A regular meeting of the Town Board of Grand Island, New York was held at the Town Hall, 2255 Baseline Rd., Grand Island, NY at 8:00 PM on the 2ND of August 2004.

 

Present:                      Peter A. McMahon                Supervisor

                                    Mary S. Cooke                     Councilwoman

                                    Daniel F. Robillard                  Councilman

                                    Gary G. Roesch                   Councilman

Patricia A. Frentzel                         Town Clerk

                                    Peter Godfrey                                   Town Attorney

 

Excused:                     Richard W. Crawford                         Councilman   

           

Mr. James Schlegel of New Apostolic Church gave the Invocation. 

Councilman Gary Roesch led the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Supervisor McMahon called the meeting to order at 8:00PM.

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR:

This is an opportunity for residents to comment on any matter regarding the meeting agenda items only.  No Residents Spoke.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

A motion was made by Councilwoman Cooke, seconded by Councilman Robillard, to approve the minutes from Regular Meeting #13, July 19, 2004, Minutes of Workshop #32, July 19, 2004 and Table the Minutes of Workshop #33, July 26, 2004.

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

CONSENT AGENDA:

1.      Adelphia Communications – Chapter 11 Proceedings

2.      County of Erie – Federal Funding – Wildlife Rabies Vaccination Program

3.      NY Dept. of State – Waterfront Redevelopment Info.  (CD’s available in Supervisor’s office for reference)

4.      NYS Dept. of Health – Drinking Water State Revolving Fund

5.      NYS Environmental Facilities Corp. – NYS Revolving Fund Short-Term Financing

6.      State of NY Office for Technology – Statewide Wireless Network – Final Scope

7.      County of Erie – Building Inspectors/Code Enforcement Officers

8.      County of Erie – Job Title Reclassification – Building Inspector/Code Enforcement Officer

9.      State of NY Public Service Commission – Order Granting Interlocutory Appeal In Part

10.  County of Erie – Dept. Environment & Planning Quarterly Report

11.  County of Erie – Sales Tax Revenues – July 2004

 

A motion was made by Councilman Roesch, seconded by Councilwoman Cooke to approve the consent agenda. 

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

COMMUNICATIONS - TOWN BOARD

SUPERVISOR McMAHON:

Resolution Supporting Use of TEA-21 Funds for Recreation Trail Maintenance

A motion was made by Councilwoman Cooke, seconded by Councilman Robillard to approve the resolution supporting the use of TEA-21 Funds for recreation trail maintenance.

WHEREAS,  many local trails and trailheads are not being maintained to standard due to a lack of local funding and personnel, loss of volunteers or non-profit organizations to maintain the trails, and lack of emphasis on trail programs as an ongoing municipal expense due to the in ability to use Federal Surface Transportation Act funds for trail maintenance;  and

 

            WHEREAS,  trail maintenance needs include brushing, clearing windfalls, facility maintenance for structures, such as bridges and culverts, maintenance of proper tread, which ensures that the standard width needed for the type of use the trail gets is maintained in good condition, adequate drainage, resolution of wet spots, correction of resource damage caused by inadequate maintenance and/or illegal/improper use by trail users, and adequate signing;  and

 

            WHEREAS,  local governments are charged with ensuring that each trail is maintained to its declared standard on a regular basis, inclusive of resolving conflicts between users or user groups, and provision of law enforcement where vandalism, and/or illegal use or construction of trails occurs;  and

 

            WHEREAS,  the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), has strengthened the Nation’s multimodal transportation system through the following core principles:

 

Improving the performance of the entire transportation system through better planning, management, construction, operations, asset management, maintenance and construction;  and,

Preserving State and local government funding flexibility to allow the broadest application of funds to transportation solutions.  However, these core principles currently do not allow the use of Federal funds to maintain existing trails.

 

NOW, THEREFORE,  it is hereby resolved, determined and ordered

by the Town of Grand Island Town Board that it formally requests the permitted use of Federal transportation funds be eligible for use to maintain existing trails;  and

 

            BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,  that in order to correct these environmental and funding loopholes, the Town of Grand Island will forward copies of this resolution to President George W. Bush, United States Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, the US Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta and New York State Governor George E. Pataki;  and

 

       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,  that the Town of Grand Island Town Board requests Governor George E. Pataki to set up a statewide task force to look at funding both construction and ongoing maintenance on all bike and trail systems in New York State using Federal transportation funds.

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

 

Appointments to Public Safety Advisory Board

A motion was made by Councilman Roesch, seconded by Councilman Robillard to approve the appointments to the Public Safety Advisory Board.  The following have been offered and have accepted membership by reason of their position.  These terms expire December 31, 2005.

Dorothy Bitner                         2102 Baseline Road #6        Traffic Safety Advisory Brd.

Frank Brusino                         4016 East River Road               Citizen Corps Council

Stephen Stouter                        3040 Westwood Drive                Certified Team Leader

Gregory Butcher                       798 Alt Boulevard                    Fire Chief

John Whitney                          860 North Colony               Town Engineer

Richard Stoll                           79 Sommerville Avenue            Grand Island Police Dept.

                                                Tonawanda, N.Y. 14150

Members of the General Public to the Public Safety Advisory Board for the terms indicated.  Terms expire December 31, 2007.

Edward A. Rayhill MD            1567 Red Jacket Road

Norman J. Mrkall               1971 Harvey Road

Terms expire December 31, 2006.

Betty Harris                             1779 Stony Point Road

George Crowe                                    2046 Long Road

Terms expire December 31, 2005.

TBA

TBA

Further, appointments of  Council Members Mary Cooke, Richard Crawford,  Daniel F. Robillard and Gary G. Roesch as Town Board Representatives on the Public Safety Advisory Board the appointments expire December 31, 2005.

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

TOWN COUNCILMAN – DANIEL ROBILLARD:

Biometric Handreaders - Payroll Computer Hardware & Software

A motion was made by Councilman Robillard, seconded by Councilwoman Cooke to reject all bids and readvertise for the purchase of payroll computer hardware and software and that sealed bids will be received at the Town Clerk’s Office in Town Hall, 2255 Baseline Road, Town of Grand Island, New York 14072 until the 11th of August at 2:00 p.m.

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

Parks & Recreation Board – Community Center Update

A motion was made by Councilman Robillard, seconded by Councilwoman Cooke to refer the letter from the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board to the Town Board.

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

COMMUNICATIONS - OTHER OFFICIALS

TOWN CLERK – PATRICIA A. FRENTZEL

Renewal of Special Use Permit – National Fuel Gas/Metering Station, 1589 Stony Point Road

A motion was made by Councilwoman Cooke, seconded by Councilman Robillard to renew the Special Use Permit for National Fuel Gas/Metering Station at 1589 Stony Point Road.  The site has been inspected and is unchanged.

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

TOWN ENGINEER - JOHN WHITNEY:

Request for Waiver to Subdivision Regulations Sublot No. 3, Bouman Acres Subdivision, Fix Road

A motion was made by Councilman Robillard, seconded by Councilwoman Cooke to refer the request for waiver to Subdivision Regulations - Sublot No. 3, Bouman Acres Subdivision, Fix Road to the Planning Board for review and recommendation and further, that the Engineering Department send future requests directly to the Planning Board as indicated in the new Zoning Code.

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER – DOUGLAS LEARMAN

Temporary Certificate of Occupancy – Starline USA Inc., 3036 Alt Blvd.

A motion was made by Councilman Robillard, seconded by Councilwoman Cooke to approve the request of the Code Enforcement Officer to issue a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy to Starline USA Inc., 3036 Alt Blvd. pending the satisfactory completion of the interior issues.

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

COMMUNICATIONS – GENERAL:

Diane Smith – Bike Paths

A motion was made by Councilwoman Cooke, seconded by Councilman Roesch to refer the letter from Ms. Smith regarding the Bike Paths on Grand Island to the Sidewalk Committee and Bike Path Advisory Board for review and recommendation.

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE:

A motion was made by Councilwoman Cooke, seconded by Councilman Roesch to pay

 

Vouchers #76525 – 76674:

General                 $ 19,410.13

Highway                 $  7,413.24   

Sewer                 $ 26,068.16 

Water                 $ 24,167.15 

Capital                 $ 38,650.50

Lighting     $       45.00 

Total        $115,754.18

 

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR:

This is an opportunity for residents to comment on any matter regarding Town government on any subject.  No Residents Spoke.

Residents who spoke:

 

 

FROM THE TOWN BOARD:

Councilman Roesch: Tuesday August 3, 2004 – Town Gazebo – Zonta Chicken Dinner from 4-7pm, Ramblin Lou Concert at 7:30p.m. and National Night Out.

 

ADJOURNMENT:

A motion was made by Councilwoman Cooke, seconded by Councilman Roesch to adjourn the meeting at 8:13p.m.

APPROVED            Ayes            4            Cooke, Robillard, Roesch, McMahon

                        Noes            0

 

 

A moment of silence was observed in memory of the following.

 

Carol Briggs Sowdon

Eddie Little, Sr.

William Popowich

Helen Hess

Robert Guenot

William Stoberl

Donna Wittmann

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Patricia A. Frentzel
Town Clerk