The Regular Meeting for the Town Board of the Town of Brighton, Franklin County, NY, was held Thursday, December 13, 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: C. Tracy Santagate, Steve Tucker, Lydia Wright

ABSENT: Amber McKernan

OTHERS PRESENT: Elizabeth DeFonce–Town Clerk/Tax Collector, Russell DeFonce–Town Justice, John Stack, Assessor

GUESTS; Patrick Maguire and Jessica Durditt from OneGroup Insurance

 

NOTICE OF MEETING:

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

 

INSURANCE AGENT – Pat Maguire and Jessica Burditt, OneGroup Insurance:

Reviewed 2026 insurance policy with the board. Overall rate of increase is 7.2 but adopting a higher deductible plan would reduce this to around 3.5%.

RESOLUTION #32-2025

LIABILITY INSURANCE NYMIR POLICY

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Lydia Wright,

 

RESOLVED that the Town Board accepts the Liability Insurance Policy for 2026 from New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal (NYMIR) at the higher deductible option for a savings of $810.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Santagate, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

Resolution #32 declared duly adopted.

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, seconded by Lydia Wright, that the Supervisor be authorized to sign the Electronic Document Acknowledgement allowing the acceptance of emailed copies of all documents listed. Hard copies will still be provided. Aye 4 (Shrope, Santagate, Tucker, Wright, Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

REPORTS

 

Highway – Superintendent of Highways Andy Crary: plowing and sanding; mixed salt and sand together, all the salt has been delivered; changed the cutting edge on the 2022 truck; put new sander and new hydraulic lines on the 2015 truck; put the plow wing on the 2013; put a new cutoff switch on the 2015 truck; hired a laborer for winter to do plowing with the pickup truck and loader work. He started on December 5; the appropriate paperwork has been filed with Franklin County.

Town Clerk Elizabeth DeFonce: Total Revenue to Supervisor as of November 30, 2025, was $25 from 2 dog licenses.

November 20: Mailed budget to Franklin County Legislature.

December 2: Attended Clinton-Essex-Franklin Town Clerks’ meeting at RiverTrail Beerworks in Saranac Lake. The September 15, 2026 meeting will be hosted here at the Town Hall. Meals will be provided by the Brighton Minimart.

TOWN HALL REQUESTS: None

TOWN PARK REQUEST: None

 

Tax Collector – Elizabeth DeFonce: Picked up the two boxes of envelopes ordered from the Post Office on November 25. Mortgage packets from Lereta and CoreLogic have arrived.

Historian – Elaine Sater: Term ends in January and has expressed an interest in being reappointed.

Town Justice – Russ DeFonce: Disposed of 43 cases,. The Supervisor received a check in the amount of $7,347.07. Of that money, $3,110 were from current cases, $2,120 were from the previous judge, and $2,117.07 was classified as unidentified funds. This check will zero out the justice account.

 

Code Enforcement Officer – Rodger Tompkins: Issued 3 building permits for November

 

Assessor – John Stack: Found a project that didn’t have a corresponding building permit. Spoke to the homeowner but will speak with the Code Enforcement Officer about how to handle the situation.

Taught a class at the Local Government Conference in October. Will likely continue teaching this class at this conference in the future.

The senior exemption has been raised, from 50% to 65%. Towns will have to opt in. Currently this exemption is offered through the Saranac Lake School District.

The Alternate Veterans Exemption has been the same since 2005 while property assessments have increased which means the value of the exemption has decreased significantly. The assessor would like the board to consider increasing it by 50% and will approach both the county and the school district to do the same. This increase would have to take place before March 1 in order to take effect for the next year’s tax roll. The assessor will  rewrite the Town’s current Veteran’s Exemption law and pass it, as well as other town laws referenced, along to Supervisor Peter Shrope who will send it off to the Town’s attorney for input.

 

BAR Appointment: Cliff Wagner’s term expired on September 30 of this year but he is willing to be reappointed for another term.

 

RESOLUTION #33-2025

REAPPOINTMENT OF BAR MEMBER WAGNER

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,

RESOLVED that Cliff Wagner be reappointed as Board of Assessment Review member for a 5-year term to run from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2030.

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Santagate, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

Resolution #33 declared duly adopted.

 

Animal Control – Supervisor Peter Shrope received the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ report on the inspection of the Tri-Lakes Humane Society; all ratings were satisfactory.

Supervisor – Peter Shrope:

Tax Cap: The 2026 budget has been submitted to the Office of the Comptroller. It met the tax cap.

National Business Machines: Met with the new sales representative. Based on the current number of printings the current printer has a lot of life left in it. The company offers phone services including one line with several mailboxes. Attempts to discuss the phone situation have not been fruitful as of yet.

BridgeNY: received reimbursement of $33,542.50

Deposits: Town Clerk – $25, Town Justice – $7,347.07, Mortgage tax – $7,947.13

Budget: Doing well, still have $940,000 in the bank. Budget amendments will be forthcoming in January.

NYCLASS: For November – General Fund interest $407.37, total $129,364.66 ($20,000 for Town Hall). Highway Fund interest $155.25, total $49,300.28.

ACCEPT/AMEND MINUTES

November 13, 2025 – Regular Board Meeting Minutes

Motion made by Steve Tucker, second by Lydia Wright, to accept the minutes of the November 13 Regular Board Meeting as written. Aye 4 (Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Abstain 1 (McKernan)

 

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: None.

 

Business:

The 2026 contract with the Tri-Lakes Humane Society will cost $4,060 to be paid by February 1.

 

RESOLUTION #34-2025

CONTRACT WITH TRI-LAKES HUMANE SOCIETY

Motion made by Supervisor Peter Shrope, second by Steve Tucker,

RESOLVED that the Town Board authorizes the Supervisor to sign an agreement with Tri-Lakes Humane Society, Inc., for Dog Control Officer and shelter services in the amount of $4,060 for the year 2026.

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Santagate, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

Resolution #34 declared duly adopted.

Old Business:

Still working on research regarding Local Law #4, 2001 and the motor size allowable on Jones Pond.

Supervisor Peter Shrope has a working modem; placing it out in the main room of the Town Hall may alleviate the issues around spotty internet service.

 

The Organizational Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 8 at 7PM with the regular Board Meeting following immediately thereafter.

 

AUDIT OF VOUCHERS

RESOLUTION #35-2025

AUDIT OF VOUCHERS

Motion made by Lydia Wright, seconded by Tracy Santagate,

 

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

PREPAID FUNDS: Abstract #12 for Voucher #12A through #12C for 2025 in the amount of $863.38 and Voucher #12C STREET LIGHTING FUNDS in the amount of $116.36

GENERAL FUND: Abstract #12 for Voucher #183 through #196 for 2025 funds in the amount of $13,993.75

HIGHWAY FUND: Abstract #12 for Voucher #118 through #131 for 2025 funds in the amount of $49,172.10

 

ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye 4 (Shrope, Santagate, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

Resolution #35 declared duly adopted.

 

CITIZENS’ COMMENTS: A question arose as to whether or not the tentative budget should have been on the website. Copies were available at the Town Hall.

 

ADJOURNMENT

Motion to Adjourn at 8:21  made by Lydia Wright, second by Tracy Santagate,

Aye 4 (Santagate, Shrope, Tucker, Wright), Nay 0, Absent 1 (McKernan)

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Elizabeth DeFonce

Brighton Town Clerk