The Village of Franklin held its regular board meeting on January 8, 2024, at the Village Hall office (141 Water Street) at 7:02PM. Present: Mayor Tom Briggs, 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.
Minutes: Minutes of the December 11, 2023 public hearing and board meeting: VanDeusen moved and Briggs seconded approval of the December 11, 2023 minutes. So passed.
Treasurer’s Report
Date: December 31, 2023
| General Fund | $221,482.01 |
| – Savings | $0.00 (closed) |
| – Reserve/Maint Equip (Savings) | $0.00 (closed) |
| – Sidewalks (Savings) | $0.00 (closed) |
| – Trees (Savings) | $0.00 (closed) |
| – Reserve/Maint Equip (Checking) | $84,896.83 |
| – Sidewalks (Checkling) | $16,914.45 |
| – Trees (Checking) | $2,369.57 |
| Water Fund | $34,494.69 |
| – Savings | $0.00 (closed) |
| – Capital Fund/Well Develop | $0.00 (closed) |
| Water Project | $6.92 |
| Water Tower Grant | $72.01 |
| Trust & Agency | $0.00 |
| Grant Fund | $3,353.90 |
| ARPA Funds (remaining) | $1,512.57 |
| Recreation Commission | $28,550.18 |
| – Savings | $0.00 (closed) |
| – CD | $7,861.15 |
| – CD | $15,951.61 |
VanDeusen moved and Briggs seconded budget transfers of $928.64 in the General Fund (detail attached). So passed. CDs for the Recreation Commission will mature on 1/12/24 – renew, or transfer into a business checking account to get more interest? VanDeusen moved and Briggs seconded moving two Recreation Commission CDs into the business checking account. So Passed. VanDeusen moved and Briggs seconded approval of Treasurer’s Report of December 31, 2023. So passed.
Citizens’ Comments: Appreciate that Village kept accounts with local bank.
Correspondence: 1) Email from resident re: trees planted in median along Main Street. 2) Eric from Delaware Engineering re: budget work for Well #1. 3) NYS DOH re: Approval of Completed Works; authorizes water treatment system to be placed into service. 4) NYSEG re: register pump house as a “Critical Facility”. 5) NYS DOT re: Shared Services Agreement for Emergency Assistance. 6) SLFRF re: affordable housing.
Clerk’s Report: 1) Went to Wayne Bank on Dec. 18 – opened Business checking accounts (see Treasurer’s Report). 2) Contacted NYCOM – the spouse of a Village employee can run for Trustee, but cannot vote on that employee’s salary; Village has a Code of Ethics. 3) Constitution Pipeline grant – $1800 left; return or use on building? Clerk will contact the grant administrator and ask if it can be used to upgrade the Village hall bathroom.
Superintendent’s Report: 1) Completed road inventory for DOT. 2) Meter at 65 Main Street replaced. 3) Do we have a policy for decommissioned buildings with water line? Should be capped below ground; will talk with White’s Farm Supply about capping decommissioned line.
Old Business
CDBG Update: Eric M. – tank is up and functioning and connected to water system; got DOH approval to put online; looking for close-out documents for end of project; Tweedie will work with Delaware Engineering to go over completing items; Superintendent and Eric working on decommissioning existing tank, making sure it’s cut and capped according to DOH regulations; documents to review and accept – last change order covering roadway, additional plumbing work, and end date to Jan. 4 (covers Tweedie’s work); close out package signifying completion; last payment request. Mark Blauer will help work through final paperwork.
Waste Disposal Grant Update: need engineering report; median income for Village is too high for Rural Dev. Grant; will look into other grant options. Can ARPA funds be used for this? Resident may have information that she will forward to Mayor.
Village Dump Local Law: considering ways to manage illegal dumping; may need to come up with local law re: illegal dumping; tabled until next month. Clerk will contact attorney and NYCOM for sample local laws.
Election: Resolution to abolish registration day: VanDeusen moved and Briggs seconded abolishing Village registration day; Designate polling place and hours: 141 Water Street/Village Hall from 12:00pm to 9:00pm; Mayor appointed elections inspectors: Carol Jensen and Anthony Breuer.
Traffic Control Light: Delaware County rep for M. Molinaro’s office reached out to DOT; Village is not eligible for flashing lights; could get Village a work permit to fund and install lights. Tabled.
New Business
Trees on Main Street: Village cannot cut down trees on Main St. as it is a NYS thoroughfare; Superintendent can contact NYS DOT or NYSEG if there are trees in bad shape and they usually get to them in the spring.
Citizens’ Comments: Resident attended Town Board meetings and would leave with questions, so wanted to start a “Community Meeting” – the first meeting was 3 months ago. Idea: retired teachers would like to tutor students. They meet on some Saturdays at library at 11:00am. Residents can access all Village Board meetings via Zoom and can get the link from the Clerk. All Zoom videos are recorded.
Approval of Bills: VanDeusen moved and Briggs seconded approval to pay bills. So passed
Village
| 179-23 | NYS OTDA (LIHWAP) | FX3001 | $195.86 | A2439 |
| NYS OTDA (LIHWAP) | FX3089 | $415.00 | A2439 | |
| 180-23 | NYSEG | A1620.4 | $36.32 | A2440 |
| 181-23 | NYSEG | A1620.4 | $90.42 | A2441 |
| 182-23 | NYSEG | A7110.4 | $42.35 | A2442 |
| 183-23 | Trust & Agency | A9030.8 | $308.62 | A2444 |
| 184-23 | Postmaster | FX8310.4 | $132.00 | FX1678 |
| 185-23 | Frontier | FX8320.4 | $9.50 | FX1679 |
| 186-23 | NYSEG | FX8320.4 | $1,429.46 | FX1680 |
| 187-23 | NYSEG | FX8320.4 | $23.77 | FX1681 |
| 188-23 | Trust & Agency | FX9030.8 | $404.32 | FX1682 |
| 189-23 | Trust & Agency | FX9089.8 | $134.00 | FX1683 |
| 190-23 | Capital One | A1325.4 | $494.98 | |
| 191-23 | Office Depot | A1325.4 | $30.49 | |
| 192-23 | Kehoe & Merzig | A1420.4 | $2,000.00 | |
| 193-23 | Boulder Oil | A1620.4 | $389.41 | |
| 194-23 | Delhi Telephone Co | A1620.4 | $79.39 | |
| 195-23 | Delaware County Dept of Fiscal Affairs | A9040.8 | $2,518.03 | |
| 196-23 | The Hartford | A9055.8 | $48.27 | |
| 197-23 | Life Sciences Labs | FX8330.4 | $43.20 | |
| 198-23 | AMREX Chemical | FX8330.4 | $531.00 | |
| 199-23 | USA Blue Book | FX8330.4 | $46.80 | |
| 200-23 | Mirabito | A5142.4 | $118.34 | |
| 201-23 | Waste Recovery LLC | A8160.4 | $12.32 | |
| 202-23 | NYSEG | A5182.4 | $275.90 | |
| 203-23 | Delaware Engineering | H8797.4 | $17,899.48 | |
| 204-23 | Delaware Engineering | H8797.4 | $11,870.00 | |
| TOTAL | $39,579.23 | |||
| PAID PRIOR TO MEETING | $3,519.46 | |||
| Total | $36,059.77 |
Recreation Commission
| 28-23 | Frontier | J7545.4 | $66.61 | J1904 |
| 29-23 | NYSEG | J7345.4 | $0.00 |
Mayor Briggs adjourned the meeting at 7:57PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Paula Niebanck
Clerk/Treasurer
Budget Transfers for January 2024
| To: | From: | |||||
| Acct Code | Description | Amount | Acct Code | Description | Amount | |
| GENERAL FUND: | ||||||
| 5110.4 | Street Maint, Exp | $793.76 | 5112.2 | Street/Perm. Improvement | -$793.76 | |
| 8797 | Fence/Water Reservoir | $101.38 | 5112.2 | Street/Perm. Improvement | -$101.38 | |
| 9089.8 | Other Employee Benefits | $33.50 | 9055.8 | Disability Insurance | -$33.50 | |
| $928.64 | -$928.64 | |||||
| WATER FUND: | ||||||
| $0.00 | $0.00 | |||||
| $928.64 | -$928.64 |