Village of Hoosick Falls Board – New Building Inspector

by Bea Peterson
During the regular meeting of the Hoosick Falls Village Board on Tuesday, May 8, the Board left the room for a short executive session. When they returned they voted unanimously to appoint Edward Holland of Cossayuna as Building Inspector for the Village. Holland’s part time position will be 24 hours a week, with a 90 day probationary period.
[private]Thank You
Mayor Monahan expressed his appreciation to everyone who participated in the Village-wide Cleanup Day on Saturday, May 5. “It has really made a difference,” he said. “Thank you.”
Dedication Ceremony
The Mayor announced that the Fourth Ward Playground will be dedicated to Peg and Jack Bakaitis in a ceremony on Tuesday, June 19, at 6 pm. The couple were responsible for much of the work in restoring that neighborhood park.
Hoosick On The Radio
Mayor Monahan announced that Hoosick will be featured on WGNA/107.7 as part of its May “small town month.”
Memorial Day Parade
The Mayor said the Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 28. Lineup will be at 9:30 am and the Parade will start at 10.
ZBA To Meet June 5
A Griffin Avenue resident asked the Board why the Zoning Board was not meeting. He said he had spoken with the Planning Board about a variance months ago and the session went well. He said six months have gone by and the matter has not been resolved with the Zoning Board. The Mayor set up a meeting of the Zoning Board for Tuesday, June 5. Part of the problem is a shortage of ZBA members. The Mayor added that several people have made a similar inquiry.
County Action On Woods Brook
Winnie Restino and Pam Benkoski inquired about the Woods Brook situation on Hall Street. They noted that the brook had risen quite a bit during this last rain. Mayor Monahan said, “The County has really stepped up and made this a priority.” He said Rensselaer County is willing to apply for grants. He expects the County engineer and the someone from the County Highway Dept. will revamp the area. The County Attorney is working on a draft for property easements so the work can be done. He told the women the situation has gone “from slowest to slow.”
Traffic Concerns
There is a concern that cars coming from the Mechanic Street extension are not heeding the stop sign where the road connects with Cummings Street. Another concern is that cars are being parked right to the corner of Hall Street and visibility for cars exiting Hall Street is hampered by the parked vehicles. A children at play traffic sign will be placed on Rogers Avenue. The Mayor will inform the Police Dept. of these issues and Rogers Avenue traffic will be monitored for a time.
Gates On The Greenway
Three gates will be placed along the Greenway to curb four-wheeler traffic. The Mayor noted that the four-wheelers have been using the flood wall and the dump and have been causing damage.
Burn Law
A Public Hearing will be held at 6 pm on Tuesday, June 12, for discussion of a proposed Local Law #2 regarding Burning Regulations. The Mayor has heard that DEC will not be enforcing the burn law it has on the books. The Village Law will be similar, and it will be enforced.
The Board approved a motion to contribute $1,000 to the Hoosick Hometown Days scheduled for August 2 through 4.[/private]