DRAFT ONLY TB MEETING MARCH 13, 2025

 
DRAFT ONLY TB MEETING MARCH 13, 2025

The regular meeting of the Town Board of Cherry Valley was held on Thursday March 13, 2025 with meeting called to order at 7.00PM by Supervisor Garretson

Pledge to the Flag was said

Roll call of Officers was taken:
Tom Garretson-Supervisor P
Jim Johnson-Councilperson P
Ed VanDerwerker-Councilperson p    
Mark Cornwell-Councilperson P
Holly Waterfield-P
Highway Superintendent Marty Field-P
Mary Beth Flint-P

Reading of last month’s minutes will be dispensed of and minutes accepted as presented and or corrected.    

Presentation of invoices and payments:
HEALTH CENTER FUND
11 Ricoh USA Inc $72.86pd
12 Spectrotel $432.57pd
13 Public Goods Pool $442.00pd
14 Rentokil Pest Control $55.00pd
15 National Grid $401.22pd
16 Bassett Healthcare $48,835.25pd
17 Bassett Healthcare $73,346.97pd

GENERAL FUND
27 Elan Financial Services $445.54pd
28 Jeff Stiles Contractor $1,199.02pd
29 Village Photography $629.75pd
30 American Wholesalers $2.61pd
31 Grant and Lyons LLP $550.00pd
32 American Legion Post 1360 $560.00pd
33 Cherry Valley Historical Association $10,300.00pd
34 Cherry Valley Fireman’s Auxiliary $150.00pd
35 Cherry Valley Fish and Game Club $300.00pd
36 Cherry Valley Fire District Co 1 $300.00pd
37 Cherry Valley Facilities Corp $3,600.00pd
38 Artworks $2,050.00pd
39 Lyman and James Johnson $3,000.00pd
40 Miller’s Cleaning Service $842.00pd
41 Bruce Hall Corp $28.77pd
42 RL Parsons Inc $785.65pd
43 Charter Communications $279.98pd
44 Charter Communications $84.95pd
45 Spectrotel $252.35pd
46 Constellation Newenergy Inc $13.38pd
47 Excellus BC/BS $329.09pd
48 US Postal Service $188.00pd
49 Hometown Hauling $43.25pd
50 US Postal Service $905.20pd
51 National Grid $507.60pd
52 Cintas Corporation #121 $415.60pd
53 Shelter Point Life Ins Company $696.60pd
54 JB Supply $96.18
55 United Healthcare $17.65pd

Highway Vouchers:
Item 1 (337-338)
Item 3 (830-842)
Item 4 (229-232)

Councilperson Johnson made a motion to accept the invoices and payments as presented, Councilperson VanDerwerker seconded the motion.  The invoices and payments have been presented and accepted.   All in favor 5 ayes 0 nay

Presentation of Invoices and Payments:
•    Budget reviewed as well as NBT Account balances

Misc. information to the Town Clerk:
•    tsego County Sales Tax for the month of JAN $9,001.34 Payment is for old invoices as well as current invoices. Supervisor Garretson is not paying the back invoices all in one shot he wants the payments to be applied to the past due invoices for each month.  He sends a check and Bassett sends a statement showing what is left to be paid.  Councilperson Waterfield asked about the Miller’s cleaning Service payment being applied to the general fund instead of the Health Center fund?  Supervisor Garretson said that should be moved over to the Health Center line.
•    Received a thank you from the Cherry Valley Ladies Auxiliary for the donation.

Community Center Alden Field and Park:
•    Biddy basketball season has come to an end and was a success.
•    Rentals are up for March, April and May

Health Center:
•    February Expense $82,613/Revenue $58,094

Village:
•    Town and Village Board Minutes and info- www.cherryvalleyny.us

Highway Department
•    HWS Field reported we changed where we are getting sand from because of the overall price.
•    Two trucks have to go out for repairs and new floor on July 11.
•    Need a new stick welder.  The old welder back feeds and shocks you.  Approximately $1,300.

Public Questions, Comments and concerns…………..2 minute limit per request

SG=Supervisor Garretson
HSF-Highway Superintendent Field
Statement/questions with no name-unidentified person(s)
HC=health center

Question what kind of measures are we taking to stop the bleeding at the Health Center? Answer SG-Citizens committee is reviewing different avenues;  privatization, maybe being a satellite for a hospital other than Bassett is another idea.  Statement:  This is going to be a long process and we lost another $50,000 this month?  SG-no with the two months we ran at a deficit of $5,319.00 for January and February.

Question why is it so encouraging because it is not accurate to make these assumptions when we have a historical record of being behind?  And also 40% of the budget is devoted to helping subsidize the Health Center projection for next year is even larger?  Answer SG-because it is still carry over from the catch up with what was left behind in terms of the invoices.  Statement is this a realistic assumption from item 6 on the agenda?  SG-not yet will have to wait until April by that time invoices will be caught up and revenue coming in will be current.  And at the same time the $152,000 Bassett promised they would start charging us has not been billed yet to us in addition to the back invoices.

Question have we been able to put Athena to use yet? Answer SG-we have not.  Question what is the delay?  SG-he has been asking Bassett when this will up and running and he not getting answers from Bassett.

Question in looking over the budget for 2024-2025 we bought two trucks last year are both of those bonds hitting big payments causing increase in the taxes?  Answer SG-we haven’t received the trucks yet.  There are two bond payments being made for current trucks.  One is 3 years old and the other truck is 5 years old  2020 Volvo last payment will be Jan 2026, 2022 Western Star last payment will be April 2027 typically the way it works you get one bond payment out of the way with the rotation of the trucks.  The trucks were ordered 2 years ago expected delivery might be September 2025 for one of the trucks.  Trucks are built in sections.  The chassis gets built and then the next company fits out the truck with the plows and hydraulic equipment. The price of trucks is expected to increase by $20,000 or $50,000.  The price of a fully outfitted truck is between $350,000 and $400,000 per truck.

Question are we getting a new Fire Truck?  Answer SG-that would not be in our budget that would be in the Fire Department budget.

Question given this budget how are you preparing to accommodate for these larger fees that are forth coming are they now factored in?  Answer SG-the rotations of the bonds will basically take care of itself.  You take care of one bond before the other bond starts.  This is already factored in to the budget so it is like a wash.

SG-the health center is still an unknow of what will be happening there.

Question what is the warranty on the new trucks coming in? Answer HSF-5 years  Question how long is the bond for? Answer HSF-5 years  We try to rotate the trucks out every 8-10 years.  Repairs are very costly.  Councilperson Cornwell stated he feels the Town employee take excellent care of the equipment.

Statement regarding the CHIPS program. The Town has to put the money up first and submit receipts to the State to get the CHIPS money.  Is $200,000 a guarantee of what the Town would get? Answer SG and HSF it is a little more than $200,000 it is like $251,000 and the Town spent around $213,000 last year.  Any left over money is carried over to the next year.  CHIPS is based on miles of Town roads.

Question the $152,000 reported what is that?  Answer SG-that total is for the software package.

Question Tom are you negotiating with Bassett regarding the $152,000?  Answer SG-they want us to go away.

Margaret stated we should go away.  Everything at Bassett Hospital has been outsourced they’ve taken their hands off the wheel of the car.  I live up the street and I cannot get into the health center.  I am paying for it and I cannot get in.  I am retired from Bassett.

Question Is there anything specific you can say about the Committee that has met?  Answer SG-nothing new has been done still working on the possibility of privatizing.  Privatization is quite a hurdle.  Dealing with Medicare and Medicaid is overwhelming and for someone to take over and start their own practice.  They looked into Albany Med using it as a satellite clinic but this is to far for Albany Med.  They were also looking into St. Mary’s in Amsterdam as an alternative as well.

Question what does Bassett do operationally beyond permitting this health center to operate?  Answer SG-those contracts are negotiated through Bassett.  The expense is 6 employees, the pharmaceuticals are purchased through Bassett.  Question Are the employees at the HC taking care of the contracts? Answer SG-no the contracts are negotiated by Bassett.

Question is there someone at Bassett that negotiates for the HC?  Answer SG-there is a person at Bassett who does do negotiating contracts for the HC.

Statement we do not have any leverage with Bassett despite what is said here.  Bassett does not want to assume more debt.
Motion made by Councilperson Cornwell to go into Executive session at 7:33PM 2nd by Councilperson VanDerwerker.  All in favor 5-aye 0-nay

Motion to come out of executive session made by Councilperson Cornwell at 8:00PM 2nd by Supervisor Garretson.  All in favor 5-aye 0-nay

Motion made by Councilperson Cornwell to adjourn the meeting 2nd by Councilperson Waterfield

There being no further business meeting adjourned at 8:01PM.

Next Town Board meeting will be Thursday, April 10, 2025 7:00PM

Respectfully submitted,
Mary Beth Flint, Town Clerk
Town Board meeting was recorded