Village of Hoosick Falls Gives Funds To Country Club And HAYC3

by Bea Peterson
The Board of the Village of Hoosick Falls met on Tuesday, November 13. All members were present, including John Hickey who has been recovering from illness. At the meeting Mayor Matt Monahan said he had approached the Hoosick Falls Country Club about applying for a grant through the Village’s Economic Development Fund. [private]The Mayor pointed out that the Club is now open year around. He said they have recently winterized the building using local contractors. Improvements include moving water lines and redoing the heating system. Monahan said he would prefer the sum of $18,000 be a grant as the Country Club is a great asset to the community and it would be “money well spent.” The Country Club is a not for profit organization and the Mayor pointed out it does much to support the community through golf tournaments and other fund raisers.
Trustee Hickey said he felt the money should be a grant. Trustee David Borge was concerned this would set a precedent. Trustee Ric DiDonato said it wouldn’t be a bad precedent. Other people have requested loans without having good business plans, he said.
The Country Club falls within the Fund guidelines as it has two full time employees and seven part time employees. The Board agreed to grant the funds with one percent interest until January 1, 2014, when the grant will be revisited.
Mayor Monahan said the Fund has between $270,000 and $290,000 in it at the present time.
Donation To HAYC3
Next the Mayor proposed giving a donation of $30,000 to HAYC3 to help out with their takeover of the Armory. Monahan said they are now officially in control of the building. He said this money, which would come from the general fund balance, would be a gift to wish the organization good luck. He noted that the Village is pushing the limit of what it is allowed by law to keep in the fund balance.
The Board approved the gift, and Deputy Mayor Paul Haynes noted that HAYC3 “essentially took over what would have been an abandoned building.”
A request from HAYC3 for Economic Development Funds was tabled until next month as it was a rather complex plan and the Mayor wanted Board members to have a chance to review it.
Trustee Bob Downing reported that a container box is coming from the Eastern Rensselaer County Solid Waste Management Authority soon. The recycling of electronic devices will be resumed then.
DiDonato reported that a New Year’s Eve fundraiser will be held at the Hoosick Falls Country Club. The funds will support the Greenway and the Country Club.
Borge reported that the Building Inspector has issued 16 permits, attended 25 meetings with residents, completed 12 apartment inspections and issued eight citations. He said he had received several comments on the fact the window was replaced in the building at the corner of John and Church Streets. He noted that one of the buildings on lower John Street will be taken down by Court order.
Haynes reported that a manhole caved in and had to be replaced. He also reviewed the Treasurer’s report noting that all funds were in good shape.
Mayor Monahan said the Dissolution Study Committee has met twice and, at the moment, there was not a lot to report. He said they will next go to the Town Board regarding keeping the police department, which everyone wants to see kept. He expects the Town Board will get back to them after their December meeting.
Election Notice
A motion was made to publish a notice designating offices to be filled and terms of office for the March 19, 2013, election. Positions to be filled are that of the Mayor and Trustees Ric DiDonato, Paul Haynes and John Hickey. Polls will be open on election day from noon to 9 pm.
In other business the Board agreed to look into the feasibility of using solar power and to work on a grant for better monitoring of gasoline use.
A request for bids to (1) clear and (2) resurface the Northern section of the Hoosick River Greenway will be published. The two separate bids must be submitted by 3 pm on December 7.
The Snowmobile Access Agreement, which is the same as last year, was approved. The Mayor noted that snowmobiles are only allowed on the northern portion of the Greenway, not on the southern portion or on the floodway.
No bids were received for the old police cars and the Building Inspector’s car. It was agreed they would be taken to William Brownell’s recycling facility on Route 67.and sold for scrap.[/private]