DPW - COMMITTEE

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 - 9:30 AM

** This meeting was held remotely **

Robin DeLoria, Chairperson

Clayton Barber, Vice-Chairperson

Chairman DeLoria called this DPW Meeting to order at 9:30 am with the following Supervisors remotely in attendance: Clayton Barber, Robin DeLoria, Stephanie DeZalia, Derek Doty, Shaun Gillilland, Roy Holzer, Ken Hughes, Steve McNally, Noel Merrihew, James Monty, Tom Scozzafava, Matt Stanley, Ike Tyler, Joe Pete Wilson, Davina Winemiller, Margaret Wood and Mark Wright. Charlie Harrington was absent.

Department Heads present: Jim Dougan, Judy Garrison, Michael Mascarenas and Dan Palmer.

Also present: Alice Halloran, Holly Aquino, Lynn Donaldson and Gordon Costin.

News Media: Sun News – Tim Rowland.

DELORIA: If you don’t mind standing for the pledge please and we’ll get this meeting started.

Can everybody hear me because I did have some audio concerns at the last meeting? Jimmy Dougan you can hear me? Good, good. Nice to see your face this morning, I see you went out and borrowed a camera or bought one for your computer that’s a good thing.

DOUGAN: Yeah, I should get a filter on it to protect you guys but I got one.

DELORIA: I just bought one from Poly Com that has a built in microphone so I can send the link out for those that might need it like Mr. McNally, I’ve been after him for at least a year to join the club here but one day at a time right folks?

Okay Jimmy, why don’t you go ahead and start with your DPW resolutions for us.

DOUGAN: Hopefully everybody got my email and the resolutions requests along with my monthly report. The first resolution I’m looking for is to issue a permit to Iron Man Lake Placid for the use of county roadways for the 2022 Iron Man triathlon, Sunday, July 24, 2022.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A PERMIT TO IRON MAN LAKE PLACID FOR THE USE OF COUNTY ROADWAYS FOR THE 2022 IRON MAN TRIATHLON COMPETITION, SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2022. Barber, Scozzafava

DELORIA: Any discussion on that? All in favor, carried. Derek I don’t see you on this committee but you’re welcome to voice in at will. We just can’t let you motion or vote on it okay? Thank you sir. Okay Jimmy.

DOUGAN: Number two, is another county road permit. This would be authorizing a permit to the Wilmington Historical Society for the use of County Route 83, Springfield Road in the Town of Wilmington to conduct a 5K and 10K race on Saturday, June 18, 2022.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PERMIT TO THE WILMINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOR THE USE OF COUNTY ROUTE 83, SPRINGFIELD ROAD IN THE TOWN OF WILMINGTON TO CONDUCT A 5K AND 10K RACE ON SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2022. Holzer, DeZalia

DELORIA: Any questions, discussion on that? All in favor, aye and moved.

DOUGAN: The next three are all regarding Federal –aid funded projects. There are two different projects but the first one is the Water Street over the Branch Bridge Replacement project right here in Elizabethtown. This is supplemental agreement number three so it adds additional funding to the project to get us through the construction phase. So, we have to very strictly follow the wording from New York DOT for any of our new supervisors. So, it’s a resolution authorizing the implementation and funding in the first instance 100% of the Federal Aid and State “marchiselli” program-aid eligible costs, of a transportation Federal-aid project and appropriating funds therefore. So it would also further authorize the DPW Superintendent, County Manager or County Chair to execute this supplemental agreement and authorize the necessary budget amendment for revenue and expenditure.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING IN THE FIRST INSTANCE 100% OF THE FEDERAL AID AND STATE “MARCHISELLI” PROGRAM-AID ELIGIBLE COSTS, OF A TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL-AID PROJECT AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE – WATER STREET OVER THE BRANCH BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT IN THE TOWN OF ELIZABETHTOWN. DeZalia, Holzer

DELORIA: Any discussion on this? Any questions for Jim? Okay being none, approved. Go ahead Jimmy.

DOUGAN: The next one is going to be the newest Federally funded project. This one is in Ticonderoga, this is Alexandra Avenue over the outlet of Lake George. This is going to set us up with our master agreement with DOT. The process again, for anybody who hasn’t been through it, it’s usually a three-phase process. Where at first DOT issues you a master agreement for funding for the design phase only then they come back with a supplemental agreement that pays for any right away and then the last, supplemental agreement unless additional ones need to be done is usually for construction phase services. So this is a master agreement for Alexandria Ave., at this time it is a total of $352,693, 80% of that is paid by Federal funds right now the rest of it comes through the county but after I receive a full executed master agreement with the State, I will then request State funding it’s just how the process goes. So, again, very strict wording resolution authorizing the implementation and funding in the first instance 100% of the Federal Aid and State “marchiselli” program-aid eligible costs, of a transportation Federal-aid project and appropriating funds therefore.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING IN THE FIRST INSTANCE 100% OF THE FEDERAL AID AND STATE “MARCHISELLI” PROGRAM-AID ELIGIBLE COSTS, OF A TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL-AID PROJECT AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFORE – ALEXANDRIA AVENUE OVER LAKE GEORGE OUTLET IN THE TOWN OF TICONDEROGA. Wright, Scozzafava

DELORIA: Okay, Mr. Wright you are on committee here would you like to move that for us? Thank you sir. All in favor, okay so moved.

DOUGAN: And the next one is for that same project, and so now we will be requesting a resolution to move to contract with the design firm. We have to utilize design firms for these Federal-aid funded projects, New York State DOT’s LDSA list, local design services agreement. The State puts that out to bid every four years, per region, there’s ten regions in New York State they shortlist fifteen firms in each region and then we, for each project have to choose one of those fifteen firms. Our process here is we go out for specific qualifications, proposals to six of the fifteen firms every time we have a new project. On this one we’ve chosen Clark Patterson Lee or CPL Engineers so this would be authorizing a contract with CPL Architect Engineering and Planning in the amount of $352,693, for professional engineering including preliminary final design, permitting, environmental right away and bidding services for Alexandria Ave over the outlet of Lake George and further authorizing the County Chair or County Manager to execute that contract.

DELORIA: Okay as Chair I will move that one. Do I have a second? Clayton Barber.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY CHAIRMAN OR COUNTY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH CPL ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING AND PLANNING IN THE AMOUNT OF $352,693.00, FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES INCLUDING PRELIMINARY AND FINAL DESIGN, PERMITTING ENVIRONMENTAL, RIGHT OF WAY AND BIDDING SERVICES FOR THE ALEXANDRIA AVENUE OVER THE OUTLET OF LAKE GEORGE BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PROJECT LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF TICONDEROGA WITH FUNDS TO COME FROM FEDERAL AID FUNDS. DeLoria, Barber

DELORIA: Any discussion, questions on that? All in favor, opposed – okay we’re good on that Jimmy. What else you got for us?

DOUGAN: That’s all I had for resolutions, attached to my monthly report there are a few pictures and a few things going on if anybody wants to note any of that.

After, how many years was it Mr. Monty eight, nine years that we worked on getting the Thrall Dam project done through some funding through the health department so that was finally finished up this fall so you got a picture of that.

Then I just wanted to give the board some legislative update that are going to affect us. The first one is regarding prevailing wage rate for hauling of aggregate and aggregate, asphalt is considered aggregate as well to any of our projects. In the past, if you have aggregate delivered just to the job site and they don’t work on the job site other than delivering it, letting them dump that material off and then leaving that hasn’t been required to pay prevailing wage rate. This bill that was just signed into law is going to require that fully loaded and empty, those trucks now have to pay prevailing wage rate. So, I tried to give you a few numbers on what that’s liable to cost us just from the county standpoint and it’s going to affect each one of your towns as well.

DELORIA: Jimmy, is that going to affect next year’s state contract for salt deliveries?

DOUGAN: Right now it doesn’t look like it’s going to do that because salt isn’t going to a public works project. Salt is going to your highway garage, not necessarily a public works project. However, there is a bill out there right now that would require American made salt only. It doesn’t affect a lot of us right because most of ours is coming from down near Ithaca and Cargill but it will affect us in the future probably.

DELORIA: Interesting. American made? You mean American produced right?

DOUGAN: American produced, yeah I guess.

MONTY: I just wanted to thank Jim Dougan and his engineers and Kenny Whitemore for getting that bridge put in. It was quite an undertaking. We had several volunteers that worked down there but it’s really completed and added another mile and a half of trail. We have a lot of horse people that have been coming in weekend after weekend. I think this weekend was a little cold and snowy for them but they absolutely love it. The volunteers are making plans to replace a snowmobile bridge that was put in which is going to add another mile to our trails and we couldn’t have done it without Jim and his crew. I can’t thank them enough.

DELORIA: Very good. Thank you. Anything more for Jim on this particular topic? Okay Jimmy, go down to the next there for us.

DOUGAN: The next is regarding truck drivers. On February 7^th new regulations come into play that requires all the states to follow the Federal, entry level driver training regulations. That means that somebody can’t just go get their permit test for a Class B or Class A license, just go get that permit and then after a short period of time, just go get their license. They actually have to go through a registered training center with a registered curriculum so we’re struggling for drivers and we have along with lots of other employees, staff all of us have this past year and they’re going to make it even harder. One document that I’ve read has nearly three weeks’ worth of consistent training in order to get someone through this process with over 70 hours of classroom training and more than 40 hours behind the wheel training. It’s going to affect the county; it’s going to affect all of you in getting new people. Anybody that already has their license and just goes to renew it whether it’s a Class A or Class B it won’t affect them. Anybody already in the process already having their permit right now, as long as they don’t let that time out it won’t affect them but come February 2^nd it will. Good news, perhaps and I’m still trying to understand it better because we operate the busses here and because of our funding through New York State we already follow some of the motor carrier regulations using the 19A program and I think we’re going to be able to be listed as a registered site because of that but we will still have to develop an approvable curriculum and find the staff to do that much training if we need it in the future so again, I don’t have a good answer for it. I’m just making you all aware of it.

DELORIA: And Jimmy, if you do go down that road and establish such a program for training the new CDL’s will the towns be able to take advantage of that?

DOUGAN: That would be my assumption that we would do that. I will charge accordingly, you know me.

DELORIA: The price of a tank of gas to get up there per trip you know.

DOUGAN: Something like that.

DELORIA: Okay interesting and did you have anything else Jim that wasn’t on the agenda for you specifically?

DOUGAN: I didn’t have anything else specifically unless anybody had questions for me? It looks like Tom does.

SCOZZAFAVA: Yes, Jim, it’s my understanding didn’t the State of New York just or are in the process of simplifying the requirements for the CDL to expedite it because of the issue with truck drivers and bus drivers and so on and so forth?

DOUGAN: I haven’t heard that Tom. In the past, we’ve been categorically exempt from some of the Federal motor carrier regulations. In the past, we have been because we are highway departments involved in maintain roads and so we’ve been exempt from some of it but it’s my understanding we’re not going to be exempt from this change.

SCOZZAFAVA: Well the Legislative Committee needs to be talked to, Congresswoman Stefanik on this. I’m sure Shaun will follow up on this. Thank you.

DELORIA: Stephanie? We can’t hear you. Still can’t hear you. Would you like to maybe use the private chat and type a question to Kenny and he can speak it for us?

HUGHES: She can chat to the whole group, doesn’t have to be private to me, she can chat to the whole group if she wanted.

DELORIA: Okay to everyone yeah, Steph just go down to your chat window and then click to everyone.

HUGHES: Move on she said.

DELORIA: Okay, Steph maybe you can direct your question to an email to Jimmy okay, very good. Does anyone else have questions for Jim before we move on the list here? Raise your hand, I see no hands raised. Okay. Jim Buildings and grounds, janitorial, public safety, engineering, fish hatchery update anything on that?

DOUGAN: No nothing more that is in my report. Nothing specific.

DELORIA: And is Alice with us today? Alice, would you have anything for us?

HALLORAN: Yes, I’m here. The exciting thing for us this month is that we were awarded a grant for our repairing and buffer programs. That is for any areas in the Lake Champlain Basin, it’s just going to expand and enhance our buffer program that we have. So if anyone has any stream areas that they’d like to see, it could be on public lands or private lands, let us know and I also wanted to let the upper Hudson towns know that we can find funding to do similar projects in their areas too and I think that’s it unless you have questions?

DELORIA: Alice I would like to know more about the Upper Hudson region, that would affect Minerva, Newcomb and North Hudson so can get together at some point and you can fill us in.

HALLORAN: Alright, sounds good.

DELORIA: Great, great okay does anyone have any questions for Alice? Okay, Alice we thank you very much and we’ll turn it over to Roy Holzer.

HOLZER: Okay now Robin?

DELORIA: You going to sell your growlers?

HOLZER: Ha, ha I really appreciate you picking them up for me. So, I have a couple of resolutions to move through committee, so they are ready for ways and means one is a resolution celebrating Wilmington’s 200^th anniversary as a community. This is our bicentennial year and I will get Judy Garrison all of the whereas and wherefores and all of that. I’d like to move that.

RESOLUTION OF CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TOWN OF WILMINGTON ON THEIR BICENTENNIAL. Holzer, Scozzafava and Wright.

DELORIA: All in favor, opposed okay. What else you got for us?

HOLZER: The other thing is I wanted to do a resolution of condolence to the family of Donald DeMacy. Don was a supervisor here in the community for years. He actually served as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors as well so I’d like to move that resolution of condolences.

RESOLUTION OF CONDOLENCE TO THE FAMILY OF DONALD DEMACY. Holzer, unanimous

DELORIA: Okay Roy.

HOLZER: That’s it.

DELORIA: Okay I’ll read Stephanie’s to everyone. I’m sure everyone got it. She is aware of the legislation that Tommy was speaking about, the Governor did announce making it easier for CDL acquisition. It is simply making it available in more locations Steph? To the required training that is now needed. So I think that’s a topic that we need to have an email go out to us Jimmy, and kind of explain it and if we do indeed need to get with Stefanik’s office if the Governor isn’t able to step in and control the State’s interest over the Feds, you know, we don’t know. So maybe you can just keep us posted on that?

DOUGAN: Okay.

DELORIA: Alrighty then. Okay. Anyone else? Meg, anything for us today? I see you’re joining committee today.

WOOD: I’m learning and listening.

DELORIA: Well, very good. We’re glad to see you here this morning. Very good. Okay if no one else has anything, I think that we can adjourn this committee.

As there was no further discussion to come before this DPW meeting it was adjourned at 9:52 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Judith Garrison, Clerk

Board of Supervisors