Board Meeting

1.    Grantwriter re Grant agreement for $100,000 Engineering Planning Grant

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hart, to adopt the following resolution to enter into a grant agreement with NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation:

2.    Grantwriter re Local match for $100,000 Engineering Planning Grant

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to adopt the following resolution to appropriate a minimum of 20% local match as required by the Engineering Planning Grant Program:

3.    Town Attorney re Request for proposals for concession services at town owned facilities

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hart, to authorize Town Attorney John Fenz to prepare a request for proposals for concession services at town owned facilities and set a bid date of May 12, 2016 at 10 A.M. for receipt of proposals.

4.    Town Attorney re Public hearing – Local Law 2016-07, amendment to Chapter 87		Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to schedule a public hearing for May 23, 2016 at 7 P.M. to consider Local Law #2016-07, an amendment to Chapter 87 Peddling, Soliciting, Transient Business and Mobile Food Vending.   On the question, Town Attorney John Fenz stated the amendment will limit the time solicitors can go door-to-door in town.   Ayes: All                 Noes: None             Motion Carried
5.   Town Attorney re Creation of Design Standards Advisory Board		Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hart, to authorize creation of a five member Design Standards Advisory Board.

6.   Town Engineer re 2015 Sanitary Sewer Repair Project contract extension

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hart, to approve a contract extension for the 2015 Sanitary Sewer Repair Project and authorize the Supervisor to sign the necessary documents, noting there are no additional charges.   Ayes: All                 Noes: None             Motion Carried

7.   Town Engineer re Bid award for Rosewood Section Reconstruction Project

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to award the bid for the Rosewood Reconstruction Project to D and H Excavating, Inc., Arcade, NY, at their low bid of $2,355,285 and authorize the Supervisor to sign the appropriate paperwork, noting this company was the low bidder out of three bids received.

8.      Town Engineer re SEQRA determination for 2016 Phase 5 sewer improvements

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hart, to adopt the attached SEQRA resolution and determination of Type 2 action relative to the phase 5 sewer study.   Ayes: All                 Noes: None             Motion Carried                                                             *APPENDICES*

9.     Highway Sup’t. re Bid date for Emergency Light Repair Call out Contract

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to set a bid date of May 12, 2016 at 10 A.M. in the Town Clerk’s Office for receipt of bids on the Emergency Light Repair Call out Contract.

10.     Highway Sup’t. re Appointment of part-time seasonal laborers in the Sanitation Dept.

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to appoint Eric Anderson and Frank Courtney as part-time seasonal laborers in the Sanitation Department at a rate of $9 per hour effective April 26 – October 28, 2016 contingent upon passing of drug and alcohol testing and authorize the Supervisor to complete and sign the necessary forms for Erie County Personnel.   Ayes: All                 Noes: None             Motion Carried

11.     Highway Sup’t. re Status change for part-time laborers in Sanitation Dept. to seasonal

Motion by Supervisor Meegan, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to change the status of the following part-time Sanitation Department laborers to part-time seasonal effective May 5 – October 28, 2016 at a rate of $9 per hour:

 

 

 

 

            On the question, Councilman Hart asked Youth Service Coordinator Lauren Masset to comment on the Youth Theatre program that is run by Candice Kogut.

 

 

 

 

 

                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“A PUBLIC HEARING TO HEAR ALL PERSONS REGARDING THE PROPOSED UPDATED TOWN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN” in the Town of West Seneca.

 

Motion by Councilman Hart, seconded by Councilman Hanley, to remove the public hearing from the table.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried

 

John Steinmetz of Steinmetz Consulting reviewed the Comprehensive Plan update which articulates what is important to West Seneca in the next 10 years, noting it should be considered a living document that is broad in scope and can be changed as needed. He stated good feedback was received from the community and there is enthusiasm on how to implement certain components of the Plan. 

 

Nora Mikes questioned the current status of the library project. She further asked that board members table any action on the Comprehensive Plan at this meeting and questioned how many comments were received and how they will be incorporated into the plan.

 

Councilman Hart responded the library project is in the engineering stages.

 

Town Clerk Jacqueline Felser stated she received four email comments on the Comprehensive Plan update.

 

 

 

 

Mr. Steinmetz stated there are four key changes to the Comprehensive Plan based on feedback received: 1) addition of an executive summary; 2) an action item added under the Natural Resources section – “consider developing a Wildlife Management Plan for the purpose of natural resource and habitat conservation;” 3) an objective added under the Neighborhoods section – “utilize existing paper streets running through neighborhoods to create off street bicycle and pedestrian connections;” and 4) under the Transportation section - in response to a comment and request from Erie County, the plan now references the Greater Buffalo-Niagara Regional Transportation Council Plan and states the town’s Plan is consistent with it.

 

Ms. Mikes questioned if the steering committee and comprehensive plan committee are the same body and the date and manner the committee was created.

 

Councilman Hart responded the steering committee is referred to in a document received from New York State, but the Town Board referred to it as the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee. He did not recall the date the committee was created but stated this could be researched through the Town Clerk’s office.

 

Ms. Mikes commented on her interpretation of a response she received from the Committee on Open Government (COOG) with regard to whether meetings of the Comprehensive Plan Review Committee were required to be held in accordance with the Open Meetings Law.

 

Councilman Hart disagreed with Ms. Mikes’ interpretation and stated he also received the COOG’s letter and it clearly supported the town’s position and actions.

 

Town Attorney John Fenz referred to the advisory opinion from COOG and stated the Town Board appointed a committee that was advisory in nature. No minutes or meeting notices were required and a third party consultant was hired to draft the update.

 

Doug Kroll expressed his concern about reducing Union Road to two lanes. He felt it was a dangerous thing to do and referred to instances he had seen in Williamsville where there is parking allowed on the street. He believes parked cars should not be on the highway as it is not safe for people, noting the stores have adequate parking off the road.

 

Councilman Hart clarified if Union Road is reduced it will only be from Center Road to Seneca Street. Their goal is to calm the traffic on Union Road and Williamsville is also being restructured for that purpose.

 

Councilman Hanley commented that currently pedestrians must cross five lanes of traffic on Union Road. He referred to the successful outcome of changes made in the City of Buffalo on Fillmore Avenue near Martin Luther King Park where the road was narrowed from four lanes to two lanes. 

 

 

Paula Minklei questioned if a public hearing is required to change speed limits and narrow roads.

 

Councilman Hart responded that New York State will have their own public hearings on proposed changes and having a good Master Plan in place will prevent the state from unilaterally making changes in the town.

 

Mr. Steinmetz referred to specific pages in the Plan that indicate the town wants something different for Union Road and NYSDOT will be compelled to collaborate with the town.

 

Councilman Hart noted the Union Road problem is not exclusive to West Seneca. Every community has problems and complaints about Union Road and is trying to get NYS to do something. He further commented their goal was to make the Comprehensive Plan a balanced plan and this Plan is stronger regarding environmental issues. Although it is not possible for the town to do everything that is in the Plan, it is full of a lot of great ideas.

 

Evelyn Hicks stated she was involved in 2006 when the last Comprehensive Plan was adopted and also served on the current committee. Mrs. Hicks commented the current process was more formal and the new Plan is far more superior, precise and concise. Although she does not agree with everything in the Plan, it is a collaboration of a community with a variety of interests and it is not possible to agree on everything. Mrs. Hicks sees this as a working document that will allow the town to consider new ideas that did not exist in 2006 and it is a great tool to use going forward as a resource for grant applications. She is looking forward to reviewing zoning and land use to make it more cohesive throughout the town and implement new techniques. Mrs. Hicks further commented on the opportunities to connect neighborhoods with paths and stated the plan is representative of the people she spoke to and what they want to see in it.

 

Supervisor Meegan commented having a Comprehensive Plan in place brings the town to the top of the list for grant funding.

 

Mr. Steinmetz agreed and stated language is in the Plan that is needed for grant applications and it should be appropriate for 8 – 10 years into the future.

Michael Truscott referred to the proposal for Union Road and commented on the need for people to adhere to laws regarding pedestrian crosswalks and passing on the right.

 

Motion by Councilman Hart, seconded by Supervisor Meegan, to close the public hearing.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried

 

Mr. Fenz questioned if board members reviewed Parts 1, 2 & 3 of the Environmental Assessment Form and they responded that they had.

 

Motion by Councilman Hart, seconded by Supervisor Meegan, to adopt the attached resolution adopting the Comprehensive Plan Strategic Update as modified as the town’s official Comprehensive Plan.

 

Ayes: All                                     Noes: None                                 Motion Carried