The Regular Meeting for the Town Board of the Town of Brighton, Franklin County, NY, was held Thursday, June 12, 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: Andy Crary, Superintendent of Highways, Elizabeth DeFonce-Town Clerk /Tax Collector, Russell DeFonce-Town Justice, and 2 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 Park, Town Hall, garage and; picked up the 2022 truck from Plattsburgh after the sensors were fixed; put crusher run on Church Pond Road; fixed a washout on Slush Pond Road; put the flags out for Memorial Day; replaced culverts on Wardner Road; put new batteries in the 2015 truck; ordered wheel bearings for the York rake; worked on Wardner Road to prepare it for paving.

A resident expressed concern about the condition of Wardner Road and was pleased to learn that it’s scheduled to be paved. Paving it all at once would be preferable to paving half at a time.

 

Town Clerk Elizabeth DeFonce: Total Revenue to Supervisor as of May 31, 2025, was $6,332.45 from 1 copy of vital records, 7 dog licenses, and 6 building permits.

May 28: Received Notification of Routine Tree Maintenance from National Grid.

May 29: Attended New York State Archives “Creating File Plans” webinar

June 2: Received 2 Dog Seizure and Disposition Reports from the Tri-Lakes Humane Society. Both dogs have since been relicensed.

June 2: Received 1 dog license from Tri-Lakes Humane Society.

TOWN HALL REQUESTS: None

TOWN PARK REQUEST: Saturday, June 21, Birthday party, 3 hours; Sunday, June 29, High Peaks Church Baptism party, 2.5 hours; Saturday, July 12, Bridal shower, 5 hours

Tax Collector – Elizabeth DeFonce: Attended the New York State Association of Tax Receivers and Collector’s Annual Training Seminar in Lake George from Sunday, June 8, through Wednesday, June 11. At the urging of a few other Tax Collectors in the area I nominated myself to be the District Director for District 8 (comprising the counties of St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton, and Essex). The nomination was accepted and I was sworn in at the banquet on Tuesday. Next year’s training seminar will be in Niagara Falls.

The latest bank statement shows a balance of exactly 1¢. Since that amount is unlikely to garner much interest I would rather leave it in the account until next collecting season.

The $50 petty cash fund has been made full and is ready to hand back to the Supervisor.

Other than the aforementioned penny, the Tax Collector’s books are closed and ready to be audited. The audit was scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, at 4pm.

Historian – Elaine Sater: no report

Town Justice – Russ DeFonce: Disposed of 47 cases during May and the Supervisor received a check in the amount of $3,200.

Code Enforcement Officer – Rodger Tompkins: 5 building permits issued in May.

Assessor – John Stack: no report but it was noted that the Town’s equalization rate is 100%.

Supervisor – Peter Shrope:

BridgeNY: There are 2 invoices for Barton and Loguidice in this month’s vouchers.

Deposits: Town Clerk – $6,332.45, Town Justice – $3,200, Franklin County mortgage tax – $6,573.20.

Budget: doing fine.

NYCLASS: For May – General Fund interest $445.53, total $126,772.37 ($20,000 for Town Hall). Highway Fund interest $169.78, total $48,312.39.

ARPA: the Town’s report has been satisfied but money is owed. Payment will be made once an invoice from the US Department of Treasury is received.

ACCEPT/AMEND MINUTES

May 8, 2025 – Regular Board Meeting Minutes

Motion made by Amber McKernan, second by Steve Tucker, to accept the minutes of the May 8, Regular Board Meeting as written. Aye 5 (McKernan, Santagate ,Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: The park is being used regularly. A previously noticed wet spot has been filled in.

Business:

Adirondack Land Trust is working with Paul Smith’s College (PSC) for a conservation easement on the Visitor Interpretive Center. If the deal is approved PSC may come to the Town Board for letters of support.

The Towns of Duane and St. Armand have sent Shared Service Agreements to the Town.

Deferred Comp is now available.

Due to the high cost of the phone lines for the Town Hall Supervisor Peter Shrope is investigating the purchase of a small business system which would allow departments to have individual mailboxes. The existing lines for the Fax and Highway Garage would be kept. An inquiry was made whether or not the system would include Caller ID.

AUDIT OF VOUCHERS

 

RESOLUTION #15-2025

AUDIT OF VOUCHERS

Motion made by Amber McKernan, seconded Lydia Wright,

 

RESOLVED that the Supervisor be authorized to pay the audited vouchers as listed on the abstracts as follows:

PREPAID FUNDS: Abstract #6 for Voucher #6A through #6C for 2025 in the amount of $779.22 and Voucher #6C STREET LIGHTING FUNDS in the amount of $72.67

GENERAL FUND: Abstract #6 for Voucher #88 through #106 for 2025 funds in the amount of $6,935.03

HIGHWAY FUND: Abstract #6 for Voucher #66 through #72 for 2025 funds in the amount of $47,445.92

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

Resolution #15 declared duly adopted.

 

ADJOURNMENT

Motion to Adjourn at 7:33 made by Amber McKernan, second by Lydia Wright,

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

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Elizabeth DeFonce, Brighton Town Clerk