Town Board - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. I would like to call the Town of Rochester Town Board February business meeting to order. Um if you'll all stand. I pledge algiance 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.

Can you do the roll call here? Councilman here. Councilw here.

Supervisor I'm here. So, the first item on our agenda is the acceptance of the agenda. Um, I'd like to make a motion that the board accepts the agenda um as prepared by the town supervisor um with the amendment to table um resolutions and F, I um and um change and and add um and J and add a resolution to authorize the request of two um Olter County um civil service titles and then we'll add the um the the public hearing topic to um a discussion.

Okay. Any discussion? All in favor?

I oppose B. Motion carries. Okay. Um good evening everyone. Um I know uh we have a a more people here than normal and we will be having a public comment portion of the meeting in a little bit um and which we will open the floor up but we have a few business items to address before we do that. The first is actually we are holding an interview um right now uh it's for um the zoning board of appeals. We have one candidate that we are interviewing. We hold these interviews in public. So, I would like to welcome uh Michael to the table.

Thank you. Thank you. Hi. Nice to see you. Um thank you for your interest in serving on the zoning board of appeals. So, I thought I would just give you a moment to um tell us a little bit about yourself and what um brought you to um reach out and let us know that you'd like to join the zoning board of appeals

right at Kate the other day. I think a lot of this happened through that. You know, I was just coming in to get a couple of permits and I had been on the zoning board uh several years ago. I think it was 2021 and uh I was working full-time with the New York State Attorney General's office at the time and um I ended up stepping down uh just because uh there was it was difficult to manage both at the same time. And uh I really enjoyed my time on the zoning board. When I spoke with Kate, she mentioned there was a couple openings and here I am. little. I appreciate the invitation. Um, a little bit about me. Um, I grew up in Olter County. Uh, I went to school, came back, I worked for a local contractor for about three years. So, it was always handy like around the house working with my dad property and I enjoy being outside and I spent three years with a general conference um learning the trade and realizing pretty quickly that I didn't want to get old uh and be banging nails in the winter. So, seemed like we always had jobs outside in the winter and inside, you know, in the summer. and I just wanted to try something different. So I took I did something I never did with choice. I took a day off,

went to Sunni new faults, went to their career development center, didn't have an interview, like a planned meeting or anything, and uh just knocked on somebody's door who welcomed me in. And three months later, I was going fulltime for a master's program in criminal justice and in the cities. Um story is quite long. I ended up having eight different jobs in government, city of New York, state of New York. Uh became a police officer, went to the FBI National Academy. Um I left government for about 12 years and worked in compliance in two financial institutions in the city. Um doing similar work. I was an economic crimes expert and uh so I was like in-house running investigations for financial institutions and um and then my wife and I just we were sort of weekending and up here and in the city during the week for work and we just had it and we dreaded those Sunday nights having to drive back to the city. So, uh, I was very lucky to get a job at the AG's office in Albany and we were able to move full-time and that was in 2019. So, um, I guess I'll fast forward to 2021 when I joined the zoning board. Um, I learned a lot. I didn't know that much. I thought I did. uh sat on it for a year, heard a lot of variety. We didn't have any um

requests to look at use variances. They were all uh as I think typically they are they were area variances that we saw but um we saw a lot of variable variations of uh area variance requests and I I found it very interesting. Um Rochester is a very unique part of the valley. Uh there's uh extremely uh sensitive environmental areas. I learned about riparian buffers. I didn't know what they were before. Um and uh I can talk about what my understanding area variances are if that helps. Uh talk about you know whatever.

Sure. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I think we'll probably um I what I wanted to ask you is um I'll ask the question then I'll open it up to the rest of the board. Um what I wanted to ask because you have served on the zoning board of appeals in the past. I think I did want to ask you what did you learn about town government from that um experience?

I learned that uh there are definitely opportunities to improve the process. Um, this is four years ago, four and a half years ago. Almost all of the people that came in before the board had really no idea, little idea what to expect. Um, and I think we did a pretty good job explaining it, but I don't know that we did that every time. Um, I felt like h we would get halfway through a meeting and we would have to like stop and reset and explain what the process was. And uh my understanding is that now things are improved. There are more formal uh there are written materials that people can look at. And if I was going through that process, that's the kind of thing I'd want to know. like coming in cold, you really know the plots, don't know what to expect. Um, other things I learned was, you know, there are resources available to the zoning. The ECC is one that we took advantage of and they did a fantastic job looking at looking at something an area variance. There's actually three area variances in one application. There was a side yard setback. There was a stream 100 foot stream uh and there was a high water mark also 100 foot and the home site proposed was violating all three of those things. It was a very sensitive area of town right with history in of course and um BCC you know was an outlet for us that helped us sort of resolve the power. I I I learned a lot from that. Um I learned a lot about town code. Uh, I think I have to refresh myself on some

of it. But, um, and like I said, I never fed on a a variance matter. Um, I understand they're quite challenging for the applicant because they actually have to approve their case. They have to prove a financial determent. Uh and um when I think about the area variances, it was more like we're a pressure valve and you know you have the zoning code, you have what the homeowner wants to do and the zoning it would violate the zoning codes for them to do what they want to do. So the pressure valves is a VBA and we try to find a way uh to manage what the homeowner wants to do and weigh that against will it affect the character of the neighborhood. Is it substantial like is it substantial variance they're asking for? Was this was the issue self-created the applicant? Um, and uh, are there other options available that maybe the homeowner could think of that would result in a smaller variance? Because that the ultimate goal is get that variance as small as you can or even eliminate possible. There are situations where um reviewing the applications going to the actual property, you might see an opportunity for an alternative that maybe the homeowner could think of. And that's the best case scenario where you're not having there isn't a violation. There is no variance. It's just, hey, we're going to we're going to put that garage somewhere else. Um doesn't often work out that way, but

that's the goal. Um, and so it's like this pressure valve system, um, that I think works pretty well. Um, I appreciated everybody's, you know, input on the board. Uh, everybody has their own sort of perspective. Uh, I think they want the right outcome, like a good outcome for everyone. Um, and it's not like one person is always going to think of everything, you know. So, it's nice to hear, you know, the what others had to say and ask of the applicant, you know, during the session. Um, making the process available to the public, uh, incredibly important. getting that public comment out, getting the mailings out to people 500 feet, you know, the properties under question and giving people an opportunity to come and say something. Um, so uh we learned uh in those instanc um I'll turn it over to the board um if you have any questions.

I do. Yes. Thanks, Michael. I appreciate you coming out volunteering for this. Um, you mentioned how everyone brings a different perspective to the ZBA and how it's good to hear those different opinions and thoughts about things. I I'm curious what you think overarching philosophically the role of the ZBA is in town and what it should be and in terms of those differing perspectives, what kind of perspective do you think you bring? What what voice would you have if you could act?

I like to think that well it's a quasi judicial position. Uh it's administrative but it's quasi judicial and and so you're balancing your weighing um situation. And I think like my dad always told me you know it's good to be wellrounded. I think I'm I am the epitome of a well-rounded person. I worked on Wall Street. I bangs nails in Rochester. So like I don't know how you can get more different than that. And I um I I seem to get along with everybody where I've worked collaborating with uh people I work with. So what I I hope to bring is um I invite people to share their thoughts. Um, I will not tolerate others shutting others down. Um, I think it's important to have to create an environment that's welcoming and let allowing people to share their thoughts even if maybe you have a different perspective. Um, that's what I hope to achieve and on the board. Thank you for that.

So, all of your roles have been in Rochester and you've been here um decades. Can you talk a little bit about how things have changed and what opportunities and um challenges come along with um the applications that you anticipate seeing development? Have you been following the applications to the fine board at all?

I have. I haven't seen them all, but I've seen enough. Um, I bought the land our house sits on in 94. It was over a decade after IBM shut down and it was the area was depressed. Home prices were depressed and properties could be snapped up relatively easily back then. I couldn't afford an argument. Uh postco that's a whole another world and um I think the pressure to develop is going to continue to increase. I think roles like the planning board and zoning board are critically important to make sure that you know we do have a lack of housing. That's, you know, no secret. Um, we need to increase, you know, uh, the homes and availability for, uh, affordable living in town, but we need to do it in a way that maintains the character of the community. um you know the scenery, the farmland um and you know the things that drew us here to begin with a lot of us and and so it's balancing those competing interests. I think there's agents to it. I think it can be done thoughtfully but

um can you talk a little bit more about that? So, what I'm trying to figure out is how much of this role is subjective? Like something like the character of the neighborhood is subjective, right? Maybe. Can you do you accept that or do you think that you say you could put a point value on this if you're looking at a scoring rubric? What's your approach to that?

That's a good question. I think some of it is plain on its face. uh uh and you know when see it if something is clearly out of character um I also strongly believe that people should have the right to build on their property um it's a right and just uh you know I think the town is also right in trying to protect that very valuable character that we've had here for centuries there really and um I'm not sure if I've answered

yeah it's just more about the thought process and how you approach the job

when I was a detective I learned some hard lessons that you shouldn't jump to conclusions in case you know everything especially you know talking to one person one witness one person on the street you're going to get their perspective you're not going to that maybe you were truth, right? So, I keep an open mind. I'm I guess personally skeptical of everything and uh I think that's healthy because I leave open the possibility of something else coming along to explain something or coming up with a solution.

Thank you. Thank you. Hi, Charlotte. Uh, Susette, uh, thank you for applying and, you know, putting your name out there. Um, I just have one, uh, really simple, hopefully easy to answer question. Are you an eligible elector of the town of Rochester? Yep. Yeah. You're registered to vote here. Your driver's license is for here. No more questions. That's a legal requirement. It's a legal require say question. Yeah. It depends. You would hope it's easy if you would apply to be on a board in town, but it's not always. So, thank you so much though for taking the time to do that.

What What do you think the biggest challenges that faces are and what do you think the path to mitigate those challenges those? I I think that um There's a fair amount of turnover. There always has been.

Yeah. Um I think it's a matter of identifying quality people and figuring out, you know, what it is that will keep them happy for. Um I think for most of us, I speaking for myself, it's being able to you feel like you're contributing. um you're learning and you know things are a little different in the zoning board meetings. They're never they're never two that are exactly the same. They're always some twist even a lot line you know moving a lot line you will notice on face somehow um but uh you know so it's I sat on the board I thought people come and go uh some people stayed a long time um I think what you want is the people that stay a long time to be your strong contributors the leaders. Um, and I know life happens and pe things come up and people get busy happened to me. Um, I guess giving people an idea of things like I'm back, right? I know what I'm doing. It's hard. I think explain to somebody what the job is. Um, it's more involved than you would think. I mean if you want to do it from you have to you have to put in the time you have to put in the effort there's readings there's training I like going to sites as a personal thing uh you always learn something in the field that you wouldn't have known by looking at the plat you know but um so maybe maybe there's a way to uh you know an outreach process where where

those candidate type candidates can be identified and welcomed into the process. That would help. Well, I think that's that's all um that I need. Do you have any questions for us? No, I uh I hope to hear from you. Um if anything comes up after I leave, please feel free to reach out. Dr. I'll be in touch. Have a good meeting. Okay. Thank you, Michael. Bye. Okay. So, um we'll try to get through this. I'd like to make a motion to move the public comment period to the next um item of the agenda.

I'll second the discussion.

Um I think maybe they did some state their state their uh comments. I mean way through the long stuff I think as a note of principle that it's not a practice that we can make common. I'm happy to do it for tonight with so many parents here with their young childrens. But just for future record, I think that um it's not a practice that we should make comment to move the public comment before our We've done our textually we've done

No, no, no. I know we have. I just think that it's not I I think if people coming to I think this is a different circumstance, but I think if people are coming to our meeting, they can at least sit through the town reports before taking their phone. Um yeah, I mean I don't like I don't like changing the agenda just because people sometimes plan and come when they know the public comment is going to be. I'd hate to have people arrive later expecting to be able to comment and then not be able to do it. I think if the board wants to change it, we should change it permanently. Actually have all agendas structured that way. But

so uh we have a motion and a second on table. So we'll call the vote. All in favor?

I opposed abstaining. Motion carries. So, we're moving the public comment portion of the meeting to ahead of um our report section. Um so, I would just like to state that um this public comment portion of the meeting is structured like we do our public hearings. We do not um use this as a question and answer session. So that's if you ask us questions, you may ask us questions, that's totally fine, but we won't be pausing to answer them and we won't be answering questions in between people who are commenting. Um, so I just wanted to share that we also ask that you are addressing the board because you're here to talk to us and that comments not be made um in the form of debate or conversation among people present. Um, that just helps it keep orderly. I did have a signin sheet for comments that was up at the door. Um, while we get that, um, one of the things I was going to do ahead of this in my supervisor report was acknowledge that we did receive 38 comments um, from parents and community members um, in the last few days regarding um, the uh, closure of the Acorn Walner School. Um, and I know that many of you are here because of that. Um, and I just I want to share that we

Huh. I'm sorry. Just I got 80 emails about this. Oh, okay.

Sorry. I just was confused when you said 300 for a second. I didn't realize that you were on. So what um so what I just wanted to say is that we as a board and the town are not taking a stance against the school. We're very supportive of the school. We want this to work out. We want to see the school reopen. Um I understand how deeply this matters to families and staff and former students. I've read all the letters and I do hear the pain and disruption that this has caused. And I also understand that for many the town's actions feel abrupt and deeply upsetting and some have questioned whether this was warranted. One of the things I just wanted to share before we get into the public comment just for some perspective is that um in our role as public officials, we all take an oath of office and that is that I do I the public official solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office according to the best of my ability. And what that means for us is that we are following laws and roles like code enforcement officer and town supervisor and town board we do have different statutory laws that we are following. Um and I just I just wanted to share that in this case our code enforcement officer went for a scheduled um fire safety inspection and found that there was no CO for the for the structures. So right now that is where we are at. The town um is willing and is working cooperatively with the school to make a plan for the next steps to get us where we need to

go. So, I just wanted to share that because that sentiment um some of that was a big question in a lot of the letters and perhaps that can be helpful um to anyone wanting to speak tonight. Um what I would also like to say is that um we will not respond to questions or comment made um while you're speaking during the public comment portion. However, um perhaps after we close it, we could make a motion to have town board member time immediately follow um because we typically will uh especially for something like this. And I know that there are people here for some other issues in town that are um that people would like to address with us that we address those right after the public comment portion of the meeting. So, um I do encourage you to stick around for that. Um, I know people might want to just get up and leave, but we do discuss the issues afterwards and that could also be helpful. Our meeting is also streamed on YouTube, so you can watch it after if to go. So, with that, I will open the public comment portion of the meeting. The first speaker that we have signed up is Matthew Burr. If

I just stand here. Yes, of course. Wherever you want. Can I be I'm sorry I did not mean to interrupt, but if anybody has anything they're looking to read, if that could be emailed to the clerk, I would appreciate. Thank you. Y I appreciate

um Okay. Uh good evening. Thank you for uh having us all. Um so my name is Matt Ber. I'm a parent at Acorn Waldorf School. I have a 5-year-old and who's there currently and an 11year-old who went to kindergarten there. I'm also the chair of the parent action committee. So, I'm helping to coordinate the parents response to the closure. Um, so I have a quick statement. There's three of us that have statements and then we're excited to hear lots. Um, Acorn Waldorf School is a nationally renowned early childhood program situated on an 11acre campus in the heart of the town of Rochester. The school has served generations of children, families with an educational experience that is like nothing else in the world. Its unique approach to outdoor education has become a model for new nature-based early childhood programs across Olster County, New York, and the country. Its neighboring tree project is bringing outdoor education to public schools at Kingston and Head Start programs around the county. Children who graduate from Acorn are confident, capable, and resilient learners who go on to thrive in a wide range of primary and secondary school environments. Acorn, as you know, is also an essential pillar of the town of Rochester community. Right now, we serve more than 50 families, employ more than 20 teachers. It is a beacon that attracts new families to the area. It's a gravitational force that helps keep some of our longest standing families here, and it contributes in countless ways to the social, cultural, and economic life of the town. Acorn is an outdoor school. uh from March through November, children spend most of their time outside. My 5-year-old started in summer camp and was there and the first time she stepped into one of the yurts was actually in the middle of December. Kids spend their time outside. Uh the campus also includes, as I'm sure you know now, four yurts. These function

as storage facilities, warming centers during the winter months, and as occasional shelter from inclement weather throughout the rest of the year. For its entire 15-year history, Acorn has maintained a strong and cooperative relationship with the town of Rochester. The school has passed annual building inspections every year since its founding. On February 5th, that relationship was abruptly disrupted. Our newly appointed building inspector ordered the immediate closure of the school on the grounds that he considered the certificate of compliance that his governance school's yurts for 15 years to be invalid and that they now require a certificate of occupancy. Notably, the officer has not identified any condition posing an immediate danger to life or safety. Nor does the order site any specific structure, fire or habitability defect. After the order was given last week, the school brought its own structural land veneer on site and he has confirmed that the yurts are structurally sound and do not pose any immediate danger to life or safety. As a result of the closure, ACORN now faces an existential crisis. With limited financial resources, the school cannot withstand a prolonged closure. Our children have lost their school. Parents are facing impossible trade-offs at work. Teachers and staff are threatened with a loss of their livelihood and the town of Rochester risks losing permanently a thriving and deeply valued institution. The consequences for all of us will be profound, but they will be especially profound for our children. We now know that prolonged disruptions in early childhood education have deep and lasting negative effects on childhood development. So closing a school should be the policy choice of absolute last resort made after careful consideration of all alternatives, not the very first choice made in a vacuum as it was here. The very first communication that Acorn Walder School ever had with the new inspector was a shutdown order.

Although there are no safety issues, we know that there are certain key areas where ACORN now needs to come in compliance with the code in order to be issued a CO. We're working tirelessly with engineers, lawyers, and building experts to solve the problem. We will be presenting next week a detailed set of engineering drawings for the yurt, a clear indication of any areas where they may be non-compliant with the code and a remediation plan for bringing them up to code. Alongside that information, we'll be we will be asking for a temporary certificate of occupancy and we will agree to certain restrictions that will allow us we hope to reopen the school on February 23rd after the children return from a planned winter break next week. We have a next week to try to solve the problem. This is not an unusual request. We are also in contact with a number of schools and institutions across New York State that have yurts that are structurally identical to ours and have valid permanent cos. It's concerning to me and Erin, I know you, we were there at the meeting on Monday when the chief enforcement officer told us that there is not a single yurt in the state of New York that has a valid CO. A five-minute Google search told me that there are hundreds of yurts around the state of New York that are being used as classwords with validos, including in New York State parks and other New York State institutions. I'm concerned that he made this decision with a very limited set of information and assumptions that are not true. There is in fact a very clear path towards bringing notes into if you decide that your requires a CEO, which is up to the discretion of the CEO, there's a very clear path for doing that. We're coming in front of the town board and the supervisor this evening to ask for your help in expediting this process and providing any resources available to you to help us to reopen the school. Time is of the essence. We have days and weeks, not months, or this school will close. We need to move at lightened speed and we need all of your help to do that. We

know that the town supervisor and the board do not have the legal or ethical authority to intervene in an individual code enforcement decision. But we also know that this crisis that threatens to destroy Acorn is a direct result of a very real policy change in the town that originated in this board and was brought to light in the hiring of the new enforcement officer. Personnel is policy. This is a person you've hired. He's following your directions. I understand that the toll the town has a very noble goal of shifting from what some may have characterized as a more relaxed approach to enforcement to a stricter approach. I actually am very happy about that. I think it's an important step forward for us as a town and I commend you for that. But we should not lie to ourselves. This is an enormous change in the relationship between the building office and the community in this town. And this policy change should have been better publicly communicated and brought to the attention of the community and community leaders in such a way that gave us all time and space to adapt. A change like this to the built environment of town will require investment, work on kind. Instead, the community as a whole is learning about this change through the abrupt and immediate closures of a beloved institution that has worked in close partnership with the town and was given no dialogue or path to remediation before the action was taken. We urge the town board and supervisors to reflect on the unintended consequences of the approach that you've taken and to adapt your approach before other beloved institutions in our town face the same fate. Our final request tonight is of the community at large. If you have the skills, resources, or relationships to help us weather this crisis, we need you now. Acorn Walder School is a bright light of hope and joy and goodness in a time of darkness and fear. Please don't let that light be extinguished. Don't let the darkness win. Help us

acorn holders. Thank you. Salvatore. Hi.

Um, welcome back. I'm Panda and I live in Appid with my husband and our two amazing daughters, Isa and Skates speak up five and they go to the program schools. We came here to Accord to have Isoma. We rent a friend's house and we immediately fell in love with the town and the land and the people and Ahord had this incredible feeling and presence that we couldn't put our finger on and we hadn't found anywhere else and we were looking very hard. Um, we started dreaming about staying here permanently after Isl School sign on Lucas Turnpike. We looked into the school and we talked to people about it and people seemed to talk about it with the same quality that we loved about the town. It just had this specialness that was indescribable and we felt so lucky to come to these two places that we would be so hopeful and grateful to be a part of. And so after Isa was born, we moved here and we couldn't go to the school yet cuz she

was only four months. But we did begin our commitment to the town. And as soon as we moved here, we reached out to people involved with the town to ask, how can we help? How can we understand what the people in the town want and need, you know, across all the political spectrum and what can we do? And so we started canvasing and holding events related to the town at our home and working on environmental issues related to the town. And I only bring this all up because actually our love and commitment to the town came first. We got to go to the school and we realized that this school was as incredible as we hoped it would be. It is a singular place where teachers and parents intentionally commit to the growth of the students in a way and the growth of us as parents in a way that I didn't even know was possible. And so You don't have to be familiar with Waldorf education to share some of the values that the school has. And I see in the town, thank you. I think I stopped but I could probably use that for everyone. Um I see in the town a lot of similarities to the school. You know there's an investment and a care of the land that helps us all grow that helps

the town grow and helps our children grow. There is a fostering of resilience and ingenuity that a rural town like ours needs and that our children need today more than ever. And there is this relentless unconditional commitment to community that we all share. And so you might imagine for a family like ours who loves the town and loves the school that is very disorienting when the town and the school have a big problem because we are the town and we are the school and then it feels like we're fighting ourselves and we don't want that. And I know you don't want that. And we don't want this story to be a story for our town and for our children and for our families and for our community that crumbles under law or difference of perspective. We don't need more stories like that. We need stories for our family and our town and our community

where we acknowledge that we have things in common. And I appreciate you saying that Aaron to open and that we can do this together and we have to do it as Matt said very quickly and it's going to be a challenge for all of us. And I want to just close by telling a story that I heard of someone asking Motria in the aftermath of the immediate closure of the school, how are you? And she said, I'm made for this. And it was a shocking response, but I think that like The town can be made for this and we are made for this together. And I really just ask for all of your help and expediency in doing this together and for each other and for the town, for the school and for the community. I thank you for your time. Goldber.

Good evening everybody. Thank you guys for moving up the public comment section and Aaron for your comments to lead this off. I think it starts us off in a really good positive way. My name is Jesse Goldfarb and I'm the proud father of two current acorn kids. My daughter Lucy has been there three years and my son Toby two years. Lucy and Toby absolutely loved going going there. My wife Isabelle and I found that it meets our our high standards for safety and all other child childhood developmental needs. The teachers and administrators take the utmost care in every aspect of our kids well. We love these people. I call myself very lucky to be able to live, work, and send my kids to school in the town of Rochester. I own and operate a farm called Tributary Farm, nestled in Alligerville, thankfully just before the town line switches the high falls. No offense to Marble Town, how I understand. I feel an intimate connection to the land of our town that has been home to many great farms since its found and for millennia even before that. This coming spring will only be our ninth season in business at Trivia Farm. Even before I was a parent at Acorn, I met many acorn kids as they came to pick up their weekly share of vegetables on our farm. Between having this business and now being a parent at the school, I think I probably know around 100 acorn children. These children embody a confidence in the outdoors that is inspiring. Like it's their natural habitat. They carefully use pruners at a young age cutting flowers. They fearlessly run through tall cover crops to lie down in a perfect hiding place. They help their parents pick out vegetables and are ready to help chop in their kitchen. I'll never forget the best feedback I've ever received which came from a 5-year-old acorn student. We have a fall harvest celebration every year and at vegetable pickup in early fall, he asked me when the party would be this year because it was his favorite day of the year. Acorn teaches children to care for each

other and the love. They do this for all these kids in our community and the teachers and staff also work with other daycare centers and schools to improve access to outdoor educations at other institutions through the neighboring tree project. One of the things I love about our town is that it's a place where diversity of opinions, political beliefs, religions, farming methods, and early childhood education approaches can thrive. And I hope that we can keep it that way. I understand that a new code enforcer might see things differently than a previous code enforcer. Please however remember that the previous code importer was also a town employee. Imagine how many buildings, businesses, homes might have a code violation due to a change of the inspector's work or interpretation of the rules. An abrupt change like this does the opposite of making our community safer. It makes it unclear, stressful, and unsafe. I want to thank the town board and the staff for their service and making our town a great place to live. And I'm confident we can work together to get our kids back to school soon. Thank you. Allison Bridges also got a new reading off. So sorry I look so good evening. I'm speaking to you as a mother of um two acorn children by born temperance and yelp but also as a third generation local resident. Um the world has been changing all around us every day sometimes for the better and sometimes in the opposite direction. My own grandfather was one of three who died building the Ashoken reservoir forever changing the local landscape. And my dad witnessed the transition from um horseback to passenger cars and the and the creation of the interstate throughway forever changing travel and local violence. And then my own generation has grown up in a time of increased isolation and reliance on

technology at the expense of our community and the great outdoors. I've always felt that Ols County as a whole sits in a very delicate balance where both thoughtful progress and small town wisdom has worked hand in hand to create and to maintain a life that's very hard for people to find and even harder to replicate once it's lost. I grew up in an era where all of us would spend countless hours outside listening to the calls of local birds, where we could all run in and out of each other's backyards and into the woods to create tree forths and climb the tallest boulders as a right of passage. We've always felt like we were on our own doing this, charting undiscovered territories, while in reality we were always under the careful and watchful eyes of our parents and our neighborhoods. Acorn has recreated this feeling for our children here in 2026. It holds sacred those small but crucial moments in our children's earliest memories that they will take with them for the rest of their lives. As an outdoor school program, Acorn understands that the time they spend outside exploring nature and their place within it will shape how they interact with the world and everyone else in it. I cannot recreate the Olter County of my own childhood, but Acorn is the closest that I could find for my own children. Their amazing staff works to maintain this timeless wisdom while pairing it with the newest development in early childhood education. As parents, we second guessess everything that we do. But I can say without a doubt that choosing Acorn has been one of the clearest, easiest, and best decisions that I've made as a parent. And I believe that will be true for the rest of my life. While I've never wanted to live anywhere else, I did leave to serve in the military like so many of my peers in the early 2000s. During my enlistment, I traveled both the country and the world. And while I love many things and many places, nothing compares to what we have

here. When I decided to return home and find my husband and start our family, my biggest wish was to create a calm, stable, consistent, and safe environment for our children. Acorn has helped answer that push. for my family and for all of the families here and so many more that didn't make it tonight. For hours and hours each day, we while we are out working, our children get to experience the natural beauty of our hometown under the attentive care of the amazing Acorn staff. There is absolutely nowhere else we'd rather be, and we are so lucky for them. The sudden and inexplicable closure of the school has jeopardized has jeopardized everything I have worked for as a mother. Today I am scared. I am so worried that they are losing the stability I have sought out for them and the irreplaceable experiences they need in this very small window of early childhood. My eldest is set to graduate at the end of this school year, and she should be experiencing the carefully curated rights of passage that Acorn offers these children as they enter that next chapter. There isn't a lot of time until the end of this year. This is a precious time that once lost can never be regained. I'm here to beg you to help give it back to them. Right now, we are telling the children that they're going on field trips as we've been forced to go find temporary care locations, but that can only last for so long. Our children are young, but they are smart and observant. And Acorn understands that and fosters it. We can only protect them from this situation for so long. and scrambling to find care in the middle of the school year is peacemail, chaotic, and unsustainable, especially as a family on limited income. So, please help us restore Acorn and

bring our kids back to the land that they know and love. Thank you.

Thank you. So, we've gotten through everyone that signed up on the list and I'm I'll open it up. Is there anyone else here who'd like to address the board tonight? This is the public comment portion, so it's on any any topic. Yes.

Um, my name's Dave Roberts of North Coaster on the planning board, but I'm here as a as a resident. Um there is no doubt that having a porn school within our community is a tremendous asset to all of us. Having a place that can bring children and educate them and put them out into the world uh under a walk learnings is a wonderful thing. My own daughter went to Wolf of Katabby and she is an extraordinary young woman who will soon graduate from college. I can say honestly that her wolf school is a extraordinary wonder of that. Um so I I h I have a school we are so lucky to have you in our communities. I will also say that I want to be supportive of the code enforcement officer and this process. The reason why is what's health and safety and I ask that you know there's a process here that needs to be followed. I'm sure you'll have the support of the town and the communities to explain that as much as possible, but it's so important because without that safeguard, terrible things can happen. In the last year, we had a young girl electrocuted in a dead because of, you know, things weren't done properly because of shortcuts.

I'm not suggesting that these, you know, shortcuts were done at Accoin, but what I do know is that the community, your community, parents need to be assured that things are done correctly. Now, in this difficult period, I mean, I know the first spoke about, you know, needing support. So, be specific. Let us know. We live in an extraordinary community. We really do. and who will get support on all. So let us know what you need. But there's a balance here. You know the school provides an extraordinary service to the entire

not just to you parents but we also need to follow a way of making things sum is there um anyone else you'd like to address school board

hi friends I want to echo a lot of what was said tonight I'm an alone parent my name is Alex Jingro I sent everyone on an email. Thank you for the opportunity to read it. The one thing that in echoing all this that I really want to bring up that I'm concerned about, I I too am very grateful to have a new proactive code enforcement officer in town. This is something that I have longed for. I have had many thoughts over the years. Um but two things specifically that I wanted to echo or that one to watch this happen at our school now really does bring into question many of us who have done renovations any of us who have opened a building anywhere are all going oh my god is this have we done something wrong that we don't realize is someone going to come and check out our space and we get down I mean I there's so many questions running through my head that there could be this much subjectiveness in a code enforcement capacity as such if there is that much subjective application for good reason. I understand it. But it makes me question that seems like a lot of power for one unelected individual to be able to wield in our town without any type of oversight from an elected body. And so that's the concern I want to express tonight is I absolutely understand the application of codes following the law. I agree with all of that. But because there was this precedent for the past 15 years of of the school thinking that there was compliance there there weren't any code infractions that we know of to be settled in. That seems to me that there's a reasonable expectation of compliance during that time. So for someone to be able to come in and make a change this dramatic and swift and

emergency seeming overnight without an oversight process from an elected board gives me a lot of concern about the power that that one person. So thank you all.

Um I'm going to try to be brief but and also emotional because I I just want to um sort of answer to the comments of this gentleman here or respond to them in a way because I think we have as as I'm a parent of a child and I think as parents children are the most important thing to them. We all want the safety of them and their teachers. Of course, that's that's what we, you know, we worry when we send them off into the world. And I know from the staff and Motria Shuhan who founded the school. I cannot ask for a more loving and nurturing environment in which to send our kids off to to teach them things about the world that they'll take with them for the rest of their lives as other parents have a code. And I have tried to reach out to the town council, to the supervisor, and to um people in the code enforcement office to find a specific list of violations that would file a bill request that has been responded to, which we'll look into it. I have not in my hands seen anything specific that the school needs that the school where the structures need to be reinforced or what the issues are. I know that there must be issues that the code enforcement officer has found. But why as a parent and why has the staff and administration been left in the dark about what those issues are? Because once we find out what those issues are, we can find ways to fix them. And if you truly are cooperative with us, you would provide us with that information so we can get to work. We've already hired professionals and sought out professional expertise for things that we to to kind of go be one step ahead of

the town because they're I don't think they're helping us expedite the issue and they may have it in their intention to look out for the safety of the children, but we're all doing our best to fix the problem if there is a problem. And I don't know why it's so hard to get that information and keep us in this big vague um you know fog. I I know I know I generally wouldn't send my child to a school that I felt was unsafe and I'd like to know those safety issues and I think that everybody the team of parents and administration and all the support that they have around them will do whatever it takes to get the the structures and the campus up to code. So we can just restart this magical environment that our children I I can't tell you. My son comes home and he talks about how much he loves his teachers like they're part of a family. You know, they've given him a world that I could never provide for them. So I'm asking you to please help us give us the information we need so we can be on our way and make it a viable place for us to send our kids again. Thank you. your name. Sarah, I go to to you today.

Hi, my name is uh Stephan Lopez. I live in the town of Rochester. Um so I know you guys can't do much because it's a contractor, but I'm sure you reviewed the new all the news in the area and our local first aid squad has been the news regarding mismanaged funds and it's an allegation. It's unknown at this point, but you know, this is tax money that is being brought in, you know, and I think it needs to be addressed and you look at um I just I don't know, you know, for sure if it's 100% true, but I just saw in the news source, but you know, the town could look into it.

There anyone else who'd like to address the board tonight? Okay. So, with that, I will close the public comment portion of the meeting. Um, we have one that we do at the end of the meeting also, but it will probably be very late, past a bunch of dead times tonight. Um, I would like to um move the town board member time uh right now so that we can address um questions. Um, I'm sure we would all like to say something. So, I will open it up to the town board members. Got a motion.

Well, I can motion for it. It's not a resolution. Does anyone I'm letting any board members have anything you'd like to say? We'll start. Um I've been an advocate and fan of Motra and everything she does for so long and wife. You appreciate Anyway, if you guys if you guys say your names for those of us who don't

sure will. Um, you can be assured that the school is at the top of our list of priorities right now. Um, in spite of all the other emergencies that the town is facing, broken heating systems and all sorts of other things, um, lack of email systems and um, everything else. But the school the school is a very special place. Um, and I've been heartened by the response when I was helping Mocha find a place to uh find some temporary accommodations and I think the communities shares all your thoughts.

Who knew I was such a crybaby? It's very smart. You brought the kids and they're so cute. So, thank you for bringing a few children to entertain me. Um, and thank you for letting us borrow Elsa from Arendelle. Um, I'm Charlotte Smeth, Councilman Charlotte. Um, I have a couple of things to say. The first thing I want to address is the gentleman who did not speak about Acorn School. I would like to say thank you for bringing that to our attention. Um, not all issues always make it to every town board member's attention right away as soon as they hit a newspaper. You know, we also throw to different ones depending on which neighborhood we live in. So, appreciate you bring the concern up to our attention so that we are able to look into it and see what's going on there.

I don't know if that's true or not, but it's just it wasn't a new source that the state police are possibly investigating.

Yeah. Well, thank you so much for bringing that up. So, that was um one separate uh because you first um see a little bit. So, um, as a fellow parent, um, to a small child in the area who attends the local school district, not Acorn, but another one, um, the abrupt closure of a school. Um, from a parents perspective, I cannot fathom as a child who grew up in this area. I did deal with that in the public school district with an entire school building having to close because of mold. an entire third of our community when it was at its largest during the largest population boom of the 90s and the kids attending it having to restructure the entire school system and move all the kids from Marble Town between Rosenale and to Hobson. So, I understand the overwhelmingness and I understand the concern for um your children and what's going on with them and the safety of their peace and of their emotions and of their actual learning and environment. Um I completely understand. Um, I will say from a kids perspective, my biggest annoyance of that whole thing was one of the Marble Town kids stole my wall of So, um, it didn't affect me too much. Um, as a from a student point of view, but um, and that's not to downplay what any of you guys are feeling. Um, but I will say, um, I think that that might be slightly difference here. Um, when my daughter goes to public school and if her school were shut down right now due to a safety violation, I wouldn't be going to the Rosenale school board. I'd be go to the Rosenale Town Board. I'd be going to my daughter's school board to say, "What's going on? What's happening? Why is there a building that was unsafe but shut down?" You know, I also understand where you guys are coming from because for the past 15 years, those buildings have been inspected and

the kids are allowed to go in there. Um, from my standpoint at this seat, my highest priority is always the safety of every resident of our town. Whether it's their roadway, they're a public building, they're in their own private. We like um one of the gentlemen brought up earlier last year even with the town doing something beforehand at a camp that was violating code there was a person who was the child who was electrocuted and is still in a vegetative state at this point even though we did something. So, I'm sorry, but when it comes to the children, based off the history that I've had of dealing with non-compliance and where children are kept to be safe at camp or school in this town, I'm going to air on the side of caution and side with what ensures the safety first because we tried that already and it went so wrong. I'm not s I'm not belittling and I will absolutely support expediting whatever we can to get you know as soon as whatever requirements are in that the code enforcement officer comes out and does a reinspection and issues a CO for you know a verbal CO that day if they need to I'm happy to do that. Um, but at the same point, if we don't know that a building's safe, I'm not comfortable signing off. Like, if I was in that office, I would be the one to I wouldn't be comfortable signing off with reopening the school until I knew that those buildings were safe because this meeting could be a whole lot different if one of those buildings fell down while your kids were there with the crowd you guys. So, if it would be a lot different on how the approach would be with us. So, I completely understand it. I sympathize um completely with you guys in what you are going through and dealing with. Um and the need of having to deal with a child with two parent schedules and trying to figure that out when a school's closed even when it's kid is

sick for a day or two. It's really frustrating and and throwing your whole your whole work job. So I sympathize. I understand. I appreciate you all coming out and bringing the concerns to us. And again, same thing. We don't know if something's an issue that has gone on amongst us. Even there's though there's an ethical and there's a uh separation between us and the code enforcement office and we're not allowed to have influence over that, it is still adorment underneath the town which we have the oversight technically over in some ways. Um and I will say the um one other thing I wanted to respond to was that um I can't recall who I believe it was a I believe you with the white glasses name. I didn't recall yours, but you sorry. Um the uh balance of powers in us to do you commented on us not being able to have influence over the code enforcement office. That's not something we control. That's New York State general municipal law that sets up those different powers that be. So that change would have to go above us. I'm sorry but just so you know that's not something that we can directly change. Um just some uh but thank you guys for coming and I hope you guys all have some uh good night home and safe trips and I hope everyone goes to sleep very easily for you after this meeting.

I just

I want to recognize the members of the community who stepped up in extraordinary ways to prevent temporary homes for our children. Alexis Alvo, mother of Sonia and Saplings, specifically Rochester Reformed Church and Christ the King of Episcopal Church in Stone Ridge. Their generosity reflects the spirit that makes our community special. As a town board member, I remain optimistic that the town board will communicate the town will communicate effectively with the public and exhaust every possible angle to expeditiously reach a resolution. My colleagues have satisfactorily expressed the town's primary intention to provide a safe environment for our children, for everyone who uses public spaces. I want to acknowledge that shared commitment at the outset of everyone in this room. I believe our goal everybody of every part is the same to find a path towards reopening. I want to underscore how deeply disruptive has been for our families. The real and immediate damage must be recognized and balanced with the concerns raised by code enforcement. From reading dozens of letters and experiencing this firsthand as the parent of Sonia and Saplings, I can say that the impact is profound. Children are experiencing nightmares. Families are losing child care during periods of medical emergencies and recovery. Parents are facing economic strain and the spectre of paying double for child care. There's also a already a scarce and expensive resource. And then as others have brought up the existential threat to the queers of ACORN's teachers and the school itself, if shutdown remains protracted, ACORN teachers stay with their classes for years. The bonds formed between students and teachers are unique and powerful. The space itself rooted in nature is not incidental is integral and integral to the school's identity and to the children's daily experience. Acorn school is widely seen as the rare sanctuary from the crisis of the wider world, especially for our children. During traumas of the pandemic, many families chose Rochester specifically so their children could attend Acorn. In a rural community with vanishingly few family oriented spaces, the school is social, educational, financial, and even I would say spiritual node of Rochester. Rochester

is my community and Acorn is my community. Thank you. I'm looking at time wondering wondering what kind of negotiations over bedtime stories are happening right now in my absence. Hopefully it's stuck to two, but she may go for three.

Uh I'm sorry. I'm going to read and try and address you. I want to start by acknowledging uh how difficult this obviously is for the family, it's students, uh staff, teachers, and the leadership of the school. I know some people impacted personally. My daughter has played uh with some of your kids and I have friends whose children grew up in the Acorn school. I've been hearing about it for years. We looked at 8oint school as a possible place for our daughter. I know that's true for a lot of us on the board. Um this school is something that's deeply valued by families uh who've gone there and lives it's touched and a sudden disruption to child care, to education, to employment that's real uh and it's hard. And I know from your letters it's painful. I've read them all. I know all the board members here have been reading them. And I know firsthand how hard it is to find child care in this area. I know how expensive it can be when you do find it. And I know what it's like when you find a place where you feel like your child is safe and connecting teachers. So um when you were all saying that it it struck a chord with me. I also recognize that the school's been operating for several years and and so a change like this for people who've grown up there is sudden. It's destabilizing. I think it's also important for everyone to understand that the town board was not involved in the in this decision which is by design. Code enforcement decisions are made by the code enforcement officer and they're based on state law um state building code, fire and safety code. um and the board doesn't have the ability to direct those determinations and we also can't wave requirements uh when it comes to the safety of buildings

and and structures. I've also heard people saying and some people saying tonight that you know this has something to do with the recent hiring of a new code enforcement officer and I think it's important for everyone to know that for years we've been getting a lot of feedback from the community that code enforcement has been inconsistent. uh that codes aren't being applied evenly to different properties and it's something that we as a board have been very committed to trying to address and as the executive and legislative body of the town u know I think it's important that we ensure that those standards are upheld and we really have a responsibility to make sure that the laws are applied fairly as Aaron pointed out from the oath of office and that there's no favoritism and so I just want to be clear I support our code enforcement officer in in carrying out the responsibilities that they're obligated to carry out under state law and I know I I've talked to them and uh they did not make these decisions lightly and they're all rooted in safety consideration. So uh I just I think that's important to understand when we're talking about schools and places that care for children. safety standards aren't optional. And you know, a lot of the codes that are in the building code, the fire and safety code are there because something terrible happened. They're there to to prevent um tragedies from happening. And you know, if you talk to the members of our volunteer fire department, and I I talked to them recently, and they'll tell you that prevention and co-compliance are really the strongest ways which to ensure that things like that don't happen. And I understand that people have questions about how this situation happened, the timing, you know, those are all important things to figure out.

I know this board is going to discuss those. I know we're going to to try and look at what processes need to be in place so that we don't have things like this happening uh in the future. But I think the most important thing right now is is figuring out this situation and figuring out uh how to fix the school and and do it with the safest uh path forward. I think the most important thing that I've heard in communicating with other board members and communicating with families that are impacted is I'm really confident that we all want the same outcome. We want our children cared for. We want the teachers employed. We want uh families supported. And we want Acorn to continue to be able to provide the kind of education deciding. And so I'm committed. Uh I think we've heard from all the board members that everyone else here is committed in ensuring that we we find a way to do that. I think the most important thing for us is that we want to do so in a way that also supports our staff and our account employees which are really committed individuals and I know um we don't always get to interact with them but there's amazing people that work for this town and they're working really hard to make sure that uh it's a safe place that it is the type of town that want to come to and see. So, thank you all for coming out tonight. Um, unrelated, I I do have some updates on payass and where we are at with your website. Um, just also anyone who emailed me and not the entirety of the board over the past couple days. Apologies for not responding. I did not realize anyone sent me emails separately. If any of you are up here um for not responding via email to you, I just wanted to say that for you. So, go ahead. Well, thank you um everyone for coming out and spending the time. I know

this is not a circumstance that you know we welcome the attendance, but it's obviously not why we want to have attendance um at a board meeting. Um and I appreciate the town board and your sensitivity and your commitment to this. Um I would like to answer some questions at this time. Um I understand that there is a um it's very difficult to understand what happened with the the certificate of occupancy. So I wanted to explain a little bit as much as I could in broad terms what is happening and why there isn't a list of violations. Um so the first thing is is that the as I said in the beginning this was a uh annual inspection. Uh private schools are required to have a certificate of occupancy for a building not if you have a building. Um and he when when our code when our new code enforcement officer went he discovered that there was no certificate of occupancy. When that happens, the code enforcement officer under New York state law, there is no provision that allows them to allow occupancy. So it everything kind of stops at that point. So what a certificate of occupancy says is the reason why we have that the reason why uniform code exists is to say this structure is safe for occupancy which is different from use um or a shed or a pavilion or even a yurt. There are yurts they exist. You can uh build one that in order for it to be lived in, occupied, have employees,

run a business out of, it needs to meet the standards to receive a certificate of occupancy. So it's different. There are different levels of like approval. So in order So what's difficult about that is that's kind of where things stopped because there's no way for us to say well we'll give you four weeks of occupancy right I know that that does not make emotional sense right I understand that um but that is how the law should be applied especially in a situation where you're talking about living or having children of a school. So, it's not the same as an imminent I hear what you're saying and I I I I hear that point, but it is not the same as observing something that would cause imminent harm. It's two different these are two different things. This is saying there's nothing that is certifying that this structure is safe for the for what it's being occupied for. the path we have spoken with the school. We are working with the school. We will continue to work with the school. Um we council to counsel and officials to officials. We have described the path that that our officer has offered and um we have a plan. Uh I believe we will be speaking um as well further next week or tomorrow or whenever. Um, but I just wanted to explain that I'm not saying that makes it feel better or easier, but that's why there's not a list and I I heard that a lot. But if you received the violation, it's a regarding not having a certificate of occupancy and then there's nothing else because that's what

it is. To receive a certificate of occupancy, you apply. You have you provide any anything that would receive that. You have to provide stamped plans. You have to provide health department approvals. There's a whole list of stuff that goes in. Then the code enforcement officer can inspect against that. So that is that's sort of where we're at. And I I understand why it's very difficult to um see that because it is very legal. It's very um this is New York State law. Um the other thing I wanted to address is this idea that that this is um that

that well what about all the other things in town? So I one thing I wanted to mention is that business uses and uh multif family dwellings and resorts are required to have an annual inspection. So your homes and you know there are things that you're not required to have an annual fire safety inspection. Do I want everyone to have safe structures? Yes. But what's happening is when the officer is coming to a required inspection, he is a new officer, but as the board mentioned, we specifically were looking for someone with honesty and integrity that would uphold our zoning code and the codes and laws of New York State. That is happening. It is happening townwide. The board will hear the report that there have been 98 um permits that have been put on pause because of issues with the application. Um we have another uh business that was closed that also had plans and also had is facing financial hardship because of that. um and that this is a consequence of whatever was happening in the past and the course to correct it. Unfortunately, there's not especially when it comes to occupancy laws, we don't have a lot of wiggle room. The other question I wanted to answer is of a temporary certificate of occupancy. The reason why we can't offer that right now is because in order to receive a temporary certificate of occupancy, you have to be in a position to receive the

certificate of occupancy. So, it's not it's not a grace. It's a you've we have everything we need and you're missing your landscaping or your lighting fixtures. So, everything else has to be in place for a temporary certificate of occupancy. And um that came up in almost every um correspondence I received. So I I wanted to answer that. Um so I'm sure that doesn't make you feel better, but hopefully it helps illuminate some of the questions that you had. Um I don't have any other topics or anything else to bring up in town board member time. Does any do I any of you have anything further that you'd like to say? No, Ben, you need to take a minute to call my babysitter and check in.

Okay.

Okay. So, we'll just take a brief pause. If people would like to leave, we'll just take a pause so that you can do that. Um, and then we will go back to the beginning of our agenda. Sure. It's Listen, I get That was last week.

Yes. I

actually worked really well. I think right Oh yes.

Good idea. particular fabric that's on this one. department around some Thank you so much.

Really don't need anything. together. Thank you so much everyone. Wow, there's so much we can do. They also have an event here tomorrow, so we probably don't even

Nobody wants to sit around.

Okay. Are we ready to Are we ready to reconvene? All right. So, we'll get back to the top of the agenda. Um, I didn't want you guys to feel like no audience. Great. Come on.

Okay. So, the January financial report summary. So these numbers are not budget numbers. They're the revenue and expenditures for the month of January. I haven't split out the 2025 numbers yet. So I just wanted to explain that revenue for general fund is $59,642.76. Highway fund $565,89149. Expenditures general fund $411,39840 highway fund $251,22812 capital and ambulance fund were zero and it looks like I forgot to put in street lighting fund. So I will get that minutes. Um I also have the financial reports but I found one error in them. So, I'm going to fix that in QuickBooks and resubmit those to the board and to the clerk digitally so that you have them and I will post those publicly. Um, so for the supervisor's report, I um wanted to start with a correspondence report. We are um just so you guys are aware, we reviewed the town board SharePoint site la um at our last meeting and um Alexis, if you want to run through that like one-on-one, we can do that or you can do that with um Michael so we can just show you how that's set up. Um, but that is a there's a document library that I'm tagging for the meeting. So, there's like a filter view you can see for the meeting, but all our documents are still available to search in the search bar. Um, what I'm going to do is I'm adding a folder that's called

correspondence. It's in there for you right now. I'm going to break it out by month though, so it'll be like February, March, April, May. I'm going to put I Stacy, my clerk, is going to be putting all correspondents I received um in there and then I'll give a summary report at the meeting. Um this is something that I've been wanting to do since I took this office, but I think it's really helpful for you guys to see all the I get like so much stuff. um I'll give a summary of it and then if there's anything you want to pick up that I'm not picking up you can let me know or or or mention it and we can add things to the agenda. So just wanted to explain that the correspondence report in the meeting will be a summary of what's in that folder. So my I wrote it and I accidentally separated all the pages over here. So, um, we received three calls this week, uh, regarding brush. I guess the highway department had a a brush hog or something and we received three concerned calls. So, we're following up with the highway department.

It was Yeah. Um, we're trying to understand what happened. There's a lot of snow on the ground, so it's a little like I don't know. Usually they cut too much

snow. It like made a mess. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um there's also a correspondence from the um supervisors association. Also, one of our housing committee members um circulated this. There's an ADU expo in Kingston on eBooks 10. Um and that is open to the whole county. It's not just Kingston. Um, we did receive we received public comment regarding um, local law B of 2026, which is uh, rescending the municipal parking law. I received a one-on-one correspondence that was not a public comment. Um, and it was someone expressing concern that we were turning the municipal law into a truck stop. Um, so I put their correspondence and my email to them in the correspondence folder um because I just wanted to reassure the resident that this was not anything that we were planning. We um wanting to reiterate that we have a replacement law that we're considering and that we had decided that that needed more work and consideration. I have three styles of how we can handle municipal property that I've proposed to the board back um in November that we've been looking at. So um I just wanted to make you aware of that. Um, I had a request to create a parade committee or a event committee from um, Peter Nelson because we do a joint Memorial Day parade every year and every year we plan it at the last minute and every year we talk about how amazing it could be if we got started earlier. Um, so we

Huh. So we got to start now. Um, we have this, you know, um, I think to, you know, to the point and I think Alexis, you spoke about this and some other people spoke about this, but this issue that we're facing with the school highlights and some of our some of the like chronic issues that we face, right? Um, and one of them is the lack of these spaces. Um and so the idea of making something like a Memorial Day parade more um

like inclusive having more to it utilizing our our you know I think these are good things that we want to be doing. So that also um sort of turned into maybe the idea of having a town event committee because we have other events. Um, so this is something that I would like to do and that I support. Um, I don't have who would be on it or anything like that. So, um, but I do think that we should do that. I think we should have a group of people that are focused on those things. Okay. I got a request that the town explore possible actions to address rising costs in electricity. And then um a memo that I want to share with the board from um Judge Laflam. And I had invited the justices to a meeting to discuss um like operational type issues and they uh Judge Lam expressed that that would be u a violation of separation of powers

and it it was just not something that had come up and I did a lot of reading about it and I can understand where um that's coming from particularly with uh officers that there might be say um um a court issue from a department that would then go before one of the judges. So we have to be really careful about stuff like that. So, it made me think a lot about that and some of the policies that we're looking at, the key policy, the camera policy, and just being mindful that there are um there's a separate body that governs over the the court operations and um it just wasn't anything that we'd really talked about as a board before. So, I thought that was interesting and that the board should see that. then got the letters from concerned um parents and community members that we discussed. So department and operations updates um I held my first

just tracking we had discussed with Kate um the possibility of committee for emergency preparedness. So just sure we're aware of that. I talked to John Ding about it.

Okay. That wasn't in an email that I received, but yes, sure. That was just my correspondence report, but yeah. Um, so department and operations. Um, we held I held the first department head and supervisory employee meeting. Um, this is a standing meeting that I'm holding once a month. Um, the attendees included the town clerk, recreation director, assessor, code enforcement officer, and myself. I do have an established standing by weekly meeting with the highway superintendent and the highway secretary. Um and the focus of having these standing meetings is um and the focus of the meetings themselves is improving communication, coordination and operational consistency. I did type up a um summary of that department meeting for the board. Um I will not read that. Um but um the big things that came out is a request to do a training on the email system. Um and that um we also discussed the many building issues that we've been having. Um and I reviewed reporting protocols for um those. We do have a request for the install of panic buttons. So that's come up. While it didn't come up in this meeting, it's come up with the court and the code enforcement office. Um, we also have had a significant leak from the ice dam in this building. So, you can see in the kitchen and in the hallway, um, that caused leakage from the roof into these tiles. So, we're going to wait until the end of the winter and then replace those, but we also need to make sure that there's nothing else going on up there. Um

we also um discussed an emergency um committee. Um uh that was brought up because we had opened the warming center and it was something that I was just doing by myself really and it would be good. We talked about having, you know, pool of volunteers and officials that we could act on um that and it also came up um to uh update our emergency plan which was written in 2008. Um so I will share uh I will be sharing like reports of those budget meet or budget of those department meetings with the board. Um the other thing I'm doing in those meetings is that's when I'll be um issuing budget versus actuals to all the departments so they can see where they're at in a year. Um so from the uh operational perspective, we are currently working on improving the town's communication infrastructure. So um we created a town Facebook page. Um myself, my clerk, Stacy, and Kate are all administrators of that and we are working on utilizing it. We're up to 44 follows. Um, so you should check that out, follow it, and you can share it with um, you know, anyone that lives in the town or anyone you think might be invite them, invite them to follow the page. We're also reviewing and reorganizing the town website to ensure that commonly requested information is easy to find. We are always open to feedback and input. Um, and then we are continuing to strengthen internal communication systems between departments. I think the um tools that we have with our um

Outlook and Microsoft licenses are really helping. We've been util I've know I've been utilizing teams cross departmentally um a lot which is really helpful. So additional updates I really need to begin work in earnest on the annual financial report. The first 43 days of the year have been extremely busy operationally to say the least. Um but this is now a priority. Um we one of the things that came up in the meeting and that's in my office is we annually do a a paid time off reconciliation that has been completed. Since we're now doing that digitally um we have to reconcile like our hard records against the records that the employees have access to. Um I also wanted the board to know that the community preservation real estate transfer tax is active. it became um it became it came into effect February 1st. Um the county administers that so the forms are generated by the county and when there is a transfer that um is in the amount that's not exempt that form is filled out and is um given to the county. Then monthly they send a check to me. So um we have a page um that has all the information on it. We will also have a link to that form on the page but it does not come to us. So I just want to make that clear. Um also over the past three weeks uh we have experienced heat failures in four town buildings. So the courthouse heat pumps are outdated and do not adequately heat the building when temperatures fall below 15°. Um, you know, I did not know this coming into office and no one explained this to me, but apparently that this is how it's

been. But this winter in particular has just been brutal because we've had weeks where it's hardly gotten above 15 degrees. So, we've had to close court because it's not uh a safe working environment for AFA staff. So, this is something that we really need to address and prioritize even once the weather warms. Um, we're going to have to figure out how to um replace that system. Uh, what's challenging is every heating system needs to be replaced. So, the highway garage heater went down um twice and they were out of heat. Um, and we there's it's repaired and it's operational, but we also need to replace the pipe that um the ducks which did not get replaced, but that will be a few thousand. Um, and we're really blowing through that $35,000 that we budgeted for building improvements. Um, and it's we haven't even gotten into out of the first quarter yet. the community center furnace has shut off repeatedly. Um, we've had a repair technician out five times. So, it's one of the reasons why I'm I've been working so much is because I come here in the morning and check to see if the heat has turned off and I get the heat running. Um, because that's before anybody has started work.

Do we have heat alarms on these buildings? No. So that's yeah I need I want remote monitoring of our systems because I have to drive here. Um and that's not super expensive. Yeah. Um did we not have this replaced when they redid the center? It was replaced. It's from 2020. Yeah. It's the cold. It's an oil system. Our tank is outside. I think there's something with the cold creating too much air in the line and we're getting a hard lockout and it's oil.

Yeah. So, we're getting a hard lockout. So, when there's a hard lockout, the system shuts off and it's just happening overnight. So, when staff were coming in, it was like 45 50° in here. I we've had a lot of repairs done. You guys will be selling those seeing those bills. Um but and it seems to be operating right now. But this is the strain that this puts on our building staff, our staff working in the buildings. Um the kennel, right? And the kennel, but that we repaired. That was the fourth one. But um that has been resolved. Transfer station.

No, the transportation's good. Probably won't be good. I mean, I was joking. It was like Groundhog Day. Every day I woke up and the heater was broken. Um so um this does I you know we came into this situation it's not like any one of us chose to have deferred maintenance but it is it um it um it's very disruptive and it puts a halt to everything and you know like Zie pointed out this issue here is a big there's a lot of priority issues in the town but when heat is out in the building. I my office and buildings stop everything. So, we have to address it and make sure it's fixed. Um, so I would love to get this figured out. Um, that is my very long department report. They won't always be that long. Um, so moving on.

Before I forget, your financial report, we need to do the court audit, right? Yes, I know. I have it a draft email for you guys by March. Uh, end of March. I'm just studying for I have all the reports that what it's not a conflict for us to do the court audit powers that we have to do it. I just wanted to double check. Yeah, that's our statutory obligation and their statuto obligation to open our records to us. So, um town clerk um tax collector report.

Okay. Um for tax collection to date, we've collected $7,54,286. Um the town tax warrant in the amount of $4,30,72047 has been satisfied with the town supervisor and three payments. Uh the remaining unpaid to be collected is uh $2,878,632.83. Uh, I just want to give a huge thank you to my deputies that helped during the tax collection period, Christina Ferrara, Jessica Bowen, and Shirley Lemon. Uh, for the town clerk report for the month of January, 50,32143 were collected. We did receive three written comments um regarding the proposed local B um that Aaron mentioned and um we're continuing to work on um updating records management. I have Brandon here that is um 20 hours a week still inserting um plans into our Docuare system. Um and that is about Oh yeah.

How much longer Charlie here? about another four.

Um, I don't have a highway report. Um, I do have department reports. Let me pull those up. I left them in the printer, so I have to read them. Okay, so the um Okay, so the assessor gave me a report and I left it on my desk. Um, I will say that I know so the the we are in the final stages of the townwide reval which means that the assesstor's office has taken all of the data that has been collected and put together um by GAR and they are actually going property by property and confirming by in per by person by them um that the information is correct. So they are really putting in a lot of hours um leading up to um next week when they have to have all of that finalized there. We do have a public information session on the reval. I would love to see a a good showing of that because I know there's a lot of concern about um the reval. Um, and um, let's see. Lastly, there's a website that is going to have all of the all of this information on it and that will be ready to launch in March and that's part of our contract with GAR. I will circulate that department um, report to the board. So, I apologize that I left that on my desk. Um I have the um constabularary report and then I have a report from the enforcement office. So six neighbor to neighbor and quality of

life complaints, three resident traffic complaints. Um nine court proceedings remain open. Um it does look like there were a lot of welfare checks which that is to be expected with the weather we've been having. Um and um obviously that the snowfall created a lot of issues. One thing that came up in this report is the no heat calls which um I've only gotten one and one we got one when um when I was on vacation and those are being coordinated through the sheriff's office and are then administrated through the supervisor. So I'm going to follow up on that because um those if those are coming through um and it's a assistance call that usually is supposed to be coordinated through my office. So, um,

say it again. I would still like to see details about these calls.

Okay. Um, the, uh, code enforcement and building department report. Um, we've welcomed Keith into the position of code enforcement officer and hit the ground running. During his first week, they scheduled meet and greets um, with town departments, the planning board, zoning billard of appeals, and the award fire district. Um, the office hours have changed. We did this temporarily, but I would like the board to consider doing this permanently from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. And they've received positive feedback from contractors who are regularly in office. In the last few weeks, they focused on revamping office forms, applications, and certificates, reviewed office procedures to ensure they are effective and efficient. With Stacy Barnes help, they up updated the website with key sections of New York State Uniform Code that contractors and homeowners will find useful, implemented a filing system that groups by SPL rather than by owner, which is how the records have been grouped to ensure all activities are associated with the parcel since homeowners can change. um completed an internal audit of active permit files and found that 98 permits were granted in error due to insufficient documentation, mostly because stamp plans were missing. Courtesy letters were sent to each applicant to notify them that their permits have been suspended and that they need additional documentation. Two fire safety inspectants were conducted due to non-compliance. Um both places of businesses have closed until a plan of remediation is in place and execute. Um, and they have I have the numbers for everything

somewhere, but I can't find it at this time at the moment. So we are at um just so you know we have a in four minutes we have an executive session scheduled to conduct an interview. So when we do that we will uh we'll be leaving we'll be leaving the room. Um I had that at the end of the meeting but we had a lot going on so it's not quite at the end but I think we can do some resolutions in four minutes. So, can I just ask the um meeting with GAR? That's board members are allowed to come to that.

Yes, we are allowed to come as a board though we're not attending as a board. We're attending as community members. So, we can't conduct business, right? Sorry, the re the rebound the rebound. Oh, the guards and that law. Okay. So, um so moving on to resolutions. So, the acceptance of the minutes, the town board accepts and approves the minutes of the January 2nd organizational meeting, the uh January 8th business meeting, the January 22nd public hearings, and the January 22nd workshop meeting as circulated by the town clerk. Second.

Any discussion? All in favor? I opposed. Abstain. Motion carries. Um I have two donations. Well, did you have a need from St. Paul? Oh, yes. I have I have So, I have $400 and then the St. Paul's. This one we put through as a wreck day, not a donation. This one, this is the one called West. Yeah, they don't have a donation. No, I see what it is. There were sponsorship things that happened last month.

It was this uh registration for the bus trip.

Yeah, that was just their program fees, not um like a sponsorship for like the after school program. I just I think Yeah, just like their voucher. Okay. So, I just Okay, got it. So, I'll make a motion that the town board accepts the donations um in of $400 from the commitment to kids committee and $90.39 from St. Paul textile. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? I

opposed. Abstain. Motion carries. Um acceptance of abstract 2A. So, I'll read those amounts out loud to you. The abstract was audited. Um, so I'll make a motion that the town board accepts abstract 2A of 2026 and 14A of 2025 and authorizes the claims to be paid totaling the following amounts. So for 2A, street lighting is $44016. General fund um unpaid is $11,1923. Prepaid $5,4154. Highway $64,969.71. Abstract 14A of 2025. Escrow is $2,48942 and general fund is $17,3786.

Any discussion? All in favor? I opposed abstain. Motion carries. I make a block motion to vote on agenda items D and E present. Or do you have stuff that you want to present with the baron? Oh, for the things. Can I block those? Are you okay with that as presented? Um, I had If you have stuff, we don't have to. I was just figuring I'd get them before we came back so next year edited.

I don't have a problem with that. I I did actually put Olter County XXX because Are we supposed to file that with the Department of Taxation and Finance? This is for an exemption. Yes. send it to the county to the state um real property and secret real property. It's Ol County real property. accent Olser County real property, state real property and then state a department of state.

So I block motion as amended for the FXX at the Olster County parts of them at the end to add the uh real property taxes for the county and the state and the U department taxation for the state or for the county that was missing. Second.

Any discussion? All in favor? I oppose. abstain. Motion carries. Okay. So, we should um do our executive session at 8:30. Um so, I'll make a motion that the town of Rochester Town Board exits um enters into executive session at 8:32 p.m. for the purpose of interviewing a candidate for the appointment of employment. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Opposed? Let's see. Motion carries. So, we're going to go into the other building. Um, night, Jesse.

Well, I can't be here without you. You could you could be on TV. Yeah, you can. No, you wouldn't even know. Keep an eye on you. Jerry won't let anything. Jerry will come sit by me.

Gent executive session at 9:21 p.m. Any discussion? All in favor? I opposed. Abstain. Motion carries. Okay. So, we're going to pick back up with our agenda. The next resolution that we have is um the All right. Are we gonna skip reports and then come back to them or what reports? The board member reports. Oh, did I skip you? You did. I am so sorry. I just thought you were I am so sorry. I did not I really did not. That's why you kept mumbling.

No. All right. This is not going to do. We know how we fix this when it does this. Yeah. It's turn. I get up on the table. Um, okay. It must be nine points.

Can you you you guys can do your report. I'm so sorry. So, I'll go first. Um, historian. So, I met with Heather from Ridwood um in Rochester last evening to help her with uh town trivia for the next upcoming event. I don't know if you're going to speak about the they do have their next upcoming event at time and I'll let Lata speak about that more but it was very interesting. Um it was nice to get to know her and we sat down. I showed her the museum and we talked about other ways she'd like to get involved in the future which I thought was great. The historic preservation commission met on January 26th. I was unable to attend the meeting but they are discussing um the upcoming year of events and they are in the beginning stages of starting a farmstead survey. So it would be of all farmsteads in the town of Rochester. It doesn't matter how big, how small. We we'd like to start conducting an inventory of where all these little farms were and if we know the years that they that they operated. and they're hoping to have a like public gathering session in June where they will map out different locations of where family farms have been. So, I look forward to that upcoming information. Um, our next meeting is February 23rd at 2:30. That's all I got.

Um, let's see. What am I reporting on? Courthouse. I spent a lot of time there when you were frozen out. Um they had to we called um electrician. We installed the new outlets so they could plug in space heaters, but the place um was definitely cold. Bob versus Bob Warner suggested that we replace two older units on the ends of the buildings. Um although he did say that there were the manufacturer still makes uh units that you can retrofit into those boxes but I don't know if those would be efficient or whether it's more efficient just to start all over. Still a lot of repairs that need to be done there um for this broken through in place um the last few weeks. it's deteriorating. Um when they replace the carpet, um they will have to remove the heater in the conference room and also remove the uh metal detector to get the floor clearance to put the carpet underneath them. Um places a uh mess. Um, you have a contact at Central Hudson, right?

Mhm. Because I I can call them and see if we can get the service upgraded. We're going to look at upgrading. Yeah. Uh, Charlotte,

um, elder care. I'm not going to pull and report back up. But they did get an increasing calls um from the weather for, you know, people wanting their furnace checked if it was on or things like that. Um if it was ever a case or it was something they could assist with, they um got them in touch and called the appropriate um county party uh or county department to be able to help them with the situation or get them information they needed. um right department. Um the housing committee had their annual or their beginning of the year meeting to try to set their um priorities for the year. Um I did not apes. Um Aaron attended also and had talked through um some different housing um talked about us joining the housing communities, the New York State one um and other things of that nature One.

Oh, here we are. On J for the Senior Youth and Recreation Commission. On January 30th, the town of Rochester recreation department ran a very successful community trip to the Resort Worlds Casino in Monaceel. There were 36 people in attendance. Thank you to First Student Inc. for donating the bus and driver for the day. We appreciate their support. Uh this Friday, i.e. tomorrow, uh February 13th, there will be a Valentine spaghetti dinner at the community center. Doors will be open at 6 p.m. sharp. This meal is free to free of charge and you must sign up with the rec department to attend. There are currently over 60 people signed up for the event. The department will also deliver to shutins who are signed up. Uh the afterchool uh program is running well. Ashley just had a midschool year staff meeting to check in and refresh um expectations. Uh the staff were very receptive. The community center has had some recent issues with heating. So we apologize for any cancellations that took place during this time. Everything seems to be fixed now and running efficiently. Thank you for all of your patience and our new uh uh playground equipment has been delivered. We're very excited for spring to arrive to bring us some warm weather so it can be assembled and installed. Um that's all for now. Um I do have a couple other things I just wanted to add to this. So yes, our playground um the actual playground structure pieces were delivered. Um we still have the to finish um approve the final um portion of that which is the surfacing the borders and then the um labor for the install of it. Um everything um was kind of once we approve it will be put on the first available um schedule that they have once the weather breaks enough for them to be able to install. Um and then

Ah, there we go. Okay. Um, other townwise, um, separately from my committee leaison, I did just want to report back that I did, um, speak with a couple times with, um, our town historian, uh, Clerk Gumbberg, uh, about the 250th, uh, Revolutionary War, uh, anniversary and having trying to plan an event for the celebration in town somewhere and maybe in collaboration with Heritage Day. Um, we're working on that. I've found a local group of reenactors um to get a quote from for us. Um because there is also I'm not sure if anyone saw but the county announced that there is a pool uh through the county clerk and historians's office there's a pool of funding for 250th anniversaries of the revolutionary events. Um so it's up to $2,500. Um and in the application they ask you to present what you would do if you were awarded an additional $1,000. Um, so there is potential for us to get up to $3500 towards that event.

Are you going to dress up?

Um, yeah, I can. Um, there's some ideas that involve dressing up and some local volunteered actors, not just like reenactors like teaching some stuff. Um, and then the only other thing I have, it's separate from town, but I do want to bring it to you guys and I'll um I'll send an official letter to all of us so that you guys can have it for the records. Um but uh I'm a newly appointed member of our local Roundup Valley Rotary Club. Um and they have been looking for a project to do in our community during the winter months um to help out the community. And I know we had to cut the um new chair budget from uh the funds for the uh replacing the chairs in here, the wooden ones, um whose arms are kind of like ruining their finish and splintering. Um, and the Rotary Club is willing to come in and refinish the arms on all of these for the town if they would like. So, I'm happy to help um, coordinate and I'll send you guys like an official Rotary letter, but they just asked me yesterday if they were Tuesday. So,

I figured that gets us at least smooth on splintery chairs and gives them a project. I don't know about the cushions. Yeah. Yeah. I I Are we holstering is what I've been thinking we should do. I know how to re the I don't believe any of the other members of the Rotary Club know how to reupholster. They're mostly constructionesque, but I know how to reupholster furniture. So, I was going to offer to also do that um once I like took a look and see saw how many like needed exactly what and something you could just do like pet the leather on their patches versus so, but I'm happy to also do that. But I figured that would be a nice way to repurpose these chairs and get them redone for us. Great. Um,

I want this one to say that when I'm taking the question out,

um, Climate Smart continues work on broad status. Would like to recognize tour members for their help on several key issues. Keep We're really really close to Bronstead. Um, like to um just make known that there's a couple of vacancies as well. Rooted in Rochester has two more events coming up. Please look at rootedinrochester.org org to register for one. Um, one of just just a drop in that's rolling connect at skate time February 21st from 5 to 10 p.m. Then there's an RSVP for the rough cut brewing event which is going to be a discussion of community projects. So um you can go to rootedin rochester.org or to submit your project and then there'll be discussion of projects and you know um possible um future of the rooted in Rochester project. So hopefully I'm definitely going to the rough cut brewing to try to make the rock and roll roll and connect event. So hopefully um community please uh submit your projects. um agricultural committee would like to submit their interviewing rubric and they're requesting the ability to use it in member evaluation. I wasn't sure if we were um suggesting or requiring all of our committees to use the same interviewing um rubric. So, they've given this to us and offered it around to everybody. just take a look at it, let them know what you think and if they could if if it's adopted universally or if they could use it um themselves for their own member evaluation. There was one resignation and one ended term and um they're wondering if they could have those names removed from the website and advertise the slots as open. Um the committees are also wondering um again if they're able to have uh more like uh there's a Facebook page now so will

committees be able to have more social media progress and they're excited to see where that goes. Um then they also sent an update with some more notes that I handed out to everybody. Um they said that there's still two missing um right to farm signs and there's something about the highway department was looking for hardware. I don't know if somebody has a contact over there. They only ordered four. Yeah, they said there's two up and two still need to be installed. Okay. It says we installed four and we believe there may be still So there's six is what Carrie's trying to say. But we have four. We got four.

We got four. All right. So, I'll just tell her four were ordered. Um, and then ECC, they had some comment on battery um, installations and I thought that there was something on this agenda. It is. Yeah. Yeah. Do you want me to save their comments about battery for that or

Sure. I Yeah. um because they they had a lot of thoughts but beyond that um the pollinator garden at town hall is now complete and also again there's a couple of seats on ECC so hopefully um everybody there's interested parties please um please apply through supervisor in Allen's office all right that's it

all right CBA obviously highspiring there is filling those seats on the board. So, um we got one interview a night. Hopefully, we'll get the other applicants um available interviews. Uh planning board continues to stay busy, particularly with some of the larger projects they're working on. They had a few requests for possible changes to code. Um one of them they came across on a subdivision application. Um and they just wanted to change that requirement for maps. They have to show meets and bounds. Um for conservation subdivision, they were also looking at kind of a more holistic review. Dave Church was going to look at that and provide some recommendations for clarifications and improvements. Uh there was a question that they brought up which was whether or not the town in the future would consider um holding easements for conservation subdivisions now or in the future. So I think it's something we should discuss as a board at some point. Um they also had some questions about access to department of health records which has come up for some existing uh projects where they wanted to get information about what had been approved, what was allowed at the site, what um might not have been approved properly. And so I guess it was taking a long time for them to get responses. And so I sent the note to the department of health uh to see if there was an office that uh dealt with that to see if we could potentially schedule schedule a meeting with

their jurisdiction. Well, if they need if they need details about what's allowed and they're doing a site plan review, what's been approved? I don't know. That's not their jurisdiction.

I'm just relaying what was brought to me. Um, and then the other comment they made was they pointed out that we have a 10,000 square foot max for retail spaces, but we don't have uh maxes that apply for other types of construction. So, does the board want to consider doing that for other types of building? Uh, and then so ambulance advisory board. Uh, I think most people are aware that uh there was a recent change in leadership at KFS. Uh, I've seen there's been public postings from the squad. I've also seen some other commentary on social media and the squad has been posting to address some of those things. Uh, I did speak with the new chief earlier the week. He assured me that there were no changes to operational readiness. He also suggested that they still very much want to work collaboratively with the board and with our advisory committee to continue to improve EMS in town. Uh I also since it came up in some of the public comment today uh I want to point out to the public that we're still finalizing contracts with the squads for 2026. So there are not contracts in place and no funds have been dispersed from the town in 2026 and they will not be dispersed until we have contracts in hand uh and that we have necessary reporting as part of that. Uh and then also um this year in the contracts we did u look at adding some additional requirements in terms of being able to get access to information to be able to better track uh monies that were coming from the town. Uh we reviewed that with our attorneys. We reviewed that with our board with our ambulance advisory committee as well as with Olster County EMS. Um, so that's that's part of what will be included in the contract moving forward. So we are aware of the need to have additional um

interactions with with both squads in terms of being able to track how the funding is being used and hopefully in a spirit of collaboration which I I think both squads agree with. Uh, and then on terms of the exchange, I haven't really had a chance to connect them uh at the actual transfer station. And I know they just had another clothing event this past weekend and those have been very well attended. We appreciate everybody who's been coming to support those and it's they're diverting a lot of clothing from landfills and they're helping him get to people who can put it to good use. So, it's good news. Um I was hoping that you and I could schedule a time to meet with the clothing exchange people. Sure.

As we were paying for that blood. Yes. I did also separately from the department's report from the actual commission meeting. Um I was not at their meeting in January, but I did give their minutes and it was um discussed. Yes. Yeah. At their meeting. Yeah. And they did want to know if it was coming out of their budget lines or not. No. Yeah. I did clear that up. I did I did um I told them I was 99% sure it was not, but I budget officer and I would confirm.

I do like how like dedicated they are. Okay. Um great. So then we will move on to resolution G. I'm sorry we've been very scattered on this agenda. Um so resolution G amending the 2026 building department fee schedule to add a failure to comply reinspection fee. Um, I can make this as presented and then if you guys wanted to discuss it, we could do that. So, I'll make a motion um uh for to adopt resolution G as presented.

Second

discussion. Um, basically when the someone schedules their inspection and then they have to go back out there. We do have this in our We have a line called reinspection. They want to rename it to failure to comply and change the amount um to $75 or they were recommending 100 last year and it is 50 so I did 75. All in favor? I

opposed. Abstain. Motion cars. Are we ready to adopt the key policy or do you guys want to look at that and discuss it further? What's up? Huh? What's about? Yeah. Yes. So, I'll make a motion that the town board adopts the key policy as presented.

Any discussion? All in favor? I opposed. Abstain. Motion carries. I don't have the resolution from bond council yet. Um so we're tableabling that. And then for Jay that I um we can't amend the wage schedule, but I wanted to get I have it in our meeting backup that we're requesting two positions from Olster County Civil Service. These are things we've discussed as a board. I've submitted them, but there was a section on the form that it had received board approval, and I asked them if we needed that for the application or for the certification, and no one got back to me. So, I just want to pass this resolution so that we're not held up for another two weeks. So, I'll make a motion that the town board authorizes the supervisor to submit a request to Olter County personnel to add the deputy assessor and assistant building inspector positions to our list through the application of a new position duty statement for those titles.

Any discussion? All in favor? I opposed. Abstain. Motion carries. Um, so then the next one was appointments, right? So I'd like to make a motion. You have to do the budget mod. I can't do the budget mods, which we have to table the bedroom mods, which means we can't authorize the playground equipment until next time, Charlotte, because I don't have the money there. That was why I was stressing. Are we?

But we can do it next at our next meeting. I just don't want to lose the season with the installer and they only require like a $1,500 deposit or something. I can't remember the exact dollar. So, I was wondering Well, we'd have to audit it. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And it's not the thing. Yeah, I see what you're saying. I understand. If you want to get that, we can let's talk. Yeah, we'll

I just don't have that was what I needed to do. I needed to move that money and I have to move a lot of money around and we only have $20,000. So, I think I'm going to have to do a mod for something for fund balance for that. We'll look at it. Um, if not, we just got a beautiful paper weight out. Well, well, it'll get installed. Does it? Okay. Well, I wanted to talk to you about We're going to talk about it. I'm just letting you know that's what's going on with the budget box. Um,

the appointments. So, the spreadsheet that I have does not have term expirations on it. Do you think it would be problematic to say that we're appointing them into the into their term and then into the vacant term into their and then we can update it with the expiration dates? I think that's fine because they all expired at 2020. I just don't know what the years are for each of them.

Okay. Um so for zoning board of appeals we have those I terms we have um those are five-year terms and there is one that expires in 2028 and one that expires in 2030. So I'm tempted to do the the 20 30 for the applicant that we just interviewed because they've been on before and it's the longer term. So, I'll make a motion to appoint Michael Wasel to the zoning board of appeal um board to the zoning board of appeals in a term that expires December of 31st, 2030.

Any discussion? All in favor? I opposed abstain. Motion carries. All right. So, we'll start with um I guess I have I guess I should do them one at a time or do you guys I can do one resolution. Yep.

Okay. There's a spreadsheet in the folder so anyone can follow along. Um, so we're going to do a committee. Um, the climate smart, the ECC, um, were we going to do the HPC? We're definitely and housing advisory. We talked about I'll do I'll do the advisory committees. So, I'm I'll make a motion that the town of Rochester Town Board reappoints the following members to their ne the term immediately following the term that they are currently

to continue in a new term to continue in that new term. Okay.

Ki Cosens to the agricultural advisory committee. Nicole Ortiz to Climate Smart. Elisa Cheskin to Climate Smart. Um Martha Rober to Housing Advisory Committee. Elizabeth Zelden to housing advisory committee. Um and Stephen Springstston to climate smart committee. Do I have a second? Second.

Any discussion? Thank you for serving everyone. Yes. Yeah. Thank you to all of our committed volunteers and media.

All in favor? Opposed? Abstain. Motion carries. So the other ones we have are of public bodies. So that's court of assessment review, ECC, HPC, senior youth recreation commission. Um, do you guys want to do those reappointments or is there anyone any hesitation? Um, wait, I'm sorry. Which ones again?

ACC assessment review. HPC and senior. Yeah, senior review. Oh, sorry. So,

um for the board of assessment review, I'll do that one. Um that term. So, I'll make a motion that the town of Rochester town board reappoints uh Julie Goldshed to the board of assessment review in a term that expires September 30th, 2030. Yeah. Any discussion? All in favor? I

opposed abstain. Motion carries. Um so we'll do the ECC. Um Christy, John, and Matthew just get their gems. Those are Anyone remember the term length for the ECC?

Seven. Seven. For the ECC. Yeah, cuz I copied. No. Wow. Five. I thought it was three. I thought it was three. Is it? Yeah. Yeah, it is three cuz that's what I made. Um, I didn't make the housing committee the same. Stagger. Is everybody three or like staggered? They're staggered. They're all staggered by appointment, but they normally all have the same like year terms, but because of how housing committee got like formed in the beginning, we didn't like stack anything. So, we had when we changed the law last year, we had to add a one-year term. So, I'm an educated person. My mind is not well. Listen, it takes a while.

So, it's three years. So, I'll make a motion that the town of Rochester Town Board um reappoints John Measure Smith, Christy Dor, and I think that's you said Matthew and Matthew Dell. uh to the environ the environmental conservation commission um in each in terms that expire December 31st 2028 second. Any discussion?

All in favor? I opposed abstain. Motion carries. And then we have one person that's not returning and then another vacancy on that board. Um, okay. I'll make a motion to reappoint Marjorie Bogurt to the Senior Youth Recreation Commission in the term immediately following the term that she's currently occupying.

Second. Perfect. Any discussion? All in favor? I opposed. Abstain. Motion carries. Um, and I'll make a motion to reappoint Joan, is it Euing? Yes. Ewing to the Historic Preservation Commission in the term that immediately precedes the term that she's second. Any discussion? All in favor? I oppose. Abstain. Motion carries.

Anyone else that you guys want to put forward? No, we do. Carrie for egg. Yeah, we do. That's all.

We did all the A, ECC, and climate smart equal. Okay. All right. So, we still we'll have some at our next meeting, too. Um Okay. So, no one's here for public comment. Okay. Discussion. the playground equipment installed. Charlotte, can you take us through your clips? So, this is professional services. The late That's what I thought. And when I talked with Mary Lou about it, it the professionals like it because it has to be installed to a certain standard and a certain safety requirement to be inspected and pass inspection. Marylu agreed that the labor for this could be professional services instead of the you know capital of it.

So the I'm just checking a budget line while you Yeah, that's fine. So, the surfacing we did um the quotes did change slightly since the ones that I gave you guys back in December in the folder for like the full thing, but it was just because we we didn't account for like 4 feet in the um surfacing in the borders that square feet that were needed. So, we needed to increase it for um I can't remember the exact amount of it was like four more borders um cuz they're two on top of each. It was pretty much like a corner we were missing of the actual surfacing. So that increased slightly the um uh the surfacing quote and then I added um just slightly extra labor for the install of like the mortars on it. Um they're all still And

what's the total on the one you want to go with the company that we source the equipment from, right? Yes. For this specific servicing, they had the cheapest out of anyone we got quoted from. What's the total on it? It is $12,160 even. Well, if you guys we can because we have enough in that budget line cuz it's coming out of ARC's contractual and we we because we adopted the budget not to detail. I have $14,000 in that code. for maintenance. We can I can just do that modification myself.

Gotcha. Okay, cool. But we'd still have to get a voucher from them and do that. Yeah. Yeah. Just so that we can get on their calendar is really all I was concerned of. Like I didn't want them like if it warms up next week and like the ground thaws by the first week of March, like it could be installed the first week. Otherwise, it'll be Yeah, I know what I'm saying. Like if there was some crazy thing. So, like, but if we don't have the deposit paid, they won't schedule us on like the first available date. So, that's all I was worried about with it. Um, and I'm sorry, who who do we buy the equipment from? Um, it is all things recreation. So, that but that's not the quote because what you're you were talking about was another company.

No, no, no. The surfacing comes from them. The labor is a different company. Yeah. installers are the installers are different because they're um they're from New York, I believe. So, these are two separate charges. We're going to have to pay for the surfacing materials separate from the 12,000. No, no, the 12,000 is the surfacing and materials. Correct me if I'm wrong. Now, am I looking at this? This one is This one is 12,000 121, but it's

Oh. Oh, I see. So, no, sorry, I did have them right. I thought I was clicking on two different ones because they were on the same um Yeah. So, that's what the labor is. And then, so just the original because this one in the in the descriptions actually references the other company providing the borders and the landscape fabric and everything. So, I just want to make sure. Yes. Yeah, that comes with our order of the surfacing in the borders from All Things Recreation. They're the ones who put that order through, but then this goes directly to this company would install it. Yes. Yeah. And then that's the company to install it. That's contracted through that. That's their contracted installer. So that's why it's on their I see. Okay. Letter had their quote. Yeah. I was confused by that.

Yeah. That's why I thought I was opening the wrong was like, did I email you the same two ones in the folder? Like thought I was going crazy. So, so the total though is the that would be for that. If we have to wait two weeks to order the surfacing, that's not the end of the world. So, this is for the install. Yes. Okay. What is the surfacing cost? 14,000. Okay. So, they are two separate thing. Yes, they're two separate invoices. Okay. That's that's what I was asking. Oh gosh. Sorry. I thought I And this cost is consistent with the quotes that we looked at last year. because it'll be about 27,000 for the servicing in the install.

Yes. And the equipment was 14.

Sorry, I have it half in my old my personal email and half in the town email because it started before we lost 17 18 295 18295 right yeah I say it was around 18 so do you guys feel comfortable authorizing the purchase,

the two purchases. I only care for the the two purchases for the one project. Yeah, I think we should do the um install first. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, as long as we at least authorize the install. So, because it's not the full 12,000 they need either of it. Yeah. to get on so that we were able to like as soon as the weather breaks be the first one on the schedule because they have another project. When I talked to them at the beginning of the year and the beginning of January, they have another project at the end of March that's scheduled in like Pennsylvania that's like a really big project. So, they want to do ours before that project because if not, they have a lot of like really weird schedules. Um,

so I'll make a motion that the town board authorizes the uh town supervisor to place the order from Total Recreation Solutions for the um install um in amount not to exceed $12,160.

Okay. Any discussion? All in favor? I I opposed. Abstain. Motion carries. So, what I'll do, Charlotte, is I I'll place this and then I'll ask them to send me an invoice as soon as possible and let them know when we can. Right. Yeah. Yeah. You like the original email too from David. I was just trying to send you like what you needed for the meeting backup. Um I'll call you the other one. Okay. Something is done. um body camera policy. Michael, would you uh I can explain this and then you could you did a draft for us.

So the I don't know if you guys remember, but um it came up in the interview for a code enforcement officer the idea of having a body cams as part of what they do. Um, but I don't want to implement that unless we have a policy that describes how they're used, that they have to be disclosed and the records retention schedule for the footage. Um, so we I don't think we're ready to adopt anything tonight, but Councilman Coleman drafted a policy for me that we'll have to have reviewed by um probably the labor attorney that we've been working with because he's the one that told me that we should have one.

Um, and Mary Lou and you, Kate. Um, but did you want to walk us through anything, Michael? For clarification, right now who own who owns the cameras? We are not using them. We don't own any cameras that are being used. We don't own any cameras that are being used. If they are, but cameras are being used now. Not to my knowledge. They have been by who?

Are you talking about the constables? I don't know of any constables wearing that are using body cancer. But the the policy stipulates that it's town property and that they are returned to the station every every shift because that's how you're supposed to do it. Yeah. Yeah. Like you sign them out like a walkie talk, right? Does this also prohibit the use of body cams that are not owned by the town? No. Yes. Yeah. Does it, Michael? I've looked at it. I'm pretty sure I

um but yeah, I think I think the two

well some of the things we need to take into consideration is who do we want wearing body cams because the policies a lot of body cam policies obviously are meant for law enforcement. So, if we're going to restrict it to code enforcement, we and I already tailored this so that it covers staff, not necessarily officers, um, but we should tailor the policy and decide, you know, who exactly is going to be wearing them. I think the other thing is because a lot of times they're associated with law enforcement. um times when you're requiring people to have body cameras active, times when it's optional, and times when it's um prohibited may change depending on who we want to use them. So um when I was looking through different policies, you know, a lot of the law enforcement stuff, I don't know if we want to include that just so that we're covered for the future. Um because, you know, for example, our constiples aren't doing investigations. there shouldn't be doing interrogations or you know things like that. Um but if that is something that we want to have as part of the policy, we shouldn't pull those. So I left some that I thought were potentially relevant. If I thought it was more of a law enforcement requirement, I I pulled them out. Also, you know, when they're not supposed to be used. So there's a whole list if you're if you're doing law enforcement. I just left like restrooms and changing areas. I don't know if we want to include other areas there where you're not where it's prohibited to to use them. Um there's also some questions. So right now a lot of this would be managed in terms of retention would be associated with the records management officer. I don't know if that's appropriate. We obviously need to track that from oil perspective. Um and then you know the administering the actual maintenance of it was handled through the supervisor's office. So that's where they would be distributed uh and that's

where they would be returned to. So uh it's a first draft. I think it's you know it's it adheres to a lot of other policies that I saw but I think we just need to look at it and really as a board decide the biggest decision is who do we actually want where and then based on that what types of activities do we want to cover. Um I mean I think just enforcement so code enforcement officers people who are doing that and then law enforcement so constables I don't know if it's peace officer but um they shouldn't wear them in the court though because there's no there's no reporting

there's no reporting so we we should add that yeah

to prohibit it. So we um Judge Laflam submitted a camera a court camera policy which you know they they have to anything with security cameras around the court has to be approved through office of court administration. I also I thought it might be helpful to take a look at that. Um there was a couple comments I had about that. I got it today, so I didn't even put on the agenda, but just in terms of like the camera court placement, we might want to look at that for reference.

Um, and then also the I don't know how much you delved into the records attention schedule, but yeah, security footage is a temporary record unless you need it for an investigation. It's like, how would you know that? Yeah, I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. And I and I don't know from a code enforcement perspective what the requirements are. So, um I imagine that how much data do these how much data are we talking about?

Oh, um I looked it up. There's like a a port. You put the camera on the port and it downloads everything and stores it. And they the policy should just be for that. But I think the question is like there's a minimum storage that we have to do but like what would we want to do because you never know. I mean how much data does one camera need shift in a day? Have to say

yeah it would depend on their inspection and on their schedule because they'd be just turning on and off when they were there but like be recording for like 30 minutes. That's a lot. Yeah. I don't I mean I don't imagine it's creating tons of data because you know police are storing all of this stuff for a long time. So it depends on the image quality. Police stuff for a long time. So it's not like it's going to be pabytes of data. I think you're not going to have fancy ones that are going to require like real time transmission. No. Yeah. I don't think they need but I think it depends for the actual like storage size that each could like potentially a day's worth of videos. It depends on the quality of video. So

if we have like a low megapixel five to three gigabytes per hour um generally it's 20 to 100 per month.

Good. Okay. Um, any questions or comments about this policy? Would you guys like to take a look at it and make comments? So, it's in our document folder. Um, I just wanted to alert the amendment to the wage schedule. So, I had put the deputy assessor position in our budget and in our wage schedule. Um, I spoke with the department um and you're aware that we did not approve the position that they requested. One of the things that we talked about um that I think they would like to see and I support um is um bringing because the assessor works a 40hour week bringing that position up to 40 hours bringing the second position. So it's right now it's at 35. So in the wage if we get that position and um fund it, it would be I would have to do a budget modification for the difference of 35 and 40 hours a week. So I would be bringing that I was hoping to have all that stuff kind of worked out tonight, but I would be bringing that to the meeting. So I just wanted to alert you to that. you have any I don't know if you have questions about that or if you're supportive. I kind of said I would get back to the department on how the board felt about that. So

yeah, I think once in self of service I think that that'll be easier to have like the full conversation like cuz we've seen there's we waited how many years for some positions there you know what I mean? So they told me this process only takes two weeks. Oh really? I mean I I haven't anyway. So, I don't unsupport it. I just would like to know the numbers before I fully say yes. Yeah. Between the like the budget mod number is going to be like before I'm like absolutely like I'll entertain and I guess

Okay. I'll get that all together for you guys for the next Okay. So, I'm curious what sparked the ECC's battery energy storage. They said that they had noticed something on uh one of the agendas. So they wanted to know what's that about um battery storage. This one it's a gem. Yeah. Okay. And um and then also I think like a while ago you had also um attended a training, right? I had there was a training and I told the board about it and I wasn't able to go. I think I asked if anybody wanted to go.

Yes. It was a bad time but yeah. Yeah. So, it's it's kind of been on ECC's radar a little bit because um these battery storage installations are getting be pretty popular. So, yeah, just two obviously like two things to think about. One is especially from I'll just read about their notes first.

Are you talking about um industrial size or are you talking about it? I I mean that's the as as you get into the notes you'll see like that's what they're wondering about because there's a lot the technology is vastly different. Um um so Olster County EMC has discussed battery energy storage systems. I'll just say best BSS proposals focusing their climate smart benefits and environmental and safety considerations. Members of Olter County EMC, sorry I'm losing my voice, generally agree that best can support climate smart goals by storing excess solar and wind energy during PV production. Releasing when demand is high or renewable generation is low, therefore reducing reliance on high emission power sources. The safety concern of course as we all know is fire due to malfunction. Battery technology is evolving rapidly with newer lithium systems designed as smaller standalone units to limit fire risk and alternative chemistries using less reactive metals such as iron. While further research is needed, these systems are broadly viewed as worth considering for good use. So like the devil's in the details for any specific um you know uh situations that we're looking at find what they're getting at and then they did a census of neighboring towns that varied approaches. Purley has enacted a moratorum while preparing zoning recommendations. So, it's kind of something that we want to work together with um our other agencies for their input. Olter is reviewing two proposed projects for 250 megawatt and 150 megawatt and a positive cred declaration was issued for the 250 megawatt project. Sardines is considering a proposal near a substation and its industrial area with attention to container space and fire containment. Shia and Gunk has discussed safety concerns and this information. Its zoning board is considering a potential bid. Overall, municipalities municipalities are evaluating best cautiously balancing

climate benefits with safety and zoning constrictions. So that was the entirety of their notes and I think that we should just be uh you know optimistic but cautious in any proposals that we look at and really dig down into specifics of the of the science and um the tech that we're engaging with. So it sounds like their focus is on commercial large scale projects. What's that? Those comments are focused on commercial large large scale projects. Yeah. Is that But but how much like on the two solar fields that the town that's on town property um would they be generating enough to

this? I don't those systems are tied. So, um, yeah, I don't know if those would even be wanting this type of thing or not. Um, can you send that to me, Alexis? So, were you thinking about residential? So, the code enforcement officer came to me his first week and he said, he already had someone ask about it. now is five people who have asked about home

ones and we don't have like a per I think the question is like what use is it and how does it get installed it's not something that like they have a clear guidance on how they're supposed to approve a permit for it for a home use also like fire needs to really be looped in here because they're the ones that would have to putting out fires like do they experience even with like e vehicle fires for example u because for hypothetically I can use my electric truck as like a system plugin for a small like system. So these are all things that need to be

looked at both for an industrial strength installations and so he provided a a model local law that is issued. So, I don't know where we want to take this. And I also need to get clarity as to like cuz the towns are issuing moratoriums, but I don't think that they have like uses. But I think they're talking about moratoriums for large scale industrial. Yeah. So, um or maybe they're not even distinguishing and I don't that's what I don't know.

I mean, but I don't even have a use in their zoning code. Well, that's another thing that we need do one way or another. Yeah. I mean, but if somebody wants to put like a Tesla power wall or two in their house. Yeah. I mean, I think we should have a permit just like we have permit for standby generators, but yeah, it shouldn't be it should be encouraged, I think. Yeah. Yeah. Because it's a lot of people are installing it in l of generator. Yep. But we also have to make sure the fire department's educated, ready, and has the resources they need and knows They are when they go to find fire. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean they're certainly aware of the problem that's coming projects and towns though.

So, he he gave you a model local law. Yeah, there's a model local law, but it covers residential through commercial. And I think we just I can take those comments and meet with the code enforcement office. I don't think they want I don't think they feel like we're ready for anything commercial. Um, which I would agree with. Um, I think they've been approached by people wanting to do residential. And I think the question is is is that a use are is this something that they should be issuing some kind of miscellaneous permit for or do we need to because I know people have installed.

Yeah. No, I think that that's true and they have been installed in our town. Um, but like I said, you know, we can't any legislative act is going to take a few months. So, if it's something that's allowed, we should, you know, I mean, I think it should certainly be permitted because you there's electric work that needs to be done correctly and reinspected. So, yeah, we should look at a residential permit.

Okay. So I will see I'll try to get a handle on the landscape of what is and isn't allowed but also we this it's a model law so we still have to review it still have to you know make it for us but we can plug it in and take a look at it next at our workshop meeting solar projects so like residential solar is permanent yeah and it's not there's no mention of batteries

you know what I do not have anything memorized at this point. So I'd have to That's one of the things I wanted to check. So I'm just telling them we also need updation advisory committee. um

I don't remember but it's very specific in who we're looking for. So um I will put that in the ad. Um, I have a meeting with the DOT and Barton and

Legis um, they gave me their scope of services this week. I was hoping we could motion to move forward with the project. However, it looks like it's going to be over budget and that's one of the things that they want to talk to the DOT about. So, I think it's okay if we table it. I want to let you know that that document and the updated budget is in uh SharePoint. So, if you could take a look at it and I'll have updates before our next meeting. Yeah, I was surprised by the estimate for the construction costs seem like low.

They Yeah, they don't they seem to think that that which one and the Did you look at the scope? Mhm. Yeah. I I talked to them about that. It was like 600k. Yeah. I talked to them about that. But um originally they thought that we were going to be on budget, but now it's not they think that number is going to go up or they think

I don't I don't I haven't even looked at it. I haven't. Um so uh the so what I was that also reminded me so project 32 load rating is has been lowered. We need to open project 32 extension. The plan was for that I don't know if you remember we had lots of budget discussions about this. the plan, it was mentioned that that wouldn't need to happen until next year, but it has to happen now. So, um, that is a permanent improvement and I was very conservative with CHIP's expenditures and CHIP's revenue and it should work out within to add to include that in the 284 agreement. So that will be a cost. The reopening of that will be something that we will get reimbursed for if it's included in the 284 agreement. Um I there is a quote to have a specific company do the um the clearing of the trees and it seems reasonable but I think we have to follow a procurement policy for that and I haven't so next at our next meeting we'll be taking a look at whether or not we should just hire someone for that or whether or not we have too. Um,

but it wasn't a lot of trees I could take down. It's not It's not a But it's still over our limit. It's got to be under $100,000. Yeah, but the tree removal isn't under the limit. I need to take a look at it because um I think the quote was for $27,000 and I don't think it's a public works project. I guess it is a No. Not again. They're not like we're closing the bridge tomorrow.

So, if for some reason we schedule a special meeting next week to do like appointments or something, um I might want to do that then because it's the same as the playground equipment. They want to be able to hire someone so that as soon as they can do that, it'll get done. They obviously can't do it like right now, but um you know, it only takes a couple weeks. Um so I don't really have anything to say about the e-code project email policy. Um I put a clean version of what was worked on in SharePoint for the board. So no red lines.

I could not read that. Michael, I was doing side by side. So, I still haven't finished. Oh, the one that I cleaned up or the No, I didn't see the clean one. Yeah, I can show you how you can make more magical kit. We'll put that in the framing. I Okay. All right. Um, Zie did a lot of comments. I I'm responsible for I deleted all of Zoe's comments from the clean version. I can't control them. So, how do you guys what how are we feeling about the email policy?

Um, I think it's getting there. I think it needs more work and most importantly, we I think we need to tie the policy to how it's actually going to be implemented in terms of the backups and like what do we want to be automated? Do we want stuff moved into archive or do we want people are gonna It gets weird when stuff starts moving and you're not doing it. So like the sooner we can do it the better though because like I know I already have um over 2,000 emails.

Um can we because I think we can adopt a policy and then just maybe set up a meeting to figure out the implementation of it. But like at least the three of us should sit down. We should sit down. Yeah, maybe next week. Okay. So, does everyone feel any further comments about the email policy or digital records policy? We can update it pretty easily. Yeah. One of the things I'm thinking about is we have these three digital record things and they're all separate documents. Is there I don't know. You mean docu share shareepoint and mean?

No, I'm not talking about policies. Social media. Yeah, we have like this. We have the body cams which is a like um it's a digital record. A digital record. It's not a communications tool. So anyway, I don't know. There's that's not You want to make one? Let's make it town. Sit down. That's all that you're not going with the skull, huh? Huh? I don't want my 100 bucks. Okay, I agree that. So then, um, what was the outside of town

the municipal property law and you what do you has anyone I would like to present something that we can schedule for a public hearing next at our next meeting. I had three options. One was like an updated municipal parking lot law that was like had all these like permitting options. Another was to um have a municipal property law that covers our park, all of our parking areas and there could be a municipal parking section.

What are we exactly trying to protect ourselves against? So, one of the things that came up I when I first started thinking I wanted to replace it with something else is I misunderstood the law which says the board can you know regulate their own property by um a rule or I can't remember but that's not the same as a resolution. So basically any if we want to protect town property from to say people can't be on town property the we have to pass a local law. So that's a trespassing property trespassing law to determine when

it can be a vehicle and traffic law. It can be a property law. Um right now all we have is this law that says you can't park between these certain hours. It's not. You could drive in the parking lot as much as you want. I vote for property law. It's very clean to do it that way, I think. And I looked at marble transpassing to the state troopers is very clear. If someone calls when our constipals aren't available or on patrol. Yeah. I think I like municipal property because we have other properties. Yes.

That people think when they hear about them, they're like, "Oh, it's town property. I can go on. It's like, no, the properties that the solar is on and things like that. I think it could be good to just have something. I don't want it to be super complicated. And I've looked at a couple and they don't have to be That one looked pretty simple. Yeah, it's really simple and it allows for the board to pass um I asked Mary Lou to look into this, but it it the board can pass their own policies for the parking, right? So it would allow we could put that in by resolution. Yeah. Right. Yeah. It'd be nice to be able to do that. Like be flexible based off Yeah.

needs. Okay. So that's the direction I'll go. Yeah. Right. Okay. Great. That's all I got folks. Motion to Daniel. All in favor the chairs like that. We have to put some away.