January 13, 2022 Organizational Meeting (DRAFT)

The 2022 Organizational Meeting for the Town Board of the Town of Brighton, Franklin County, NY, was held Thursday, January 13, 2022, 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 7:04pm
The “Pledge of Allegiance” to the flag was recited

ROLL CALL OF OFFICERS
PRESENT: Supervisor Peter Shrope
Council Members: Steve Tucker and Lydia Wright
ABSENT: Council Members Amber McKernan and Matthew Szeliga
OTHERS PRESENT: Andy Crary-Superintendent of Highways, Elaine Sater-Town Clerk, and 4 members of the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department (PSGVFD).
GUESTS: None

NOTICE OF MEETING:
Notice of this meeting was posted on the Town Clerk’s Sign Board on January 6, 2022, and a notice was published in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise. Notices were distributed to Town Officials.

PAUL SMITHS-GABRIELS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT
Chrissy Raudonis – Fire Chief presented the annual report to the Town Board. She presented a list of Officers and members for the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department. She will inform the Franklin County Self-Insurance office of the members. The Fire Department has acquired a new reserve engine for use in training. NYS DEC provided a grant for a tow-behind sled with wheels and skis for woodland rescues and fires. The additional bay on the building has been completed. There are 8 members who completed Firefighter II Interior training, 7 took Basic exterior training, and 4 or 5 are in EMT classes. They have a waiting list for members so they can pick who they want for members. In 2023 the Paul Smith’s College dorms are going to be used for the University Games athletes. There were 84 fire calls and 54 EMT calls during 2021.

RESOLUTION # 1-2022
PAUL SMITHS-GABRIELS VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICERS AND MEMBERS
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED that the Town Board accepts the 2022 membership list of 43 individuals and the following Officers of the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department as follows:
Chrissy Raudonis – Chief
Steve Tucker – 1st Assistant Chief
Ben Tucker – 2nd Assistant Chief
Sam Branch – Captain
Connor McCuin – 1st Lieutenant
Tom Tucker – 2nd Lieutenant
Matt Gonsalves – Training Officer
Emma McCuin – Treasurer
Amanda Tucker – Secretary

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #1 declared duly adopted

APPOINTMENTS BY SUPERVISOR FOR 2022/2023
Deputy Supervisor – Steve Tucker
Bookkeeper/Budget Officer (Contract) – Richard Meagher of Lake Clear

APPOINTMENTS/DESIGNATIONS BY BOARD for 2022/2023

RESOLUTION #2-2022
APPOINTMENTS BY TOWN BOARD FOR 2022/2023
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED that the following appointments by the Town Board are hereby approved for 2022/2023
Code Enforcement Officer – Paul Blaine
Town Historian – Elaine Sater
Records Access Officer – Elaine Sater
Records Management Officer – Elaine Sater
Town Hall Custodian – Shelly Smith
Attorney for the Town (Contract) – Scott Goldie, Esq. Conboy, McKay, Bachman & Kendall, LLP, Canton

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #2 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #3-2022
DESIGNATION OF DEPOSITORIES FOR 2022/2023
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED that the following depositories are authorized to be used by the Town Officials in 2022/2023:
Town Accounts – NBT Bank and Community Bank NA
Tax Collector – NBT Bank
Town Clerk – Community Bank NA
Town Court – Community Bank NA
Investments – NY CLASS

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #3 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #4-2022
DESIGNATION OF COUNTER SIGNER FOR CHECKS OVER $5,000 FOR 2022/2023
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED that the Town Clerk Elaine Sater be designated as the counter signer on all checks over $5,000 written by the Town of Brighton in 2022/2023, with the exception of the Trust and Agency payroll account checks.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #4 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #5-2022
DESIGNATION OF OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER FOR 2022/2023
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED that the Official Newspaper of the Town of Brighton for posting public notices during 2022/2023 will be the Adirondack Daily Enterprise in Saranac Lake.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #5 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #6-2022
APPOINTMENT TO COMMITTEES FOR 2022/2023
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED that the Brighton Town Board approves the following 2022/2023 committee appointments
Highway: Steve Tucker, Lydia Wright
Adirondack Regional Airport Committee: Amber McKernan, Tom McKernan
Parks & Recreation: Peter Shrope, Amber McKernan
Insurance & Investments: Lydia Wright, Amber McKernan
Cemeteries & Town Buildings: Amber McKernan, Steve Tucker
Assessment/BAR: Lydia Wright, Matthew Szeliga
Salaries/Benefits Admin.: Peter Shrope, Amber McKernan
Website: Peter Shrope, Amber McKernan

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #6 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #7-2022
OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR TOWN OF BRIGHTON BUSINESS AND MEETINGS FOR 2022/2023
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED that the following procedures shall apply to Town Board operations during 2022/2023:

Town mail address is PO Box 260, Paul Smiths, NY 12970
– Town Clerk will collect the mail
– Regular Town Board Meetings will be held on the second Thursday of each month starting at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise posted.
– Council Members who are unable to attend a meeting or who will not be able to arrive by the designated meeting time should notify the Supervisor in advance, as a matter of courtesy.
– Council Members or other elected officials wishing to have business items included on the meeting agenda should inform the Supervisor one week in advance of the board meeting, as a matter of courtesy.
– Public requests to be included on the agenda should be made to the Supervisor. Meeting participation by the public will be only by invitation of the meeting chair and speakers will identify themselves. All remarks will be directed to the Board.
– The following departments are requested to provide written monthly reports on activity, expenses, concerns, suggestions, etc., prior to the monthly meeting. These reports should be provided either directly to board members’ mailboxes or to the Supervisor within 3 days of the board meeting to allow for distribution to the Council Members. If there is to be no report, please so inform the Supervisor.

Highway Superintendent – Andy Crary
Town Clerk – Elaine Sater
Town Historian-Elaine Sater
Tax Collector – Holly Huber
Town Justice – Nik Santagate
Assessor – Roseanne Gallagher
Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) – Paul Blaine
Supervisor – Peter Shrope

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #7 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #8-2022
AUTHORIZATION TO PRE-PAY CERTAIN CLAIMS FOR 2022/2023
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, Second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED that the Supervisor be authorized to pre-pay certain claims incurred during 2022/2023 prior to audit of the vouchers for payment, as follows: public utility services, postage, and freight and express charges. All such claims are to be presented for audit at the next regular board meeting.
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #8 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION 9-2022
AUDIT OF 2021 FINANCIAL RECORDS OF TOWN CLERK, JUSTICE, AND SUPERVISOR
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, Second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED that an Annual Audit of Town Clerk, Town Justice and Town Supervisor’s financial records be conducted in accordance with Town Law Section 123 on Thursday, January 20, 2022, at 4:30pm at the Town Hall.
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #9 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #10-2022
REIMBURSEMENT FOR MILEAGE FOR TOWN BUSINESS FOR 2022
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,
RESOLVED that Town Officials be reimbursed at the rate allowed by the United States Internal Revenue Service per mile from the Town Hall for the use of their personal vehicles while on town business during 2022, except for the Tax Collector Holly Huber and Assessor Roseanne Gallagher who will log mileage from their residences. Beginning on Jan. 1, 2022, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be $00.585 cents per mile for business miles driven.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #10 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #11-2022
FILING OF SUPERVISOR’S ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT 2021
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,
RESOLVED that a copy of the Supervisor’s annual financial report (AUD) for 2021 to the State Comptroller be filed with the Town Clerk within the first 60 days of 2022, unless the Comptroller extends the filing date by 60 days, in which case the same extension shall apply to the filing with the Town Clerk.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #11 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #12-2022
AUTHORIZATION TO BOND TOWN OFFICIALS FOR 2022/2023
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,
RESOLVED, that the Town Board authorizes a blanket surety bond permitted by Section 11 of the Public Officers Law in lieu of individual undertakings as required by Section 25 of the Town Law, which indemnifies the Town for losses caused by failure to faithfully perform duties or by fraudulent or dishonest acts on the part of the Tax Collector, the Supervisor, and all other elected officials and employees for the years 2022-2023, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the amount of the blanket surety bond through Municipal Crime Insurance Coverage will be $500,000.00 for all Town officials and employees individually.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #12 declared duly adopted

RESOLUTION #13-2022
AUTHORIZATION FOR SALARIES AND WAGES FOR 2022 ONLY
Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, Second by Lydia Wright,
RESOLVED, that the following salaries and wages be approved and are to be paid biweekly during 2022:

Council Member (A1010.1) $ 5,150.00 /Year each
Justice (A1110.1) $ 15,943.00 /Year
Court Clerk (A1130.1) $ 16.38 /Hour
Supervisor (A1220.1) $ 16,588.00 /Year
Deputy Supervisor (A1220.1A $ 550.00 /Year
Tax Collector (A1330.1) $ 7,854.00 /Year
Assessor (A1355.1) $ 12,570.00 /Year
Town Clerk (A1410.1) $ 12,025.00 /Year
Deputy Town Clerk (A1415.1) $ 16.38 /Hour
Town Hall Custodian (A1620.1) $ 16.38 /Hour
Code Enforcement Officer (A3010.1) $ 16,320.00 /Year
Registrar of Vital Statistics (A4020.1) $ 302.00 /Year
Superintendent of Highways (A5010.1) $ 56,763.00 /Year
Deputy Superintendent of Highways (A5010.1) $ 882.00 /Year
Town Park Manager/Laborer (A7140.1) $ 16.38 hourly
Highway Hourly Wage – General (DA5110.1) $ 18.97 / $28.45 / $37.94 Hour/Over Time/Holiday
Highway Hourly Wage – Snow Removal (DA5142.1) $ 18.97 / $28.45 / $37.94 Hour/Over Time/Holiday

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)
Resolution #13 declared duly adopted

ADJOURNMENT
Motion to Adjourn at 7:39pm made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,
Aye 3 (Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 2 (McKernan, Szeliga)

Respectfully Submitted, Elaine W. Sater, RMC, Brighton Town Clerk