Town Clerk - Special Notices - Public Hearing - September 15, 2009

Cumberland Head Public Sewer District Public Hearing

The Meeting was called to order at 6:30pm by Supervisor: Bernie Bassett,

Members Present:
Thomas E Wood
Sheila A Brockway
Gerard A Renadette
Martin D Mannix
Rickey J Collins
James Coffey
John W Tabner, Esq.
Ronald J Laberge,P.E.
David Comfort ,W/WW Director

People who Spoke at the Public Hearing are:
Ronald Laberge-Engineering Consultant for the Town of Plattsburgh gave the presentation from 6:50 to 7:05pm.
John Tabner Esq.- gave the Legal information about establishing the sewer district.7:05 to 7:15pm.
Ronald Laberge-Gave the Funding information for the project, Grant Money and the Loan Money.7:15 to 7:20pm.
David Comfort-Spoke regarding hooking up to the system and reasons made by the NYS Clean Water act.
Larry Carpenter, 49 Gravely Point Road asked whether water and sewer can be put in the same hole and if project is approved if it can be combined with other districts to lower the cost.
Thomas Pearl, wants to know the cost of loan assessment vs. payback for ad valorem and if the hook-up cost will be put out to bid. will NYSEG gas hook-up be done at the same time to save money?
James Conley, 56 Bay Road questioned if the Town really needs this.
John Kirkpatrick thinks the cost is too high for "us".
James Conners would like to know details on the location of the pipe to the house and how it is hooked up to the house.
James Barcomb wants to know if the taxes are on bills.
Gary Brandstetter, 124 Algonquin Way said that the average cost of septic systems is $3500, and wondered if multiple properties get just one vote.
Edward Heuston, 21 Bristol Road said that the debt service is for 38 years.
Nick Masters included a statement asking about estimated charges vs. true charges for the system, increasing assessment rates, and the 38-year loan. See attached letter.
Jack Andrus, 303 Cumberland Head Road, wants to know how many votes are required to bring the referendum forward. also see attached.
Colin Read said that the failure rate of the sewer systems is 3% per year, and he is in favor the combined shared services between the Town and the City.
David Witkowski, 74 Barton Road included a statement regarding tax credit, tax incentives, rising healthcare costs, state retirement, property and school taxes.
Wants to know what percentage of sewer water is being discharged into the lake. See attached.
Mike McGalley wanted to know how many times the city beach has been closed in the last two years due to contamination. Susan Thew, of the Dept. of Health, responded that the beach has been closed four or five times a year due to rain water and algae.
Frank Pabst wants to know what will happen if the state mandates this vs. the cost of the Town project. Due to economic stress, senior citizens cannot afford more.
Steve York would like to know the costs involved in decommissioning the old system in addition to the cost of hooking up the new system, and wonders if it will be a burden to tax payers. He is ready to move and cannot afford more taxes.
Dennis Hulbert said he recently bought property on Cumberland Head and can't wait for public sewer service to be available. He said failed and improper systems are doing damage to the lake, which has landed it on the Lake Champlain Basin Program's priority list.
John St. Germain said that the option to hook-up or not hook-up is not a proper term for this because of cost.
Elizabeth asked who is responsible and who will cover the cost if there is a sewer back-up problem with the new pump system.
Peter Graham, 32 Colligan Point Road wants to know if the Town is going to force this project on all of the people of Cumberland Head. Martin Mannix responded that it is determined by a majority vote.
Louise Sorrell spoke in favor of the project.
Judy Charland said she owns a failed system which is still depositing into the lake.
She is in favor of the project.
David Foster wonders about the cost to keep the system up and running and wants to know if people are responsible for maintaining it.
Joe Fournier thinks NYS should foot part of the bill, divided the cost by the number of houses in the project.
John said numerous systems have failed and were reported. He thinks the Town needs this project.
Fred Ward said his system is only a few years old and doesn't see why he has to hook up to the new system.
Matt Salvatore and Megan Fogarty, 307 Cumberland Head, are new residents of the district and would like to be included in any mailings regarding the project.
Earl and Gloria Bennnett, 34 Kensington Drive, would like mailings forwarded to their Florida address: 1003 Cassandra Lane Lakeland, FL 33809

Bernard Bassett said the Town may act on this at the next scheduled board meeting,
September 21, 2009. He concluded the public hearing at 9:15 PM.