TOWN OF HUME
AUGUST 8, 2007
The business meeting of the Hume Town Board, Allegany County, New York regularly scheduled for this date was canceled for lack of a quorum on the Board.
The meeting was rescheduled for Thursday, August 16, 2007 at 7:00 PM at the Town Museum, 10842 Claybed Road, in the hamlet of Hume, New York.
Several persons were present to meet with the Board; therefore, Supervisor Smith permitted an unofficial informational discussion.
Assessor Russell Heslin explained the Town’s most recent equalization figures using charts and sales figures for illustration. New York State first established this year’s rate at 93.5%, but Mr. Heslin successfully challenged that designation, and the latest rate has been listed as 100%. Mr. Heslin said that the rates have been slowly dropping, but that the revaluation anticipated in 2009 is expected to level the rate.
He also explained the expected STAR rebate program for this year. Letters and applications should be mailed by the State around August 15th. Anyone currently signed up for the Basic STAR program will need to apply. Those on the Enhanced STAR program will automatically receive their rebate.
Applications can be done online or by mail. Applications made by mail, however, will be processed last and those refunds could arrive as late as January 2008. Also, Mr. Heslin advised taxpayers not to expect the rebate programs to continue past 2008.
Attorney David Pullen gave the results of his research into regulating harboring of livestock in the Town.
He found the following to be options open: 1) an animal control law such as adopted by the Town of Amity; 2) contacting the DEC, SPCA, Conservation Officer, or Health Department to assess the offending situation; 3) adopting zoning laws.
There was interactive conversation on the situation on Dugway Road where fowl were proving a nuisance to the neighborhood, and on the cattle being raised in a residential locality.
MISC.
Mr. Pullen announced an Allegany County meeting in Belfast on August 14, 2007 at 7:00 PM that will address the County’s Strategic Comprehensive Plan.
Historian Rondus Miller displayed the granny-square afghan crocheted by the “Chain Gang”, the crochet group that meets at the Museum. The afghan will be entered in the Wyoming County Fair, and raffled off to benefit Jody Wolfer.
The gathering was finished by 8:35 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Sondra MacEwan,
Town Clerk