by David Flint
The Bella Terra Music Festival that drew crowds last month to Stephentown apparently did not cause as much consternation among local residents as in past years. No one showed up to complain at the Town Board meeting on Monday evening. Sue Demick did say that the noise got a bit loud at two in the morning on Sunday but on the whole she was pleased with the changes that the festival organizers made to tone things down. “My house didn’t shake,” she said, “It was much quieter – at least up until late Saturday night.”
[private]Rik McClave, Assistant Chief of the Fire Department, said he visited the site several times each day to check on things. He believed that the Main Stage closed as promised at 11 pm each night and the Red Bull tent, the source of many complaints previously, shut down at 2 am. He also took sound readings at various times and found the decibel levels to be acceptable. He reported that the Fire Department responded to two calls at the Festival. One was a medical problem not related to anything going on at the Festival, and the other was a minor vehicle accident involving two Festival staff members. McClave said that organizers estimated that attendance this year was less than expected by about 1,000 because one of the bands that was to participate decided to perform at a festival in Mariaville instead.
Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt said that as far as he could tell the organizers adhered to their promises and did what they said they would do to mitigate the noise. Eckhardt and Board Members received a few calls on Thursday night complaining of the loudness. Eckhardt said he called one of the organizers that night and the noise was lessened after that. One of those who called to complain on Thursday later sent Eckhardt an email acknowledging that the event this year was acceptable.
Aside from the Festival, however, Demick had other concerns about noise – from neighbors putting on their own fireworks events, from a dirt bike track, from an ATV track, from motorcycles constantly running through the town. In addition to all this Demick could not see why ATVs are permitted to run right through the center of town, gouging out trails along the roadsides. Eckhardt said he would consult with law enforcement and DEC officers regarding the traffic of ATVs on Town roads.
Proposals For New Phone System
In response to a request for proposals to design and install a new phone system for the Town Hall, the Board has received four proposals so far. Priority Connections of Cicero, NY, would require $4,825 for the system. Grace Communications of Schenectady wanted $4,987, Carousel Industries of Exeter, RI, $7,448, and NACR, based in Minnesota, wanted $8,126.
Eckhardt said that Alex Haley has acted as a technical consultant to the Board in drafting the request for proposals, and he wanted Haley to review the proposals. He also hoped that some local company might offer a proposal. The Board agreed and passed a resolution tabling the selection of a proposal and keeping the deadline for proposals open until such time as Haley has had a chance to review those received. In the meantime the Board will contact some local companies to see if they have an interest in applying for the work.
Deputy Town Clerk
In response to advertising for a Deputy Town Clerk, the Board received only one letter of interest and resume, that from Felicia Burdick of Stephentown. Given the approval of Town Clerk Stephanie Wagar, they passed a resolution appointing Burdick to the position.
Snowplowing
Since the person who currently holds the contract to clear snow at the Transfer Station and the Town Hall is leaving town, the Board passed a resolution accepting his verbal resignation and authorizing the advertising of the job. The contract includes also shoveling and salting sidewalks at the Town Hall. It runs from November 1, 2014, to September 30, 2015. All interested parties must have at minimum a 3/4 ton pick-up truck as well as proof of insurance. Bids will be due to the Town Clerk by October 17. Eckhardt said that the resignation was an opportunity to adjust the term of the contract so that it covers the entire winter season. Next year and thereafter it will run from October 1 to September 30.
Cancer Services Program
Councilman Bill Jennings announced that the State Health Department has asked to set up an information table at the Transfer Station on Saturday, September 20, from 8 am to 4 pm. The information has to do with the Cancer Services Program which offers breast, cervical and colorectal screenings at no cost to men and women who do not have health insurance or have health insurance that doesn’t cover the cost of these screenings. Applicants must meet income eligibility and age requirements and live in New York State. Screening services available include mammograms, Pap tests and pelvic exams, fecal tests and test kits and colonoscopies. If screening tests find something abnormal, diagnostic services are available at no cost.
No tests or services will be provided at the Transfer Station. The intent is to get the word out about the Cancer Services Program and answer any questions people might have about it. The Health Department has found that Transfer Stations offer a place where a lot of people from a town come together on a Saturday. For those who don’t come to the Transfer Station, further information on the Program can be had at 518-525-8680 or cspofalbandren.com.
Flu Shots Available
Cathy Lawless, President of the Stephentown Seniors, announced that a flu shot clinic sponsored by the Rensselaer County Department of Aging will be held at the Fire Hall on Thursday, October 2, from 12 noon to 1 pm. Lawless said the clinic is open to anyone in the Town but asked that those who would like to get their shot call her in advance at 733-6508.
Knuckleheads
The Town has received notice that the Knuckleheads Restaurant at the intersection of Routes 22 and 43 has applied for a license to sell beer and wine. People have 30 days to contact the NYS Liquor Authority if they have any issues with granting of this license.
Budget Calendar
Eckhardt said he has received budget requests from most of the Town departments and organizations. There will be a public hearing on the Tentative 2015 Budget sometime in October. The budget must be adopted by November 20. He said it will be a challenge this year to stay within the 2% cap. Required contributions to the State Retirement System are up considerably, somewhere between $20,000 and $25,000 more than last year. And just repairing a bridge, he said, can run the Town up to $100,000. Highway Superintendent Aldy Goodermote interjected here, reminding the Board yet one more time that very soon something will have to be done about the bridge on Black River Road.
Casino Support?
Eckhardt said that the Town of East Greenbush has requested support from Stephentown for the Capital View Casino & Resort proposed to be built on a site off Thompson Hill Road in that town. “I guess we’re all pretty ambivalent to this,” he said, but the request will be discussed by the Board at their next Workshop meeting.
Rail Trail
The Corkscrew Rail Trail Committee is pushing ahead with developing a trail along the old Rutland Railroad bed from Knapp Road south to New Lebanon. The Hudson River Valley Greenway will be providing a liability insurance program for landowners who agree to allow their land to be used as part of the trail. Eckhardt said they will want the Town Board to pass a resolution stating that it accepts the fact that the Greenway is offering this insurance. Art Karis, one of the Corkscrew organizers, said that all the landowners on this stretch of the proposed trail are on board with it with the exception of one who still has a few questions. Eckhardt said he preferred that the Board make no resolution and hold off on a public hearing until it is assured that all of the landowners understand fully what they are signing off on and are in agreement and satisfied.
Jennings said that he believed landowners along the Rutland line north of Newton Road have a similar arrangement with New York State’s snowmobile program. A portion of snowmobile registration fees goes to cover landowners for liability on designated snowmobile trails. These trails are not to be used by dirt bikes or ATVs.
Art Karis noted that snowmobilers would not be excluded from the proposed rail trail from Knapp Road south.
Summer Camp Successful
Stephentown Memorial Library Director Laurenne Teachout gave a report on the Youth Commission’s Summer Camp that was run by the Library. Laura Hunt, she said, did a great job as Director and was ably assisted by Libby Cass. She said 47 children were registered and attendance on any one day was about 35. Breakfast and lunch were provided to all. The programs, heavily science related, were popular with the kids. A lot of favorable feedback was received by parents and guardians, and no complaints. It was, she said, a great experience for both the paid and the volunteer staff, as well as for the children. It also ended up costing less than had been projected.
Deposits & Spending
The Town Clerk turned over the sum of $874.96 to the Supervisor for the month of August. The distribution from the Office of the State Comptroller, Justice Court Fund was $1,264.
The Board audited and approved claims in the amount of $18,193.02 from the General Fund and $91,263.36 from the Highway Account. The General Account bills included $4,446 to Patrick’s Quality Painting & Remodeling for painting the interior of the Town Hall. The Highway Account bills included $72,675 to Stephen Miller General Contractor for about a third of the expected total payment for the Bert Hager Road bridge project.
The Board set its next workshop meeting for Monday, October 13, and the next regular meeting for Monday, October 20, both starting at 7 pm.
Tom Quimby ended the meeting with a word of congratulation for the Town Board. He wanted to thank them “for running very good meetings. I am proud to read about them in The Eastwick Press. I understand you have a split Board but I have never heard anything about Republican or Democrat. Business gets taken care of and everybody works together for the Town.”[/private]