VILLAGE OF COPENHAGEN BOARD OF TRUSTEES
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
August 11, 2021, 2021 6:30 PM
@Village Hall
Mayor Mark Souva
Trustee Benjamin Snyder
Trustee Gerald Shambo
Trustee Kim Vogt
Trustee Shareef Stokely
Attendance
In Attendance: CLERK: Lori Wheeler Trustees: Mayor Mark Souva, Trustee Kim Vogt, Trustee Gerald Snyder, and Trustee Shareef Stokely DPW: David Potocki and Rich Ross
Absent: Trustee Ben Shambo
Audience: Gerald Carter, Chief TJ Williams, Frank Fazio, John Drewes, Scott and Cindy Doyle, Kenny Clarke,
Via Zoom: Julie Deveines
Meeting called To Order
Meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor Mark Souva.
Minutes
A motion was made by Trustee Vogt and was seconded by Trustee Snyder to approve the July 29, 2021, Regular Meeting Minutes
Vote taken:
Trustee Stokely – Aye
Trustee Snyder – Aye
Trustee Vogt – Aye
Trustee Shambo – Absent
Mayor Souva – Aye
All Ayes. Motion Carried
Clerk Report:
- Clerk Wheeler informed the Board that there weren’t any changes from the July 29, 2021 meeting.
DPW Report:
- The Board discussed the DPW report with DPW Dave Potocki and Rich Ross.
Rich informed The Board that Aqualogic (the communication company that supports water and sewer plants) will be coming Monday, August 16, 2021, to check the plants.
- Trustee Snyder informed Rich and Dave that trees need to be removed on the White Building, that the Village owns, by Frank Fazio’s house.
- Trustee Vogt is going to reach out to Rural Water about the Woodbattle Water Plant.
Copenhagen Volunteer Fire Department:
- Chief TJ Williams informed the Village Board of Trustees that the Fire Department would be holding a Christmas Parade this year. It will be held Sunday December 5, 20231 @ 2:00 pm.
- There was discussion about the water bill that is for the land the Copenhagen Volunteer Fire Department recently purchased.
Resolution 26-2021
Trustee Vogt offered a resolution and Trustee Stokely seconded the resolution to remove the water bill for the newly purchased land on Route 12 that the Copenhagen Volunteer Fire Department purchased. The CVFD is not required to pay water bills.
Vote taken:
Trustee Stokely – Aye
Trustee Snyder – Aye
Trustee Vogt – Aye
Trustee Shambo – Absent
Mayor Souva – Aye
All Ayes. Motion Carried
- Chief Williams informed the Board that the CVFD just received 14 portable and 4 mobile new radios for their trucks. He said communication is much clearer and easier.
Correspondence
- The Village received a letter from Windstream that they will no longer support the telephone lines to the Water and Sewer plants. May have to switch to someone else, Verizon possibly.
- The Village received a letter from Campanelli & Associates, PC about the 5G rollout-controlling the siting of wireless facilities within the Village. Discussion was held on zoning.
New Business
- Discussion was held about moving all the elections to November to be controlled by Lewis County. If the Village keeps doing the elections, it will cost the Village upwards of $3000.00 each year. To have Lewis County Board of Elections take over would cost the Village $0.
Resolution 27-2021
Trustee Vogt offered a motion and Trustee Stokely seconded the motion to have Lewis County Board of Elections take over Village elections. A permissive Referendum will be held September 1, 2021. There will be a public hearing if voters choose to have one.
Vote taken:
Trustee Stokely – Aye
Trustee Snyder – Aye
Trustee Vogt – Aye
Trustee Shambo – Absent
Mayor Souva – Aye
All Ayes. Motion Carried
- Discussion was held about the Cannibas Opt Out .
Resolution 28-2021
Trustee Stokely offered a resolution and Trustee Vogt seconded to adopt the Cannibas Opt Out Law.
Vote taken:
Trustee Stokely – Aye
Trustee Snyder – Aye
Trustee Vogt – Aye
Trustee Shambo – Absent
Mayor Souva – Aye
All Ayes. Motion Carried
Old Business
- Discussion was held about the Village Hall furnace and air conditioner installation. Clerk Wheeler informed the Board that if The Village purchased a furnace and air conditioning unit that would improve air quality, the Village could use the ARPA money that they received. The Board told Clerk Wheeler to investigate that.
- Trustee Vogt informed the Board that Sute Kote will be grinding Loud Street and Grove Street on August 23, 2021. Highway Superintendent for the Town of Denmark, Pat Mahar, will help with the millings.
- The Village DPW will speak to Highway Superintendent Mahar on assisting the Village with a culvert on Mill Street. A new one is needed.
- Discussion was held about large trucks from the Windmill Project traveling Maiden Lane and Center Street in the Village. Mayor Souva said to call the Sheriff’s Department to inform them of the situation.
- Trustee Vogt spoke to Terry Keefer about the Property Maintenance position that the Village has open. He is the Property Maintenance Person for other Towns and Villages. Keefer informed Trustee Vogt that he would be interested if he was paid $5000.00 a year plus mileage.
Trustee Vogt said she would reach out to the Town of Denmark judges to make sure that they would enforce tickets if people received them.
- Discussion was held about National Grid insurance requirements for the LED Lighting project. Mickey Dietrich asked NYPA if RACOG could sponsor all municipalities if they could join together and split the cost. He is waiting to hear back from them. The Village of Copenhagen would then pay RACOG for their part of the insurance requirement.
- The Tug Hill Commission is waiting for school to start to do the Walk Audit.
- Discussion was held about renovations on the Bandwagon Building. Clerk Wheeler told the Board that her and her husband, Garrett would donate the electric base board heater needed. Further discussion was held on the 3 quotes received for the overhead door and the 3 quotes received for spray foam insulation.
Resolution 29-2021
Trustee Vogt offered a motion and Trustee Snyder seconded the motion to award Overhead Door at a cost of $1,287.18 and Common-Sense spray foam at a cost of $3,400.00 to provide and install the overhead door and provide and install the spray foam insulation.
Vote taken:
Trustee Stokely – Aye
Trustee Snyder – Aye
Trustee Vogt – Aye
Trustee Shambo – Absent
Mayor Souva – Aye
All Ayes. Motion Carried
- The Board asked the DPW for an update on the Central Rivers Power, LLC water usage status.
The DPW informed the Board that Central Rivers Power only used 2000 gallons of water. Trustee Vogt told the DPW to bill them for an $85 edu and $16 for water, total of $116.
- Trustee Snyder said he was trying to get easements in place for the Maple Ave drainage problem. He stated that he needed to speak to Matt Cooper to make sure where the drainage could go. When that is done, it must go through Attorney Joe Russell to make sure everything is legal.
- Trustee Vogt informed the Board that the Village is waiting to hear back from Attorney Joe Russel about the easements for the Washington Street drainage project.
Open Forum
- Frank Fazio explained to the Board that he drained and filled his pool and asked that 7,646 gallons be deducted from his upcoming sewer bill.
Resolution 30-2021
Trustee Vogt offered a resolution and Trustee Snyder seconded the resolution to remove 7,696 gallons from Frank Fazio’s upcoming sewer bill.
Vote taken:
Trustee Stokely – Aye
Trustee Snyder – Aye
Trustee Vogt – Aye
Trustee Shambo – Absent
Mayor Souva – Aye
All Ayes. Motion Carried
- Scott Doyle informed the Board that Cheyanne Steria was going to be at the September 20, 2021, Town of Denmark Board Meeting to explain how pilot money is distributed through the Towns and Villages.
- There was discussion with Gerald Carter about the easements for the Washington Street drainage project. Gerald also asked the Board if they could lower the speed limit on Maple Avenue. He explained that there were a lot of small children on that street and a lot of big trucks and tractors drive up the street. Trustee Vogt said she would call Lewis County to see if the upper part of Maple Ave could be labeled a school zone being it is on the back side of the school.
- Julie Deveines joined via zoom. She asked Mayor Souva what meeting and resolution approved Clerk Wheeler to work more than 20 hours.
Approval for Claims and Bill Payment
Resolution 31-2021
The Board reviewed the bills, and a motion was made by Trustee Vogt and was seconded by Trustee Stokely to pay the bills that are listed on Abstract # 3 dated August 11,2021.
Vote taken:
Trustee Stokely – Aye
Trustee Snyder – Aye
Trustee Vogt – Aye
Trustee Shambo – Absent
Mayor Souva – Aye
All Ayes. Motion Carried
| Account | Voucher | Amount |
| General | 48-57 | $3,877.72 |
| Water | 23-26 | $454.35 |
| Sewer | 26-31 | $15,967.84 |
At 7:46 pm Trustee Vogt motioned, and Trustee Stokely seconded the motion to go into Executive Session to discuss an employee.
Vote taken:
Trustee Stokely – Aye
Trustee Snyder – Aye
Trustee Vogt – Aye
Trustee Shambo – Absent
Mayor Souva – Aye
All Ayes. Motion Carried
At 9:13 pm Trustee Vogt motioned, and Trustee Stokely seconded to come out of Executive Session.
Vote taken:
Trustee Stokely – Aye
Trustee Snyder – Aye
Trustee Vogt – Aye
Trustee Shambo – Absent
Mayor Souva – Aye
All Ayes. Motion Carried
A motion was made by Trustee Snyder and seconded by Trustee Shambo to adjourn the meeting at 9:14 p.m. Vote taken:
Trustee Stokely – Aye
Trustee Snyder – Aye
Trustee Vogt – Aye
Trustee Shambo – Absent
Mayor Souva – Aye
All Ayes. Motion Carried
Mayor Clerk