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Town of Caledonia
2002
PART I - BACKGROUND The first organized meeting as a Town took place in March of 1803. At that time, it was known as the Town of Southampton, and was located in the County of Genesee. There were a total of 24 officials present at the meeting which took place at the dwelling house of Jotham Curtis. Among the actions taken that night were votes restricting seed horses from running at large ($5 for each offense). Also, five dollars would be given for each wolf killed, and that six hundred dollars be raised to defray Town expenses. In addition, fences were restricted by material and dimensions. The first meeting as the Town of Caledonia was held in April 1807. This was a result of action taken by the New York State Legislature to change the name. The Town of Caledonia became part of a new county known as Livingston in 1821. According to the 2000 census, the Town of Caledonia has 4,567 residents, located within 38.92 square miles. It is bordered on the east by the Towns of Rush and Avon, on the north by the Town of Wheatland, on the west by the Towns of LeRoy and Pavilion and on the south by the Town of York. It is the northernmost Town in Livingston County, only twenty miles from downtown Rochester. The Town also consists of the Village
of Caledonia, a separate municipal entity, which contains about half of the
4,567
residents. The Town Hall is located at 3109 Main Street in the Village of Caledonia. The
phone number is 538-4927. Telephone numbers for all officials can be found:
[Click Here]
PART II - TOWN SUPERVISOR The position of Supervisor is an elected position with a term of two years. The Supervisor, as Chief Fiscal Officer, is the person responsible for presenting the annual Town Budget every September. He/She is also responsible, along with the Town Board, for its final approval in November. The Supervisor presides over Town Board meetings and has one of five votes as a member of that Board. The Supervisor appoints a secretary at the annual meeting each January. The Town of Caledonia is represented on the Livingston County Board of Supervisors by the Supervisor. There are seventeen towns represented on this board, each with a weighted vote based on its population. Presently, Caledonia has a weighted vote of 141 votes out of a total of 1,814. A new weighted vote will be established sometime in 2002 based on the 2000 census. The Supervisor serves on various County committees and presently spends two to three days per week in Geneseo, the County Seat. There seems to be some stability in this position as there have been only four supervisors who have served over the last seventy years (Harvey Wood, John deLeeuw, Carroll Bickford and James Layland).
PART III - THE TOWN BOARD The Town Board is made up of the Supervisor and four Councilpersons elected to four-year terms. Presently, the Town Board meets monthly on the second Thursday, at 7:00 PM at the Town Hall, and as needed by special circumstance. This group acts on various legislative matters including Zoning codes and ordinances, as well as local laws. The Board also audits and approves bills incurred by the Town on a monthly basis, and acts on the Town budget submitted annually by the Supervisor.
PART IV - TOWN CLERK The Town Clerk is an officer of the Town elected to a two-year term. Some of the duties include being custodian of all records, books and papers of the Town, Records Management Officer, Clerk to the Town Board, filing officer, issuer of various licenses and tax collector. The Clerk, being in the Town office on a regular basis, may also be a general source of information on many aspects of local Town government and may therefore be able to point people in the right direction for answers. The Town offices are open for business Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 12:00 noon and 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM,, except Wednesday when there are morning hours only. The Town office phone number is 538-4927.
PART V - HIGHWAY SUPERINTENDENT The Caledonia Town Highway Superintendent is appointed by the Town Board and serves a two-year term. Highway responsibilities include that area outside the Village except for snow and ice control on State highways inside the Village of Caledonia. The Town has within its boundaries a total of 73.52 miles of highway; 42.4 Town paved, 4.39 Town unpaved seasonal, 10.4 County and 16.33 State. The Highway Department presently consists of four people on a full-time basis in addition to the Superintendent of Highways. Also, there are several part-time employees used for roadside mowing in the summer and for snow and ice control during the winter season. All highway employees are hired at the discretion of the Highway Superintendent. The Superintendent also oversees the present Town Transfer and Recycle Station located on Middle Road. Brush is also accepted at this location and wood chips are available from time to time for the public. A call ahead to the highway department would confirm availability of the wood chips. The Transfer Station is open from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturday. There is a per bag charge for garbage disposal as well as a charge for other non-recyclables. There is no charge for recyclable at the present time.
PART VI - ASSESSOR The Caledonia Town Assessor is appointed by the Town Board, must attain New York State certification, and serves a six-year term. The responsibility for this office is to assess all real property at full market value within the Town of Caledonia, including the Village. These values then become the basis for property taxes for various entities including the Town, County, Village, Fire District and School District. There is also a Board of Assessment Review which meets once a year according to a State dictated schedule.
PART VII - CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER & FIRE INSPECTOR The Town of Caledonia Code Enforcement Officer is appointed by the Town Board and serves a one year term. The Officer is responsible for the enforcement of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, along with the Code of the Town of Caledonia. The Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code is the minimum construction standard set by State Law for all building projects and related activities performed within New York State. The Zoning Code of the Town of Caledonia regulates the use of land, and the location and size of structures within the Town outside the Village. Building permits are required for any work which must conform to the Uniform Code, such as construction of a home or building, decks, pools, a shed or garage. Building permits are not required for a fence, ordinary repairs to a building with like materials, or the installing of roofs and siding. If you are in doubt about whether the project you intend to undertake will require a permit, please call the Code Enforcement Officer. A building is inspected while under construction at various stages. A partial list is: footings before pouring, foundations before backfilling, framing and plumbing before the installation of insulation, the insulation, and a final inspection before the building is used or occupied. Additional responsibilities of the Code Enforcement Officer are fire safety inspections of all multiple dwellings and all nonresidential occupancies along with areas of public assembly; also inspections in response to complaints, all issuance of new addresses and any changes to addresses to conform to the new County emergency 911 system. The Fire Inspector coordinates inspections with the Code Enforcement Officer. He is called to assess fires resulting from faulty chimneys or wood burning fireplaces. "Burning barrels" outside the Village are legal to the point where they do not interfere with a neighbor. Further questions about "burning" should be referred to the Fire Inspector. All determinations are made by the Inspector according to New York State Code.
PART VIII - PLANNING BOARD The Town Planning Board consists of seven people appointed by the Town Board to deal with land usage outside the Village. They are a recommending body to the Town Board and serve seven year terms without pay. Recently they completed a study of all the Town's local laws, ordinances and zoning and put them all together in a book of regulations known as the Code of Caledonia. This became law upon its adoption by the Town Board. Much of their business involves reviewing subdivided property for various purposes usually dealing with housing or commercial/ industrial uses, and site plans. Presently the Town and Village Planning Boards are separate units reporting to their respective Boards. The Town Planning Board meets on the fourth Wednesday each month at 7:00 PM in the Town Hall.
PART IX - ZONING BOARD OF APPEAL The Zoning Board of Appeals is made up of five members appointed by the Town Board, each serving a five-year term at no salary. They act much as a judicial board and meet as needed at the Town Hall, after public notice is published. This Board acts on matters of requesting variances for uses of land or buildings which may not be allowed in the Code of Caledonia. They may also act on appeal of someone requesting a decision on a neighboring use. Their decision cannot be altered by any other local board of the Town, but may be appealed to higher New York courts.
PART X - TOWN JUSTICES The Town of Caledonia has two Town justices elected to serve four-year terms. They handle alleged violations of law that occur within the Town, but outside the Village of Caledonia. Presently Court is held at 7:00 PM every Monday night in The Village Hall Court Room.
PART XI - TOWN HISTORIAN The Town Historian is appointed by the Town Board at the Annual Meeting the first week in January. The Historian is a public officer and generally acts to preserve, write, teach and advise on matters dealing with town history. They are also responsible for an annual report to the office of the State Historian.
PART XII - CONCLUSIONS This information is designed for residents of the Town of Caledonia to answer basic questions about Town government. It is designed to be very general and direct you to persons and phone numbers to answer more specific questions. It is planned that updates will be forthcoming every two years as personnel changes take place. I would like to thank the following people for their contributions toward completion of this booklet: Carol Nusbickel, Tom Perkins, Don Manley, Dennis Chapman, Gretchen Hartford and Jeanne Benedict. James Layland
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