Massena Town Council

Town Board Minutes November 9, 2022 MINUTES Special Town Council Meeting & Public Hearing, Date/Time: Wednesday November 9, 2022 at 3:00 PM Location: Massena Town Hall ATTENDANCE: MEMBER PRESENT ABSENT Supervisor Susan Bellor X Councilperson Deb Willer X Councilperson Tom Miller X Councilperson Adrian Taraska X Councilwoman Pat Facteau X ALSO PRESENT: Brenda Mossow, Secretary/Bookkeeper; Frank Diagostino, Highway and Airport ,Sean Lynch Deputy Town Clerk, Members of the Press, Members of the Public The Supervisor opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance Called to order at 3:00 PM Public Hearing, Motion by Councilperson Willer and Second by Councilperson Facteau to open the Public Hearing at 3:01 PM to accept the Preliminary Budget for the Fiscal year 2023. All in favor Motion was made by Councilperson Taraska and Second by Council person Facteau to close the Public Hearing at 3:04 PM Resolution 163 - 2022 Authorizing the Town Board to accept the Preliminary Budget for the Fiscal year 2023 Motion by: Facteau Vote: Second by: Willer Aye Nay Abstain Absent Susan Bellor X Thomas Miller X Patrick Facteau X Adrian Taraska X Debra Willer X Motion is Carried. Resolution 164 - 2022 Authorizing the Town Board to set a Public Hearing for November 16, 2022 to extend the Moratorium on Cryptocurrency Mining Motion by: Facteau Vote: Second by: Willer Aye Nay Abstain Absent Susan Bellor X Thomas Miller X Patrick Facteau X Adrian Taraska X Debra Willer X Motion is Carried. Page 1|4 Town Board Minutes November 9, 2022 Resolution 165 - 2022 Approval from the Town Board to continue coverage for all Medicare Age Retirees under their AARP United Healthcare Supplement & Prescription Drug Plans. If the retiree moves to a permanent residence out of NYS, they must notify the Town and United Healthcare. They must also notify EPIC, as that program only provides assistance to NYS residents. Motion by: Facteau Vote: Second by: Taraska Aye Nay Abstain Absent Susan Bellor X Thomas Miller X Patrick Facteau X Adrian Taraska X Debra Willer X Motion is Carried. Resolution 166 - 2022 Approval from the Town Board to eliminate the out of pocket prescription reimbursement that was $500- $1500. The retiree will now be responsible for this cost. Participation in enrollment in NYS EPIC is encouraged. Motion by: Facteau Vote: Second by: Taraska Aye Nay Abstain Absent Susan Bellor X Thomas Miller X Patrick Facteau X Adrian Taraska X Debra Willer X Motion is Carried. Resolution 167 - 2022 Approval from the Town Board to have the annual membership fee for AARP be the responsibility of the retiree. Motion by: Willer Vote: Second by: Taraska Aye Nay Abstain Absent Susan Bellor X Thomas Miller X Patrick Facteau X Adrian Taraska X Debra Willer X Motion is Carried. Resolution - 2022 The resolution for all new retirees to be automatically enrolled in the Medicare Advantage Plan or to have them enroll in another healthcare program at their own expense was tabled until a later date. Motion by: Facteau Vote: Second by: Taraska Aye Nay Abstain Absent Susan Bellor X Thomas Miller X Patrick Facteau X Adrian Taraska X Debra Willer X Motion is Carried. Page 2|4 Town Board Minutes November 9, 2022 Resolution 168 - 2022 Approval from the Town Board to approve a 7 year lease to own MilCAT D2 Dozer for the Massena Highway Department at an annual cost of $21,475.01 Motion by: Facteau Vote: Second by: Willer Aye Nay Abstain Absent Susan Bellor X Thomas Miller X Patrick Facteau X Adrian Taraska X Debra Willer X Motion is Carried. Resolution 169 - 2022 Authorizing the Town Board to approve the hiring for the MEO opening for the Massena Highway Department Motion by: Willer Vote: Second by: Taraska Aye Nay Abstain Absent Susan Bellor X Thomas Miller X Patrick Facteau X Adrian Taraska X Debra Willer X Motion is Carried. Supervisor requested that this be included in the minutes for November 9, 2022 Meeting. Supervisor Sue read this at meeting on Nov. 9, 2022 With challenging times for the Town of Massena, the presentation by auditors in July showed that we were in deficit with no fund balance. They also noted that we still have to deal with the $5,000,000 debt left to the town from Massena Hospital Pensions after the hospital was sold. We asked for all department budgets to be provided to us (the board) in July and saw that with all budget requests from departments (along with addition of court employees to the Town budget from the Village), our tax rate would be over 52%. Therefore, we met in small groups with departments to review where we could cut. We appreciate the concerted work by those departments to help us. We also looked at insurances for the town, and then looked at health insurance for the retirees. Knowing that there may be questions on the change from Medicare Supplement to Medicare Advantage, I sent you (retirees) a letter on October 11th to encourage you to attend the town board meeting on Oct. 19th. You came and we listened. I then sent you a second letter for you to meet with the UHC (United Healthcare agent) on October 27th. From that feedback, we evolved these resolutions. The Town continues to pay your premiums. We had hoped you would see the advantages in the change ( that would have saved the Town taxpayers more money on the premium payment. We heard that you do not want the Advantage Plan nor coverage for dental or vision. We also heard that you are willing to give up the $1500 reimbursement for prescription. Thank you! That will help the budget some. We invited you, you came, and we listened. Tomorrow we will need to add back in $85,000+ to see where we need to reduce to accommodate and stay under the tax cap. We did investigate other providers. We also met with the VP of an insurance co. for healthcare that covers the Village which has Medicare Advantage. Right now, the Town pays healthcare premiums annually of $87,354 medical for retirees and $27,898 for the prescriptions; the Town also pays healthcare premiums annually of $85,553 for salaried employees and; the Town also pays healthcare premiums annually of $416,114 for bargaining employees. Page 3|4 Town Board Minutes November 9, 2022 (Follow up to meeting, we are delighted to have a list of retirees who are willing to sit down with a couple board members to research healthcare options for down the road.) Next Scheduled Meeting and Public Hearing (November 16, 2022 @ 5:30 PM.) Closing 15-Minute Comment Period. Closing Remarks Executive Session Motion by Willer and second by Taraska 3:20 PM Executive Session closed at 3:50 PM Adjournment Returned to Open Session and adjourned at 3:51 PM Respectfully Submitted, Jeannine L. Brouse Town Clerk Page 4|4