ALLEGANY COUNTY BOARD OF LEGISLATORS

REGULAR SESSION

 FEBRUARY 25, 2008

 

** 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:  14 Present; 1 Absent (Legislator Benson).

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

 

            The Board meeting minutes of February 11, 2008 were approved on a motion made by Legislator Dibble, seconded by Legislator Truax and carried.

 

PUBLIC HEARING:

 

            Chairman Crandall closed the regular meeting to hold a public hearing regarding “The Modification and Continuation of Agricultural District Number Four within the Towns of Alfred, Andover, Independence, Ward, and Willing.”  Modification is for the inclusion of approximately 94.4 acres of land owned by Phillip G. May and located in the Town of Willing.  There being no one desiring to speak, the public hearing was declared closed and the Board reconvened in regular session.

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR:

 

            Chairman Crandall took the floor to present a certificate to the March 2008 Employee of the Month, Laurie Hennessy, of the Health Department (Nursing Division), in recognition of her hard work and dedication to the County.

 

            Chairman Crandall granted privilege of the floor to Sheriff William R. Tompkins for the presentation of an award to Robert Sobeck of Wellsville in recognition of his exemplary service to the community during the November 19, 2007 armed robbery in Wellsville.  Mr. Sobeck, a retired Deputy Sheriff and former County Legislator, was present at the time of the incident, and the actions he took helped to keep it from escalating into a much worse scenario.  Sheriff Tompkins remarked that it was his honor to award this first Outstanding Citizen Award to Mr. Sobeck.

 

            Privilege of the Floor was granted to Tourism Specialist Craig Braack for presentation of the 2008 Allegany County Travel and Outdoor Guide.

 

            Representatives were present from the offices of Cooperative Extension, County Attorney, County Clerk, Human Resources, Probation, and Public Works to answer questions regarding their 2007 Annual Reports. 

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS, REPORTS, ETC.:

 

            1.         Placed on each legislator’s desk were copies of the 2007 Annual Reports from the Office for the Aging (Annual Report for this department will be distributed at the luncheon on February 29), Community Services, Coroners, Emergency Services, Fire Service, Health Department, Real Property Tax Service Agency, and Sheriff’s Office for review.

 

            2.         A reminder was announced for the special Committee of the Whole meeting on February 29, at 10 a.m. in the Legislative Chambers for the purpose of hearing a presentation by Marthe Ngwashi, Assistant Director of Intergovernmental Affairs with the NYS Attorney General’s Office.

 

            3.         Noble Environmental Power filed copies of the Notice of Completion and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Noble Allegany Windpark in the Clerk of the Board’s Office on February 21, 2008.

 

APPOINTMENTS:

 

            The Clerk of the Board announced that Chairman Crandall has re-appointed Kevin Redman of Fillmore as an Active Farmer member on the ALLEGANY COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AND FARMLAND PROTECTION BOARD for a four-year term commencing March 5, 2008 and expiring March 4, 2012.

 

PROCLAMATION:

 

            Chairman Crandall proclaimed March 1 through 7, 2008 as Weights and Measures – Balancing the Marketplace Week in Allegany County in conjunction with the national observance announced at the National Conference on Weights and Measures (NCWM).  This annual celebration commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the first weights and measures law in the United States on March 2, 1799.

 

RESOLUTIONS:

 

RESOLUTION NO. 36-08

 

RESOLUTION CONTINUING AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT NUMBER FOUR

WITH MODIFICATIONS

 

Offered by:  Public Works Committee

 

Pursuant to Agriculture and Markets Law Sections 303-a and 303-b

 

            WHEREAS, Agricultural District Number Four, being within the Towns of Alfred, Andover, Independence, Ward and Willing, was created on August 7, 1977 and was last modified and continued on January 24, 2005 by Resolution No. 10-2005, and

 

            WHEREAS, the annual thirty-day period established by this Board for requesting inclusion of predominantly viable agricultural land into this Agricultural District for calendar year 2007 ended on October 28, 2007, and

 

            WHEREAS, Phillip G. May, residing at 41 Fitzstephens Road, Wellsville, New York requested inclusion within such annual thirty-day period of approximately 94.4 acres of predominantly viable agricultural land located in the Town of Willing into Agricultural District Number Four, and

 

            WHEREAS, due notice of a public hearing on whether such predominantly viable agricultural land should be included in the District having been published as required by Agriculture and Markets Law Section 303-b, and such hearing having been held before this Board on February 25, 2008, and

 

            WHEREAS,  this Board has duly deliberated on whether the District should be modified, now, therefore, be it

 

            RESOLVED:

 

            1.         That this Board of Legislators determines after review of the report of the County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board and after a public hearing held on February 25, 2008, that Agricultural District Number Four be continued and modified to include the addition of approximately 94.4 acres of predominantly viable agricultural lands located in the Town of Willing, comprised of three parcels bearing Tax Map numbers 304-1-25.1 (8.8 acres), 304-1-15 (49.3 acres) and 304-1-16.1 (36.3 acres), owned by Phillip G. May who resides at 41 Fitzstephens Road, Wellsville, New York.

 

            2.      That the Clerk of this Board is directed to send a certified copy of this resolution to the New York State Commissioner of Agriculture.

 

            3.         That this Board requests that the New York State Commissioner of Agriculture certify that the proposed inclusion of the approximately 94.4 acres of predominantly viable agricultural land located in the Town of Willing, comprised of three parcels bearing Tax Map numbers 304-1-25.1, 304-1-15 and 304-1-16.1 is feasible and in the public interest.

 

            Moved by:  Mr. Fanton                                                                              Adopted:  Roll Call

            Seconded by:  Mr. O’Grady                                                        14 Ayes, 0 Noes, 1 Absent

 

RESOLUTION NO. 37-08

 

APPOINTMENT OF COUNTY ATTORNEY

 

Offered by:  Ways and Means Committee

 

Pursuant to County Law § 500

 

            RESOLVED:

 

            1.         That Thomas A. Miner, a resident attorney-at-law, is appointed Allegany County Attorney for a term commencing February 25, 2008 and expiring December 31, 2009.

 

            2.         That Section 6. of Resolution No. 242-2007 is amended to change the salary of County Attorney from $99,768 to $85,000.

 

            3.         This resolution shall take effect immediately.

 

            Moved by:  Mr. Reynolds                                                                          Adopted:  Roll Call

            Seconded by:  Mr. Pullen                                                           14 Ayes, 0 Noes, 1 Absent

 

RESOLUTION NO. 38-08

 

AMENDMENT OF RESOLUTION NO. 242-2007 TO INCREASE SALARY OF

FIRST ASSISTANT COUNTY ATTORNEY

 

Offered by:  Personnel and Ways and Means Committees

 

            RESOLVED:

 

            1.         That Section 6. of Resolution No. 242-2007 is amended to change the salary of First Assistant County Attorney from $63,870 to $73,000.

 

            2.         This resolution shall take effect February 26, 2008.

 

            Moved by:  Mr. Hall                                                                                    Adopted:  Roll Call

            Seconded by:  Mr. Fanton                                                          14 Ayes, 0 Noes, 1 Absent

 

RESOLUTION NO. 39-08

 

APPROVING AND RATIFYING AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF FRIENDSHIP

IN RELATION TO THE DISPOSAL OF COUNTY LANDFILL LEACHATE AT THE

TOWN WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT;

AUTHORIZING BOARD CHAIRMAN TO EXECUTE AGREEMENT

 

Offered by:  Public Works Committee

 

            RESOLVED:

 

            1.         That Agreement between the County of Allegany and the Town of Friendship in relation to the County's disposal of leachate at the respective Town waste water treatment plant for the period January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008, is approved.

 

            2.         That the Chairman of this Board is authorized to execute the Agreement.

 

            Moved by:  Mr. Fanton                                                                              Adopted:  Roll Call

            Seconded by:  Mr. Reynolds                                                      14 Ayes, 0 Noes, 1 Absent

 

(Memo: The agreement approved by Resolution No. 39-08 includes payment of $.025 per gallon tipping fee to the Town for disposal of landfill leachate.)

 

            Resolution Intro. No. 40-08 (Resolution Setting Date of Public Hearings on Application for Small Cities Community Development Block Grant for Replenishment of Revolving Loan Fund) was not pre-filed and was considered from the floor on a motion made by Legislator Reynolds, seconded by Legislator Truax and carried.

 

RESOLUTION NO. 40-08

 

RESOLUTION SETTING DATE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ON

APPLICATION FOR SMALL CITIES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT

FOR REPLENISHMENT OF REVOLVING LOAN FUND

 

Offered by:  Ways and Means Committee

 

            WHEREAS, the Allegany County Office of Development intends to submit an application for a Small Cities Community Development Block Grant in the amount of $400,000 for replenishment of the County’s Revolving Loan Fund, and

 

            WHEREAS, there must be two public hearings held on such application prior to the submission of the application, now, therefore, be it

 

            RESOLVED:

 

            1.         That public hearings on the submission of an application for a Small Cities Community Development Block Grant for replenishment of the County’s Revolving Loan Fund shall be held on March 10, 2008 at 2:00 PM and on April 14, 2008 at 2:00 PM in the Board of Legislators Chambers, Room 221, County Office Building, 7 Court Street, Belmont, New York 14813.

 

            2.         That the Clerk of the Board of Legislators is directed to prepare, with the assistance of the County Attorney, a notice of said public hearings, to cause the publication of a copy of said notice in each of the two newspapers which have been officially designated by this Board to publish "notices," and to affix a copy of said notice on the County bulletin board in the County Courthouse at Belmont, New York; both publication and posting to be made as required by law prior to the first public hearing to be held on March 10, 2008.

 

            Moved by:  Mr. Reynolds                                                                          Adopted:  Roll Call

            Seconded by:  Mr. Truax                                                             14 Ayes, 0 Noes, 1 Absent

 

(Memo: Regarding Resolution No. 40-08, Allegany County will act as the pass-through agency for ACCORD and ACDSI for this grant, which will be used for job creation loans, “Green Business” development, LMI loans and loan incentive program, administration, training, and technology.)

 

AUDITS:

 

            A motion was made by Legislator Truax, seconded by Legislator Kruger and carried, that the audits be acted upon collectively and by totals.

 

            A motion was made by Legislator Truax, seconded by Legislator Kruger and adopted on a roll call vote of 14 Ayes, 0 Noes, 1 Absent, that the audit of claims, totaling $1,780,034.55 including prepaid expenses, be approved for payment as recommended by the County Administrator.  (Allegany County’s Local Dollar Share of the NYS Medicaid Program paid year-to-date is $1,349,816.)

 

COMMENTS:

 

            Legislator Reynolds gave a reminder that it’s time for ARC project applications.  There is $150,000 in grant funds available for area development programs through Southern Tier West for projects such as business development, job training, health, and infrastructure.

 

            Legislators Kruger and McCormick expressed appreciation for Governor Spitzer visiting Allegany County last week and listening to some of our problems.  Chairman Crandall’s comments on unfunded state mandates were on target.

 

ADJOURNMENT:

 

            The meeting was adjourned following a motion made by Legislator Reynolds, seconded by Legislator Truax and carried.