City Council

CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY COUNCIL ROOM WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2005 8:30 A.M. PRESENT: Commissioner Thomas Curley, DPS Mayor Michael Lenz Commissioner Matthew McCabe, Finance Commissioner Thomas McTygue, DPW Commissioner Stephen E. Towne, Accounts ABSENT: Phil Klein, Supervisor Anthony Scirocco, Supervisor STAFF PRESENT: Lynn Bachner, Deputy Commissioner, Finance Alicia Farone, Deputy Mayor Debbie Harper, Deputy Commissioner, Accounts Matthew Dorsey, City Attorney CALL TO ORDER Mayor Michael Lenz called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m. EXECUTIVE SESSION Mayor Michael Lenz moved and Commissioner Matthew McCabe seconded to adjourn to executive session at 8:35 a.m. for the purpose of land acquisition and article 7 & 78 matters. Ayes all. Council members returned at 9:20 a.m. MAYOR=S OFFICE Siano vs. Zoning Board No action taken. Monroe Title Insurance Corp. (2005-277) Mayor Michael Lenz moved and Commissioner Stephen Towne seconded to authorize the Mayor to sign a contract with Monroe Title Insurance in an amount not to exceed $8,500 for title insurance and title search work for the water front property contingent upon the review of the City’s Risk & Safety Manager. The funds will come from the 2006 bond money. Ayes all. SEQRA Resolution for Ten Springs Woods Purchase (2005-278) Mayor Michael Lenz moved and Commissioner Stephen Towne seconded to adopt the following resolution: City of Saratoga Springs City Council Resolution # 2005 -278 Ten Springs Woods WHEREAS, the City of Saratoga Springs is under a purchase contract for the acquisition of approximately 15.28 acres, known as the Ten Springs Woods Page 1 of 5 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, December 28, 2005 parcel, located off of Excelsior Spring Avenue, Victoria Lane, and Forest Avenue, for the public lands to be acquired and used for the strict purposes set forth under the City of Saratoga Springs Environmental, Parks and Open Areas Program; and, WHEREAS the proposed lands to be acquired are: a significant contributing element of the Spring Run Recreational Trail identified in the City of Saratoga Springs 2001 Open Space Plan Update; are specifically identified in the city’s open space mapping and resource analysis with the Spring Run Brook running the length of the parcel; and meet several criteria for the city’s program (wetland/watershed/stream corridor; open land/natural area preservation; key linkage in a greenway/trail; habitat area; passive park potential; potential for public access); and, WHEREAS, in 2005 the City of Saratoga Springs commissioned a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment investigation of properties associated with the proposed Spring Run Recreational Trail, including the Ten Springs Woods parcel. The Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment of the project site was conducted in 2005 by C.A. Smith, a local environmental engineering firm commissioned for the performance of this assessment, on behalf of the City of Saratoga Springs with the results indicating no significant environmental concerns except the identification of the presence of a buried drum on the subject parcel. This drum was previously identified through the NIMO Excelsior Avenue remediation project, but not removed. Phase II and remedial activities performed by C.A. Smith removed the drum and a minor amount of contaminated soils. These materials have been staged on-site and are scheduled for off-site disposal at a licensed treatment storage and disposal facility. Based on the investigations performed, C.A. Smith has not indicated the presence of any further subsurface environmental conditions relating to hazardous materials or waste. WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs identifies the project action to be an Unlisted Action under SEQR with the City as the sole agency directly undertaking or approving of the action, and that the project as described is subject to the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) and the preparation of a full Environmental Assessment Form is optional; and utilizing a full Environmental Assessment Form prepared by its consultant, Behan Planning Associates, has conducted a review of the proposed action utilizing said EAF; and, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the City Council of the City of Saratoga Springs has reviewed and analyzed Parts 1 and 2 of the full EAF, and hereby determines that the project will not result in any large or important impacts and therefore, is one which will not have a significant impact on the environment, and further, that a Draft Environmental Impact Statement will not be prepared. A negative declaration will be prepared, be reviewed by the City Attorney and filing and notification will be conducted as required. Ayes all. Grant Agreement with Saratoga County for Ten Springs Woods & Marion Avenue Mayor Michael Lenz withdrew this item from discussion. Accept Donation from Allerdice, Saratoga Quality Hardware and Excelsior Park for Spring Run Trail (2005- 279) Mayor Michael Lenz moved and Commissioner Thomas McTygue seconded to accept the donations from Allerdice Enterprise, Saratoga Quality Hardware and Excelsior Park for the Spring Run Trail system. Page 2 of 5 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, December 28, 2005 Matthew Dorsey, City Attorney, disclosed that his firm represents the Allerdice family. He noted that the maps designating these donated lands are in his office for review. It was further noted that there is no budgetary impact. Ayes all. Release of Easement to Allerdice Enterprises (2005-280) Matthew Dorsey explained that with the donation of land from Allerdice, Saratoga Quality Hardware and Excelsior Park which was just approved, the easement previously granted by Allerdice for another parcel of land was no longer necessary. Therefore, Mayor Michael Lenz moved and Commissioner Thomas McTygue seconded to release the easement previously granted by Allerdice Enterprises for the Spring Run Trial system. Ayes all. CA Smith Contract (2005-281) Matthew Dorsey said that CA Smith has been working on the environmental matters for the Ten Springs Woods purchase. He said remediation work is now necessary for the removal of a drum, disposal of soil and the removal and closing of a monitoring well. They are requesting $4,500 to complete that work. Mayor Michael Lenz moved and Commissioner Matthew McCabe seconded to authorize the Mayor to sign an agreement with CA Smith in an amount not to exceed $4,500 for the additional remediation work required for the Ten Springs Woods purchase. The funding will come from the bond act. Ayes all. Other Mayor Michael Lenz thanked Matthew Dorsey for all of his hard work in bringing these items to completion. He said the City now has, in its possession, all of the lands necessary to complete these projects. ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT Ball Article 7 (2005-282) Commissioner Stephen Towne moved and Mayor Michael Lenz seconded to adjust the 2005 tax roll for Ball Metal to $11,600,000. Ayes all. FINANCE DEPARTMENT Transfers Payroll Commissioner Matthew McCabe moved and Mayor Michael Lenz seconded to approve the payroll transfers as presented (Attachment A). Ayes all. Transfers Regular Commissioner Matthew McCabe moved and Mayor Michael Lenz seconded to approve the budget transfers regular as presented (Attachment B). Ayes all. Transfers Social Security Commissioner Matthew McCabe moved and Mayor Michael Lenz seconded to approve the Page 3 of 5 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, December 28, 2005 budget transfers - social security as presented. He noted that there was one addition in the DPW department of $800 from the highway labor line to City garage social security line (Attachment C). Ayes all. Amendments Commissioner Matthew McCabe moved and Mayor Michael Lenz seconded to approve the budget amendments as presented (Attachment D). Ayes all. Health Insurance Contracts (2005-283) Commissioner Matthew McCabe said this was in connection with the retiree drug subsidy program. The City is now required to have the Mayor certify that each of our health insurers has agreed in writing to provide information to the retiree drug subsidy claims department. The City has four insurers two of which have provided agreements (Empire and CDPHP). The remaining two are before the Council today for approval - Blue Cross Blue Shield (aka HealthNow) and MVP. There is no cost for the Blue Cross agreement. MVP has presented two agreements - one for $2,500 which will provide all services and another agreement at a cost of $150/hour. The City’s broker has recommended that the City chose the hourly rate option. He believes that it will require between four and five hours of work. He said there is one modification to the contract in that the information will be provided quarterly. The funding for this agreement will come from the Finance Department. Commissioner Matthew McCabe moved and Mayor Michael Lenz seconded to authorize the Mayor to sign the contract with Blue Cross Blue Shield aka HealthNow and the contract with MVP, in the amount of $150/hour (to be taken from the 2006 finance budget), both to provide administrative services for the Retiree Drug Subsidy program. Both are contingent upon approval by the Finance Dept., the City Attorney and the Risk and Safety Manager. Ayes all. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Deputies Vacation Time Commissioner Thomas McTygue moved and Commissioner Thomas Curley seconded to pay out four days of unused vacation time to Pat Design, Deputy Commissioner. The funds are within his budget. Ayes: two (Commissioners Thomas McTygue and Thomas Curley); Nays: three (Mayor Michael Lenz, Commissioner Stephen Towne and Commissioner Matthew McCabe). Motion failed. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY No items. SUPERVISORS No items. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Michael Lenz moved and Commissioner Stephen Towne seconded to adjourn the meeting at 9:35 a.m. Ayes all. There being no further business, Mayor Michael Lenz adjourned the meeting at 9:35 a.m. Page 4 of 5 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, December 28, 2005 Respectfully submitted, Kathy Moran Clerk Approved: Page 5 of 5