Another Contentious Hoosick Town Board Meeting

by Bea Peterson
Where Are The Comments?
At the start of the Town Board meeting in April Hoosick Town Supervisor Cipperly read a strongly worded statement criticizing several people and defending himself against breaking and entering charges at the Armory. The minutes of the April meeting, reviewed at the May Town Board meeting, did not include Cipperly’s statement. Councilman Mark Surdam stated the document should have been included in the minutes. They were not.
[private]At the meeting on Monday, June 10, Jim Martinez said he had FOILed (Freedom of Information Law) a request for a copy of that document and had not received it. Town Clerk Sue Stradinger said she did not have a copy of it. Cipperly said that at the April meeting there were 10 copies of his remarks. He did not keep one and he doesn’t know where the other copies went. Margaret Casey stated that those remarks should be part of the minutes of the April meeting. Cipperly had no comment other than to say there were no copies.
No More Television Recordings
Casey then asked why Charlie Filkins was no longer recording the meetings so that they could be shown on public access television. Cipperly responded that he always helped Filkins load up his equipment after the meetings and it was time consuming. He suggested Charlie “take a few months off,” and “I just never got back to him.” Dave Sutton then asked if the decision not to have the meetings recorded should have been a Board decision, not one made by the Supervisor alone.
Counterattack
Cipperly then accused Margaret Casey of breaking into his office. He had copies of photos on Facebook that showed the mural on the wall of his office. Councilman Mark Surdam said those were taken during an open house of the Save the Armory Committee. Surdam said he and some others, not Casey, had gone up the back stairs of the building and opened an unlocked door and found themselves in that office and a photo was taken of the mural. Cipperly said he keeps confidential Town information and family information in there and they should not have broken into his office. Dennis Casey told Cipperly that Town information should be kept in the Clerk’s office safe, not in his office.
To say this portion of the meeting was contentious is an understatement. And politics being what they are, the contention will, no doubt, continue.
Maintaining Athletic Complex An Issue
Concerns regarding the Town skating rink, swimming pool, tennis and basketball courts and the castle playground were brought up at the meeting. Everyone agreed that the deterioration of some of the equipment did not happen overnight. There was also general agreement by the Board and those attending the meeting that many issues have occurred since Leo McGuire retired. McGuire put in countless hours every day for years supervising activities and maintaining the complex. When he retired, he was not replaced. Much of the responsibility for the upkeep of the complex became an additional job for the highway department. During the comment session Bronnie Powers said, “So many people are amazed at what we have here. It’s a jewel, and we must keep it.”
Playground
The issue of the deteriorating playground was brought up at the May meeting. At this meeting young Bernie Davock offered to rework and repair the playground as his Eagle Scout project. He will work with Highway Superintendent Louis Schmigel, Councilman Mark Surdam and Town Building Inspector Ed King. Schmigel told the Board that Davock has two years to complete the project. The Board was pleased with this offer, and Councilman Bruce Patire told Davock it was a great project and “If you need us [the Board] we’re here.” Schmigel said if anyone else wants to get involved they should contact him.
Pool
Councilman Kevin Allard pointed out that estimates to repair the pool range between $350,000 to $400,000. He said repairs have been made so the pool can be used this season and after the pool closes this year more work will be done. The first step will be to have a non-destructive GPR (ground penetrating radar) system scanning done of the pool at a cost of $7,000. The results of the scanning will help determine whether the pool can be relined or whether other options will be required.
The Board approved the use of the pool on June 21 for HFCS fifth and sixth grades and swimming lessons for Valley Falls and Pittstown.
Supervisor Keith Cipperly was he was talking to Village Mayor David Borge about the water bill for filling the pool.
Skating Rink
Dennis Casey said he was livid at the condition of the skating rink. He said the area can’t be used for anything. He said there are bolts lying on the ground where they have come out of the boards surrounding the rink. He is particularly perturbed because he was one of the people who worked to build the rink. Allard added that David St. Hilaire put the cement in for the rink.
Though the rink was not used much this past winter, it will be used for a week this summer. Mike LaPorte addressed the Board asking that the roof on the skating rink be checked for leaks in case of rain when the Youth Wrestling Tournament will be held there the last weekend in July. He also asked if some kind of brochure could be put together listing area places to get food and gas and places to visit. The task fell to Phil Leonard and the Historical Society.
LaPorte said he was grateful to the community for all the support it provides for this event that brings young wrestlers and their families from across the country. He said Hoosac School has graciously offered its dorm rooms for $40 for the weekend. He added there will be a buffet dinner and golf tournament at the Hoosick Falls Country Club for the group on that Saturday evening.
Tennis/Basketball Courts
At last month’s meeting Patire offered to look into prices for coating the tennis and basketball courts. “The prices are downright scary,” he said. He had one company, Copeland Coating Co., Inc. of Nassau, respond to his inquiries. The courts require one thick coat and two finish coats. The cost is $12,000 for the tennis court and another $12,000 for the basketball court. Patire said the company told him they would hold the price through next year if the Town wanted to do the tennis court this year and the basketball court next year. Patire noted that they found one crack in the blacktop that is 173 feet long. The Board was willing to accept the bid, but Town Bookkeeper Tyler Sawyer reminded them that the amount exceeds the Town’s threshold for what can be approved without a bid. He recommended the Town look at its purchasing policy and increase its limit, as the State has done.
The Town Clerk had a request from Coach Mike Lilac to hold the annual four day basketball camp. A discussion followed as to whether it was a Town camp and the Town did the hiring or was Lilac running the camp. If Lilac runs it, he needs to provide a certificate of insurance. The Board agreed to consult with Lilac to see which way he prefers to operate the camp.
Athletic Fields
Mowing the athletic fields was another issue brought up at last month’s meeting. Patire said that when he was involved in the baseball program years ago he used to mow the fields. The Board approved putting the mowing of the fields out for bid. The question was asked if the Town can’t mow it, why not ask the Village or the School to mow it. “We pay taxes to all of them,” said Bronnie Powers. Schmigel and the Board responded that any of them will help out in a pinch, but they all have their own equipment to maintain and their own properties to mow. He added that the Highway Department mows 10 acres of Town property and roadways a week.
Priorities
Councilman Allard said the School Board puts together a priority list of projects to be undertaken over years. He said he would like to see the Town do the same thing with the Athletic Complex and he would like to put such a list together. Patire offered to help him. The Board approved the suggestion.
Woods Brook
Supervisor Keith Cipperly reported that he has spoken with NYS DEC regarding FEMA flood risk mapping and the Hall Street situation. He said there were meetings in March and October and Woods Brook was listed as a number three priority in the State and the top of the list in Rensselaer County. Cipperly said he told officials that Woods Brook needs to be a higher priority. “These people have waited long enough for some action,” he said.
Lien On Foreclosures
The Board approved holding a Public Hearing on Local Law #1 of 2013 regarding the upkeep and maintenance of properties held in foreclosure by banks. This law would allow the Town to mow the lawns on these properties and assess the cost of doing so as a lien on such property when it is sold.
In other business Town Clerk Sue Stradinger reported fees of $900 for six junkyard licenses, $1,302 for summer camp registrations and $1,290 for conservation licenses plus various other licenses and permits in the amount of $3,909.50. Of that amount $2,596.75 was turned over to the Town Supervisor.
Town Assessor Tony Rice said the final Assessment Roll will be available July 1.
New Tractor Received
Highway Superintendent Louis Schmigel reported that the new tractor was received two days after last month’s meeting. He noted they could be mowing tomorrow (Tuesday). Bronnie Powers asked why a new mower was needed at all. Schmigel reiterated his comments from the previous meeting, clarifying some of the figures. He said the old mower was a 1998 model. It had been repaired once for more than $7,000. It again needed repairs of $7,350. The new tractor was purchased through State bidding for $44,000, with discounts and an $8,000 trade-in of the old mower. There was $38,000 in the budget for the purchase and $10,000 was transferred from the Highway Fund Balance, totaling $48,000. This left $4,000 for additional parts and retrofitting. So far, Schmigel said, he believes less than $1,000 has been spent on parts and retrofitting.
The Good Old Days
Town Historian Phil Leonard has put together a new display board. This one shows photos of the Hoosick Falls Main Street business section from 1885 to 1927 from the Municipal Building to the Wood Block. He noted that in 1890 Hoosick Falls was the most prosperous Village in New York State.
Veterans Names
Leonard said he thought he was through gathering names for the Veterans Wall in Wood Park but he is continuing to get requests for names to be added. He said he is also eager to have the names of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans placed on the wall as well.
Appointments
The Board approved the reappointment of Wally Sheffer to the Zoning Board of Appeals until April 30, 2018, and the appointment of Kathy Bugbee to the Town of Hoosick Housing Authority until September 30, 2019.
The Board approved Rachel Greene as a camp counselor and Tom Peabody, Sean Dingman and Allison Philpott as lifeguards.
Councilman Jeff Wysocki said the Farmland Protection Plan has been approved by the NYS and American Farmland Trust. He thanked everyone who worked on putting it together.
Shopping Local
In his remarks at the end of the meeting, Cipperly encouraged residents to pledge for the month of June to “shop local.” As an example, he said Tops Friendly Markets has put a lot of money into refurbishing the old Grand Union and it is important to support that effort. He said gas should be purchased in the area, if possible. “The sales tax revenue generated is what is used by the Town for local donations,” he said.
July Meeting
The next monthly meeting of the Board will be on Monday, July 8. Bids for mowing the athletic field and for coating the tennis court and/or basketball court will be opened at 6:45 pm followed by a public hearing on the Local Law #1 of 2013 regarding maintenance of foreclosed properties. The regular meeting will follow.[/private]