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A Committee Meeting of the Johnstown Common Council was held on February 6, 2012 at 7:00 p.m., in the Council Chambers, City Hall.
PRESENT: Mayor Slingerland called the meeting to order and led in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL – all council members present. PUBLIC SPEAKER – Fulton Montgomery Farmers Market Association Ann Marie Johnson, Association President, spoke to the Council requesting space for the Farmers Market on W. Main St., in the parking lot next to the park. She suggested that they might be able to use half of the parking lot closest to Main St. to park their vehicles and set up canopies on the grass between the sidewalk and parking lot. Their other choice would be the grass area behind St. John’s Church. They would want to pull their vehicles up on the grass and set up the canopies in front of the sidewalk. The market runs from mid-May to mid-October on Tuesdays from 3pm-6pm. They would want to set up around 2pm. Presently, there are between 6-8 vendors. Each vendor is given a 10’x10’ space. The parking lot next to the park is a City owned lot. Court patrons have been parking there but are supposed to use the County lot next to Office for the Aging on N. William St. Council Members Foss and Lakata felt the entire parking lot should be closed on those Tuesdays for the market. Mayor Slingerland will talk this over further with the council and take another look at the area. A decision will be made soon. APPROVE MINUTES – minutes of the Business Meeting, January 17th, were approved with a motion from Council Member Martin and seconded by Council Member Foss. Motion carried. CITY OFFICIAL’S REPORTS DEPUTY CITY ENGINEER KEVIN JONES – reported the city purchased a used pick-up truck for $375. They will have a surplus truck to sell. City crews are busy with clean-up, salting and sanding roads. Repair work is being done at City Hall, Library and Senior Center. The N. Perry St. Bridge Project will be put out to bid on February 21st. The contract with the consultant will cost $413,000. The construction cost estimate is approximately $1.7 million. A $284,000 supplemental agreement with the consultant will be needed. We are looking at a total cost of around $2.4 million dollars. We have secured an 80% Federal highway grant, 15% State funding which will leave us with $120,000 of our own costs. Bid will be awarded April 2nd. A section of North Perry St. will be closed during construction. Detour will be over Green St., N. Market St., Washington St. and back onto N. Perry St. The project will be done in one construction season. For the sewer pipe bridge project we have a contract with the design consultant for around $43,000. We will save money by doing some of the inspection ourselves. The cost estimate of construction will be around $300,000 for a total cost of $340,000 for the project. We hope to put this out to bid in the same time schedule as the N. Perry St. Bridge Project. FIRE CHIEF BRUCE HEBERER – reported Verizon will be moving into the former Patriot Bank building. Rent-a-Center is coming in the former Video World store. Video World moved across the street to the Pyramid Mall. A couple of larger projects are on for the Planning Board meeting. MICHELLE JONES, SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR – AARP Defensive Driving Course is set for this year. Blue Shield of Northeastern NY will be at the center on Feb. 15th and 29th to discuss health insurance issues. The Fulton County Antique Car Club will meet on Feb. 14th at the center. The AARP tax preparation will be done at the center on Thursdays until April. At this time, all appointments are full. Kay Cole will be teaching a computer class in March. Daffodils are on sale to benefit the American Cancer Society. ACTING CITY ASSESSOR DANIEL MAXWELL – 600 exemption renewals have been mailed out. The deadline for filing is March 1st. He is still reviewing some of the fix up properties. He has had several inquiries about properties for sale. CHIEF MARK GIFFORD – Officer James Carter retired as of Jan. 30, 2012. He began his career with the City in January1993. On behalf of herself and the Council, Mayor Slingerland wished Jim the very best in his retirement. Chief Gifford said they are looking over the civil service list for an eligible patrolman or a lateral transfer. The department went through hazardous material certification training in January. They are also getting ready for the reaccredidation process which will occur in July of this year. They are in the process of ordering a new police car. They have received a State bid and will purchase another Chevy Impala. CITY TREASURER MICHAEL GIFFORD – reported County taxes were collected in January. The collection software is in need of an upgrade. He is working on the 2011 year end closing. Relative to the bridge project we will have a bond anticipation note resolution. We may need a resolution for the sewer project also. ACTING LIBRARY DIRECTOR DEBORAH CALLERY – reported the Story Book Sundae will be held on March 18th from 1pm-2:30pm at F.M.C.C. Information and description of baskets can be found on the library’s website and facebook. So far, there are 27 baskets donated and on display at the library. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Council Member Foss made a motion to adjourn. Seconded by Council Member Cole. Motion carried. Respectfully submitted,
Cathy A. VanAlstyne |
