Board, Residents Looking For PFOA Information
By Keith Whitcomb Jr.
The Village Board of Trustees and residents want information on pollution testing much faster than they’re currently getting it.
Route 7 resident Kevin Allard asked the Board at its March 13 meeting if it has any new information on pollution data being collected by the state around factories near John Street, Liberty Street and McCaffrey Street.
Pollution has a been a big problem for the village since 2015, when perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was discovered in the municipal water supply, as well as private wells. Two companies, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, and Honeywell, have been held responsible by government authorities for the contamination. Since the PFOA issue was discovered, there’s been extensive litigation between the village and the two businesses over damages and costs associated with upgrades to the waste water treatment facility to filter out the contaminant.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has more recently begun testing the area around the factories, believed to be the source of PFOA, for other chemicals.
Village Mayor Robert Allen said he believes data is being collected, but hasn’t been processed yet. He told Allard he’d ask about getting what data has been gathered and will hopefully have information to share at the next Board meeting.
Trustee Brian Bushner added that he thinks there is some air quality testing going on, as the companies hired to do the sampling are asking residents about any smells they’re detecting and what time of day they’re noticing them.
David Engel, an environmental attorney hired by the village, said he’s suggested to Allen that the village withdraw its permission for the testing companies to come onto village property unless all data being collected is shared with the village immediately.
“We share your frustration,” Engel said. “The state and the companies should be more forthcoming.”
Allard wondered if it would be possible for the state and testing companies to provide a timeline for when they plan to have results. Allen said he would see about getting such a timeline.
Mr. Ding-a-Ling
In other business, the Board voted 6-1 in favor of renewing the vendors license for Mr. Ding-a-Ling, an ice cream truck business owned by Brian Collis, following a discussion on the trucks’ well-known and, according to some, obnoxious jingle. “It is a nuisance, it is an absolute nuisance,” said Bushner, taking particular exception to the part of the ice cream truck’s tune where a voice calls out “Hello.”
“I’m happy approving it, as long as it comes with the condition he doesn’t play the annoying (music),” said Bushner, who ultimately voted against renewing the license.
Allen said the Board could approve the license that evening and add conditions later. What followed was a brief discussion on village noise ordinances.Village Attorney Andrew Gilchrist said such ordinances are “… very, very difficult to enforce, whether you have a noise meter or not. It’s really difficult if you set specific decibel standards on enforcement, being out there with the meter, getting the evidence to prosecute, saying ‘you’re violating the noise ordinance.’ Many municipalities have the more general standard of nuisance type noise, but noise standards are very difficult for municipalities to enforce.”
Village Police Chief Robert Ashe noted that he’s also been getting complaints about the music being played at the Cumberland Farms gas station.
He has spoken to staff there, who told him they’d contacted their managers, but had little success.
Gilchrist suggested following up with the company and to mention that Cumberland Farms locations in Brunswick and Latham had similar issues which were resolved when the stores agreed to stop playing outdoor music.
The Mr. Ding-a-Ling license is valid from April 15 to October 1.
Saying goodbye
For two trustees, March 13 was their last meeting.
Trustee Robert Downing, and Trustee Karen Sprague, did not seek reelection for their respective seats.
“I’d like to thank everybody who’s supported me over the years, I appreciate it, and I’m going to miss it,” said Downing.
“There’s going to be a lot of things going on and I hope these guys here can straighten it out and get it back to normal.”
Sprague said she feels the same. “It’s been an honor to serve with all of you,” she said. “Your commitment to this village is outstanding.
A lot of people don’t care about small towns the way you do.”
Downing has been on the Board for 14 years, Sprague for three. Allen thanked them both personally for their service. “As a new guy stepping into the position of mayor I leaned heavily on the Board, and really found them to be open and trustworthy and sincere in their concern for the village,” he said. “Bob, I appreciate everything you say, all of your stances, I even more strongly appreciate when you are the naysayer, because I really value everyone’s opinion and I want everyone to speak up.”
Other business
The Board voted to set a public hearing on a local law that would establish a tax cap override.
Allen and other Board members said overriding the tax cap is the last thing any of them wish to do, but given expenses incurred by flooding over the summer, the process should be set in motion in case it’s needed, which the trustees hope it won’t be.
The hearing is set to take place during the Board’s next regular meeting on April 10.
The Board voted in favor of entering into a 36-month contract with Constellation Energy for a fixed rate of $0.05070 to provide power for village-owned buildings and fixtures.
Allen said the length of the contract makes sense, given the fixed rate is currently low and there have been spikes in the past.