Town of Franklin Board Meetings

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:

Supervisor Dorothy Brown, Council Member Gail Huston, Council Member Rachelle Waters, Council Member Dick Jarvis, Council Member Leo Demong

OTHERS PRESENT:

Paul Capone—BAR, Legislator Lindy Ellis, Jacques DeMars—Highway Superintendent and Lauren LeFebvre—Town Clerk

Call to Order

Supervisor brown called the meeting to order at 5:30pm. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited. The Town Clerk called the roll, noting a quorum present.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Legislator Lindy Ellis - Lindy discussed Franklin County’s efforts to increase broadband in the county. The county is in the process of applying for USDA Reconnect funds. The Adirondack Broadband Alliance is working with SLIC, ECC, Hudson Valley Wireless and others to to increase broadband options in the Town of Franklin. Also, she reported a Town of Franklin business, Happy Camping, received $85,000 through Franklin County Economic Development's CARES Act funding.

REVIEW/APPROVAL OF February 8, 2O23 MINUTES

The minutes were approved as presented. (Waters-Huston m/s/p) all aye

SUPERVISOR'S REPORT: Balances on hand as of February 28, 2023

General Fund
Checking	$50,306.38
Savings	$76,215.10
Historian	$3,040.53
Kt. Mt SRF	$2,059.18
Cemetery RF	$5,610.56
CLASS	$331,830.43
Kate Mt. CLASS	$453.23
Highway Fund
Checking	$943,062.73
Savings	$180,903.70
Cap Proj. HW	$4,244.74
CLASS	$416,975.19
Landfill Clos. CR
Checking	$4,112.18
CLASS	$3,225.67
Fire Protection
Checking	$2,437.89
CLASS	$1,549.83
Capital Proj Bldg
CLASS	$154,100.83

(Huston-Demong m/s/p) All Aye

HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT - Superintendent DeMars read the following report:

Plow and sanded when needed, had loader and backhoe out several times to push back banks around town. Had three men out due to COVID, on 12/28/22 $4,186.00 was deposited from BridgeNY and on 3/15/23 $32,949.78 should be deposited from CHIPS. I am requesting that it be transferred to the Highway Fund.

NEW BUSINESS

A. Town Hall Roof - Supervisor Brown stated the roof in the kitchen roof leaked. The board discussed options for repair.

RESOLUTION #9 AUTHORIZATION TO SOLICIT PROPOSALS FOR KITCHEN ROOF REPAIR

On a motion by Council Member Jarvis, second by Council Member Huston, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town of Franklin Town Board authorizes the Town Clerk to solicit proposals for the repair of the kitchen roof at the Vermontville Town Hall.

Those Voting Aye:

Supervisor Dorothy Brown
Council Member Rachelle Waters
CCouncil Member Jarvis
Council Member Gail Huston
Councilman Leo Demong

Those Voting No: None

B. Summer Youth Program - The board discussed the county job descriptions for Summer Day Camp program, hiring workers, salaries, etc. Committee members, Co. Waters and Huston, will meet Monday, March 13, 2023 at 5pm with Supervisor Brown to finalize program details before presenting it to the Town Board for approval at the April board meeting.

C. Board of Assessment Review - Supervisor Brown reported BAR Member Julie Woodcock has resigned from the board. The Town of Franklin BAR will consist of three members in 2023.

OLD BUSINESS

A. Re-Val Update - Supervisor Brown advised the board she is contacting a variety of Re-Val companies to obtain quotes. Shared services and appointing a new assessor were discussed. Council Member Demong will invite John Stack from the NYS Office of Real Property to the April 12, 2023 board meeting to assist the board in becoming educated on the property values and its effect on towns and town budgets.

B. DASNY - Supervisor Brown reported she spoke to our grant contact in Albany and was referred to Senator Dan Stec's office. Senator Stec's office informed Supervisor Brown the status of this funding is being followed closely as it has been submitted to the NYS Ways and Means Committee in 2021.

C. CDBG - Supervisor Brown reported there will be a Public Hearing on April 12, 2023 at 5:30pm as a required procedure when closing out the CDBG grant.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

A. Youth Program - Council Members Waters and Huston and Supervisor Brown will meet Monday, April March 13, 2023 at 5pm to discuss this. The Town Clerk will post the required notices.

B. Newsletter - Council Member Huston requested any completed articles should be to her ASAP. The committee will wait until after the April 12 meeting before the final edit goes to print.

C. Broadband - No update.

D. Energy - Council Member Jarvis submitted the following written report: CLIMATE SMART COMMUNITIES (CSC)
- Councilman Jarvis has been working with ANCA circuit rider Carlie Leary on drafting letter and newsletter article to recruit interested volunteers to form a citizen Task Force. The task force would prepare research and background work and report to the town board regarding energy actions.
- Carlie will soon begin a greenhouse gas emissions inventory of town’s facilities. VERMONTVILLE TOWN HALL- Documents and Preparations for April 12 board meeting discussion
-In addition to energy, there are a number of related issues and needs that require development of a comprehensive, phased capital improvement plan.
- Issues & Needs: space allocation (offices for clerk, supervisor, judge, code officer, assessor), record storage, small kitchen/break room, rest room upgrade, public meeting space, town court, ADA requirements, septic system, roof replacement; reality of DASNY & Court grants; Financing Options including grants, updated cost estimates; board & town support
-To plan saving and reducing energy use and to plan to transition to clean energy sources, I have attached the following documents to get the board thinking:
a) Harry Gordon (volunteer architect) report on December meeting discussing the town hall;
b) 3-16-20 list of exterior improvements and O’Neil estimate for the DASNY grant if redirected.
c) scaled plan of existing town hall facilities.
-board committee, assisted by expert volunteers (same as CSC task force?)and select professional advisers

NO ACTION TAKEN**AUTHORIZATION FOR HIRING ENERGY AUDIT**NO ACTION TAKEN

Per Harry Gordon’s and Nancy Bernstein’s recommendations, and given current high demand for energy services, I seek town board authorization to hire Adirondack Efficiency, Jennifer Monroe. This professional service is to conduct an energy audit of the town hall, including evaluation of current insulation, thermal imaging to identify heat loses, test combustion appliances, blower door test to determine air leaks and exchanges, “manual J” study to determine heat pump specifications, and report on above with recommendations for building envelope improvements, including cost estimates and estimated savings of each recommendation. Due to demand for services, study and report would be done in May 2023.
Authorize $550 and get on schedule.

The board discussed planning for upgrading the Town Hall. Council Member Jarvis will present a resolution, regarding planning, at the April 12 board meeting

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business to discuss, Supervisor adjourned the meeting at 7:25pm

Respectfully submitted, Lauren LeFebvre, Town Clerk

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Town of Franklin

P.O. Box 209, Route 3, Vermontville, NY 12989  ·  Tel: 518-891-2189  ·  Fax: 518-891-6389  ·  info@townoffranklin.com