by Bea Peterson
Three resolutions approved by the Village of Hoosick Falls Board last month were approved by the Hoosick Town Board at its meeting on Monday, June 9. These shared services resolutions were:
[private]Town/Village Water Agreement
This agreement resolves the issue of Village water supplied to Green Heights and others outside the Village, a total of 120 properties. When the previous contract between the Town and Village expired no new agreement was set in place. The new agreement is a 12 year one that will be reviewed every three years. Those outside the Village will pay one and a half times the Village Water rate. The water system will still be maintained by the Village. Supervisor Mark Surdam expressed his appreciation to Hoosick Falls Mayor David Borge for appointing a committee to review the contract. “He did this with no agenda in mind,” said Surdam. The result was a contract satisfactory to all.
Police Coverage
The second agreement involved the Hoosick Falls Police Department. The agreement states that the Department will serve at Town Court and cover planned Town events as it has done in the past, and the Town will continue to pay for these services. The Board added that a request for Police services be approved by the Board and then given to the Police Department 14 days before an event.
Highway Agreement
The final agreement was the sharing of Highway equipment and manpower between the Town and the Village in emergency instances. This is something that has been going on for years in an informal way. Now it is formalized.
Summer Camp
The Board approved the appointment of Kaila Matatt as Camp Director, Stephany Bradley as Assistant Director and Camp Counselor, Bill Gaillard as Health Director, Rebecca LaPorte as Assistant Health Director and Counselor, Chelsea Pine as Arts and Crafts Coordinator and Samantha Brewer, John Lancore, Rachael Green, Dana O’Malley and Tyler Rondeau as Counselors.
The Camp Director will receive $17 an hour and the Assistant Director $10 per hour, not to exceed 50 hours a week. Counselors will receive $8 an hour and $8.50 per hour if they are CPR and First Aid qualified. With added duties and added requirements they can earn up to $8.75 an hour.
The Board also approved busing the campers to Grafton Lakes State Park for swimming and other activities one day a week, on Wednesdays, weather permitting, at a cost of $225 per trip.
Supervisor Surdam said he had a brainstorming session with the Director and Counselors and he was impressed with every one of them. “They really are a great group,” he said. He noted there will be additional expenses for arts and crafts supplies for the camp.
Reports
Assistant Town Clerk Ginny Blinstrub, sitting in for Town Clerk Sue Stradinger who was on vacation, reported that for May conservation license fees amounted to $1,459, with other licenses and fees making a total of $2,853. Of that amount $1,173.45 was turned over to the Town Supervisor.
Town Assessor Tony Rice said the final tax role will be out July 1.
Superintendent of Highways Bill Shiland reported that work on the State access road off Cottrell Road has been completed. He also reported that equipment would be in place on Tuesday to begin road grinding for the White Creek bridge project.
Charles Filkins, representing Town Historian Phil Leonard, presented a follow up history board to last month’s board with more photos of the Hoosick military that left from the Armory. The board also included photos of the old Armory with its bowling alley in place.
Deputy Mayor Jeff Wysocki reported that he and Supervisor Surdam will be attending a session with the North Hoosick Fire Department on its Service Award program.
Wysocki said the Farmland Protection competitive grant deadline is July 14 and when he knows what the grant project will be he will be asking the Board for a letter of support. Councilman Bruce Patire said, “We should do what we can to protect our farmland.”
Wysocki concluded that Hoosick will be on television again as the National Geographic Wild television show “Building Wild” will be building a camp on his property.
Patire said the chain link fence has been installed at the Castle playground. He said the Town’s insurance has been renewed and added that the company representative told him Hoosick is number one in responding to safety and security suggestions made by the company. Patire said the Town can hold off on putting a video system in the Clerk’s office if new walls are put up there. The Board approved the bid of $3,420 from Palladine Building for changes to the Clerk’s office.
Patire said he called HAYC3 Director Aelish Nealon regarding a request he had made for information on HAYC3’s funds and salaries and he had had no response. Nealon told him she knew nothing about the request but would go to her Board to see what they wanted to do about it.
Councilman Dave Sutton said there were many wonderful things going on in the community. Compared to the New York City area where he works all week, he said this area is a gold mine of peace and beauty. He said people can be angry and disenchanted about the future of this area or they can help make things better by supporting ongoing and upcoming projects. Many want to bash HAYC3 and their efforts, he said, but without them the Armory would be an empty building, a tombstone. He added that this coming weekend is the Ken Baker Sports Weekend, an outstanding event that pays tribute to an outstanding individual. This past Saturday, he said, a new memorial flag football game, organized by a group of college kids in memory of Stephen Colvin, raised over $15,000. That’s the reality of this community, he concluded.
Supervisor Mark Surdam reported that the recent Lakes to Locks event at the Bennington Battlefield was very well attended. During the month he attended a Hoosick Rising marketing strategy meeting and, among other events and business meetings, he attended the Cheney Library open house for their new Children’s Room, which he said, is a light and airy space for young children.
On The Radio
Surdam said he has been invited to be a radio show guest on WBTN on Tuesday. He said he was pleased to accept and be given an opportunity to promote the Town.
Griffing Resigns
Surdam received a letter of resignation from Town of Hoosick Planning Board Member Stephen Griffing. Surdam said serving on the Planning and Zoning Boards is often a thankless volunteer job. He appreciates all those who step up to serve and now will be looking for a replacement for Griffing.
Speed Limit Changed
Supervisor Surdam noted that the DOT has changed the speed limit on County Route 95 (South Street) to 45 miles per hour.
East Greenbush Casino
A resolution supporting a casino in East Greenbush was withdrawn. At the beginning of the meeting Gail Smith addressed the Board asking that they not support this gambling facility and citing the addiction issue as her primary concern. Joyce Brewer also asked the Board not to support a casino at that location, which, she said, is next door to the area Girl Scout camp.
All four Board members expressed their moral concerns about a casino but also stated the economic and business benefits to Rensselaer County and, subsequently, to the Town. At the conclusion of the discussion the Board declined to vote on the resolution until the members had more information in hand.
According to various East Greenbush websites, the Casino designers are meeting with the Planning Board on Wednesday evening, June 11, and a Public Hearing before the Town Board on the Casino was scheduled for Thursday, June 12, at 4:30 pm.
Pool Bids
Bids for repair of the Town Pool are due on Tuesday, June 10. They will be reviewed by Laberge, and copies will be forwarded to Board members. A special meeting will be held on Monday, June 23, in the Town meeting room at 7 pm to award the bid.
More FOILs, More Questions
As they have at almost every Town Board meeting since January, former Supervisor Keith Cipperly and former Councilman Kevin Allard were on hand to request more FOILs and ask more questions, Cipperly, in particular, asking questions regarding HAYC3. Cipperly wanted to know the particulars of the Town’s $10,000 donation to HAYC3 for utilities and the $14,000 contribution for Youth Programs. He asked if the Town owned the Youth Center and if so, was HAYC3 making rent payments. Does the Town pay the Youth Center phone bill, he asked.
He asked if the Town was paying for the Green Heights water testing. He questioned the Town’s May $274 cell phone bill and the cable TV installation at the Highway Shop for $259.99.
He and Allard both stated that the purchase of property for the White Creek Bridge for $7,675 should have been made through a Board resolution.
Cipperly also stated that the resolution for $85,000 for playground improvements does not allow for unused funds to be rolled back into the general fund.
Allard expressed concern that the Village/Town water agreement was not specific enough about who would repair a roadway once water line repairs were made.
Frank Downing, a supporter of HAYC3 purchasing the Armory, raised issue with the Barn Quilts saying such signs were illegal under Town law. The Board agreed the Quilts were not signs, but art.[/private]