Hoosick Town Board Action – Route 7 Problems Persist

by Bea Peterson
High snow banks have added to the already difficult problem of driving onto Route 7 from the Route 22 junction near the new bridge. Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland and Town of Hoosick Board members discussed the issue at the Monday, February 14, Board meeting. They said the intersection has become very dangerous as cars have to creep out into the middle of the road to see oncoming traffic. This added to the concerns the Town already has expressed to the State regarding the intersection.
Shiland said he has also heard from National Grid regarding the two streetlights on Route 7 in the same area. He said National Grid has submitted an engineering plan to NYS DOT to change the two ineffective lights currently in place and move one to shine on Route 7 and the other to shine on the bridge. “The process is about as slow as it can get,” he concluded.
Shiland said he had been approached by residents of Shingle Hollow Road with a request to make Route 22 near their road a no passing area. They said it is extremely difficult for them to get out of their street or get onto their street, especially when cars are passing one another at that spot. The Board approved Shiland writing a letter to DOT about the situation.
Snow And Other Woes
Shiland said he and his crew have been way too busy with ice and snow removal. “This is what winter used to be like,” he said. He told the Board he recently received a shipment of salt for the roads. He currently has 170 tons on hand, which he believes is enough for at least three more big storms. “If this winter continues the way it is,” he said, “I’m sure salt will be an issue because it will be in short supply.”
Later in the meeting Councilman Louis Schmigel reported that he and the Town Highway crew had been busy clearing piles of snow from Village streets. He said at one point, when the Village crew left their shift, the Town crew took over. He said there is still plenty to be cleared away and both crews are doing a great job maintaining the roads and streets during the storms and the snow removal later.
Federal Level
Shiland concluded his report with an update on the pilings disapproved by the government on the Caretaker’s bridge. He said Karen Williams of NYS DOT believes the Town should be paid the $36,000 they are owed as those pilings are satisfactory as far as the State is concerned. However, as the funds for the bridge were stimulus money, it must be resolved at the federal level. She noted that Warren County is having a similar problem and suggested the Town work with Warren County and Congressman Chris Gibson to get the money. The Board approved Shiland and Deputy Supervisor Jeff Wysocki pursuing the issue.
Town Clerk Sue Stradinger reported that she had collected $1,584.24 for licenses and three building permits in the month of January. She turned over $709.25 of that money to the Town Supervisor. She noted the new dog licensing billing and collecting is “going fine.”
Town Assessor Tony Rice reminded everyone that, as of Monday night, there were only ten business days left until March 1 for homeowners to submit their requests for tax exemptions.
Town Historian Phil Leonard updated the Board on the progress of the Veterans Wall and the Louis Miller Museum. He said the Museum has over 200 members and 35 to 40 percent of them are from out of town. He expects to print 250 copies of the Museum’s next newsletter. They will be sent across the nation, he said.
His latest display board was a revised one of Walter A. Wood catalogue covers. “Walter A. Wood made Hoosick Falls,” he added. “He wouldn’t make a piece of equipment unless he had replacement parts for it.” He noted Wood was an imaginative advertiser and said Wood’s machines won prizes time and again as the best in the world in that time period. He said he had heard that the Hoosick Falls plant was so large it took the timekeeper eight hours to complete a tour of the buildings.
Disagree With REMO
Town Supervisor Keith Cipperly reported that he was unhappy to learn REMO, the Regional Emergency Medical Organization, had denied a Certificate of Need to the Cambridge Valley Rescue Squad to expand its first responder coverage to a portion of Hoosick. “In my opinion,” said the Supervisor, “that is wrong.” He added, “I will continue to support any ambulance service to cover a portion of the Town closest to them.” He added that all the volunteer and paid rescue services covering Hoosick do a fine job. But, the closest service should be the first one called. If that one is not available, then the next closest should be called.
Supervisor Cipperly reported that he and other Town Supervisors had met with a representative from NYS Assemblyman Tony Jordan’s office regarding a State cap on unfunded mandates. The Supervisor said these mandates place a heavy burden on Fire Companies and, in turn, the taxpayer. One of his suggestions to the Assemblyman was that the State consider foresting State lands and giving the funds raised back to the taxpayers. He said he felt the meeting was worthwhile and very informative.
In other business the Town Board approved:
• The only bid for diesel and fuel oil, submitted by Doug’s Oil, at sixteen cents over cost.
• Contributing $700 toward the St. Patrick’s Day parade and events in the Armory on March 12.
• Hoosick Falls Kiwanis Club use of the skating rink from 1 to 4 pm on Saturday, February 19.
• Rensselaer County Soil and Water use of the skating rink on Saturday, May 7, from 9 am to 1 pm for distribution of trees and shrubs. Order forms for these trees and shrubs are available in the Armory lobby. Orders must be submitted by April 28.
New Business
Supervisor Cipperly thanked Ed King and the Planning Board for working with Sheila Duncan for the opening of the new Subway shop on Route 7 next to Dunkin Donuts and the Sunoco station. “We are grateful to Sheila and Michael Duncan for reopening a business that had fallen by the wayside,” he said. The Subway has been open for three weeks. All the buildings on that section of Route 7 are now full with active businesses.
Brown’s Brewery
Councilman Wysocki noted that Brown’s Brewery has now received all the necessary permits for brewing beer in North Hoosick.
On Tuesday evening Brown’s Brewery owner Gary Brown said they will start the last stage of building construction in the spring and he expects it to be completed by fall. He said the DEC permits and State and Federal licenses have taken three years to complete. Brown added that they have outgrown their storage space in the Troy location and are already storing supplies and equipment in the North Hoosick building.