PFOA Becomes A Town Issue As PFOA Is Detected
In Private Wells Just Outside The Village
by Deb Alter
The Town has been working with the NY State Department of Health (DOH) to get private wells tested for PFOA. Results from the samples taken in November are in and are available on both the Town and Village websites. The DOH has taken many more samples in the past few weeks and they continue to update a map that they have developed showing the areas of concern. [private]To see the map and more, go to the Village website at www.villageofhoosickfalls.com – on the right side of the page is a link to the Hoosick Falls Water Website; from here you can find the map, public test results, the latest news and information pertaining to this situation. The DOH Well Testing Plan is to start near Saint-Gobain and work out in a circular pattern from there. With approximately 1,900 wells in the Town, it will take some time, although the DOH is now doing more tests at a time and getting the results back more quickly. Al DeMarco from DOH is coordinating the well testing and can be reached at 518-402-7860.
Until further notice NYSDOH and NYSDEC will be in the Armory every Tuesday and Thursday from 2 pm to 8 pm, and Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm to answer questions and provide information. There are also forms, applications and information sheets on the information table outside the Town Clerk’s office.
The Board discussed whether or not to hire an environmental attorney to represent the Town and decided they would. Due to any potential conflicts of interest, they will not use the Village’s environmental attorney.
They also talked about doing a town-wide mailing so that people who don’t have internet access can be kept apprised of the issue. They said it is a possibility, but the down side of doing this is that, though they can get the information together, it changes so quickly (Surdam gets several emails a day with updates and new information) that it would be impossible to keep up. In the meantime, people should check the Town and Village websites for updates.
Surdam read a letter from the Town of Nassau Supervisor David Fleming. Nassau also has a superfund site in the town, and Fleming has offered any guidance or advice gleaned from Nassau’s experience. Board Member Eric Sheffer has already made contact with him.
Town Historian Phil Leonard gave an informative talk on the history of the Hoosick Falls water system and on industrial use of PTFE (Teflon) products in Hoosick Falls. The waterworks were originally built by a private company in 1884. The wells were where they are now. It was bought by the Village in 1907, and at that time there were both wooden and iron pipes. In 1910 they changed over to cast iron pipes.
Over the years there have been seven factories in Hoosick Falls that used PTFE, Leonard said. In 1955, when Cleveland Dodge came to Hoosick Falls, it was seen as a big deal and a good thing, as it created many needed jobs. Hoosick Falls was considered a boom town and very successful because of all the industry in the Town.
Solar Farms
The Board voted to have a Public Hearing to discuss local law options concerning solar farms. Possibilities include opting out of the State’s Real Property Tax Law 487; or using a PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) program, which would bring some income to the Town from the solar developers; or trying to separate residential intallations from commercial ones and giving tax breaks only to residential ones as proposed in Local Law #4 of 2015. This law was tabled at a previous meeting – there are some indications that opting out of the exemptions in some cases but not others might lead to a legal challenge. The hearing will be at 6 pm on Monday, February 22 at the HAYC3 Armory. Board Member Jeff Wysocki abstained from the vote, and all votes pertaining to solar farms, since he has an application for one in front of the Zoning Board at present.
They also voted to have a Public Hearing at 7 pm on that same evening to revisit the temporary moratorium on solar farms that was rejected last August due to a recent rise of interest in the community. The proposed moratorium would be for six months.
New Town Attorney
Supervisor Surdam said that although the Board has not received written confirmation, Town Attorney Ryan of the firm Tabner, Ryan & Keniry, LLP informed Surdam on January 21 that due to the perceived potential conflict on the solar issue as it pertains to his representation of the HFCS and the Town, he has decided not to represent the Town. The Board approved a resolution to appoint Jonathan Schopf of Schopf Law as the new Town Attorney. Schopf has worked with the Assessor and comes highly recommended.
Castle Playground Update
The field work has been completed on the boundary line adjustment. Assessor Tony Rice, Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland, and Surdam met with the surveyors to review where property lines should be. The easement granted to Laporte’s by the Town a few years ago may be all that the state would require for that section of the boundary line issue. Surdam will contact the state for clarification. Kiwanis is working with the Highway Department and has removed large sections of the old wooden structures and the old swing set. The order for the new equipment has been placed, delivery is expected in early spring.
Town Pool Update
The BAN payment was made in January. The Town has a new BAN on the remaining balance of $420,000 with Pioneer Savings. They were the low bidder at 1.30% per year. It is payable at maturity, which is January 25, 2017.
The Board hired LaBerge Engineering to manage its Parks Grant for Pool Improvements which will involve updating the Pump and Bath Houses.
Reports
Recreation Report: Kaila Matatt reported that because of the unusually warm weather this winter, there hasn’t been much ice time for skating. The Board discussed and decided that with the up and down temperatures predicted for the rest of the winter, the rink will not be iced and skating lessons would be discontinued. People who signed up for lessons will get a refund for 75%. That’s $37 for residents and $45 for non-residents.
Assessor’s Report: All exemptions are due in by March 1, no exceptions. This is for all exemptions including, but not limited to, seniors and agricultural. About half of them have come in so far.
Supervisor’s Report: Surdam attended the Hoosick Rising steering committee meeting and said that they were not ready to give up. About 30 people attended the Hoosick Rising meeting at Parsons Corner, including the entire Town Board. They all took a tour of the new building, and discussed the future of Hoosick and the surrounding area.
The Supervisor reported on his meeting with Governor Cuomo and others in Albany to discuss the PFOA contamination. “I believe the actions that were taken that day will help to expedite the processes that will need to be put into place to help our community deal with and ultimately move past this contamination issue,” he said
The Supervisor and Mayor Borge also met with County Executive Kathy Jimino and County Legislative Chairman Stan Brownell to discuss the PFOA contamination issue, and he attended a meeting at the Village water treatment plant with Congressman Chris Gibson, Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin, Brownell, Deputy County Executive Chris Meyer, Mayor Borge, Ed Canning from Saint-Gobain and others to see the progress being made so far on installation of the filtration equipment.
Other Business
Solar Committee Chairperson Wysocki reported that the February 3 Solar Committee was heavily attended. Many ideas were put on the table and debated. Solar farm zoning laws of other towns are being gathered for consideration. The committee meets the first Wednesday of every month.
• Councilman Sheffer attended the newly elected officials training and said he got a lot out of it. He also commented that the Board needs everyone’s input on the solar issue, but said “we need to let them do their work.”
• Joyce Brewer has offered to serve out the rest of Michael McCune’s term on the Housing Authority, and the Board approved her.
• A combination Zoning /Planning and Town Board Workshop will be held in the Armory on Wednesday March 23 at 6 pm. There are openings on the Zoning Board and the Planning Board. Anyone interested in volunteering to be on a Board should contact Supervisor Surdam or any Town Board member.
• During the Public Comments section, Pam Benkoski asked the Board to continue working with the Village on the Wood Brook issue as the problem is getting worse.
• Because a large crowd had been expected, the Town Board meeting was held in the large Perry Room at the HAYC3 Armory, but as it happened, not that many people came out. The next regular Town Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 14 at 7 pm in the Armory.[/private]