Surveys Sent to Summit Residents

By Karen Cuccinello

SUMMIT — The monthly Summit Town Board meeting opened with the full board and Attorney Michael West in attendance and a rather large audience of 16 people. The April meeting minutes and supervisor report were approved following one correction to the supervisor's report.

Highway Superintendent Jim Dibble got a price of $467.00 for replacing the Summit welcome sign at the Jefferson town line on Rte. 10. The old sign was made of plywood and needed to be replaced as opposed to painting. The board approved ordering the sign.

The Dog Control Officer's report was reviewed by the board. Jim Dibble inquired about the status of the dog they found on Seven Ponds Rd. It was not claimed so went to the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley.

Assessor Dave Jones reported that all is going smoothly. Summit Tax Grievance Day is May 29th at the town hall from 4-8 pm, contact for information djones@midtel.net.

Code Enforcement Officer Jesse Wilcox reported on following up with building permits, making inspections, handling two complaints and handing out four new building permits.

Historian Karen Cuccinello reported that she has placed American flags on all the gravestones, about 237, in Summit cemeteries, will be meeting with the intern working on the Gardiner Foundation Semiquincentennial Summer Fellowship Program next week and is continuing to collect information on old Summit farms for next years history book.

Supervisor Vroman mentioned looking into a complaint about National Grid using Round-Up weed killer.

Comprehensive Plan Committee coordinator John Foote reported they met in May, even though the report was done in April except for some typos, just to conclude their work. Available for review at www4.schohariecounty-ny.gov/PdfFiles/TSUM/SummitComprehensivePlan2024.pdf.

Supervisor Vroman stated the board will review the Comprehensive Plan for three months then set a public hearing date.

Bills were reviewed and paid.

The floor was open to the public to address the board.

D.J. Handy – Since the responses to the Comprehensive Plan surveys only amounted to about 30% of the Summit population, 70% are not well represented and do not always agree with the 30%. The building regulations necessary to move into Summit deter young people from locating here. Properties that have been looked into as blighted/abandoned properties all have value when they have a septic, well and foundation, etc.

Christina Ullman – The percentage and numeric responses to the survey should be represented differently. - Gave a hand-out to board members. - There is art in every building even the ones in bad shape.- The Land Bank website encourages photographing abandon buildings, even without permission, when suggesting a blighted property. - What exactly is a Green Space and who maintains it? - Questioned cluster housing listed in the Comprehensive Plan.

John Foote – The Comprehensive Plan Committee would have liked to receive more surveys but they worked with the amount that responded. - When the committee received the question about cluster housing, the plan was already done.

Jen Stinson – Surveys were sent to about 1100 Summit households and in her case one survey was mailed back in but it represented, two people, she and her husbands. - A Green Space is an area of grass and foliage. - The Summit Neighbors' goal is to fix or make blighted buildings safe and livable and are opposed to tearing them down.

Betty Wayman – Pertaining to suggested blighted properties; who's to say if a building can or cannot be repaired? Don't be in a rush to take down old buildings especially if the taxes are paid up.

Wayne Stinson, Summit Neighbors – The owners of the houses that were purchased and razed by the Greater Mohawk Valley Land Bank Corp. were not paying the land taxes. - People sometimes buy previously abandoned properties at the County Tax sale then often do not repair them and continue to be unlivable safety hazards. - A few years ago the town board agreed to work with Summit Neighbors on figuring out how to revive or remove blighted properties. - It took Summit Neighbors years to arrange for the Land Bank to buy and raze the houses at 2882 and 2854 State Rte 10. - The Land Bank now owns 1618 Charlotte Valley Rd. which has not been lived in for about 20 years. The town board could take 1618 back from the Land Bank and get involved in potentially fixing it perhaps with a grant, if they believe it is fixable. - Isn't a Green Space better to look at than an abandoned building, such is the case with 2854 State Rte 10.

Some in the audience feel that 1618 should be and could be saved instead of razed so it can be back on the tax rolls. A few agreed that the Land Bank has become dysfunctional.

Jim Himme- When the Land Bank houses got torn down they went off the tax rolls.

Supervisor Harold Vroman- The Land Bank is not doing what they said they would and he has tried to contact them to ask questions; no response.

David Lindsey – Could the town relax some of the building codes so that it would be easier to build a house in Summit?

Attorney Mike West – Most building codes are stipulated by NYS so can not be altered. - When the County photographs properties for the County tax sale they are already owned by the county through foreclosure.

Trustee Georgia Shafer gave a report on the revitalization committee. Local Law 2-2012 Unsafe Buildings will continue to be reviewed and have a public hearing in July. Farmers Market continues to be looked into and information about Complete Streets will be reviewed. Jen Stinson mentioned the possibilities of options to have Unified Postings pertaining to Summit. Will meet with Vroman and Shafer to review costs of the options. Christina Ullman offered to create and administer a Town of Summit Facebook page. D.J. Handy would like to join the committee.

Deputy Clerk Wilson mentioned that the training's about archival records are going along well.

Supervisor Vroman proposed that Dave Knight be reappointed to the planning board; approved.

Jen Stinson discussed possible microphones to help the audio on the Zoom meetings and gave prices of possibilities to the board for review.

Next town board meeting is June 20 at 7pm.