by Bea Peterson
At the Hoosick Falls Village Board meeting on Tuesday, March 11, the Board agreed to purchase three hand carved 5×5 foot welcome signs to be placed at the entrances to the Village. The signs will cost $2,500 apiece and will have a Grandma Moses painting on them. An additional $2,500 had to be paid to the Moses Corporation to use the painting. The cost will be covered by Economic Development funds. [private]The Board has been looking at two designs and agreed residents should have an opportunity to choose which sign they prefer to represent their Village. A copy of the two designs will be in the Clerk’s office where residents can vote on the design and, possibly, residents will be able to vote on the Village website. Voting will continue until March 31.
Water Bill To Increase By $9
Because of an error in the previous bills, the upcoming water bill will increase by $9. This is a one time increase.
Snow Street
Trustee Ben Patten reviewed the three options discussed at last month’s meeting for improving water pressure to Snow Street residents. It was concluded that raising the Rensselaer Street water tank was far too expensive and possibly dangerous. Another option was installing booster pumps in the homes of affected residences. Snow Street resident Mary Scott and her husband, who sat patiently through the whole meeting, informed the Board they don’t want a pump in their house and they won’t pay for it. Mary added that other Snow Street residents feel the same way.
The final option is to install a new water main on Snow and Congress Streets and Parsons Avenue. This would increase the water pressure and cost an estimated $40,000 to $50,000. Patten asked the Board’s permission to research possible grant funding for this project. The Board agreed.
Woods Brook
Mayor Borge reported on the meeting held with US Congressman Chris Gibson and several other state and county agencies. He said it was a very positive meeting and he added that the Brook is not going to go away. He said the Village and Town are working together to find funds for a study of the whole Brook or an Army Corps of Engineers analysis. The Congressman has given a time frame of mid-April to find where they stand. Borge also noted that there is a possibility of a walkway over the berm at the Hoosic River. Regarding Woods Brook, he said “there is not a short term solution and a solution will not be cheap.” Trustee Downing also thought it was a very positive meeting.
Fuel Bids
Two fuel and gas bids were received and the Board approved accepting the bid from the County contract bidder, Main Care, at 15 cents a gallon over cost. Downing voted no as he felt it was important to support the local bidder even though he was higher.
Backhoe Purchase
Trustee Bob Ryan reviewed the purchase of a new backhoe. He noted the Town does not have a backhoe. He added that a backhoe is essential in repairing a water main break. He had a purchase price for a new backhoe of $53,843 with a trade-in on the old one of $32,000. Ryan recommended purchasing a 36 month bumper to bumper warranty for $1,700, bringing the price close to $55,000. He said the funds are there for the purchase. It will take several weeks to a couple of months for the backhoe to be delivered. The Board approved the purchase, which is at the State contract price.
Upgraded Equipment And Heroin
The Mayor announced that the Hoosick Falls Police Department has been approved to receive 13 portable radios and five mobile bases with chargers and a base station from the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services through the Rensselaer County Bureau of Public Safety.
He added that this is a significant upgrade to the equipment they have now. Police Chief Robert Ashe noted there is no cost to the Village for this equipment. He said the base will reach from here to Schodack. They should have the radios by July.
The Mayor added that the existing radios are perfectly good and will be put to use by the Highway, Water and Wastewater Departments.
In giving his report Chief Ashe requested that the Police Department have a list of abandoned properties and who to call. He said that on Sunday the Department responded to a call of a door open on an abandoned house and when they went inside there was five feet of water in the basement and the power was on.
Mayor Borge said Building Inspector Ed Holland has compiled a list of 38 or 39 abandoned properties in the Village and is making an effort to get the utilities turned off. The Chief said he would like that list to put in their computer. He also wondered about putting something on the Village website that when people move into the Village from out of state they have one month to get a NYS driver’s license and car registration.
The Chief was asked about heroin addiction and drug problems in the community. The Chief said, “We’re on it.” He pointed out that the Sheriff’s Department and the State Police resources are stretched thin and the Department finds itself handling more and more calls outside the Village. He said there is much shared information between agencies and “if we make minor [drug] arrests here they often result in major arrests elsewhere.” He added, “We’re on the Route 22 corridor.” He also noted that DWIs have dropped significantly because people are going around the Village instead of driving through.
The Board approved a motion to accept the resignation of Police Officer Thomas Finn effective February 26 and a motion to send Water Superintendent Jim Hurlburt and Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent Dan Merrills to the NY Rural Water Conference from April 14 to 17 at a cost of $1,157, which has been budgeted.
League Agreement
The Board approved a 10 year agreement with the Town of Hoosick Youth Baseball and Softball League for use of the fields and pavilion on Waterworks Road for $1 a year. The League will maintain the fields and provide insurance coverage.
More Cabins
DiDonato also said the National Geographic television show Building Wild has been signed up for another 15 episodes and the Cabin Kings are looking for 15 more properties within 50 miles of Hoosick Falls to build their cabins.
Kevin O’Malley said inspections should be done of rented single family homes.
Organizational Meeting
The Board set the Organizational Meeting for the Village of Hoosick Falls for 6 pm on April 8, followed by a public hearing on the 2014-15 Tentative Budget at 6:30 pm, followed by the regular Board meeting. Copies of the budget will be available in the Clerk’s office on March 30.
Barn Quilts
HAYC3 Director Aelish Nealon addressed the Board describing the ongoing Barn Quilt project. She said they have had over 30 requests from people wanting to put one of the 8×8 foot painted quilts on their barns or buildings. They are working to make routes that will be figure eights through the Village and the countryside. Much of the painting will be done by volunteers in the Armory during the Farmers Markets.
Ryan said starting April 1 the Transfer Station will be open on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 8 am to noon.
Downing reported that the Village will use the same garbage company for one more year and then put it out to bid next year.
Patten had some interesting water statistics. He reported that the Village used 158,141,199 gallons of water last year, or an average of 433,596 gallons a month.
Deputy Mayor Ric DiDonato suggested businesses nominate themselves to be placed on the Lakes to Locks website. Access to their site is accessible from the Village website. He said he hopes people will go on line to learn more about Lakes to Locks and make Hoosick Falls a waypoint community.[/private]