The Regular Meeting for the Town Board of the Town of Brighton, Franklin County, NY, was held Thursday, September 11, 2025, at 7:00pm at the Brighton Town Hall, 12 County Road 31, Paul Smiths, NY, with the following:

CALL TO ORDER: 

Meeting was Called to Order by Supervisor Peter Shrope at 7:00pm
The “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag was recited.

ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS

PRESENT: Supervisor Peter Shrope. Council Members: Amber McKernan, Caroline T. Santagate (Tracy), Steve Tucker, Lydia Wright
OTHERS PRESENT: Elizabeth DeFonce-Town Clerk /Tax Collector, John Stack-Assessor, Zoe Smith, Paul Smith’s College (PSC) (late), and 3 residents

NOTICE OF MEETING:

Notice of this meeting was posted on the Town Clerk’s Sign Board.

REPORTS

Highway – Superintendent of Highways Andy Crary: mowed the cemeteries, Town Hall, Town Garage, Town Park, soccer field, and Hobart Road; put crusher gravel on Clark Wardner Road; was present for both boiler inspections; monitoring the beaver activity near the Town Hall; hauled for Santa Clara and Saranac Lake; performed road checks

Town Clerk Elizabeth DeFonce: Total Revenue to Supervisor as of August 31, 2025, was $30.00 from 1 dog license and 1 Town Park donation

August 25: Phone call with Williamson for a demonstration of their Town Clerk’s Software program. Some of the data may need to be  manipulated in order to fit the program’s parameters. They will work up a quote and send it shortly.

Processed four DMV parking accessibility permits.

Performed one notarization.

TOWN HALL REQUESTS: None

TOWN PARK REQUEST: Sunday, September 14, Picnic, 4 hours

Tax Collector – Elizabeth DeFonce: Attended New York State Town Clerk’s presentation, “Hot Topics in Real Property Tax Collection” webinar.

Preparing for the upcoming tax season and will evaluate quantity of envelopes to decide on how many boxes to buy.

Historian – Elaine Sater: no report

Town Justice – Russ DeFonce: Disposed of 28 cases. The Supervisor received a check in the amount of $1,125.

With the Court Clerk, attended the Franklin County Magistrates meeting to discuss establishing a Central Arraignment Part in the county.

Performed two arraignments for Harrietstown Town Court.

Progress has been made on accounting for the funds transferred from the former Justice’s account. The intention is to have it zeroed out by the end of the year. The upcoming check for September’s report will reflect some of that money.

Code Enforcement Officer – Rodger Tompkins: 6 building permits for a total of $1,620.50

Assessor – John Stack: Would like to inspect new construction permits and will contact the caretakers on Spitfire Lake for access to those properties.

There was a request to use the Town’s credit card to take a required online “Ethics” class. It must be completed by October 1.

RESOLUTION#23-2025

USE OF CREDIT CARD FOR ASSESSOR

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, seconded by Amber McKernan,

RESOLVED that the Town Board authorizes Assessor John Stack to use the Credit Card to register for an online “Ethics” class due October 1 in an amount Not to Exceed $300.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0

Resolution #23 declared duly adopted.

Supervisor – Peter Shrope:

Received a request for a letter of support from PSC regarding their application to the Northern Border Regional Commission for a revitalization project at the Visitor’s Interpretive Center. Supervisor Peter Shrope wrote a letter on Town letterhead.

BridgeNY: Received four invoices. They are included in the vouchers for this month.

Deposits: Town Clerk – $30, Town Justice – $1,125, Temporary Municipal Aid – $782.

Budget: everything’s fine. Budget worksheets have been handed out. They’re due on September 20.

NYCLASS: For August – General Fund interest $448.86, total $128,100.77 ($20,000 for Town Hall). Highway Fund interest $171.04, total $48,818.60.

The union contract is due to be renegotiated. Supervisor Peter Shrope has reached out to them but has not heard back yet.

Information on the Franklin County Real Estate auction was presented.

A new sign for the Town Park will be installed soon.

ACCEPT/AMEND MINUTES

August 14, 2025 – Regular Board Meeting Minutes

Motion made by Amber McKernan, second by Steve Tucker, to accept the minutes of the August 14 Regular Board Meeting as written. Aye 3 (McKernan, Shrope, Tucker), Nay 0, Abstain 2 (Santagate, Wright)

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: None

Business:

The budget workshop has been scheduled for Thursday, October 9 at 6pm. The regular board meeting will follow.

Zoe Smith from Paul Smith’s College (PSC) discussed a possible partnership between PSC and the Town to submit an application to the New York State Adirondack and Catskill Park Community Smart Growth Program. The grant would fund an assessment to identify accessibility projects at the PSC Visitor’s Interpretive Center (VIC) and the Town Park. After some discussion it was decided that the Town would write a letter of support for PSC to pursue this application alone but will keep the door open for the possibility of a future collaboration.

RESOLUTION #24-2025

PAUL SMITH’S COLLEGE LETTER OF SUPPORT

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, seconded Amber McKernan,

WHEREAS Paul Smith’s College (PSC) would like to pursue an assessment to increase accessibility at the Visitor’s Interpretive Center, and
WHEREAS PSC would like to submit an application to the New York State Adirondack and Catskill Park Community Smart Growth Program to fund this assessment and is looking for letters of support in this endeavor,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Supervisor Peter Shrope will craft a letter, using a draft provided by PSC , in support of PSC’s pursuit of said grant, to be signed by the Town Board.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0
Resolution #24 declared duly adopted.

Old Business:

The answering machine purchased by Supervisor Peter Shrope didn’t work properly so it has been returned.
There was a discussion regarding both the size and the speed of boats on Jones Pond. While there are regulations, both local and state, that pertain to other lakes, Jones Pond is not addressed. Amending Local Law No. 4, 2001 to include Jones Pond and to specify horsepower limits was proposed. More information such as monitoring boat traffic by residents as well as soliciting input by property owners along the pond should take place before further action is taken.

AUDIT OF VOUCHERS

RESOLUTION #25-2025
AUDIT OF VOUCHERS

Motion made by Amber McKernan, seconded Tracy Santagate,

RESOLVED that the Supervisor be authorized to pay the audited vouchers as listed on the abstracts as follows:
PREPAID FUNDS: Abstract #9 for Voucher #9A through #9C for 2025 in the amount of $749.77 and Voucher #9C STREET LIGHTING FUNDS in the amount of $86.68
GENERAL FUND: Abstract #9 for Voucher #138 through #150 for 2025 funds in the amount of $4,967.32
HIGHWAY FUND: Abstract #9 for Voucher #98 through #102 for 2025 funds in the amount of $38,187.47

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0
Resolution #25 declared duly adopted.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion to Adjourn at 8:36 made by Amber McKernan, second by Supervisor Peter Shrope,

Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Elizabeth DeFonce, Brighton Town Clerk