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September 12, 2005
Town Board Minutes
Oswego Town Hall
Supervisor: Victoria M. Mullen
Town Board Members: Tim DeSacia, Greg Herrmann,
Margaret Mahaney, Carol Pritchard
Attorney to the Board: Stephen C. Greene, Sr.
The meeting of the Oswego Town Board was held on September 12, 2005 at the Oswego Town Hall. Supervisor Mullen opened the meeting at 7:00 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the passing of Planning Board member John W. Pritchard. Roll call was taken with the following members present:
Supervisor
Councilor
Councilor
Councilor
Councilor
Attorney to the Board
Victoria Mullen
Tim DeSacia
Greg Herrmann
Margaret Mahaney
Carol Pritchard
Stephen C. Greene
Town Clerk’s Report: Money for the month of August paid to the supervisor was $2655.82, total for the month $6052.17. Hunting license sales are down from last year in this office.

Supervisor’s Report: Mr. Hogan and I have been working on the 2006 budget, we are meeting with department heads and I will submit my 2006 budget on September 30th to the town clerk as required by law. Copies will be given to the town board members and we will meet on Monday October 3rd for the first budget workshop, this of course is also an open meeting and any interested party is welcome to come and listen.

The town hall is progressing nicely. The new 6 inch water service which is needed for the sprinkler system is being installed. The town saved many thousands of dollars on the installation cost through an agreement made with Onondaga County Water Authority to put in the system at their cost. Mr. James Finn will be appointed to our Planning Board tonight, I am thankful for his interest in serving the Town of Oswego.

The town board had expected to hire a clerk of the works for the construction of the building however since we were paying B& L anyway we decided to stay with them until the end of this project. They have been with us at every turn and we have been pleased with their supervision and watchful eyes. Tonight we will vote to finish out with them.

I am working with the DEC in amending the Sleepy Hollow spedes permit. After 13 months of negotiations the Town of Oswego and the Teamsters Local 317, which represents the town’s highway workers, have reached a contract agreement. The town needed to gain concessions on raising health care, and retirement costs. These were the major sticking points. Change is hard but necessary for the Town of Oswego to remain fiscally fit and assure our employees that their jobs and benefits are safe, now, and in the future. Healthcare and Retirement costs are the most challenging problems facing Highway budgets across the State. All too often we have seen the worst case scenarios in which jobs and or health benefits. Our Highway workers had enjoyed full health, dental, vision and legal insurance without contributing to the costs. The new agreement drops the legal insurance, and the members beginning contributing to their health care in 2006. The employee contribution rises progressively for the length of the contract. Other changes made to the existing contract include: The town will cover retiring worker and a spouse only and will no longer cover dependants. New hires must serve 20 years with the town to qualify for coverage, raised from the present 10 years. A spouse will not be covered if he or she can qualify for health care from his or her employer. Starting pay for new hires is reduced by $4.00 an hour. The employee option of Comprehensive time in lieu of overtime wages was added. The 4 year agreement contains a 2% cost of living raise for 2005, and 3% for the next three years.

It is the Town Boards intention that this new labor agreement, and the retirement reserve account which we have established will act as a hedge against future highway tax increases, due to ever rising labor costs.

These changes protect both our outstanding work force and the Town of Oswego into the future. This has been a long and difficult process and I think Mark Wilcox the Teamsters union steward, would agree that we negotiated a fair contract, and I would like to thank him for the many hours he spent working with us. Public Comment: Resident Tom Marshall from Jackim Dr. explained to the town the water problem in that area and showed a map of that sub-division. Attorney Greene will review the town documents and any documents Mr. Marshall can find.

Resolution 2005-84 Be it resolved the Oswego Town Board approves the minutes from the August 8, 2005 board meeting.
Moved by Councilor Pritchard, seconded by Councilor Mahaney. All ayes motion carried.

Resolution 2005-85 Be it resolved the Oswego Town Board authorizes the following budget modifications: From A1990.4 (contingent account) to A8810.4 (cemeteries contractual) in the amount of $271.02.
Moved by Councilor Pritchard, seconded by Councilor DeSacia. All ayes motion carried

Resolution 2005-86 Be it resolved the Oswego Town Board approves the bills on abstract 9.
General Fund
Highway Fund
Capital Fund Project
Sleepy Hollow Sewer Dist.
Ontario Heights Sewer Dist.
$ 12,364.37
$ 27,083.44
$ 229,304.83
$ 229.82
$ 656.07
v# 259-293
v# 134-157
v# 11-14
v# 25-28
v# 11-12
Moved by Councilor Herrmann, seconded by Supervisor Mullen. All ayes motion carried

Resolution 2005-87 Be it resolved the Oswego Town Board acknowledges Town Justice Stanley Jung and Court Clerk Patricia Jung to attend the NYS Magistrates Conference to be held September 24, 2005 through September 28, 2005 in Niagara Falls, NY.
Moved by Councilor Pritchard, seconded by Supervisor Mullen. All ayes motion carried

Resolution 2005-88 Be it resolved the Oswego Town Board appoints James Finn to the planning board, term to expire 02/09, and thanks him for his willingness to serve the Town of Oswego. Moved by Councilor Mahaney, seconded by Councilor Pritchard.
All ayes motion carried.

Resolution 2005-89 Be it resolved the Oswego Town Board directs the Supervisor to sign the Labor agreement between the Town of Oswego and Teamsters Local 317 to cover the time period of January 1, 2005 through December 31, 2008.
Moved by Councilor Mahaney, seconded by Councilor Pritchard. All ayes motion carried

Resolution 2005-90 Be it resolved the Oswego Town Board directs the supervisor to sign the agreement for the final phase of construction administration, with Barton & Loguidice, not to exceed $6,000.00.
Moved by Councilor DeSacia, seconded by Councilor Herrmann. All ayes motion carried.

Next town board meeting October 3, 2005 7 PM, budget workshop 6 PM.
Motion by Councilor Pritchard, seconded by Councilor Mahaney to adjourn the meeting at 7:00 PM.

Respectfully submitted,

Theresa A. Cooper
Oswego Town Clerk