The Champion Town Board met in regular session Monday, February 4, 2002 at 7:00PM at the Champion Municipal Building. Present were Supervisor Buckley, Councilmen Stewart, Watkins, and Peck (7:03PM), Attorney Farley, and Highway Superintendent Sech.

Councilman Buzzell was excused from the meeting.

Supervisor Buckley called the meeting to order and opened the floor for comment from the public. Students attending the meeting, to fulfill a requirement of their Participation in Government class, stood and introduced themselves.

Monthly Reports

• Councilmen-Mr. Peck requested an alteration in the highway markings in front of his home. The Highway Superintendent recommended that the request be submitted in writing to Jefferson County in so much as the highway is a County road.
• Highway Superintendent-Mr. Sech provided the Board with a written report for the month of January detailing activities, a prioritized list of assignments and equipment maintenance, the annual highway inventory, long range planning goals, and quotes for repairs to the JD loader and truck tarps. Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Peck to approve replacing the pins and bushings in the loader as per the quote received from Nortrax. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried. Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Stewart to approve the purchase of two asphalt tarps to be determined by the Highway Superintendent. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.
• Assessor-Mr. Phelps reminded property owners that exemption forms must be filed no later than March 1, 2002. Mr. Phelps reported that the Town of Champion is piloting a software program for the electronic replication of real property files. Supervisor Buckley recommended the approval of a new computer, at a cost not to exceed $1,300, for the assessing office to support the new software and that the office's excessed computer be moved to the highway department and that the excessed highway computer be made available for the historian. Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Watkins to approve the purchase of the new computer and the transfer of excessed equipment. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried. Supervisor Buckley reported that he had received a letter from Robert White tendering his resignation as Chairman of Assessors. Motion by Supervisor Buckley, seconded by Mr. Stewart to accept the resignation with regret. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried. Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Watkins to appoint Brian Phelps as Chairman at a pro-rated salary of $6,700. Ayes-0, Nays-0. Motion carried.
• Zoning Enforcement-The zoning report was read and accepted.

Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Stewart to approve the minutes for January 7, 2002 as presented. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.

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

General #21-55...................................................$142,105.83

Highway #12-37..................................................$ 21,026.58

SD#1 O&M #3-5..................................................$ 6,236.69

WD#1 O&M #3-4.................................................$ 1,632.91

WD#2 O&M #4-8.................................................$ 833.62

WD#3 O&M #2-7.................................................$ 4,825.80

WD#4 Capital #1-3..............................................$ 4,757.54

Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.

The Supervisor's report was read and discussed. Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Peck to approve the report as presented. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.

New Business

The Board discussed a letter from the Town Attorney requesting appointment as a salaried employee at a salary of $2,000 for the fiscal year 2002. Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Peck to appoint Timothy A. Farley, Town Attorney at a salary of $2,000. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Peck to report two days per month, for Mr. Farley, to the NYS Retirement System. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Watkins to purchase school speed zone indicators for each end of the Cole Road as a cost not to exceed $3,000. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Stewart, seconded by Mr. Peck to accept Water District #4 as complete. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Stewart to approve the West Carthage Department of Public Works as the certified operators of Water District #4. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Peck, seconded by Mr. Stewart to appoint James Barnes to the Zoning Board of Appeals to complete the term of William Tribol, effective pending the oath of office. The term shall expire 12/31/02. Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Motion by Mr. Watkins, seconded by Mr. Stewart to approve the appropriation of $250 to the Carthage Area Chamber of Commerce for the Winterfest activities.

Ayes-4, Nays-0. Motion carried.

Supervisor Buckley reported to the Board that the County had omitted the installment fee on all property taxes outside the Village of West Carthage. Insufficient payments were being returned to property owners with instructions for including the fee or opting to pay the tax in full. Effected property owners were being given until 2/14/02 to submit payments.

Supervisor Buckley recognized Allen Conover, 35920 Sayre Road. Mr. Conover expressed his dissatisfaction with the plowing and sanding patterns at the intersection of Sayre Road and NYS Route 26.

Motion by Mr. Peck, seconded by Mr. Stewart to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:13PM.

Christina Vargulick

Christina Vargulick

Town Clerk