Rensselaer County Legislature – June Meeting

by Kieron Kramer
Not a jot, not a whit of business relating directly to the Eastwick coverage area occurred at the Rensselaer County Legislature’s meeting on Tuesday, June 8, unless you count the presentations made to the families of Robert “Bob” Pollock of Brunswick and Rev. Harold “Hap” Carrier of Troy. Both men had been memorialized at the May meeting of the Legislature. Pollock, a well known area businessman who operated Pollock’s Feed and Farm Supply in Eagle Mills, a John Deere Tractor and Equipment dealership and a lumber and building supply store on 6th Avenue in Troy, had, according to  Legislator Ken Herrington, who represents Brunswick, Cropseyville and Pittstown among other towns, “Helped build Brunswick into what it is today.” According to Legislator Louis Desso of Wynantskill, Rev. Carrier “had a passion for helping people with alcoholism and substance abuse.” He was President of the Hudson Mohawk Recovery Center and, at one time, was the Vicar of All Saints Church in Hoosick.
Cyber-Bullying Law
What may have a significant impact on our area is the Local Law Prohibiting Cyber-Bullying in Rensselaer County. District 5 Legislator Lester Goodermote, who represents the towns of Stephentown, Berlin, Petersburgh, Grafton, Hoosick and the Village of Hoosick Falls, said that the cyber-bullying law, which is expected to be passed at next month’s meeting, is one of the first county laws of its kind in New York State. Having attended the suicide prevention forum on June 7 at the Hoosick Falls Community Center, Goodermote said that bullying and cyber-bullying was “a big topic”
at the forum. He informed the 30 or so people who attended the forum that this local law was being introduced.
New Voting Equipment
The Legislature passed a resolution authorizing the purchase of portable voting booths from a company in South Carolina for $72,965. According to Stan Brownell, Vice Chairman of the Legislature, who also represents District 5, the money will purchase a little over 300 booths to be distributed to the towns and cities in Rensselaer County by the Board of Elections. The booths will provide privacy for the voters marking their ballots to be scanned by the new voting machines that will be utilized for the first time in the County in the election in November. Brownell is worried that the new voting system will create confusion among the voters who are used to the old pull lever machines. He said the Board of Elections wants to make the old machines eligible for use in the towns’ special elections, school budget and board votes and fire district elections.
Rebanding
In 2008 the County entered into an agreement with E.F. John son and Sprint-Nextel for the 800 MHz rebanding project to provide more reliable communication between the emergency service agencies in the County. Change orders were needed to eliminate the crossover frequencies in the system, according to Brownell. New equipment and software was required to eliminate the crossover frequencies at a cost of $63,466. At this meeting the Legislature passed a resolution accepting and authorizing the change orders. Sprint-Nextel will reimburse the County for all costs associated with the 800 MHz rebanding project.
Flag Day Parade In Troy
Legislator Ed Manny from Troy announced that Troy’s Flag Day Parade will be held on Sunday, June 13, at 1 pm. “It’s a fun parade and the biggest Flag Day Parade in the nation,” he said.
Going Green
The Legislature accepted a grant to the County Executive’s Office from the New York State Senate in the amount of $10,000 for the purchase of a hybrid vehicle for use by the County Executive. The vehicle, a Ford Fusion, will be purchased from a dealership in New Jersey at a cost not to exceed $25,073. This is the second hybrid in the County fleet, Brownell said. The other is used by County Engineer Wayne Bonesteel.