At the September 8, 2019 town board meeting, a plan for bonding for $2,451,122.00 was approved on page 8 of the minutes.
I. MATTERS SUBMITTED TOWN SUPERVISOR
1. Banding from last meeting: stormwater projects, upgrading infrastructure on signs, buying additional equipment for Highway Dept., upgrading Town Hall facilities, property next to building (voting, senior center) – Resolution prepared by Tom Myers
Councilman Reynolds introduced the following Resolution for adoption and seconded by Councilman Messa:
(RESOLUTION NO. 323 OF 2021)
RESOLVED, the Town of New Hartford Town Board does hereby accept to approve the BAN for $2,451,122.00.
Here's the BAN town board Resolution from the previous meeting, August 24, 2021, referenced above:
RESOLUTION NO. 311 OF 2021)
RESOLVED, the Town of New Hartford Town Board does hereby approve BAN monies for $1,716,122.00
The Town Board voted upon roll call, resulting as follows:
Supervisor Miscione was the only person to vote "Nay".
THIS RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED SUBJECT TO PERMISSIVE REFERENDUM.
Items to Ban (2021) – when BAN monies received
Oneida Street Bridge $300,000.00 Matching with County $600,000.00
James Bray – Emergency Road Work $86,000.00
2021 John Deer 650 Dozer $67,914.00
2021 Excavator $109,208.00
Foxcroft (Woodberry) Detention Pond $40,000.00
Oneida St./Elm St. Downtown Infrastructure Project $500,000.00 Matching with County $1,000,000
Loader $123,000.00
Stormwater Project Mudd Creek $490,000.00 Matching with County $1,000,000
It certainly appears that Miscione didn't want to waste any time because certainly two months from the day of Picente's announcement is not enough time to put together a game plan.
It's also odd that Miscione asked the board to approve borrowing half a million dollars when no bids were even posted for the job(s) in the Rome Sentinel legal notices.
Bonding for Chadwicks Revitalization plan was never mentioned at the September 8, 2021, town board meeting.
In fact, there were no BAN resolutions included in the either of the town board minutes detailing each item to be included.
By law, residents have 30 days from the adoption of the resolution to object to any item. The town clerk's meeting minutes included no actual bond resolutions. Did the town board even have copies at the meeting so they knew what they we approving or were they left as much in the dark as town residents??
However, it just so happens that I have a copy of the legal notice that was posted in the Observer Dispatch on September 15, 2021.
Here is the legal notice for the $500,000 Bond Anticipation Note for the Chadwicks project portion of the bonding:
9) BOND RESOLUTION
DATED SEPTEMBER 8, 2021.
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ONEIDA STREET/ELM STREET DOWNTOWN AREA IN AND FOR THE TOWN OF NEW HARTFORD, ONEIDA COUNTY, NEWYORK, AT A MAXIMUM ESTIMATED COST OF $1,000,00 AND AUTHORIZING, SUBJECTTOPERMISSIVE REFERENDUM, THE ISSUANCE OF $500,000 BONDS OF SAID TOWN TO PAY PART OF THE COST THEREOF.
The period of probable usefulness of such specific object or purpose is 10 years pursuant to subdivision 90 of paragraph a of Section 11.00 of the Local Finance Law.
Each of such resolutions pledges the full faith and credit of the Town to the payment of the obligations authorized to be issued and delegates to the Supervisor, the Chief Fiscal Officer, the power to authorize the issuance of and to sell such obligations. Additionally,each of suchresolutions contains the estoppel clause provided for by Section 80.00 of the Local Finance Law and authorizes such resolution, after taking effect to be published in summary form in the official newspaper, together with a notice of the Town Clerk, in substantially the form provided in Section 81.00 of the Local Finance Law.
Dated: New Hartford, New York
September 13, 2021
CherylJassak-Huther
Town Clerk
AD#000700887
OD:9/15/2021
Next time the Chadwicks proeject was mentioned was at the October 27, 2021 Town Board Meeting:
VI. MATTERS SUBMITTED BY TOWN SUPERVISOR
1. Highway Superintendent Richard Sherman and Supervisor Miscione working on a grant for downtown revitalization – grant from the County and NYS (has map of area if anyone would like to see) – Elm Street in Chadwicks to Oxford Road/Oneida Street in Chadwicks – designated area for the grant - $500,000 from Oneida County and up to $4 million from NYS for the projects – will help infrastructure on the streets, roads, lighting, sidewalks, old piping, new sewer, paving, stormwater; there are programs for people on the street, that fall in to the low income category that can apply for these monies to fix up the façade of their house, or anyone that has code violations – could apply for these grants and money that is out there. Bringing Oneida Street back to life for some of the homes affected by the flood, the land can be park areas – the Oneida County paperwork has been prepared as well as the maps – need approval to submit.
Councilman Messa introduced the following Resolution for adoption and seconded by Councilman Lenart.
Then, the next time the Chadwicks project was mentioned was at the October 24, 2022 town board meeting; almost one year later.
I. PUBLIC PRESENTATIONSA. John Jweid – Pavia Real Estate Services, LLC, Israel and Jim (Developers) – to discuss 3354 Oneida Street – former school and church available for re-development. Excellent opportunity for potential apartment complex – will work with the Town when ready, create a presentation if there is an opportunity to go forward; Town Attorney Herbert Cully – the property is currently zoned C-2, which would allow residential units on the second floor above the first floor, seeing if the Board, informally, has any interest in considering any type of zone amendment cannot spot zone; Supervisor Miscione – received calls from other developers as well interested in Oneida Street – Town is working with the State, County and Local Municipalities to upgrade downtown Chadwicks and call it Historic Chadwicks - $10 million plus put into that (grants, lighting, small businesses, etc.) – looking to bring Oneida Street back, upgrade, give grants to people on the street to upgrade their homes at no cost to beautify the District, new lighting, bring back the historic buildings there – will be criteria for that – looking for lofts, condos – people dedicated to the street – tables outside with restaurants for people to enjoy – revamp everything there – bring housing market up and make it a destination point – County is going to do an announcement in the next couple of weeks (sign agreement) – at that stage have developers come in and say what they can offer and we can all work together – premature to change zoning at this point – going to take a few months to get all of this together (vision and plan)
II. SUPERVISOR MISCIONE
A. Main Street Program Grant Agreement Between Oneida County and The Town of New Hartford
Councilman Messa introduced the following Resolution for adoption and duly seconded by Councilman Lenart:
(RESOLUTION NO. 264 OF 2022)
RESOLVED, that the New Hartford Town Board does hereby approve for Supervisor Miscione to sign the Main Street Program Grant Agreement between Oneida County and the Town of New Hartford. The Town Board voted upon roll call, resulting as follows:
The Resolutions were unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED.
So, the minutes reflect that prior to the October 23, 2022, town board meeting, the town hadn't even signed an agreement to take part in the Main Street Program with Oneida County, but on September 8, 2021, ONE YEAR PRIOR, Miscione felt he needed to ask the board to adopt a $500,000 10-year bond for the project!!! Keep in mind that at this point 4 of the ten years for repayment has already gone by!
On top of that, Miscione brought another $500,000 bond resolution for the Chadwicks project to the town board on October 2, 2024:
The following Resolution was then introduced for adoption by Councilman Messa and duly seconded by Councilman Latini:
(RESOLUTION NO. 336 OF 2024)
RESOLVED, that the New Hartford Town Board does hereby approve a resolution authorizing Downtown Chadwicks infrastructure improvements in and for the Town of New Hartford, Oneida Coujnty, New York, at a maximum estimated cost of $500,000.00 and authorizing, subject to permissive referendum, the issuance of $500,000.00 BONDS of said Town to pay the cost thereof.
The Resolutions were unanimously carried and duly ADOPTED.
$1,000,000 (ONE MILLION) bonded in total..has anything even been started yet?
Anyone wondering what "The proposed Plan" is...
It can be found at this link brochure for the Town of New Hartford project on the Oneida County website appears to be what the proposed project will involve.
Note found on the opening page:
"Acknowledgment"
This plan and the capital project list were developed through the Oneida County Main Street Program, an economic development and infrastructure initiative created by Oneida County Executive, Anthony J. Picente, Jr. and approved by the Oneida County Board of Legislators. The Oneida County Department of Planning administered and staffed the Main Street program. The Program was delivered through direct coordination with the local municipalities and municipal leadership.
The Main Street program was provided planning and technical support from the consultant team of Planning4Places, Weston & Sampson, Sam Schwartz Engineering, and CLA Site Design.
Prepared for Town of New Hartford
April 2023
What is even more troubling is that $500,000 was borrowed in September 2021 and the plan wasn't even published until April of 2023 more than 18 months after Miscione borrowed the first $500,000 with no bids and obviously with no plans!
Question is...do we have that $1,000,000 dollars sitting in a town bank account or has it been spent on other projects in the meantime?
Who the HELL is running this show?
We, the people, to New Hartford Town Supervisor...we want answers!
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