Gilboa Officials Get Organized for the New Year

GILBOA – The town of Gilboa may have set a record for the shortest reorganizational meeting, as they went down the list of official appointments and designations on Monday, with little fanfare. Supervisor Alicia Terry noted the town justice books were audited by the town board with no significant findings or concerns.

With that noted, Terry moved a resolution extending gratitude to Lynn Hait, town justice for the town of Jefferson, who agreed to fill in and was appointed by the state Unified Court System to serve the 11-month vacancy created by the early retirement of Dave Lapinel as town justice.

Mike Faulkner was elected the new town justice. The books were audited so he can start with a clean slate.

The resolution cited Hait's decades of experience as a town justice and his willingness to serve the town of Gilboa. He brought with him an in-depth understanding of the system necessary to operate a successful town court and has a long history of ensuring justice was fairly and equitably applied to the cases that came before him. 

He found a path forward for matters that to some may have seemed immoveable. His knowledge of records and procedures was invaluable to assisting the Court Clerk in closing old files and ensuring new files are appropriately maintained. He set a new standard for the role of town justice in the town of Gilboa, including sharing his joke of the day.

"Now therefore be it resolved that the Gilboa Town Board by the adoption of this resolution, extends its gratitude to the Hon. Lynn Hait for his service to the town of Gilboa as Town Justice, and, be it further resolved, that a certified copy  of this resolution will be given to him as a token of appreciation for his service to the town of Gilboa".

The town board will hold its monthly meeting on the second Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Gilboa Town Hall. 

A partial listing of the official appointments and designations are, as follow: Mountain Eagle, official newspaper; Wayne Bank and NBT, official depositories; mileage reimbursement 72.5 cents per mile; submission of monthly reports by the highway superintendent, code enforcement officer, planning board, town supervisor and deputy code enforcement officer. They reinstated the town's hiring procedure, approved the salaries and hourly rates of employees and appointees; purchasing,  investment and procurement policies.

They also established the policy for controlled substances and alcohol and testing of employees.

Appointments included: Joseph Moore Jr., dog control officer; Mary Wyckoff, deputy town clerk/collector/registrar/records management officer; Dorothy Picket, deputy supervisor; Matthew Cammer, deputy highway superintendent; Janette Reynolds, town historian; George Wilson, assessor chairman; Mark Powell, planning board chairman; Joanne Darcy Crum, town attorney; Brian Caron as CEO, floodplain administrator and fire inspector and Pat Buel, CPA as town bookkeeper. 

Motions were passed to approve Mary Wyckoff as deputy tax collector and registrar; Cindy Buel as court clerk; Sinzia Reese as the planning board secretary; Pat Buel as town bookkeeper and establishing the subdivision fee at $25 per lot and authorization for the town clerk and highway superintendent to attend their respective schools.

Members of the Assessment Review Board included Jenn Warner, Susan Morkaut and Sandy Hempstead. Planning Board members include Cindy Buel, Christopher Albano, Daniel Wright, Patricia Coleman and Mark Powell. Elsa Gonzalez is the alternate member.

Board members approved adoption of the Schoharie County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update.

Taxpayers will be charged a $20 fee for insufficient funds and the tax collector will refund any overpayments above $10.01.

No one spoke during the privilege of the floor and there was a brief discussion that the town attorney has sent a letter to the engineer and the company doing the work on the salt/sand shed. She is asking that the project be restarted immediately.

An audit by the state Department of Agriculture and Markets found the facilities for animal control to be sufficient for the town.

Supervisor Terry also noted that anyone doing any computer work for the town is now required to undergo cyber security training. A training is coming up in the near future.

In her report she said more work is still to be done on Flat Creek Road.

The next meeting will be held February 9 at 6:30 p.m..