City Council

City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 2, 2008 CITY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY COUNCIL ROOM WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2008 6:55 P.M. PRESENT: Scott Johnson, Mayor Commissioner John Franck, Accounts Commissioner Ken Ivins, Finance Commissioner Ron Kim, DPS Commissioner Anthony Scirocco, DPW PRESENT: Supervisor Matthew Veitch Supervisor Joanne Yepsen STAFF PRESENT: Michele Boxley, Deputy Commissioner, Accounts Patrick Design, Deputy Commissioner, DPW Eileen Finneran, Deputy Commissioner, DPS Kate Jarosh, Deputy Commissioner, Finance Shauna Sutton, Deputy Mayor PUBLIC HEARING Local Law #1 of 2008 – Stormwater Amendments Mayor Scott Johnson opened the public hearing on local law #1 – stormwater amendments. Tony Izzo said this law is required by both federal legislation and the Department of Environmental Conservation. The City has been working on this program for more than five years. This law establishes a frame work that certain land uses would be required to submit plans for projects that may impact the storm water system. He then explained that there are three categories of projects which would be required to submit either a basic storm water management plan or a full plan. This law pertains to both residential and nonresidential activities. Commissioner Ron Kim noted that this law creates a stormwater management officer and asked who that might be. Tony Izzo said it is the City Engineer. Commissioner Ken Ivins asked about the three categories. Paul Male said that the three categories are based on land size and use. He said the existing thresholds, as established by DEC for parcels less than five acres, has not been changed, except for the one change in reduction in size for the nonresidential use. He said the City cannot be less restrictive than the DEC thresholds, however, the City can be more restrictive and the City has chosen to do that with the .01 acre size, nonresidential project being required to submit a full plan. He said this was another example of an unfunded mandate. Mayor Scott Johnson also noted that this proposed local law had been forwarded to the Planning Board for an advisory opinion and they had responded with a favorable opinion in a 6-1 vote. There being no one else wishing to speak, Mayor Scott Johnson closed the public hearing. CALL TO ORDER Mayor Scott Johnson called the meeting to order with the Pledge of Allegiance. 1 of 5 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 2, 2008 PUBLIC COMMENTS Mayor Scott Johnson opened the first public comment period. David Bronner, 5 Royal Henley Court, welcomed the new Council members. He said that during the course of the last meeting there was a comment made that people like him and Wilma Koss are selfish in nature with their motivation concerning Saratoga Lake. He said that is not true. They are not trying to restrict the use of the lake. He said their concern is that the City should have a full and complete accounting of the cost of the proposed water system and that the City needs to establish a clear need to go to Saratoga Lake. David Bronner said that also at the last meeting there was a suggestion from an audience member that certain of his comments be expunged from the record. He said that what was alarming was that Commissioner John Franck actually made the motion. Because there was no second to the motion, it died. He said that residents should be concerned with free speech at Council meetings if such motions are entertained. David Bronner said that lastly the snow removal over the last two days has been terrific and he suspected that it was due to an increase in morale of the DPW employees. There being no one else to speak, Mayor Scott Johnson closed the first public comment period. CONSENT AGENDA Mayor Scott Johnson moved and Commissioner John Franck seconded to approve the consent agenda as presented noting that the appointment of the Commissioners of Deeds had been moved to the Accounts Department agenda. 1. Approve payrolls: 12/21/07 $421,190.30 12/28/07 $457,172.34 12/31/07 $133,088.75 (3/7ths through 12/31/07) (Includes FICA/MEDI 3rd party sick) 2. Approve warrants: Mid MC3DEC07 $2,764,491.58 General 3DEC07 $ 159,420.79 (2007 A/P) Ayes all. MAYOR’S DEPARTMENT CORE Samplings at Recreation Center Potential Sites Mayor Scott Johnson said the CORE samples at the Weibel Avenue location have been completed, however, the results are not ready to report on. Commissioner John Franck said there has been some discussion on another potential site at the Vanderbilt/Jefferson Terrace area. If this Council was going to entertain going to that location, he did not want to see a lot of money spent at the Weibel Avenue location. Mayor Scott Johnson agreed, but said the core samples needed to be done for the Weibel Avenue location to determine the integrity of the site. Planning Board & Zoning Board of Appeals 08-06 Mayor Scott Johnson announced the appointment of Phil Klein to the Planning Board replacing Lou Schneider whose term had expired. He then announced the appointment of MaryAnn Macica to the Zoning Board of Appeals replacing Gabe Anderson whose term had expired. 2 of 5 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 2, 2008 ACCOUNTS DEPARTMENT Commissioners of Deeds Commissioner John Franck moved and Commissioner Ron Kim seconded to appoint the following individuals as Commissioners of Deeds with a term of two years: Aaron Benware, Eileen Cotter, Todd Bengtson, Sean Briscoe, Robert Jillson, John Lanzara, Thomas Mitchell, Jr., Andrew Prestigiacomo, John Sesselman and Gregory Veitch all of the Police Department. Ayes all. FINANCE DEPARTMENT Payrolls Approved on the consent agenda. Warrants Approved on the consent agenda. Budget Transfers – Payroll, Regular & Other Commissioner Ken Ivins reported that there were no budget transfers. Budget Amendments Commissioner Ken Ivins reported that there were no budget amendments Donation of Food Items to Inauguration Commissioner Ken Ivins moved and Commissioner Anthony Scirocco seconded to accept the donations from Stewarts, Saratoga Spring Water, and Sunnyside Gardens and Class A Catering for the items for the inauguration ceremony. Ayes all. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Local Law #1 of 2008 Stormwater Amendments 08-07 Commissioner Anthony Scirocco moved and Commissioner John Franck seconded to adopt local law #1 of 2008 as discussed and presented. Paul Male said this law needs to be passed before January 8 or the City faces the possibility of being fined and/or audited. Commissioner Ken Ivins asked if the Council became uncomfortable with the law, could it be amended. Tony Izzo said yes. Commissioner Ron Kim said it had been previously stated that the City could only make the requirements more restrictive and not less restrictive. Nadine Medina, Barton & Loguidice, clarified that January 8 is the deadline for this program. She said that anytime after January 8, the DEC and EPA may begin auditing communities on their compliance. If the City is audited and has not complied, the City faces the potential of fines of more than $30,000 per day. She said the City could make the requirements more restrictive, but not less restrictive. She said the only change the City made was to make it more restrictive for the parcels at .10 acre. She said the basic soil erosion/sediment control plan consists of catch basins, silt fence, who will maintain it and how it is maintained. The full plan is more detailed in how the City holds the developer more accountable for the impervious area, the 3 of 5 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 2, 2008 developer would be required to do calculations and if the developer fails to comply, the City could fine them. Paul Male said most of these requirements already exist. He said the cost depends on the size of the project. He said that for example the Skidmore College Northwoods project was somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000 and $15,000 for a full plan. He said that a smaller project in the inner city would likely be between $2,000 and $3,000. He said that these requirements simply bring the storm sewer system up to the minimum standards when new projects are developed. Nadine Medina said that DEC has already seen the progress that the City has made in this area and they are happy. Ayes all. Other Commissioner Anthony Scirocco commended the DPW workers for a job well done during the recent snow storms. He said it is a tiresome job that requires long hours of work but they manage to complete their work in good time. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY Saratoga Springs Public Library Parking Hours – Set Public Hearing Commissioner Ron Kim requested that a public hearing be set for January 15 at 6:55 p.m. on the hours of parking at the Saratoga Springs Public Library. He said the City enforces the parking at the library and they have requested that the times be adjusted from two to three hours. Public Health Officer – Appointment Commissioner Ron Kim announced the appointment of Paul Okosky as the City’s Public Health Officer. He said he would be sure that Paul Okosky submitted the required proof of insurance. Mayor Scott Johnson asked exactly what were the duties of the Public Health Officer. Commissioner Ron Kim said that recently there was an issue with an employee having an infectious disease. Dr. Okosky was consulted for his expertise in that area. He also assists the Code Enforcement Office when they are doing site inspections and a determination needs to be made on whether the site is habitable or if there might be some neglect or domestic violence. He said that Dr. Okosky also assists in the development of the City’s Emergency Plan. Firefighters Contract 08-08 Commissioner Ron Kim moved and Commissioner John Franck seconded to add the firefighter’s contract matter to the agenda. Ayes all. Commissioner Ron Kim said that since the firefighters’ contract was approved, an issue has arisen with the starting pay of firefighters. He said when the contract was adopted, there were four firefighters who were in the pipeline, attending the academy, who started at $42,912. Now, according to the newly adopted contract their second year salary would be decreased to $35,000. He said it was never the intention to decrease their salaries. The new pay scale was meant for new employees and not those in the pipeline. Commissioner Ron Kim then reviewed the new pay scale as follows: $30,500 for the first year, $35,000 second year, and $37,500 third year. He said the new contract lowers the starting salary for firefighters which was the intention, but it was not intention to lower the salary of those firefighters who had already been hired and who were at the academy. These four firefighters have been here for nearly a year. 4 of 5 City of Saratoga Springs City Council Meeting Minutes Wednesday, January 2, 2008 Commissioner Ron Kim moved and Commissioner John Franck seconded to approve the Appendix A Salary Structure (2007-2010). Commissioner Ron Kim said the positions have been budgeted at the higher salary. He said that this motion does not change the intent of the contract that new employees will start at $30,500 and it will take them four years to reach the salary the previous new hires were hired at. Commissioner John Franck asked what constituted a new hire. Commissioner Ron Kim said the day they come on the payroll they are new hires. He said it takes between 9 and 12 months for a new firefighter to actually get on the truck. Commissioner Kin Ivins asked about the longevity payments. Commissioner Ron Kim said the longevity payments are yearly payments after the completion of five years. Ayes all. SUPERVISORS Joanne Yepsen Joanne Yepsen said that she and Matthew Veitch would be sworn in tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. at the County Board of Supervisors room. She said they were anxious to hear of their committee assignments. Matthew Veitch Matthew Veitch said that at this time he had nothing to report, however, anticipated reporting at the next Council meeting. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Mayor Scott Johnson opened the second public comment period. There being no one wishing to speak, Mayor Scott Johnson closed the second public comment period. ADJOURNMENT Mayor Scott Johnson moved and Commissioner John Franck seconded to adjourn the meeting at 7:55 p.m. Ayes all. There being no further business, Mayor Scott Johnson adjourned the meeting at 7:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kathy Moran Clerk Approved: 5 of 5