the federal register is controlled in  New York State by the state offices for preservation.  They have a program for local governments to establish qualified committees in their communities to take over the designation process of the historic register staffs.  I would like us to establish a local committee that would then qualify to be able to establish local federal register sites. That would really qualify them for money.

 

Mayor Clara Lou Gould:  The only concern I have with that is how long it takes.  The East end has been waiting for a year and one half to two years for the man who has been doing the reviews.  A local committee will be better. 

 

Council Member Kyriacou:  There are training opportunities available.  There will be funding opportunities as well.  I know it is taking a long time and I would love to get this going.

 

Mayor Clara Lou Gould:  David Stolman said that he can have it for the next workshop.  David is preparing language that is similar to a local law that is necessary.  We asked the historical society and the Building Department for input.

 

This will be on the next workshop agenda.

 

Tompkins Terrace  Request from owners for city’s support of a proposal to finance rehabilitation.  Letter to J. Braun January 3, 2006.  This is one of the properties included in the housing stock diversity being prepared by David Stolman for the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee.  Important to have that list as a reference here.

 

Council Comments:

 

City Administrator Joseph Braun:  The letter pretty much explains comprehensively what they are planning to do.  They need a letter of support from the city.

 

Mayor Clara Lou Gould: David Stolman is doing a review of all the housing in question.

 

Council Member Gold:  This is great for Beacon.  It really needs to be done.  I would like to ask City Administrator, Joseph Braun for an explanation of the third paragraph on page 2 of the letter from Tompkins Terrace which include anticipated work to be done.

 

Mayor Clara Lou Gould:  I believe that the anticipated work that this lists what eventually needs to be done.

 

Council Member Thompson:  I question the last paragraph –My first question is where this is low or moderate income housing.  My other question is the type of financing.  Are they asking for support?  Would they be eligible for tax abatement?  I would like to know what they are asking for.  Do they want their restriction lowered?  We need to find out more about this. 

 

Council Member Kyriacou would like to see a board member selected by the city to oversee this and write a letter of support.

 

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  We need to know when they did the estimates for the $6,500.000.  Is this the final amount that they will be asking for?

 

We need to find out more from them and more from David Stolman.

 

Because of the many unanswered questions, everybody agreed to put their questions in writing and give them to City Administrator

 

Snow Ordinance - Main Street – Change to shorter time allowed for removal.  See ordinances proved by Joe Braun.

 

Council Discussion

 

People were concerned that Main Street wasn’t cleared as quickly as it should have been

 

The Mayor asked Tim Dexter how long after a snowfall is the requirement for snow removal and his reply was “Twenty four hours.”

 

Council Member Kyriacou:  asked that we get a census of what it might cost to plow the sidewalks on Main Street.  They might be interested in having this done. 

 

Mayor Clara Lou Gould:  On some streets where the sidewalks are very close to the road, after a resident shovels his sidewalk, as soon as the plow comes by, the sidewalks are full of snow from the plow.  The Mayor has a concern regarding this problem.

 

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  We can load the snow on trucks and take it away.  It’s just a matter of cost.  I think we can do it if the businesses are willing to pay for it.  I will check into this problem and report back to the council.

 

In Rem Tax Foreclosures – 2004 - See Memo dated 12/8/05 from Carla Eylers, City Clerk with attached Resolution: 

 

Council Discussion:

 

City Attorney Pisanelli:  This is Carla's idea.  A resolution has been prepared.  At the beginning of each year, the properties that have not paid their taxes for two years become eligible for the foreclosure process. This will streamline the process.  It takes time to get the notices out.  Most people will pay their taxes when they receive the notice.  We have to determine how to handle small amounts under $100.00. This will give me the ability to get started at the beginning of the year.

 

There a long involved process and the consequences could be that they will lose their property.  As soon as the clock has run, we will send notices out.

 

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  Partial payments can be worked out.  The use of credit cards was discussed.

 

A resolution is prepared for the agenda for January 17, 2006

 

Traffic Safety Committee     See Memo dated December 21, 2005 from Kim Antalek:

No Parking 30 feet in from the end of a dead end street that is not designed with a turn around area

 

No Parking, Stopping or Standing on the south side of Branch Street.

 

Council Discussion:

 

They would like us to do away with these dead-ends.

 

Joseph Braun:  If there was a cul-de-sac you can park there.  But if there is not, then it is unsafe.

 

The Mayor asked if something can be done so people can turn around at dead-ends which do not have a cul-de-sac. 

 

Council Member Thompson:  How can it make a difference the number of feet from the corner.

 

Council Member Gold:  One side of the street will not make a difference.  Fire trucks have to back out anyway.

 

Joseph Braun:  We can look at this.

 

Mayor:  If we do this, they will have to do the Public Hearing.

 

Traffic Safety will be discussed at the next workshop.

 

Acting City Tax Assessor: 

 

See Attached Email from J. Braun to J. Pisanelli in addition see email dated March 11, 2005 regarding Deputy Assessor, and Proposed Resolution.

 

Council Discussion:

 

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  We very much need an acting Assessor.  I would like to have the authorization to get Kathleen Martin to act as the assessor on a temporary basis.  She has done this in the past and knows the job well.  I also would like to suggest that the hours not be specified so there would be more flexibility.

 

Council Members Kyriacou and Thompson questioned if we are legally obligated to advertise this.  If so, it needs to be done?

 

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  I have every intention of doing this totally by the book.  As I said, I will check with Civil Service to find out the legal way to do this.

 

Council Member Gold asked if our reassessment is going through our tax assessor.  City Administrator advised him that we are using a professional.

 

Council Member Gold asked what is the status of the assessment.  He asked that he and the new council members be apprised of problems that the city has that they should be familiar with.

 

This will be put on the Agenda for January 17, 2006.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

City Engineer: Lanc & Tully and City Accounting Firm:  Sedore and Company are both of whom are appointed following RFP process for a five year period.

 

City Attorney:  Gerard Pisanelli term coincides with Mayor’s term. 

 

Council Discussion:

 

Council Member Kelly wrote a letter which was read by Council Member Thompson objecting to this appointment as a contract.

 

City Administrator, Joseph Braun:  I believe that there is no contract involved with the above appointments.  In the past these appointments were voted on by the Council to give the City Engineer the five years as long as the City Engineer was doing his job.  There is no contract so therefore, if at any time we are not satisfied with his performance, we can go and get another engineer.  It is informal.  But I will look into this further.

 

OTHER BUSINESS

 

UPDATES:

 

The Mayor briefly talked about the Request for Improvement Forms as well as the City of Beacon Police Department Complaint Form.

 

These forms are available for people who want to report a problem.

 

Items that will be placed on Council Agenda - Tuesday, January 17, 2006

 

Appointments

Rem tax

Acting City assessor

 

Motion to go into Executive Session at 8:15 p.m. for a Personnel Issue:  Council Member Gold.  Seconded:  Council Member Thompson.  All voted in favor.  Motion carried.

 

Motion to end Executive Session at 9:25 p.m.:  Council Member Thompson.  Seconded:  Council Member Gold.  All voted in favor.  Motion carried.

 

Workshop ended at 9:25 p.m.

 

 

 

Submitted by Lucy M. Cullinan – January 12, 2006