by Bea Peterson
During the people to be heard portion of the Hoosick Town Board meeting Monday evening, January 9, Kevin Allard, a member of the Save the Armory Committee, suggested the Board reduce its options from four sites to two regarding a future Town Hall. He recommended that the Patire and Weeb’s Fish Fry properties be dropped from the list and the Board focus on either renovating the Armory or building a new Town Hall. [private]He further suggested an RFP (Request for Proposal) be sent to architectural and engineering firms seeking detailed plans for improving the Armory and for a new structure. He added that Bill Cottrell had done a fine job responding to the requests of the Board in reviewing the four sites but that now it was time to move to the next phase.
Cipperly pointed out that the State might not be willing to give the Armory to the Town if the whole Board was not in agreement. Save the Armory Committee Chairman Shelly Stiles encouraged him to wait until all the information had been presented to him before he made a decision.
Later in the meeting Councilman Mark Surdam proposed the Board eliminate both Patire’s and Weeb’s as sites for a Town Hall and narrow the search to either the Armory and/or a new building. Surdam’s proposal was seconded by Councilman Jeff Wysocki. The were both appointed by the Board to serve on the Armory Committee. Councilman Bruce Patire abstained as his property was one of the properties to be eliminated. Supervisor Keith Cipperly voted no and Councilman Louis Schmigel voted yes. Cipperly’s concern was that the Town now has no backup or escape plan should the Armory people decide the Town must vacate the building. Surdam does not believe that will happen. Surdam next proposed that the process begin to create an RFP. Cipperly seconded the proposal, and the rest of the Board approved it. Village Board Trustee Ric DiDonato asked the Board if the Town already owned property on which to build a new Town Hall. Cipperly responded that they did. They own the athletic field near the skating rink and land near the Town garage. He would prefer to see a new building in the athletic field.
Special Board Meeting
On Wednesday, January 18, at 6 pm the Committee will present the RFP to the Town Board for final approval so that it may then be advertised to architectural and engineering firms. Cipperly suggested they simply give the RFP to a firm that has done work for the Town in the past. Some members of the Board and several Committee members were opposed to the idea stating it was important to get as many ideas from as many different sources as possible. The Board and the Committee agreed it is important to move quickly on this process, hence the special meeting two weeks before the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The Save the Armory Committee met on Wednesday evening, January 11, to brainstorm ideas for uses for the Armory and to review the RFP prepared by Committee Member Mike Batcher to present to the Town Board.
A primary concern of some Board members is the increase in taxes to pay for renovating the Armory or building a new Town Hall as opposed to either of the other two options. Patire said, “Remember, forty percent of the taxpayers in the Town make under $50,000 a year. People don’t want to see their taxes go up.”
Highway Deputy Superintendent
The Board approved the request of Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland to appoint Charles Thurber as Deputy Superintendent. Thurber has worked in the Highway Department for 16 years. He will be in charge when Shiland is not available or is on vacation.
Shiland reported that an OSHA official spent two and a half days inspecting the Highway Department. “She was very thorough and found only two very minor violations,” he said.
White Creek Bridge
The Board approved Shiland to “execute and administer the contract with Creighton Manning Engineering, LLP to perform the engineering for the preliminary and final design for the White Creek Road over White Creek Bridge replacement.”
Roadway Issues
Shiland said the State has reviewed Tory Hill Road and has reduced the speed limit there from 55 to 40 miles per hour.
He said they have also reviewed the passing zone on Route 22 near Shingle Hollow and have determined it is not a hazard and it will remain as it is. They first reviewed the area in 2004 and from that time to the present, there have been no accidents at that spot.
Deadline For Filing Exemptions
Town Tax Assessor Tony Rice reminded everyone that the deadline for senior citizens and not-for-profits to file for tax exemptions in March 1.
Woods Brook
Pam Benkoski and Winifred Restino told the Board that the railroad tie wall next to the Woods Brook and near their properties on Main and Hall Streets has deteriorated significantly in the last year. Since Tropical Storm Irene and the heavy storm the following week, more debris has fallen into the brook. Benkoski said bricks from the culvert under Main Street are also falling into the brook. She said there is a chunk of cement in the brook that is too heavy for her to remove. Mrs. Restino said that years ago her husband had to climb down a ladder to get into the culvert in the brook in their back yard. Now, she said, that culvert is practically filled in. She has had to do her garage over because of the flooding, she added. “This has been going on for 20 years,” she said. The women added that there are now sink holes bubbling up on the Hall Street properties. Benkoski asked the Board if they had pursued this problem. Supervisor Cipperly responded, “To be honest with you, nothing has been done.”
Benkoski said she understood the Village had $15,000 to do an engineering study, and she wondered where that money was and when the study would be done. She said Mayor Monahan and DEC people had looked at the brook right after the storms, but she doesn’t know if there was any agreement as to what should happen. The women will attend the next Village Board meeting to ask for an update.
From the floor James Martinez asked if there was a protocol for addressing the Board. He stated that at the previous meeting when he spoke, he was frequently interrupted. Councilman Patire, who was not a councilman at the time, told Martinez. “You’re right. I did interrupt, and I apologize for that.” Supervisor Cipperly said, “That is why we like people to come to the podium and not speak from the floor. You are addressing the Board.” He added that he has been very open to people and wants an open meeting. “I’ve said a hundred thousand times, call me any time, call my house.”
Shelly Stiles asked if the minutes of the Board meeting could be placed on the website. Cipperly said there was not space on the site for the minutes, though, perhaps a link could be set up. “I enjoy seeing all the faces at the meeting,” he said. “When I was first here only five people attended the meetings. I like to have people show up.”
Ellen Scott asked why Pioneer Commercial Bank was selected for Town banking. Bookkeeper Tyler Sawyer said the Town was charged over $2,000 in fees using Key Bank, not counting the $400 for checks. With Pioneer, he said, there would be zero charges.
Happy 50th Birthday “New” School
Town Historian Phil Leonard presented his latest display board and said, “the new central school is now 50 years old.” He explained the Town originally had 23 different school districts and school boards. When consolidation was brought up with tax incentives, the Town voted strongly for consolidation. He said that at that time, when the high school was in the old Woods Mansion, they were holding three sessions a day. Leonard was school principal at the time, so he clearly remembers all the ins and outs of the events, and he spoke of some of them. Where the school was to be built was an issue that was resolved when Mr. Wysocki offered the District 43 acres for $7,500. Leonard said that from 1976 until 1978 there were 1,800 kids attending the school. “And at that time St. Mary’s Academy also had a high school,” he said. “The first basketball game we held at the new school we had to turn people away.”
He said the District tore down the parts of the school that were added to the Woods Mansion and there was talk of people putting apartments into it. When that fell through, the District gave the Mansion to the Village for a dollar. The Village finally had it torn down. Later the Wood Park Apartments were built on the site.
The display board has pictures of all the small school houses and pictures relating to the building of the central school.
Leonard told the Board that the Veterans Wall Committee is still collecting names to add to the wall. He said they have received an additional $1,200 in donations and that meditation benches will be added after winter.
HAYC3 Donation
There was considerable discussion about the Town’s contribution to the HAYC3 Youth Center. Councilman Schmigel said he had no problem with the Town giving money to the Youth Center, but he wanted to know where that money was being spent. “When I walk down the street,” he said, “I want to be able to tell the taxpayers where their money is being spent.” Councilman Surdam explained that when Leo McGuire ran the Youth Center, as well as the skating rink and the pool, the Town paid his salary. Though nothing was written, when Leo retired, the Town contributed one third of Leo’s salary, or $14,000 to the Center. It was to defray the salaries of high school students who worked at the Center. Then, said Surdam, there became the possibility of a liability issue in paying those salaries. At that point, the Board chose to simply contribute $14,000 to the Center. However, in the past two years that amount was decreased to $10,930. Councilman Patire met with the HAYC3 Board recently to discuss the additional $3,070 the Center would like to have from the Town. Since paying for oil for the old structure is a challenge for the Center, Patire spoke with John Cooney of Doug’s Oil. Cooney agreed to bill the Town at $3.04 a gallon for fuel oil for the Center up to the amount of $3,070. The Board agreed to this idea. Schmigel said he felt it was important to have some sort of contract with HAYC3. “I have a problem giving them $14,000 without an explanation,” he said. He added that any group the Town gives money to, the Library or whoever, “We should know where that money is spent.”
Councilman Wysocki reported that he has finally heard back from Congressman Gibson’s office regarding the $36,300 in federal funds held back from the Caretaker’s Bridge project. He said the Congressman is looking into it, and he is hopeful the Town will receive the funds.
Wysocki said he has spoken with Zoning Board Chairman Jim Hoag about the Farmland Protection proposal and, “Hopefully we will move on with that.”
Upcoming Skating Events
On Sunday, January 29, the Girl Scouts will be skating in the afternoon. Details were not clear in the request they submitted the day of the meeting. Supervisor Cipperly asked that requests for use of Town facilities be submitted at least a week before the meeting.
On Saturday, February 4, HAYC3 will offer free skating for two hours, starting at 1 pm.
On Saturday, February 18, the Kiwanis Club will hold its annual skating event from 1 to 4 pm
In other business the Board approved:
• renewing the liquor license for Barbecue Recreation;
• renewing a salvage permit for Cahill’s on Route 7 now that an eight foot high fence has been installed around the property.
The Board also, once again, tabled the signing of the rental agreement for the Armory with the State until there is further clarification.
The next meeting of the Town Board will be on Wednesday, January 18, at 6 pm to review the RFP for renovations to the Armory and plans for a new Town Hall.[/private]