Testing Top Monday Night’s Meeting
By Doug La Rocque
Heinz Noeding presented the Petersburgh Town Board with four proposed resolutions, the first being that the board formally accept The Petersburgh C8 Committee as a viable and valuable constituent forum for advice on any issues and/or concerns associated with PFOA contamination. Mr. Noeding is a member of the C8 committee. The board agreed their input would be useful and unanimously approved the resolution.
The board also agreed to a resolution, suggesting they ask for more frequent testing of private wells that have been deemed to be complaint with DEC and EPA guidelines for levels of PFOA’s. That has been set at less than 70 parts per trillion. This testing would presumably be done by either the Rensselaer County or New York State Department’s of Health. Mr. Noeding is asking it be conducted at least semiannually to determine if contaminant levels vary materially throughout the year. Noting that the NYS Department of Health recently completed a cancer research study in Hoosick Falls as it pertains to the possible effects of PFOA contamination, he asked the board to appoint a member to contact NYSDOH about conducting the same study in Petersburgh.
His last proposed resolution was also passed, but not without some discussion on the part of the board members. That legislation suggested the board contact the Berlin Town Board about forming a joint committee to deal with issues arising from the Petersburgh Landfill, co-owned by both towns. Councilman Jack Barnhill noted the two towns are currently employing the same environmental attorney, Kevin Young, and wondered if this committee my be a bit redundant. Town Attorney David Gruenberg also expressed concern about inadvertently exposing strategies that Mr. Young might be employing to prevent the dump from being declared a Superfund site, and forcing Covanta and Taconic Plastics to be all or part of the remediation efforts. Covanta took over the one time Energy Answers, the firm hired to close the dump in the 1970’s.
Mowing Abandoned Properties Needs A Local Law
Attorney Gruenberg advised the board their resolution to have the town’s lawn maintenance company mow abandoned properties at the town’s expense, and have the cost charged back to the property owners on their tax bill, would not legally fly. He indicated that because of concerns over due process, the board would have to make such actions pursuant to a local law. He did not see any problems otherwise and indicated he would draw the law up.
Highway Superintendent Rob Cottrell Sr. reminded all that Potter Hill and Church Hollow roads will have paving work done on August 28 and 29. This work could cause some traffic delays. He also noted he is working on the application for FEMA monies as a result of the March 14 blizzard
Looking To Sharing More Services
Supervisor Alan Webster indicated that Rensselaer County and officials from many towns have wrapped up a series of meetings on shared services, an initiative being pushed strongly by Governor Andrew Cuomo. The result of these meetings was a 31 page document turned over to the County Legislature. They are currently holding a series of public hearing around the county, before giving the report their final approval and sending it on to the state.
The board also approved another two resolutions before retiring for executive session followed by adjournment. The first appointed the afore mention Heinz Noeding to the Water District Committee. The second declared many peices of equipment no longer in use and stored in the basement, as surplus. This will allow the town to sell or even possible give the items away, some board members noting they don’t think the equipment is worth much. Attorney Gruenberg suggested they mark it, as best offer.
The board next meets in regular session on Monday, September 11. That meeting will be preceded by a public hearing on the proposed $800,000 bond for repairs to the water district. With the help of their environmental attorney Kevin Young, the board hopes to acquire a state grant that would pay up to 60% of that, leaving the town’s share at $320.000. The town may also ask Taconic Plastics to cover some of that for any PFOA related issues, such as the cleaning of sediment in the water tower . The town must first bond for the entire amount before they would be eligible for any grant monies.