Parking, Cops and Cats Center Stage at Trustees Meeting
by Doug La Rocque
In October of last year, the Hoosick Falls Village Board passed a local law amending the parking rules in the Village, and in particular at the Church Street parking lot. Twelve spaces close to the Tri-State Federal Credit Union became 2-hour parking, while others were limited to all day but not overnight, with the rest dedicated as 24-hour spots. The Board has been getting feedback since that this may have had unintended consequences, especially when snow emergencies are called. A number of possible solutions were bandied about but the Trustees were not ready to act on any particular solution at the Tuesday, February 8 meeting.
Other concerns expressed about the lot were enforcement and court fines. Trustee Kevin O’Malley indicated he has seen records where some citations were repeatedly dismissed while others were fined up to $100. Mr. O’Malley also suggested the Village look into a parking study that could possibly be paid for with American Rescue Plan Act monies. So far, Trustee O’Malley has gotten quotes from two firms, each about $10,000. The Board indicated their interest, but ask Mr. O’Malley to find a third quote to comply with Village Code.
Police Review
The meeting began with a presentation from Doug Sauer, the Chair of the Committee Review Board. He indicated the Board has been busy reviewing police policies and procedures and taking part in interviews with candidates for any open positions in the department. He also indicated they have been preparing for the creation of a Civilian Review and Reform Board, which was part of the the report on municipal police agencies ordered last year by former Governor Andrew Cuomo. He indicated this review board should consist of three to seven participants, it would require specific qualifications for membership and while it would have review powers, no authority over the department would be transferred to this review board.
Way Too Many Cats
A resident of the Village’s Second Ward (River Street and side roads) complained there are too many cats running loose, both domestic and feral, urinating and defecating on decks, porches and ruining gardens. She wondered if there was anything the Village could do, suggesting possibly trapping the felines and requiring they be licensed and leashed like dogs currently are. Trustees indicated they would take her suggestions under advisement.
PFOA Settlement Payments
As was reported on our social media outlets, the $65 million PFOA settlement with Saint Gobain, Honeywell and 3M has been officially signed by NYS Supreme Court Judge Lawrence Kahn. According to Village Mayor Rob Allen, checks for qualifying class action suit members should be sent out in about two months. The medical monitoring portion of the agreement should begin in about the same timeframe. Legal action against the fourth company named in the suit, Dupont, is still pending. Dupont declined to be part of the settlement.
Light ‘em Up
Deputy Mayor Bob Ryan had an update about efforts to convert the Village streetlights to LEDs. He indicated initial costs would be recouped with the energy savings, which could amount to $1.2 million over the life of the program. A representative from RealTerm Energy was invited to attend the March meeting.
ARPA
Trustee Bob Decker said he has been gathering suggestions on how the Village could best use their first installment of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) monies, amounting to $173,000. Trustee Deb Alter suggested setting up a dedicated email address, which Board members liked.
Mr. Decker thought the Village and the Town of Hoosick might be able to share some projects, but Town Supervisor Mark Surdam indicated they were “ready to pull the trigger” on their plan at their February 14 meeting. Mayor Allen said he would plan to attend that gathering and see where he thinks the Village and the Town might be able to cooperate.
Mitigating the Impact of a New Water Tower
The Village has been trying to replace the Rogers Avenue water tank (it leaks you know) for two years. Two grant applications for the replacement have been turned down, but the Village hopes the third time is the charm.
The adjoining property to the tank is now up for sale, and the Board expressed their interest in purchasing it.
It is slightly lower in elevation than the current site, and plans for a water tower my be more palatable to area residents since such a tower might not be as visible.
Wilder Avenue Building
Codes Enforcement Officer Mark Surdam and Attorney Andy Gilchrist updated the Board about a building at 71 Wilder Avenue. Is it legally a one-family or two-family structure? It was two-family for many years and was grandfathered in when codes changed prohibiting two-family buildings in that area. It was later officially changed back to a one-family with the current owners rehabilitating the building, allegedly into a two-family home again. It is the opinion of Mr. Gilchrist it must remain a one-family dwelling.
New Representation
Mayor Allen updated the Board about the switch of Congressional and State Senate districts, and his concern that Congressman Antonio Delgado would most likely no longer represent Hoosick Falls. He has been full of praise for Mr. Delgado for his work with the Village in their PFOA struggles. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik will assume representation for Hoosick Falls (if re-elected in her newly drawn district) with Mayor Allen saying he was encouraged by her recent statement that she would be fully involved with the PFOA situation in both Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh. The redistricting, approved by the State Legislature and Governor Hochul, is facing a lawsuit that alleges political gerrymandering.