Law Enforcement And Water Tops Village Board Discussion
by Doug La Rocque
Mayor Robert Allen opened the Tuesday, July 14 meeting of the Hoosick Falls Village Board by announcing there is a water restriction in the village because of the dry conditions. Watering of lawns is only allowed from 7 to 9 pm, and no filling of pools is allowed until the restriction is lifted.
Hoosick Falls Police Chief Bob Ashe made it clear at the meeting that in light of the recent incidents and protests associated with the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Black Lives Matter movement that has grown out of the death, he feels it is important that the village take a close look at policing efforts, asking for the formation of a review committee with himself, Mayor Rob Allen, other trustees and members of the community. Deputy Mayor Bob Ryan said he already has three people who have offered to serve on such a committee. They are former mayor David Borge, attorney and owner of the Sand Bar Restaurant Trish Bloomer, and area businessman Jasen Von Guinness. Chief Ashe is asking that they look at all aspects of the department and its policies, including methods used in making an arrest.
This is not a formal Citizen’s Advisory Board, although the formation of such might be one of the suggestions brought forth by this committee. The chief and the mayor also said a recent Black Lives Matter candlelight vigil in the village was very peaceful with no incidents.
Fireworks
Like many other communities in the Capital Region, fireworks of varying sizes have been a problem. People have been shooting them off until the wee hours of the morning, and not just the small stuff you can buy at roadside stands. Deputy Mayor Ryan talked about a crowd of juveniles gathering recently at the corner of Third and Hoosick Streets, shooting off fireworks and leaving the empty canisters in the middle of the intersection. Chief Ashe also spoke of incidents in other communities where fireworks have been shot directly at police and animals, and promised his department will continue to crack down on the illegal practice.
K9 Officer Mickey Is Retiring
After serving the Village Police Department for many years, Officer Cory Wagner’s partner Mickey is retiring to a more simple life in Officer Wagner’s home. Chief Ashe cited many instances where Mickey has been a large help, including sniffing out a large amount of illegal drugs that resulted in the seizure of more than $100,000 which the village was eventually able to keep.
Mickey’s retirement is not the only loss to the department, as Officer Wagner is departing to accept a full-time job in Waterford. He will, however, remain part-time in Hoosick Falls.
The mayor and the chief also took time to honor Officer Wagner and Hoosick Town Supervisor Mark Surdam, for saving the life of a village resident who collapsed and was revived by the pair. The full account of their heroic efforts was contained in the June 19 edition of The Eastwick Press.
More Water Testing
Mayor Allen said combined efforts of the NYS Department of Health and Environmental Conservation to find an alternative drinking water source for the village, has seen more well drilling and testing as part of the local supply option mentioned in the state’s most recent report. Replacing the current PFOA contaminated wells with new wells seems to be the most popular of the many suggestions that were put forth, which run the gamut of doing nothing and continuing to use the current filtration system, to tapping into either the Tomhannock Reservoir or the Town of Brunswick’s water supply. Each of these would cost in the millions of dollars. Mayor Allen says he hopes to learn more about the alternative water supply study in September.
Village Offices Will Reopen
With the concurrence of the village trustees, Mayor Allen plans to reopen the village offices on Monday, July 27, but in person visits will require an appointment. He said the offices will be staffed Monday through Thursday on their normal summer schedule, with at least one person in the office at all times. The Highway Department returned to full strength several weeks ago, and the board decided that the Sewer and Water Departments should also return to full staffing.
No July Concert In the Park
The Covid-19 pandemic that resulted in the closing of the village offices, is also the reason there will be no “Music in the Park” on July 31. Even though several nearby municipalities are going ahead with their musical programs, the board members felt uneasy about it in Wood Park, especially with the tightness in the bandstand. They plan to address the August concert at their next meeting.
Paying For The Flood
The Village had to bond for $330,000 to help pay for the flooding in the summer of 2017, since the event was not deemed to be a natural disaster by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA. The first payment of $12,000 is due shortly, and Mayor Allen says he believes he has found savings in five current budget lines that can pay the bill. The trustees liked the idea, but asked the Mayor for more detail. It will be addressed at the August meeting.
News And Notes
A request from Civicure to consider waiving all or part of its $649 building permit fee for repairs to the Wood Block building roof was discussed. The trustees were generally in favor of it, but decided to wait until the August meeting to research the best way to do it. It was suggested perhaps the village should cash Civicure’s check and then return the money in the form of a donation, instead of actually waiving the fee.
A discussion took place on a request for payment on unused vacation time by some Highway Department and salaried employees. The reason that was stated was because of the impacts of COVID-19. Village Attorney Andy Gilchrist suggested perhaps they should look at putting the request in the form of a resolution that specifically spells out the singular reason, and won’t be setting a precedent for such actions. He said he will have the resolution ready for the August meeting.
Codes Enforcement Officer Mark Surdam updated the board on pools and fire pits. Pools 24 inches or higher need a building permit, and sometime fencing or pool warning system. Any commercially built fire pits must be any least 15 feet from a main structure, and a “fire in the hole,” open burning or in a hand dug hole, must be at least 25 feet from such a structure.
This was the board’s first in person meeting since March, and to provide enough space for social distancing, it was moved to a bay at the new highway garage. All COVID-19 protocols were in place.