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A Business Meeting of the Johnstown Common Council was held on March 17, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers, City Hall.
PRESENT:
ABSENT: Mayor Slingerland called the meeting to order and led in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL – three members present – two absent PROCLAMATION – Insurance Week APPROVE MINUTES – the minutes of the March 3, 2008 Committee Meeting were approved with a motion by Council Member Lakata and seconded by Council Member Preston. Motion carried. CLAIMS AND ACCOUNTS – Council Member Cole made a motion to pay the bills and place on file in the Treasurer’s Office. Motion was seconded by Council Member Lakata. Motion carried. PUBLIC HEARING – Small Cities Grant Application – Mayor Slingerland opened the public hearing. David Henderson from Community Heritage Corp. explained the grant will cover between 15-18 projects and 18-22 units. They will be single family, owner occupied and two-family owner occupied homes targeting the electrical and heating. They are done with inspections and have narrowed the eligible applicants down to twenty. These properties will be included in the grant application. MAYOR’S APPOINTMENTS – Kurt Ackerknecht, Peter Smith and Ruth White were appointed to the Planning Board. Christine Krempa and Joseph Hanchar were appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals. LIAISON REPORTS PUBLIC WORKS, CHARLES R. KORTZ – there is still a salt shortage in New York State. If we get more bad weather, residents need to take care when driving on City streets. The banners for the 250th Anniversary Celebration have been installed on Main St. and we have received lots of positive feedback. Sewers continue to be cleaned and roots cut. Work on foreclosed properties continues and the salvage contract is ¾ done. Working on Alliance Leather now and debris will be taken to the landfill. Apex Leather will be next. This building is mostly steel construction and the salvage contractor took most of it. Revenue from the salvage contract will pay for most of the asbestos removal. Related to the foreclosed properties are three existing grants that are being utilized. Two are related to the Karg’s site and an EPA Brownfields grant that was originally for the Karg’s site will be used for some of the other properties the City owns. We hope to enter into some contracts for consultants for cleaning up these properties. Applications for the Sidewalk Program will be accepted in the City Clerk’s Office through April 18, 2008. LIBRARY, BARBARA GERMAIN – the Storybook Sundae fundraiser, April 6th, proceeds will be going toward the operating budget for the library. Mrs. Germain thanked the underwriters for the event; The Tire Center, Johnstown Dodge, Thomas’ Hallmark and an anonymous donor. Tickets are available at the library for the event and raffle. ZONING COMMITTEE – Mayor Slingerland reported the committee continues to meet and the Comprehensive Plan is on the City’s website. SENIOR CENTER – Council Member Preston reported the golfers will meet on April 2 at 1:00 p.m. Anyone interested in playing on the league should come to the meeting. The Annual Spring Bazaar will be held on April 12th. SEWER BOARD – Council Member Preston reported that Plant Manager Bevington updated the Board on their grant application for the co-generation equipment. The Board authorized the submission of a NYSERDA grant for the Digester Project. A bid was received for a Primary Sludge Pump and another for a Primary Grinder. FINANCE – resolutions will be read later on in the meeting. WATER BOARD – Council Member Cole reported that Mr. Kortz updated the Board on the Maylander Project. Cell phones have been upgraded. The new truck should be in sometime this week. The credit card issue will be discussed at a future meeting. PLANNING BOARD – Council Member Cole reported the Crossroads Incubator Corp. project to build condos will have to wait for approval until the SEQR can be completed. Wetlands need to be re-marked. FIRE DEPARTMENT – Council Member Lakata reported the department responded to 68 calls for service, including 1 minor structure fire, several motor vehicle accidents and 13 calls for pump out service. The Codes Office issued 24 permits at an estimate construction cost of $458,425 and $2,279 in permit fees collected. Microtel is inspected daily. FAGE will have their final inspection sometime in March. There were over 502 complaint and inspection responses. POLICE DEPARTMENT – Council Member Lakata reported the department received 740 calls for service resulting in 47 arrests and 291 tickets issued. Court fines collected totaled $6,300. CITY HISTORIAN – Mayor Slingerland reported that City Historian Noel Levee has been working with Microtel on a display for their breakfast room of Johnstown’s history. He has also been busy providing historic information to various groups in preparation for the 250th Anniversary Celebration of the City of Johnstown. CITY ASSESSOR – Leamon Steele reported that all exemptions have been entered and he will be inspecting new construction at the end of the month. The Tentative Roll will be available May 1st. PUBLIC HEARING – Mayor Slingerland closed the public hearing for the 2008 Small Cities Grant application at 7:30p.m. No other comments were made.
RESOLUTION No. 23,
2008 was presented by Council Member Cole to adopt
and enforce policies concerning the Small Cities
Grant Application. Seconded by Council Member
Preston.
RESOLUTION No. 24,
2008 was presented by Council Member Preston for
the administration of the 2008 Small Cities
Community Block Grant. Seconded by Council Member
Cole.
RESOLUTION No. 25,
2008 was presented by Council Member Lakata to
adopt the 2008 Citizen Participation Plan and 2008
Residential Anti-Displacement and Relocation
Assistance Plan relevant to the 2008 Small Cities
Community Block Grant. Seconded by Council Member
Preston.
RESOLUTION No. 26,
2008 was presented by Council Member Cole to cover
under the City’s insurance, certain events
sponsored by the Johnstown Business and
Professional Association Seconded by Council
Member Lakata. RESOLUTION No. 27, 2008 was presented by Council Member Preston for funding the N. Market Street Bridge Project. Seconded by Council Member Cole.
Discussion: Mr.
Gifford explained that this project is done but
there were additional costs that were not in the
grant agreement. RESOLUTION No. 28, 2008 was presented by Council Member Cole to amend amounts in the 2008 budget. Seconded by Council Member Lakata.
Discussion: Mr.
Gifford explained that some items needed to be
reclassified to include computer updates, cell
phone upgrades for the DPW, revenues from several
small grants, donations for the 250th
Anniversary Celebration, a donation for a new K-9
vehicle and revenue from a lot sale. RESOLUTION No. 29, 2008 was presented by Council Member Lakata to contract with Nestle Waters North America, Inc. to conduct groundwater and spring resource testing on watershed property. Seconded by Council Member Cole.
Discussion: the
Water Board will also be passing a resolution.
This is to study groundwater resources at no cost
to the City.
RESOLUTION No. 30,
2008 was presented by Council Member Preston to
contract with Nathan Littauer Hospital for a
Health Officer. Seconded by Council Member Lakata.
RESOLUTION No. 31,
2008 was presented by Council Member Cole to
contract with ATEC Group for upgrading the
computer system. Seconded by Council Member
Preston.
RESOLUTION No. 32,
2008 was presented by Council Member Lakata to
accept bids for asbestos removal. Seconded by
Council Member Cole. DISCUSSION PURCHASE OF DPW EQUIPMENT – at the previous council meeting, Mr. Gifford presented the Council with three options for purchasing needed equipment for the Department of Public Works. These purchases are not included in the regular budget. It is better to borrow for larger pieces. The garbage truck and sweeper financing would be very doable. The first payment would be in 2009. Mr. Kortz said the old garbage truck would be kept for a back-up. Council Members Lakata, Cole and Preston all agreed that option #2, purchasing of a garbage truck and sweeper, would be the best option. A resolution will be prepared for the April 7th Committee Meeting to give Mr. Kortz time to prepare bid specs for this equipment. ANNOUNCEMENTS
A motion to adjourn was made by Council Member Lakata and seconded by Council Member Preston. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted,
Cathy A. VanAlstyne
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