Montour Falls sets up interim code officer plan  

MONTOUR FALLS—The Montour Falls village board agreed, at the Monday, Aug. 3 meeting, on a way to pay two people to each do half of the code enforcement officer’s (CEO) job for one month.

Charles Seager and Bud Kippe will each fill in as the CEO in August, until Seager officially resigns at the end of the month.  Clerk Suzanne Casselberry said that there is only one position on the books.  Mayor Donna Kelley said it would take half of the month just to go through the process to create a second CEO position.

The board decided to have Seager resign at the middle of the month and get the first paycheck.  Kippe will fill the slot and get the second paycheck of the month.  Both men would still be working for the full month.  The board will then need to find a new CEO.  Seager submitted his resignation at the last village board meeting.

Harold Russell, Dix town board member, also attended the meeting and spoke during public comment.  He said he had submitted an application for the position of CEO in Montour Falls.  Russel said he completed his training in December of last year and has been looking for somewhere to work as CEO.

“I understand both sides of it,” he said about from the code enforcement officer’s and the municipality’s perspective.

Kelley said that the village of Odessa has also gotten in touch with her about sharing a CEO with the town of Montour.  She said that as of the meeting, the town sounded interested.

“I can’t say until I’ve met with the boards,” added Kelley.  “It’s at least worth sitting at the table and seeing if we can do it.”

The board also agreed that whoever the new CEO is, all original copies of reports will be kept at the village hall.

In other business:

• The board approved the one street curbing bid they had gotten from Sgarlatta Concrete for $57,259.  The bid was opened at the last meeting, but the highway department had not looked it over.  Kelley reported that Greg Mathews, highway superintendent, said he was comfortable with the price and that it was within the going rate.  Howell again said he did not like accepting a bid when there was only one.  Kelley said it was not uncommon and happened for part of the marina project.

• A payment of $350,000 was authorized to be given to the Montour House project.  Kelley said the funds were from Restore NY and had already been wired to the village to be given to the Montour House.

• Kelley said the ARC Garden Club has volunteered to weed the village’s rain garden every two weeks.  The board thanked them for wanting to do it.

• Trustee Philip Gillemot said he has a script for a Glorious T cell phone tour written.  He is having people look it over and give feedback.  He said once narrated and available it would give people information of the various historical buildings.  Gillemot added it would also ask people to respect the property owner’s rights.

The next regular board meeting will be Monday, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m.