The following minutes are unofficial and were typed from a recording. When the official minutes are prepared these will be replaced.
Town of Essex New York
Water Committee Meeting Minutes
May 7, 2014
Members of Committee Attending:
Ed Gardner (Supervisor)
Ron Jackson (Chairman)
Susan Kennedy (Public Health Officer, not a stated Committee Member)
Derrick Wrisley
Tina Gardner
Bill Morgan (Town Clerk, Taking the Minutes)
Members of Committee Absent:
Claire LaPine (Councilman)
Residents Attending:
Mark Wrisley (Councilman)
Donna Sonnet
Emily Gardner Phillips
Steve Phillips
Sharon Boisen
Colleen Van Hoven
Jim Van Hoven
Bradley French (Highway Superintendent)
Ronald Jackson: Let’s call the meeting to order.
Sharon Boisen: Before you get started I’d like to advise the committee and the public that I am recording the meeting.
Ed Gardner: Have been going back and forth with Chris Buckley on the Sharp family property, agreement is almost in place. The Sharp family being reviewed but we have to wait until approved. No agreement completed yet so no Test Wells. David Scaglione is going to be one of the County attorneys, trying finish with Sharp before leaves. Susan, how do we get some money now to reimburse previous expenses?
Susan Kennedy: Can you talk with Mike at the County? I think you can draw funds on the short term financing until you close on the long term. This will satisfy short term loans already taken out. I don’t believe you have to make interest payments.
Ron Jackson: Rural Development Money?
Susan Kennedy: No, all through the state.
Ed Gardner: Information for the people: I have taken Estus property off the county tax sale and then will do a deed restriction for amount we need. The well potential score looks good – it is where the fault is.
Susan Kennedy: Can you do anything to speed things up? I know how long lawyers take.
Ed Gardner: I’ve been in touch with them.
Susan Kennedy: Anything you can do make them understand how serious this is.
Ron Jackson: Explain to them the clock is ticking, not big crisis for him, but it is to us. Kissell may not be aware. I don’t think it will violate any confidentiality.
Ed Gardner: I’m talking with Shaun in Willsboro on repairs. He is willing to send backhoe down if there is a water break and do digging. He’ll charge exactly what their man gets. Also goes toward shared services. Working towards other water, sewer shared services, have to do more work, thing is we are going to do that. Have to do 1%, then 2%, etc.. Why we’re working on this.
Susan Kennedy: I see that with Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, etc.. When there is a break in Saranac Lake, Lake Placid is right there.
Ron Jackson: Derrick, I haven’t been to pump house in years, anything you are worried about for the next few months.
Derrick Wrisley: No, nothing out of ordinary. All working fine.
Ron Jackson: Susan, did anything catch your eye?
Susan Kennedy: No, Derrick has done a really good job. The bubbler isn’t working and that would be helpful.
Derrick Wrisley: No it isn’t.
Susan Kennedy: I will email you the phone number of someone who may be able to help get that working. It’s not going to solve all of your problems but it may help. Derrick is doing really good job with the plant.
Ed Gardner: Tina and Jim are going to go around to locate all shut offs. Had problems locating.
Tina Gardner: Only using GPS for shut off.
Susan Kennedy: Triangulation is the way to do it, make sure what you measure from is going stay put permanently.
Ed Gardner: Sewer district controlled financially wait for state controller coming, what we can do, how proceed to get us back on solid footage, Right now $220,000 still owed general fund. Right Bill?
Bill Morgan: Ah, yes.
Ed Gardner: It was supposed to be paid back in one year. And there is a deficit of $26K in operations, it is going to hurt. Trying to figure out which way we can do this. Per the Association of Counties a town in Colorado went to their county and state, wouldn’t help, 140% raise in taxes, want to get it taken care of. With a bill like this, they (State) have to deal with this. Just can’t keep going, got to have a solid plan – sewer district not water.
Donna Sonnett: Why did this happen?
Ed Gardner: Essex was set up for 150 users, we have 91 – tells you one thing.
Steve Phillips: How it happened was we got money for 150 users.
Ed Gardner: The original grant was for 150 users, we got what we asked for.
Ron Jackson: Wayne Ryan (AES) is the only one who can tell you what went wrong.
Ed Gardner: Those are the facts right now. We need to get a plan in place with approval and go from there, don’t know what else do. Working on a plan to take extra sewerage. We can’t spend money we haven’t got. $100K is needed to set up ability to take extra sewerage. Have to wait, will almost be like a shared system, gotta get money. Have talked with AES about it. Looking for money but until they find it I don’t know. Got to get back level field.
Sharon Boisen: A question going back to water, Tina and Jim volunteered to locate the cut offs. Jim who?
Ed Gardner: Jim Morgan
Sharon Boisen: And sewer, who provided funding agency with 150 users?
Ed Gardner: Don’t know how came to that.
Ron Jackson: I don’t remember
Ed Gardner: That’s gone by, trying to focus, not blame, get things straightened around. Get things on an even keel.
Ed Gardner: State Tax Rebate is not the big gift you think will get.
Ed Gardner: Anything else?
Ron Jackson: Tina, are there any immediate problems on sewer?
Tina Gardner: Sewer lines will need be cleaned out – look for towns that have equipment we can work with. Need a 300ft jetter to clean. Maybe Tracey from Ti might have one.
Sharon Boisen: Are there guidelines on when we need to clean the lines?
Tina Gardner: No
Donna Sonnett: Library board had considerable sewer problems, who is responsible for examining them?
Ed Gardner: Determining problem. Hope don’t go thru another winter like last. Bradley can answer.
Bradley French: Have to wait for water to go down so can examine them.
Donna Sonnett: Church has problems too.
Bradley French: Last year unusual weather –
Tina Gardner: The basement door was left open, flush toilet, keeps filling water.
Donna Sonnett: Is the town looking at it?
Ed Gardner: Yes and church. We’re here to help with this. Think first problem, take care library.
Ron Jackson: Executive Session?
Ed Gardner: Claire not here so no quorum – will try to have more meetings to keep people updated with what is going on.
Motion Executive Session: Ed motion, RJ second. All favor
No further recording was taken so this ends the minutes.
