Minutes for the Village Board Meeting on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023
The regular meeting of the Village of Galway Board was held at 5212 South Street on October 3, 2023. Present were Acting Mayor (AM) Best, Trustee Dileva, Trustee Hyde, ClerkTreasurer (C-T) Ruman and village resident Cody Reed. AM Best called the meeting to order at 6:29 PM. Minutes were read and a motion to approve as read was made by Trustee DiLeva and seconded by Trustee Hyde. Carried.
Treasurer’s Report
- Receipts-$8,653.32,
- Disbursements-$625.93,
- Checking-$69,606.56,
- Savings-$48,546.32
- Grand Total-$118,152.88.
Motion to accept made by Trustee Hyde, seconded by Trustee Dileva. Carried.
C-T Ruman noted that the CD interest rates have increased, from .05 to.85 and .1-1.25 on two of the CD’s. The annual report was submitted to the NYS Comptroller’s Office. Copies are available upon request.
Correspondence
- Letter from John W. Sutton, Esq. regarding zombie properties.
- Received letter from Galway Seniors thanking us for our annual donation.
Code Enforcement
No Report
Old Business
- The Galway Fire Department Fire Police have agreed to help with Halloween trick or treating in the village.
- Town Community Organizer Colleen Fomeris will provide a table for the village and Trustees DiLeva and Hyde will man it for the Halloween event to be held on October 28th at the Dockstader Park.
- The audit of the Justice Court Records for 2022-2023 was completed. The audit was finalized on October 3 with all additional requested information being provided for the year 2022-2023.
- AM Best spoke with the Saratoga County Department of Public Works and they informed her that they cleaned out the storm drains last year on Route 45. The resident engineer for the State of NY from Wilton called AM Best and will check out the maps, etc. to address the drainage issue.
- AM Best and Clerk-Treasurer Ruman visited 5185 South Street accompanied by Encon Officer Steve Shaw to investigate the burying of garbage in the yard. He stated that a property owner can bury garbage created on site, in their yard.
- AM Best sent a letter to Ruth Parish regarding the issue of the three unlicensed vehicles blocking access to the house and she responded that she will ask Liam to take care of moving the cars and destroyed RV that block the driveway. It was requested that this take place before it snows. Trustee Hyde expressed the need to put time limits on cleaning things up on this property and 5254 North Street. Perhaps we need to seek the help of the new Town of Galway Code Enforcement Officer Max Leutters.
New Business
- CT Ruman met with Ballston Spa Police Officer Stan DeLong on September 13 to see if his department could use any of the forms, equipment, etc. that remain from the Galway Police Department. He was also able to advise us about what was not able to be used and should be discarded. Eagle Matt Lee Fire (Ballston Spa) was able to use a siren unit to replace one that broke.
- Attorney Sutton addressed the issue of zombie properties and action that the village could take regarding 5254 North Street and other properties like this in the village in his letter of October 3, 2023. AM Best moved to hire Attorney Sutton to handle the issue at 5254 North Street. Seconded by Trustee DiLeva. Carried.
- AM Best and C-T Ruman studied the numbers presented by Village Justice Alison Thomas and no irregularities were found. The audit was completed on October 3, 2023. AM Best moved that the audit report be accepted. Trustee DiLeva seconded the motion. Carried.
- AM Best reported that there is a branch rubbing on the electric cable in the park. DLG Tree service can take care of it for $150.00.
- AM Best sent letter to National Grid regarding the possibility of getting a battery back-up system for the traffic light in the village after the Galway Fire Company inquired about it.
- An estimate for $2,000.00 was received from Kenyon Brothers Landscaping for the regrading of the park. Trustee DiLeva made a motion to accept the $2,000.00 estimate from KBL. Trustee Hyde seconded the motion. Carried.
- Resident Cody Reed moved to Galway last year and is interested in learning about how the town and village operate. He has two daughters and after the recent abduction in the county he asked if there is a crime watch in the village. There is a sign. AM Best will look into it. Mr. Reed is interested in helping with this. Town resident Lizzy Fullner worked on this in the past. There was a group in the Bob’s Tree’s neighborhood that was active in the past.
- A resident inquired if anything could be done about the Methodist Church’s parking lot flood light which stays on all night. AM Best spoke with them and it will be on a timer set to go on at 5 and off at 9.
- Abstract No. 5 totaling $1,194.64 was submitted for approval and payment.
No further business. AM Best adjourned the meeting at 7:29 PM.