Town 2020 organizational meeting

There was a lot of swearing at the Town 2020 organizational meeting on Thursday, as new Shelter Island officials took their oaths of office. And, they sorted out some details of running the government for another year.

Newly-elected Supervisor Gerard F. Siller, returning to the post after a long hiatus, said he’s excited to serve again.

“We’re working hard; we’re getting a lot done,” he said after being sworn in at the January 2 meeting.

“We have an agenda and we’re going to move on it. We’re not going to get bogged down in minutiae, we’re going to get things done,” he said.

Oaths

Town Justice Helen J. Rosenblum administered the oath of office to Siller, and to returning officials Receiver of Taxes Annmarie Seddio, Highway Superintendent Brian Sherman, and Assessors Craig Wood and Judith Lechmanski.

Town Justice Mary-Faith Westervelt administered the oath of office to new Councilman Mike Bebon.

The Board recessed the meeting to host a brief reception for the 40 or so people who attended the swearing-in.

2020 organizational meeting details

Also present at Thursday’s meeting were Coucilwoman Amber Brach-Williams and Councilman Albert Dickson. Town Clerk Dorothy S. Ogar, Deputy Town Clerk Sharon O. Jacobs, and Town Attorney Robert J. DeStefano. Councilman James Colligan was absent.

Once the reception ended, Supervisor and Council members took turns reading resolutions with all the attendant “whereas” and “be it resolved” language you’d expect. In all, they passed nearly 100 resolutions.

You can watch the meeting on the Town website. It’s about 3 hours long. We’ve distilled it below.

2020 Meeting dates

Basic resolutions

Town Funds. Funds not needed for immediate expenditure will be deposited in certificates of deposit or special time deposit accounts at Chase Bank and Bridgehampton National Bank. Authorized to sign checks are the Supervisor and four Council members. Judy Meringer, Barbara Bloom and Shelby Mundy are authorized to make transfers.

Official Newspapers. For the purpose of posting legal notices, the Shelter Island Reporter and Newsday are the official papers; they have paid, print circulations exceeding 2,000 as required by municipal law.

Annual Financial Report. The Supervisor will submit to the Town Clerk within 30 days after the expiration of the fiscal year a report accounting for all monies received and disbursed by him, and within 60 days will file a copy of the report with the state comptroller.

Reimbursements. Town officials and employees will be reimbursed, subject to
audit, at the rate of $0.585 per mile for their mileage on Town business. They’ll be reimbursed, subject to audit, for actual and necessary expenses incurred attending training programs and professional meetings which will enhance their job skills. A request by a Town employee or official for such meetings or travel must receive the prior approval of the Supervisor.

Salaried Appointments

• Police Commissioners, the Supervisor and four Council members
• Deputy Supervisor, Amber Brach-Williams
• Confidential Secretary/Supervisor, Judy Meringer
• Town Attorney, Bob DeStefano Jr.
• Deputy Town Clerk, Linda Cass
• Tax Administrator/Chair Board of Tax Assessors, Craig Wood
• Assessment Clerk, Lillian McCarthy
• Commissioner of Public Works Brian Sherman
• Confidential Secretary/Highways, Public Works & Landfill, Debra Speeches
• Highway Safety Training Officer, David W. Clark
• Emergency Management Coordinator, Police Chief James J. Read Jr.
• Animal Control Officer, part-time, Jenny Zahler
• Crossing Guard, Catherine Rasmussen
• EMS Director, part-time, Jack H. Thilberg
• Senior Citizens Aide II, Loretta Gillman Fanelli
• Assistant to the Senior Center Director, Sara Mundy
• Town Historian, part-time, William Clark III
• FIT Center Manager, Emily Kraus

Hourly appointments/rates

• Justice Court Clerk, Michelle Congdon, $22.59/hour
• Clerk/Receiver of Taxes, Lillian McCarthy, $22.91/hour
• Deputy Town Clerk, Linda Cass, $28.28/hour
• Town Custodians: Crystal Steinmuller, $27/hour; Deborah Brewer, Linda D. Cass and Tracy Gibbs $28/hour; Giovanna Ketcham, $29/hour
• Detention Attendants: Arthur Bloom, Deborah Brewer, Tracy Gibbs, Jose Manuel Payano Cruz, Taylor Rando, Catherine Rasmussen, John Spinelli, Mariana Koehler Torrealba; $100 for first two hours (or any part) plus $20 per additional hour; and Amanda Gutiw, $35.46/hour
• Bay Constables: John Mahoney and Peter Vielbig, $30/hour
• Shelter Island Highway/Public Works/Landfill Department, part-time and seasonal laborers: summer interns, $18.50/hour; year 1 laborers, $21/hour; year 2 laborers, $21.50/hour, year 3 laborers, $22/hour, year 4 laborers, $22.50/hour, and year 5 laborers, $23/hour
• Snow plow operators, with CDL and during weather emergencies, $25/hour
• Maintenance Mechanic, Bruce Jernick, $25.53/hour
• Residential Repair, laborer, Thomas Cronin, $19.19/hour
• Residential Repair, telecommunications technician on-call, Arthur Bloom, $18.64/hour
• Senior Center office assistant, Dave Binder and Marissa Fanelli, $18.86/hour
• Therapeutic Activities Workers: Alison Binder, Giovanna Ketcham and Donna King, $21.72/hour
• Minibus Drivers: Karin Bennett, David Binder, Emily Hallman, Donna King, Maryann Mcginn, Sara Mundy, and James Polychron, $21.72/hour
• Bus Driver: Garth Griffin, $21.72/hour
• Cooks/Nutrition Program: Carl Cosby, Michelle Donohue, and Giovanna Ketcham, $21.66/hour; and Angela Corbett, $21.88/hour
• Food Service Workers & Substitutes: Robert Andrew, Alison Binder, Shannon Hammonds (retroactive to December 30, 2019), and Kelci McIntosh, $16.12/hour
• Recreation/FIT Aides: Barbara Bloom, Deborah Brewer, Cori Cass, Catherine Davidson, Amira Lisle, Peter Miedema, Katie Potter, Lindsay Rando, and Julia Weisenberg, $17.85/hour
• Assistant Recreation Leaders: Katie Rose Binder and Giovanna Ketcham, $20/hour; Deborah Brewer, Kelci McIntosh, Katie Potter, $21.01/hour; and Catherine Davidson, $21.51/hour
• Recreation Specialist Instructor: Callie Atkins, $30/session; and Peter Miedema, $30/hour

Office Assistants/Clerks of the Boards

The Board approved the appointment of Kristina Martin Madjisova (Planning Board, Zoning Board, Waterways Management Advisory Council, Water Advisory Committee and Town Attorney) and Jane Roberts (Community Preservation Fund Advisory Board, Water Quality Improvement Advisory Board, Board of Assessment Review, Conservation Advisory Council, Community Housing Board, Contractors License Review Board, and EMS Advisory Board) at a rate of $22.59.hour.

Further, Coco Lee Thuman of Mattituck, will serve as leave replacement for temporarily vacant positions of clerk/typist in the Supervisor’s office, and clerk of the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals, Water Advisory Committee, and Waterways Management Advisory Council, at a rate of $24.50/hour.

FIT Center Membership Rates

Rate for use of FIT Center with changes from last year, where noted.

• FIT day, $15/day
• Single, $255/year, up from $245
• Family, $395/year, up from $380
• Youth, $50/year
• Full-time college student, $100/year
• Volunteers, EMTs & Active Military, $175/year

Standard Work Days

The Board established the following standard work days for the purpose of reporting to the New York State retirement system:

• Elected positions: Town Clerk, Town Supervisor, Town Board Members, Town Justices, members of the Board of Assessors, Assessors, Receiver of Taxes, 6-hour day; Highway Superintendent, 8-hour day.
• Appointed positions: Town Attorney, members of Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board, Confidential Secretary to the Supervisor, 6-hour day; Deputy Town Clerk, 7-hour day; Confidential Secretary to Highway Superintendent, 7.5-hour day.

Funding resolutions

• CodeRed. The Board approved a payment of $1,350 to OnSolve LLC of Orlando, FL for a one-year CodeRed notification system service plan.
• Landfill scales contract. The Board authorized $2,625 expenditure to Creative Information Systems of Manchester, NH, for landfill scales annual software support and maintenance.
• Medical Insurance Waivers. The following eligible Town employees applied and were approved for salary compensation in exchange for waiving medical insurance benefits: Gerry Siller, Amber Brach-Williams, Michael Bebon, Judith Meringer, Barbara A. Bloom, Mary-Faith Westervelt, Jennifer Beresky, Annmarie Seddio, James Colligan, Kenneth Lewis, Robert J. DeStefano Jr., Shelby Mundy, Michael Mitchell, Aidan Mysliborski, Emily Kraus and Albert Dickson.
• SCM Products. The Supervisor was authorized to make a $6,021 payment to SCM Products Inc. of Happaugue for the annual maintenance contract for the EMS computer program.

Board Liaisons

The Supervisor and Council members will serve as liaisons to these Town boards, committees and departments:

• Gerry Siller: Buildings & Grounds, Community Preservation Fund Advisory, Deer & Tick, Financial Advisory, Green Options, Highway & Public Works, Recycling, Senior Citizens, Taylor’s Island, Transportation,
• Amber Brach-Williams: Capital Planning, Community Housing, EMS, Financial Advisory, Grants, Planning, Taylor’s Island, Water Quality Improvement Advisory, Zoning
• Mike Bebon: Buildings & Grounds, Community Housing, Conservation Advisory, IT, Planning, Water Advisory, Zoning
• James T. Colligan: Capital Planning, Community/Youth Center, Conservation Advisory, Deer & Tick, FIT/Recreation, Grants, Highway & Public Works, Shelter Island Country Club, Waterways Management
• Albert Dickson: Community Preservation Fund Advisory, Green Options, Senior Citizens, Shelter Island Country Club, Water Advisory, Water Quality Improvement Advisory, Waterways Management