Lebanon town board members approved a resolution at their March 13 town board meeting in the hamlet to explore a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program for its residents with the Municipal Electric and Gas Alliance (MEGA). The proposal is conditional on final approval by the Town Attorney Steven Jones and would join with other municipalities in providing low costs electricity bidding opportunities for residents who wish to participate.
Supervisor Jim Goldstein was authorized by the town board to sign the contract with MEGA only after approved by the Town Attorney. The contract would create an administrative agreement between Lebanon and MEGA at no cost to the town and would follow with some educational sessions for town residents and adoption of a local law authorizing a CCA through MEGA for those who wish to participate who are NYSEG customers.
MEGA will educate town residents in coming weeks and months about the option of participating in a community bid process for electric service through MEGA and will also help residents to understand how their electric bill and service works. MEGA has been operating for years saving municipalities money on electric or gas bills and Lebanon has been a member since 2003, and has saved money every year by participating. MEGA bids on electricity agreements and offers municipalities the lowest prices.
Lebanon officials also set the next town board meeting on April 10 at the Smith Valley Community Center in Randallsville to take public comment on its tentative road plan. Town board members also established April 29 as roadside cleanup day in the township; where residents will be able to bring roadside trash, recyclables and two furniture items for disposal at the Town Highway Garage from 9 am to 12 noon. Local nonprofits and churches are encouraged to schedule activities for that Saturday to piggyback on the theme of town-wide cleanup and encourages groups like 4-H or Scouts to use the opportunity for community service cleanup projects.
The proposed road plan at this juncture is as follows. Changes may be recommended by Town Highway Superintendent Alex Hodge once all roads are completed thawing:
- Local road repairs – Briggs Road, gravel and oil and stone, $50,000, Road patch, 200 tons at $12,000.
- CHIPs projects – Musician Road and Thompson Road – $110,000 conditional on state funding.
- NY Rising funds – Carncross Road bridge, hazard mitigation project, $93,000 has been designated by NY State.
Town board members also took the following actions during the March 13 meeting:
- Held a public hearing for a proposed amendment in dog licensing law language and then adopted the proposed local law language changes that will allow the Dog Control Officer to issue tickets for inadequate food, shelter or medical care of dogs without having to begin a criminal proceeding.
- Established compensation for assessor for the townwide revaluation which will be completed in 2018 along with Georgetown and Eaton.
- Finalized the 2016 budget which showed significant reserves in the highway fund and surpluses in general fund that will be utilized against the tax levy in 2017 and will also help purchase a new mowing tractor on order from the town without having to pursue bonding.
- Approved the purchase of a sign for the front of the town office parking lot that will be illuminated and keep residents updated on town activities that can be viewed from the road.
- Discussed the current broadband funding proposal by Gov. Cuomo that seems to target parts of the township that are not the source of most of the complaints and reviewed an advocacy strategy with Madison County for clarifying where the broadband infrastructure expansion by Charter Communications, formerly known as Time Warner Cable, would occur and how to make sure all the residents who completed forms for Madison County in its application process would be covered. Lebanon received funding for approximately 77 units but it remains unclear how and where this will; be done and Supervisor Goldstein complained that the state is not being forthcoming with information. Lebanon was one of three towns to receive the broadband expansion funding, the other two are Georgetown and Brookfield.
- Reviewed status of a proposed local law ban on retail plastic bags for most establishments being considered by the Madison County Solid Waste and Recycling Committee.
- Reported that Hearthstone Bakery has withdrawn its grant funding request with the Partnership for Community Development but the Kriemhild butter plant expansion has moved to the contract stage and documents have been submitted by the Town to the appropriate state agency.
- Reviewed the internal audit report by the Internal Audit Committee consisting of councilors Carol King and Marie Morgan. The committee audited the Town Supervisor, Town Justice, Town Clerk/Tax Collector and Code Enforcement Officer and reported all the audits went well and all departments had done a good job and were in compliance and no money was missing.
- Will await final recommendations from the town Planning Board on the proposed changes to the town Land Management Local Law.
Town officials are also considering raising the price of a dog license $3 to help cover more of the costs of the Dog Control Officer through user fees rather than taxpayer dollars. Board members will review what other rural towns in Madison County are charging at their next board meeting before making a final decision.