Stephentown Town Board Action – Stephentown May Try For Hannaford

by David Flint
Regarding recent news that the plans for a Hannaford Market in New Lebanon had fallen through, Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt said at the Town Board meeting Monday that it was quite a blow to New Lebanon and it appeared that the people down there had been blindsided by a problem with the land owner. He added that the Stephentown Board had “made some moves toward trying to figure out if they are interested in coming to Stephentown – and if we have a spot, where that could be.” He noted that Hannaford has opened stores in places much more rural than Stephentown and that there are areas in the Land Use Plan, located basically on the Route 22/43 corridor, that are designated Commercial Industrial.
Eckhardt said later that the Board had not yet made any contact with Hannaford, but if it seems final that New Lebanon will not happen, the Stephentown Board will want to let Hannaford know that Stephentown is interested in having them and would want to find out what criteria they are looking for in locating a store and whether Stephentown meets those criteria.
Speed Limits
Starting a process to get some speed limits posted on certain Town roads, the Board passed a resolution to request that the State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) do a study to determine appropriate speed limits on Valley View, Madden, Cemetery Hill, Newton and Gentile Roads. Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt explained that a number of complaints have come from residents that people are using these roads as shortcuts at high rates of speed. Valley View and Madden Roads, along with Cemetery Hill Road, are used between Routes 22 and 43 probably in part to avoid a stretch of Route 22 that Eckhardt characterized as “so bloody rough.”  Newton Road provides another shortcut for people coming south on Route 22 and west on Route 43 or vice versa. Gentile Road is a shortcut that avoids a curvy loop on Garfield Road between Stephentown and East Nassau.
Eckhardt said that the NYSDOT would review the situation and make recommendations to the County Highway Department which then would work with the Town Highway Department to make the changes and post signs. The cost to Stephentown would be only for the signs. Judging from the experience of other towns, Eckhardt thought it might take up to six months to complete the process.
As a cautionary tale, perhaps for his colleagues on the Town Board, Eckhardt recalled that some time ago in New Lebanon there was a push, predominantly by the PTO, to get a speed limit posted on Route 20 in West Lebanon by the elementary school. After it finally happened, the first person to get a speeding ticket there was the president of the PTO.
Hudson River Valley Greenway
The Board is considering having the Town become a partner community in the Hudson River Valley Greenway. At a public hearing held prior to Monday’s Board meeting, attended by only three members of the public, Eckhardt explained that basic membership as a supporting community would allow the Town to access funds that the Greenway has available for a whole host of things including assistance in planning, either for the Town itself or for groups that request assistance from the Town for projects related to the Greenway criteria. Eckhardt said there is no cost for membership or other constraints and he did not see any downside to joining.
Councilman Bill Jennings noted that grants through the Greenway are typically 50% matching grants but the match can be in in-kind services. Areas for which grant money is available include planning, economic development and protection of natural, scenic, cultural and open space resources. Grants can be made to individual towns or to groups of towns working jointly on larger scale projects.
Eckhardt said the Board had received letters of encouragement for joining, including one from Jim Bonesteel, President of the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, and one from Mona Berg, proprietor of the Berkshire Mountain House.
In accord with their recent custom following a public hearing, the Board decided to wait another month before voting on a resolution to join the Greenway.
Street Lights
Eckhardt reported that the street light by St. Joseph’s Church has been fixed. The one on Garfield Road by the Heritage Center is still not working properly. He asked that anyone who knows of a defective street light inform a Board member so that it can be fixed as the Town is paying for all the street lights in Town whether they are working or not.
Flu Shots Available
There will be a flu shot clinic sponsored by the Rensselaer County Department of Aging held at the Fire Hall on Thursday, October 6, from 10:30 am to 12 noon. Cathy Lawless, President of the Stephentown Seniors, said the clinic is open to anyone in the Town but asked that those who would like to get their shot call her in advance at 733-6508. The cost of the shot for anyone without insurance will be $35.
Support For The Library
Brian Baker asked that the Board consider supporting the Stephentown Memorial Library with some additional funding. He said the Library had taken a hit in funding last year, along with other Town organizations, and was now short of funds despite heroic efforts in fund raising on the part of the Friends of the Library. Those who put out so much time and energy, he said, can eventually become burned out.
Eckhardt said the Town budget process was just getting started and he expected as usual to receive a lot of information from the Library. He noted, however, that there is now a 2% limit on any tax increase, and he expected this would be difficult in the face of cost increases for items such as fuel, insurance and labor.
Deposits & Spending
The Town Clerk reported she had turned over the sum of $1,380.05 to the Supervisor for the month of August. The distribution from the office of the State Comptroller, Justice Court Fund to the Town was $1,420. The Transfer Station deposited a total of $8,505.
The Board audited and approved claims in the amount of $19,928.41 from the General Account and $103,697.15 from the Highway Account.
The Board set their next regular meeting for Monday, October 17, at 7 pm.