VILLAGE OF CHAMPLAIN

BOARD MEETING MINUTES

APRIL 4, 2005

*Click here to see minutes for the April 4th Organizational Meeting

A regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Champlain was held to conduct business from the March 14, 2005 , Board Meeting, which was cancelled due to lack of a quorum of the Board. Trustees Barker and Poirier were absent without an excuse at the March 14, 2005 , Board Meeting. All people present at the Organizational Meeting were present for this meeting.

The meeting was called to order by Mayor Moore at 6:42 p.m. He said that the minutes of the February 14, 2005 , Board Meeting could not be officially approved because the new Trustees were not in office during that meeting; therefore, the minutes as presented automatically become the official minutes.

Mayor Moore explained that the Board meetings would follow Roberts' Rules of Order, and that one person speaks at a time and must be recognized. He then asked for any public comments.

Former mayor Albert LaPorte congratulated the new Mayor and Trustees and shook hands with them all.

Legislator Celine Paquette offered her congratulations and best wishes to the new Board members, offered the County's cooperation, and said that she would be reporting County activities to the Board at their regular monthly meetings. She also thanked Deputy Mayor Gehrig for a good job over the last three months.

Codes Officer Tetreault updated the Board on a few issues he was asked to follow up on by the Board at the last Board meeting. He said the junk car situation on Prospect Street had been resolved.

The former MRA Computer store is a one residential unit; therefore, the water/sewer billing should be changed accordingly.

The old Pampalon building on Church Street has had the holes patched recently with blocks.

The insulation for the garage was researched with Foreman Sorrell. There is 3,600 sq. ft. of area to insulate.

There is still an outstanding issue with garbage at a home on Main Street . He said the home is uninhabitable. Some discussion followed. Mayor Moore stated that this would be discussed during New Business.

Codes Officer Tetreault informed the Board there would be a Zoning Board Public Hearing on Friday, April 8, 2005 at 5 p.m. regarding the proposed Bread of Life Baptist Church.

He also stated the general consensus in the Village if that it needed to be cleaned of junk and clutter. He will try to address these issues personally; however, he does not want to offend anyone if they get a letter before he speaks to them.

Mark Barie and Greg Fleming were in attendance tonight to update the Board on the proposed Horizon Heights project. They presented the Board with maps of the proposed housing project on Prospect Street , and Mr. Fleming explained they hoped to have the groundbreaking this spring with the first four homes. Over the course of 5 years, they are hoping to construct a total of 45 homes, with Todd Boire as the exclusive contractor, and Joey Trombley as the exclusive selling agent. He also explained that annexation was still a possibility, and that the best tax incentives were through the Empire Zone. He also said that any alternative suggestions were welcomed. He would like to meet with the Planning Board as soon as possible to discuss what the Village would like to see developed on the balance of the land. Mr. Barie thanked the Village and Mike Tetreault for the warm welcome extended to Mr. Fleming and all the help they have provided. Mayor Moore said he was pleased Mr. Fleming was using local businesses on the project, and thanked him for showing the Board the plans. He also explained to Mr. Fleming that he wanted to make sure the Village had a full Planning Board, and explained that he would be working with them and Codes Officer Tetreault. The Board thanked them for coming tonight.
Report From Mayor Moore Back to Top

Mayor Moore thanked the voters for the record turnout, and also Albert LaPorte and Charles Conner for their years of service. He also thanked the new Trustees and Trustee Gehrig.

Mayor Moore asked to schedule a Budget Hearing for Monday, April 11, 2005 at 7 p.m. after the regular Board Meeting scheduled for that evening.

Mayor Moore said he would like to form two special committees. The first would be to investigate the utilities available for the border expansion, and he assigned Trustees Martin and Southwick to this committee. The second committee would be to investigate a new store for the old Ames building, and he assigned Trustees Southwick and Trombley to this committee. A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Martin and carried, approving these two committees.

A motion was made by Trustee Martin, seconded by Trustee Gehrig and carried, authorizing Mayor Moore to sign all Village checks.
Report of Trustee Gehrig

Trustee Gehrig welcomed the new Board members and said she looked forward to working with them. She also asked for an Executive Session this evening to discuss a personnel issue.

Trustee Gehrig informed the Board that the Grant Writers would be here on Thursday, April 7, 2005 to discuss possible grants available to the Village for a water tower and belt filter press at the WWTP. This will be a preliminary meeting to review what we need, with Larry Sorrell and Woody Kissel also attending.

Trustee Gehrig stated that last month there had been some confusion regarding the boat launch/park grant. The letter that had been mistakenly sent to Joe Webb was from the DEC regarding a permit that the Village might possibly need for this project. Former Trustee Barker was aware of this; however, it was never returned to the Village Office. The paper work was re-sent to the Village Office by the DEC to be finished, and no deadlines have been missed regarding this project. Our attorney and her have been working on completing this paperwork. She then asked that the Board establish a policy stating that if a Board member receives any mail regarding Village business at his/her home, they must return it to the Village Office so that it may be distributed accordingly.

Trustee Gehrig said there were comments made that the Village crew had been using too much overtime. She stated that last year's overtime was 274.5 hours, and double time was 174.5 hours. This year, with no superintendent and one less man, the overtime was 222 hours, and double time was 133 hours. She thanked the men for a phenomenal job.

Trustee Gehrig informed the Board that the Zoning Board held a preliminary meeting regarding the proposed church by the Bread of Life Baptist Church, and that the Public Hearing for this project is scheduled for Friday, April 8, 2005, at 5 p.m.

Trustee Gehrig reported that the issue of insulation for the garage had been investigated by Codes Officer Tetreault, and there is proper ventilation for this.

Trustee Gehrig said there is a WWTP class on May 5, 2005 , from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. that WWTP Operator Kissel would like to attend. A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Martin and carried, approving the attendance by Woodrow Kissel to the above mentioned class at a cost of $90, plus reimbursement to him for mileage.

There being no further questions or discussion, Mayor Moore accepted Trustee Gehrig's report with thanks.

Report From Trustee Martin

Trustee Martin thanked all the voters that realized a new Board was needed, and asked for their patience. He commented that it looks like the Village will have a good Board to represent them.

There being no further questions or discussion, Mayor Moore accepted Trustee Martin's report with thanks.

Report From Trustee Trombley

Trustee Trombley said that she would be attending the Zoning Board's meeting on Friday as the Board's liaison, and she would have a report at the next Board Meeting. She stated that the drawings of the new church are beautiful. She also thanked the voters for getting out and for the opportunity to serve the Village.

There being no further questions or discussion, Mayor Moore accepted Trustee Trombley's report with thanks.

Report From Trustee Southwick

Trustee Southwick thanked the voters for the opportunity of being part of the Board, and said that he looked forward to working with everyone and bringing some common sense back to the Board.

There being no further questions or discussion, Mayor Moore accepted Trustee Southwick's report with thanks.

Trustee Gehrig asked if she could add one more item. There was a correction to the February minutes, which stated that Codes Officer Tetreault helped to board up a house on Main Street . Only she and the Village crew were involved in this, not Codes Officer Tetreault.

Mayor Moore then advised the Board that if any correspondence is sent out by anyone, it has to go on Village letterhead and reviewed by the Mayor first.

Report From The Clerk/Treasurer

Clerk/Treasurer Dawson said the Board had been copied with the revenue/expenditure report for the month of March.

There being no further questions or discussion, Mayor Moore accepted Clerk/Treasurer Dawson's report with thanks.

Report From The Assistant Superintendent

Assistant Superintendent Sorrell said the crew was working on finishing sweeping the Village streets, and the list of broken water meters is also being compiled.

Mayor Moore asked about the gully at the bottom of the hill near the curve on Main Street . Assistant Superintendent Sorrell stated that as soon as the water flow slowed down, they would be investigating this situation. He felt there may be another log trapped there.

There being no further questions or discussion, Mayor Moore accepted Assistant Superintendent Sorrell's report with thanks.
Correspondence

1. Two Certificates Of Commendation from NYS Operation Safeguard

2. Defensive driving course information from the Town and relative information from Paquette's Insurance.

3. Water and sewer change request from Lynn and Martin McCarthy - After some discussion, a motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Southwick and carried, approving the reduction in the January 1, 2005 water/sewer bill from $131.20 to $54.17 for Account B2680 because of the removal of the trailer on this property in October 2004.

4. Correspondence from Dig Safely New York regarding mapping software - Trustee Southwick volunteered to help with this issue, with permission from the Mayor.

5. Correspondence on Technical Assistance and Training from the New York Rural Water Association.

6. Correspondence regarding the revised statement of values from Paquette's Insurance - Clerk/Treasurer Dawson stated this has already been approved and signed; however, it should be noted in the minutes. A motion was made by Trustee Martin, seconded by Trustee Gehrig and carried, approving the statement of values from Paquette's Insurance for 2005. Trustee Southwick had some questions on why some values on buildings were reduced, and a question on the flood insurance. Both questions were addressed.

7. Correspondence from James Lefebvre regarding truck traffic on Prospect Street - Trustee Gehrig said she had contacted the manager at FedEx, and he said he would talk to the drivers about this problem. Mayor Moore suggested a letter be written if the problem continues. Trustee Gehrig said she would draft a letter to FedEx and the State Police.

8. Correspondence from James Lefebvre regarding unregistered vehicles on Prospect Street - This item has already been addressed this evening.

9. Notice of upcoming NYRWA 26th Annual Meeting - Mayor Moore asked if anyone from the Village usually attends this, and Assistant Superintendent Sorrell said no.

10. Correspondence from Dean Lashway to James Menard at NCCS regarding the proposed utility line easement.

11. Correspondence from the Unites State Department of Interior regarding the results of the water testing on Well No. 2 - Some discussion followed, and Trustee Southwick stated the report looked good.

12. Correspondence from NYSDEC regarding permit information in conjunction with the proposed boat launch - This item has already been discussed this evening. Trustee Southwick was concerned about more than one acre of land being disturbed. Trustee Gehrig said less than one acre would be disturbed on the waterfront.

13. Correspondence to Thomas Powers regarding the meters and meter reading at the Riverdale Trailer Park - Mayor Moore stated there was a question whether or not the meters were officially taken over by the Board. Assistant Superintendent Sorrell said that at the June 2004 Board meeting, there was discussion to the effect that the Village would take the meters over after they were all working properly. Only 2 out of 8 meters are working, and the pipes and lines criss-cross back and forth under the trailers. Mayor Moore stated it appears the original motion was not clear, and he would investigate this issue further.

Old Business

Rouses Point water tank - A motion was made by Trustee Trombley, seconded by Trustee Martin and carried, to drop this issue from Old Business, as the Village is not looking for an old water tower.

1. Heating cost reduction - office/garage complex - This item was addressed this evening and will be taken off Old Business.

2. Parks grant - Trustee Gehrig updated the Board on this item.

3. Time Warner cable franchise - There was some discussion on this item. Trustee Southwick said he would investigate this further.

4. Teamsters Local 687 - Mayor Moore said that, as of now, this is not active. This item will be taken off Old Business.

New Business

Mayor Moore asked Codes Officer Tetreault about the time allowed for cleanup at the Zweeres' property on Main Street . Codes Officer Tetreault explained the process, with the Board determining the time allotted, and the Clerk writes a certified letter stating the number of days the property owner has to comply. Mayor Moore also asked what the implications would be if she does not comply, and Codes Officer Tetreault said that this is a health hazard to the Village. After further discussion, a motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Martin and carried, authorizing a letter be sent to Katherine Zweeres stating that she has 30 days from the date of the letter to comply with the Village code regarding the cleanup of her property on Main Street .

Trustee Martin asked if a motion needed to be done adding a section to the Rules and Procedures Policy which states that any mail received by a Board Member at his residence will be forwarded to the Village Office immediately. A motion was made by Trustee Martin, seconded by Trustee Southwick and carried, adding this section to the Rules and Procedures Policy.
Presentation Of Warrant And Payment

Clerk/Treasurer Dawson said there were two bills to add to the warrant. One was for stamps for the Justice Court in the amount of $24.10. The other was for various tools and a tool chest in the amount of $549.97. A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Southwick and carried, approving the additional bills to the warrant.

Warrant #10 for Voucher #393 through #433 in the amount of $26,861.95 of the General, Water and Sewer Funds was audited for payment. A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Martin and carried, approving payment of the warrant as presented.

Codes Officer Tetreault had additional comments before the Executive Session. He said, regarding the Horizon Heights project, the Village Planning Board has to review the plans. He said he knows the Village does not have an engineer, but his recommendation is that the Village should hire one to look at these plans before the Planning Board schedules a meeting. This is a major project that will have a large impact on the Village.

He also informed the Board that the Town has also been looking into the water supply at the new border crossing, and the engineers are working on costs for this now. All political channels are being followed to help defray any costs. He felt that the Town would be happy to share any correspondence they may have. Mayor Moore stated that this Board is very interested, and would actively pursue this issue. He also said that he hoped a Planning Board meeting would be scheduled next week so these issues could be addressed.

Trustee Martin asked Councilman Barcomb what time the Town board meetings were, and he said they are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

Mayor Moore thanked Legislator Paquette and Councilman Barcomb for attending this evening.
Executive Session

A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Southwick and carried, to enter into Executive Session at 7:40 p.m.

A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Trombley and carried, to come out of Executive Session at 8:30 p.m.

A motion was made by Trustee Martin, seconded by Trustee Southwick and carried, authorizing Attorney Keable to draft a letter stating that all correspondence received by a Board Member at their residence must be forwarded to the Village Office immediately.

A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Martin and carried, authorizing the advertising for Superintendent of Public Works on the two free websites and also in the Plattsburgh Press Republican.

A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Trombley and carried, authorizing hiring Edward Duprey as a part-time helper for up to a maximum of 29 hours per week at a rate of $7.50 per hour.

There was some discussion regarding paying for a mig welder that Merriam Graves had let the Village crew use for the last two months. A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Martin and carried, authorizing the purchase of the mig welder from Merriam Graves in the amount of $1,665.77.

Trustee Gehrig then asked for a motion authorizing Attorney Keable to write a letter to Joseph Webb regarding the unauthorized holding of Village mail that was mistakenly sent to him. A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Martin and carried, giving Attorney Keable authority to write a letter on behalf of the Village regarding this issue.
Adjournment Back to Top

A motion was made by Trustee Gehrig, seconded by Trustee Trombley and carried, to adjourn the meeting at 8:38 p.m.

Donna Barcomb

Deputy Clerk