The Pompey Town Board held their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at 6:30pm. A video of the full meeting can be viewed on the Town of Pompey Facebook Page.
Highlights of the meeting are as follows:
Proposed Construction of New Pompey Hill Fire Department Facility
Three representatives from the Pompey Hill Fire Department appeared before the Board to share the news that they are seeking to build a new fire department facility to replace the existing facility located on Academy Street in the Hamlet of Pompey Hill. According to department representative Rob Davies, Jr., the department has spent several months exploring options for updating the facility, part of which was formerly the home of the old Pompey Union school.
The facility is in need of significant work to bring it up to code and to meet ADA requirements. There are also safety issues tied with filtration and decontamination. There is asbestos throughout the facility.
Department representatives stated that, after visiting all options, they believe demolition and construction of an entirely new facility is the best option. They are currently in the very early stages of planning and provided concept drawings and desired features to the Town Board.
The new facility would face Henneberry road and would include six bays, with three bays being drive-throughs. They have also included dedicated community use space as part of their initial plan. The overall square footage of the facility would remain the same as the current facility.
The proposed budget for this project was stated to be nearly $13 million dollars. It is uncertain if that budget includes a “buffer” for cost overages.
There are approximately 1,740 tax parcels that are covered by the Pompey Hill Fire Department. The owners of these parcels currently pay a tax rate of 1.7994 per thousand for emergency services covered by Pompey Hill FD. The department would seek a 30-year bond for the new facility, with a payment of $437,000 per year. Per department representatives, in order to fund the cost of the new facility, the tax rate for those 1,740 parcels would increase to an estimated 3.1442 per thousand.
To fully understand the impact of what the department is proposing, using an example of a property that is assessed at $200,000, that property would currently be paying $359.88 a year for Pompey FD Hill services. With the proposed increase, that same property would then pay $628.84 per year. This is assuming that the calculations provided in this initial presentation by the department prove to be accurate.
The department is looking for feedback from the community on the proposal. They are holding an open house on September 23rd so residents in the Pompey Hill Fire District can tour the current facility. They are hoping to go to a public vote on the project by end of November.
While it appeared that most everyone in attendance at the Town Board meeting was in agreement that the current facility is in need of significant renovation and/or demolition/construction, the Board and the public offered several suggestions to mitigate the cost of a new facility to taxpayers, including exploring private and public grant funding, reaching out to community members who have offered to assist with the process, and designing a more modest facility.
It was also noted that the fire department has been working for several years to get ownership of the facility transferred to the fire district. Fire department representatives stated that this process is nearing completion. Until ownership is transferred, the process for building a new facility cannot move forward.
Allocation of ARPA Funds
Town Supervisor Renee Rotondo reported on the proposed use of at least some of the Town’s remaining ARPA funds, citing Town infrastructure and Highway Department upgrades as the priorities.
In 2022, about $126,000 of the original $746,000 in funds were used for Highway Department equipment (payloader, pickup truck, and upgrades to the fueling system) as well as new accounting software.
For 2023, the Town’s ARPA Funds committee recommends using approximately $412,000 primarily for upgrades to the Town Hall building and additional Highway Department equipment.
Proposed uses include a new Town Hall roof, windows, lock system, and front door repair, along with exterior painting and landscaping. There is also a concept design in the works for adding space for private conferencing.
Additionally, the Town Highway Department hopes to replace a 1995 dump truck and a road mower. And a small beautification project to add banners to posts in the hamlets for $6,000 was also proposed.
Once completed, it is estimated that there would still be approximately $209,000 remaining for additional projects. A brief discussion was held on the feasibility of a renewable energy project — specifically, the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Highway Department garage. The Department is currently in the process of having a new metal roof installed on the garage, the project being nearly complete. There are concerns over the added weight load of the panels, as the roof was not constructed with that in mind.
Accountant’s Report
In addition to the standard budget report and approvals, the Town Accountant made note to report that, because of the current interest rates, the Town has so far accumulated $72,000 in savings interest this year alone.
Highway Department Report
Highway Department Superintendent B.R. Way reported that the crew applied oil and stone to approximately 10 miles of Town roads in the past month, as well as tending to other pavement repairs in some of the developments.
Town Attorney Report
A public hearing was set for October 10, 2023 at 6:35pm (during the Town Board’s regular monthly meeting) to discuss overriding the 2024 tax cap.
A public hearing was set for October 10, 2023 at 6:40pm (during the Town Board’s regular monthly meeting) to discuss a new local law drafted for short-term rentals in the Town.
The Town Attorney discussed with the Board a new policy against discrimination and harassment drafted by the Town’s insurance company to reflect changes in State law. The Board voted unanimously to adopt the new policy and make it part of the Town’s Employee Handbook.
The Town Attorney and Board then discussed the practicalities of adopting a noise ordinance in the Town of Pompey. Overall, the Board appeared to be in agreement that a noise ordinance would be cumbersome to write and difficult to enforce.
