On the agenda: Gasport 7-8-26 Board Meeting Minutes — Data Center (Jul 8)

Town of Hartland Board Meeting Minutes
July 8th, 2026

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July 8th, 2026 – Special Meeting
The special meeting of the Town of Hartland, County of Niagara, State of New York, was held
on the above date at the Town Hall, 8942 Ridge Road, Gasport convening at 7:00 p.m.
Members present:
Supervisor:

Margaret M. Zaepfel

Councilman:

Joseph Reed (via Zoom)
David Huntington
Sean Walp
Elizabeth Neadow

Attorney:

Michael Dowd

Town Clerk:

Caitlin Clark

Attended by:

Sign in sheet attached

Supervisor Zaepfel called the meeting to order with all present standing for the pledge to the
flag.
Councilwoman Neadow delivers opening prayer.

Supervisor’s Remarks:
Privilege of the Floor on Agenda Items:
Resolution 51-2026

MOTION by Councilwoman Neadow, seconded by Councilman Huntington to accept the
minutes from the June 10th, 2026 work session and Town Board Meeting.
Ayes:5-Zaepfel, Huntington, Reed, Neadow, Walp

Nays: 0

CARRIED

Resolution 52-2026

MOTION by Councilman Huntington, seconded by Councilwoman Neadow resolved that
the monthly bills, having been reviewed by the Town Board, be authorized for payment.
Ayes:5- Zaepfel, Huntington, Reed, Neadow, Walp

Nays: 0

Assessor/CEO Report
Assessor/CEO Report provided and attached as an exhibit to these minutes.

CARRIED

Town of Hartland Board Meeting Minutes
July 8th, 2026

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Highway/Water Report
No Highway/Water Report included this month.

Town Clerk Report
Niagara Community Action Program – Suzanne Scheer
(Zoom recording 2:19-11:38)
•

Suzanne Scheer provided an overview of Niagara Community Action Program and
the services available to Niagara County residents, including food assistance,
weatherization, home repairs, childcare resources, fair housing advocacy, and
immigration services.

•

Scheer discussed available grant funding for home repairs for income-eligible
residents and noted that donations received from the Town are used to assist Hartland
families and can help leverage additional grant funding.

•

The Board requested information regarding the number of Hartland residents who
have utilized the organization’s services. Scheer agreed to provide this information.

•

Scheer encouraged the Town to refer residents in need of assistance to the
organization

Supervisor Zaepfel – Opens Public Hearing (I) on the adoption of a
proposed Local Law entitled, “A Local Law to Override the Tax Levy
Limit Established in General Municipal Law §3-c”, an abstract of said
Local Law is as follows: Said Local Law will allow the Town of Hartland to
adopt a budget for the fiscal year commencing January 1, 2027, that
requires a real property tax levy in excess of the limit specified in General
Municipal Law §3-c.
MOTION by Councilwoman Neadow, seconded by Councilman Huntington close Public
Hearing
Ayes:5-Zaepfel, Huntington, Reed, Neadow, Walp

Resolution 53-2026

Nays: 0

CARRIED

MOTION by Councilman, seconded by Councilman adopt a Local Law to override the tax
levy limit established in general municipal law section 3-c for the fiscal year 2027.
Zaepfel- Aye
Huntington- Aye
Reed- Aye
Neadow- Aye
Walp- Aye
Ayes:5- Nays: 0

CARRIED

Town of Hartland Board Meeting Minutes
July 8th, 2026

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Supervisor Zaepfel - Opens Public Hearing (II) on a Local Law entitled
“Data Center and Bitcoin Moratorium Law of the Town of Hartland”.
MOTION by Councilwoman Neadow, seconded by Councilman Huntington close Public
Hearing
Ayes:5-Zaepfel, Huntington, Reed, Neadow, Walp

Nays: 0

CARRIED

Resolution 54-2026

MOTION by Councilwoman Neadow, seconded by Councilman Huntington adopt a local
law establishing a temporary moratorium on the issuance of permits for cryptocurrency
mining and data processing centers.
Zaepfel- Aye
Huntington- Aye
Reed- Aye
Neadow- Aye
Walp- Aye
Ayes:5

Nays: 0

CARRIED

Supervisor Zaepfel - Opens Public Hearing (IV) on "A Local Law
Establishing Real Property Tax Exemptions for Non-Residential Real
Property Converted to Mixed-Use Property in Accordance with Section
485-a of the New York State Real Property Tax Law."
Public Hearing is kept open.
Supervisor Zaepfel – Opens Public Hearing (III) for the purpose of hearing
public comments on community development needs, and to discuss the
possible submission of one or more Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) applications for the 2026 program year.
MOTION by Councilwoman Neadow, seconded by Councilman Huntington close Public
Hearing
Ayes:5-Zaepfel, Huntington, Reed, Neadow, Walp

Nays: 0

CARRIED

Resolution 55-2026

MOTION by Councilman Huntington, seconded by Councilwoman Neadow to approve
submission of one or more Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications for
the 2026 program year.
Ayes:5- Zaepfel, Huntington, Reed, Neadow, Walp

Nays: 0

CARRIED

Town of Hartland Board Meeting Minutes
July 8th, 2026

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Resolution 56-2026

MOTION by Councilwoman Neadow, seconded by Councilman Huntington to approve
listed account transfers.
Ayes:5- Zaepfel, Huntington, Reed, Neadow, Walp

Nays: 0

CARRIED

Privilege of the Floor (Non- agenda items)
Jeanne Darsaw- Ravenwood Farms – Johnson Creek Road- “You know, my concern
is always with solar and I'm just afraid of what could happen to our solar project. I know
a lot of people in town would be happy to not see it come. I would be happy to see it
come, because right now, for my farm business, I have to drive my sheep and drive
myself and all my business 2 hours away to (inaudible) for my sheep to graze to start my
business. If I want to try any experimental farming, I can try to get to some farms, but
farmers usually don't want other farmers on their land. So, I can ask, it's not going to be in
the town of Hartland, I'm sure. I'm going to have to drive far, and I know everybody here
has had a business and has learned a lot from their businesses, and the more money you
give people, the more, oh, here, try this beef, here, try this chicken, try this milk, try my
beef, try all of our stuff. And you give them something, and you keep giving and giving.
And you get a little business back, but not if you’re giving all this money away. Like EDF
gives the town money, they give the church money, they give the firehall money. What do
they get back from us? If they have to leave, they get nothing. If they stay, everybody that
signed up makes a little money. They have more money towards their business. There are
businesses that haven't signed up for the solar project because they're afraid if they sign
up their private land, that their customers are gonna go, oh my gosh, they're in the solar
project, don't call them. That's just crazy. If I did that to people I wouldn't have been in
business since 1996. I've gone to horse shows and judges from France. Granted, that was
when I lived at home with my mom, and she helped me pay. But if I work with EDF, or if
I work with another farmer, I work with someone else, I'm getting money, I can go do
things. I just think the town needs to be for the town, not just for each person that sits on
the boards. That's not why people get elected. You get elected to work for the town and
the people of the town, and nobody in this town has Benjamin Button disease. Nobody's
getting younger. I just think that town needs to do better for the town. That's it. Thank
you.

Resolution -2026
MOTION by Councilman n Neadow, seconded by Councilman Reed that since there is no
further business to come before the board, the meeting be adjourned at 7:26 PM.
Ayes:5-Zaepfel, Huntington, Reed, Neadow, Walp

Nays: 0

CARRIED

The next meeting date will be July 8th, 2026 at 7:00 PM at the Hartland Town Hall @ 8942
Ridge Rad, Gasport New York 14067 (with a work session directly before this at 6:00 PM.)
Respectfully submitted,

Caitlin Clark -Town Clerk