Lebanon appoints Georgetown Justice Hailston as visiting justice

Lebanon town board members appointed Georgetown Justice Ronald Hailston to be the town’s Visiting Justice for 2010, pending approval of the Town of Georgetown Town Board, and also agreed to advertise for the Code Enforcement Officer position as well as to seek applicants for the town Assessment Board of Review and Planning Board appointments.

Justice Hailston has agreed to serve as the Visiting Justice after Justice-elect Kate Eaves withdrew from the post due to relocating outside of the township. Justice Hailston has served as Visiting Justice in prior years when there was a vacancy and will serve for all of 2010, pending approval by the Georgetown town board. Current Justice Susan Currier Palmer did not seek re-election. A special election for Justice will be held in November of 2010.

Town officials also decided to advertise for applicants for the part-time Code Enforcement Officer appointment for 2010 but invited current CEO Jamie Foster to apply for the position. Town officials said they would seek to reappoint Gloria DeLee Dog Control Officer.

Town officials are seeking two candidates to fill vacancies on the Assessment Board of Review. Former member Ada Symonds has resigned her position this past fall and John Mayer resigned his position last spring. Candidates are encouraged to send letters of interest to Town Supervisor, Town of Lebanon, 1210 Bradley Brook Road, Earlville, N.Y. 13332

Town officials also agreed to advertise for an upcoming planning board appointment. Carolyn Hartshorn, who just turned 90 last month and is viewed as the embodiment of living history in Lebanon, is up for re-appointment but has indicated she will not seek to be re-appointed. Town board members agreed to invite applications from all interested parties in keeping with past town policy on appointments.

In other town board business, board members:

- Approved a Bond Anticipation Note of approximately $40,500 with NBT Bank NA at the low bid interest rate of 1.9 percent for 2010 to complete the last payment on a 2008 Stadium International Heavy Duty Truck.

- Approved an ice and snow removal contract with Madison County that included additional reimbursement for removal of heavy snow banks from county rights of way using the town pay loader.

- Authorized the Town Supervisor to enter into a new municipal cell phone contract for the highway superintendent with Verizon in concert with Madison County's new agreement to save approximately $200 annually.

- Authorized the Town Supervisor to recycle the older supervisor computer and monitor that is no longer in use through the county landfill computer recycling program.

- Authorized fund transfers to address highway equipment overages in equipment repairs related to parts for older town equipment.

- Discussed Earlville Water District update and review of how to address imposing costs for proposed district for Lebanon property owners who will reside in that district. Town officials favored having a public meeting with the impacted property owners in January of 2010 to discuss their preferences.

- Reviewed increased gas well development activity in the township including wells being drilled or hydrofracked off of Fisk Road, Campbell Road/Billings Hill Road, River and Betts Road and several new wells planned in Ag District off of Bradley Brook Road and Bartlett Road/Reservoir Road area. Town officials discussed the impact of the pattern of Norse Energy drilling more in the winter than summer months and how that increases road damages due to the time of year activity occurs.

- Discussed very positive turnout at Lebanon Community Club for Lebanon Historical Society holiday program with a record number of children turning out to see Santa and participating in wagon drawn rides. Historical Society members reported a very successful event.

- Discussed pros and cons of recommendation by Assessor David Gray that the town consider committing to an annual revaluation of town properties with the State of New York that may include state aid reimbursement. He said the state was encouraging this. The town could sign up and opt out later if not happy with the results and could still be eligible for the state aid. Town officials were not in favor of the concept and were skeptical of the reliability of the state aid, but wanted to see what the two other towns, Eaton and Georgetown, in their Coordinated Asssesment Program (CAP) were going to decide about this. Supervisor Jim Goldstein said he was not in favor of signing the agreement with the state given the town had just completed a revaluation and did not favor annual revaluations in this economy.

The Town Board will meet on Monday, January 11, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. for its next regular meeting and organizational meeting.

CATEGORY: Government
TAGS: Lebanon town supervisor Jim Goldstein, Georgetown Justice Ronald Hailston, Kate Eaves, Susan Currier Palmer, Code Enforcement Officer, Gloria DeLee Dog Control Officer, Earlville Water District, Norse Energy
EDITION: Madison Eagle

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