December Town of Rockland Town & School Board Reports

By Marge Feuerstein | Manor Ink Mentor

Because Manor Ink does not publish in January, December’s town and school board meeting reports are posted here on the paper’s website.

Town Board Meeting of Dec. 3

Minutes: The minutes of the Nov. 19 meeting were unanimously approved.

Correspondence: The county reported that there was possible COVID-19 exposure at the Liberty Diner from Nov. 21 through Nov. 27.

OLD BUSINESS

• The demolition of the condemned building at 60 Main Street is planned to begin on Dec. 17. Taking down the structure will probably take two days. Once the debris is cleared away, the foundation demolition can be assessed.

• The town will cancel its Staples accounts due to billing problems.

• The town has notified the accounting firm of Cooper Arias that their services will continue to be used.

• Access to the recently acquired nine-acre parcel of old O&W railroad right-of-way is being studied.

NEW BUSINESS

• The town needs to appoint a Deputy Supervisor.

• Advertisements will be placed for the position of Deputy Court Clerk, for a part-time Crossing Guard and for a Dog Control Officer.

• Supervisor Rob Eggleton met with Dave Bodenstein of New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal, a municipality insurer, to review the town’s insurance prior to Bodenstein’s meetings with the Highway Dept. and others. After these meetings, Bodenstein will make a presentation to the board.

Resolutions Required: The following resolutions were passed by the board.

• Allow Alix Didrich to work up to 30 hours per week until the end of the year to complete the training for Court Clerk.

•  Set the Court Clerk salary at $22 per hour, starting Jan. 1.

• Approve sick and vacation time for retiring Court Clerk Pat Mills.

•  Approve purchase of a new Kohler generator for the Roscoe Sewer Dept. and allow John Mulligan to look into a rental unit until the new generator arrives in approximately ten weeks.

•  Approve the purchase of a sewer line jetter for cleaning drains at the cost of $21,407.

Department heads: No reports as no department heads were present.

Approval of Bills: The bills on Abstract #23 were approved.

Details of all dollar amounts can be found on the town website at townofrocklandny.com under the minutes of Dec. 3.

Town Board Meeting of Dec. 17

Minutes: The minutes of the Dec. 3 meeting were unanimously approved.

Correspondence: Notification from the Board of Elections that Town Hall will no longer be used for voting. All people in those districts will now vote at the Firehouse. The change will cut down on the personnel and machines needed.

OLD BUSINESS

• A snow storm delayed the Dec. 17 demolition of the building at 60 Main Street. It will get done before the end of the year, weather permitting. The stream permit is valid through Jan. 17.

• There will be a presentation by the county on requirements for food trucks at the Jan. 21 meeting.

NEW BUSINESS

• All departments must make no more purchases after Dec. 23 through the end of the year, unless in response to an emergency.

• 2021 tax collection will take place by mail and online. In-person payments may be allowed in emergency situations by appointment only.

• The town has received one application for the Dog Officer position and several applications for the Court Clerk position. There has been no response to the Crossing Guard position. Still unfilled are Deputy Court Clerk, Supervisor Secretary and Planning Board Secretary positions. Payment for the crossing guard position, and how it will be affected if school closes, will be revisited in January.

• Water and sewer rates need to be set. This will need to be reviewed carefully in January.

• Budget modifications are required.

Resolution Required: The following resolutions were required and passed by the board.

• Budget modifications have been passed. Crossing Guards will receive COVID pay through the end of the year. 

• Pay for the Deputy Court Clerk position will be $14 per hour.

• Morgan Dench-Layton was hired as Dog Control Officer.

Department Heads: Ted Hartling, Highway Superintendent: During the recent snow storm only one truck got stuck. The DOT approved 45-mph speed limits on Beaver Lake and Goff roads.  Glenn Gabbard, Code Enforcement:  Two residents have still not evacuated the condemned building at 15 Brown St. Water has been turned off and NYSEG is in process of turning off power. The town attorney will become involved.

Approval of Bills: The bills on Abstract #24 were approved.

Details of all dollar amounts can be found on the town website at townofrocklandny.com under the minutes of Dec. 17.               

School Board Meeting of Dec. 23

Correspondence: A thank-you note was received from a 2020 graduate who received the Board of Education graduation award.

SUPERINTENDENT’S UPDATE 

COVID Closures: Supt. John Evans informed the board that Livingston Manor Central School intends to remain open to students following the Winter Break, as long as there is no government shutdown order or formal Health Department recommendation regarding changes to in-person instruction. In the event a positive case among students or staff members causes a 24-hour closure, teachers are prepared to shift to total remote teaching from home while the Health Department handles contact tracing.

Principals’ Report on Remote Learning: Forty-four middle and high school students (20 percent of the school’s enrollment) and 54 elementary students  (24 percent) are totally remote learners. While students have more in-person instruction options than many other districts at this time, LMCS is also seeing more students failing than in prior years. The school will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments if possible. Teaching in a single building and having single bus runs inhibits the ability to create varied schedules for elementary middle and high school students.

Action Items: The following items were voted on and unanimously passed:

• The minutes of the Nov. 18 meeting, treasurer’s reports, revenue status and budget appropriation reports.

• Warrant  #A-8,  dated Oct. 1-31, 2020, in the amount of $1,2101,324.28. Also CSE-CPSE and Section 504 recommendations.

• Acceptance of the Reconciliation of the Tax Levy Warrant

• Acceptance of a monetary donation of $500 from Sidney Sussan in support of the LMCS Elementary School library program. The 2020-21 school budget will be increased to reflect the donation from $17,406,487 to $17, 406, 987.

• The Consent Agenda was approved as presented.

All dollar amounts and all the action items and the consent agenda can be found at lmcs.k12.ny.us under minutes of Dec. 22, when posted.