New Faces On The Hoosick Falls Board

by Bea Peterson
Three Board members and the Mayor were sworn in at the beginning of the Hoosick Falls Village Board meeting on Tuesday, April 9. Village Trustee Ric DiDonato was re-elected in March for a fourth term. He was appointed Deputy Mayor. Kevin O’Malley was recently elected Trustee. Ben Patten was appointed Trustee to fill the one year remaining of Mayor Dave Borge’s term. Borge was elected Mayor in March. The Mayor said newly elected Trustee Bob Ryan had day surgery on Friday and was not well enough yet to attend Tuesday’s meeting, but he is going to be fine. The other Trustees are Robert Downing and Jeremy Driscoll.
[private]Mayor Borge began the meeting by saying the staff, who were in attendance, and the Board are honored to serve the Village. “We will do our best and try to do the right thing. We may make mistakes and if we do, we will own up to them.” He said the timing is right to look at community revitalization. “Businesses and houses are for sale. We can just let this continue or we can make plans for the future.” He would like to see a community plan that looks forward five to ten to fifteen years. “If we don’t do anything, nothing will happen. We have to get together and work together.” At the May meeting he intends to name a committee that will make some recommendations regarding the downtown area. “There are a lot of things happening; there is a lot going on.” He said there are many people doing things on their own and that is terrific, but he feels with a little bit of focus, strides can be made. He hopes the committee will have some recommendations within 60 to 90 days. “This community has a rich history, and we have to take advantage of that. So, this is the direction we’re headed in addition to the day to day stuff,” he said. He is also looking for volunteer grant writers adding that there is still money out there, but if we don’t go looking for it, we won’t find it.
Village Audit
Mayor Borge said that last summer the Village books were audited by the State. “They looked at lots and lots of stuff on file here,” he said. Since there had not been an audit in 12 years, he said, “We did remarkably well. There was no money where it shouldn’t be. We were cited for some procedures and, for five of the 10 procedures, changes are already in progress.” He said in the future two Board members and a Village resident will be looking at the best practices to put in place.
Village Treasurer Denise McMahon reported that as of March 31 the general, water and sewer accounts were at 85.5 percent, which is on track for the fiscal year. Revenue is at 73%, she said. She added that there will not be a final status until June when all the bills are in.
Transfer Station Summer Hours
The Transfer Station is now open on Tuesdays from 8 am to noon as well as Saturdays from 8 am until 2 pm.
The Water, Sewer and Village Highway crews will once again work four ten hour days a week beginning May 6 until the end of September.
The Board approved the renting of a street sweeper and crew for three eight hour days for $2,500 a day starting May 13. They expect to sweep all the Village streets.
Sewer Work
Jeffrey Tubolino, project manager for the MRB Group reported that sewer televising and cleaning is underway on Lyman, Church, Water and Superior Streets and a flow meter will soon be installed at the River Road pump station.
Zoning Improvements
Addressing Zoning and Nuisance laws, Mayor Borge said, “We can’t make buildings disappear, but Rensselaer County can provide us some help.” He added that this is a difficult issue “but one we have to take on.” He said, “We have to be serious about enforcing laws that affect the quality of life for residents and that make a significant difference.” To that end the Village Nuisance Law has been re-instituted and is being coordinated by the Police Department and the Building Inspector. A Committee to hear appeals concerning issues with the Law will be formed and will consist of independent residents and members of the Zoning and Planning Boards. Borge reported that both the Zoning Board and the Planning Board are now fully staffed.
A Zoning Study Group was established last fall. Borge appointed Shane Hathaway and Kevin O’Malley to serve on that Group. He added that three members of the Board will be in charge of a committee to review the Village’s entire zoning law package from 1977. He said some changes were made in 1992 and other revisions were made in 2002/2003. He said the law has contradictions and, in other cases, laws have not been enforced consistently. He said he expects the review committee to come back with recommendations no later than September so the Board can see what is pertinent and what makes sense.
Police Report
Hoosick Falls Police Chief Robert Ashe reported that the Stop DWI program has been very effective. “Our numbers are going down,” he said. He also reported that the federal government is paying $950 each for Village officers to have tactical vests. He said the Department was recently awarded a $30,000 grant for a live scan finger printing and photographing system that will immediately send print and photos statewide. He expects the new system will be up and running by August.
Assistant Chief Harold McClellan said the bicycle patrols undertaken through a HAYC3 grant not only help patrol streets but have been very successful in seat belt and cell phone watches.
Voice For Vets Events
Gail Smith from the Hoosick Falls Community Alliance Church said the Church will be holding a Veterans Breakfast on Saturday, April 13, from 9 to 11 am. There will be music by the HFCS Jazz Band and tributes paid to the Veterans.
On Saturday, May 18, Armed Forces Day, the Voice for Vets will hold an event at the Armory from 10 am to 3 pm. There will be tributes paid to local veterans from the Civil War, World Wars I and II and more. The program will conclude at Wood Park where a flag that was flown over the Tomb of the Unknown in Washington, DC, will be raised in Wood Park and lowered to half staff until Memorial Day. Gail noted the group is working with the American Legion on this project. She also said they are encouraging as many young people as possible to participate in this event to remind them of the sacrifices made by so many Veterans.
Mayor Borge congratulated HFCS third grade teacher Terry Burdick for being selected as a Channel 13 Teacher of the Week.
He also said the Hoosick Falls Fire Department is holding a recruitment Open House on Saturday, April 27, from 10 am to 2 pm.
DiDonato said there will be guided walks on the Greenway on Saturday, April 20, to celebrate Earth Day. There will be walks focusing on birding, water fowl, wildflowers and edible greens. Walks will be from 9 to 11 am and start at the old water plant.
The Board approved the following requests from:
• Bill Johnston to set a stand with information on becoming a bone marrow donor at the Laces for Life 5k Run and Walk on April 20;
• Hubbard Hall to perform Twelfth Night in Wood Memorial Park either Tuesday, July 23, or Thursday, July 25;
• HAYC3 for village trucks to be in place for the Village Cleanup on May 4. Deputy Mayor DiDonato said if residents know of a place to be cleaned or if there are older people unable to do the clean-up themselves, let the Board or HAYC3 know and a team will be sent to do the clean-up. Mayor Borge added that grass clippings and twigs from yard work may be dropped off at the Transfer Station that week at no charge – but only grass and twigs;
• Mr. Ding a Ling for a peddler’s permit which includes restrictions regarding certain streets;
• Dominic Oliveri to move the Suicide Prevention/Tyler Marcoux Memorial event from Classic Street to Wood Park, from 10 am to 10 pm on Saturday, October 5.
Organizational Meeting
The Mayor reminded everyone that the Village Organizational Meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 16, at 6 pm, followed by a public hearing on the tentative budget.
The Mayor concluded the meeting by saying the Treasurer will be looking into all outstanding debts owed to the Village. The reasons these debts have not been paid will be reviewed and, in many cases, legal avenues will be pursued.
Building Inspector’s Report
In March Building Inspector Ed Holland received five building permit applications. Two were approved and three were denied. Holland attended two court cases, responded to four nuisance calls and to three fire/emergency calls. Twelve apartments were inspected. Eight passed inspection, four failed. The Inspector attended 12 public meetings and 15 municipal meetings.
Holland reported the Village’s solar project is awaiting NYS approval. The Nuisance Law Project with the Police Department is now in place and working well. Improvements to the Armory are progressing.{/private]