Hoosick Falls Water Plant Wins Award

by Bea Peterson
At the regular meeting of the Hoosick Falls Village Board on Tuesday, March 9, Mayor Matt Monahan announced that Hoosick Falls has been honored for having the Water Treatment Plant Project of the Year from Eastern New York State. Plant Operator Jim Hurlburt was commended for the fine work he has been doing at the Plant.
The Board approved payment of $1,900 to Family Danz Heating for work they are doing to fix the excess moisture problem at the Water Plant.
Later in the meeting the Mayor discussed the continuing payment dispute the Village has with Water Plant contractor Malone & Tate. Mayor Monahan said he has been given the runaround from their attorney since October. So far everything has been just talk and there is nothing in writing, he said. “I’m fine with fighting this,” he said, admitting it might take a couple hundred of hours of his time. The contractor was almost eight months late in completing the project. As a result of that, the Village incurred several added expenses related to the project. The Village still holds the final payment of $109,000 owed Malone & Tate. Trustee Ric DiDonato said he didn’t want Hoosick Falls to be known as the “Village that always rolls over.” Village Attorney John Patterson said, if they were going to pursue this, it was important the Village hire knowledgeable contract and litigation lawyers to support their case. Deputy Mayor Paul Haynes proposed that the Village set up a counseling session with a contract law firm to learn their options. The Board approved this proposal.
Support Of Grant
The Village pledged to continue the $3,000 a year support they give to the Youth Center, now called HAYC3, the Hoosick Area Youth Center & Community Coalition, plus the Village pledged $2,000 in in-kind services. HAYC3 is applying for a $120,000 matching grant similar to one the HAPPY organization had for many years, and the Village’s support will help toward the necessary matching funds.
911 Testing
The Mayor said radio testing in homes for the effectiveness of the County 911 system will begin on March 19. He also said he had attended the Hoosick Town Board meeting the previous evening and the Town will contribute the $5,500 earmarked for Dispatch to the Village for replacement of equipment donated by the Rescue Squad that they want returned should the Village Dispatch be shut down. He added that the County will work with the community, schools and churches to educate everyone on its 911 system.
Woods Brook
Mayor Monahan said residents near Woods Brook were at the Town meeting and reported they had been flooded again in January. He said NYS Senator Roy McDonald had pulled the previous $15,000 grant regarding the Brook from the table. This time the Town and the Village will jointly apply for a similar $15,000 grant from Senator McDonald for an engineering study of Woods Brook.
Policies Approved
The Board reviewed a Confined Space Policy for the Waste Water Treatment Plant and approved it, commending Dan Merrill for a very well put together document.
The Board also reviewed and approved a Village Computer Use Policy. Another policy will be put together for cell phones and other Village equipment.
The Board also approved a request for Dan Merrill and Jim Hurlburt to attend the NYS Rural Water Association Conference in May and approved a request by the Lions Club to use Wood Park and Village streets for the Annual Wood Memorial Road Race on Saturday, May 22, from 6 am to 1 pm.
Greenway Meeting Rescheduled
The Hoosic River Greenway Community Workshop, postponed by a snowstorm, will be held on Wednesday, March 31, at the Hoosick Falls Volunteer Firehouse at 6 pm.
Transfer Station Hours
Starting April 13 the Transfer Station will be open Tuesdays from 7:30 to 11:30 am as well as the usual Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm.