by Bea Peterson
At the meeting on Thursday, November 14, the Town of Hoosick Board passed the 2014 budget with little fanfare. There were no changes made to the budget from the preliminary to final stage. Overall there was a 1.51 percent decrease from the budget of the previous year. Though there was no fuss at the Board meeting, there was some fuss at the Public Hearing on November 7. [private]It was Court night, and no request had been made to use a portion of the large room in the Armory for the hearing. Thus, Supervisor Keith Cipperly, Board Members Wysocki, Surdam, Allard and Patire, the Town Clerk Sue Stradinger and Bookkeeper Tyler Sawyer and the insurance representative congregated behind the divider in the Clerk’s small office. Only the Clerk and the Bookkeeper were seated. A half dozen people stood on the other side of the divider while more people crowded in the doorway. Cipperly asked Surdam if he wanted to make any changes to the budget. Surdam declined on such short notice. Dennis Casey said there was no appropriation in the budget for an outside audit. Sawyer responded that the Town has had two audits in the last few years and an outside audit is not required annually. Casey was concerned that there was no allocation in the budget for repairs to the pool. Sawyer said the pool repairs will be covered from the Town’s fund balance. He added he wouldn’t put the pool in the budget as it is a one time expense. Casey was not at all happy with this procedure. Sawyer said that caution should be used when putting the fund balance in the budget as there may not be a fund balance the next year. He also noted that the Town was not using the entire fund balance and that the Town still had a rainy day fund. Putting the pool repairs in a Reserve Fund was also discussed, but then, if all the money is not used, it can’t be moved from that Reserve Fund. In the end no changes were made.
Health Plan
The second issue at the Public Hearing was a discussion of the employee’s health plan. A colorful chart of the health plan renewal and analysis was distributed. It included five nameless plans labeled 1 through 5 with the monthly cost and benefits. When one employee asked which of the five plans they had now, an answer was not given. Cipperly had the Board look over the various plans and cost figures and they agreed plans 1 and 5 best met the needs of the employees and the Town. It appeared the County option only offered HMOs and offered no savings to the employees or the Town. Once the Board decided on plans 1 and 5, it turned out the enrollment date for plan 5 had already passed. Plan 1 was selected, and it turned out to be the plan the employees already had.
That insurance plan was also approved at the November 14 meeting.
At that regular meeting a letter from Rick Tinkham was read that stated he was resigning from the Hoosick Housing Authority as soon as a new member could be appointed.
HAYC3 requested use of the Town Athletic Field for Pumpkinpalooza on September 27 and 28, 2014. Cipperly asked that the request be tabled until Youth Football had been approached. The Board agreed.
Stradinger reported that she collected $17,524.20 in conservation licenses in October. She also collected fees for nine building permits, other licenses and permits for a total of $18,432.25. Of that amount $1,367.13 was remitted to the Town Supervisor.
Assessor Tony Rice reported that Senior STAR applications are coming in and that non-senior homeowners need to get online soon to claim their STAR exemptions for their primary residences.
Highway Superintendent Louis Schmigel had no report.
A question arose from the floor as to why the November rent to HAYC3 had not been paid. The Supervisor responded that the check was in the mail.
A question was asked as to why the minutes of the previous meeting are not read aloud. The response was that the Board reviews the minutes and, if there are changes, they note them at the meeting, but they are not read aloud.
Town Historian Phil Leonard presented Tour #2 through the Village. He noted that next to the Armory at one time was a blacksmith shop and on his board he showed several historic places from the Dodge Building on Church Street to the cemetery and then returning on Main Street to the Armory. He noted that at one time Hoosick had nine or ten new car dealerships.
Councilman Kevin Allard asked for approval of the Policy Procedure Review that he has been working on. The policy was approved, and procedures to be reviewed will be given to the Town Supervisor. Policy changes will be brought to the Board then be made available for public comment then brought before the Board again.
Councilman Bruce Patire thanked Jerry McAuliffe for getting the basketball backs and poles painted. He said Fran Wilwol repaired 40 holes in the skating rink roof for $300. He added that Wilwol said next year the roof should be sealed and painted.
Patire noted he was still looking into a mower for the athletic field. He will get more prices and bids. So far the estimates he has for a mower are between $8,200 and $8,400.
Supervisor Cipperly noted that the pool scan went well. He said he had not heard from the Health Department about the acceptability of using a continuous skimmer on the pool. When the pool is repaired it will be handicapped accessible. Federal regulations will also require changes in the diving boards.
Skating
Tom Margiotta noted that the Town’s Zamboni is 40 years old and needs work. Margiotta said the repairs will cost between five and six thousand dollars. He added that a new Zamboni runs about $90,000. The Board approved having the repairs made as soon as possible.
Margiotta explained that at the rink there are ten outlets connected to one breaker resulting in the breaker going off during use at events such as the chowder cook off and the Cow Plop. The Board approved having Bradley Electric look over the building and give an estimate on work to be done.
Margiotta said there are 190 pairs of usable skates at the rink, but he is still short about 35 pairs in sizes 6 to 10. The Board approved the purchase of more skates at a cost of $2,500. He suggested that in the spring the rink be painted with two coats of special white paint. He estimates the cost to be $6,000. He said the new matting at the rink is working out well, and he suggested putting the same matting in the two bathrooms at a cost of $1,500. He said the life expectancy of the matting is 10 to 15 years. He also wants to look into improving the public address system. He would like to move the vending machine from the pool to the rink and get another machine that has hot chocolate.
Margiotta suggested changing skate rental fees to $3 for kids and seniors and $4 for adults and $5 for skate sharpening. He suggested changes in skating hours as well. No decision will be made until next month. Margiotta said he hoped Nick Downing would be back to work with him at the rink.
A thank you was read from the Senior Center for the $6,000 gift from the Town. A thank you was read from Margaret and Armand Rousseau in appreciation of the installation of the plaque at the skating rink.
A letter from the Hoosick Soccer Club was read requesting a donation from the Town to repair the driveway and parking lot at the soccer field. The Board approved a donation of $500.
Final business was a budget transfer of $17,000 from the Fund Balance to Recreation for the sealing of the basketball court.[/private]