by David Flint
Fees at the Stephentown Transfer Station will be going up soon, but the good news is the price of those pink trash bags will stay the same – for now. In an effort to reduce the cost of operating the facility, the Town Board voted on Monday to raise annual permit fees as well as the fees for dumping construction and demolition (C&D) materials.
[private]As of June 1, residential permit fees will increase from $15 to $25. Professional occupation permits will rise by $10 to $35. There will continue to be no charge for senior citizens, age 65 or older, who use the transfer station.
Dumping a small pickup truck (3 foot box) of C&D scrap will cost $30 versus the current charge of $20. A medium truck load (6 foot box) will cost $45 versus the current $30, and a large truck load (8 foot box) will cost $60, versus the current $40. Dumping a load of roof shingles of whatever size may cost you $60. The Transfer Station attendants will have authority, however, to use their discretion with all materials on charges for very lightweight or very heavyweight materials.
Councilman Bill Jennings said that while there was definitely a need to raise more revenue, he believes the prices at the Transfer Station will still be “a bargain,” close to what other towns in the area are charging and considerably lower than some of the larger towns. C&D dumping charges, for example, are $85 per ton in Berlin and $140 per ton in Nassau, one ton being approximately a large pickup load.
Jennings said that the modest increases will go at least partially toward breaking even at the Transfer Station. He said the Board had considered raising the price of the pink bags but decided not to at this time. Councilman PJ Roder noted that talk recently of raising the price of the pink bags had resulted in brisk sales of the bags at the current price of $2 each.
Equalization Rate Is Up
Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt reported that according to the State Division of Equalization & Assessment, the Town’s Equalization Rate is now 31%, up a bit from last year’s 29%. The number means that Stephentown is now assessing property at 31% of true market value.
Telephones
Eckhardt said that Alex Haley, who designs and installs phone systems, has been requested to look into long standing problems with the system at the Town Hall. Haley has been consulting with the Board at Workshop meetings. He was asked whether it would make sense for the Town to sever completely their connections with Fairpoint Communications and go wireless. Haley advised against that because fax lines won’t work well with wireless. He advised keeping Fairpoint for phone service but limiting their service to providing lines to the building. Haley will seek out companies that can put together a bid sheet on what is needed inside the building. Eckhardt said that the existing control box for phones in the building has been causing a lot of problems for a long time, and Haley confirmed that it is not working well at all.
Eckhardt believes, too, that the Town Hall may have a lot more phones than are really needed. The phone in the office for the Town Council, for example, is hardly ever used, and Eckhardt said he himself always uses his cell phone when in the office. So the Town won’t sever completely with Fairpoint but will have a system designed that provides the minimum line service that is needed.
Town Clerk Stephanie Wagar has also been working with Haley to diagnose Fairpoint’s phone bills. Eckhardt said there have been a number of questionable charges such as an internet service charge on a line that does not have internet service. Haley and Wagar have made good progress, he said, in straightening that out.
Youth Commission
The Stephentown Youth Summer Camp program will be managed this year by the Stephentown Memorial Library. Councilman Roder reported that the Youth Commission had met with Library Board President Sue Brissette who said the program will be headed up by B. Fiske with Laura Hunt as Assistant Director. The camp, for children in kindergarten through 6th grade, will run from July 7 through August 1, from 9 am to 2 pm, with breakfast and lunch available. There will be an option to drop children off at 8 am for a $15 fee.
Roder said that if the maximum occupancy is not met, the program will be open to non-residents for a fee of $75.
Teens interested in a camp counselor position should submit an application to Laurenne Teachout, Library Director. Employment applications are available at the Library and the Stephentown Town Hall. The Rensselaer County Department of Public Health requires that camp counselors must be at least 16 years of age, counselors-in-training must be at least 15 years of age and volunteers must be at least 13 years of age.
Roder said that with the Hoosick Town Pool being closed for repairs there will be no swim program this year. The Youth Commission hopes to reinstate it next year.
The Library, Roder said, has been doing a good job with youth services. The Easter program had a good turnout. “It’s been a good restructuring year,” he said.
Property Settlement
Eckhardt reported that there had also been talks recently with the Library about settling costs related to the purchase and demolition of the property adjacent to the Library and the Town Garage. It has been agreed that the Library will owe the Town about $14,000 out of the grant fund that they received. The Library will hold the deed to the property with the proviso that it reverts back to the Town if the Library should ever cease to be a library. An easement will be included for a circular driveway to accommodate the Town Garage.
Master Plan
The Town Board is continuing to work with Linda von der Heide of the County Planning Department on developing a Comprehensive, or Master Plan, for the Town. Von der Heide has been meeting with the Board at every Workshop meeting. Eckhardt said that the Board is now in the process of selecting citizens to work on the Master Plan Committee. Membership will be 11 to 13 people including Town Board members. Eckhardt said the Board definitely wants a good representation of young people on this Committee. “We are really putting together a road map for the next 30 years,” he said, “and they will have to live with it.” If people are interested in serving, they should contact Eckhardt. All committee meetings will be open to the public.
Eckhardt believes it will probably be a two year process of preparation before the long process starts with the public hearings and getting the Master Plan adopted. One of the first things the Committee will do is design a survey to be sent out to all residents. Other towns that have developed a Master Plan have been pleased with the return rate of these surveys, Eckhardt said, usually 50% or more.
Audit Of Town Court Financials
Town Court financials are required to be audited by the Town Board annually. The Stephentown Board got behind one year but has now completed the audit for the fiscal years 2012 and 2013. The Board passed a resolution accepting the audit as complete.
Board Of Assessment Review
The Board of Assessment Review (BAR) will meet at the Town Hall on Tuesday, May 27, from 2 to 4 pm and from 6 to 8 pm. The Board appointed Joan MacVeigh, former Clerk to the Town Assessor, to fill a vacancy on the BAR. There are two vacancies. PJ Roder had also applied, but the Board was advised by the Association of Towns that the State Attorney General’s Office says that a sitting Town Board member cannot also be a member of the BAR.
Deposits & Spending
The Town Clerk turned over the sum of $238.22 to the Supervisor for the month of April. The distribution from the Office of the State Comptroller, Justice Court Fund to the Town was $1,609.50. The Transfer Station deposited a total of $5,803.
The Board audited and approved claims in the amount of $14,468.46 from the General Fund and $31,164.37 from the Highway Account.
The Board set its next workshop meeting for Monday, June 9, and its next regular meeting for Monday, June 16, both to start at 7 pm.[/private]