Town of Olive
County of Ulster
State of New York
May 1, 2001

Minutes of the regular monthly meeting of the Town Board of the Town of Olive held Tuesday, May 1, 2001, 7:30 pm at the Town Meeting Hall in Shokan, NY.

Members Present: 

Berndt Leifeld, Supervisor
Cindy Johansen, Council Member
Helen Chase, Council Member
Bruce La Monda, Council Member
Linda Burkhardt, Council Member

Recording Secretary: Sylvia Rozzelle, Town Clerk
Others Present: Everett Cook, ZBA Member; Gerard Malak, Planning Board Member

On a Burkhardt/Leifeld motion the Town Board approved the minutes of the April meetings as submitted by the Town Clerk.

The following correspondence was read and filed:

# 28-01

Robert C. Burgher Associates stated the Ulster County Engineers went to the Route 213 drainage site in Olivebridge. A survey crew located all the drainage along the road as well as the ditches and pipes behind the houses and they will be plotting this information. He stated that some of the drainage pipes are completely clogged. Everett Cook stated catch basins were installed years ago and they have been cleaned out once. He stated the problem is very simple in that they need to clean out the catch basins. 

#29-01

NYS DEC Wetland maps are being updated with public hearings being held regionally on May 10th and 11th.

On a La Monda/Chase motion the Town Board approved payment of the following pre-audited bills: General Fund Voucher #155 Prepaid, $204.00; General Fund Voucher #156-#195, $21,780.05; Special Lighting Voucher #4, $33.73; and Highway Voucher #89-#118, $42,315.88.

Under Old Business: Supervisor Leifeld stated the District #2 Election Inspectors have requested their polling place be changed from the West Shokan Firehouse to the Olive Free Library. Supervisor Leifeld stated the community room at the Olive Free Library is more handicapped accessible. On a Leifeld/La Monda motion and unanimous roll vote the Town Board approved the Olive Free Library as the designated polling place for District #2. Roll vote being: Johansen, yes; Chase, yes; La Monda, yes; Burkhardt, yes; and Leifeld, yes. In response to a concern by Council Member Chase, Town Clerk Rozzelle stated that mailing labels will be ordered from the Board of Elections and letters mailed out from the Town Clerk’s Office notifying voters of the polling place change.

Supervisor Leifeld stated that new bid specs for the Davis Park facility are available as of today and bids will be opened Thursday, May 31st, 3:00 pm, at the Town Clerk’s Office. 

John Hansen asked how much the town has already paid for architectural designs and contract. Supervisor Leifeld stated the contract that all Town Board members agreed to was for $20,000.00 and includes the pool engineer and SJM Associates. 

Kevin Scanlan asked what the Town Board trimmed off of the second bid in order to bring the price down. Supervisor Leifeld stated they did not trim that much off; however, they changed the manner in which the project will be bid. The bids will now be split up to separate the pool and the bathrooms. Supervisor Leifeld stated that Town Clerk Rozzelle and Council Member La Monda worked together on a grant proposal for part of the park project to include water saving devices for the bathrooms and bath house, new sanitary disposal system, and funds to cover the partial plumbing costs. Council Member La Monda stated he provided the information regarding the grant and thanked Town Clerk Rozzelle for actually writing the grant proposal. He noted the grant application was delivered to the CWC on April 26th and at that time the grant application received favorable comments from the grant reviewer. Regarding the park bid specs, Council Member La Monda stated the consulting engineer and the pool consultant both felt that 10% could be saved by bidding the project to start in the fall. 

Kevin Scanlan distributed a copy of the referendum question as it appeared on last November’s ballot and read the proposition. Supervisor Leifeld stated he is following the agenda and suggested that in the future Mr. Scanlan contact his office when he wants to be on the agenda. Supervisor Leifeld stated he would let him proceed at this time. Mr. Scanlan asked if the Town has received either of these two bonds. Supervisor Leifeld stated the town has not received the grant from the state and that is why the town is proceeding in this direction. Mr. Scanlan asked what is the plan if the town does not receive any of the two bonds and asked if the town is legally bound. He further asked what is Supervisor Leifeld’s interpretation of the proposition. Supervisor Leifeld stated the proposition doesn’t say that the town can’t go forward if we don’t get the grant and stated his interpretation is that if the Town Board decides among the five of them to pursue this project through different routes then they can do it. Council Member Johansen stated the Town Board should not use the results of this referendum as a mandate to move forward on this project. Council Member La Monda stated there is no mandate that says they should proceed; however, in the best interest of the town they need to do something with the pool and with the sanitary facilities. He stated he does not feel it mandated but does feel it good business to not let an infrastructure fall down around us. Gerard Malak stated this is going to be a problem right on through and thought the people should vote on this. 

Regarding the referendum, Supervisor Leifeld stated legal advice was to not include a specific number in the proposition. He noted the voters passed the referendum, and in his personal opinion, people have stated they want a pool and want improvements made. He stated the question is whether people want to spend that kind of money and not have the grant funds. 

John Hansen asked what happened with the two state grant applications. Council Member Johansen stated that NY State gave no reason as to why the town did not receive funds. John Hansen stated this pool would cost the taxpayers something somewhere. Council Member Burkhardt stated, of course it would cost the taxpayers something as the pool we have right now costs the townspeople something and the current recreation program costs the taxpayers something. Council Member La Monda and Council Member Burkhardt noted that the majority of the money available for this project is in capital reserve accounts that must be spent on capital improvements. 

Discussion occurred on the park project, bids, and funds available.

Supervisor Leifeld noted the interest through March 2001 as $23,349.31 and cash received for March 2001 as $22,949.53. 

The following Committee Reports were submitted:
PARKS & RECREATION liaison Council Member Burkhardt stated that May 5th is opening day for Little League, T-Ball will commence in mid-May, and women’s and men’s softball will start next week. She noted the Summer Recreation Program will have letters going out to counselors and they will need a new WSI to run the program.

TRANSFER STATION liaison Council Member La Monda noted $4,070.00 in revenues were received at the facility, 52.59 tons were removed at a cost of $3,681.30 with the Transfer Station operating in the black.

POLICE DEPARTMENT liaison Council Member Johansen stated helmets are being ordered for the bike rodeo to be held at the school the first week in June. 

HIGHWAY liaison Council Member Chase stated that two new people were hired for the parks part time at 20 hours a week to include weekends. She noted Crispell Road will be resurfaced soon and two dump trucks are being refurbished with new dump bodies. 

TOWN CLERK Rozzelle stated that during the month of April she wrote two grants, one for $42,000.00 for the parks project which was submitted to the Catskill Watershed Corporation on April 26th and one for the Olive Fire Department for $52,000.00 for a new command vehicle and supply hose for three companies which was submitted to the federal government on April 25th. 

Under New Business: Supervisor Leifeld explained the difference between a “state of emergency” and a “snow emergency”. On a Leifeld/Johansen motion the Town Board empowered the Supervisor to have the Attorney for the Town draft a Snow Emergency Law.

On a Leifeld/Chase motion the Town Board requested a letter of recognition be forwarded to Boy Scout Scott Kanvin for his achieving the high rank of Eagle Scout. 

On a Leifeld/La Monda motion the Town Board approved the transfer of $180.00 from A7310.4 to A7310.2 and the transfer of $2,908.52 from the Wireless Escrow Account to the General Fund. 

On a La Monda/Chase motion the Town Board requested a letter of commendation be sent to Police Officer Paul Mejias for his professionalism displayed in taking charge of a recent emergency situation in which two young persons lives were saved. Copies of the letter will be sent to all Police Commissioners. 

Council Member Chase stated that a four-panel kiosk would be constructed at the Frying Pan and she presented a copy of the photos and information that will be displayed. The photos will show the way the area looked before and during construction of the reservoir. She noted a formal dedication would be conducted in September or October. She also noted a memorial concert for Chet Lyons, Jr., would be held, Saturday June 16th, at the Olive and Hurley Old School Baptist Meeting House. She also noted that a puppet play entitled “The City that Drinks the Mountain Sky” would be held on June 30th at the reservoir.

Council Member Chase stated that the governor’s office is working with the state GIS to create overlays of all roads and highways. She noted these aerial photos could actually be utilized as maps with the project anticipated completed and available to the public in three to four years. 

Supervisor Leifeld stated the Town Board has been discussing the salary of the Highway Superintendent for 2002 noting that the current Superintendent is retiring at the end of this year at a salary of $43,000.00 after 33 years of service. He stated the Town Board is discussing lowering the beginning salary for the new Superintendent. It was also noted that any new employee would receive only individual medical coverage paid as a fringe benefit by the town. 

All business pertinent having been discussed the Town Board adjourned at 8:45 pm on a La Monda/ Chase motion and in memory of Brandon Krum. The Town Board approved dedicating a page in the Minute Book to Brandon.

Sylvia B. Rozzelle, Town Clerk

This Page Dedicated

In Memory of

Brandon Krum

Lifetime Resident of Olive

Member of the Olive Fire Department 

Company #3

Loyal Town of Olive Employee

Devoted Husband and Father
&
Loving Son

Showing Courage and Compassion
Throughout his Illness and Adversity