The Village of Franklin held a Public Hearing and its regular board meeting on May 12, 2025, at the Village Hall office (141 Water Street) at 7:00PM. Present: Mayor VanDeusen, Trustee Martin, Trustee McLean, 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.
Public Hearing:
Review of 2025-2026 Budgets. Should do monthly meter readings for pool so that it will not impact Recreation Commission budget. No other public comments.
Board Meeting:
Minutes: Minutes of the April 2025 board meeting: Martin moved, and McLean seconded approval of the April 2025 board meeting minutes. So passed.
Treasurer’s Report
Date: April 30, 2025
| General Fund | $99,652.37 |
| – Reserve/Maint Equip (Checking) | $16,430.41 |
| – Sidewalks (Checking) | $19,748.52 |
| – Trees (Checking) | $2,486.71 |
| Water Fund | $87,462.92 |
| – Water Project | $6.96 |
| – Reserve-Water Tank | $1,500.03 |
| Trust & Agency | $0.00 |
| Grant Fund | $59.34 |
| Recreation Commission | $43,794.44 |
McLean moved and Martin seconded approval of budget transfers according to attached spreadsheet. So passed. McLean moved and Martin seconded approval of Treasurer’s Report of April 30, 2025. So passed.
Correspondence/Clerk’s Report: 1) Zoom re: increase to $16.99/month. 2) Resident email re: serving alcohol. 3) Email re: planting trees on Main Street (forwarded to Tom Briggs). 4) NYS re: Unmarked Burial Site Act. 5) NYS .gov mandate for websites; fewer than 1500 population is exempt. 6) Resident/Landlord would like a break on water bill due to leak. 7) Building Permit applications are on the front door of Village Hall. 8) Check writing and vouchers adjustment to save on postage/checks. 9) DelCo Public Health re: Citizen Preparedness Event.
Superintendent’s Report: 1) Water turned on at the theater for the season. 2) Lock box installed at water tank. 3) Meeting with Poly at site re: fence. 4) Ordered crack sealer equipment. 5) Will fill the fountain once sealed. 6) Can bring a hitch for the truck to hook up a wagon. 7) Trying to schedule street sweeping.
Old Business
Hometown Heroes: Martin moved and McLean seconded approval of Hometown Heros banners installation. So passed.
Main Street Crosswalk: will hold off until review Water Street project.
Tabled Items: Water meter grant with larger project; grant is available again for electronic water meters (Green Infrastructure Grant).
Water St. Repairs: Cannot get a quote from Cobleskill Stone; Delaware Engineering will let us know if we need to put it out to bid.
Mass Communication: Gibson Hill Services provided information on new phone system options. Martin moved and VanDeusen seconded, going with Option 2. So passed. McLean abstained from voting. Gibson Hill will look into combining with another organization to send mass emails or voicemails.
Community Picnic: June 22; each community organization will participate in some way. The village will provide hamburgers, hotdogs, and paper products using “Celebrations” budget.
Fence Install: site visit is on Friday.
Stump Grinding: DOT said it is a winter project.
Sidewalk Repair: working on finding the right kind of concrete.
New Business
Church Water Bill: member of one of churches asked if they are exempt from water bills; tabled.
Noble Water Bill: Village will forgive $172.50 (half of remaining overage) Martin moved, McLean seconded forgiving $172.50 of balance due on Noble water bill. So passed.
Liquor Authority Info: NYCOM told Mayor that Towns and Villages have their own local laws, but Liquor Authority said that only Towns make regulations regarding alcohol sales; Results of voting in 2019 never went to the State of NY; currently there is no on-site consumption permitted in Franklin.
Shed at Park: Does Village want it on their property? The Board should have final approval for placement and flooring; discuss it with Improvement Society; need more information about maintenance and would like to look it over. Tabled.
Memorial Day Parade: 11am and will gather the night before to decorate Village Truck.
Budget Vote: Martin moved, and McLean seconded approval of 2025-2026 budget as presented. So passed.
Vouchers: Current practice is one voucher per invoice and a check for each invoice; propose one voucher for each, but one check for vendors with multiple invoices.
Citizen’s Comments: Tree dead on Main Street in front of shop – call DOT engineers. Business district sewer/septic issues – could this conversation be opened again? The entire municipality will not likely go to sewer system; need a space for a group septic and a leach field. Restore NY Grant information will be available tomorrow.
Approval of Bills: Martin moved, and McLean seconded approval to pay bills. So passed.
Around Town:
Village
| 246-24 | Trust & Agency | A9050.8 | $77.97 | A2923 |
| 247-24 | NYSEG | A1620.4 | $308.30 | A2932 |
| 248-24 | NYSEG | A1620.4 | $73.66 | A2933 |
| 249-24 | NYSEG | A7110.4 | $8.86 | A2934 |
| 250-24 | Trust & Agency | A9030.8 | $43.21 | A2936 |
| 251-24 | Postmaster | FX8310.4 | $219.00 | FX1933 |
| 252-24 | Trust & Agency | A9050.8 | $354.33 | FX1937 |
| 253-24 | NYSEG | FX8320.4 | $198.07 | FX1944 |
| 254-24 | Frontier | FX8320.4 | $9.50 | FX1945 |
| 255-24 | NYSEG | FX8320.4 | $964.99 | FX1946 |
| 256-24 | Trust & Agency | FX9089.4 | $156.00 | FX1950 |
| 257-24 | Trust & Agency | FX9030.8 | $416.47 | FX1951 |
| 258-24 | Capital One | FX8330.4 | $52.00 | |
| Capital One | A1325.4 | $15.99 | ||
| Capital One | A1325.4 | $23.99 | ||
| Capital One | A1325.2 | $29.99 | ||
| 259-24 | The Reporter | A1325.4 | $45.22 | |
| 260-24 | Office Depot | A1325.2 | $39.99 | |
| Office Depot | A1325.4 | $100.89 | ||
| 261-24 | Delhi Telephone Company | A1620.4 | $79.44 | |
| 262-24 | Boulder Oil | A1620.4 | $717.30 | |
| 263-24 | Selective Insurance | A1910.4 | $20.00 | |
| 264-24 | Tractor Supply | A5110.4 | $29.99 | |
| 265-24 | Mirabito Engery Products | A5142.4 | $107.45 | |
| 266-24 | NYSEG | A5182.4 | $354.90 | |
| 267-24 | Steve Lawton | FX8310.4 | $170.00 | |
| Steve Lawton | A1325.4 | $75.00 | ||
| 268-24 | Jess Howes Building Supplies | $20.83 | ||
| TOTAL | $4,713.34 | |||
| PAID PRIOR TO MEETING | $2,830.36 | |||
| Total | $1,882.98 |
Recreation Commission
| 52-24 | Frontier | J7545.4 | $95.55 | 2031 |
| 53-24 | Capital One | J7345.2 | $239.98 | |
| 54-24 | NYSEG | J7345.4 | $2,110.26 |
Mayor VanDeusen adjourned the meeting at 8:23PM
Respectfully submitted,
Paula Niebanck
Clerk/Treasurer
Budget Transfers for May 2025
| To: | From: | |||||
| Acct Code | Description | Amount | Acct Code | Description | Amount | |
| GENERAL FUND: | ||||||
| 1910.4 | Elections, Exp. | $8,152.66 | 1420.4 | Law | -$500.00 | |
| 3510.4 | Control of Dogs, Expense | -$500.00 | ||||
| 5112.2 | Street/Perm. Improvement | -$2,500.00 | ||||
| 5410.1 | Sidewalk, Personal | -$152.66 | ||||
| 5410.2 | Sidewalk, Equipment | -@2,000.00 | ||||
| 7550.4 | Celebrations | -$500.00 | ||||
| 8560.4 | Shade Trees, Expense | -$2,000.00 | ||||
| 9055.8 | $8.03 | 9040.8 | Workman’s Comp | -$8.03 | ||
| 1410.4 | $39.88 | 1362.4 | Tax Advertising, Expense | -$39.88 | ||
| 1620.4 | $287.29 | 5110.1 | Street Maint., Extra Help | -$287.29 | ||
| 5182.4 | $69.02 | 5410.1 | Sidewalk/Personal | -$69.02 | ||
| $8,556.88 | -$8,556.88 | |||||
| WATER: | ||||||
| 8310.4 | Administration Expense | $553.83 | 8310.1 | Administration, Personal | -$553.83 | |
| 8340.4 | Trans & Dist., Expense | $1,207.62 | 8330.4 | Purification, Expense | -$1,207.62 | |
| $1,761.45 | –$1,761.45 |
Recreation Committee Minutes
The Village of Franklin held a Recreation Commission meeting on May 12, 2025, at the Village Hall office (141 Water Street) at 6:09PM. Present: Mayor VanDeusen, Trustee McLean, Trustee Martin, Clerk/Treasurer Niebanck, Deputy Clerk Martin, Field Sports Director Beadle. The meeting was streamed and recorded on the video platform Zoom.
Minutes: April minutes: Martin moved, and Van Deusen seconded approval of minutes. So passed.
Treasurer’s Report: Checking account balance is $43,794.44. Public hearing and approval of 2025-2026 budget will take place during Village Board meeting. Ring cameras for pool ordered and received. Deputy Clerk called NYSEG re: large $2000+ bill; maybe we should read the meter ourselves and submit the readings on the website; Deputy Clerk will draft a letter on behalf of Mayor.
Fundraising: Events: Glow party, float in movie night, kidnap lifeguards for “ransom”, candy sale. T-ball is going to sell bagels from Everything Bagelry; preorder form will be available beginning middle of June. John Wilson is sending out the fundraising letter.
Field Sports Director Report: T-Ball: Started practice (used school gym); 20+ children have joined; kids transferring from Otego and Oneonta; games are being scheduled. There may be a couple of coaches for fall soccer. Goal for next year is slow pitch and T-ball. June 22 will be an edible walking trail event. Received an anonymous donation for helmets and other supplies. Yellow T-Shirts are ordered and will be ready for first game. Emily Taggart will be asked to do team photos again. Need to add photo permission and T-shirt sizes on the sign-up sheet. Open Gym: had four sessions and was well attended. There will be an end of the season pool party for T-Ball.
Pool Director Report: Lifeguard applications/hiring will be taking place soon. 21st Century Pools is checking into skimmer lines; it may need to be re-caulked. K. Beadle moved and Martin seconded having Water Superintendent and Assistant re-caulk the skimmer line. So passed. There are 3 applicants who are WSI certified. Two out of the three would like to do sessions. $1200/season for returning WSI and $1000/season for new WSI. K. Beadle moved and Martin seconded reimbursing returning lifeguards $100 for recertification fee. So passed. Wi-Fi will be hooked up for Ring Cameras; need to have two people download the app (Field Sports and Pool Directors). There will be no head lifeguard.
Citizens’ Comments: None.
Mayor Van Deusen adjourned the meeting at 6:55PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Paula Niebanck
Clerk/Treasurer