TB MEETING July 10, 2025
The regular meeting of the Town Board of Cherry Valley was held on Thursday July 10, 2025 with meeting called to order at 7.00PM by Supervisor Garretson
Pledge to the Flag was said
Roll call of Officers was taken: (P=present)
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-Town Clerk 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
58 Ricoh USA Inc $77.86pd
59 Novitas Solutions Inc $46,014.00pd
60 Optum $24,344.00pd
61 Leona Johnson $170.00pd
62 Spectrotel $390.82pd
63 Bassett Healthcare $73,668.23pd
64 Public Goods Pool $8,249.00pd
65 Quill Corporation $36.95pd
66 Ricoh USA Inc $21.75pd
67 Quill Corporation $69.99pd
GENERAL FUND
118 Mishigan Millers $1,406.00pd
119 State Comptroller $601.00pd
120 Edward Harvey $250.00pd
121 Brian Haig $250.00pd
122 Kim Thompson $250.00pd
123 Millers Cleaning Service $2,008.80pd
124 Bruce Hall Corp $115.97pd
125 RL Parsons Inc $423.66pd
126 Hometown Hauling $43.25pd
127 Tri-County Communications Inc $179.10pd
128 The Daily Star $62.66pd
129 Spectrotel $248.23pd
130 Charter Communications $374.95pd
131 Cintas Corporation #121 $448.44pd
132 Constellation Newenergy Inc $3.95pd
133 Mary Beth Flint$133.68pd
134 Excellus BC/BS $343.86pd
135 ABM Fire Equipment Inc $571.00pd
136 Otsego Computer Experts $605.00pd
137 US Postal Service $907.05pd
Highway Vouchers:
Item 1 (351-355)
Item 3 (872-879)
Item 4 (0)
Councilperson VanDerwerker made a motion to accept the invoices and payments as presented; Councilperson Cornwell seconded the motion. The invoices and payments have been presented and accepted. All in favor
5 ayes 0 nay
Presentation of Invoices and Payments:
• udget reviewed as well as NBT Account balances
• Otsego County sales tax for the month of $9,162.00
• Otsego County Snow and Ice for January-April $57,211.00
Community Center Alden Field and Park:
• Closing the Community Center for the month of August for maintenance.
Health Center:
• June Expense $157,494/Revenue $181,823
• Kim Thompson gave an updated report from the Health Center board
-Medicare money received from back billing
-billing system Athena is going to start on August 13
-nonprofit The friends of Cherry Valley Community Health Center is underway.
first meeting was on July 1 with a board of 9 people.
-receiving health center donations so far up to $26,000 as of July
-Lisa Gerdin is attending local Town meetings in the surrounding area asking for donations
from the Towns if they can help.
-a new banner will be in front of the health center
-cleaning company has changed; we will be spending less money to clean the health center
this will help on the expense side.
Kim read an email from Lisa Heinrich as Lisa could not be at the Board meeting. She is continuing to pursue the funding which would be available for 2026.
Supervisor Garretson gave a report regarding the anticipated upcoming 2026 budget for the health center. Donations are coming in. Supervisor Garretson will be asking the Board to start thinking about what we want to do. Two things we want to do lower the tax levy and find enough money to help the health center we want to do that also. We have to remember to take care of everything else, highway, insurances, pay roll, etc. By this time in August Supervisor Garretson needs to know where the everyone stands so Supervisor Garretson can put together a budget.
Village:
• Town and Village Board Minutes and info- www.cherryvalleyny.us
Planning:
• Nothing new to report
Highway Department
• Paving is done.
• Waiting for County Bridge and Rail to start Dietche Road. CHIPS will take care of this project.
Question from the public:
There were many comments and questions from the public present regarding the health center.
Each board member was asked their position on where they stand on the health center.
Councilperson Waterfield “I'm in favor of seeing where these other federal and state programs go in terms of making up some of that gap and those can help meet this rural healthcare gap and we have operational funding and there's additional subsidy there I think it would be irresponsible not to pursue those first before we make a final decision that's my thought”.
Councilperson Cornwell “I don’t know if the community is fine losing half a million dollars a year, then that's fine with me. The question that I have for all of you as your representative how much are you willing to lose to keep your health center. So right we've run annually 1/4 of a million or a $300,000 deficit that's over the last 10 years that's kind of baked in we're getting that it looks like we're getting that down and down and down and down we're investigating some new promising things. If you’re asking me I am a yes or a no? I don’t know I would like to let it unfold. If you were to ask me a year ago or 6 months ago it's too much for us to bare. But we're in a slightly different place now we have some better communication. I’ve been on the board for almost 20 years now and it's never made money. So that's where I am. If you were to ask me right now to cast a vote, I would probably be 60% let's keep it open for another year and give this a little time.”
Councilperson Johnson “I agree with Holly and Mark we have to see what this fund-raising effort can accomplish. Make an assessment when we know those number. I am in favor of trying to keep it open.”
Councilperson VanDerweker “I vote the same. When you supply a service, you’re not expected to make money on a service, that is what the health center is a service.”
Councilperson Cornwell added “with all that said I have a breaking point and what happened last year absorbing the taxes that we all did, and I say we all because I did it too, let me just say that cannot happen again it will not happen again. I will not vote for a budget that has that kind of increase.”
Supervisor Garretson stated the public will get the preliminary budget at the October meeting and then there will be a public hearing on November 13.
Supervisor Garretson gave his opinion on the health center. He stated “if you were to ask me this in January, I think I would have felt like Mark. I think I would have felt enough is enough and I don't know if I can take this anymore. But the outpouring that we've seen in the last six months is just amazing and I don't feel we can walk away from it.”
Motion made by Councilperson Cornwell to adjourn the meeting 2nd by Councilperson VanDerwerker
There being no further business meeting adjourned at 7:48PM.
Next Town Board meeting will be Thursday, August14, 2025 7:00PM
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Beth Flint, Town Clerk
Town Board meeting was recorded
Saturday, August 23, 2025
TB MEETING July 10, 2025
TB MEETING June 12, 2025
The regular meeting of the Town Board of Cherry Valley was held on Thursday June 12, 2025 with meeting called to order at 7.00PM by Supervisor Garretson
Pledge to the Flag was said
Roll call of Officers was taken: (P=present)
Tom Garretson-Supervisor P
Jim Johnson-Councilperson P
Ed VanDerwerker-Councilperson p
Mark Cornwell-Councilperson P
Holly Waterfield-Excused
Highway Superintendent Marty Field P
Mary Beth Flint-Town Clerk 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
47 Otsego Computer Experts $70.00pd
48 Millers Cleaning Service $842.40pd
49 Spectrotel $406.33pd
50 Leona Johnson $200.00pd
51 Ricoh USA Inc $77.86pd
52 RL Parsons Inc $338.13pd
53 Quill Corporation $12.91pd
54 US Postal Service $1,778.90pd
55 Ricoh USA Inc $42.87pd
56 Public Goods Pool $2,143.00pd
57 Bassett Healthcare $68,858.09pd
Voiced check 2187
GENERAL FUND
105 Kim Thompson $27.00pd
106 RL Parsons Inc $2,004.99pd
107 Spectrotel $251.27pd
108 Hometown Hauling $43.25pd
109 Otsego Co Hwy Superintendent Association $150.00pd
110 Cintas Corporation #121 $567.15pd
111 Charter Communications $374.95pd
112 Constellation Newevergy Inc $4.71pd
113 Excellus BC/BS $343.86pd
114 Otsego Computer Experts $2,000.00pd
115 United Healthcare $17.65pd
116 Grant and Lyons LLP $90.00pd
117 Otsego County Magistrates Association $40.00pd
Voided check 16033
Highway Vouchers:
Item 1 (346-350)
Item 3 (864-871)
Item 4 (237)
Councilperson Cornwell made a motion to accept the invoices and payments as presented; Councilperson Johnson seconded the motion. The invoices and payments have been presented and accepted. All in favor 4 ayes 0 nay
Presentation of Invoices and Payments:
· Budget reviewed as well as NBT Account balances
· Otsego County sales tax for the month of March $9,855.20
· Otsego County sales tax for the month of April $9,142.61
· Otsego County mortgage tax $9,802.70
Community Center Alden Field and Park:
· No report given
Health Center:
· May Expense $78,770/Revenue $38,529 Supervisor Garretson reported currently there is a deficit of $130,000. Supervisor Garretson stated $800,000 was budgeted for the health center and he feels we are doing well.
· Lisa Hershey gave an update on the work to find solutions for keeping the health center open.
-we qualify for Vital Access funding through the State. The application for this funding is open in the fall
-we qualify for The Essential Plan Expansion funding through the Federal government. The application for this funding is open in the fall.
-new funding uncovered is Hospital Safety Net funding. We can apply for this now.
-we meet the criteria for funding through Senator Schumer’s office called Federal Qualifying Healthcare Centers funding.
· Amy Garretson gave an update on behalf of her sister who couldn’t be present at tonight’s meeting.
-health center board met on June 2 revenue and expenses were updated at that time
-Tammy, health center biller, is doing a lot of back billing which should turn into revenue soon.
-American Wholesaler company, operated by Cherry Valley residents, is donating supplies to the CVHC previously purchased by the Town of Cherry Valley.
-ATHENA update. Scoping has been completed, and a meeting is scheduled to discuss interface building and connectivity.
-presented the letter going out from the citizens committee with the QR code for people to donate money to the health center. A non-profit is in progress at this time, Denis Laughlin is donating his time with this process.
-There are 7 or 8 people on the non-profit board.
-Lisa Gerdin has been working with the citizens committee and has attended several town government meetings. She has visited Middlefield, Roseboom, Sharon and Springfield. She has sent emails to several other surrounding Town governments.
Village:
· Town and Village Board Minutes and info- www.cherryvalleyny.us
Planning:
· Motion to appoint Alice Hurwitz to the Cherry Valley Planning Board is made by Councilperson Cornwell and seconded by Councilperson Johnson. All in favor 4 Ayes 0 Nay
Highway Department
· Scheduled for paving on June 25, 26 and 27th
· Truck that was supposed to be here in August has been pushed to October. This truck was approved for purchase 3 years ago. This is how long it takes to get a complete outfitted truck.
Resolution 2025-5 Required annual examination and audit of Justice Court records and dockets.
Motion to accept Resolution 2025-5 is made by Councilperson Cornwell and seconded by Councilperson Johnson. Roll call vote is taken Supervisor Garretson-yes, Councilperson Johnson-yes, Councilperson VanDerwerker-yes, Councilperson Cornwell-yes. Councilperson Waterfield-Absent.
4 Ayes 0 Nay Resolution 2025-5 is duly carried
Resolution 2025-6 Cherry Valley Health Center Consultant, Lisa Hershey
Lisa Hershey will be working to bridge communications and resources between the three entities…the Town Board, the Health Center Board and Staff, and the Friends of the Cherry Valley Health Center.
To accomplish these goals Lisa Hershey will research additional resources, attend the meetings and will report updates to the members of the boards.
The updates will be limited to 5 minutes and will be addressed to the board, not to the public.
Lisa Hershey will agree to keep confidential communications confidential and will advise the boards as needed, and additional information as requested.
Motion to adopt Resolution 2025-6 is made by Councilperson VanDerwerker and seconded by Councilperson Cornwell
All in favor 4 Ayes 0 Nay. Roll call vote is taken Supervisor Garretson-yes, Councilperson Johnson-yes, Councilperson VanDerwerker-yes, Councilperson Cornwell-yes. Councilperson Waterfield-Absent. Resolution 2025-6 is duly carried.
Question from the public:
How are the Justice records audited? January through December records are reviewed as an administrative review.
Have any updates been received on the Solar project? There have been no updates.
Is Lisa Hershey’s position a paid position? It is not.
Will the audit just accepted be posted on the website? No. It is more of an examination than it is an audit
Is there a Town regulation on the size of a Solar project? 10 acres. Solar Regulations can be found on the website
Supervisor Garretson invites anyone with questions to email him and or call or text him.
Motion made by Councilperson Cornwell to adjourn the meeting 2nd by Councilperson VanDerwerker
There being no further business meeting adjourned at 7:38PM.
Next Town Board meeting will be Thursday, July 10, 2025 7:00PM
Respectfully submitted,
Mary Beth Flint, Town Clerk
Town Board meeting was recorded