TOWN OF FORESTPORT
REGULAR TOWN BOARD MEETING MINUTES
FORESTPORT TOWN HALL
10275 State Route 28, Forestport, N.Y.
February 19, 2025 @6:30PM

PRESENT: Supervisor Entwistle
Councilman Addison
Councilman Scouten

ABSENT: Councilwoman Abrial
Councilwoman Verschneider

RECORDING SECRETARY: Tracy Terry, Town Clerk

CALL TO ORDER:

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE:

ABSTRACTS:
GENERAL:
A motion was made by Councilman Addison and seconded by Councilman Scouten to pay Abstract # 2, Vouchers #35- #123 in the amount of $63,108.76.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED

HIGHWAY:
A motion was made by Councilman Scouten and seconded by Councilman Addison to pay Abstract #2, Vouchers #14- #53 in the amount of $71,562.40.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED
WATER DISTRICT #1:
A motion was made by Councilman Addison and seconded by Councilman Scouten to pay Abstract 21, Vouchers #6- #20 in the amount of $4,071.49.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED

SEWER DISTRICT #1:
A motion was made by Councilman Scouten and seconded by Councilman Addison to pay Abstract #2, Vouchers #4- #12 in the amount of $964.27.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED

PLANNING:

A motion was made by Councilman Scouten and seconded by Councilman Addison to pay Abstract #2, Vouchers #1- #2 in the amount of $100.00.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED
FIRE:
Otter Lake Fire: Abstract #2, Voucher #1 in the amount of $83,405.70
Woodgate Fire: Abstract #2, Voucher #2 in the amount of $85,001.17
Forestport Fire: Abstract #2, Voucher #3 in the amount of $100,547.47

A motion was made by Councilman Addison and seconded by Councilman Scouten to pay the Fire Abstracts.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED

AMBULANCE:
Old Forge Ambulance: Abstract #2, Voucher #1 in the amount of $31,350.00
StaR Ambulance: Abstract #2, Voucher #2 in the amount of $63,165.00

A motion was made by Councilman Scouten and seconded by Councilman Addison to pay the Ambulance Abstracts.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED

TOWN CLERK MINUTES:
A motion was made by Councilman Addison and seconded by Councilman Scouten to accept the minutes from the:
January 15, 2025: Regular Town Board Meeting and KLIA Public Hearing
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED

REPORTS
WATER DISTRICT #1
BUCKHORN WATER DISTRICT
SEWER
TOWN CLERK REPORT
JUSTICE REPORT
DOG REPORT
PLANNING REPORT
SUPERVISOR REPORT

A motion was made by Councilman Scouten and seconded by Councilman Addison to accept the monthly reports.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED
NOCCOG: Joe Rowlands went over the monthly announcements. Gerry Ritter is the new Tughill President.

WATER:
• USDA Rural Loan Compliance Review: Supervisor Entwistle and Town Clerk, Tracy Terry met with the representative and the town is in compliance. There are a few minor things that have to be done.
• Billing software: This is in the process of moving forward and most likely will not be done before July.
OLD BUSINESS BOARD:
• Ambulance District: The Town Attorney, Jessica Young is looking into this.
• Senior Lunch Program: There are approximately 25 seniors who signed up. Mr. Romano with Oneida County is in support of this.
• Planning Board Vacancy: Councilman Addison spoke with the Planning Board and the Planning Board of Appeals and Eric Waldo has agreed to take the Planning Board vacancy.
• Planning Board of Appeals: An advertisement will be placed in the paper by Councilman Addison. Laurie Fessler was thanked for being the Planning Board of Appeals Chairperson.
• Statutory Bond-Highway Truck: Supervisor Entwistle stated the truck is not due until October, but they have the Statutory Bond paperwork read. The amount is $240,000.00.
A motion was made by Councilman Scouten and seconded by Councilman Addison to schedule a Public Hearing for March 19, 2025 at 6:15PM for the Statutory Bond for the Highway truck.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED

• Moratorium on “small box stores”: The Town Attorney, Jessica Young sent over a draft for the Town Board to look over.
• Radar Signs: Supervisor Entwistle found battery powered LED radar signs, for $2850 each. He will talk to Bill Gardner to see if he is interested. They will probably put one on Woodhull Road, near the Old Town Hall. and one near McKoon Road on Dustin.
NEW BUSINESS BOARD:
• County Legislator, Steve Boucher: He gave an update on County Road usage for ATV’s. Six months ago, Boonville requested ATV use on two county roads. Oneida County is working on giving Boonville use of two roads for ATV use. The County is working on their Comprehensive Plan to open up all County roads to use ATV’s and giving the towns permission to opt in or not. Some Counties have been able to manage ATV use with rules and regulations. Robert Maciol is ready to help with the speed limits on roads. You can use the road to get to the trail. Supervisor Entwistle stated you can open a town road 0.5 miles to get from trail A to Trail B. Some people do not want them on the roads as a trail. There needs to be an actual trail system that these roads supplement and are not the trail system. The Comprehensive Plan questionnaire had ATV questions, and the comments were either poor or against. If it works in Boonville and they be the liaison between the lawyers and the County and spoke with private landowners, has to be run through a SEQR and law enforcement. Once opened, the law enforcement and DEC have to be there from the start. Lewis County is making $6 million from ATV usage. There would be layers of insurance through the County/Town and clubs. NYS has insurance for private landowners who open their land for ATV’s.

• Fire Cancer Insurance:
A motion was made by Councilman Scouten and seconded by Councilman Addison to pay half of all three fire departments cancer insurance.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED
• Otter Lake Fire Department: The Otter Lake Fire department is looking to change their status from 501c3 to a 501c4.
A motion was made by Councilman Addison and seconded by Councilman Scouten to approve Otter Lake’s status.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED
• Standard workday Resolution: Supervisor Entwistle is making a Standard Workday and Reporting resolution to include the following:
Steve Addison- Town Board member
Tonya Brown- Assessor
Craig Jenks- Dog Control Officer
Ryan Abrial- Code Enforcement Officer
Sherry Paschke- Tax Collector/Court Clerk

Once this is done, it will be posted.

• Snow: The Highway crew are working 14-hour days 6-7 days a week. They do not pick blades up in front of driveways. When it stops snowing they have two loaders to clear corners and intersections as best they can. If you have an issue, call the barn instead of Supervisor Entwistle or Facebook. The phone system translates to email to the Highway Superintendent, Highway Clerk and Supervisor Entwistle and be nice when you call. It is illegal to plow/ shovel snow in the street or across the street on a public road.
NEW BUSINESS PUBLIC:
• Laurie Fessler, from the gallery, stated the New Hartford Planning Board voted down a solar farm proposal. She pulled their Solar Law up and it is a lot stricter than Forestport. They cannot deforest a forested area. She stated the town law should be focused on people’s wells. She thinks that they should do something about heights on buildings from a safety perspective. Supervisor Entwistle stated three story buildings need a sprinkler system. Tom Abrial, from the Gallery, suggested a local law for Battery Farms as well. Supervisor Entwistle stated with the Comprehensive Plan having the same regulations throughout the entire town instead of just Adirondack Park.

A motion was made by Councilman Addison and seconded by Councilman Scouten to adjourn the meeting.
3 ayes/ 0 nays/2 absent MOTION CARRIED
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:20 pm by Supervisor Entwistle.
Respectfully submitted,

Tracy M. Terry

Forestport Town Clerk