by Bea Peterson
A letter from Andrew Alberti of Lakes to Locks Passage was read at the Town of Hoosick Board meeting on Monday evening, August 11. Alberti thanked Town Supervisor Mark Surdam, Councilman Dave Sutton and Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland and his son Bill for volunteering their time to install the Lakes to Locks information panels at the Stewart’s at the intersection of Routes 22 and 67. [private]The panels commemorate the Revolutionary War battle fought in Walloomsac on August 16, 1777, otherwise known as the Battle of Bennington. Sutton and another crew of volunteers installed the posts for the panels several weeks ago.
Planning Board Vacancies Filled
In one of several resolutions passed during the meeting the Board approved three appointments to the Town of Hoosick Planning Board. A full Planning Board term is seven years. The three new members will be completing vacated terms. All terms end December 31 of a given year. Steve Griffing was appointed until the end of 2015, Penny Acree until the end of 2017 and Gary Kjelgaard until the end of 2018. Everett Quackenbush, who currently serves on the Board, had his term affirmed to December 31, 2019.
White Creek Bridge
Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland reported that he has been assured by the State that the White Creek Bridge will be done this year. Bids for the job will be opened August 21. The Board passed a resolution supporting the project. Eighty percent of the cost, expected to be $1,054,700, will be paid for with federal funds. Fifteen percent of the cost will be State funds and the Town will be responsible for five percent, just under $70,000 of the cost.
In his report Shiland said Eathan Clifford filled a part time summer position for the Highway Department. He has been working on scrubbing and coating equipment in the Castle Playground, and he has cleaned up the pool area so that it looks better.
Summer Camp
Town of Hoosick Summer Camp Director Kaila Matatt reported that camp had gone extremely well with different themes for each week and several field trips, plus weekly “showers” from the Hoosick Falls Fire Department. This is the final week of camp. The Board approved her request for a bus to transport the campers to the Green Farm in North Petersburgh. Board members said they had received many positive comments on the camp, which averaged 18 youngsters a week.
Donation For Pool Slide
Supervisor Surdam said he had talked with Janice Tate regarding a donation to the Town toward the pool project from the graduates of the Walter A. Wood High School. In a resolution the Board accepted $1,590 from the 50 years and over graduates to be put in a Reserve Fund called the Hoosick Pool New Slide Fund. As costs escalated, the slide was removed from the bid for pool repairs. Surdam hopes the Slide Fund will become a community project.
Skating Rink
Sue Hyde reported that the Hoosick Friends of Skating had some money, less that $300, left over from the skating season to turn over to the Town. The Board agreed the funds should be used to purchase more equipment, such as new skates.
Supervisor Surdam reported that he and Tom Margiotta had talked with Hoosac School Head Dean Foster about the School using the Hoosick Rink for their hockey program. More discussions will follow to deal with the various issues involved. Last year students from the school tried to operate a youth hockey program that was slow to get off the ground as it hadn’t been tried at the rink in several years. Surdam said he was surprised to learn that ten Hoosac School alumni are playing professional hockey.
Surdam said they also discussed Life Guard training at the Hoosac School pool and more information will be forthcoming on that proposal.
The Board approved the Hoosick Falls Lacrosse Club use of the rink for Box Lacrosse on either Tuesdays or Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 pm from August 19 to September 25. This will be for third and fourth grade youngsters. There will be a $200 deposit and a $25 fee per use required.
Audit
The Board passed a resolution to have the Bonadio Group audit the Town books for 2013 for $12,000. The Town originally hired Bonadio to do a three year audit for 2010 through 2012. However, the 2012 audit was never done. The 2013 audit is required for a baseline for the 2014 audit, which must be done for the Town to be eligible for a grant for pool repairs.
It was noted that Town Bookkeeper Emily Sanders had previously worked for the Bonadio Group. However, enough time has elapsed that there is no conflict of interest. She also was not the Town bookkeeper for 2012.
The Board also passed resolutions to write a letter of support for a proposed Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in the city of Rensselaer and to sign agreements with the NYS Police and the Hoosick Fire Department to allow the Police to use office space in the Fire House.
Reports
Town Assessor Tony Rice reported that approximately 3,400 parcels of Town properties are listed on the State’s website with the tax information available.
Town Clerk Sue Stradinger reported collecting summer camp fees of $3,030 in July, plus conservation license fees of $492, six building permits for $410 and various licenses and certificates for a total of $4,528.25. Of that amount $3,915.37 was turned over to the Town Supervisor.
Town Historian Phil Leonard presented a board of former recreational sites in the Town and postal cards of streets and sights of Hoosick Falls. He lamented the fact there was no longer Bennington Battlefield information available at the Barnett House. Surdam told him there is a group working on it called Friends of the Battlefield.
The Board approved a request by Deputy Supervisor Jeff Wysocki to send Purchase Development Rights letters of support to the Agricultural Stewardship Association on behalf of the Berle Farm and the Landview Farm.
Councilman Bruce Patire commended the Highway Department for its grass cutting with the new mower. He said he and others would be meeting with HFCS Building and Grounds Supervisor Paul Baker regarding future plans for the Castle Playground.
Councilman Dave Sutton commented on the 100th anniversary of The Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls. He said the staff should be thanked for all they do for such an important part of our community. He noted that West Point cadet Louis Weierbach is doing well and is presently third in his class athletically. He encouraged everyone to attend the re-enactments at the Bennington Battlefield this coming weekend. He commended CiviCure for the great event held at the Hoosac School adding, “We have some amazing people in this community doing amazing things, and we need to get to know each other better.”
Public Comment
Michael Foster thanked the Board for their support of the Village/Town water issue. “I received my latest water bill, and I’m pleased,” he said. He also thanked Gail Smith for all the work she does creating veterans events.
Ellen Scott said she had heard the Village Board was considering a ban on concealed weapons in public buildings and wondered if the Town had considered it. Town Clerk Stradinger said the Town has had such a law since 1995. (There was no discussion of such a law mentioned at Tuesday’s Village Board meeting.)
HAYC3 Board Member Ric Tinkham said HAYC3 is having signs made up prohibiting concealed weapons to be placed on its properties.[/private]