MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE

CORNWALL BOARD OF SELECTMEN

Thursday, February 19, 2004

9:00 a.m. - Town Hall

PRESENT: First Selectman Gordon Ridgway, Selectman K.C. Baird, Selectman Ken Keskinen, 2 reporters

First Selectman Ridgway called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Selectman Keskinen made the motion to approve the minutes of February 9 and 12, 2004 as presented. Selectman Baird seconded. Passed unanimously.

ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: First Selectman Ridgway made the motion to add to the agenda CCS generator and Executive Session: Discussion of back taxes and litigation. Selectman Baird seconded. Passed unanimously.

COMMUNICATIONS: First Selectman Ridgway presented a letter from Representative Willis, Senator Roraback and Representative Wilber to the commissioner of the Department of Health concerning the proposal to eliminate the EMT Intermediate service. The Board discussed this issue. The Commissioner has withdrawn the proposal for the present. First Selectman Ridgway will write a letter to the representatives and senator thanking them for their efforts.

First Selectman Ridgway presented a communication concerning the Municipal Ethics Bill which will require financial disclosures of town officials both paid and volunteer. The Board discussed the requirements and impact this would have on volunteerism and small governments.

First Selectman Ridgway presented a communication from the town Assessor, Barbara Johnson who has stated she will be retiring before the next reevaluation.

BUDGET TRANSFERS: There were no budget transfers. The money for the new snow plow can come out of capital monies.

FOOTE FIELDS: The Board had not received the new plans from Mr. Howland for the adjacent Foote Fields property. First Selectman Ridgway updated the Board on the attempts to track down the money from the STEAP grant for the fields. There has been a change of personnel in the state causing confusion as to the status of the grant money.

SNOW BUDGET AND WINTER EXPENDITURES: The Board reviewed the current snow budget and anticipated winter expenditures. The Board discussed how much money would cover the rest of the winter and where it may come from. The Board reviewed a letter from the International Salt Company who supplies the town’s salt. The letter explained the present salt shortage is due to the expanding economy of China. The Board discussed salt and the percentage to sand that the town and state uses.

The Board answered questions from the press.

CCS GENERATOR: The Board discussed the generator for the grade school gym and reviewed a proposal from Casle. First Selectman Ridgway made the motion to accept the proposal to purchase a generator with the deduction alternate of $5,200 of putting in a 24 hour base tank in-lieu of installing oil lines from underground oil tank for a total of $23,687. Selectman Baird seconded. Passed unanimously.

First Selectman Ridgway presented good news: The federal government has declared the December 7 snow storm a disaster enabling the town to apply for a 75% reimbursement of the $10,000 spent on that storm. This money will go into the general fund.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: First Selectman Ridgway made the motion to go into executive session to discuss back tax issues and litigation with the Schagticokes.

Selectman Baird seconded. Passed unanimously. The Board went into executive session at 10:00 a.m.

The Board came out of executive session at 10:20 a.m. No action was taken.

Respectfully submitted,

Joyce Hart

Secretary to the Board of the Selectmen