RFP Process Suspended
by Bea Peterson
At the start of the special Hoosick Town Board meeting on Wednesday, February 29, Town Supervisor Keith Cipperly announced to the crowd of almost 50 people that he wanted to keep the armory open as much as anyone else. “We’re all on the same page,” he said. He, however, wants to see it kept open as a community center not as a Town Hall. [private]He then announced that he and Councilman Louis Schmigel had met earlier in the day with members of the HAYC3 Board, and Cipperly announced that HAYC3 was willing to take over the building. Members of the HAYC3 Board of Directors could not be reached by press time to confirm their desire to take over the Armory. He then opened the floor for comments. And for the next hour and three quarters comments flew back and forth.
The original purpose of the meeting had been to narrow the list of engineering firms submitting proposals to analyze the renovation of the Armory or the building of a new Town Hall. Nineteen proposals had been received. However, the Board, over the weekend, was advised by Town Attorney Debra Young that the RFPs had been opened and reviewed in an illegal manner and the RFP process should be suspended. This fact was rebutted by Save the Armory Committee Chairman Shelley Stiles with information she had from the State Comptroller’s office. In any case, just before the close of the meeting, the Board unanimously approved suspending the RFP process until at least the March 12 regular Board meeting on advice of the Town Attorney. Attorney Young was not at the meeting, nor was Town Clerk Sue Stradinger. Attorney Young did not reply to requests for more information on the issue by press time.
Other reasons for suspending the process included the cost of having any of these studies undertaken.
Some members of the Board felt the RFPs would be unnecessary if HAYC3 were to take over the building. Several people questioned the ability of HAYC3 to maintain the building. Others questioned what kind of restrictions HAYC3 bylaws would have on the community renting the building. For example, for a wedding reception where there was alcohol served and children were present. This could be an issue.
Everyone agreed that what HAYC3 has done for the Youth Center is incredible but can they take on this larger structure? Cipperly said he could see increasing the amount the Town currently gives HAYC3 from $14,000 to $19,000. Later in the meeting he suggested giving them $10,000 a year for five years. He also said the Town would rent office space from them for the next several months.
Village Board Member Ric DiDonato suggested that before a decision regarding HAYC3 was made, HAYC3 should present a proposal to the Board with their plans for the building. He felt that was the most professional way to handle any decision. No one from HAYC3 was at the meeting, and after the meeting no one from HAYC3 was available for comment.
Buy It For A Buck
The question was asked why the Town didn’t buy the building for a dollar and then let HAYC3 use it. Councilman Bruce Patire and Supervisor Cipperly are adamantly opposed to the Town owning the structure. Patire stated emphatically that the Town owning the building is cost prohibitive. He listed prices for an elevator, renovations, a sprinkler system, asbestos abatement, etc. He also said the Town could not get insurance coverage for asbestos or lead paint. It was pointed out from the floor that companies that do that sort of work usually have their own insurance. The issue of serving people with disabilities was brought up. Barbara Sussman said these were issues that could be resolved by offering assistance to anyone who could not access records themselves by having someone in the building retrieve them. She offered countless services to assist the Town getting through this process.
According to the Board, if the Town buys the building for $1, the purchase has to be approved by the NYS Senate in June. If HAYC3 takes the building, it falls into a different category, that of not-for-profit and for community use. Therefore, it does not require Senate approval and doesn’t even require the $1 for purchase.
The general opinion was that the Town should own the building in partnership with HAYC3.
Patire asserted that if the Town buys the building, as a municipal structure, it must be brought up to code in all areas. If HAYC3 takes the building, as a non-profit, they do not have to make any changes to the building.
Sussman pointed out that the Town could receive revenue from events held in the Armory and that could augment some of the cost of renovations. Improvements to the building could be made over a period of years.
Councilman Mark Surdam firmly believes the Town should buy the building for $1. “I believe we should be community leaders in this matter,” he said. “As elected officials we should take the lead. I believe we could take that oil tank out of the ground and make it a non-issue. We, as leaders, should be concerned about contaminates in our ground!”
Not taking over the Armory and letting it go empty was referred to as a “death knell” for Hoosick Falls.
Baker’s Nursery Offered
Patire reiterated that the Town needs more space for its records. He said they had an offer from Baker’s Nursery for their building on Route 22 with two acres for $180,000. He said with $120,000 in renovations, the Town could have a new building for less than $350,000.
Dave Sutton pointed out that when the Village municipal building burned and was torn down, a nondescript building, without character replaced it. To use a place like Baker’s would give the Town a building without character. The Armory serves a purpose, he said. Sutton suggested the Board use the energy and the people in the room not to fight but to work together to solve any problems with making the Armory viable for the community and for use as a Town Hall.
One of the big issues is that the Town has until March 31 to vacate the building if they are not going to purchase it. No one truly believes the Town will be bounced out, but it could happen.
Ellen Scott put Councilmen Schmigel, Surdam and Jeff Wysocki on the spot. She said they had previously voted to either keep the Armory or build a new Town Hall. Did they feel that way now, she asked. Schmigel said he still favored new. Wysocki said, if not the Armory, then he might consider another less expensive site as opposed to new, and Surdam said he is in favor of keeping the Armory.
Scott then thanked Stiles and Michael Batcher for all the work they had put into gathering information and getting the RFPs. “You must be heartbroken,” she told Stiles, “by what’s happened here tonight.” Scott also placed a dollar on the Board’s table for them to use to purchase the Armory. Cipperly and the Board also thanked Stiles, Batcher and the Committee for all the work that had been done.
Everyone in attendance felt having HAYC3 take over the building came as a big shock and was difficult to digest on the spot. They also would like to see a public referendum on the Town purchasing the Armory or not. Patire said that would require a full blown plan for use of the Armory before it could go for referendum so people would know what they were voting for.
The meeting concluded. Folks clustered about with much talking before they left the building.
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