July 9, 2025 Regular Town Board Meeting Minutes
REGULAR MEETING of the Town Board of the Town of Pomfret held at
6:30 P.M. July 9, 2025, at the Pomfret Town Hall, 9 Day Street, Fredonia, N.Y. 14063
PRESENT: Supervisor Daniel Pacos
Town Clerk Samantha Kellogg
Town Counsel Jeffrey Passafaro
Highway Superintendent Jude Gardner
COUNCILPERSONS: Ann Eckman
Adam Rak
Christopher Schaeffer
Michael Lee
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and led by Supervisor Pacos to open the Regular Town Board Meeting.
DULY MOVED by Councilwoman Eckman to accept the minutes of the June 11, 2025, Regular Town Board Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rak carried unanimously.
DULY MOVED by Councilman Rak to accept the minutes of the June 4,2025 Special Town Board Meeting. The Motion was seconded by Councilman Schaeffer carried unanimously.
DULY MOVED by Supervisor Pacos to approve the payment of bills on abstract #7 of 2025. The motion was seconded by Councilman Schaeffer and carried by a roll call vote.
Roll Call:
Councilwoman Eckman-AYE
Councilman Rak-AYE
Councilman Schaeffer-AYE
Councilman Lee-AYE
Supervisor Pacos-AYE
General Fund Town Wide $15,362.37
General Fund Part Town $4,091.69
Highway Fund Part Town $144,127.63
Berry Water District $9,508.27
Chestnut Water District $3,296.47
North End Water District $89,898.56
Lily Dale Water District $7,127.68
Lily Dale Sewer District $611.68
Rt 20 Water District $64.21
Rt 20 Sewer District $59.21
Rt 60 Water District $538.36
Rt 60 Sewer District $533.36
Lakeview Sewer District $71.07
Sewer District 1 $1,540.59
Sewer District 2 $1,102.21
Capital Projects $219,556.00
CBI $15,465.64
TOWN CLERK REPORTS
POMFRET TOWN JUSTICE REPORT MAY 2025
Justice Cerrie
Total Cases 132
Total Fine & Surcharges $9,655.00
Cases Dismissed 42
Justice Dietzen
Total Cases 109
Total Fine & Surcharges $7583.00
Cases Dismissed 33
AUDIENCE CONCERNS
HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT JUDE GARDNER
SUPERVISOR PACOS
COUNCILMAN RAK
COUNCILMAN SCHAEFFER
COUNCILMAN LEE
COUNCILWOMAN ECKMAN
TOWN ATTORNEY PASSAFARO
DULY MOVED by Supervisor Pacos to exit the Regular Town Board Meeting and enter Executive Session for the purpose of discussing employment of particular person. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rak and carried unanimously.
Time: 7:21 P.M.
DULY MOVED by Councilwoman Eckman to close the Executive Session and return to the Regular Town Board meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rak and carried unanimously.
Time: 8:23P.M.
DULY MOVED by Councilwoman Eckman to adjourn the Regular Town Board Meeting at 8:29 P.M., seconded by Councilman Rak and carried unanimously.
Respectfully Submitted,
Samantha Kellogg
Town Clerk
6:30 P.M. July 9, 2025, at the Pomfret Town Hall, 9 Day Street, Fredonia, N.Y. 14063
PRESENT: Supervisor Daniel Pacos
Town Clerk Samantha Kellogg
Town Counsel Jeffrey Passafaro
Highway Superintendent Jude Gardner
COUNCILPERSONS: Ann Eckman
Adam Rak
Christopher Schaeffer
Michael Lee
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited and led by Supervisor Pacos to open the Regular Town Board Meeting.
DULY MOVED by Councilwoman Eckman to accept the minutes of the June 11, 2025, Regular Town Board Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rak carried unanimously.
DULY MOVED by Councilman Rak to accept the minutes of the June 4,2025 Special Town Board Meeting. The Motion was seconded by Councilman Schaeffer carried unanimously.
DULY MOVED by Supervisor Pacos to approve the payment of bills on abstract #7 of 2025. The motion was seconded by Councilman Schaeffer and carried by a roll call vote.
Roll Call:
Councilwoman Eckman-AYE
Councilman Rak-AYE
Councilman Schaeffer-AYE
Councilman Lee-AYE
Supervisor Pacos-AYE
General Fund Town Wide $15,362.37
General Fund Part Town $4,091.69
Highway Fund Part Town $144,127.63
Berry Water District $9,508.27
Chestnut Water District $3,296.47
North End Water District $89,898.56
Lily Dale Water District $7,127.68
Lily Dale Sewer District $611.68
Rt 20 Water District $64.21
Rt 20 Sewer District $59.21
Rt 60 Water District $538.36
Rt 60 Sewer District $533.36
Lakeview Sewer District $71.07
Sewer District 1 $1,540.59
Sewer District 2 $1,102.21
Capital Projects $219,556.00
CBI $15,465.64
TOWN CLERK REPORTS
- Town Clerk Kellogg provided to the Pomfret Board the June 2025 report of monies collected. A total of $12,973.75 was collected. The report is on file with the Clerk’s Office.
POMFRET TOWN JUSTICE REPORT MAY 2025
Justice Cerrie
Total Cases 132
Total Fine & Surcharges $9,655.00
Cases Dismissed 42
Justice Dietzen
Total Cases 109
Total Fine & Surcharges $7583.00
Cases Dismissed 33
- The Historian Report for June 2025 has been distributed to the board and is on file in the Clerk’s office.
- The Code Enforcement monthly report for June is on file in the Clerk’s office.
AUDIENCE CONCERNS
- Greg Hite from 7 Marthas Vineyard, appreciates the Town Board for their time and commitment to serving the Town. However, Greg, his wife and many other residents of Marthas Vineyard are opposed to the installation of streetlights on Marthas Vineyard. Greg mentions they would have appreciated mailed out notices to the homeowners to review this project beforehand instead of coming home to see their lawns had been marked with flags and paint on their lawns. Greg states his concerns that there are 4 drainage lines that go to the storm drain, if they’re damaged it’ll cause considerable problems for the houses around. He’s concerned the location of the light fixtures will visually lower the curb appeal of their houses. Also mentions his concerns about the four wheelers Driving up and down the roads.
- Supervisor Pacos advises Greg to get ahold of the Police Department of concerns of four-wheelers on the road.
- Greg Hite requests National Grid should put the light posts on the yards of people who want them.
- Jude Gardner answers back that it’s a small street and they’re not going to be put the lights right next to each other.
- Mariah Kravitz residing at 9 Marthas Vineyard voices her concerns of the location of the lights as she and her Husband Ben Kravitz have put in a lot of finances into maintaining their yard. She stresses she doesn’t want her yard to be ruined and not fixed as to how it was before they came. She wishes there would have been talk to about what was going on before they came in and marked her yard up without discussion.
- Ted Tendorf, residing at 10 Marthas Vineyard, resident for 21 years on that street, discusses Him and his wife who have done a lot of walking and running, and doesn’t think lights have ever been an issue. The issue is more the speed at which people usually drive. He doesn’t think a lot of people go through the neighborhood at night; it’s mainly people who let their dogs out. Ted also voices he wishes they would have gone about this differently.
- Councilwoman Eckman reads a concerning message from Andrew Benchley within Marthas Vineyard regarding strong support in stalling streetlights along Martha’s Vineyard. Pointing out that it’s a dead-end street in a rural area and very dark. The street is home to many families, including a large number of young children who bike, walk dogs, play outside and wait for the school bus. The lack of lighting creates a growing safety concern. She believes that the installation of streetlights would provide safety for children and pedestrians, especially when walking home at dusk or waiting for the early morning bus. Installation of lights will help the neighborhood discourage unwanted criminal activity.
- Councilwoman Eckman Also received messages with support for the Lights on Martha's Vineyard Drive from Kyle Yelich, Dave Dunning, J O’Connor and Adam Dimitri.
- Jude suggests that he can try and talk to National Grid and see if they’ll let us recommend where we can place the lights.
HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT JUDE GARDNER
- The June work report was shared with the board.
- Jude updates that we’ll be paving. All the roads that we wanted to oil, and stone are completed
- The highway parking lot is almost completed, where we used free millings to build up the parking lot and get it closer to the paving work being completed. Working on the parking lot is for downtime not taking up time working on the Town.
SUPERVISOR PACOS
- Councilwoman Eckman made a motion to approve Jeanne Ebersole as Pomfrets Assessor for the year 10/01/2025 – 9/30/2031 term. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rak and carried unanimously.
- Councilman Rak made a motion to approve the water application within the North End Water District to Marc Pacos, located at 9691 Chautauqua Rd, SBL:131.00-1-8 with approval from the Village of Fredonia. The motion was seconded by Councilman Schaeffer and carried unanimously with one abstention.
- Councilman Schaeffer made a motion to authorize Supervisor to sign the approval on the Host Community agreement. The motion was seconded by Councilman Lee and carried unanimously.
- A motion was made by Councilwoman Eckman that we hold a Public Hearing on the Increase of All Sewer Rates excluding Lily Dale Water District at the Town Hall on August 13,2025 at 6:20 P.M prior to our regularly scheduled Pomfret Town Board Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rak and carried unanimously.
- A motion was made by Councilwoman Eckman that we hold a public hearing for reviewing the new Zoning Law as proposed at Town Hall on August 13,2025 at 6:25 PM prior to our regularly scheduled Pomfret Town Board Meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rak and carried unanimously.
- Councilwoman Eckman made a motion to Designate the Town board of Town of pomfret as the Lead Agency under State Environmental Quality review after SEQR for purposes of enactment of this New Zoning law. The motion was seconded by Councilman Schaeffer and carried unanimously.
-
Supervisor pacos gives updates on the following:
- The Van Buren Bay Water District Improvement project, stating that we’ve finally received the go ahead from USDA and approval to schedule the pre-construction meeting.
- The Northend Phase II & III – waiting on sizing of the water tank for project so we can get moving and get this out to Bid.
- Were resubmitting grant applications for Berry Rd & Chestnut Water Districts.
COUNCILMAN RAK
- Rak mentions he’s been talking back and forth with J.B Bell frequently, concerning burst open pipes at the Lily Dale water treatment plant, Casella’s has been working on some patch work, but were looking for some funding to fix the initial problem. Supervisor Pacos mentions it’s not an open funding period, it’s an Annual Grant period.
COUNCILMAN SCHAEFFER
- NONE
COUNCILMAN LEE
- Lee mentions the Library has been pulling from their own budget to fix the leaks from their roof, stating that the roof was supposedly under warranty by a Contractor who had done work previously, and they were not Honoring that warranty.
COUNCILWOMAN ECKMAN
- Councilwoman Eckman made a motion on behalf of the Fredonia/Pomfret Rec Department to Hire Bailey Wegrynowksi on Cleveland Ave, at the rate of $15.50 with a start date of July 1,2025. The motion was seconded by Councilman Lee and carried unanimously.
- Eckman mentions there are 337 participants registered for the Rec Program and more continue to register daily.
TOWN ATTORNEY PASSAFARO
-
Passafaro gives updates on the New Town Hall Stating:
- We’ve passed the Resolution to purchase; it’s been posted and published.
- Resolution that we’re satisfied with the engineering inspection reports.
- Obtained the necessary zoning permits from the ZBA, the use was permissible as the Special use permit in that zone.
- We’ve submitted our application to USDRD for the grant and loan; the supervisor has emails to the effect that grant has been committed.
- Were subject to the Adoption of the Bond Resolution for the additional money issue, that Bond Resolution was adopted several months ago and that’s gone through.
- A motion was made by Councilman Schaeffer to direct Town Attorney to notify the seller that the contingencies set forth in the contract, have been satisfactorily completed by the Town and the Town is prepared to proceed the closing. The motion was seconded by Supervisor Pacos and carried unanimously.
DULY MOVED by Supervisor Pacos to exit the Regular Town Board Meeting and enter Executive Session for the purpose of discussing employment of particular person. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rak and carried unanimously.
Time: 7:21 P.M.
DULY MOVED by Councilwoman Eckman to close the Executive Session and return to the Regular Town Board meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rak and carried unanimously.
Time: 8:23P.M.
- Councilman Schaeffer made a motion to approve a pay increase to $17.00 Hr. for Erin Sayers and Robert Hannah effective July 7, 2025. The motion was seconded by Councilman Rak and carried unanimously.
- Councilman Schaeffer made a motion not to request reimbursement for the over payment of wages for Robert Hannah due to an Accounting error from 1/2025. The motion was seconded by Councilman Lee and carried unanimously.
DULY MOVED by Councilwoman Eckman to adjourn the Regular Town Board Meeting at 8:29 P.M., seconded by Councilman Rak and carried unanimously.
Respectfully Submitted,
Samantha Kellogg
Town Clerk