Village of Hoosick Falls Board Action – Water Meter Fines

by Bea Peterson
At the close of the Public Hearing on water meter fines during the Hoosick Falls Village Board Meeting on Tuesday, August 17, the Board approved Local Law #2. Effective October 1 anyone who has not installed a water meter in his or her property will be fined $250 a month until a meter is installed. If a meter malfunctions, the owner will be notified and then will have 15 days to schedule an appointment for the Village to repair or replace the meter. If the owner fails to do so, he or she will be fined $100 every 15 days until the meter is repaired or replaced. Trustee Ric DiDonato said he was “disappointed we had to come to this step.” Property owners have had years to install water meters. Those owners that have been in compliance are disappointed the Village has not been able to tax them according to water usage before now. Hopefully by August 2011 the long awaited billing by consumption will take place.
Properties
Jack Cataneo addressed the Board regarding his property on 48 Classic St. and the adjoining lot he owns as well. His goal years ago when he purchased the property was to open a restaurant, with decks overlooking the Hoosic River. It was to be called Natty Bumppo’s after a character from the “Leatherstocking Tales” by James Fenimore Cooper and supposedly based on a resident of Hoosick Falls. A change in the economic climate and a fire in the adjoining building had an effect on those plans. He questioned the cause of the long ago fire and a letter he recently received regarding back taxes owed on the property. He relayed several stumbling blocks he had to deal with over the years and produced documentation to support those claims. He said he was glad to finally have an opportunity to share his position with the Board. He was at the meeting after receiving a letter from the Village asking what his plans were for the Classic St. building. He said the building is in really bad shape and he intends to tear it down. Mayor Monahan told Cataneo he would look into the tax issue, and he commended Cataneo for coming to the meeting well prepared.
The owners of the American House also received a letter from the Village. They live in California and purchased the property on eBay®. They asked the Village for an extension to do something with the property. They placed part of the blame for delays on the Village since they had spoken with Building Inspector Dick Weeden who told them he would get them a list of local contractors and he never did. Board members felt the property owner was perfectly capable of finding other sources to identify local contractors and the extension was denied.
The Board approved:
• the purchase of a tamper for packing the soil in roadways after they have been torn up for water or sewer repairs. The tamper will provide a better base when the roadway is blacktopped. The cost will be under $3,000;
• a request from Lisa Ferrannini to use Wood Park on Saturday, October 2, for the Karen McGovern Motorcycle Run;
• a request from a motorcycle club in Round Lake to use Wood Park for a stopping point on August 28. The Run will benefit the Albany Ronald McDonald House. The riders will stop for pizza between 2 and 4 pm;
• a request by CEO to have an informational table at the Band Concerts on Wednesday evenings;
•  a request for the Sixth Annual Hoosick River Ride to go through Hoosick Falls on Saturday, August 21, from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm;
•  a request to hold the second annual Pumpkinpalooza event the weekend of September 25; Mayor Monahan said after Labor Day the American flags on the poles will be replaced with pumpkin flags;
•  a request by Angelo Benardo to have a water slide set up in the parking lot across the street from his Dollar Deals store on Saturday, September 4. The slide, which will be free to the public, is just one of the monthly events Benardo hopes to provide the community in the future.
Special Meeting Regarding Dispatch
The Mayor told the Board that the State has approved a grant to upgrade Dispatch. The Board agreed to hold a Special Meeting on Monday, September 20, to determine the future of the local Dispatch service. Mayor Monahan suggested if people wanted to comment, they should submit something in writing before the meeting, though people will be allowed to speak at the meeting. He said he hoped an official from the Town would be present at this meeting.