Workshop Minutes
City of
WORKSHOP
The City of
In Attendance were:
Mayor Clara Lou Gould
Council Members Present: Lee Kyriacou, Charles Kelly, Liz Foster, Phil
Shea, Steve Gold and Eleanor Thompson.
Also in attendance were: City Administrator, Joseph Braun and City Attorney,
Gerard Pisanelli.
Agenda
Tax Assessment Presentation
Cathy Martin Assessor for the city of
GIS Mapping:
City Administrator, Joseph
Braun: We contacted the city of
Council Member Kelly: My concern is that Jamie, (James McCollum) who has
been working here for thirty five years and possesses a wealth of knowledge and
information. When he retires, we may
lose that.. How do we get the
information out of his and other department manager's heads and put it into the
computer. I think that we might need a
GIS Specialist working to assist Jamie and the other department heads The GIS system specialist can advise us of all the types of
information that we need to have readily available for this system. Stormwater should be giving top priority.
Council Member Gold:
I
agree that we should look into what we need to have such as Charlie is
recommending.
City Administrator, Joseph Braun: We can look at this in two ways. Do we hire a consultant or a part time
person? We need an individual or company
that has done this before. There are
people who do this stuff.
Council Member Gold:
We
are getting a grant for half the amount and we have to put in the other
half. City Administrator, Joseph
Braun: A lot of our half will be
people's time, which, is already in the payroll budget. This may include some overtime. A lot of time is what we already spend. Our out of pocket will probably be less than
35% because of Money that is already budgeted.
We spent a lot of time trying to find where that pipes go. All that time is wasted. As we gather information, it goes into a
database. This is critical to gathering
information building.
Bond Ordinance Tabled at the 4/16/07
Council Meeting - Bond Ordinance
Authorizing the Issuance of Up To $240,000
Aggregate Principal Amount Serial Bonds of the City Of Beacon, Dutchess County,
New York, to the Local Finance Law, To
promote the match for the grant to Finance the Costs of the Acquisition,
Construction and Reconstruction of Improvements to the Citys Storm water
System. For Adoption by affirmative vote of at Least
two-thirds of the entire voting strength of the Council of the City.
This will go back on the agenda for
Vacant Buildings: See attached documentation.
Council Member Kelly: How is this law going to apply if we look at
the number of vacant buildings now? We
are trying to modify
Council Member Thompson: It should depend on what the owner is doing. We think we are creating too many of these
laws.
Council Member Kelly: I think we should take a serious look at
absentee landlords. I would be happy to
limit it to a business district.
Mayor Clara Lou Gould: They did fix the roof on the old Motor
Vehicle building.
Council Member Kyriacou: I would like to focus this on
City Attorney Pisanelli: This may be put together with the absentee
landlords code. Tim does not think that
Beacon has the same problem that
Council Member Thompson: I would rather not combine them together.
Council Member Kyriacou: What if we say that all of the exterior facades
should have windows and not boarded up and in safe condition.
Council Member Kelly: Commercial buildings should be included.
Council Member Shea:
Some
of these buildings have windows under the boards to protect the windows from
vandals.
Council Member Kyriacou: If you can't meet the requirements, make a deal with
building inspector for ways to make it look ok when it is boarded up. There should be reasonable requirements.
Mayor Clara Lou Gould: This will go back to the workshop. City Attorney, Gerard Pisanelli will make
changes discussed at the
Council Member Gold:
I
think the agent should be anyone that the owner chooses and someone who is an
individual designated by the owner. The
agent should be someone from the State of
City Administrator, Joseph Braun: An amount of time should be stipulated such as,
maybe an hour or two and if they cannot respond in an hour or two they will be
classified an absentee landlord. This
would be for landlords that cannot respond or be contacted.
Recreation Department - Julann Cobb A memo asking
the council to approve the hiring of Patrick Freeman to service the pool and a
schedule for the Summer Soccer Camp (Not
on the Agenda)
City Pool:
The following is a letter
dated
I am requesting that the City Council approves the hiring of Patrick
Freeman on a contractual basis to train and assist me in fulfilling the
requirements of the Department of Health and completing
all of the necessary documents to obtain the permits for the City to operate
the pool. Additionally, I am requesting that the City
hires Mr. Freeman to clean and prepare the pool for our use this season.
Mr. Freeman's rate of pay is $65.00 per hour. The estimated expense for
each process is as follows:
Permit
Estimated 12 hours @ $65.00 per hour = $780.00
Pool Preparation
Estimated 30 hours @ $65.00 per hour = $1,950.00
Plus rental of pressure washer
Council Member Foster: Have you contacted Pool Services to see what
they charge?
Julann: I did
not. I am using the person Patrick
Freeman who usually does this. I am very
short on time.
Council Member Thompson: Maybe we should have competitive prices.
Julann Cobb: I have been working on the
permit with the Health Department. The
permit process took about three hours.
Council Member Kyriacou: What is the policy. I am concerned that it did not come from Joe
as a resolution.
Council Member Kelly: I am leary about this person charging by the hour at
$65.00 an hour.
Council Member Gold: We should at least get other prices.
Council Member Shea:
I
suggest that you call a few pool companies for free estimates.
City Administrator, Joseph Braun: Patrick Freeman has the knowledge that is
needed. If it is too much, we can
discuss the price with him.
Julann Cobb: There is
some labor involved. Maybe one of our
guys can come and help him pressure wash the pool.
Soccer Camp:
City Administrator, Joseph
Braun: I would like to make the
following clarification. The Soccer Camp
is not the same as the Soccer Clinic.
There was a discussion to have a five day a week Soccer Clinic which is for
advanced soccer players and different from this soccer camp. The camp is a broader opportunity for soccer
players to learn the basics. Maybe we
should have both of these programs.
The following is information
provided by Julann Cobb, Recreation Director regarding the Just For Kicks
Soccer Camp Budget and a brief write up on the Camp:
JUST FOR KIDS SUMMER SOCCER CAMP 2007 BUDGET
|
Group #Participants |
Resident Fee |
Total Income |
Total |
|
Funding from Rec Dept Budget: |
|
$3,000.00 |
|
|
48 Pre-k |
$50.00 |
$2,400.00 |
|
|
48 5-6 Yrs. |
$60.00 |
$2,880.00 |
|
|
72 7-15 |
$110.00 |
$7,620.00 |
|
|
|
|
Total Program Income |
$16,200.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
Projected Operating Expenses
|
Equipment (One Time Purchase |
|
$1,000.00 |
|
|
T-Shirts |
|
$1,200.00 |
|
|
Salaries - 3 people @$1000.00 |
|
$3,000.00 |
|
|
|
|
Total Program Expenses |
$5,200.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Revenue - Less Payback to Rec. Dept. Budget |
|
|
|
|
Commission @ 25% Shared among directors and City |
|
$6,000.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Net Revenue for City |
|
|
$2,000.00 |
What is Just For Kicks?
Our program is called "Just For Kicks". We are
comprised of three directors, Krissy
Deutermann, Matt Levy, and Dawn Sheets.
In partnership with the Beacon Soccer Club we organized, advertised, and ran a soccer camp. In doing so we prepared daily agendas, helped in handling the
registration process, and helped
direct the 2006 Summer Beacon Soccer Camp.
In agreement with the Beacon Soccer Club we added two weeks of camp to their original one week. The
Just For Kicks Soccer Camp ran Monday
thru Friday from
This proposal was prepared
by college students. They need $3,000.00
to get the program started.
We had a tremendous response
from pre k age. It takes 49 children to
make the salaries. If not the city will
be required to pay the salaries. It is
very unlikely that we will not have enough interested people.
Council Member Gold: I am against paying the 4,000.00 for Soccer
Camp. If there were some other way to
pay for this, I would agree.
This will be on the agenda for
City Administrator, Joseph Braun: I have new information. Whether it is to be one way or two way.
We checked the survey and we own six feet from the
wall to the creek which is more than enough to make the sidewalks..
Council Member Gold: If we decide, we will put out to the public
what we decided.
City Administrator, Joseph Braun: The sidewalk along the wall will have lights.
Mayor Clara Lou Gould: What we have next is the noontime meal. Allison or I have not heard further from
Dutchess Outreach. Everybody is
concerned. The question is who will be
there to run it? There is the nutrition
center at
Locations were discussed. The old firehouse, Catherine,
Council Member Kelly: Will we pay them a fee for using the kitchen? Our firehouse has a kitchen. I believe that Dutchess County Outreach has
some funds. Is that for operations or
rental?
Council Member Gold: Maureen said that they are paying $60,000.00
rent a year and they receive another 12,000 from someone else that they are
renting out to. They have no problem
getting food in. It is the cost of the
cook and the cleanup where all the cost is.
If they can get a place such as the memorial building or the salvation
army building, and that they do not have to pay that $48,000.00 a year they
will probably have money left over. If
they do not have to pay rent, there's a possibility that they will come out
ahead of the game. I do want to suggest
that if all else fails, as owners of some of these properties such as the
veterans building, these locations can be used.
In the past we accepted their not wanting to share that facility. I think this is an emergency situation that
involves the health of people in Beacon and that it is our building and we
should exercise our rights to use it. We
want to see to it that the residents of Beacon who are on this program have the
food they need. As a last resort, I think this is something that we should do.
Mayor Clara Lou Gould: The community action has programs to make
them independent. They teach them how to
get a job and teach them the skills to be independent. The way they had operated was that they had a
federal grant, which they do not have anymore and the county filled in for the
rest of the year.
Council Member Kyriacou: I spoke to Maureen; they are looking to use the meal
program as a job-training program. There
may be a grant available for a job-training program. I referred her to a great program in San
Francisco. Family Services opened an
office in Beacon and are training people.
Council Member Gold:
Outreach
is willing to help out but they have not been able to reach Maureen. The idea of training people is great but the
need now is to feed the people. We
cannot solve this tonight because there are too many things up in the air. I feel strongly that we should use the
Veterans Memorial Building.
Council Member Kelly:: We should explain to the veterans group that
this is only temporary and that they should stand behind us for this project.
Mayor Clara Lou Gould: This program ends as of yesterday.
Gathering of information will continue
Resolution Meritorious Service Awards
Mayor Clara Lou Gould: Had a few suggestions on the Resolution prepared by
Council Member Steve Gold that she thought should be clarified. She said that she would write them in an
email and send them to Council Member Gold after City Attorney Jerry gives his
seal of approval. If it gets done, it
will be placed on the agenda.
Traffic Safety Committee
Recommendations: - Request to install Bus
Parking
School Days Only 8:15am 8:45am and 1:00pm 2:00pm Sign on Oak Street
Request to
change the speed limit in the Code Book for the Verplanck Avenue to read: Verplanck Avenue 25 mph for the entire
length
Request to
place the following streets in Section 211-6.
School Speed Limits:
1. Liberty Street 15 mph from
Grove Street to the last entrance of J.V. Forrestal School both directions.
2. Oak Street 15 mph from
Willow Street to Cross Street both directions.
3. School Street 15 mph from
Rombout Avenue to West Center Street both directions.
4. South Avenue 15 mph from
Academy Street to West Center Street both directions.
5. West Center Street 15 mph
from School Street to South Avenue both directions.
6. Willow Street 15 mph from
Church Street to Verplanck Avenue both directions.
7. Fishkill Avenue 15 mph
from Dallis Place to entrance of Tallix both directions.
8. Delavan Avenue 15 mph from
Fishkill Avenue to Hastings Drive both directions.
9. Delavan Avenue 15 mph from
Fishkill Avenue to Hastings Drive both directions.
Request to delete the following streets in
Section 211-5. Speed limits:
1. Cross Street 15 mph from Ferry Street to Hammond Plaza
2. Cross Street 15 mph from Verplanck Avenue south to Main Street
3. Eliza Street 15 mph from Kent Street south to Verplanck Avenue
4. Eliza Street 15 mph from Verplanck Avenue north to Kent Street
5. Fishkill Avenue 15 mph from Ackerman Street south for 300 feet to Verplanck Avenue
6. Fishkill Avenue 15 mph from Verplanck Avenue north for 300 feet to Ackerman Street
7. Kent Street 15 mph from Eliza Street to Fishkill Avenue
8. Kent Street 15 mph from Fishkill Avenue west to Eliza Street
9. Liberty Street 15 mph from Amity Street north to a point 200 feet north of the exit of J.V. Forrestal School to Grove Street
10. Oak Street 15 mph from Cross Street east 300 feet to Willow Street
11. Oak Street 15 mph from Willow Street west for 300 feet to Cross Street
12. Rombout Avenue 15 mph from Ferry Street east to School Street
13. Rombout Avenue 15 mph from School Street west to Ferry Street
14. School Street 15 mph from Rombout Avenue south to West Center Street
15. School Street 15 mph from West Center Street north to Rombout Avenue
16. South Avenue 15 mph from Academy Street south to West Center Street
17. South Avenue 15 mph from West Center Street north to Academy Street
18. Verplanck Avenue 15 mph from Cross Street east to a point 300 feet east of Willow Street
19. Verplanck Avenue 15 mph form a point 300 feet east of Willow Street to Cross Street
20. Verplanck Avenue 15 mph from a point 300 feet east of Fishkill Avenue to a point 300 feet west to Eliza Street
21. Verplanck Avenue 15 mph from 300 feet west of Eliza Street east to 200 feet east of Fishkill Avenue
22. Verplanck Avenue 15 mph from North Cedar Street to Eliza Street
23. West Center Street 15 mph from School Street west to South Avenue
24. West Center Street 15 mph from South Avenue east to School Street
25. Willow Street 15 mph from a point 300 feet south of Oak Street north to Verplanck Avenue
26. Willow Street 15 mph from Verplanck Avenue south to a point 300 feet south of Oak Street
This will be placed on the May 7, 2007 Council
Agenda to set a Public Hearing for
Domestic Partnerships -
Council Member Kyriacou: I had an email from a constituent who wants to
register as a domestic partner. This
will satisfy a resident who wants to include his partner (whether it is a man
or a woman) to be able to qualify for health benefits. If you got one, you need some way to prove
that you got one so you can take advantage of benefits..
Mayor Clara Lou Gould: I have information that came in very late so
I don't know. The way I read it sounded
like this can be done if the couple went through a ceremony from a state that
permits this.
City Administrator Braun asked Council Member Kyriacou for a copy of
the law or a web link to the New York State Law.
Sewer/Water Lines - Cost and the Citys Financial Role to Maintain
Council Member Kelly: What is the city's financial role to maintain sewer
and water lines? The issue has come up
and Joe has provided us with some data about when the sewer line is broken from
the connection from the house to the main sewer line, the home owner has been
saddled with the entire cost of repairing that line even if there is some
evidence that the blockage or the cracked pipe appears to be on city property
and that road may be subject to heavy truck traffic or other public usage that
may cause the damage to the sewer line that it is unfair and unjust to saddle
the homeowner with the entire cost of repairing that sewer. I know it has been the tradition of the city
to say the city is responsible for the main line and anything connecting to the
main line whether it is on city property or the owners property, it the entire
responsibility of the homeowner. The
cost for this type of repair is staggering.
It ranges from $7,000.00 to $10,000.00.
In emergency situations people cannot live in their homes without sewer
lines properly functioning. There seems
to be a basis for discussion that was more fair and equitable. I realize that there are a number of cases
that we have saddled the homeowners in the past and Joe has indicated that this
is a common occurrence It seems that it would be more equitable if we were to
have a cost-sharing arrangement with the homeowner. I think it benefits both the homeowner and
the city.
Council Member Gold:
This
is something that Council Member Thompson has proposed to the council many
times. The points that Charlie is making
now are valid points. I know that people
think that they are paying taxes and they want to get something in return for
it. . As Charlie said, the homeowners
may have to pay up to $10,000. I feel
that a sharing program that is being requested is more than appropriate.
Joe: We have
to determine if is in the street or on the property.
Council Member Kelly: I think that it is fair that the city be
responsible for what is on the city property.
How do you fix the price?
City Administrator, Joseph Braun: We can go out for bid.
Council Member Gold:
I
suggest that when we do this we make it retroactive to January 1, 2007.
This will be discussed further at the next workshop.
Appointments / Ratifications /Announcement
Lewis Tompkins Hose Co.
Remove Robert J. Simmonds from Active to Exempt effective
2/6/07.
Terry Stanulwich transfer from Firefighter to Fire
Police, effective 04/03/07.
The following is an
updated list of Officers for the year 2007:
President:
Nick
McGovern
Vice President:
Terry
Stanulwich
Recording
Secretary:
Michael
Witkowski
Financial Secretary:
Robert
Simmonds Exempt Status
Trustees:
Nick Francese
Matthew Smith
Peter Lawrance
Dave Simmonds
Fred Fink
Update:
Videotaping Council Meetings
Update from Joe Braun
Election - Change in Voting
Places. Update from County
Other Business
Council Agenda -
Community
Segment:
Dennis
Pavelock Concerned Citizen
Iola
Taylor City Clerk
Motion
to enter into Executive Session regarding a litigation issue requested by
Joseph Braun at
Motion
to end Executive Session at
Adjournment Council Workshop ended at:
Submitted
by Lucy M. Cullinan -
Submitted by Lucy M.
Cullinan -