Town Board Regular Meeting 08/11/2020 06:30 PM Zoom Meeting ID 885 7528 0026

OPENING ITEMS

Call Meeting to Order

Pledge of allegiance

Announcements

Presentation

Correspondence

Payment of Bills

DIVISION REPORTS

Some reports have been sent to the board in advance of the meeting, therefore they are not read out loud at the meeting; copies of all reports may be obtained at the Town Clerks Office.

Highway

Water & Sewer

Building Department/ Code Enforcement

Assessor

Upper Delaware Council

Energy Committee

Zoning Re-Write Committee

Grants

PUBLIC COMMENT

10 minutes will be given for public comment. Please keep your comments directed to the board, comments should pertain to agenda items only. All other comments or questions may be taken up with individual board members after the meeting or at another time.

OLD BUSINESS

• 1.RESOLUTION AND ORDER CALLING PUBLIC HEARING

  WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Tusten, Sullivan County, New York (the “Town”) has proposed certain improvements to the water system serving the Narrowsburg Water District (the “District”), including replacement of the existing water storage tank with a new 250,000-gallon steel water storage tank, installation of a new booster pump station, well improvements, replacement of existing fire hydrants, water valves and water mains and installation of new automatic flushing stations and additional new fire hydrants, water valves and water mains; and
  
  

   WHEREAS, Delaware Engineering, D.P.C. has prepared a Map, Plan, & Report dated July 13, 2020 in connection with said proposed improvements; and
  
  

   WHEREAS, the estimated cost of said proposed improvements is $7,500,000;
  
  

   NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby determined as follows:

     1.    A public hearing shall be held on August 25, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom (Meeting ID: 893 7157 0570) for the purpose of hearing all persons interested in the proposed improvements in the District.

    2.   The notice of said public hearing shall be in substantially the following form, to wit:

   

   TOWN OF TUSTEN

  NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

   

              NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town of Tusten will conduct a public hearing on August 25, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom (Meeting ID:893 7157 0570) to consider certain improvements to the water system serving the Narrowsburg Water District, including replacement of the existing water storage tank with a new 250,000-gallon steel water storage tank, installation of a new booster pump station, well improvements, replacement of existing fire hydrants, water valves and water mains and installation of new automatic flushing stations and additional new fire hydrants, water valves and water mains.

   

              The estimated cost of the proposed improvements is $7,500,000.

   

              The public is invited to attend and comment on the proposed improvements.  It is expected that following the public hearing the Town Board of the Town will consider a bond resolution authorizing the issuance of its general obligations in an amount not to exceed $7,500,000 pursuant to the Local Finance Law to finance the cost of the proposed improvements.  Funding for the proposed improvements is being sought through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and through the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation’s water grant program under the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act.  Other sources of funding may also be available and may be pursued, depending upon program requirements and project eligibility.

   

              A Map, Plan, & Report describing the proposed improvements has been prepared by Delaware Engineering, D.P.C. and is available for public inspection by appointment with the Town Clerk.  Said Map, Plan, & Report will also be available for public inspection at said public hearing.

• 2.AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF TUSTEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW YORK POWER AUTHORITY’S ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAM FOR AN LED STREET LIGHTING UPGRADE

  WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Tusten is desirous of participating as part of the Sullivan County Aggregate (Tusten, Sullivan, Thompson & Fallsburg) in the New York Power Authority’s (NYPA) Energy Efficiency Program for the purchase and full implementation of LED Street Lighting as an upgrade to current street lighting; and

   

  WHEREAS, as this project involves replacement, rehabilitation or reconstruction of a structure or facility, in kind, on the same site, pursuant to 6 NYCRR §617.5( c)(2), participation is a Type II Action under SEQRA, and can be addressed without environmental review; and

   

  WHEREAS, this project shall include procurement, delivery and installation of approximately 113 fixtures of various wattages over a nine (9) month period of time upon commencement, and

   

  WHEREAS, the fixtures will be purchased from the NYPA Philips Street Lighting Contract, and is in compliance with the Town’s Procurement Policy; and

   

  WHEREAS, the project will be implemented by D&M Electrical Contracting, the lowest qualified bidder, utilizing the statewide bid results issued for the City of Utica, New York; and

   

  WHEREAS, it is estimated that the annual cost savings in energy and maintenance will be $11,979.00 per year, and there will be a significant reduction of both MMBTUs and Greenhouse Gas; and

   

  WHEREAS, the Total Project Cost is $246,190.89, $40,000.00 of which is covered by a grant from the New York Power Authority; and

   

  WHEREAS, the balance is to be paid pursuant to a long term financing agreement with the New York Power Authority with a variable 4.00% interest rate for 240 months, with an annual debt service to NYPA of $14,993.71;

   

  WHEREAS, it is estimated that, when factoring in the annual cost savings of $11,979.00, the net cost to the Town of Tusten will be $3,014.71 annually.

   

  NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

   

   

• 3.Approval is hereby granted to enter into phase 1a, 1b, cultural resource survey of the Water Improvement Project with Birchwood Archaeological Services by request of NYS 

NEW BUSINESS

• 1.Authorization to close Main Street in Narrowsburg NY on August 28, 2020, and September 4, 2020, between the hours of 6:00 PM thru 8:00 PM is hereby granted to Aaron Hicklin for the purpose of: A Cultural Event. Notification is to be made to the local emergency services to include but not limited to Narrowsburg & Lava Fire Departments, Tusten Ambulance Service, and NYS State Police.

• 2.RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF TUSTEN APPROVING THE USE OF A MINOR AMENDMENT PROCEDURE TO ADD UTILITY-SCALE SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS TO THE RIVER MANAGEMENT PLAN LAND AND WATER USE GUIDELINES

  WHEREAS, The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) approved a "Position Paper on Utility‑Scale Solar Energy Systems" on March 5, 2020 (the Paper); and

  WHEREAS, The Paper which the UDC and the National Park Service (ANPS) jointly developed, concludes that Utility‑Scale Solar Energy Systems qualify as AOther Commercial Development on the Schedule of Compatible, Conditional and Incompatible Uses in the Upper Delaware Land and Water Use Guidelines appended to the Final River Management for the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River: New York and Pennsylvania (Nov. 1986); and

  WHEREAS, the Paper further concludes that Utility‑Scale Solar Energy Systems, as AOther Commercial Development@should therefore be considered as: Aincompatible within scenic segments of the river corridor@and Aappropriate with implementation of conditional use (PA} or special use (NY) criteria in recreational segments and hamlet areas of the river corridor"; and

  WHEREAS, a Utility‑Scale Solar Energy System is not listed in the Schedule of Uses in the RMP; and

  WHEREAS, incorporating the conclusions noted above into the RMP Land and Water Use Guidelines as an the amendment would provide the UDC with a written justifiable basis for evaluating the substantial conformance of any commercial solar projects, new ordinances or zoning amendments; and

  WHEREAS, adding a minor amendment to the RMP requires a unanimous vote of the UDC voting members;

  NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby

  RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Tusten does hereby approve of the use of a Minor Amendment procedure to add Utility‑Scale Solar Energy Systems to the RMP Land and Water Use Guidelines; and it is further

  RESOLVED, that the Towns delegate is hereby authorized to vote in accordance with this resolution.

• 3.Authorization for Supervisor Bernard Johnson to open escrow accounts with the Catskill Husdon Bank as needed for the remainder of the 2020 calendar year with signors on the accounts to be Supervisor Bernard Johnson and Deputy Supervisor Jane Luchsinger.

• 4.The following budget modifications are hereby approved as presented:

  $1,778.98 JCAP Grant monies from A3001 State Aid Revenue Sharing to A110.4 Justice Court

  $40,300.00 from SS201.3 Sewer Savings to SS201.5 Sewer Reserves (as per the 2019 budget)

  $5000.00 from SW201.3 Water Savings to SW201.5 Water Reserves (as per the 2019 budget)

• 5.Narrowsburg Water and Sewer is hereby authorized to purchase a leak detector for an amount not to exceed: $

• 6.Acceptance of resignation received by Harold Camacho.

• 7.James Agar Jr. is hereby appointed as Tusten Justice Court Bailiff. 

• 8.30 DAY WAIVER FOR LIQUOR LICENSE

• 9.Thank you letters

PUBLIC COMMENT

10 minutes will be given for public comment. Please keep your comments directed to the board, comments should pertain to agenda items only. All other comments or questions may be taken up with individual board members after the meeting or at another time.

CLOSING ITEMS

Board Comment

Meeting reminder

Adjournment