Highway Committee

May 8, 2007 at 7:30 AM

         REVISED DRAFT MINUTES

 

Committee Present:  Dan Tagliente, Chairman; Merwin Armstrong, John Daniels, John Steger, Newell Willcox – Absent: Steve Dafoe & Tom Hartnett

Others Present:  Scott Schrader, Marilyn Brown, Angie Wyatt, Don Chambers, Bob Buerkle, Ric VanDonsel, Corey Preston, Eric Mulvihill, Tom Huttleston, Dennis Whitt, Danny Ross

The meeting was called to order at 7:34a.m. by Chairman Dan Tagliente

MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE APRIL 10, 2007 MEETING MADE BY NEWELL WILLCOX - 2ND BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG - ALL PRESENT VOTING IN FAVOR – MOTION PASSES

 

Suggested Legislative Review:

       E   -   Daisy Hollow Slope Failure

        E   -   Airport Days

 

RESOLUTIONS

 Airport

·        Approval of Selection of Airport Engineering Consultant, Five-year Term, Cortland County Airport, Highway Department – MOTION BY JOHN DANIELS – 2ND BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG – ALL PRESENT VOTING IN FAVOR – MOTION PASSES

Discussion:  The County applies for Federal Grants for capital improvements and aviation related projects at the County Airport.  An Airport Engineering Consultant is needed to provide airport engineering services to apply for the grants.  The previous engineering firm did not submit the grant application for the T-Hangars in a timely manner and also did not provide sufficient justification for the project.  The choice of Engineering Firms came down to 2 firms those proposals were very close and it was decided to select McFarland-Johnson out of Binghamton since they are closer to Cortland than the other firm.

 

Highway

·        Transfer Funds (Union Valley Road/Old Groton Road) – MOTION BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG - 2ND BY JOHN DANIELS -ALL PRESENT VOTING IN FAVOR – MOTION PASSES

Discussion:  Don Chambers explained that even though the roads have a low volume, they have poor riding surfaces. The roads are not scheduled for major capital improvements for a few years so the Highway Department will have to maintain the roads by re-shaping and smoothing them up.

 

·        Authorize Inter-Municipal Agreement (Town of Willet) – MOTION BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG - 2ND BY NEWELL WILLCOX - ALL PRESENT VOTING IN FAVOR – MOTION PASSES

Discussion:  The Highway Department will assist the Town of Willet with the grading of the salt storage building site and the Town of Willet will do the road side mowing of County Roads.

 

DISCUSSION/PRESENTATION/REPORTS

 

Establish Rules for Offering & Executing Leases to Waiting List for New T-Hangar – Bob Buerkle explained the leasing rules and asked for Committee approval.  Bob advised the committee that sub-letting the T-Hangars is done on a case to case basis.  Newell Willcox asked for more information and Bob indicated that because these cases are contractual, he would need to explain it in executive session – MOTION BY NEWELL WILLCOX – 2ND BY JOHN DANIELS TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION – ALL PRESENT VOTING IN FAVOR – MOTION PASSES - INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 8:50A.M. – OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 8:57A.M.

Bob Buerkle further explained that anyone who leases the T-Hangars must own an aircraft that is registered and flyable.  The T-Hangars are a source of revenue and they want to protect the revenue stream.  Marilyn Brown asked if the T-Hangar Lease holders are required to have insurance.  Bob indicted that they are required to carry insurance on their aircrafts and the County carries the Liability insurance on the T-Hangars.

COMMITTEE MOTION BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG – 2ND BY JOHN DANIELS TO APPROVE THE RULES FOR THE LEASING OF THE NEW T-HANGARS – ALL PRESENT VOTING IN FAVOR – MOTION PASSES

 

**Daisy Hollow Slope Failure – Don Chambers explained that the engineering costs for this project is around $32,000.  This study would provide the most feasible solutions.  In past studies the engineers only provided one solution.  It costs around $4,000 a years to maintain this road now.  It we go forward with this project it would have to be put ahead of other projects and would affect other projects that have been planned.  A new design would give the road a 50-75 years of life.  John Daniels felt that it should be addressed because of liability and that right after they repair a road it is right back to the way it was in a short time.  The design would be established this year and then construction could start next year.  Merwin Armstrong felt that if we just repair the road every year at the cost of $4,000, we are just throwing money after money.  MOTION BY JOHN DANIELS – 2ND BY JOHN STEGER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STUDY OF THE DAISY HOLLOW SLOPE FAILURE AND THAT A RESOLUTION BE DRAFTED – ALL PRESENT VOTING IN FAVOR – MOTION PASSES

 

Design & Construction of new landfill cells – Don Chambers indicted that the current cells at the Landfill only have a few more years and they are going to need to design 2 new cells.  Given the time it takes to go through the State DEC, the engineering and the construction, they need to begin this process now.  They will be looking at bonding for this project.  COMMITTEE ACTION TAKEN:  MOTION BY DAN TAGLIENTE – 2ND BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG  TO HAVE DON CHAMBERS SOLICIT A COST FROM BARTON AND LOGUIDICE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF 2 CELLS AT THE LANDFILL AND PRESENT IT AT THE NEXT HIGHWAY COMMITTEE MEETING – ALL PRESENT VOTED IN FAVOR – COMMITTEE MOTION PASSES

 

Delinquent Accounts- Landfill – No Discussion

 

Tioughnioga River Trail Maintenance & Safety – At the public information meeting held on April 18, 2007, one of the biggest concerns was who would be responsible for the maintenance and safety of the trail.  Now that they have a design, jurisdiction of the trail needs to be established.  Some other questions that came up were: is there going to be emergency call boxes, lighting, fencing…..?  Danny Ross commented that with a lot of people having cell phones now the emergency call boxes are not really necessary. Dan Tagliente commented that Homer needs to be brought into this.  Scott Schrader advised the Committee that 2 years ago is was brought up by IDA/BDC that someone had to sponsor this project  so Cortland County would be the sponsor and that the expectation from the State and Federal governments would be that the sponsor would be responsible.  By unanimous consensus of the Committee they would like Scott Schrader and Don Chambers to continue to negotiate maintenance agreements with other municipalities. 

 

Pipe – Town of Harford – The Highway Department will provide a used pipe to the Town of Harford to replace the Griggs Road Bridge in exchange for Town labor and equipment for County highway maintenance.

 

**Airport Days – This event is planned for Saturday, July 21st with a weather date of August 11th.   This event is planned to raise public awareness and support for the Airport.  The County, administered by the Cortland County Aviators, is sponsoring it and various aviation related groups and businesses.  The only direct cost to the County Highway Department would be renting the Port-A-Johns and an estimated cost of $450.  Indirect costs would be for the Sheriff’s Department staff.  The County would also provide for the general liability insurance under the existing Airport policy.  The Cortland County Aviators, Civil Air Patrol and 2 CNY Experimental Aircraft Association Chapters will have volunteers to help with crowd control, vehicular and Aircraft Traffic Control and the Cortlandville Fire Department will have Fire Trucks on display and will also have volunteers present for this event.  The Cortland County Aviators and the Lions Club will sell the food.  A 20 cent reduction per gallon on the fuel price will be provided for pilots of unique planes to the event for display and also to reduce fuel costs to pilots providing sightseeing tours.  Scott Schrader stressed that this event is not an air show and that the vendors would have to provide proof of insurance.  MOTION BY DAN TAGLIENTE – 2ND BY MERWIN ARMSTRONG TO HAVE A RESOLUTION DRAFTED TO FUND THE AIRPORT DAYS TO BE HELD ON JULY 21ST WITH A WEATHER DATE OF AUGUST 11TH – ALL PRESENT VOTING IN FAVOR – MOTION TO DRAFT A RESOLUTION PASSES

 

Crop Land at the County Airport – Don Chambers asked for Committee approval to permit a local farmer to mow the crop land at the Airport site where the former Airport Drive-In Theatre was.  The local farmer will also be mowing at the end of the runway near Fairview Drive.  COMMITTEE MOTION BY JOHN STEGER – 2ND BY JOHN DANIELS TO PERMIT A LOCAL FARMER TO MOW THE CROPLAND AT THE AIRPORT – ALL PRESENT VOTING IN FAVOR – COMMITTEE MOTION PASSES

** Shading indicates that a Resolution will be drafted to reflect the action taken by the Committee**

The meeting was adjourned AT 8:45A.M.

Minutes taken and prepared by Angie Wyatt, Confidential Secretary to County Administrator - 5/8/2007 12:14 PM – Revised:  5/9/2007 12:11 PM

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