TUG HILL COMMISSION

MINUTES OF MEETING West Monroe, New York January 13, 2014

Chairman Bogdanowicz opened the meeting at 10:07 am. Opened Commission members included Mdm. Chereshnoski and Messrs. Attendance Boxberger, Yerdon, Talgo, and Vigus. Also in attendance Circuit Rider Mrs. Kimball and Mr. Baxter and staff members Mr. Bartow, Mrs. Malinowski, and Mr. Street.

On a motion made by Commissioner Yerdon and seconded by Agenda Commissioner Vigus members approved the agenda presented. Approved

On a motion made by Commissioner Chereshnoski and seconded by Minutes Commissioner Yerdon members approved the minutes of December Approved 18, 2013.

Chairman’s report followed. Chairman’s Report Chairman Bogdanowicz welcomed everyone and introductions were Welcome made. Following the commission meeting will be the Ontario Winter Lake-effect Systems (OWLeS) presentation and lunch will be provided. Chairman Bogdanowicz thanked Vice Chairman Yerdon for chairing the December meeting for him as his flight was cancelled due to the winter storm. Chairman Bogdanowicz wished a happy new year to all. On behalf of all commissioners he thanked the Commission staff for a great 2013.

On December 30, 2013 Chairman Bogdanowicz, John Bartow and Katie Malinowski attended the Governor’s Tourism event in Lowville. In your packets is an article on the event and a photo of my daughter Kayla and me with the Governor! It was a great event for Lewis County and the Tug Hill as a whole. Also in your packets are some highlights of the Governor’s State of the State message from last Wednesday and the Lieutenant Governors visit to Watertown to present those highlights. I would point out the Governor’s emphasis on tourism which should bode well for the North Country as well as his focus on local property taxes. Regarding taxes, it will be interesting to see how the Governor and Legislature deal with the incentive piece for freezing property taxes next year and encouraging local governments to work on shared services and consolidations or mergers. Throughout the Commission’s history we have had a strong track record working with our communities on such efforts and perhaps this record as well as some new initiatives will help us highlight some of our good successes and benefit our communities. I am not confident that at the town and village level we will see whole sale consolidations, mergers or dissolutions but we have plenty of demonstrations as well as opportunities for shared services and functions.

Upcoming John is working on meetings in Albany for February. I suggest we Meetings wait and see what the Governor’s budget has and then base some meetings on those initiatives. If the Governor stays true to past form we should see the Budget in a few weeks and will have some good opportunities for some meetings in February. Since we do not have a meeting in February, maybe we can make a day trip to Albany.

In your packets is the 2014 Commission Meeting Schedule. I 2014 appreciate your approval of moving many of these to Mondays which Commission helps significantly in my travel planning. Our next scheduled Meeting meeting is in March, which is not a Monday, but on Wednesday, Schedule March 26 which is the evening before our 25th Local Government Conference.

In your packets is also the registration form for the March 27th Local LGC Government Conference. Looks like we have another great venue and schedule and I am sure attendance will be very good. If you have not yet could you all confirm with Gwen as to your attendance at the LGC and whether or not you would like a room in Watertown the night before.

Last month John provided you a draft of the Local Leaders Survey Local Leaders and White Paper. We have not heard from anyone regarding Survey & comments so we intend to send this out by the end of the week. White Paper Chairman Bogdanowicz asked if anyone had any last minute suggestions. If none, we will plan on mailing this by week’s end. There were no responses made.

I am pleased to say that more than ever, our Local Leaders and survey respondents have overwhelmingly supported the Commission and 98% believe that the Commission should continue with its mission

Executive Director’s Report followed. Executive Director’s Report A selection has made for the Natural Heritage Watershed position. Administration We are in the stage of checking references now and hope to have the person on board soon. Carla Malmgren’s father suffered a stroke at the end December and she is taking leave at this time.

We continue to follow up on the Tug Hill Legislators Meeting. In your packets is a copy of the letter sent to Governor Cuomo regarding his Tourism trip to Lowville and our request for assistance with Low Volume Road legislation.

Assemblyman Barclay is interested is following up on the natural gas project. Mrs. Malinowski and I have a conference call scheduled regarding Camden on Thursday, January 16 with International Wire, National Grid and the Public Service Commission.

The North County REDC is kicking off for 2014 round on January, 26 REDC’s in Lake Placid. Our regions Mohawk Valley and North Country got top performing awards.

As Commissioner Bogdanowicz mentioned the 2014 LGC form is in LGC Status your packets. Peter Baynes, with NYCOM will be Keynote speaker. Sponsor letters were mailed out and we are receiving responses.

The Prospect Fire Department has dissolved. We will attend a Prospect meeting with the Villages of Barneveld and Holland Patent at the Update Town of Trenton on January 23rd. We have been asked to bring in a speaker, Brad Pinskey of Pinskey Law and Sean McGuire of DOS.

The MS4 consortium has indorsed in 9 NOIS. Mrs. Malinowski completed a DEC grant in Urbanized December and was submitted with Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District as a Area principle for many as well as THC.

The TNC Pilot was approved by all taxing jurisdictions. We will have TNC a proposal in February for instating the EBFC group in the spring.

We shared Zach Wakeman’s suggestion to Commissioners in December for hiking/biking trails across the hill with Jim Howe, TNC and they are willing to pursue non-motorized access. We also shared the idea with DEC and they liked it. Follow up will continue.

Local highway mapping for NOCCOG is complete with all 16 towns. Mapping We are making substantial progress with CTHC towns.

Follow-up with Matt Smith, Woodwise on deed is still pending. There Industrial is consideration of selling West Turin parcel near Fish Creek to the Forest state. We continue to follow-up on 480-A. The state will provide $500,000 for the Fort Drum buffer zones. We Fort Drum now have $400,000. We can let them know if we need more. We ACUB will wait for the Governor’s Budget to come out. May be $250,000 short on Murray parcel, spoke with Commissioner Marten’s on December 29, 2013.

In your packets is the finance report. NPS was rolled over from 2013 Finance Report to 2014. We spoke with Jen Gallo and she has released all NPS cash ceiling dollars, however, we still may go over. PS is on target. With the voluntary fifty percent decrease that Carla Malmgren is taking temporarily this will keep our PS below. We have not received any news yet on performance advance from DOB. We are expecting a budget release in a few weeks. We will provide a 2014-2015 budget summary as soon as it is out.

Chairman Bogdanowicz opened the meeting for public comment. Public Comment Bob McNamara commented on Zachery Wakeman’s hiking trail idea brought to the board last month, that he thought it would be great to have a trail going north to south and he would support it.

Charles Gilkey asked who would be handling the waterfront and DEC grants in Carla’s absence.

Paul Baxter – Budgets are having additional expenses for citizens on taxes. There is a new Supervisor in West Monroe and other local government changes in Orwell, Amboy, and Albion. The Association of Towns workshop in December at Parish for newly elected was well attended. Paul credited Katie and Carla for making the training possible.

A discussion about taxing jurisdiction in the Tug Hill region took place between Rip Colesante, Roy Reehill and commissioners.

There being no further business before the board, on a motion made Adjourn by Commissioner Vigus and seconded by Commissioner Boxberger members adjourned the meeting at 11:25 a.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

Tom Boxberger Secretary