At 6:00 PM on Monday, April 19th, 2021 Mayor Meg Grenier read the following statement: this is the Village of Menands Board of Trustees, semi-monthly meeting. I am Mayor Meg Grenier and as it is 6:00 o’clock, I will call this meeting to order. For anyone outside the village staff who is attending this video conference, I would ask if you would please identify yourselves, Renee Lequire, Lisa Neuman. The Mayor asked them to mute their microphones.
Mayor Grenier then did a roll call of Village staff: Deputy Mayor Aileen Nicoll, present, Trustee Seth Harris, present, Trustee Diane Foley, present, Trustee Brian Marsh, present, Clerk Don Handerhan, present, Village Attorney Stephen Rehfuss, present, Chief Frank Lacosse. On behalf of the Village Board, I would ask all residents that we please keep our First Responders, all essential workers and those affected by this pandemic in our thoughts and prayers.
Pursuant to Governor Cuomo’s executive order number 202.1 issued on March 13th, 2020: Suspending article 7 of the public officer’s law, to the extent necessary to permit any Public body to meet, and take such actions authorized by law that allowed the public to not be physically present at the meeting, but allow the public to listen to or view such meetings via teleconference call or video conference, while recording and later transcribing of the meeting. Village of Menands Board of Trustees semi-monthly meeting is being held via Google Meets video conference to protect Public Safety and Welfare during this COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to conduct this meeting effectively we asked those in attendance to please mute your microphone during the meeting. As we are conducting only essential business during tonight’s meeting, there will be no public comment. Any comments previously submitted to Clerk Handerhan prior to the meeting and deemed essential will be read into the record. Governor Cuomo has extended executive order number 202.1 through April 27th, 2021.
A motion was made by Trustee Harris to accept the minutes of the April 5th, 2021 Local Law #1 of 2021 Tax Cap Override Public Hearing, seconded by Trustee Marsh.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
A motion was made by Trustee Harris to accept the minutes of the April 5th, 2021 Board Meeting, seconded by Trustee Marsh.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
A motion was made by Trustee Marsh to approve minutes of the Budget Public Hearing held on Monday, April 12th, 2021, seconded by Trustee Nicoll.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
A motion was made by Trustee Marsh to approve payment for the following, seconded by Trustee Harris.
WARRANT # 22:
GENERAL Ck 11767 -$ 3,390.14
Duplicate payments
GENERAL totaling $48,048.62
WATER totaling $ 4,051.50
SEWER totaling $ 2,268.75
TOTALS $54,368.87
PAYROLL # 23: totaling $91,414.56
(03/26/21-04/08/21)
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
A motion was made by Trustee Marsh, seconded by Trustee Harris, to accept
the following resolution:
RESOLVED, that the Treasurer be, and hereby is, authorized to make the following Budget Transfers
Account Account
From Acct: A.1325.0208 To Acct: a.1325.0407
Description Clerk – Equip/Misc Payroll service
Amount: $1,800.00 $1,800.00
From Acct: A.1620.0413 To Acct: A.1620.0411
Description Contracted Services Telephone
Amount: $3,200.00 $3,200.00
From Acct: A.3120.0103 To Acct: A.3120.0105
Description Police – Fulltime Patrol Police Overtime
Amount: $1,000.00 $1,000.00
From Acct: A.3120.0151 To Acct: A.3120.0152
Description Police telecommunicator F/T Police telecommunicator P/T
Amount: $12,000.00 $12,000.00
From Acct: A.1990.0400 To Acct: A.3120.0201
Description Contingent Account Police Computer/Software
Amount: $11,500.00 $5,000.00
From Acct: ” To Acct: A.9089.0800
Description ” Compensated absences
Amount: ” $6,500.00
From Acct: A.9710.0600 To Acct: A.9710.0700
Description Bonds – Principal Bonds – Interest
Amount: $800.00 $800.00
NOTHING FOLLOWS
Approved:
Trustee Foley Voted – Aye
Trustee Harris Voted – Aye
Trustee Marsh Voted – Aye
Trustee Nicoll Voted – Aye
Mayor Grenier Voted – Aye
A motion was made by Trustee Harris to approve the 2021 – 2022 Village Budget, seconded by Trustee Foley.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
There was a discission regarding the water/sewer bill dated 1/1/21 for 36 Clifford Road due to a miscalculation of usage due to estimated readings; which resulted in an over charge on the previous bill which was unpaid. Therefore, the current bill had a previous balance due, which contained the error.
Trustee Marsh offer, the following resolutions, seconded by Trustee Nicoll.
WHEREAS, Water and Sewer Acct #510000266 for 36 Clifford Road in the amount of $787.50 was based on estimated readings. Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that a total of $332.83 be deducted from the original water roll total for the period November 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020, and be it further
RESOLVED, that a total of $149.76 be deducted from the original sewer roll total for the period November 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
During the April 6, 2021 Meeting the active membership elected the following members as Line Officers for 2021-2022 year, beginning May 1, 2021:
Chief of Department: Michael Steurer
1st Asst. Chief: David Ognan
2nd Asst. Chief: Harvey Bender
Captain: Colin Schanz
Lieutenants: Sheri Archambault
Nicholas Decerce
Trustee Nicoll made a motion to approve the 2021 Fire Line Officers, seconded by Trustee Marsh.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
The Clerk advised the Board That the following bids were received for the surplus plow trucks 6 and 7 from the Auction International Website :
1 (#6) 2003 GMC C8c042 Dump Truck with Plow and Wing $4,900.00
2 (#7) 2003 GMC C8C042 Dump Truck with Plow and Wing $5,200.00
Trustee Nicoll made a motion to accept the bid for the surplus plow trucks from Auctions International
In the amount of $10,100.00, seconded by Trustee Foley.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
The Clerk led a discussion regarding the need for leak detection and quote from New York Leak Detection in the amount of $8,250.00 for the Village.
Trustee Harris made a motion to accept the bid from New York Leak Detection in the amount of $8,250.00, seconded by Trustee Marsh.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
Trustee Harris gave an update on the Story Walk Project and the need to purchase 27 Story Walk Aluminum Post Mount Frames, discussion followed.
After the discussion Trustee Harris made a motion to purchase 27 Story Walk Aluminum Post Mount Frames at a cost of $6,061.60 from Barky Dog Exhibits, seconded by Trustee Marsh.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
The Clerk advised the Board that the sink faucet, and hot water heater need to be replaced at the Concession Stand. A discussion followed.
After the discussion Trustee Harris made a motion to have Dwight Plumbing replace and install the sink faucet and hot water heater at a cost of $1,410.00, seconded by Trustee Nicoll.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
The Clerk read a letter from Dave Teitsch requesting a “Children at Play” sign at Cornell Drive and Menand Road. A discussion followed.
After the discussion Trustee Harris introduced Local Law #2 amending Children at Play sign at the corner of Menand Road and Cornell Drive, seconded by Trustee Foley.
A Public Hearing will be set for May 3rd at 6:00 P.M.
Mayor Grenier led a discussion regarding Amending the Tobacco Use in Parks Code due to the legalizing the use of Marijuana. The new code should read Marijuana and Other Products.
Trustee Marsh introduced an amendment to Local Law 120 to include marijuana in all forms, seconded by Trustee Nicoll.
A Public Hearing will be set for May 3rd, at 6:00 P.M.
Mayor Grenier read a Thank You Card from Menands School regarding the ad that was placed in the yearbook.
Mayor Grenier advised the Board of a meeting that was held with Kris Noel of Kris’s Mid-City Tavern, Code Enforcement Officer Lyle Darmetko and herself regarding noise complaints the Village had received. A discussion followed.
After the discussion Trustee Marsh made a motion to allow Mayor Grenier and Chief Lacosse to issue a Special Even Permit to Kris’s Mid-City Tavern , seconded by Trustee Nicoll.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
Mayor Grenier, read a letter from Bill Garvey.
- I like to thank our Village Public Works Crew for repair of 2 ruts of 2 Village Streets of Menands namely northern of North Lyons Avenue near Bethany Presbyterian Church and Menand Road just 12 feet from northern of North Lyons Avenue. Those ruts on both streets in our Village had to be fixed for general welfare, public security and quality of life reasons. Once again, I thank our Village DPW Crew for doing a god job in repair of both North Lyons Avenue and Menand Road. Well done.
- I’m glade to see that the asbestos removal job at the Menands Public Library was completed in early February of 2021 which it needed to be done for health, public security, welfare and environment reasons. Asbestos remain one of the most serious threats to the health, welfare, social, environment and public security to people of all localities. Once again, I than the contractor for doing a good job in removing asbestos from the Menands Public Library. I wish the asbestos removal work had been done several years ago.
- For the last several weeks, I have been observing contractors who are working for National Grid Power Company have been doing a very good job replacing utility poles with new utility poles on several Village Streets connected to Broadway here within our Village namely Glenwood, Clifford, Menand and Villa Roads plus Tillinghast, Brookside and Lyons Avenues. Replacing old utility poles with new utility poles is sometimes tough, dangerous and risky work, but since electricity and telephone services are essential necessitates of modern life, replacing utility poles with new ones is one of those things which got to be done. I wish to thank the contractors of National Grid Power Company for replacing utility poles with new ones. Well done.
- If our Village is going to plant new evergreen trees in our Village parks and playgrounds, I wish to recommend planting both foreign and domestic north American fir, spruce, hemlock, cedar and white pine trees for our parks and playgrounds. However, I would not recommend planting yellow pine trees like ponderosa, southern and pitch pine trees because our Village does not have sandy soil that yellow pine trees require to grow. Thank you for your time and consideration
Trustee Marsh gave an update on Solar Power Credit. National Grid and Solar Farm are having a legal problem they are working out. Once the problem is rectified the Village will receive back money.
At 6:30 P.M. Trustee Marsh made a motion to enter into Executive Session to discuss a Public Safety matter, seconded by Trustee Nicoll.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
The regular meeting reconvened at 6:40 P.M.
After returning to regular meeting, the following quotes were received from Advance Glass, Inc. windows and doors with bullet resistant glass for the Police Department as follows:
FRP Entrance and Aluminum Frame $17,650.00
Aluminum Storefront Windows $ 9,405.00
Trustee Harris made a motion to accept the quotes from Advance Glass, Inc. for new windows and door for the Police Department in the amount of $27,055.00, seconded by Trustee Foley.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
Trustee Marsh made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Trustee Nicoll.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
The meeting was duly adjourned at 6:42 P.M.
____________________
Donald Handerhan
Clerk