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.
City Attorney, Gerard Pisanelli.
AGENDA
Conservation Advisory
Commission - The council had the following documents: Document dated
The following is a copy of
the General Comments by the CAC:
General
Comments
This is obviously a boilerplate type law that we were presented with.
This law lacks substance that is specific enough towards the needs of the City
of
Currently, the state regulations allow for a maximum disturbance of 5
acres at any given time on a project, unless special authorization is received
from the state to allow for a larger disturbance. This maximum disturbance of 5 acres was
chosen by the state and EPA based upon studies and site cases from the past, as
to the size of an area that stormwater runoff can be reasonably controlled from
without creating significant threat. In
looking at the size of the lots within the City of
Taking into account average lot sizes and current potential building
areas, it was decided that this law should apply to areas where 2 acres or more
of land would be disturbed. This law
will apply to all disturbance within the City, as all disturbances are
regulated regardless of size. Although the City may be looking for a Full SWPPP
to be developed for disturbances over 2 acres or more, smaller projects will
require erosion and sediment control plans to be developed.
It was suggested that the City develop another municipal law that would
address property owners who do work to their property that may lead to or
change the topography or water flow over their land. There are many examples of how property
owners in this City have made small changes to their SO' xlOO' lot and had
detrimental effects to neighboring properties.
Another important issue is the Stormwater Management Officer. Is the
City really considering giving Tim Dexter yet another task? His duties with the
City of
We feel it is important that the Code Enforcement Office be responsible
for the overseeing the implementation and monitoring of
SWPPP's.
However, we feel that this duty should come under someone who has experience
in this field and is not overburdened with other duties within the Code Enforcement Office.
This law doesn't deal at all with problems
that arise from people dumping their water onto their neighbors' property (such
as roof runoff, or surface runoff from improperly graded sites). There appears
to be major flooding problems because neighboring properties are routing water onto adjacent properties. Currently, there does not appear to be a
way to hold land owners accountable for these problems. This
should be added into the current law.
This again could be dealt with by implementing a
new municipal law that covers these problems on existing building lots.
There were a list
of Specific Comments and recommendations included but not attached to these general comments which will
be or has been reviewed by the Council.
Chris
Ericson, Chairman for the CAC: This law is a difficult
situation. Hopefully my comments will
let you know where we are. I picked up a
chart that helps clarify the project.
Hopefully, we can resolve the hardest part, which is the lot size. I think we came down to two acres. Even though the law states five acres,
bringing it to two acres is more reasonable.
We also thought that we would develop a municipal law for smaller size
lots. We also agree that the code
enforcement officer can do this by himself or someone in his office who is
certified to do it. The fine should be
$1,000.00. You have a map which
clarifies some things as far as what type of property we have. We are modifying the five acre part. I have not had a chance to look at this map
because I just received it this afternoon.
I see that the City Council proposed a local law in the year 2000 but I
do not think anything ever happened to it.
We may be able to use that as a starting point. I think at this point the committee had
gotten some response from our questions and a clear understanding of the
law. Does the council want to bring in
someone to fine tune these?
City
Attorney Pisanelli: We can do a modified draft.\
Chris: We want to put a slide show on Channel
22. How do we go about getting on Channel
22?
Council
Member Gold: I can also put the slide
show on the City of Beacon Website.
City
Attorney Pisanelli: said that he can have the draft for the
Discussion
continued on making the commission a board.
Council
Member Kelly: Should we discuss the conservation committee
a board? I am not clear as to what the
difference is between a board and a committee.
It was proposed in 2004 and rejected.
Mayor
Gould: This was discussed and put
aside for further discussion. It was not
rejected.
Council
Member Kelly: Asked the council what concerns they had
regarding making the commission a board.
Council
Member Kyriacou: There were concerns raised
about another layer of regulatory approval.
My own view at the time was to limit it to specific areas that were
involved. I would still make the same
argument now that we are only talking about a few areas that are predetermined
as open space
City
Attorney Pisanelli: gave his understanding of the
law.
Council
Member Kelly: In theory any space would be
considered open space.
Chris: Yes.
Council
Member Kelly: I am not opposed to
regulations but I am opposed to runaway regulations. We have had cases where we had
well-intentioned boards established where they exceed their authority.
Council
Member Gold: To make it a board we will
have to have a public hearing.
Mayor
Gould: When we formed the
Conservation Advisory Commission, the county environmental Management was
absolutely delighted because most communities do not have one. It's because they have seen these problems
cropping up here and there and they were very pleased that we are taking such
an interest to prevent problems.
What
we have now is that when the comprehensive plan is in effect, then we can
decide if they become a board. They are
having a meeting this Thursday and they are trying to set two other
meetings. They want to start the public
hearings, if possible, in July.
Chris
and the council members named (from memory) a list of properties that would be
more than five acres: Craig House,
Memorial Park, all of our existing parks, the golf course, some property along
the waterfront, Hiddenbrooke, and a couple of large lots at the end of South
Avenue.
The
council thanked Chris for his excellent and informative presentation.
University Settlement Camp -
Talk to
Grant Writer
City
Administrator Braun: I met with the grant
writer. The city council needs to
acquire an application We believe that the city's share would be
450,000.00. The total cost will be
$550,000 - 575,000
Mayor
Gould: People have said informally
that they are in favor of doing this. We
need a resolution for this.
City
Attorney Pisanelli: We need to discuss what is
happening regarding a proposed contract.
Council
Member Kyriacou: When we passed that bond we
did not specify what it was for.
City
Attorney Pisanelli: The specifics regarding the
purchase needs to be discussed.
Council
Member Gold: Regarding grants that we received. How much money have we gotten the okay on for
grants? It would be helpful for us to
know.
City
Attorney Pisanelli: We discussed the possibility of
having an executive session with the attorneys.
Mayor
Gould: We were supposed to get a list of questions.
Council
Member Gold: What is the total amount of money that we
have received in grants?
Mayor
Gould: said
that it is in the process of being completed and it is almost done. One item that can be used is the ski lodge
property, which is $200,000.00.
Council
Member Gold: I spoke to Scenic Hudson
about going to Michael and explaining our situation and asking whether they
would be opposed to us selling the property and they said that they did not
object
Mayor
Gould: Fishkill is very interested
because of the pool and they are right next door.
The
grant application deadline is June 29th.
Council
Member Kyriacou:: Can we go into executive
session to discuss this.
Mayor
Gould: I will try to go to Fishkill again.
Mayor
Gould: We will have an Executive
Session on that tonight.
Vacant Buildings:
City Attorney
Pisanelli: I have some information but
I have not had time to put it down on paper.
Council Member Gold: Regarding the area of responsibility for the
owner getting an agent. I don't think it
describes what the agent's responsibility should be. Steve also referred to the $120.00 fee which
does not add up.
Mayor Gould: Someone suggested that there may be a way if
something does not improve a building, could you tax them as though it had been
improved.
Resolution -
Mayor
Gould: We are waiting on this.
Church & North Cedar
Parking - Purchase of Church and North Cedar Parking. Grant is for $500,00, Local Share is $100,00,
Federal Share $400,000. Reappraisal
completed on
City Administrator Braun: The Council will have to appropriate another $100,000 to
150,000. This is a 80% Federal
Grant. This was to be used for the
Library but the bond issue for the library went down but the money was still
there. This will cover more than half of
the cost of the parking lot.
Council Member Foster: Do we have to use the grant for the whole property or can we use
it for part of the property.
City Administrator Braun: You can buy two of the lots with the grant money and buy the third
with city funds.
Mayor: We need the parking in the middle of
town. The Grant will go away if it is
not used.
Council Member Gold: I am not convinced that that area needs that much
parking. I know that we need parking in
Beacon. I know that we have this money
and we should be spending this money, correct me if I'm wrong. Is this an area that needs parking?
Proposed Charter Change - Permissive Referendum -
Change amount of $250,000 to $375,000
Sec. 8.10. Exceptions to referendum.
The provisions of this Article pertaining to
permissive referenda shall not apply to any bond ordinance authorizing the
issuance of bonds in an amount of two hundred fifty thousand dollars
($250,000.) or less, nor to any bond ordinance authorizing the issuance of
bonds for capital improvements of which more than fifty per centum (50%) of the
cost thereof is to be levied by assessments upon property especially benefited
thereby, nor to any bond ordinance authorizing the issuance of bonds for the
payments of judgments or compromised or settled claims against the city or
awards or sums payable by the city pursuant to a determination by a court,
officer, body or agency acting in an administrative or quasi-judicial capacity,
or providing for the construction or maintenance of sewer treatment facilities
or water pollution control facilities.
The following email from Joe Braun dated May 18th was
addressed to all the member of the City of
"For the last 15 years, the trigger for a permissive
referendum has been at $250,000. I have
copied the section of the code above.
I recommend that trigger be raised to a
level that reflects price inflation over that period of time. The CPI in 1992 was 140 and in April it was
206. The increase is 206/140 or
47%. I recommend a increase of 50% to
$375,000.00. Thank you. City Administrator, Joseph Braun."
City
Attorney Pisanelli: I have to check to see if
the state has limits. In the meantime,
you can continue on this.
Council
Member Kyriacou: I think that we should make
it for $400,000.00.
Everyone
agreed that it should be increased to $400,000.00 rather than $375,000.00.
Salary Adjustments
This
will be discussed in executive session.
Proposed Resolution - Work in a cooperative and bipartisan manner to enact
the legislative changes identified in NYCOM’s report, “The Legislative
Program,”
The following letter dated
The Honorable Clara Lou Gould Mayor, City of Beacon 1 Municipal Plaza Suite 1 Beacon, New York 12508
_
Dear
Mayor:
Enclosed you will find an April 2,
2007, Corning City Council Resolution and a letter to Governor Eliot Spitzer
requesting that he and members of the New York State Senate and Assembly work hi a bipartisan manner to enact the legislative changes
identified hi NYCOM' s Report, "2007 Legislative
Program."
We respectfully request you share and
support our desire to help improve the economic prosperity, success and
financial stability of our great cities throughout
The following
letter dated
Dear Governor
Spitzer:
On April 2, 2007,
the City Council of the City of Corning passed the enclosed Resolution requesting you and members of the New York State
Senate and Assembly work in a cooperative and bipartisan manner to enact the
legislative changes identified in NYCOM's report, "2007 Legislative
Program," to help improve the economic prosperity, success and financial
stability of our great cities throughout New York State. If
you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely,
Frank Coccho Mayor
A Resolution was prepared and was included in the
Workshop Packet as follows:
RESOLUTION for
2007
WORK IN A COOPERATIVE AND BIPARTISAN
MANNER TO ENACT THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES
IDENTIFIED IN NYCOM'S - REPORT, "THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM,"
WHEREAS, on January I, 2007, the State of
WHEREAS, this change in Governorship and with the cooperation of our State Legislature provides an opportunity to reform the way in which our State government operates and its relationship with its cities; and,
WHEREAS, the State of
WHEREAS, the New York Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials has collectively developed needed reforms in a report entitled, "2007
Legislative Program" to address these issues that
are critical to our municipalities across New York;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT
RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Beacon hereby respectfully requests that Governor Eliot Spitzer, and
Members of the New York State Senate and Assembly work
in a cooperative and bipartisan manner to enact the legislative
changes identified in NYCOM's report, "The Legislative Program," to
help improve the economic prosperity, success and financial stability of our
great cities throughout New York State.
City Attorney Pisanelli: Asked
City Administrator Braun to make a copy of the letter to the editor criticizing
the city officials. I am pushing to
obtain information. I asked the attorney
to look for the letter to the editor.
This helps to clarify the situation.
We have not been asked by the insurance company when they make a
settlement.
City Administrator Braun: If
they use public funds, they have to provide us with documentation.
Council Member Gold:
It was not just that we did
not give them that information; the insurance company also did not give them
the information. They should not delay
in providing that information.
Attorney Pisanelli:
This letter to the editor
should have been kept confidential, especially when it comes to police
officers.
Letter from David
Kidera, State of
The letter dated
Dear Mr.
Pisanelli:
Governor Spitzer has sent to the Legislature a bill to repeal the
enabling statutes of a number of moribund urban renewal agencies, industrial
development agencies, municipal housing authorities, parking authorities and
other public authorities.
The Beacon
Community Development Agency, which was created for the benefit of the City of
If you believe the Beacon Community Development Agency to be active,
please notify this office immediately, but not later than
My staff and I are happy to answer any questions you may have.
Please direct all inquiries to the ABO at
(518) 474-1932, or from outside the Capital District at 1-800-560-1770. Sincerely, Signed by: David Kidera, Authority Budget Office.
City Attorney Pisanelli: Also
I received the above letter today from the NYS Budget office. I will do a resolution
Mayor Gould:. This will go on the June 4, 2007 Agenda.
Council Agenda
Monday,
June 4, 2007
Community
Segment: Jamie McCollum – Water
Department
Motion to enter Executive
Session at 8:30 p.m.: Council Member Kyriacou. Seconded:
Council Member Gold. All voted in
favor. Motion carried.
Motion to end Executive
Session at 9:30 p.m.: Council Member Shea. Seconded:
Council Member Foster. All voted
in favor. Motion carried.
The workshop ended at 9:30
p.m.
Submitted
by Lucy M. Cullinan -