Climate Smart, Skate Park, and Top Priorities
By Michelle Van Horn
New Lebanon invited Clean Energy Program Coordinator Jill Falchi from NYSERDA (New York State Research and Development Association) to present on the benefits of the town participating in the voluntary certification program geared toward creating positive energy changes throughout the town. The Town Board was told at its February 11 meeting, the first step to joining is to pass a resolution acknowledging that climate change is happening. Next, form a climate task force, (worth 20 points) and then, appoint a point person (10 more points) who will work with Falchi to work through the actions checklist. This points-earning system provides a liaison, hand-holding service, which walks the Town and committee members through the program, free of charge.
Councilmember Deborah Gordon questioned the importance of joining such a program saying, “we don’t need to be part of a program, [to be more sustainable], what’s the incentive?” And the answer is possible grants, funding, and acknowledgement (a plaque!). With a sustainable report card of checks and balances, if you will, it would provide the Town clearly-stated achievements, certificates, goals to reach, and a well-written plan to reach them, all free of charge. With these in place, more grant and loan opportunities become available, as well as grant-writing support to receive such funding simply by becoming a participant of the Clean Energy Program. Since the Town has already begun making more sustainable changes, like switching incandescent light bulbs to LED bulbs and the like, it already has a great start with check marks of achievements. Search ‘Clean Energy Communities NYSERDA’ for more information.
Although attempts to revive the Behan grant “owed” to the Town from a fizzled grant project five years ago and focus it on the proposed skate park were unseccessful, by great good luck the Town of Ghent is serendipitously giving its skate park away for free! The 18-year old indoor skate park in Ghent was originally built for outdoor use, which also happens to be what New Lebanon designed for. Councilmember Newton has been granted a budget not to exceed $2,500 and permission to work up plans with the town engineer for the 50 x 90 concrete slab and installation of the Ghent skate park on it. The skate park is to be cut up into four sections and moved. A letter of intent to Ghent is all that is needed to secure the park with a promise to move it by the end of August 2020. Newton already has nine volunteers for the large task.
Superintendent Houghtling created space for councilmembers to set their top priorities for the next 2 years. Councilmember Rasmussen commented that “someday goals tend not to happen,” and then spoke to how often politicians make promises to citizens while running for office and then fail to meet them for one reason or another. A town citizen called out, “that’s politics,” and the crowd laughed in acknowledgement of this often unfortunate truth, which Rasmussen and the other council members hope to change starting with said Top Priorities conversation. The top four agreed-upon priorities across the board are 1) complete the Comprehensive Plan, 2) Business and Economic Development, 3) create/build a Community Center, and 4) assess the Town Assets. Other individual priorities include installing a water treatment system per councilmember Deborah Gordon’s request, saying that “they owe it to the town” to provide a new water treatment system. Councilmember Gordon said that even if they started the process now to make it happen, it would likely take up to four years for the new system to be up and running. A no-time-like-the present-moment mindset from Gordon ensued. Superintendent Houghtling would like to see membership up for the LVPA (Lebanon Valley Protection Association-aka the Fire Department), Councilmember Newton mentioned improvement to the park, and reuniting the zoning committee while councilmember John Trainor expressed interest in some variation of a supermarket/market/general store/pharmacy, as well as encouraging entrepreneurial endeavors. Each council member seemed to have a connecting piece of the other’s priority, creating a cohesive undertaking of their shared Top Priorities.
One Top Priority is already underway – a mailing to the local business community seeking interest in creating a Business & Economic Development Committee produced 13 letters of interest from business owners interested in participating. All 13 applicants will be accepted onto the committee.
Other community news:
• A fundraiser was held in honor of a young man, Jonathan Saviano, who recently died in a local fire. The proceeds were donated to the fire department for the purpose of providing smoke, fire, and carbon dioxide detectors to underprivileged families and graduating high school seniors. Anyone in need of these protective devices is encouraged to reach out to the LVPA.
• The Board heard from an advocate for Meals On Wheels that a participant in that program who has no cell service was unable to reach out and get the support needed when their phone landline went dead during an outage. In response Superintendent Tistrya Houghtling asked anyone who is having an issue of this kind with their phone service to contact her so she may make a case to the Association of Towns toward the importance of providing particular services to town residents who need them.