Hoosick Board At Odds Over Armory

by Bea Peterson
The Town of Hoosick Board meeting on Monday, February 13 was very straightforward until the Board chose to go into executive session to discuss a personnel issue. As they were leaving the Board room Councilman Bruce Patire said he had issues to be brought up under old business regarding the Armory. On that note the Board proceeded to the executive session, which lasted one hour and fifteen minutes. Upon returning the Board passed a resolution changing the Registrar of Vital Statistics payment from voucher form to salary.
Armory
Patire then stated there were two errors in the newspaper report regarding the Bidders Conference. [private]He said an elevator would not cost $50,000 to $60,000, but $40,000 per stop. He further stated an abatement study would be $10,000 to $30,000, not the abatement work itself. He then said it was his personal opinion that HAYC3, as a non-profit, should immediately apply to the state to take over the building since that would not require NYS Senate approval. Councilman Mark Surdam reminded him that a committee had been appointed to review all of these suggestions and that the committee’s goal was to have the building used as a multi-function building. Patire felt HAYC3 would be able to obtain grants and receive allowances regarding building changes. Surdam again stated that the purpose of the Committee is to save the Armory and to make it work for Town offices. The committee is meeting on Thursday, February 16, at 6 pm at the Armory and will have a report for the Board in March.
Summer Camp
Town Clerk Sue Stradinger said she has already received requests for summer camp applications. The Board agreed the fees would remain the same last year; $70 a week for Town of Hoosick residents, $75 a week for non-residents. The camp will run for six weeks beginning June 25.
Mild Winter
Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland said winter has been very good, with just another month to go. He said he ordered 220 tons of salt “and it is still sitting there.”
He met again with the people from FEMA, and he said that is going very well. He was told they would be reimbursed within 90 days, but Shiland is anticipating it will be more like 180 days. He said the amount could be close to $50,000.
Bids were received for diesel and #2 fuel oil from Haskins Fuel and Doug’s Oil. Shiland recommended the lower bid from Doug’s be accepted. He said the bid compares “right around the State contract.” The Board accepted the Doug Oil bid.
Exemptions Due March 1
Town Assessor Tony Rice said those eligible for tax exemptions must apply by March 1. So far, he said, 70 percent of eligible seniors and 60 percent of farms have applied. He said they will start making phone calls to those who have not yet applied a week before the deadline.
Permits And Training
Town Building Inspector Charlie Kovage said last month he issued three building permits, five certificates of compliance and attended the first of six building inspector training sessions.
Some Town employees inquired as to why their pay checks were not available on Wednesdays, their pay day. Town Bookkeeper Tyler Sawyer said the Monday holidays had thrown off the check schedule but now that direct deposit has been initiated, there should be no further problems. The employees also had concerns regarding health insurance deductible coverage and were told the coverage is there.
Improved Signs
Town Historian Phil Leonard said the Historical Society received a $5,000 donation and chose to use $1,750 of the money to refurbish the ten signs throughout the Town depicting historic sites. His latest display board showed where the signs are located and the history of the location.
He added that Historical Society membership is up, with 50 percent of the membership living outside of New York State. “We’re in really good shape,” he said.
Leonard said so far 12 additional names have been collected to be placed on the Veterans Wall. The deadline for submitting names to be installed this year is Memorial Day.
Resolutions And Policies
The Board approved a resolution regarding WCW and its non-payment of taxes and supporting whatever Rensselaer County will do to resolve the issue. In a second resolution the Board appointed Ginny Blinstrub as a Deputy Clerk.
The Board approved two policies, one on the prevention of Workplace Violence and a second regarding Drug and Alcohol Testing.
Council Reports
Councilman Louis Schmigel said he attended a three and a half hour HAYC3 meeting. He learned that the $14,000 given to the organization by the Town was used for youth employment and education. Schmigel said that at the last Board meeting he had stated he wanted to know where the money was going. Now, he said, he is “more than comfortable with what they told me.”
He commended the HFCS winter sports teams for their success noting particularly that the Bowling team had defeated the Class A teams by 126 pins. Section II Bowling puts all the Classes together in one tournament. HF is a Class C school, much smaller than Class A.
Councilman Patire reported he was reviewing the insurance policies on the Town trucks. He said there were several gaps and a lot of serious changes must be made.
Councilman Jeff Wysocki said he and Bill Shiland had met with federal officials regarding the Caretakers Bridge issue. He said he believes they will greatly reduce the penalty regarding the pilings that were used in the bridge construction. Wysocki is hopeful the government will give most of the money withheld back to the Town.[/private]