Where Are The Blood Test Results?
By Doug La Rocque
During the public comment section of last Tuesday, October 9, Hoosick Falls Village Board Meeting, it was again asked of Mayor Rob Allen and the Board, when the New York State Department of Health (DOH) might release the results of the second round of blood testing of PFOA levels for village residents. The testing was scheduled to end eight weeks ago, with the results due in four to six weeks, but as yet, no word from DOH. According to the Mayor, he believes DOH is preparing a comparison report with the first round of tests last year, but residents who spoke up said they believe that to be unnecessary, and simply wanted the current results. Testing has also been extended until year’s end.
Air Emissions Testing Is Near
Mayor Allen reported that the NYS Department of Environment Conservation is working with the NYS Office of Research and Development to approve a program to collect emissions samples from the current PTFE (a chemical compound which is sometimes known by a trade name of Teflon) billet manufacturing operations on McCaffery Street. It is hoped the program will be approved by month’s end, with actual sampling getting underway later in the fall. Mayor Allen says he anticipates DEC will have a presentation ready for their November 13 meeting.
Tabling Woods Brook Grant Motion
The Village Board went along with the Mayor’s request to table any action on the Scope of Services with the engineering firm of Barton and Loguidice for a $900,000 grant for work to slow down the Woods Brook both inside and outside the village. The Mayor said further review is needed.
Other Items of Interest
Police Chief Bob Ashe reported that his department responded to 121 calls in September, and 995 year-to-date. He asked and received permission from the Board to hire Sabrina Fitzgerald as a part-time officer.
Trunk or Treat returns to Woods Park in the Village October 27 at 6 pm, with a Halloween parade on October 30, also at 6 pm.
The Woods Brook Grant agreement has been signed, the Village is now looking to line up contractors to begin the information gathering part of the process, (surveys, assessments and the like).
The Board set Monday, October 29 at 6 pm as the time for a special meeting for the purpose of awarding bids for the demolition of three unsafe buildings within the village, and any other business.
A resolution authorizing the Mayor to accept funds from the NYS Office of Parks and Recreation on behalf of the village was approved. The money will be used for the North Trailhead Improvement Project at the Greenway