October 15, 2024 Work Session

Mayor James M. Jaroszynski
Trustee Anthony Cavallaro
Trustee Timothy Dunn
Trustee Alan Gustafson, Jr.
Trustee Annette Miller

Cindy Capestrani, Village Clerk
Paula Spunaugle, Treasurer
Avery Faulkner, DPW Superintendent

The work session meeting of the Village of Falconer Mayor and Board of Trustees was held on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at 5:30 pm in the Firemen’s Exempt Hall with Mayor James Jaroszynski presiding.

Pledge of Allegiance & Roll:

Trustee Gustafson, Trustee Dunn, Trustee Cavallaro, Trustee Miller and Mayor Jaroszynski were all present.

Visitors

Tracy Schrader

ARPA – Obligate Remaining Funds

The purpose of the work session is for discussion on obligating the remaining ARPA Funds in the amount of $68,352.23.

The board members noted needs below to be considered:

Replace broken/damaged playground equipment at Falconer Park in the amount of $3,717.44. There is no extra money in the park budget to cover this expense. The park equipment needs to be replaced regardless where we take the money from so that it is safe.
Community Building boiler tank is decaying and needs to be replaced. Would like to repair before winter. The approximate price for the repair is $8,379. Trustee Cavallaro suggested we use the community building reserve fund for this expense and not ARPA funds.
The remaining four fire department garage doors need to be replaced. If the village uses ARPA money for the doors, the town would not be contributing their portion towards the doors unless they agree to pay to replace 2 of the 4 doors. It was also discussed previously to include in the fire department budget to replace one door per year.
The street sweeper that is on order is an option but was previously agreed to be paid out of the street equipment reserve fund.
Water to the recreation building was tabled a few months ago to look at other options but due to the time line in needing a contract/purchase order by the of 2024.
The DPW pole barn construction can come out of the ARPA funds if the bid is accepted by the board.

At the end of the discussion, the board decided to vote on a resolution at the meeting to use the community building reserve funds for the boiler tank repair and the ARPA funds for the damaged playground equipment. The board will schedule another ARPA work session next month to obligate the remaining funds. There are many areas that we have needs, so we need to prioritize the needs and obligate the funds accordingly.

Fire Advisory Board (FAB) – Steve Vanstrom

Key points:

There is a request in your meeting folders from the Fire Advisory Board (FAB) to enter into negotiations with Chautauqua County Emergency Medical Services. The FAB is asking for permission to put together a contract with them on behalf of the county and the village to be able to bill for services under Medicare Part B (which includes services under Medicare Advantage Plan, HMO’s and PPO’s). Currently, we do not have an agreement on file with the federal government to able to bill patients under these programs.
For example, for the past year the loss to the county was about $4,500 and the loss to the village was $3,000.
Once an agreement is put together, it would be brought to the county and village for approval. They would like to have this completed by the end of 2024 so that the contract would be in effect at the first of the year. The FAB is looking to put together an annual contract, with a 30 day out clause because there is so much change in medical services right now.
Currently, the Falconer Fire Department is one of two fire departments that had not signed on with the county with the other company just signing on.

Trustee Gustafson made a motion, seconded by Trustee Miller to adjourn the work session at 5:58 p.m. Ayes: All, Nays: None. Carried.

Respectfully submitted,
Cindy Capestrani, Village Clerk