January 12 Mtg.
Since this has been a really long month already for me, I am combining the end of the year meeting and the first meeting of the year together. For the first time in a VERY long time the Town ended in the black. Yea! Good job to the Town Board.
The final meeting of 2008 was held on December 30th. The board was able transfer a total of $43,000 into various reserve accounts.
The first regular board meeting of 2009 was held on Monday, January 12. It was the towns typical board meeting attended by the same ol’ group. A few items were skipped that I thought should have been established at this meeting. Such things as the following appointments: Code Enforcement Officer, Dog Control Officer, and Historian. The following resolutions should have been passed: mileage rate, setting the regular board meeting date along with the time and day of the month and of course the official newspaper. However, none of these items were accomplished.
Curt, Highway Superintendent, had nothing new to report other than another detailed history of his problems with the Village and the County.
Paul Sadler gave his final report for 2008 as Building Enforcement Officer. For the year 2008, he collected $1,303.
There was report that in 2010 the Village will abolish the town justice position. This means that all income from the justice will go straight to the town instead of the village. Michele Dunbar stated that the board will have to take this into consideration when next years budget process is started. Ms. Manners also requested to have petty cash. She stated that it is way too expensive to have to purchase supplies for the office and then after wait up to a month to be reimbursed. Some of the board stated that this was not possible because of the recent audit. Ms. Manners informed the board that she had petty cash in her other court and that court had just gone through an audit with nothing being said about the petty cash. Mike Scott said he would look into this. In the meantime, I did some research of my own and this is what it says in the Town Law Manual. ( I think that the auditor just didn’t want certain people in the town to have petty cash available due to their history of maintaining funds)
ARTICLE VII, Petty Cash Funds [Town Law § 64(1-a)]§ 5-23. Purpose.
Town boards may by resolution establish petty cash funds for town officers, heads of departments or offices in the town for: A. The payment, in advance of audit, of properly itemized and verified or certified bills for materials, supplies or services furnished to the town for the conduct of its affairs, which materials and supplies must be paid for on delivery; and B. The purpose of making change when such is required in the performance of official duties.
§ 5-24. Amount.
The amount of a petty cash fund for a receiver of taxes and assessments in a town of the first class shall not exceed $1,000, and for any other officer or office or department head, $200. Of course, a town board may create such a fund in any lesser amount if it sees fit, depending on the size of the town and the complexities of the office. It may also increase such amounts by adoption of a local law.
§ 5-25. Setup and use.
Upon the adoption of the appropriate resolution creating a petty cash fund, the supervisor would draw a check payable to the respective officer for the full amount of the fund as so created. The town officer would then cash the check into the currency denomination needed and place the same in a cash box or cash register in his or her office. A. If the petty cash fund is used only for the purpose of making change, it should always total the authorized amount. B. If the petty cash fund is used for paying for small purchases or items for which payment is due on delivery, it will diminish in cash amount and will have to be replenished as described below. C. When a payment from a petty cash fund is made, evidence or proof that the payment was actually made is required. The law provides that at the time any payment is made from a petty cash fund, “a bill in form sufficient for audit by the town board as required by law” shall be required to be furnished to the officer for whom the fund was created. The phrase “as required by law” refers to Town Law § 118. The portion of that section applicable here requires that the bill be itemized and certified (or, if the town board has so determined by resolution, verified).
A motion was made to bid out the garage doors for the shop. Jane will type these up and have the legal ad published in the “Official Newspaper”.
Shawn Dunmire requested the board hold another meeting to accomplish all the old items that they were not able to finish tonight. They are mainly interested in discussing windmills. Dick Kozlowski has had many meetings with the Town of Eagle and had given the everyone in the board and Jane a copy of the Town of Eagles Local Law allowing Windmills. Mr. Kozlowski is hoping to have the law passed at the February Board Meeting. There will be a PUBLIC HEARING held on February 9 at 6 p.m. at the Town Hall for anyone with questions or concerns about this new law. Paul Sadler, Code Enforcement Officer, will be typing up this law for the next meeting, since our lovely town clerk is not able to handle this. Thank you Paul! (Maybe you should run for Town Clerk this coming year)
And once again I will remind the board that even a “Work Session” is considered a meeting and should at least be posted on the board at the town. (Sometimes I feel like I’m beating a dead horse)
4-10. Work sessions.The application of the Open Meetings Law to “work sessions,” “workshops” or “agenda meetings” often creates some confusion. The statute does not contain any reference whatsoever to work sessions. It merely defines the term “meeting.” The Court of Appeals has agreed with lower courts that the definition of “meeting” is broad enough to include a work session or workshop, etc. The important elements of a meeting are the convening of a majority of the members of the public body and the discussion of public business. Even if a vote is not taken at such work sessions, the Court considered them to be meetings and, consequently, open to the public. (Orange County Publications, Division of Ottawa Newspapers, Inc. v. Council of City of Newburgh, 60 A.D.2d 409, aff’d 45 N.Y.2d 947; Binghamton Press Co., Inc. v. Board of Ed. of City School Dist. of City of Binghamton, 67 A.D.2d 797)
Not only did I attend this meeting but I also listened to it twice and I never heard the board to approve to pay the bills so I am not sure where that stands for this month.
Until next meeting, stay warm and be careful on all that ice that is under the snow.
You done good girl.