The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Local News

Berlin ZBA OKs Cherry Plain Cell Tower

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by Phillip Zema
The Berlin Zoning Board of Appeals voted 3-2 in favor of allowing Mariner Tower to erect a cellular tower on Doug and Melinda Goodermote’s property. David Theriault, ZBA Alternate, and Maryellen Gilroy voted against the project, while Donald French, Victor Lewin and J. Nicholas Adams voted for it. When completed, the tower will provide coverage for most of the Cherry Plain and Berlin locations currently lacking adequate service. The lone remaining dead zone would lie along a portion of East Hollow Road.
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Village Taxes To Increase 6.5% – Water/Sewer Rates Unchanged

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by Bea Peterson
The Village Board met on Tuesday, April 20, for the organizational meeting and budget hearing. Changes in the budget that Mayor Matt Monahan noted included the result of a big turnout on Grievance Day, substantially reduced ticket sales at the Transfer Station and increased Court fines. He anticipates CHIPS money will decrease from $92,000 to $75,000 and State Aid will be $54,000 less. There will be no increase in pay for employees or Board members. [Read more…] about Village Taxes To Increase 6.5% – Water/Sewer Rates Unchanged

LVPA Ambulance Leaves Fire Dept.

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by Phillip Zema
New Lebanon’s volunteer ambulance service will no longer be part of the Town’s fire department. Both the ambulance service and fire department belong to the Lebanon Valley Protection Agency, which is a volunteer organization. But a current NYS Department of Health regulation claims that volunteer agencies cannot bill for their services. Accordingly, the LVPA’s ambulance service cannot bill health insurance companies, no matter how expensive the cost of transporting patients. Up to now, these bills accounted for roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of its revenue. The ambulance service, consequently, cannot function without these funds.
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Stephentown Town Board Action – Emu Riding Shotgun

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by David Flint
In an otherwise mundane Town Board meeting Monday evening people got a laugh out of the Stephentown Dog Control Officer’s report which included responding to a call of a wandering emu. This was the same big bird that caused a stir up in Berlin the same day, March 28. Lynne Burns said it was Rensselaer County 911 that called saying the long-legged critter was spotted on Route 22 between Stephentown and Berlin.
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Petersburgh Town Board Action – Town Needs New Gas Tank

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by Alex Brooks
Petersburgh Town Highway Superintendent Ray Harrison said representatives from the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) have been visiting town highway garages all around the area and inspecting them for compliance with environmental regulations. Their inspection of Petersburgh’s facilities and operations found no violations, but Harrison said, “They want us to remove the in-ground gas tank and put in an above-ground tank.”
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Grafton Town Board Action – Board Votes Not To Support Forest Legacy Designation

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by Erin Hogan
There has been much controversy over the application to the US Forest Service by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for the designation of the Rensselaer Plateau as a Forest Legacy area. The DEC is trying to designate “nearly 200,000 acres” of land in the Rensselaer Plateau as a Forest Legacy area. Ninety-nine percent of the Town of Grafton falls within the Rensselaer Plateau and nearly 20% of the Town of Grafton is currently owned by New York State. Therefore, according to some, these forests are already protected. [Read more…] about Grafton Town Board Action – Board Votes Not To Support Forest Legacy Designation

Hoosick Grange News

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Hoosick Grange met on Wednesday, April 14. It was Hop Night. One hundred years ago, hops were picked by hand, a very social event. Going to the hop would have been a fan event. Marion Brenenstuhl introduced Gary Brown and Peter Martin. Gary owns Brown Brewery of Troy, NY. Peter is in charge of production. They told us how they grow hops locally. [Read more…] about Hoosick Grange News