BY STEVEN JUPITER
PITTSFORD—Pittsford voters met on Monday evening in the gymnasium at Lothrop Elementary School for their 2023 Town Meeting. The agenda included reports from town officers on the previous year’s activities and several articles relating to the town budget, all of which were adopted with scarcely any opposition.
Pittsford attorney Robb Spensley acted as Moderator, efficiently leading the meeting through the seven articles that had been publicly warned. On the stage behind him were the Selectboard (Chair Alicia Malay, Joe Gagnon, David Mills, Tom Hooker, and Mark Winslow), new Town Manager David Atherton, Town Clerk & Treasurer Helen McKinlay, and Assistant Town Clerk & Treasurer Liz Willis.
It was the first in-person Town Meeting in Pittsford since the beginning of the COVID pandemic in 2020, yet only half the seats were filled.
After the Pledge of Allegiance, Mr. Spensley dedicated the 2023 annual report to all of Pittsford’s veterans and active-duty military, offering thanks for their service and for the efforts of all those who made the Pittsford Veterans Memorial possible. Spensley then quickly took the room through the town’s annual report. The only comment the floor was from someone who hadn’t received the report in the mail.
Article 1 of the meeting’s agenda was next: reports from town officers. Board Chair Malay gave a brief rundown of the town’s activities over the previous year, including hiring a Town Manager who didn’t work out and then hiring David Atherton, who had been Town Manager in Brandon. Ms. Malay also discussed the many infrastructure projects undertaken and planned by the town, including repaving on Whipple Hollow, West Creek, and Furnace Roads, culvert repairs, and sidewalk installation. Malay also mentioned a typo in the report: medical insurance for the town would cost $20,000 less than the printed amount.
Board member Joe Gagnon then outlined the activities of the town’s highway crew, praising their hard work. Mr. Gagnon stated that more paving projects were planned for the coming year. He also stated that the town had sold a mower for $15,000 and purchased an arm mower to help keep roadsides free of brush. The town also purchased a small dump truck for the water department.
Ernie Clerihew of the Water & Sewer Commission then read the Committee’s report. There were no questions from the floor.
Article 2: whether to authorize general fund expenditures of $1,880,430 for operating expenses, of which $1,460,695 would be raised by property tax and $419,735 by non-tax revenues. An attendee asked where the “non-tax” portion of the town’s revenues would come from. Treasurer Helen McKinlay stated that it would be raised through “front counter” sources, such as liquor licenses, recreational programs, sponsored programs, and the transfer station. The Selectboard pointed out that page 24 of the annual report has a list of non-tax revenues.
The article passed with a unanimous floor vote.
Article 3: whether to authorize highway fund expenditures of $1,196,484, of which $1,046,734 is to be raised through property taxes and the remainder through non-tax revenues. An attendee asked whether roads would be repaired and repainted this year and, if so, which roads would be selected? Board member Joe Gagnon replied that it is hoped that cracks would be repaired with hot tar and that some roads would be striped, but the execution of the work depended on the availability of the appropriate crews.
A brief discussion ensued about the safety of hot tar for repairing cracks, given that in hot weather the material turns to “snot,” as an attendee put it, and poses a danger to motorcyclists.
The article passed with a unanimous floor vote.
Article 4: $17,000 for “village district expenses.” After a question from the floor, the Selectboard clarified that the money would be used to install streetlights for the village.
The article passed with a unanimous floor vote.
Article 5: the timeline for collection of property taxes. According to the article, the taxes would be collected on August 15, September 15, and November 15, 2023.
An attendee asked whether it was necessary to have the dates all in such quick succession, as opposed to spreading them out quarterly, as many other towns do. Town Treasurer Helen McKinlay responded that anyone could pay on whatever schedule they like, as long as all taxes for the year are paid by November 15.
The article passed with a unanimous floor vote.
Article 6: extending the term of the elected Maclure Library Trustee from one year to three years. Maclure Board Member Steve Belcher explained that a longer term is preferrable, since the library has found it challenging to find and retain board members.
The article passed with a unanimous floor vote.
Article 7: non-binding business. This segment of the meeting allowed attendees to bring up issues or concerns for discussion, without any binding votes.
One attendee expressed concern that the language of the town’s new ATV ordinance essentially outlawed the mere possession of an ATV by town residents, even if that ATV is not driven on town roads. The specific phrase at issue is “in motion or at rest,” which seemed to prohibit the ownership of an ATV “at rest,” the attendee claimed. The Selectboard said they would revisit the language, since that was not the intention.
Mr. Spensley then called for a recess until 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, when voting by Australian ballot would take place to choose elected officers.
As attendees filed out of the auditorium, Board Chair Alicia Malay praised Mr. Spensley’s handling of the meeting—his first as Moderator—and noted that the event had gone “smoothly.”
Ms. Malay also praised David Atherton, Pittsford’s new town manager. “He’s jumped right in and is doing great,” she said.
Mr. Atherton, after his first Town Meeting as Pittsford’s Town Manager, said he was settling in, getting ready for the upcoming projects on Route 7, and working on obtaining grants for paving.
“I don’t think it took long for the departments in Pittsford to figure out that I’m here to support them,” he said.
