Webster Town Board
April 3, 2025
A workshop meeting of the Webster Town Board was called to order by Supervisor Flaherty at
6:30 p.m. at the Webster Town Board Meeting Room, 1002 Ridge Road, Webster, New York,
with the following officials present:
Supervisor ................................................................................ Thomas J. Flaherty
Councilman....................................................................................... John J. Cahill
Councilwoman............................................................................ Ginny L. Nguyen
Councilwoman...........................................................................Jennifer S. Wright
Attorney to the Town...........................................................................Kyle Taylor
Town Clerk .................................................................................. Danene M. Marr
Absent:
Councilwoman........................................................................... Patricia T. Cataldi
Department Heads Present:
Town Engineer .............................................................................. Keith Mortimer
Deputy Commissioner of Public Works-Sewer .................................. Art Petrone
Community Development Director ..................................................... Josh Artuso
Also in attendance was Mark Stein, Assistant Town Engineer and Justo Santiago, Code
Compliance Coordinator.
***
Dan Riordan, Penfield Volunteer Ambulance, EMS Operations Manager, appeared before the
Town Board to present an update on the first full year (April 2024 – March 2025) and the last
three months (January 2025 – March 2025) statistics. From March 30, 2024, the North East Joint
Fire District had a total of 2,473 calls and the West Webster Fire District had a total of 2,201
total calls for the same time period. Total calls responded was 96.9 percent.
From January 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025, the North East Joint Fire District had 784 calls and the
West Webster Fire District had 692 calls. Total calls responded was 97.2 percent.
Following the presentation a general discussion took place.
***
Keith Mortimer, Town Engineer, appeared before the Town Board to present the Geographical
Information Systems (GIS) Phase 1 scope of work. Mr. Mortimer discussed challenges and
improvements needed for the Town’s GIS, which serves as a critical repository of infrastructure
data such as manholes, light poles, stormwater ponds, easements, etc. Mr. Mortimer stresses the
issues seen with duplicate and outdated data that have affected project planning and reliability,
exacerbated by staffing challenges and lack of standard operating procedures. A three-phase
plan was outlined to rectify these issues, with a potential partnership to be established with
Innovative Contracting Services (ICS) to help restore the GIS framework. The first phase
focused on understanding the current state of the GIS data. The second phase will confirm user
access and needs, reestablish the GIS structure, consolidate and reconcile data points, and
develop protocols for adding information. The third phase will confirm long range plans to
continue system updates by hiring a full-time employee or outsource. The second phase of the
project has a proposed fee of $69,300 from ICS with an estimated completion for mid-summer
2025 if approved. If approved and as the project progresses, the Engineering Department plans
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to involve all relevant departments to integrate their data effectively.
A mention of potential grant opportunities to alleviate taxpayer burden is emphasized to support
this initiative, although pursuing it may delay the project. Mr. Mortimer announced that Mark
Stein, Assistant Town Engineer, would be appointed as the project manager to oversee daily
operations and communication, providing monthly updates on the project’s success.
The Town Supervisor discussed the long-standing issues with the Town's GIS management and
its impact on operations over the years. He mentions that despite having a budget set aside for
GIS assistance, the funds were underutilized, leading to significant operational inefficiencies,
such as unforeseen challenges during projects due to missing data in the GIS system. The
Supervisor expressed appreciation for recent efforts to improve the GIS, noting its critical role in
accurately mapping infrastructure and helping the Town avoid costly mistakes.
Following the presentation a general discussion took place.
***
Josh Artuso, Community Development Director, and Justo Santiago, Code Compliance
Coordinator, came before the Town Board to present potential Town Code changes relating to
code enforcement. Mr. Artuso reminds the Board that prior efforts have been made to enhance
the property maintenance code to impose stricter penalties and what is being presented tonight is
just to further reinforce the existing efforts.
Mr. Santiago presented new code enforcement procedures, addressing various topics such as
vehicle storage, street parking, roll off dumpsters and problem properties. The presentation
serves as an initial step, to outline intentions on updating the code.
At the time a complaint is received by Town Staff, a site inspection would be conducted to
confirm if the reported violation exists. If the violation is confirmed, the code enforcement
procedure begins with four new steps:
1. Violation letter (initial correspondence alerting property owner to a violation).
2. Notice and Order (Order to remedy violation by a particular date with reasonable time
given).
3. Appearance ticket (issues in cases of non-compliance by property owner).
4. Court hearing (matter is heard before a judge)
Mr. Santiago further addresses that there is a need for clarification within the Town Code
particularly addressing concerns about abandoned and unlicensed vehicles, as well as refining
regulations for the storage of recreational and commercial vehicles on residential properties.
The proposed measures aim to strengthen the Code by limiting the number of recreational
vehicles owners can have on smaller lots while allowing exemptions for larger properties.
Additionally, there are proposed restrictions on parking in cul-de-sacs to improve safety for
school buses and children. The Code will also include regulations for portable storage containers
and roll-off dumpsters, requiring permits to limit their time on properties. Furthermore, a new
subsection will address the inspection of vacant properties to monitor security and cleanliness,
with plans for public hearings and legal review before final adoption. The overall goal is to
respond to resident concerns effectively while maintaining community safety and aesthetics.
Next steps include legal review and feedback, a Resolution to set a Public Hearing for further
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discussion and community feedback before any votes on the proposed amendments.
Following the presentation a general discussion took place.
***
Art Petrone, Deputy Commissioner of Public Works- Sewer, and Mike Ritchie, Costich
Engineering Vice President, came before the Town Board to provide an update on the
Conveyance Pipe Project (Tebor Road to trunk line on Phillips Road).
Mr. Petrone explained the unexpected discovery of asbestos concrete pipe during the
Conveyance Pipe Project, which impacted project timelines and costs. The Town had existing
records that only vaguely referenced the presence of asbestos, leading to complications when the
contractor began removal. They engaged specialists to properly handle the asbestos disposal,
resulting in a change order for additional time and labor costs. The challenges were underscored
by the project's urgency and the limited easements available for alternate routes. Mr. Petrone
acknowledged missteps in oversight but also highlighted the collaboration among project
members to address the issue quickly.
Supervisor Flaherty discussed that the Conveyance Pipe Project is bonded for approximately
$7.1 million, with 96 percent of funding coming from Coke fairlife. There was a strong emphasis
on the importance of keeping Coke fairlife informed about all developments, change orders, and
delays related to the project, which is crucial as they require it completed quickly to begin testing
by April 2025. Various delays have pushed the completion timeline to June 2025, and while
there is acknowledgment of accountability, the focus remains on maintaining transparency with
Coke fairlife.
Ultimately the change orders related to the Conveyance Pipe Project were signed in November
2024, but was only recently brought to the Town Board's attention. It was acknowledged that
while the project is still within budget and has contingency provisions, the oversight in managing
documentation was a concern. They also addressed a specific issue with the Monroe County
Water Authority, which had installed a pipe above the existing sewer line, complicating the
current work due to discrepancies in their original design plans. The conversation highlights the
challenges of coordinating municipal projects and the importance of maintaining thorough
records and clear communication among stakeholders.
Following the presentation a general discussion took place.
***
There being no further business to come before the Board, the meeting was adjourned at
7:55 p.m.
___________________________
Danene M. Marr, Town Clerk
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