Adirondack Town Of Franklin
Adirondack Town Of Franklin

Town of Franklin Board Meetings

Regular Board Meeting - September 9, 2020 5:30PM

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:

Supervisor Dorothy Brown, Councilman Tom Bartiss, Councilman Richard Jarvis, Councilman Don Hamm and, Councilman Leo Demong

BOARD MEMBERS ABSENT:

None

OTHERS PRESENT:

Doris Hamm, Lindy Ellis—Franklin County Legislator, Jacques DeMars—Highway Superintendent and Lauren LeFebvre—Town Clerk

CALL TO ORDER

Supervisor Brown called the meeting to order at 5:30pm. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and the Town Clerk called the roll, noting the full board present.

HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT

Superintendent DeMars read the following report:

  • Hauled sand (assistance of Town of Saranac)
  • Send in paperwork for herbicide
  • Paved Muzzy Rd with assistance of: Town of St. Armand, Town of Saranac, Village of Saranac Lake, Town of Harrietstown, Village of Tupper Lake, and Town of Tupper Lake
  • Put shoulders on Muzzy Rd with the assistance of Town of Saranac
  • Assisted Town of Saranac with paving
  • Employee returned from Medical leave
  • 2 employees did training through EAS
  • Patched sections of Cold Brook and Fletcher Farm Rds
  • Assisted Town of Tupper Lake with Paving
  • Assisted Town of Malone with paving
  • Installed culvert on Rock Street

Superintendent DeMars also informed the board he received an updated ChiPs reimbursement figure of $155,901.44. Due to a reduction in municipal allocations in NYS budget our reimbursement will be 20% less than the original promised reimbursement of approximately $194,000.00. This change will result in the Town receiving $40,000.00 less than anticipated for the ChiPs reimbursement toward the rebuilding of the Highway Garage.

Councilman Jarvis apprised the board of DEC's treatment of a portion of Fletcher Farm Road with regard to eradicating Knotweed, a bamboo-like invasive species. This procedure was carried out in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy. The Town will send a letter of thanks to DEC.

PUBLIC COMMENT: Leg. Lindy Ellis - Lindy reported Franklin County Industrial Development and Local Development Corporation are working toget to provide local business support through federally funded micro-enterprise grants and desitination development funding. They are also investigating a partnership with the Solid Waste Authority.

REVIEW/APPROVAL OF August 12, 2020 Minutes: Minutes were approved as presented. (D. Jarvis-T. Bartiss m/s/p) All Aye

APPROVAL OF CLAIMS The board audited and approved the following claims:

General FundAbstract 9Claims 169-185$189,857.98
Pre-Pay GeneralAbstract 9Claims 30-32$706.72
Highway FundAbstract 9Claims 152-168$135,114.57

D.Hamm-D.Jarvis m/s/p -All Aye


SUPERVISOR'S REPORT: Balances on hand as of August 31, 2020

General Fund
Checking$558,130.66
Savings$441,529.60
Historian$3,039.78
Kt. Mt SRF$2,057.64
Cemetery RF$5,606.36
CLASS$249,864.18
Kate Mt. CLASS$46,639.16
Highway Fund
Checking$320,955.95
Savings$41,676.01
Cap Proj. HW$49,132.39
CLASS$410,711.71
Landfill Clos. CR
Checking$2,072.59
CLASS$13,056.71
Fire Protection
Checking$6,623.86
CLASS$11,714.03
Capital Proj Bldg
CLASS$68,897.65

T.Bartiss-D.Hamm m/s/p-All Aye

CODE OFFICER'S REPORT -August 2020-Building Permits-9, Violations-0, Certificate of Occupancy-2, Inspections-10, Fees Collected-$2310.53

NEW BUSINESS

No new business to discuss.

OLD BUSINESS

A. DASNY: The Town Clerk is coordinating the documents required by the Dormitory Authority regarding the $100,000 grant to replace the roof and siding on the Town Hall as well as remodelling the bathrooms to be ADA compliant.

B. CDBG: No update

C. Highway Garage Rebuild Update: Construction has begun. Joist and Deck delivery is scheduled for 9/28. Structural Steel will be delivered the week of 9/14. Insulated metal wall panels will be delivered the week of 9/28. According to our adjuster, Adjusters International, Town has received:

Building Actual Cash Value Loss: $894,812.74 ($1,000 deductable applied)
Business Personal Prop. Cash Value Loss:$101,998.15
Perosnal Prop. Of others Cost Losse:2,418.53
Scheduled Equipment-Advance:$250,000.00
TOTAL TO DATE: $1,249,229.42

COMMITTEE REPORTS

A. Cemetery: Councilman Jarvis reported Bruce Sawyer cleaned/repaired three headstones at Union Cemetery. He expressed concern regarding the turning radius of the proposed new road to be created in Union Cemetery as well as the current ditch plan. Councilman Bartiss and Councilman Jarvis will discuss this as the Cemetery Committee and report back to the board.

B. Recreation: Councilman Jarvis reported on the Recreation Committee's meeting with DEC regarding the release of the draft Debar Forest Unit Managment Plan. The board agreed the committee should inform DEC of the Town of Franklin's preferences for the plan, inlcuding public trail access from Kate Mountain Park leading up Kate Mountain, prior to the release of the draft UMP. The committee has consulted with Leg. Lindy Ellis regarding installation of Wayside signage at Kate Mt. Park and other locations within the Town. Mountain bike trails and winter skateboarding were also discussed. The Town Clerk will contact retired board member Cliff Smalley for information regarding the creation of mountain bike trails as he had been in regular contact with the Town of Wilmington for this purpose. The board reviewed the packet from Summer Youth Program Director, Kathy Drake. The board was impressed the the age appropriate diversity of the program and the creativity of Mrs. Drake and her staff in creating and implenting a contactless summer program amid the restrictions of COVID-19.

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business before the board, Supervisor brown adjourned the meeting at 6:45pm.

Respectfully submitted, Lauren LeFebvre, Town Clerk

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Town of Franklin
P.O. Box 209, Route 3, Vermontville, NY 12989  ·  Tel: 518-891-2189  ·  Fax: 518-891-6389  ·  info@townoffranklin.com
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