ALLEGANY
REGULAR SESSION
** APPROVED **
The regular meeting of the Board of
Legislators was called to order at 2:05 p.m. by Chairman Curtis W. Crandall,
who then led in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. The invocation was given by Legislator Pullen.
ROLL CALL: 15 Present; 0 Absent.
APPROVAL OF
MINUTES:
The Board meeting minutes of January
25, 2008 were approved on a motion made by Legislator Dibble, seconded by
Legislator Hopkins and carried.
PUBLIC
HEARING:
Chairman Crandall closed the regular
meeting to hold a public hearing on Local Law Intro. No. 1-2008, entitled “A
Local Law Amending Local Law No. 4 of 1987, as Amended, to Provide for a
Partial Tax Exemption of Real Property Owned by Certain Persons with Limited
Annual Income Who are Sixty-Five Years of Age or Over.” Comments included:
Kimberley Toot, Office for the Aging
Director and resident of the Town of Wellsville, commented that she applauds Legislator
Russo for his leadership on this issue and encourages passage of the resolution
in order to provide some relief to seniors on their property tax bills. Most of our seniors are in retirement and on
a fixed income, some relying solely on Social Security benefits. The consumer price index has increased 4.8
percent, housing costs have increased 2.8 percent, medical expenses have
increased 5.4 percent, and energy costs have increased 18.2 percent. Social Security benefits have only increased
2.3 percent in 2008. The average benefit
increase is $24 per month to cover the increased costs of groceries, heating
fuel, gas, and other necessary living expenses.
This legislation will assist those who need it most.
Legislator Pullen questioned whether
the exemption applies to all property owned by senior citizens, or only
residences.
Following comments, the public
hearing was declared closed and the Board reconvened in regular session.
PRIVILEGE OF
THE FLOOR:
Chairman Curtis W. Crandall and
Veterans’ Service Agency Director H. Scott Spillane jointly took part in the presentation
of a Bronze Star Medal to World War II Veteran Joseph A. Marra from Friendship.
Mr. Marra was accompanied by members of
the Friendship American Legion. The
Bronze Star Medal is awarded to soldiers who have distinguished themselves by
heroic or meritorious achievement or service in the United States Army. Chairman Crandall stated it was a privilege
to bring forward one of Allegany County’s finest to receive long overdue
recognition by the United States for his part in securing our freedoms in World
War II. He read from a letter sent by
Congressman John Randy Kuhl to Joseph Marra commending him for his heroic
service. Chairman Crandall presented a Certificate
of Appreciation on behalf of the citizens of
Chairman Crandall noted privilege of
the floor will be granted to members of the Genesee Valley Central School
Entrepreneurship Class of 2007-2008 for a presentation later in the meeting.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS,
COMMUNICATIONS, REPORTS, ETC.:
1. Placed
on each legislator’s desk were copies of the 2007 annual reports from the
following departments and agencies for review:
Cooperative Extension,
2. Also
placed on each legislator’s desk was a copy of the 2008 Allegany County
Directory of County, Town, and Village Contacts.
3. Also
distributed to each legislator were copies of the Report of Tax Bill Corrections
Approved by the
4. An
invitation was received to attend a Power Lunch with Houghton native Ben Sayers,
CEO of VoIP Supply, at the Old Library Restaurant on February 27 from 11:30
a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (VoIP, or Voice over
Internet Protocol, is a new advance in phone service using broadband Internet
connections to transmit telephone calls.
VoIP Supply, a Buffalo-based company launched in 2004 by Mr. Sayers, is
one of the first online retailers to sell an array of VoIP related products all
under one banner. The company projects
sales of over $100 million by 2009.)
5. Notice
was received for the next
6. Also
received were Southern Tier West Regional Planning and Development Board
minutes of December 20, 2007 and a notice for their February 21 meeting.
7. Filed
in the Clerk of the Board’s Office was the joint report of the Planning Board
and Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board regarding the addition of
Mayline Farms into Agricultural District No. 4.
A public hearing will be held on February 25.
8. The
regular Public Safety Committee meeting has been moved from February 13 to
Wednesday, February 20, at 1 p.m.
9. There
will be a special Committee of the Whole meeting Friday, February 29, at 10
a.m. in the Legislative Board Chambers for the purpose of meeting with Marthe
Ngwashi, Assistant Director of Intergovernmental Affairs with the NYS Attorney
General’s Office.
10. Correspondence
was received from William Hart, President of the Greater Allegany County
Chamber of Commerce, thanking the Board for their donation.
11. Correspondence
was also received from William Hart, President of the Greater Allegany County
Chamber of Commerce, confirming the Chamber’s support of the Belmont Betterment
Association’s proposed project to repair, reconstruct, and rehabilitate the
former
12. Legislator
Truax announced that the Human Services Committee meeting scheduled for
February 20 is being moved to February 25 following the Board meeting.
APPOINTMENTS:
The Clerk of the Board announced
that Chairman Crandall has appointed Ronald Truax, as an officer of
Chairman Crandall has appointed
William Zacher, representing the Friendship Town Board, and Susan F. Myers,
resident of the Town of
Chairman Crandall has appointed the
following individuals as members of the ALLEGANY
COUNTY YOUTH BOARD for a three-year term commencing March 26, 2008, and
expiring March 25, 2011, subject to confirmation by the Board of Legislators:
Janet Gaczewski, Caneadea (District I)
James Cross,
Sherry Weirich, Scio (District III)
Ralph Eastlack, Wellsville (District IV)
Gary Ostrower, Alfred (District V)
RESOLUTIONS:
RESOLUTION
NO. 33-08
ADOPTION OF LOCAL LAW INTRO.
NO. 1-2008 AMENDING LOCAL LAW NO. 4 OF 1987, AS AMENDED, TO PROVIDE FOR A
PARTIAL TAX EXEMPTION OF
REAL PROPERTY OWNED BY CERTAIN
PERSONS WITH LIMITED ANNUAL INCOME
WHO ARE SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF AGE
OR OVER
Offered by:
Ways and Means Committee
RESOLVED:
1. That proposed Local Law, Intro. No.
1-2008, Print No. 1, is adopted without any change in language, to wit:
Intro. No. 1-2008 Print No. 1
A LOCAL LAW AMENDING LOCAL LAW
NO. 4 OF 1987, AS AMENDED,
TO PROVIDE FOR A PARTIAL TAX
EXEMPTION OF REAL PROPERTY
OWNED BY CERTAIN PERSONS WITH
LIMITED ANNUAL INCOME
WHO ARE SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF
AGE OR OVER
BE IT ENACTED by the Board of Legislators of the
Section 1. The purpose of this local law is to amend
Section 2. of Local Law No. 4 of 1987, as amended, to increase the annual
income limits at which certain persons over sixty-five years of age can receive
a partial exemption to the assessed valuation of real property owned by such
persons.
Section 2. That Section 2. of Local Law No. 4 of 1987
is amended to read as follows:
PERCENTAGE
ASSESSED VALUATION
ANNUAL INCOME EXEMPT
FROM TAXATION
$19,500 or less 50 per centum
$19,500.01 or more but
less than $20,499.99 45 per centum
$20,500 or more but
less than $21,499.99 40
per centum
$21,500 or more but
less than $22,499.99 35
per centum
$22,500 or more but
less than $23,399.99 30
per centum
$23,400 or more but
less than $24,299.99 25
per centum
$24,300 or more but
less than $25,199.99 20
per centum
$25,200 or more but
less than $26,099.99 15
per centum
$26,100 or more but
less than $26,999.99 10
per centum
$27,000 or more but
less than $27,899.99 5 per centum
Section 3. This local law shall take effect
immediately.
Moved by: Mr. Reynolds Adopted: Roll Call
Seconded by: Mr. Russo 15
Ayes, 0 Noes, 0 Absent
(Memo: Regarding Resolution No. 33-08, Local Law No.
4-87 was previously amended by Local Law No. 6-04.)
Comments regarding Resolution No. 33-08: Mr. Ungermann pointed out the additional
impact to the budget in the amount of $90,000 as a result of this tax
exemption. He’s concerned about the
seniors, but also about our young people.
The problem with exemptions is that the costs get passed on to someone
else. We need to think about how the
young people and businesses are going to pay for it. There are 89 separate tax exemptions; maybe
some of them should be reviewed to see if they’re still necessary or fitting. We want to give the seniors a break, but they
already get the STAR exemption. We also
have three major colleges in the County that pay no taxes. How much longer can business and our youth
stand to pay for these exemptions?
Mr. Kruger took the other side of the argument
and noted that seniors have worked all their lives. This resolution is directed to seniors with
low incomes. He supports it because we
haven’t done anything so far to reduce the cost of government and he’ll grasp
at any straw to help the residents with their tax burden.
Mr. Hall clarified a few points about the
institutions of higher education mentioned earlier. They bring in a lot of people, so there are
financial benefits in increased sales and sales tax revenue; and they also
provide payments in lieu of taxes and support their local communities. Eighty percent of the
Mr. Hopkins noted that this is not a new
exemption, but an adjustment for the increased cost of living. It hasn’t been done in several years.
RESOLUTION
NO. 34-08
APPROVAL OF BOARD CHAIRMAN’S APPOINTMENTS TO
CITIZENS ADVISORY COUNCIL TO THE OFFICE FOR
THE AGING
Offered by: Human Services Committee
Pursuant to Resolution No. 221-74
RESOLVED:
1. That
the appointment of Douglas D. Burdick of Alfred Station, New York as legislative
member to the Citizens Advisory Council to the Office for the Aging, effective
immediately, to serve for as long as he is a member of the Human Services
Committee of the Board of Legislators, and the appointment of David T. Pullen
of Fillmore, New York as a member to the Citizens Advisory Council to the
Office for the Aging, with term of office commencing January 1, 2008 and
expiring December 31, 2010, are confirmed.
Moved by: Mr. Truax Adopted: Voice Vote
Seconded by: Mr. Dibble
RESOLUTION
NO. 35-08
AUTHORIZING PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR TO
CONTRACT WITH
THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR
ADOLESCENT TOBACCO ENFORCEMENT AND
PREVENTION (ATUPA) SERVICES; AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF GRANT FUNDS FROM
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ENFORCE
CLEAN INDOOR AIR LAW; APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS TO HEALTH DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTS
Offered by:
Human Services and Ways and Means Committees
RESOLVED:
1. This
Board authorizes the Public Health Director to contract with the New York State
Department of Health for Adolescent Tobacco Enforcement and Prevention (ATUPA)
services for the period October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2008.
2. That the sum of $31,607 in grant funds
from the New York State Department of Health for use to enforce the Clean
Indoor Air Law, perform compliance checks where retail tobacco products are
sold, and for education purposes, is accepted.
3. That the accepted sum of $31,607 is
appropriated as follows: $28,000 to
Account No. A4051.4 (Tobacco Awareness – Contractual), $3,607 to Account No.
A4010.101 (Health Department – Personnel) with a like sum credited to Revenue
Account No. A10.3450.04 (State Aid – Tobacco Awareness).
Moved by: Mr. Truax Adopted: Roll Call
Seconded by: Mr. Dibble 14
Ayes, 1 No, 0 Absent
Voting
No: Burdick
AUDITS:
A motion was made by
Legislator Truax, seconded by Legislator Dibble and carried, that the audits be
acted upon collectively and by totals.
A motion was made by
Legislator Reynolds, seconded by Legislator Truax and adopted on a roll call
vote of 15 Ayes, 0 Noes, 0 Absent, that the audit of claims, totaling $3,229,111.32
including prepaid expenses, be approved for payment as recommended by the
County Administrator. (
(MEETING RECESSED FROM 2:30 TO
3:00 PM.)
Matt Hopkins, Genesee
Valley Central School Entrepreneurship Class Instructor and students Jake
Grisewood and Tyler Neth gave a presentation to the Board. The class has been working on community
presentations for promotion of a community blood drive to be hosted by the
class and run by the Community Blood Bank.
The presentations are part of a competition to develop the best marketing
plan, and their goals are to decrease the blood shortage in the area, gain
experience working as a team on marketing skills, and giving back to the
community. The blood drive will be held
on March 14 at the
Legislator Truax
pointed out that area hospitals in the Southern Tier of New York and several
Northern Pennsylvania counties use the Community Blood Bank, saving half the
cost, and only use the Red Cross as a back-up.
Blood processed through the Community Blood Bank stays in this area.
ADJOURNMENT:
The meeting was adjourned at 3:20
p.m. on a motion made by Legislator Reynolds, seconded by Legislator Hall and
carried.