CCTVS (County, City, Towns, Villages, Schools) Committee

 

Thursday, March 22, 2007

County Office Building – Room 304

Immediately Following Legislative Session

 

DRAFT MINUTES

 

Present: Sandy Price & Larry Cornell, Co-Chairs; Merwin Armstrong, Mike McKee, Angie Wyatt, Fred Forbes, Betty Ann Pitman, Kate Edinger, Cindy Monroe, Tom Michales, Susan Feizsli, Lee Price, Roseann Coville, Manny Lann, Jen Hamilton, Corey Preston, Bernie Thoma

The meeting was called to order at 7:26p.m. by Larry Cornell

 

·        Welcome/Introductions (Co-Chairs, Larry Cornell & Sandy Price) – Larry and Sandy welcomed everyone and asked that everyone introduce himself or herself.

 

·        MOTION BY BETTY ANN PITMAN – 2^ND BY SANDY PRICE TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE JANUARY 25, 2007 MINUTES – ALL PRESENT VOTED IN FAVOR – MOTION PASSED.

 

DISCUSSION

·        Cortland County Youth Bureau Summer Recreation Programs

      Manny Lann, County Youth Bureau Director – Manny gave a brief overview of the County’s Summer Recreation Program.  The County Youth Bureau hires Specialists to conduct youth programs in the County’s towns & villages.  They have Arts & Crafts, Archery, Recreation, Day Trips and this year, due to receiving a grant, they will also have Tennis.  Manny asked for assistance in promoting the activities to the children in the outlining areas and would also like more people to get involved.  The Towns of Truxton and Cuyler need a couple of people to volunteer to promote these activities.  Manny also provided a DRAFT of the 2007 Cortland County Summer Recreation Schedule.  Susan Feizsli commented that she might have a person in Truxton to volunteer.  Pall Trinity donates money every year to offset some of the expenses for these programs.

 

·        Smoke-Free Parks

                        Jennifer Hamilton, Cortland County Health Department –   

     Jennifer is the Program Coordinator for the Cortland County Tobacco   

     Free Coalition.  They are presently promoting the “Tobacco-Free Parks & 

     Recreation” Program.  Jennifer offered the following points:

                   Children who see adults smoking in a family area such as a park may think that smoking is acceptable.

                  Smoke-free environments are healthy for children and may deter the children from starting to smoke.

                  The 2006 Surgeon General’s report states “There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke.”

                   Cigarette butts could be ingested by small children or pets

                    Prohibiting tobacco in parks and recreation areas would be similar to policies prohibiting alcohol and litter or requiring that pets be leased.

 

Jennifer indicated that this promotion provides the metal signs for any parks/recreation areas that establish a policy and any help in promoting the policy.  Jennifer further indicated that they have sample policies for town and village boards to establish the policies.  Jennifer provided copies of what the sign {YOUNG LUNGS AT PLAY – This is a Tobacco-Free Zone} would look like and there is even a place at the bottom to insert individual logos.

Angie Wyatt asked if these signs/assistance is available to private businesses such as Campgrounds with playgrounds.  Jennifer said yes that it is available.

Angie Wyatt will provide Jennifer Hamilton with email addresses to Town, Villages and City Officials to enable her to forward the sample policies.

 

·        Joint Municipal Grant Applications –

Bernie Thoma, Thoma Development Consultants – Bernie provided information regarding state funded grants for Shared Municipal Services.  Last year there were 25 million dollars available and there may be 30 million dollars available this year.  Any public entity can apply for these funds but they cannot apply alone.  2 or more municipalities would have to apply for these funds.  There are 4 categories of funding:

 

~ Shared Municipal (Maximum Amount:  $200,000 per municipality)

 

~ Shared Highway (Maximum Amount: $300,000 per municipality)

 

~ County Wide (Maximum Amount:  $300,000 per municipality)

 

~ Local Health Insurance (Maximum Amount: $500,000 per municipality)

 

These funds could be used for studies and capital for the actual projects but the projects have to be specific.  The municipalities can’t just apply for money to share without a detailed purpose.  The grants would also pay for legal fees, if any.

 

Bernie gave some examples of municipalities that were funded.  Mike McKee indicated that Cincinnatus is looking to combine their Town Hall and Fire Station.  Sandy Price also indicated that the Town of Harford is also looking to consolidate/share but the funds are unavailable.

 

Susan Feizsli asked if these grants were highly competitive.  Bernie said that they were and the best thing to do in applying for the grant is to stress the savings that will occur for all the municipalities involved.  Bernie cautioned that municipalities should start thinking about any projects now in case there is a short lead-time.

 

Fred Forbes advised the Committee that since the article came out in the paper regarding the possible consolidation of the Village of Homer and Town of Homer government, John Ryan indicated that shared services does not work.  A merger is far better than shared services.  Fred would like to see total consolidation not shared services.

 

Any anticipated projects between municipalities, must have an agreement before they would be able to get the funding.

 

Angie Wyatt indicated that there is a Legislative Agriculture-Planning-Environmental Sub-Committee, chaired by Legislator, Carol Tytler that is proposing to install a 2^nd detention pond for flooding mitigation. Angie asked if a project such as installing a second detention pond on Route 281 could be eligible for this grant.  The NYS Department of Transportation is installing the first one during their Route 281 Corridor Reconstruction Project.  The municipalities involved would be the County, City & Town of Cortlandville.  Bernie Thoma said that it would be eligible for funding.  As a member of the A-P-E Sub-Committee, City Common Councilor, Susan Feizsli concurred with Angie with the proposed plan of the A-P-E Sub-Committee.

 

 Angie Wyatt, as Chairman of the County Traffic Safety Board, informed the Committee that at the request of the Sheriff and Undersheriff, she has been trying to find a funding source to purchase ANSI CLASS 2 Vests.  This is a new FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) mandate that requires high visibility vests for anyone who works on highway & roads (i.e. law enforcement officers, fire police, highway department crews, etc.).  Lee Price indicated that 1 vest costs $44.00.  Angie inquired if grant money would be available if all the municipalities and fire districts in the county applied for funds to furnish these vests countywide.  Bernie indicated that it would.

 

·        Updates: 

 

-         DMV Satellite Offices – Larry Cornell talked to Betsy Larkin and she indicated that Senator Seward has submitted the request for around $30,000 and they are waiting for the State Budget to pass.

 

·        Next Meeting:

 

-         Sandy Price and Larry Cornell have contacted Marty Mack from the Governor’s Office and are waiting to hear back from him about attending the April 26^th CCTVS Meeting.  If Marty is unable to attend, Attorney John Ryan will attend to do a presentation on Municipal Consolidation.  If Marty is able to attend, John Ryan will be scheduled for the May 24^th CCTVS meeting.

 

The consensus of those present was to meet on a monthly basis.

 

·        Adjournment:

 

-         The meeting was adjourned at 8:20p.m.

 

 

Minutes taken and prepared by Angie Wyatt, Confidential Secretary to County Administrator

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