The Town of Champion Town Board held its organizational meeting on Monday, January 7, 2002 at the Municipal Building. Present were: Supervisor Buckley, Councilmen Watkins, Stewart, Buzzell, and Peck, Highway Superintendent Sech, and Attorney Farley.

Supervisor Buckley called the meeting to order at 6:00PM. Motion by Mr. Buzzell, seconded by Mr. Stewart to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing negotiations. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Buzzell, seconded by Mr. Stewart to return to open session. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried. Open session resumed at 7:00PM.

Justice Quinn swore in the re-elected and newly elected officials. Supervisor Buckley welcomed Councilman Peck and Highway Superintendent Sech to the first meeting of their terms.

Supervisor Buckley opened the meeting to public comment. No one from the public spoke.

Monthly Reports

• Councilmen- Mr. Stewart questioned who would be responsible for clearing snow from the hydrants in WD#4. Mr. Buzzell questioned the status of repairs to the outdoor light fixtures in the back parking lot of the municipal building. Mr. Buzzell also reported that Niagara Mohawk will soon complete the maintenance on street lights in the Great Bend Lighting District.

• Highway Superintendent-Mr. Sech shared with the Board that between 11/9/01 and 1/2/02 that the highway crew had logged 150 truck hours on County roads and 160 truck hours on State highways and spread 2600 yards of sand/salt. Mr. Sech commended the crew for continuing to clear roads, during the storm prior to New Year's, when many roads in the area were being closed.
• Zoning Officer-Mr. Phelps reported that he had written no permits during December.
• Circuit Rider-Ms. Amyot reported on efforts to redirect traffic, along the Olympic Corridor, through Carthage.

Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Watkins to approve the minutes for December 3 and 31, 2001. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Stewart to pay the following bills:

General 1-20………………………………….$14,000.48

Highway 1-11…………………………………$11,347.62

SD #1 O&M 1-2.................................................$763.56

WD #1 O&M 1-2……………………………….......$44.50

WD #2 O&M 1-3.............................................. $537.00

WD #3 O&M 1......................................................$27.50

WD #4 O&M 1..................................................$1,913.50

Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Buzzell to approve the Supervisor’s report as presented. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Peck to appoint the following individuals to the position noted:

• Deputy Clerk- Janice Houghton, Margaret Brotherton, and Megan Vargulick
• Registrar- Christina Vargulick
• Deputy registrar- Megan Vargulick
• Historian- Suzanne Wiley
• Town Attorney- Timothy A. Farley
• Zoning Enforcement Officer- Brian S. Phelps
• Planning Board member- James Surace
• Zoning board member- Lawrence Leddy
• Deputy Supervisor- Thomas Stewart

Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Buzzell to appoint Mary Ann Yuhas as the voting delegate at the Association of Towns convention. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Buzzell to set salaries as presented (see attached). Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Buzzell to re-adopt the investment and procurement policies and forms without amendment. Ayes-5. Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Buzzell, seconded by Mr. Stewart to set the first Monday of the month at 7:00PM as the meeting date and time of the Town Board; the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30PM, as necessary, as the Planning Board meeting date and time; and the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30PM, as necessary, as the Zoning Board of Appeals meeting date and time. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Buzzell, seconded by Mr. Stewart to designate Key Bank, Community Bank, HSBC, Cayuga and J P Morgan Chase as the depositories in which the Supervisor, Town Clerk, Tax Collector, and Justices shall deposit all monies coming into their hands by virtue of their offices. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Buzzell authorizing all elected officials to attend all necessary schools. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Buzzell, seconded by Mr. Stewart to set the mileage reimbursement rate at $.30/mile. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Buzzell, seconded by Mr. Peck to designate the Carthage Republican Tribune and the Watertown Daily Times as the official newspapers of the Town. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Buzzell, seconded by Mr. Watkins to authorize the Supervisor and Deputy Supervisor to sign checks. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Buzzell, seconded by Mr. Peck to designate Family Practice Associates as the firm to perform all necessary alcohol and substance testing. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Buzzell, seconded by Mr. Stewart to adopt the retirement resolution as presented (see attached). Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Buzzell to re-adopt the personnel policy without amendment. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

The financial records of the Supervisor, Town Clerk, and Justices were audited and signed.

The Board discussed the capital charges that had been assessed to parcel 76.06-2-48. Motion by Mr. Buzzell, seconded by Mr. Stewart that in consideration of the fact that the parcel is landlocked and not of building lot size, that the levy for sewer capital charges be removed. Ayes-5, Nays-0. Motion carried.

A blanket easement for work done within the Town right-of-way by Niagara Mohawk was considered by the Board. No motion was offered to sign the document.

Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Buzzell to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:04PM.

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Christina Vargulick

Town Clerk