The Village of Franklin held its regular board meeting on April 10, 2023, at the Village Hall office (141 Water Street) at 7:00PM. Present: Mayor Tom Briggs, Trustee Wilson, Trustee VanDeusen, Clerk/Treasurer Niebanck, Deputy Clerk Martin, Superintendent Kingsbury and guests recorded on the sign-in register. The meeting was streamed and recorded on the video platform Zoom.
Swearing In: John Wilson, Trustee was sworn into office for a term of 2 years.
Annual Appointments (made by Mayor Briggs):
Deputy Mayor: John Wilson; Clerk/Treasurer: Paula Niebanck; Deputy Clerk: James Martin; Public Works and Water Superintendent: Jason Kingsbury; School Crossing Guards: Gary Schiffner and Georgetta Skovsende; Newspaper: Walton Reporter; Depository: Wayne Bank; Attorney: David Merzig of Kehoe & Merzig; Recreation Commission Representative: John Wilson; Building Code and Health Officer: Dale Downin; Registrar: Town of Franklin; Historian: Franklin Railroad and Community Museum; Dog Control Officer: Mark Bennett (shared service with Town of Franklin); Board Meetings: 2nd Monday of every month; Special Meetings: TBD.
Minutes: Minutes of the March 13, 2023 meeting: Wilson moved and VanDeusen seconded that minutes of March 13, 2023 be approved. So passed. Minutes of March 23, 2023 Public Forum: Wilson moved and VanDeusen seconded that minutes of March Public Forum be approved. So passed.
Treasurer’s Report
Date: March 31, 2023
| General Fund | $1,151.26 |
| – Savings | $214,304.08 |
| – Reserve/Maint Equip | $84,868.46 |
| – Sidewalks | $16,908.80 |
| – Trees | $2,368.78 |
| Water Fund | $502.91 |
| – Savings | $22,531.17 |
| – Capital Fund/Well Develop | $10,969.68 |
| Water Project | $6.92 |
| Water Tower Grant | $72.01 |
| Trust & Agency | $0.00 |
| Grant Fund | $15,765.48 |
| ARPA Funds | $13,512.57 |
| Recreation Commission | $3,883.24 |
| – Savings | $37,757.47 |
| – CD | $7,861.15 |
| – CD | $15,951.61 |
VanDeusen moved and Wilson seconded budget transfers in GF of $767.35 and in WF of $1,397.98 (see detail attached). So passed. VanDeusen moved and Wilson seconded approval of Treasurer’s Report of March 31, 2023. So passed.
Citizens’ Comments:
Short-Term rental owner would like to strike last sentence in parking regulations “or in public streets” and state that street parking restrictions still apply.
Correspondence: 1) Email from resident re: short-term rental regulations and other concerns. 2) OSC re: Fiscal Stress score (10.0 No Designation). 3) Frontier re: removal of payphone. 4) ChenDelO re: speaking with staff about finances.
Clerk’s Report: 1) Received phone call from Wayne Bank: called to say bank is secure, safe, and well capitalized. 2) ADWQR for 2022 has been completed, submitted to DOH, and posted on website/around Village. 3) would prefer to post notices on doors regarding snow shoveling, rather than mail a letter; they have 4 hours from notice to shovel ice/snow.
Superintendent’s Report: 1. Called dealership about the truck, should be getting back to him tomorrow. 2) Town will excavate and burn down the brush pile a little at a time. 3) Pole Barn gate: should post hours on gate and notify on Facebook and website; days/hours will be discussed at Budget Workshop. 4) Repaired water leak at 44 Maple. 5) Got a number for company from Otego that can do crack sealing in streets “Dr. Sealgood”.
Old Business
CDBG Update: We have a pre-construction meeting scheduled for Thursday, 4/13 at 10:00 at Village Hall.
Dog Control Officer: Mark Bennet will serve as Dog Control Officer for the Village; sharing his services with the Town of Franklin. Will consider reimbursing him for mileage. Village may need to set up a contract with a local animal shelter. The Town uses Susquehanna SPCA in Cooperstown, so we could use them.
Short Term Rentals: Add wording about what defines a short-term rental; limit the number of permits to 8; Public Hearing and passing of Local Law will be May 8.
Sewer Study: Copy of 2003 feasibility study provided to board for review; considering getting a grant.
Budget Workshop: Assessed value received from Town Assessor.
New Business
Franklin Improvement Society: meeting on Wednesday. Will budget for repairs to park fountain.
NYCOM Meeting: both Trustees are scheduled for meeting.
Around Town:
Citizens’ Comments: Residents are concerned that they are not receiving communications from the Village; feel they don’t know what is going on in the Village. Possibly post more signs and do group email (for those who want to participate). All information is available on the Village website.
Speeding: Trustee would like to call company regarding “your speed is” signs; would have to get permission from State DOT to put them up.
Approval of Bills: VanDeusen moved and Wilson seconded approval to pay bills. So passed.
Village
| 259-22 | Deluxe Checks | FX8310.4 | $294.38 | EFT |
| 260-22 | NYSEG | A1620.4 | $225.59 | A2162 |
| 261-22 | Petty Cash | A1325.4 | $50.00 | A2163 |
| 262-22 | Anthony Breuer | A1450.01 | $150.00 | A2164 |
| 263-22 | Carol Jensen | A1450.01 | $150.00 | A2165 |
| 264-22 | NYSEG | A1620.4 | $58.88 | A2166 |
| 265-22 | NYSEG | A1620.4 | $67.67 | A2167 |
| 266-22 | NYSEG | A7110.4 | $36.48 | A2168 |
| 267-22 | Trust & Agency | A9030.8 | $66.46 | A2169 |
| 268-22 | Postmaster | FX8310.4 | $126.00 | FX1540 |
| 269-22 | Frontier | FX8320.4 | $9.50 | FX1541 |
| 270-22 | NYSEG | FX8320.4 | $21.32 | FX1542 |
| 271-22 | Trust & Agency | A9089.8 | $167.50 | FX1543 |
| 272-22 | Trust & Agency | FX9030.8 | $488.15 | FX1544 |
| 273-22 | Capital One | A1010.4 | $720.00 | |
| 274-22 | Capital One | A1325.4 | $15.99 | |
| 275-22 | Boulder Oil | A1620.4 | $613.29 | |
| 276-22 | Delhi Telephone Co | A1620.4 | $78.70 | |
| 277-22 | Putnam Pest Control | A1620.4 | $40.00 | |
| 278-22 | Dale Downin | A4010.4 | $175.00 | |
| 279-22 | Town of Franklin | A4020.4 | $25.00 | |
| 280-22 | Mirabito Energy Products | A5142.4 | $107.65 | |
| 281-22 | NYSEG | A5182.4 | $276.51 | |
| 282-22 | Franklin Recreation Commission | A7320.4 | $1,000.00 | |
| 283-22 | Franklin Free Library | A7410.4 | $1,000.00 | |
| 284-22 | Waste Recovery Enterprises | A8160.4 | $12.32 | |
| 285-22 | Commissioner of Taxation & Finance | A9030.8 | $37.67 | |
| 286-22 | The Hartford | A9055.8 | $49.98 | |
| 287-22 | Stephen Lawton | FX8310.4 | $520.00 | |
| 288-22 | Delaware Engineering DPC | H8797.4 | $8,555.35 | |
| 289-22 | Blauer Associates | H8797.4 | $1,600.00 | |
| TOTAL | $16,739.39 | |||
| PAID PRIOR TO MEETING | $1,911.93 | |||
| Total | $14,827.46 |
Recreation Commission
| 56-22 | Frontier | J7545.4 | $62.74 | J1825 |
| 57-22 | Decker Advertising | J7345.4 | $51.00 |
Mayor Briggs adjourned the meeting at 8:28PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Paula Niebanck
Clerk/Treasurer
Budget Transfers for April 2023
To: | From: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acct. Code | Description | Amount | Acct. Code | Description | Amount | |
| GENERAL FUND: | ||||||
| 1620.4 | Buildings, Expense | $658.93 | 1620.2 | Buildings, Equip. | ($307.55) | |
| 5142.2 | Snow Removal, Equipment | ($351.38) | ||||
| 1910.4 | Unallocated Insurance | $108.42 | 5142.2 | Snow Removal, Equipment | ($108.42) | |
| WATER FUND: | ||||||
| 8310.4 | Administration, Exp. | $420.38 | 8330.2 | Purification, Equip. | ($854.84) | |
| 8310.1 | Administratio, Personal | ($543.14) | ||||
| 8320.4 | Power & Pump, Exp. | $796.29 | ||||
| 8330.4 | Purification, Exp. | $181.31 | ||||
| $2,165.33 | ($2,165.33) | |||||