A Personnel Meeting scheduled by the Town Board of the Town of Moreau was held on May 23, 2006 in the Town of Moreau Office Building, 61 Hudson Street, South Glens Falls, New York.

Supervisor Gutheil called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.

Harry G. Gutheil, Jr. Supervisor

Rich Hewlett Councilman

Bob Prendergast Councilman

Niki Baker Councilwoman

Todd Kusnierz Councilman

None

Also Present: Jeanne Fleury, Town Clerk; Fran Thibodeau, Account Clerk/Payroll Clerk for the Town; Mike Laney, Working Foreman, Town of Moreau Rec. Department; Joseph Baker, Rec. Laborer; Stephen Gram, Recreation Park; Ray Hoag, Keith Kreppein and Frank LaBarge from the Town of Moreau Recreation Commission; Jack Celeste, Ryan Kobor, Larry Chapman, Joe Blair, Cliff Stark, Walt Mykins, Larry Farenell and members of the South Glens Falls Little League arrived at 6:15 p.m.

Supervisor Gutheil began by informing those present that if anyone had anything to say regarding personnel as a reflection on their reputation then the board would adjourn to executive session and invite people into the executive session. He asked if anyone present wished to address the Town Board. There was no reply.

Councilman Kusnierz asked the board if they wanted to meet with recreation staff first in executive session.

Stephen Gram stated that he thought those present had something to say in private.

Supervisor Gutheil stated he wasn’t sure what everybody’s agenda was, but they could discuss the incident at the park involving the closing of the field and if the discussion turns into personnel issues then the board could adjourn to executive session and staff could be invited in.

Mike Laney spoke first and stated that he has worked at the park for quite a few years and it always seems that we never have a negative attitude from the many organizations that participate in the park and the only problem 98% of the time is little league. He stated that the staff always took care of the fields themselves. No matter what organization is involved Hunt’s Hurricane, Jack Celeste’s All Stars, soccer, tournament here or there, everything runs tip top shape. All little league does is go in sell their popcorn and hotdogs and what do we get out of it. We groom the fields and we don’t get anything back.

Councilwoman Baker asked Mike Laney if he saw this as a communication problem and the reply was very much and what we do for them and what they do for us. He stated he would do anything for anyone at the park. We get nothing in return. All we get is negative remarks, but they are the only organization that does this. He stated that we just want respect.

Ryan Kobor stated that he was instructed by the Recreation Director to line fields 1 -4 and then a couple of parents came up to him and told him to line fields 1 – 7 and he only had ten minutes to line seven fields. Another parent came up to him and told him to they wanted field 2 done for a girl’s game. [amended 6/13/06 jf]

Councilwoman Baker asked if this was because they were making up games.

Steve Gram stated no, there were no games scheduled for today. He received a call late this afternoon from a radio station personnel stating he wouldn’t be able to attend this meeting tonight, because his son had a game at the park and Steve Gram told him there were no games scheduled. He finally found out from Brian Deyoe that there were four games. He enters the schedules in the computer when he receives them to make sure there are no conflicts and he doesn’t get this information he needs from them. He received the boy’s schedule three days before the season started. He received the schedule from Hunt’s Hurricane back in February, Legion’s back in February and he even received them from church groups.

Councilwoman Baker asked Ryan Kobor if he has received verbal abuse from little league and the reply was yes, somewhat. He referred to one instance when they were trying to get a field ready that was under water and someone from little league would insist on the field being ready by 1:00.

Jack Celeste stated that he has dealt with the rec. park for about 12 years and he treats people they way he wants to be treated. The rec. staff bends over backwards for him. Communication is the issue here. He gives Steve his paperwork in January every year and never has had a problem. He doesn’t go running to the staff saying I need this and that. Everything has always been taken care of, but he also has done his homework and made sure the schedule is prepared on time.

Larry Farenell, coach for Hunt’s Hurricane stated that the rec. staff are fabulous. He has worked with the Town of Queensbury, Hudson Falls and Fort Ann complexes and nobody runs a complex better than these guys. This is why years ago they switched to the Town of Moreau Rec. Park for their games. If Steve Gram asks we move our game to another field or a different night. He does everything he can do on his end. Nobody does a better job on the fields or communication, they do it all. They are absolutely terrific. The park is for everybody to enjoy. All they ask is for everybody to turn in their schedules, communicate, abide by the rules and regulations. The Town Board should be very proud of Steve and his staff.

At this point in the meeting the members of little league arrived.

Councilman Kusnierz stated that he received an agenda from little league and from looking at the list a lot of the items don’t qualify for executive session.

Councilwoman Baker stated that is why she asked for the agenda from them by yesterday. It arrived by e-mail at 3:46 p.m. today and the Town Clerk didn’t have a chance to retrieve it until a little before 6:00 p.m. when she called Joe Blair and asked him where the agenda was and was told that he had e-mailed it over and thought that Cliff Stark was going to do it. Nothing on the agenda really qualifies for executive session.

The response from a representative of little league was that a lot of what they had to say involved personnel.

Councilman Kusnierz stated if they wanted to address the items on the little league agenda it would have to be addressed in open session.

Supervisor Gutheil went down through their agenda and answered the questions giving the board’s position on each item.

A member of the little league stated that they would like to speak on each of their agenda items and they feel it requires executive session.

Councilman Kusnierz stated that the field advertisements was a recommendation by the Recreation Commission and brought to the Town Board and the Town Board approved it.

The response to this from little league was that youth baseball brought up this suggestion for the last six years and were told that this wasn’t possible due to a restriction in the lease.

Supervisor Gutheil stated there isn’t any lease agreement and no deed restriction.

A little league representative stated that they turned in their schedule at the end of March and found out the 5^th or 6^th of June that they had been moved to another field to accommodate another outside team.

Supervisor Gutheil read from a letter dated April 19^th from Steve Gram to little league requesting their schedule and read same. It referenced the Cal Ripkin League. The response to this was tjat that [amended 6/13/06 by Town Board] the Cal Ripkin League which is on Sunday nights only and is a separate league. Little league for the past ten years has played on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights and Saturday. Whether Steve Gram sent us a letter or not we have played on the same nights for the past ten years in a row. It hasn’t changed.

Steve Gram stated it was received it on April 26^th at 6:00 p.m. It was dropped off to one of his employees and he received it on the 27^th. Little league representatives present disputed this statement and said that their games were scheduled the end of February.

Steve Gram responded by saying that Kevin Higgins didn’t give him the schedule in February he e-mailed something on January 27^th. Steve Gram had the hard copy with him.

Little League representative stated it was clear that Steve Gram tells the board what he wants them to hear.

Supervisor Gutheil stated the discussion has turned to where an executive session is needed.

The rep. from little league stated that they were under the impression that the entire meeting was going to be in executive session.

Supervisor Gutheil stated that they couldn’t just hold an executive session. They had to follow the Open Meetings Law.

Councilwoman Baker stated that she had asked for their agenda in advance so they could figure out what was executive session and what was not and they chose not to do that. The response was that they did not choose to do that.

A motion was made by Councilwoman Baker and seconded by Councilman Prendergast to adjourn to executive session at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the employment history/performance of a particular unnamed person(s).

Roll call vote resulted as follows:

Councilman Hewlett Aye

Councilman Prendergast Aye

Councilwoman Baker Aye

Councilman Kusnierz Aye

Supervisor Gutheil Aye

The Town Board invited into the executive session Cliff Stark, Walt Mykins, Larry Chapman, Robyn Weinberger, Ray Hoag, Frank LaBarge and Keith Kreppein.

The Town Clerk did not sit in on the executive session.

A motion was made by Councilman Prendergast and seconded by Councilman Kusnierz to adjourn the executive session and re-open the public session at 7:35 p.m.

Roll call vote resulted as follows:

Councilman Hewlett Aye

Councilman Prendergast Aye

Councilwoman Baker Aye

Councilman Kusnierz Aye

Supervisor Gutheil Aye

No action was taken during or as the result of the executive session.

The public personnel meeting called for 6:00 p.m. was then adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeanne Fleury

Town Clerk