Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Administration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Menands Board reappoints officers, sets meeting rules and bank depository at annual organizational meeting
Summary
At its annual organizational meeting, the Menands Village Board of Trustees reappointed legal and Zoning Board officers, designated the Bank of Greene County as the village depository, adopted meeting procedures and schedules, and approved routine administrative resolutions.
The Village of Menands Board of Trustees completed its annual organizational business, reappointing a series of officials and adopting administrative procedures for the ensuing official year.
Mayor Marsh administered oaths and announced reappointments including Stephen J. Rakers, Esq., as village attorney; John Bassett to the Zoning Board of Appeals (term through 07/05/2028) and as its chair; Michael Stewart as vice chair; Charles Ansert as an alternate on the Zoning Board; Kevin Franklin as village historian; and Donald Hanerhan as registrar with Cheryl Lyon as deputy registrar of vital statistics. The board also appointed David Watson, Esq., as an appeals officer for Freedom of Information Law requests after the village justice position was vacated.
The board adopted internal rules that establish regular meeting dates (first and third Monday each month at 6 p.m. at the municipal building), public hearing notice requirements, public comment time limits (three minutes per speaker), and procedures for special meetings, executive sessions and video conferencing. It designated the Bank of Greene County as the official depository for village funds across multiple accounts including general, payroll, escrow and savings funds. The board authorized routine reimbursements (mileage at the IRS rate) and advanced payment of recurring utility, postage and insurance bills as allowed by Village Law section 5-524, with those claims to be presented for audit at the following regular meeting.
Other organizational approvals included authorization for municipal officials and staff to attend a range of training conferences (New York State Conference of Mayors trainings, municipal clerk and finance officer schools, American Water Works Association, and similar conferences) as village expenses, and formal adoption of the record retention schedule LGS-1 pursuant to Article 57-a of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law.
The board approved a procurement policy update raising discretionary thresholds for purchases so department heads can act on purchases under $2,500; public works discretion to $5,000; and requiring written quotes for amounts above higher thresholds. (See separate article for more detail on the procurement change.)
Votes on these organizational resolutions were called and approved on voice votes during the meeting; individual roll-call tallies were not recorded in the transcript.
