The Village of Franklin held two (2) Public Hearings and its regular board meeting on May 8, 2023, at the Village Hall office (141 Water Street) at 7:00PM. Present: Mayor Tom Briggs, Trustee Wilson, Trustee VanDeusen, Clerk/Treasurer Niebanck, Superintendent Kingsbury and guests recorded on the sign-in register. The meeting was streamed and recorded on the video platform Zoom.
Public Hearings: Called to order at 7:00PM
Proposed Village Budget for 2023-2024: discussion regarding 5112.2; reduce to $30K. Proposed budget amount for General Fund is $312,761.01 and Water Fund is $91,432.00. Proposed tax levy – $100,836.39.
Short Term Rental Regulations/Local Law No. 2 of 2023: no comments
Board Meeting:
Minutes: Minutes of the April 10, 2023 board meeting: Wilson moved and VanDeusen seconded that minutes of April 10, 2023 be approved. So passed.
Treasurer’s Report
Date: April 30, 2023
| General Fund | $2,726.90 |
| – Savings | $196,311.68 |
| – Reserve/Maint Equip | $84,871.72 |
| – Sidewalks | $16,909.45 |
| – Trees | $2,368.87 |
| Water Fund | $6,273.88 |
| – Savings | $20,531.97 |
| – Capital Fund/Well Develop | $10,970.10 |
| Water Project | $6.92 |
| Water Tower Grant | $72.01 |
| Trust & Agency | $0.00 |
| Grant Fund | $14,165.48 |
| ARPA Funds (remaining) | $11,912.57 |
| Recreation Commission | $4,769.50 |
| – Savings | $37,758.92 |
| – CD | $7,861.15 |
| – CD | $15,951.61 |
VanDeusen moved and Wilson seconded budget transfers in GF of $1,454.26 and in WF of $1,679.25 (see detail attached). So passed. VanDeusen moved and Wilson seconded approval of Treasurer’s Report of April 30, 2023. So passed.
Citizens’ Comments: 1) Local Law No. 2 will be voted on in new business; permits will be mailed to current short term rental owners. 2) Dog concerns; noise from Wally Rd. Village has hired Dog Control Officer who is willing to talk to dog owners. 3) Determination about Bissell Springs? Not yet; will let residents know. 4) LED on street lights are bright; could put caps on lights and can get them from Albany? – Tabled.
Correspondence: 1) Del. County Real Property Tax re: tax sale of parcel 97.16-3-9/Schiffner. 2) New York State DOT re: new regional director.
Clerk’s Report: 1) Email re: noise complaint on Maple Street; emailed a copy of Noise Ordinance to Sheriff’s office and will mail a copy to the offender. 2) SPCA contract has not yet been finalized or adopted.
Superintendent’s Report: 1) Installed second meter at 272 Center St for two apartments 2) Fixed water leak at 435 Main. 3) Getting quote from Stevens Excavating for catch basin at Costello property. 4) Installed new meter at 669 Main. 5) No new information on the new truck purchase. 6) Driveway entry repairs are responsibility of property owner. 6) Quotes received from Dr. Sealgood; can give go ahead to do the work. 7) White’s will give quote for new lawn mower.
Old Business
CDBG Update: Tweedie is working on getting a permit; they would like copies of key
Dog Control Officer: Contract with Susquehanna SPCA; same as Town of Franklin contract; Dog Control Officer will be paid once a month beginning in June; post on community board and website re: licensing application. Cat health problems may be addressed by Delhi Animal Hospital.
Sewer Study: Meg Lavalette met with a company called C&S based in Syracuse who helped another small village (Odessa) from start to finish; did testing and engineering plan, and grant writing (took 4 years); would start with eColi test; engineering feasibility study is $25-40K could be written into grant application; feasibility report from 2002 is available; engineering study done last year. Co-Owner of building has relative with sewer infrastructure experience. Catskill Watershed Corp. – Franklin is considered in the watershed; they did a number of hookups piping effluent to a leach field. Village would have to hire someone to manage a sewage plant. State of NY budget has $500k plus for water/sewage infrastructure. Entire project could potentially be covered by a grant. Mayor Briggs will speak with Mayor of Odessa.
New Business
Budget for 2023-2024: VanDeusen moved and Wilson seconded adoption of the General Fund and Water Fund budgets. Budget amount for General Fund is $312,761.01 and Water Fund is $91,432.00. Tax levy – $100,836.39. Passed.
Local Law No. 2 of 2023/Short Term Rental Regulations: Wilson moved and VanDeusen seconded adoption of Local Law No. 2 of 2023 – a local law to establish short-term rental regulations and permitting within the Village of Franklin. Clerk will file with the State of NY. Passed.
Pride Month: Received a letter proposing a proclamation declaring June 2023 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month; Village government will receive requests for proclamations for approval. VanDeusen moved and Wilson seconded that the Mayor make the proclamation declaring June 2023 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month in the Village of Franklin, New York. Passed.
NYCOM Delegate: Mayor appoints John Wilson as delegate to NYCOM conference.
Bissell Hill Property: Plan to establish a day to walk up there with Village Board and interested residents.
Citizens’ Comments: none.
Village Dump: will get a camera; Jason lock up at end of day; open weekdays from 8-2; other hours would need to contact Village and weekends would be by reservation. Hanna will work with Jason to write up guidelines to post on Facebook and Village website.
Approval of Bills: VanDeusen moved and Wilson seconded approval to pay bills. So passed.
Village
| 290-22 | NYSEG | A1620.4 | $59.40 | A2188 |
| 291-22 | NYSEG | A1620.4 | $62.37 | A2189 |
| 292-22 | NYSEG | A7110.4 | $13.97 | A2190 |
| 293-22 | Postmaster | A1325.4 | $126.00 | A2201 |
| 294-22 | Trust and Agency | A9030.8 | $81.79 | A2202 |
| 295-22 | Trust and Agency | FX9055.8 | $392.38 | FX1549 |
| 296-22 | Frontier | FX8320.4 | $9.50 | FX1564 |
| 297-22 | NYSEG | FX8320.4 | $26.88 | FX1565 |
| 298-22 | NYSEG | FX8320.4 | $1,234.98 | FX1566 |
| 299-22 | Trust and Agency | FX9089.8 | $134.00 | FX1571 |
| 300-22 | Trust and Agency | FX9030.8 | $396.20 | FX1572 |
| 301-22 | Capital One | A1010.4 | $1,132.00 | |
| 302-22 | Capital One | A1325.4 | $15.99 | |
| 303-22 | Decker Advertising | A1325.4 | $36.22 | |
| 304-22 | Office Depot | A1325.4 | $184.66 | |
| 305-22 | Decker Advertising | VOID | ||
| 306-22 | Boulder Oil | A1620.4 | $233.98 | |
| 307-22 | Delhi Telephone Co. | A1620.4 | $78.70 | |
| 308-22 | Jess Howes, Inc. | A1620.4 | $5.25 | |
| 309-22 | Mirabito Energy Products | A5110.4 | $161.31 | |
| 310-22 | NYSEG | A5182.4 | $275.91 | |
| 311-22 | Waste Recovery Enterprises | A8160.4 | $12.32 | |
| 312-22 | Amrex Chemical Co. | FX8330.4 | $601.00 | |
| 313-22 | Life Science Labs | FX8330.4 | $43.20 | |
| 314-22 | Delaware Engineering | H8797.4 | $8,394.65 | |
| TOTAL | $13,712.66 | |||
| PAID PRIOR TO MEETING | $2,537.47 | |||
| Total | $11,175.19 |
Recreation Commission
| 58-22 | NYSEG | J7345.4 | $0.00 | N/A |
| 59-22 | Frontier | J7545.4 | $61.77 | J1827 |
Mayor Briggs adjourned the meeting at 8:34PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Paula Niebanck
Clerk/Treasurer
Budget Transfers for May 2023
| To: | From: | |||||
| Acct. Code | Description | Amount | Acct. Code | Description | Amount | |
| GENERAL FUND: | ||||||
| 1010.4 | Board of Trustees, Exp. | $520.00 | 1210.4 | Mayor, Exp. | ($300.00) | |
| 1325.2 | Clerk/Treas., Equip. | ($220.00) | ||||
| 1620.4 | Buildings, Exp. | $858.54 | 5110.2 | Street/Maint., Equip. | ($858.54) | |
| 5182.4 | Street Lighting, Exp. | $73.00 | 5110.2 | Street/Maint., Equip. | ($73.00) | |
| 9055.8 | Disability Insurance | $2.72 | 5110.2 | Street/Maint., Equip. | ($2.72) | |
| $1,454.26 | ($1,454.26) | |||||
| WATER FUND: | ||||||
| 8310.2 | Admin., Equip. | $543.14 | 8310.1 | Admin., Personal | ($1,679.25) | |
| 8310.4 | Admin., Exp. | $520.00 | ||||
| 8320.4 | Power & Pump, Exp. | $30.82 | ||||
| 9050.8 | Unemployment Ins. | $585.29 | ||||
| $1,679.25 | ($1,679.25) | |||||
| $3,133.51 | ($3,133.51) | |||||