Village Budget And Landfill Consent Order Are Finalized
By Doug La Rocque
Like most municipal boards in the area, the Hoosick Falls Board of Trustees used a Zoom platform to conduct its Tuesday April 14 meeting, which began with a public hearing on the tentative $3.5 million budget. As was reported in The Eastwick Press last week, the spending plan calls for a 1.46% tax hike, or about 11 cents per thousand of assessed valuation. With little input from the public, the Board later in the meeting, approved the budget by a unanimous vote. Mayor Rob Allen also announced that the agreement, reached back in March, with Honeywell to help pay for the PFOA remediation efforts at the village landfill has been signed by all parties.
Lots Of Cancellations And Postponements
Because of Governor Cuomo’s executive orders in relation to the COVID-19 crisis, the Village elections that were to take place in March were not held, and will not be until sometime after June 1. That means there is no change in the Village board membership, which also means recently retired Trustee Ben Patten, is, as Mayor Allen put it, “unretired.” He was dutifully back in his seat for the April meeting. The order also means the April organizational meeting is postponed as well, and all policies, staffing and appointments are continued.
The Board decided to postpone a public hearing on local law #1 adopting the 2020 NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code as well as the Energy Conservation Construction Code, until such time as they can again meet in person.
The Trustees also decided to table for now discussion regarding price changes for household garbage and adding costs for recycling brought to the transfer station.
Delaying Penalties and Interest
The Trustees approved two resolutions are the meeting, one delaying by an additional 30 days, the imposition of any interest or penalties on the most recent round of water bills. This only applies to the recent billing, and does not extend to any previously due charges. The Board also took into consideration the financial constraints many Village residents are feeling with so many lost jobs and reductions in hours because of COVID-19, and extended by 30 days the grace period to pay Village property taxes without penalties or interest. This resolution was worked out in conjunction with the Rensselaer County Real Tax Department.
Splitting The Youth Money
It has been past practice by the Board to split the $3,000 budgeted yearly for youth activities between HAYC3 and the Youth Center right down the middle. With HAYC3 no longer a functioning part of the Hoosick Falls Armory, the Board has been debating whether or not to give the entire funding to the Youth Center. At the April meeting, a letter from the Armory Board was read, listing the many youth oriented activities the armory still supports, and requesting that its share of the funding not be cut. The trustees agreed, and decided to allocate $1,500 for each organization, in both the current fiscal year and in next year’s approved budget.
Like most boards this month, Hoosick Falls trustees dealt with the most pressing issues, and then adjourned in what was a shorter than usual meeting.