Harpersfield To Appoint A New Council Member

By Liz Page

HARPERSFIELD – Members of the Harpersfield Town Board are looking to appoint a new council member with the resignation of Matt Taylor from the town board. Taylor cited personal reasons for his resignation, effective Dec. 8.

Taylor also served as deputy town supervisor and council members appointed Councilman Patrick Funk as the new deputy supervisor. Supervisor Lisa Driscoll said there were a couple of people expressing interest in the position that are being considered by the town board and anyone interested may call the Harpersfield Town Hall.

Walt Keller was present to ask town board members to consider updating the town's Comprehensive Plan. He believes it can be accomplished with the help of Allyson Phillips of Young and Summer, town attorneys and the county planning department. Keller said the town's plan is okay in his mind, but needs to change in order to better address the problems. He was asking the town board to review the changes they planning board made with no startling changes projected. Those changes will then be presented at a public hearing. Superintendent Lisa Driscoll said there is money in the budget to pay the attorney and the town contracts with the county planning department. "We do have money in the budget," said Driscoll. "We have a lot of help to do it and the town does need to update the plan."

The current plan was last updated in 2003.

The town has to change its local law regarding appointment of a town assessor. By state law, it must be a sole assessor. Therefore, the town will change its law from two assessors and hold another public hearing on Jan. 10.. Laurie Bedford would become the town's sole assessor and Rudy Tompkins would serve as an assessor clerk. Just last month, Bedford was appointed assessor chairman and Tompkins an assessor. Previously the town had three elected assessors.

A resolution was also approved for the Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Workers to receive a 10 percent property tax exemption. A list of certified people will be provided by the fire districts. Applications for the exemption will be available online through the state and those wishing to have the 10 percent exemption will have their taxes computed by the town assessor on their primary residence only. If more than one person in the household qualifies, only one exemption will be granted. Eligible members not claiming the 10 percent exemption, still qualify for the exemption on their state income tax return. A public hearing will be held on January 10, which will be the organizational meeting.

North Harpersfield resident Ed Slicer was present to say he believes the residents of North Harpersfield are paying for ambulance services twice. He is served by the Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department, which has an active volunteer ambulance squad. He believes the entire town is paying for the services of Headwaters EMS, which is a not-for-profit service, serving three towns in Delaware County. "If I call for an ambulance, Jefferson is going to respond, not Headwaters," said Slicer. "We are billed as a special district with contracted services through the Jefferson Fire District and we are also paying for the Headwaters Service. North Harpersfield is subsidizing Headwaters, we need to subsidize Jefferson."

Supervisor Driscoll said she would get an answer to his question.

Permit fees were put on hold, with a question regarding the switch from a fee for square footage. The formula for home inspections will be changed to a percentage of the total cost to build the home, which will increase the fees, in most cases, by about $100, according to a presentation by Code Enforcement Officer Tom Little last month. Supervisor Driscoll will check with Little, regarding the switch in figuring the permit fee for new construction of single and two family homes and modulars. Little also proposed the addition of fees for solar projects, road protection and others. The proposed changes are available at the town clerk's office.

In the report on the transfer station, Supervisor Driscoll said the costs for construction and demolition debris were $2,850 last month, a decrease. She said the amount of garbage taken in is also down, which she believes is related to the new policy that if you do not have a sticker, giving permission to use the transfer station, you will be turned away.

Board members entered into an executive session to discuss personnel before adjourning.