Town of Franklin Board Meetings
Public Hearing/Regular Board Meeting
October 11, 2023 5:30PM
October 11, 2023 5:30PM
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:
Supervisor Dorothy Brown, Council Member Gail Huston, Council Member Dick Jarvis, Council Member Leo Demong and Council Member Rich Brandt
OTHERS PRESENT:
Leg. Lindy Ellis, Paul Capone—BAR, Jacques DeMars—Highway Superintendent, 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
Lindy Ellis-Lindy announced that there will be a Public Hearing on the Franklin County 2024 Budget on November 9, 4pm-5pm, in Harrietstown and Malone.
REVIEW/APPROVAL MINUTES OF September 20, 2023 - Huston-Jarvis (m/s/p) all aye
APPROVAL OF CLAIMS
| General Fund | Abstract 10 | Claims 162-175 | $11,628.86 |
| Highway | Abstract 10 | Claims 165-183 | $76,524.91 |
| Pre-Pay General | Abstract 10 | Claims 37-39 | $650.71 |
| Pre-Pay Highway | Abstract 2 | Claims 2-4 | $2,059.17 |
(Demong-Brown m/s/p) all aye
SUPERVISOR'S REPORT: Balances on hand as of September 30, 2023
| General Fund | |
| Checking | $17,106.63 |
| Savings | $102,463.00 |
| Historian | $3,040.72 |
| Kt. Mt SRF | $2,059.54 |
| Cemetery RF | $5,611.55 |
| CLASS | $432,074.90 |
| Highway Fund | |
| Checking | $572,406.20 |
| Savings | $181,008.80 |
| Cap Proj. HW | $4,369.54 |
| CLASS | $432,074.90 |
| Landfill Clos. CR | |
| Checking | $4,112.45 |
| CLASS | $3,320.48 |
| Fire Protection | |
| Checking | $2,438.05 |
| CLASS | $1,595.47 |
| Capital Proj Bldg | |
| CLASS | $158,863.02 |
(Brandt-Jarvis m/s/p) All Aye
HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT - Superintendent DeMars read the following report:
- Plank RD- Assisted by: Town of Brighton, Town of St. Armand, Town of Wilmington, Town of Black Brook, Town of Tupper Lake, Village of Tupper Lake, Town of Saranac, Town of Burke, and Town of Chateguay.
- Flushed out several culverts on Cold Brook Rd.
- Hauled more winter sand
- Assisted Towns of Black Brook, St. Armand and Saranac with paving.
- Resolution surplus: Unit 4
- Fuel and gas sheets were given to the Town Clerk
NEW BUSINESS
A. 2024 Preliminary Budget - Town Clerk presented the 2024 Preliminary Budget to the Town Board.
RESOLUTION #33 APPROVAL OF 2024 PRELIMINARY BUDGET
On a motion by Council Member Demong, second by Supervisor Brown, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town of Franklin Town Board does hereby approve of the 2024 Preliminary Budget and does FURTHER RESOLVE to set November 8, 2023 at 5:30pm for the Public Hearing on the 2024 Preliminary Budget and 2024 Fire Protection Budget.
Those Voting Aye:
Supervisor Brown
Council Member Demong
Council Member Huston
Council Member Jarvis
Council Member Brandt
Council Member Demong
Council Member Huston
Council Member Jarvis
Council Member Brandt
Those Voting no: None
B. AUTHORIZE HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT TO SELL UNIT #4
On a motion by Supervisor Brown, second by Council Member Demong, BE IT RESOLVED that the Town of Franklin Town Board does hereby approve the Highway Superintendent to list Unit #4 on auctions international.com for sale..
Those Voting Aye:
Supervisor Brown
Council Member Demong
Council Member Huston
Council Member Jarvis
Council Member Brandt
Council Member Demong
Council Member Huston
Council Member Jarvis
Council Member Brandt
Those Voting no: None
C. Code Enforcement
CO Rodger Tompkins reported to Supervisor Brown there were 8 building permits, one unsafe structure notice and 15 on-site inspections conducted in the month of September.
OLD BUSINESS
A. Town Hall Parking Lot - Supervisor Brown is working with Brunell Paving to schedule the Town Hall front lot paving.
B. DASNY - No update
C. Newsletter - Co. Members Demong and Jarvis stated they did not receive a newsletter in the mail.
D. Broadband - Council Member Demong stated Adk Techs is will continue working until the winter weather prevents it.
E. Energy - Supervisor Brown reported an energy audit was conducted on 10/11. A written report will follow in a few weeks.
Dick reported on Sept. 6 meeting with Jacques DeMars regarding task force interest to research/study how to help make town maintained roads adapt and be resilient to future intense storm events, like what happened this summer in Newcomb/Long Lake. Jacques reminded us of microburst event on tributary to Cold Brook that washed out culvert and section of road on Fletcher Farm Road, and Katrina hurricane washed out shoulders of various roads. We focused where to start on this big task with town having 276 culverts. Initially, consensus was to start identifying major stream crossing of roads in town, including consideration of those with man-made dams and beaver dams and large wetlands and surface waters. The next priority would be to work on “collector roads”, such as Cold Brook, Fletcher Farm, Oregon Plains, County Roads etc.
Carlie presented current draft of greenhouse gas emissions for the town owned and maintained facilities. Final draft will be sent in separate email. This report provides the baseline energy uses by the town to compare with and obtain credit for reduction of fossil fuel usage and their emissions that contribute to climate change. The baseline year for the information is 2019, which is BEFORE the significant highway garage and equipment fire and full credit of the solar array at KMP. This will help take credit for the design and construction of the new highway garage and equipment, full year of solar array electric generation, conversion of streetlights, and commencement of improvements at the town hall. The town will get credits towards 50% matching energy grants from DEC under the Climate Smart Communities program. This also will help town focus on short and long term energy actions.
Task force attendees, including new board member Rich Brandt, discussed at length ideas on design of road culvert study. Dick and Rich will gather background data and maps/GIS, including major streams, dams, wetlands, topography, Mesonet weather data, and calculation methods to evaluate capacity/limits of existing culverts to handle future storm events.
Task Force, lead by Alison, is going to review and to write the necessary “Pledge” by the board to formally participate in the Climate Smart Communities (CSC) program. Planning to present to town board at December 2023 meeting.
Mike Sinclair, member of task force, is going work with Nancy Bernstein to focus on monitoring, improving and possibly expanding the solar array at Kate Mt. Park and other sites.
E. Negro Hill Renaming - Co. Brandt updated the board regarding the current effort to rename Negro Hill which is located on the edge of Franklin's boundary and Brighton.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business to discuss, Supervisor Brown adjourned the meeting at 6:55pm
Respectfully submitted, Lauren LeFebvre, Town Clerk
Click here to see past minutes
Town of Franklin
P.O. Box 209, Route 3, Vermontville, NY 12989 · Tel: 518-891-2189 · Fax: 518-891-6389 · info@townoffranklin.com