by Bea Peterson
On Monday, September 12, the Hoosick Town Board heard Town Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland report that he has yet to meet with FEMA people. However he believes that both Tropical Storm Irene and the storm the following week are fundable. “At least 20 big trees came down in the second storm,” he said. He added they were still working on the roads. At this point, he said, we have to let the schedule fall where it may. He expects the Town will be reimbursed between $25,000 and $50,000 by FEMA.
Shiland again brought up the issue of the contract to begin design of the White Creek Bridge. He said Karen Williams, NYS DOT representative for Region 1 was at the Capital District Transportation meeting last Thursday, which was attended by Shiland, Councilman Louis Schmigel and Town Bookkeeper Janet DeLuca. Shiland said Williams advised them it was imperative they return the signed contract to the State as soon as possible or at least by October 1. Shiland said Williams told them someone on the list of nine will lose their funding this year and any changes in the schedule means that Town will go to the bottom of the list.
Supervisor Cipperly stated he had been in touch with Williams and, looking at his cellphone, he said she had replied to him that the contract did not have to be signed until September of 2012. He also said he had asked Rensselaer County highway engineer Wayne Bonesteel to look at the bridge and make an assessment. Shiland responded that he had spoken with Bonesteel that afternoon and Bonesteel had told him he felt confident with the State’s assessment of the condition of the bridge. Shiland said the bridge has been on the list for replacement for five years. “That bridge was built in 1935,” he said.
Councilman Ryan noted the Town has $438,000 in the bank. The Town portion of the cost of the million dollar bridge is $200,000 and will most likely be bonded. Ryan made a motion to sign the contract. There was no second. Shiland said he had talked with the State auditors currently in the building reviewing the Town’s books, about financing the bridge. “They told me we don’t need to pick an option now,” he said. “We won’t get a bill until the end of the year and then we can decide to bond or use the fund balance.”
Ryan said, “all the government wants is for us to show we have the funds. I think we should rely on the judgement of Louis, Bill and Janet.” He told Cipperly, “this is not a one man show, you are jeopardizing the kids that ride on buses over that bridge.”
Cipperly was adamant, “we have until September 2012 to make that decision,” he said. “We have to consider the new Town Hall and if we buy Patire’s,” he concluded.
Shiland was beside himself with frustration. “If the bridge comes off the list,” he said, “it won’t be built in 2014. It won’t be done until 2016 and by 2014 (when the weight capacity will be lowered) fire trucks and school buses will be unable to use that bridge.”
Shiland stated again what he stated at the last meeting, that in all his years of serving the Village and the Town he had never been so abused by a Board, and he left the meeting.
Green Heights Water Issues
Jennifer Leggett and Larry Cain appeared before the Board on behalf of all Green Heights development homeowners regarding the Hoosick Falls water and sewer rates they have to pay. They are enraged that their rate is half again as much as Village residents, when their homes adjoin the Village. They confronted the Board looking for assistance. Councilman Surdam told them the developers of their homes approached the Hoosick Falls Board about being on the Village water and sewer lines and the Hoosick Falls Board agreed to extend the lines to the development. A member of the audience stood up and said at that time there was talk of annexing the development to Hoosick Falls, but the Town Board would not agree to that happening. Leggett and Cain were upset Green Heights residents must also contribute toward the cost of the bonds for the water and sewer plants. However, they benefit from those new plants. Board members noted they are only the billing agents, the issue is with the Village. It was also pointed out, since they are not in the Village, they do not pay a Village tax. “All we want is fairness,” Leggett and Cain said. Supervisor Cipperly said he would get back to them. The contract the Town has with the Village regarding water and sewer for the Heights use has expired.
Thank You
Michael Laporte said he wanted to publicly thank the Board, the Youth Football teams and cheerleaders for their support of the Junior Wrestling Tournament that was held at the Town skating rink last month. “We had wrestlers from 13 states,” he said. “Some of them were from Colorado and Oklahoma. Afterwards I had a phone call from a team in Illinois wanting to participate next year.” He felt the tournament was a real great asset to the community and he is pleased it was such an incredible success. He thanked the Board again and said, “hopefully, we’ll do it again next year.”
Ken Marbott of the Youth Football League thanked the Board for allowing the teams to use the Town athletic fields when the HFCS fields were so wet. He asked the Board if they could use the skating rink for practice drills during rainy weather and if they could use the field for the last home game. The Board approved the requests.
Historic Signs
Town Historian Phil Leonard said three of the State historic signs have been refinished. “They were put up in 1935-36 and now they look like brand new,” he said. The finished ones are the Ball Academy sign on Classic St., the sign in Mapletown and the Grandma Moses sign on Church St. There are three more to be refinished. One on Cottrell Rd., one in Buskirk at the Hoosick Four Corners and the St. Croix sign.
He said the next project the Historical Society would like to take on, if they have the money, is the repair of the Village’s first cemetery, next to the Baptist Church on Main Street.
Leonard said he visited the Schaghticoke Fair and he thinks the five books on Hoosick veterans were well received. He put in many hours, but those involved with the Fair project were appreciative of his efforts.
Veterans Wall
Leonard reported that all the cement work is done and paid for at the Veterans Wall. He said they are pushing to get the plaques done. He hopes they will be ordered next week. The committee is starting to plan the dedication program, which is still scheduled for November 11 – 11/11/11.
He said he and Charlie Filkins have now put together 110 boards on the history of the town. He said in 1890 the town of Hoosick was the most prosperous in New York State. The town had the first paved roads and the first sewers. He said, with a laugh, “that’s why we’re having problems now.” He also added, “we’re sort of down right now.”
Thank You
Supervisor Cipperly said he wanted to personally thank all the volunteer fire departments, the rescue squad, Bill Shiland, Niel Stowell and their crews, the Village police department, the Sheriff’s Dept. and the State Police for their assistance during the recent rain storms. He noted there was an accident on Saturday. “The Fire Department and the Rescue Squad really shone,” he said. “They’re there when we need them.”
Cipperly said he met with Congressman Gibson, FEMA and County officials on September 2. He said he has asked the Town’s web designer to put the FEMA form on the Town website so people can submit requests for assistance regarding personal property damage.
The Supervisor said he spoke with Hoosick Falls Mayor Matt Monahan about Wood Brook. He believes DEC has a blanket policy that changes can be made to a brook if it affects health and personal property. Board members mentioned the problem in this case is that the residents own the brook. Cipperly said he believes the Village passed a local law in the 90s stating they could go into the brook and dig it out.
He also read a letter he had written to the Postmaster General requesting that the tiny North Hoosick Post Office not be closed. He said he had also spoken with U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer’s officer regarding the armory issue.
Resolution
Supervisor Cipperly passed out copies of a resolution he wanted the Board to review. This resolution requires that any resolution to be presented to the Board must be submitted to the Supervisor no less than 10 days prior to the regularly scheduled Town Board meeting. It will be date stamped by the Town Clerk and Town Councilmen will have a chance to review it before the meeting. If any resolution is submitted short of that time frame, it will not be introduced at the meeting. “Any last minute stuff will be excluded,” said Cipperly.
What’s With That?
The Supervisor said the Town recently received a bill from Key Bank for a deposit box that the Town has had at the bank for 17 years. Payment has never been made and the bank wants $2,379. The Board agreed they will not pay it. Surdam suggested they pay $200 to find out what is in the box. Before this recent bill, the last bill anyone knows about was over four years ago. Attorney Young will talk with people at the bank.
Councilman Ryan said he attended the Cheney Friends of the Library meeting. He said it was mostly a brainstorming session to think of ways to get people, young and old, to utilize the library more. He said the purpose of the Friends is to enhance the library, fund raising and more utilization of the building.
Councilman Wysocki said there was no Farm Board meeting this month as everyone has been busy recovering from the storms. He thanked the Hoosick Fire Department for pumping out his barn.
Upcoming Meetings And Events
The Board set the public hearings on the Fire District Budgets for Monday, October 17 at the West Hoosick Fire Department at 6:30 pm and at the North Hoosick Fire Department at 7 pm. The Buskirk Fire Department will be going into the second year of a three year contract, so there will be no hearing. The Hoosick and Hoosick Falls Fire Departments have District Commissioners and hold their own budget public hearings.
The next Workshop meeting on the Town offices will be Monday, September 26 at 6 pm. The next regular Town Board meeting will be Tuesday, October 11 at 7 pm as Monday is the Columbus Day holiday. The Town’s tentative budget from the Supervisor is due to the Town Clerk by October 1. Since that is a Saturday, the Clerk must have it on Friday, September 30.
Pumpkinpalooza will be Saturday, September 24, all day and the St. Mary’s Academy Cow Plop will be Sunday, October 2.
As the meeting concluded one of the students stood and told the Board, “you have a hard job, thank you.” Cipperly replied to them, “don’t go into politics!”
