New Faces At The Town of Hoosick Board Meeting

by Gary Danforth
The regular monthly Town of Hoosick Board meeting took place Monday evening, January 11, in the Hoosick Falls Armory with new Supervisor Keith Cipperly calling the meeting to order at 7 pm. After the Pledge of Allegiance, the minutes of special meetings on December 29, 2009, and January 4, 2010, were approved. Newly elected Councilpersons Jeff Wysocki and Louis Schmigel were present as were holdover Councilpersons Mark Surdam and Bob Ryan along with Town Clerk Sue Stradinger. There is also a new Town Attorney.
The Town Clerk’s report was accepted with two new dog licenses, ten dog license renewals, one marriage license and four building permits being of note. The Assessor’s report, by Tony Rice, included senior citizen exemption notices for Town taxes being sent out and due back by March 1. Ed King, the Building Inspector, said he knew of only one home under construction
Under people to be heard, Mike Batcher, a volunteer for the Hoosic River Watershed Association, said his organization was looking forward to working with the Board on environmental projects within the township, including their ongoing pathway project which is to run from the Village of Hoosick Falls waterworks to the sewage treatment plant road just north of the Village of Hoosick Falls and which might extend to North Hoosick. Some 30 acres of land has been bought by his Association and turned over to the Village for this potential walkway. A meeting concerning same will take place most likely in late February, 2010.
Phyllis Chapman, representing the Barnett Homestead, said her organization looked forward to working with the Board as they have an agreement with New York State to manage the homestead. Then, Bob Phelps, who designed the Town website, said the site needed updating, and he looked forward to an opportunity to do so while working with the Board.
Bill Shiland, Superintendent of Highways, asked the Board for permission to submit bids for fuel oil, sand and heating oil and a motion by the Board was passed to allow same. The bids will be opened at the February meeting. In addition, Shiland said the White Creek bridge repair was presently ranked 29th on New York State’s list of repair sites for the 2014-15 construction year. Also, Shiland said all is well at the Town skating rink with skating lessons, hockey and open skate times slated to be underway this week. Cipperly commended Shiland and his staff for the work they have done as far as upkeep of the skating building and the appearance of same.
The Town passed a motion rescinding the appointment of Tony Jordan as Planning Board Attorney. It was explained that the Planning Board must appoint its own attorney, since it is a Planning Board matter and not a Town Board matter. Also, the appointments of Jim Kenney and Mark Cottrell to the Planning Board were rescinded since a sitting Town Board member (Cottrell) cannot be appointed to the Planning Board and a sitting Planning Board member (Kenney) cannot be reappointed until his present term expires. A meeting had been held December 29, 2009, and terms didn’t expire until December 31.
From the Supervisor’s report, Town Historian Phil Leonard presented a history board of old pictures of Hoosick, featuring Wilcox’s 1960 country store, now the Big Moose store. Leonard also had a picture of an old tavern, which the owner burned down in 1919, “as it was no use to him or anybody else with prohibition coming in 1920.” The tavern had been a regular stop for pony express and stagecoach passengers. He also explained that the Hoosac School used to be on the grounds of the present day All Saints Episcopal Church. In addition, Harry White’s store in 1925 was featured, with present day Planning Board Member John Cooney volunteering he ran the store for “a couple of years in the late 1960s.” Also pictured was the Baptist Church which burned in 1991. Leonard is starting his eighth year as Town Historian and he, with help from Charlie Filkins, has put together 96 historical boards to date.
The Board approved the Kiwanis Club use of the skating rink on Saturday, February 13, from 1 to 4 pm contingent on a certificate of insurance. In past years the Kiwanis have donated money to the Town from this event, usually a free skating day for youth of the township. Also, the Board granted permission for the Baptist Church to use the skating rink for a skating date pending their application and certificate of insurance.
Councilperson Surdam welcomed the new Board members and said he looked forward to working with them. Councilperson Ryan said a motion would be needed for an audit of some $8,000 left over from a skating rink improvement grant so that those monies might be used for other matters. The Board passed such a motion with the audit costing $2,000 to $3,000. Councilpersons Wysocki and Schmigel thanked the audience for their opportunity to serve on the Board and both said they were looking forward to serving the people of the township.
The Board went into an executive session for a personnel matter, left the meeting room, and returned five minutes later, reopening the regular meeting, and passing a motion to transfer $1,000 from one line item in the budget to another line item.
The meeting, with its new Supervisor, two new Board members and new Board Attorney, adjourned at 9:04 pm.