Town Board - Regular Meeting

You good? Yes, sir. Thank you, Michelle. All right. So,

yeah. All right. before the regular meeting. Um, we are going to do the swearing in ceremonies so then we can officially call the meeting to order. Uh, Michelle, are you good? We're good. You're we're recording. We are. All right. Cool. Thank you. Um, so first we will start with the swearing in of Jeppi Casara. Jeppe, if you can you can do it by the flag. I I think uh we have the DA here with us today. Okay, good. [snorts] Or you can do it down in the well, whatever, wherever you prefer.

Please raise your right hand. [clears throat] I state your name. I do solemnly swearly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States. I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitutional laws of the state of New York. the constitutional laws. And I will and I will and well faithfully discharge the duties of the office of town council member and I will discharge the duties of the office of town council for the town of Chester for the town of Chester to the best of my ability. So help me God. So help me God. Congratulations. [applause]

Family picture. Family picture. Does the family want to come up for a picture against the daughter's will? And we we should move out of the way. They don't want our mugs in this picture. [clears throat]

Wherever you guys want. I'll stay out of the way. Well, you don't have you don't have to go anywhere. And you are in the way. [snorts] Interesting days. Had to change hot water heater for my daughter this morning. Oh, really? Always a challenge. Good. She needed hot [snorts] water, I guess.

I wasn't going for it. All right. Next up, we have the swearing in of uh town clerk Linda Sapala. Where's your I get what? I gave you You emailed it to me. No, I Oh, it's while I'm here. Does he have a copy? Thank you. window signatures [cough] [clears throat] clean.

All right. When you're ready. All right. I state your name. Do solemnly swear it's official. Now, buddy, you're a member. and that I will support the Constitution of the United States. United States and the Constitution of the State of New York and the Constitution of the State of New York. And that I will faithfully And that I will faithfully discharge the duties of discharge the duties of town clerk for the town of Chester. town clerk for the town of Chester. According to the best of my ability. According to the best of my ability. Congratulations. Thank you. [applause] Are we taking a picture?

Eliminate that one. I'm done. must be your mailbox.

Yeah, right. [snorts] All right. Shoot. So, we will start the meeting. Before I actually start, I just want to say um congratulations uh to Bob Courtney uh and Jeppe Casara for getting elected as town councilman. And I want to say congratulations to town clerk uh Linda Sapala for her re-election as well. Um, you know, there's campaign season has an interesting way of bringing out uh interesting aspects of human beings and uh I'm hopeful and I I know it was the same when I got on the board that once you get on this board and once you get into government uh you know everybody should try to work to come together and I you know after having conversations with all three of the uh people who were um elected this season I'm uh I'm very I'm looking forward to working with all of them again and uh for the first time uh and uh doing good things for Chester. So congratulations again for the people who were elected uh this year. [applause] [cheering]

All right. Um I'm going to now call the official meeting to order. Calling to order. Attendance, please. Supervisor Holddridge here. Council member Becker here. Council member Casara here. Council member Courtney here. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right, another short statement before we get into regular business. Uh, as many of you already know, there has been reporting about a uh from, I believe, the Washington Post of a uh potential preliminary uh whatever you want to call it um short list of sites that the uh Department of Homeland Security uh ICE division would like to uh you know enact uh for processing and distribution uh facilities. Unfortunately, in my opinion, uh, one of those, uh, locations on the short list is Chester, New York of all places. Uh, yes, I did double check that it is the this Chester, um, in in New York. And, um, I have a short statement that I've shared with some news outlets that I'd like to read before we get into public comment. And [clears throat] this is coming from uh me, Brandon Holddrich, the town supervisor. I'm not speaking for anybody else up here on this board or in any other uh entity. Uh I am against any and all ICE presence in Chester, New York. The wellocumented abuses and illegal actions being carried out by this president's Department of Homeland Security have no place in our town, let alone our country. In addition, we do not want the traffic, infrastructure, and safety concerns that would come from a project like this imposed on us. I will work with the village of Chester and any other government entity/official to keep any potential ICE facility out of Chester. So, that's my official statement on it. Um, I have spoken [applause] I have spoken to the village of Chester Mayor um and some other uh village uh um

representatives. I've also spoken obviously to everybody up here on this uh deis and I have spoken to Senator Scoovis's office. I have spoken to Representative Pat Ryan's office. Um, I still have to reach out to Assemblyman Brian Maher. Uh, and I have uh feelers out through those representatives that I just listed uh to the US Senate um representatives uh Jillibrand and Schumer about it. Uh but all in all um the reporting from what it seems from from all the sources that I've gathered uh are it's a it's obviously preliminary. um you know they there is no concrete plans uh to bring anything to Chester at this time. Uh so you know obviously I don't I'm not trying to I don't want to get anybody uh hysterical about it or you know you know um basically that I I just I believe it is our duty and our responsibility for those of us who are against this project to come out as early as possible uh to dissuade uh the Department of Homeland Security from you know uh putting this facility here in Chester. Uh like like I said in the statement, we do not want this in Chester. It does not belong here. It doesn't belong anywhere. Uh so that is my official statement on that. Uh today is a special meeting for the purposes of the reorganization document and some other very quick uh pieces of business. Uh like in all of my meeting or most of my meetings, there is public comment. So if somebody has public comment about this or anything else, they're free to come up. Uh but in if if you are, please keep it brief as possible. Um the the 14th is our official first regular meeting of the year and I believe that would be a more appropriate uh meeting to to put a comment, but I'm not going to stop anybody from making a comment tonight if they so wish. Uh so with that, I will

move on to public comment. Could I make a comment? Oh, sure.

Yes. Um I also too was contacted by the media and as the supervisor stated for uh you know some of the same reasons and I also am against it. Um I just don't you know it's disheartening when somebody decides they're going to do something they don't even contact the elected officials in this community to even have a discussion about it. We had to find out from residents to me that's to me and that's and that itself's disgusting. Okay. Um you know the residents in the town hold us to a high standard. And I think the folks as he walked a pecking order, state, you know, local, you know, state, federal, they got to be held to a higher standard. Somebody should have known about it. Somebody should have discussed it with us. We should never ever have found out about this, you know, through social media, through residents calling. I got I got several calls and emails myself. I was contacted also by the media. I'm not going to read a statement because I didn't prepare one. I said what I said in the paper and I just think it's wrong. So, just wanted to kind of piggyback on the supervisor's uh his thought process on that.

Thank you, Bob. [applause] Yeah. Uh just uh piggy back off that, he's absolutely right. No, none of us were contacted about this. This is just the the first time any of us heard about this was in the Washington Post. That's so we heard it when you heard it. We have the same amount of information that you have. That that's really where we're at. But with that, I will move unless there's other comments. No. No. Um, into public comment. There's nothing written on the sheet here, so if anybody has something, please raise your hand. Veronica. Yes. I didn't sign.

Just come. Yeah, come on up. So, uh, Veronica Kamat, citizen of Chester. Um, I was apprised of this, um, the beginning of the week and I had sent out an email. So, I very much appreciate your strong statement. I know there are many people that feel the same way and I'm hoping uh they will be here at the 14th meeting. Thank you. All right. Please uh state your name and your uh address, please.

Hi, good evening. Vanessa with for the many. Uh we cover Orange Ster Duchess um and Sullivan County. Um I'm coming from Middletown. um currently one of the organizers and I just want to start off by saying thank you so much uh to the town supervisor uh Brandon Holdridge for speaking out not only in the media but reassess and reiterating where you stand on this and also um to Mr. Courtney. Um one of the things that has become really concerning uh for our communities is that many of our community members work in this area. Um, people like you mentioned are being stopped simply for being brown or looking like a person of color, which should not be happening. Um, my first question for you all, and if you can't answer it tonight, I'm hoping we can get an answer on the 14th. Um, is what will be done to make sure this comes to a complete halt and doesn't happen. Um, and second is urging you all to please get in contact with our senator's office, our congressman, and also our governor's office. There are there are and there is legislation currently in place that can help prevent this expansion but also protect our community members. Uh one of them being the New York parallel act and the dignity not detention act.

Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah. So I believe I already answered the first second part of your question. Um I've reached out to virtually every representative. Um still have a few like Assembly Man and uh and the governor's office of which I still haven't made contact with. Um, so I believe that answers your second part of your question. Uh, the first part of the question, and I should have said this in my official statement, now I'm kicking myself underneath the table. Uh, this facility is proposed in the village of Chester, not the town of Chester. Uh, the village of Chester owns the majority of the industrial park. We only have a very small sliver of the industrial park that is under the jurisdiction of the town of Chester. So any uh attempt uh to uh block or prevent uh this kind of project from happening or coming to fruition would have to be done through the village of Chester and I'm not sure they even have uh much say in the matter. I I I don't know. I'm not educated enough. Uh but any sort of zoning or planning or building or permitting or what have you runs through the village of Chester on this uh not the town of Chester. Uh, but I can tell you that I will do what I can um from a political stance, not a governmental stance uh to to dissuade the federal government from not uh from not carrying this out in the in in the town of Chester. I I strongly believe it's a fact that the village residents of Chester are town residents. they vote in town elections and I strongly believe that whatever happens in the village of Chester has uh you know has a uh direct impact on what the town of Chester and um I will be there with them to support them in this fight um if they so wish and I will I will carry this out this fight out no matter what. So yeah, please please state your name and uh address or organization, please. Hi,

my name is Arzone. I'm from the city of Middletown as well. Um, first of all, I want to thank all of you for what you said and how you all agreed on what's currently happening. Um, and just honestly, I'm grateful for what I heard tonight and I love the support of your community and in your town. There are residents here who are undocumented as the government says um that are afraid that wanted to come today but were nervous about the whole situation but are very grateful for the words that you have said. I have communicated with them and um I hope to work with you in the future and let's let's build a better future for all of us and um thank you again [clears throat] all of you and thank you

thank you uh Casara and I believe Linda right congratulations on all of you for your success can you just restate your name real quick zone R Z O N I thank you thank you are there any other comments All right. Is there anything online? I do. I have Lydia Quadros. I'm opposed to an ICE detention facility in the town of Chester or in any town in Orange County. Doug D. I'm in favor of it. That's all I have.

All right. Thank you. So, we are going to move on to the um epic fund investment policy discussion. Everybody, all the council members received this in their uh in their inbox, correct? Everybody's got a chance to review. Um Neil, do you just want to kind of preface it? Thank you. Uh first of all, I want to congratulate Bob Courtourtney and Linda Zapala and just Cassera on your wins. Um it will be great working with you two again as well as working with Jeppi. Um and I want to thank you know the entire board for their leadership um here in the town of Chester. It's been a pleasure working with all of you guys. Um, this program is a new program. It hasn't started up yet. Um, the EPIC program. Um, it's fairly new. So, um, last year, as you know, we invested in New York class. New York class, uh, basically was an investment pool of municipal investments. So, um, basically local municipalities as well as governmental entities have an ability to invest um, in a poolled investment vehicle. um to basically earn a higher rate of interest than you would earn in your local bank. Um and so last year we participated in nightclass. We earned on average I want to say somewhere around 4% last year in interest um as opposed to what we were getting with Webster which was about 2%. So um towards the end of the year the Fed cut rates by about a quarter point. So we saw the hit

in nightclass. So we went from about 4% throughout the year to about 3.6% um towards the end of the year. Uh basically this program is a new program. Um during the year New York class actually merged with another company and so now there are only two companies in the entire state of New York that offer this type of program. This would be the third. So this is a new program that's going to be starting up this year. Um it'll likely be they're I believe that they're going to have their opening um you know investments starting in February. They're going to start taking investments starting in February or March of this year. Uh my goal is to allow this to be an option for us, right? Um if if it has a higher interest rate, obviously I would not

don't know that yet.

I would not invest in it if it doesn't. um they are quoting me that that in comparison to what nightclass is charging right now which is a 3.6% interest rate that they feel that they're going to be starting up at about a 3.8% interest rate. So my goal is is to obviously continue to expand our investment vehicles that we have a choice of. It's not necessarily that we're going to invest in this, but at least it gives us the option to invest depending on where it it comes out. They have the same very similar um collateralization as what Nlass has. So they will be it's a poolled investment vehicle um like nightclass. So it's very similar. Um they have a AAA rating um which obviously as local municipality we can only invest in AAA rated securities. So this is a AAA would have a AAA rating as well just like NClass has. So um that's sort of why I'm looking to expand what we can invest in and that's why Epic. Now the big difference between Epic and New York Class New York Class is um right now it's being um managed by a private equity firm whereas Epic will be matched uh ma um

will be will be managed by US bank. So it actually has the backing of a bank. It'll it'll it's not private equity, so it sort of more um institutionalized. Have they reached out for any commitments from anybody? Is there just

They have um they they have commitments from the um town of Glennville and upstate New York. They had a meeting, I believe, with the village of Florida um fairly recently, a few weeks ago. I can certainly bring them in to, you know, speak to you guys in more detail just like uh nightclass. Um I had an investment meeting with them on the phone and um it sounded very positive from what I've seen. I know some of the board members um on the uh you know on this vehicle. So you know I'm fairly

I still don't have any concerns as far as NLClass goes with how they're handling their business is not going to affect us. They're always going to have that interest rate there. Yes, correct. But you know, again, it's it's about maximizing our interest, right? It's not just about finding an investment vehicle that's secure, safe. Do we know when we might understand what the interest rate will be?

Uh we'll have more details um as the year now that the year has started, right? We should have more details starting in February. The idea is is to kind of get us in the position where if they do have a better interest rate because remember how we get our money. So our money comes in January, February, that's when we get the bulk of our money. That's when we're going to be starting to make these investments. So I want to be in a position make the most amount of interest,

right? So I would like to be in a position to have options when that time comes around. You know obviously if you guys want I can run those options by you and we can have further discussions on this. I just wanted to get this in reorg so that we can get it as part of the investment you know um the investment policy and then obviously in two weeks when you guys meet on the 15th you would have to vote on the resolution anyway. So even getting it as a part of the investment policy today doesn't bind us to actually being able to do it. We still have to do the resolution. Do any commitment to nightclass? No, we don't have to make any commitments. There are no commitments to nightclass. There's no commitments to epic.

So basically, it's a month-by-month thing with whoever we have. It's literally whatever we want whenever we want it. I mean, if we just choose not to invest in nightclass at all, we can pull all our money out of nightclass. We still have some money in there, but we can pull all our money out of nightclass if if you guys said tomorrow. Openended.

Yeah. It's open-ended. we can get our money the there's literally a so the same thing with this is the same thing with nice house it's highly liquid within 24 hours we can get our money and so what I've been doing with with the nightclasses is I get the money at the beginning of the year we invest it and then as we need it throughout the year I withdraw it and we utilize that money to pay bills right so this way we're maximizing our interest so towards the end of the year is when we utilize that money more. My hope is is now that we have a cash flow statement that we've been providing you guys that we have an ability to actually do a better job of maximizing our interest in the coming year. So last year we took half of our proceeds from our taxes. Okay. And we invested it in nightclass

and that this year I'm hoping to put a little bit more in. Right. This would provide us with another vehicle to be able to provide that to to put that money in. Yeah. And then you know and obviously we can spread the risk around too. Are there any other questions for the comproller? No, I'm good. No, I'm good. All right. Thank you guys. Thank you. Appreciate it. Thank you, Neil.

I realize that some of you came here uh primarily for the discussion on the uh ice facility. Please do not feel obligated to stay. We're not going to judge you. Um it's going to be a long meeting. Uh so if you need to leave, please. And I left my card there on the table for anybody who'd like to contact me after the meeting. Um so please feel free to leave if you'd like. Um with that, [snorts] we have our annual reorganization document um to update. So this is the 2026 document to run through this. Believe it or not, I'm still on vacation and uh I promised my wife we would watch Knives Out tonight. So let's try to get through this. I asked her to promise that.

Yeah. [laughter] Um All right. So, I don't have to call the order again. I know supervisors. All right. Uh pledge of Okay. So, uh the first thing here would be to set our meetings for the second and fourth Wednesday of the month at 6:45 p.m. uh Chester Town Hall unless otherwise posted. Um, is that is that okay with everybody? Does anybody want to change the time? I'm good. I'm good. I'm good.

Okay. Uh, with that, uh, set work session for Okay. Yeah. This is going to have to be TBD. I think we still need to have a conversation with Liz, um, and figure out a day of which this will work for um, all the council members, the town clerk, Liz, and our, um, our trustee staff who mans the cameras. Uh so we will leave that as TBD for now. Uh adopt modified Robert's rules. Uh do I have to read this? No.

All right. As read. Adopt rules of conduct and decorum which have not changed. Adopt the board meeting guidelines which have have not changed. Designate official depositories for Webster Bank key bank orange and bank and trust. Niclass and epic fund. Uh designate official newspaper times herald record. Uh we still cannot change that as it's the only one that reaches the full town unfortunately. Um designate polling places of which this will be TBD because we are going to have we we may have new places with the new board system and election district maps. Uh adopt pledge of allegiance to be performed at the beginning of every board meeting. Adopt written uh investment policy which has not changed. Adopt the fee schedule which is not changing. adopt the credit card policy which has not changed. Uh and then authorizations for school attendance at the expense of town with permission granted by the town board. Uh daily meal allowance for conferences reimbursement of meals up to $50 per day. Authorized payment of utility bills as they are received and postage as needed. And set the rate of mileage compensation for personnel uh vehicles 70 cents per mile as per IRS 2026 rate. Are there any questions that they point suggestions about any of these? Uh

just a comment. Yes, the investment policy would be um based on you're adding Epic. Yes, they would be added in that investment policy. So just that's one thing that would change based on the [clears throat] addition of Epic. Are there any other comments or suggestions or debate points? No. Seeing none, is there a motion uh to uh adopt all as followed? I'll make the motion. I'll second. All those in favor? I so moved. I have to read this.

You don't have to read. Sure.

They must have changed that. 72 cents. 72.5 72.5 cents. All right. Is there a motion to amend uh the previous uh resolution? I'll make the motion as for 72.5 cents. There's a motion. There's a second. All those in favor? I I will never be forgiven.

Thank you, Neil. All right. Uh this is the uh official undertaking of municipal officers. Whereas various sections of the state, town law and public officers law require that certain municipal officials ex execute an official undertaking. And whereas it is required by law that the town board approve the official undertaking as it as to its form and manner of execution and the sufficiency of the insurance. And whereas the town board of the town of Chester hereby requires the supervisor, town clerk, receiver of taxes, town justices, controller, and highway superintendent to execute said official undertaking as required by said law. Now therefore, be it resolved that we, the town board of the town of Chester, approve the document, town of Chester official undertaking of municipal officers as it as to its form and manner of execution and the sufficiency sufficiency of the insurance. And be it further resolved that the town of Chester does and shall maintain insurance coverage presently with the Western Certi Company Insurance Company in the sum of 100,000 and 0 cents. $100,000 uh for the town elected officials and other town employees as well as $1 million for the town receiver of taxes to indemnify against losses through the failure of the officers, clerks, and employees covered under the uh faithfully covered

there. there under to faithfully perform uh their duties or to account properly for monies or property received by virtue of their positions or employment and through fraudulent or dishonest acts committed by the officers, clerks, and employees covered there and be further resolved that the official undertaking containing the notorized signatures of those named municipal officials be filed in the office of the town clerk as well as the original copies of the insurance policies indicating the sufficiency of the assertities. to admnify town against the town against losses which may arise from failure of such officials to properly discharge their duties. Believe it or not, I'm still not done. The the law requires the official undertaking containing the notorized signatures of the above officers be be filed in the town clerk's office. The original or copy of the town's insurance policy must also be filed in the town clerk's office. The town board of the town of Chester approve the foregoing undertaking as to its form and manner and the sufficiency of sority by resolution adopted January 2nd, 2025.

Thank you for reading it. [clears throat]

Now therefore be it. Now therefore, we as respective officers above do hereby undertake the town of Chester with the faithfully that we will faithfully perform and discharge the duties of our town and will promptly account for and pay all over all monies or property received as a town officer in accordance with the law. And this undertaking of the town supervisor is further conditioned upon that he will well and truly keep pay over and account for all monies and property including any special district funds belonging to the town and coming into his hands as such supervisor. And this undertaking of the town receiver of taxes is further conditioned that she uh will well and truly keep pay over and account for all monies and property coming into her hands such as such receiver of taxes and assessments. And this is followed by a signature page for the town officers including their name, position, and town. [clears throat] Uh is there a motion to adopt as read?

I'll make the motion. I'll second it. All those in favor? I I I'm just gonna sign your copy, I'm guessing. That's fine. Well, like the official one. Yeah. All right.

Make that change. Standard workday resolution be resolved that the town of Chester lo location code 30466 hereby establishes the standard workday of eight hours per day for all police, highway and water department employees and six hours per day for all other employees including elected and appointed officials and will report days worked to New York State and local employees retirement system based on the timekeeping system records of the or the records of activities maintained and admitted to the clerk of this body by April 15th. Now, this I believe there was a question. Did we ever get hear back from

Yeah, Linda said this is just uh recognized as the state system, the uh six hours. My concern was that uh me being that it mentions highway and police as eight hours. Why it doesn't mention our normal employees who are you know 35 hour work week people why they are not uh label as seven and a half hours this is just a formality it has and it has to do with the pension system not the actual hours that employees are okay yeah is there a motion to follow uh to adopt the following I'll make the motion is there a second I'll second all those in favor I I

All rights So the following for the police commission is the town board. The deputy supervisor being Tom Becker. Uh author authorized deputy signature in absence of the supervisor Tom Becker. Town clerk appoints deputy Heidi Schmidt. Uh town clerk appoints deputy Michelle Ruiz. Um receiver of taxes uh appoints deputy Linda Sapala. Authorized deputy signature in the absence of the town clerk Heidi Schmidt. Uh, town registar, uh, Linda Sapala, town clerk's appointment, uh, appointments deputy, town registar, Heidi Schmid, records, access officer, present Linda Zapala, water billing clerk, Linda Zapala, zoning and planning board, uh, secretary Melissa Foot. Court clerks Kathy Moran and Patricia Hchinger, uh, deputy court clerk Arlene Writtenhouse, emergency management Daniel uh, Dolinger, officer Officer historian Cliff Patrick, animal control officer, Warick Valley Humane Society. Are [clears throat] there any uh debate points or questions or debate or comments on this?

Seeing none, is there a motion to adopt as follows? Motion. Is there a second? I'll second. All those in favor? I I

consultants attorney for the town, Elizabeth Cassidy, Esquire. Attorney for the planning board, Dominic Cordiscoco from Drake Loe. Uh attorney for the ZBA, Elise Terune, Esquire. Attorney for the ethics board, uh, Gary Goldstein, Esquire, special prosecutor, John Bach, Esquire, uh, engineer for the planning board, Lincoln Tully. Uh, auditing firm, RBT LLC, planner, Lincoln Tully, Grant Mer, Grant Writer, Millennium Strategies, uh, labor attorney, Thomas Drawan, Waxman, Pedigrew, and Melly, uh, LLP. Are there any debate points or questions on this? Elizabeth.

Yeah, but that's not on here. It wasn't on It wasn't on there last year either. No. What about Melissa? What about our labor attorney? Oh, she's on the bottom. Okay. Thomas Rohan. Yeah. Um maybe we should Do we add a section for that? Code enforcement. Just update it to say that code enforcement. Is everybody okay with that? Yeah, because she's handled it. She handles it now. No, I know. I just Everybody okay with adding that to the reorg document? All right. Okay. I'll make the motion. I'll second. All those in favor?

I I'm happy to say that we have very good uh consultant services from all these uh entities, [clears throat] people. Um they're they're they're doing a really good job for the town um and at a very good cost to the town. Uh so thank you and I hope we have a good rep um working relationship moving forward as uh we're all the same. Board [snorts] member appointments uh planning board chair for the term ending uh the end of 2026 TVD. We never did put her as the official chair, did we? She's in. She doesn't want it. I don't think

all right. Planning board member attorney term ending at the end of 2028 that is now vacant. Planning door board member for the term ending 30 and 32. Uh Jackie Alfers uh planning board member for the term ending in 27. TBD it's vacant. Hopefully I will be that'll change by the end of a week from now or something. Uh zoning board alternate member for the term ending in 2026. It's vacant. Zoning board member for the term ending in uh 2030. Dan Dinger. Uh zoning board member for the term ending in 2030. It's vacant. Uh ethics board member for the term ending in 26.

26. Dave Collins, ethics board member for the term ending in 27. Matt Woods at library board of trustee for the term ending in 2030. Beth Pekcman, that's a library appointment. Uh, board of assessment review term ending in 2030. Katherine Henry. Are there any debate points or questions on any of this? No. No. Seeing none, is there a motion to adopt as uh stated? I'll make the motion. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? I. Is that you, Joseeppi? Yes. Yes.

All right. Committee liaison. Uh, ambulance. I have myself and Councilman Courtney Assessor. I have myself uh building. I have Tom Becker and uh Jeppe Casara. Representatives to Muna Bas and Sewer Commission. I have myself and Tom. I have for fire Brandon, myself and Jeppy. Uh for highway, I have Tom and myself. For parks and wreck, I have myself and Bob. For planning and zoning, I have myself and Jeppy. Uh for police I have myself and Robert. Uh Bob, Councilman Courtney, all the above. Uh water for I have Tom and myself. For uh we need to cross out the Oh, no. We were going to keep that because we want to just continue to have relations with the county. For the performing arts center, I have myself and Bob. Uh for the grants, I have myself. For union contracts, I have myself and Bob. For comprehensive plan, I don't know why their community is there. Why is community there? I don't know. We're gonna Can we get

What kind of community leazison is on? Let's get rid of the word. The general community. It doesn't the atlarge community. No. Okay. We're all at large leaison. Comprehensive plan. Uh myself and Bob. For Senator Scufas, I have myself. For assemblyman mayor, I have Bob. And then for buildings and grounds, I have Tom and myself. Are there any questions or debate points on any of this? No. Yeah. Good. We're all in agreement on this. We all feel good, comfortable. Good. Didn't we didn't Jeppe didn't you want with parks want [snorts] should we add Jeppi into parks with the three of us because I know you I know you were on the parks committee and whatnot so probably would be a that's fine put your input

your input with us on that. All right. Is there a motion to adopt as uh stated with the addition of uh Councilman Casara in to parks and wreck? I'll make the motion. Second. All those in favor? I I All right. Salaries. You don't have to. Do I have to read all these? They are say they are they are they are posted for the public. Uh they are open to everybody. Anybody who wants to read all those? Uh there are no changes from what was put onto uh online on the website. So if you so wish uh please uh go and visit it. But I don't believe there were any changes to what was posted. Correct.

No. Yeah. All right. There's too many. They're either by budget or by contract. Yeah. There are some that are to be adjusted based on contracts not having been ratified and those that might have steps, but for the most part, this is current. This is as of one to 2026. Right. [snorts] All right. All right. Is there are there any debate points or questions on any of this? No. No. No. No. All good then. All right. So, is there a motion to adopt the salaries as uh stated as in the budget as contracted? I'll make the motion. I'll second. All those in favor?

I I very good. Do Yeah, I don't think I have to read all these, right? No, because you did that in the first motion. These are all the Yeah, you accepted all those. So, I'm just going to read the titles. There's the decorum uh at the town meetings, the rules of conduct and decorum that we accepted. Um that's as stated uh schedule of fees which have are [snorts] not changing as of uh this reorg document. Um, so that that's for all departments, that's for all boards, uh, that's for everything.

The only change I made there was I removed the theater, the performing arts center fee schedule. Yes, that's that is out now. the investment policy which is not changing with the exception uh except exception of uh epic that will be added to that procurement policy

procurement policy has is not changing as of uh May of 2024 when the last time we changed it so that is all the name interest recreation requisition form that's not changing the guidelines the board meeting guidelines has not changed since July [snorts] of 24 policy and procedure has not changed since uh December of 24 the credit card policy of which we updated and agreement to accept town credit card we already did this as well. This was covered in the beginning. Yep. Right.

This is part of the credit card policy. All right. Wow. Um, is there are there any questions or debate points on any of anything in this document before we close it? No. No, I'm good. Is there is there an additional motion needed or are we good? No. All right. Each piece then we are good with the reorg document of 2026. Probably the fastest one I've ever been a part of. So, nice. That is good. Um, moving on. New York Association of Towns Training School and annual meeting letter. I have to read this. Yeah. [snorts]

While you're doing that, I'm just going to circulate these.

Jay, I have your email flagged in my inbox. I promise you we will discuss it um before um hopefully in the next meeting or the additional meeting in [clears throat] January. No problem. All right. You got my you got my response right? Yes. I'm one way so I can't I apologize. Oh, okay. I responded and I said that we would get to it. Thank you so much for that. Very good. All right. Uh New York State Association of Towns. Um, I am I am being asked to read this at the first board meeting of 2026.

The 2026 training school and annual meeting of the New York State New York Association of Towns will be held at New York Marriott Marquee uh February 15th through the 17th at 2026. This is the uh New York State Association of Towns premier training event attended by more than 10,000 town officials and exhibitors. Our 2026 meeting builds on some of the momentous changes we st we started in 2025 for more for a more rewarding conference experience for all. The conference fee along with all other actual and necessary expenses of the town officers and employees authorized by the town board to attend are a legal town charge under general municipal law 77b. registration receip uh receipts receipts uh will be issued. They should be retained by each town officer or employee attending and should be attached to claim vouchers presented to town boards uh for reimbursement of attendance expenses for specific conference hotel and other information include a I don't think I need to read thisformational here I don't have to read the rest of this right

okay so that is that is the gist of it there's additional information just for us to understand when attending us. I believe it's going to be myself, the town clerk, Councilman Courtney, and Councilman Casara that are going to be heading there, and the controller and the controller, Neil Meyer, and the court officers. And the court officers, I'm sorry, the court clerks. Uh, and then we have to um, so that's that. I just read it. Uh, resolution to designate delegates. So, we get two delegates. And I don't think we want to switch it up from before. So, uh, is anybody opposed to having myself and Councilman Courtney being the voting delegates to NYOT? We're good. Everybody's good.

Good. All right. Is there a motion to uh designate us to the uh to be delegates to that? I'll make the motion. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? I I stay for three days. You're welcome. You don't you don't have to go to it if we don't. I went there's nothing controversial. I went last year. He can go. He can [laughter] go. He's now the delegate. It took longer to walk from the hotel to the conference center than it did for that whole that whole thing. Yeah, baby. Listen, I'll go down to the thing. I don't

All right. All right, last thing on the regular agenda. Uh, while we we do need to send out to bid, we um what's it called? Uh, the attorney, Liz Cassidy, did confirm that we do need to put something out to bid like that if it's going to be over $20,000, uh, of which it could be. Uh so for the next month, I suggest that we stick with Vanguard while we get that figured out and hopefully we can get [snorts] uh that document out by the 14th to try to get something in place by February. Is just so we don't have a lapse in cleaning for the month. Um is does anybody have an issue with that?

No, that's fine. Cleaning now. So all right, with that being said, is there a motion to accept the agreement with Vanguard for for that month? I'll make the motion. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor I I I So it's just for one month. Yes. January. So we have to put that at the bid. You're right. You're right. So is there a motion to accept for two months? I'll make the motion. Second. All those in favor? I Sorry that was a oversight on mine. We know we all have oversight. All right. Were you in still on vacation? Not too.

Um, is there any new business? Did you want to do anything with the control panel for Sugarloaf or you want to save that for the first meeting? The first meeting belongs on the first meeting. Is there are there any other new business? My my question was answered on how many how many how many attorneys uh responded back to the RFP? There was two. There were two and it closed on the 31st. So unless you extend that. Yeah. Did was that sent out to all the board members? Yes. Good. Please uh just you understand what that's about? Yeah.

Okay. Um so yeah, please review um everybody and then you get back to me with your thoughts about it and then um I guess we should probably have a conversation with Liz about that as well. Uh and then uh we can hopefully make a decision at the next meeting regarding that so we can kind of wrap this whole thing up. It's It's long overdue to be wrapped up. Uh, with that, are there there's any other new business? No. Is there any public comment online? I just have one comment. It says opposed. So, probably to the ice thing. Yes. Is there any public comment in person? Seeing none, is there a motion to adjourn the meeting?

I'll make the motion. Is there a second? Second. All those in favor? I I happy new year. Happy holidays to all. Uh looking forward to a new year.