New PFOA Reimbursement Agreement On The Table
By Doug La Rocque
Hoosick Falls Mayor Rob Allen opened the Tuesday, June 11 meeting of the Village Board with an announcement that the village has reached an agreement with Saint Gobain and Honeywell, to reimburse Hoosick Falls for the money it has laid out dealing with the PFOA contaminated water crisis. The agreement is expected to be finalized by week’s end, and the Board scheduled a special session for Wednesday, June 19, to formally accept the accord.
The agreement precludes the Village from going back after the two companies for any more money, as it pertains to the issues and timeframe contained in the settlement, but does not prevent Hoosick Falls from pursuing the firms for additional monetary relief as to any future expenses or issues outside the realm of the agreement.
The details of the settlement will be available to the public on the Village’s website, before the special meeting is held.
Problems With Highway Garage Bid
During finalization of the plumbing and HVAC bids for construction of the new Village Highway Garage, it was discovered that Hayden Plumbing and Heating of Bennington, VT, who had been awarded the bid, lacked the proper liability insurance to work in New York State. While attempting to work out this problem with the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, the agency that administers the state grant being used to pay for the construction, it was further discovered the firm lacks the authority to work in New York State, period. The two bids that are now null and void totaled $165,495.
The Board voted to put the plumbing and HVAC work back out to bid, with the hope of re-awarding the contracts at its July 9 meeting. This pushes the start of construction back about six weeks. Fortunately for the Village, the other two companies awarded the bids for general construction and electrical work have agreed to the delay.
Arrests In The Village Are Up
Police Chief Robert Ashe reported an uptick in the number of both calls and arrests in May over April, and also year to date over 2018. He indicates his Department is having trouble with some village youths who tend to be repeat offenders. He also said he has seen evidence of the City of Troy’s criminal element having an influence in the Village as well. At the chief’s request, the Board agreed to hire a former Village police officer, back on a part-time basis.
Dealing with Blight
Codes Enforcement Officer and Building Inspector Mark Surdam said that there are approximately 40 to 50 vacant buildings in the Village, some being so-called “zombie” properties, some simply vacant and some currently in the foreclosure process. He made his comments partially in response to questions from Village residents, concerning the lack of proper maintenance at a number of these structures. One such question concerned unmowed grass, an issue Mr. Surdam promised to look into.
The questions prompted Trustee Kevin O’Malley to ask Village Attorney Andy Gilchrist if the recently proposed and soon to be enacted “Zombie Properties Law” in the Town of Brunswick might be helpful. That law requires vacant buildings to be registered with the town, and fines levied for lack of required upkeep. Mr. Gilchrist, who actually wrote that law, indicated it was too early to tell just what impact it might have, but believed it will help, and that it might behoove Hoosick Falls to look into similar legislation. The registrations and fines, however, cannot be imposed on buildings that are currently in the foreclosure process.
And Now There is But One Assessor
Earlier this year the Trustees voted to do away with the Village’s Assessor, turning the job over to the Town of Hoosick, who also assesses properties within the Village. Rensselaer County had indicated it would no longer accept the Village’s independent assessment status. At this meeting the Board voted 5 to 1 with one abstention, to enter into an intermunicipal agreement with the Town of Hoosick concerning the assessor’s duties. The Village agreed to contribute $5,000 toward the assessor’s salary.
The no vote came from Trustee Brian Bushner, who questioned why the village should pay anything at all, since there is now but one tax roll for both the Town and Village. Trustee O’Malley said he saw the validity of Mr. Bushner’s argument, but in the end decided to support the resolution. Deputy Mayor Bob Ryan abstained, because he is related to the Assessor, Tony Rice.
Renaming the Village Hall
Deputy Mayor Ryan had previous brought up the possibility of renaming the Village Hall in honor of long time Village Clerk Ann Bornt, who passed away last year. Attorney Gilchrist indicated there were no legal obstacles to overcome, but urged the Board to wait until its July meeting, to make sure “all the ducks are in a row” before taking action.
Other Business
The Mayor reported the Board is working out the issues with water retention as it pertains to the Lyman Street Sewer Project. The Trustees accepted a bid for a new tractor for the Sewer Department and declared two flat bed trucks to be surplus equipment for sale. It also agreed to hire two people as summer help for the Highway Department, and are looking at hiring a third. Speaking of help, the Village is still looking for two people to serve on the Zoning Board.
The Trustees agreed to the creation of a Grant Administrator position, with reimbursement to be determined yearly, dependent on workload. They also gave their blessing to a liquor license request from William Jerome and Miniature Mountain LLC, for the Hoosick Falls Country Club.
There was further discussion about the condition of the sidewalk along Classic Street, its potential impact on the roadway (NY Route 22) and a lack of action by the NYS Department of Transportation (DOT). The Trustees authorized Mayor Allen to send another letter to DOT strongly expressing their concerns and urging another review of the situation.