The ornamental cherries that remained on the trees were covered with ice Saturday and Sunday. (Bea Peterson photo)

Happy Holidays From Us At The Eastwick Press

We will not be publishing on the weeks of Christmas and New Years. Our next issue will be January 9. Normally we only take one week off during the Christmas holidays, but, in order to keep our publication schedule to 50 weeks next year, the calendar dictates that we must also take off the first Friday in January 2009.

Students of the Hoosick Falls Junior/Senior Chorus during a vocal warm-up with their director, Ambigay Yudkoff, at the WMHT-TV recording studio. Photo courtesy of Pam Cottrell.

After auditioning for WMHT-TV to appear on their  Music for the Holidays program, selected singers from the combined Hoosick Falls Junior/Senior Chorus, directed by Ambigay Yudkoff, made their first TV recording at the WMHT-TV studio on November 18. They performed three songs for this recording, which will not only be broadcast on WMHT-TV but also included in a DVD of selected choruses that will be on sale to the public. Music for the Holidays will be broadcast over several days in December:

• Saturday, December 20, 12:30 to 1 am.

• Monday-Friday, December 22 - 26, 5:30 to 6 pm.

• Monday-Thursday, December 22 - 25, 7:30 to 8 pm.

• Wednesday, December 24, 2 to 4:30 pm.

• Thursday, December 25, 10 am - 12:30 pm.

The DVD may be purchased online at http://shop.wmht.org/shop/home.php for $15.95 plus tax.

Beverly McClave, speaking for the Stephentown Historical Society, announced at the Stephentown Town Board meeting on Monday that the Town would be celebrating its 225th anniversary in 2009. The Society has started planning to observe it. It is expected that there will be some sort of event in March possibly involving school children putting on a skit depicting the signing of the original charter. Food will be served based upon old time recipes. The Society hopes that all Town organizations will join in a celebration of some kind to be held in midsummer. And in the fall there may be an historic house tour.

McClave asked for the support of the Town Board, financial and otherwise. She asked for Town Board representation on the anniversary planning committee. Councilman Larry  Eckhardt volunteered.

Plans For The SES Building

With Stephentown Elementary School expected to be closed at the end of this school year, Town officials and others have been exploring the feasibility of turning it into a community center. Town Supervisor Tom Sherman reported on the progress of a committee that has been gathering facts and cost data and looking into what uses might be made of the school.

Sherman said the committee, which includes himself and representatives from the Berlin Central School District and the Stephentown Memorial Library as well as a number of individual Town citizens, envisions a “Quality of Life Center” that would be a single distribution point for social, cultural, medical and educational services. Cultural services would include information and exhibits on history, arts and sciences, farming and rural life and area attractions and activities. Social services could encompass a meeting hall, a meals on wheels distribution center and activities for youth groups and seniors. The facility could also serve as a health care site for a visiting doctor, dentist and County mental health services. It might also be a drop-off point for prescriptions for the convenience of seniors and others. The school might also continue as an educational center, offering after school programs, summer programs and post-secondary and continuing education courses for a variety of groups and individuals in the community. Sherman said he believed that there would be grant money available from organizations such as Cisco Systems for an educational community center.

Sherman provided some rough figures that projected the Town budgeting $62,000 or 24% of the operating cost in the first year, rising to 35% ten years out. Other moneys would come from donations and fund raising and from County and State support. He emphasized that this is still in the talking stages but he wanted to get the public thinking about it so that the extent of public support can later be assessed.

Councilman Eckhardt asked Cyril Grant, who is the Buildings & Grounds Superintendent for the School District, whether the District might not have other plans for the building. Grant said there had been discussion about possibly using it for administrative offices, for BOCES programs or for a shared alternative learning program with other school districts but that nothing had been decided yet.

The GPS Said╔

Supervisor Sherman reported that the Board has been notified that a person who crashed his car last February trying to cross the non-existent Pease Road bridge is attempting to reopen a claim against the Town. He had filed a claim earlier, but it was denied by the Town’s insurance company. The claim is that there was no sign indicating the bridge was out, but Sherman said there was indeed a sign. The driver contended at the time that he was following the directions of his GPS. Councilman Prescott noted that he was going fast enough so that he “jumped” a sand pile in front of the stream. Prescott suggested that the Town should file a counter claim demanding money to repair the guard rail that the driver destroyed.

Martin Luther King Day Observance

Sherman said the Board had received a letter urging them to observe Martin Luther King Day by not holding a Town Board meeting as usual on the third Monday of January. Sherman regretted that the letter was not signed, but he agreed with the sentiment and so had drafted a resolution that the January meeting be moved to the fourth Monday. This generated discussion about disrupting townspeople’s schedules and about other holidays that might also be observed in the same way, such as Presidents Day in February and Veterans Day in November. The Board decided to table the resolution and consider it again at the Organizational meeting at the beginning of January when the holidays for the Highway Department and Transfer Station are set.

Bids Requested

The Board passed two resolution regarding cleaning services for the Town Hall. The first authorized the Supervisor to pay Barbara Burdick for November and December an amount of $25 per hour for four hours per week of cleaning. The second provided for advertising for sealed bids for cleaning services. The bids are due at the Town Clerk’s Office by noon, December 31.

Councilman PJ Roder reported that after considerable researching of fuel pump key systems, the Board was now ready to ask for bids for such a system at the Town Garage. The Board passed a resolution authorizing the advertising of a request for sealed bids for the system. Specifications are available at the Town Clerk’s Office. Bids are due at her office by noon on December 31.

Another resolution was passed authorizing the Town Clerk to advertise for bids for snowplowing at the Transfer Station for the year 2009. Specifications are available at her office, and bids are due by noon on December 31.

Shared Municipal Services

Sherman notified the Board that he had received a proposal from the Berlin Central School District asking the Town to join them along with the County and other towns in applying for a Shared Municipal Services grant from the NYS Department of State. The project to be funded is entitled the Eastern Rensselaer and Columbia County Shared Vehicle Maintenance Facility Feasibility Study. The study is designed, among other things, to “identify opportunities to reduce public agency spending and provide superior service in vehicle maintenance operations by sharing facilities.” The cost to Stephentown for participating in the grant application would be no more than $700. Sherman thought it would be beneficial to all of the participants, and he asked the Board to consider it for the next meeting.

Water’s OK

Councilman Eckhardt reported that both the monthly water test at the Town Hall and the annual nitrate test were both well within acceptable limits.

Rags & Uniforms

Cyril Grant questioned a claim in the amount of $136 from Rus Uniforms since the contract with that company had been cancelled. Sherman replied that although the contract for uniforms had been cancelled the Town still had a two year contract with Rus to provide rags.

He added that he was still involved in negotiations regarding a situation with the company (the Unifirst Corporation) that replaced Rus for a short time before the Board decided in August to cease contracting with a uniform company and instead provide Highway staff an annual stipend for uniforms. He said he was working on getting it solved. PJ Roder asked what the situation was. Sherman said that an agreement had been signed “that shouldn’t have been.”

Power’s Back

Councilman Eckhardt asked Highway Superintendent Aldy Goodermote whether any townspeople were still without power due to the ice storm. Goodermote replied that to his knowledge there were not.

What’s With Beacon Power?

Sherman asked Brian Baker if he had any knowledge as to when Beacon Power intends to start construction of their frequency regulation plant on Grange Hall Road. Baker said he understood they had made a presentation at the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce where they talked about possibly installing the first two pods in January or February but he had no first hand knowledge. He said he believed the company was still waiting on the awarding of a loan guarantee from the US Department of Energy that would provide funds for 75% of the $50 million cost of the Stephentown installation.

Deposits & Spending

The Town Clerk reported she had turned over to the Supervisor the sum of $613.63 for the month of November. The Town Court reported $3,080 in fines to the State Comptroller, but the amount to be distributed to the Town from the Justice Court Fund has not been determined yet. The Transfer Station deposited a total of $4,578.

The Board audited and approved claims in the amount of $21,498.90 from the General Account and $12,522.20 from the Highway Account.

The Board set the Organizational Meeting for the year 2009 for Wednesday, January 7, at 7:30 pm, and their next regular meeting tentatively for Monday, January 19, at 7:30 pm, unless the date is changed to observe Martin Luther King Day.

Realtor Rick Tinkham appeared before the Hoosick Planning Board on Monday, December 14 on behalf of Bryan Pello. This was an initial conference. Pello owns 21.3 acres on Fog Hill Road that he would like to develop with two to five building lots. If three lots, Tinkham said, two of them would have 400 feet of road frontage and the third lot would have 50 feet. Tinkham said this was all preliminary. When he had completed his presentation, two families wished to read and present opposition letters to the Board. Acting Board Chairman William Dunigan told them this was an initial conference, not a public hearing. Tinkham asked the letters be read since, he said, he and Pello want to know everyone’s feelings regarding the property. 

The letters from Barbara and Gary Sussman and Donna Marie de Creeft lament the loss of such scenic property to development noting the land contains panoramic vistas and is on a road designated by the County as a “scenic route.” The vistas have been the subject of many artists, and they feel the property should be preserved. The land also contains hiking and snowmobile trails.

There is marshland at the bottom of a field near the property, and they expressed concern that it might be spoiled by leaks from septic fields in a development. One letter suggested a State Environmental Quality Review be undertaken before the development is approved. 

Tinkham said the land is for sale for $250,000 and Pello is open to anyone purchasing it to preserve it. At the moment, the plan to achieve that financial goal is to subdivide the property for building lots. 

The only other person to appear before the Board was Avi Vyas on behalf of Farin Harris. The Board approved the request for a two lot simple subdivision dividing 4.26 acres from a 49 acre parcel on Harken Hollow Road.

The news from the Governor’s Office received on the day of the Berlin School Board’s monthly meeting on Tuesday, December 16, was not good. The Berlin Central School District at this point stands to take a “Deficit Reduction” hit of $533,762. The actual reduction in State aid would not be that great because a few categories of aid, including BOCES aid and Transportation aid, would be increased somewhat, but the overall reduction still amounts to over $444,000. This cutback combined with expenditure increases puts the Board in a bind as it enters into the 2009-10 budget process. 

Interim Schools Superintendent Charlotte Gregory said she would lay out a list of non-required courses and programs and the Board might have to decide which ones it wants to continue. Board Member Tom Morelli said that District savings from closing Stephentown Elementary School should mean that programs are saved whole. He said that the teaching staff and the CSEA, too, would have to be engaged in helping the Board develop a budget without cutting programs and without passing the cost of aid reductions on to the taxpayers. He asked to know what process would be followed to “inform the staff that we have a major problem.” Gregory responded that she would confer with staff, but “I can’t compel them.” 

Morelli asked what the confidence level was regarding the estimated $465,000 savings from closing Stephentown Elementary. Interim Business Administrator Scott Hunter replied it was 90% sure. But Morelli questioned whether it could be that high given that the savings would entail letting go a principal, a nurse, a teacher, a secretary, teaching assistants and a custodial person  and there didn’t seem to be consensus among the Board and administration that that would actually happen. 

Making Meetings 

Manageable

Following upon some very late running meetings, Board Member Elizabeth Miller asked, as the Board’s Parliamentarian, for changes in the conduct of meetings. She wanted student presentations and guest speakers to be moved to the top of the agenda following the President’s report so that they would not be kept longer than necessary. She also asked that the administrators who attend the meeting be dismissed no later than 9:30 pm. Miller said the Board needed to follow Roberts Rules of Order and get things done in a timely fashion. Information gathering and preparation for debate at the meetings, she said, should be done ahead of time and administrators need their sleep in order to do their job well. Board President Zwack agreed, saying that some people had complained that they have had to leave meetings before they concluded. Board Members Morelli and Don French had no problem with modifying the agenda, but they demurred on dismissing the administrators early.  

Raymond Preusser, CPA was present to answer questions regarding an audit report delivered at the October meeting. But since the questions had to do with a management statement written by a CPA who assisted in closing out the District’s books last summer, Preusser said he would research the situation and respond later. Board members were especially concerned about a statement that the net increase in the District’s liabilities was due to the Cherry Plain bond being paid off. They also wanted to know whether the $1.4 million in a reserve fund for employee benefits is sufficient or more than sufficient, and if more than sufficient what flexibility do they have to shift the excess for other purposes. Morelli said the Board needed a better handle on what the reserved and unreserved capital of the District is and how it figures in the ability of the District to take on debt. Preusser said he thought the District generally had a good blend of reserves but he was willing to take another look at them and sit down with the Board and administrators at a workshop meeting, respond to concerns and go over the whole topic of allocating money to reserve funds. The Board agreed to set a date in January for this meeting when all parties would be available. 

Don French questioned a budget transfer of $9,710 from a Maintenance area to a Transportation code. Hunter explained that it was for emergency repair work at the bus garage and was necessary because potholes in the yard had become a hazard for both equipment and staff. A complaint about the condition of the yard had been filed with the Public Employee Safety & Health Administration. Buildings & Grounds Superintendent Cyril Grant added that the budget transfer from Maintenance to Transportation would make the repair eligible for 79% State aid. 

High School and Middle School Principals Dennis Healy and Cathy Allain reported on a visit to a Distance Learning demonstration at Maple Hill High School in Schodack. They found that the system had generated excitement and interest for both students and faculty, offered course variety in math and science, more advanced level electives, advanced placement courses and some college level courses. Potential course offerings covered a wide gamut of fields. Other advantages were that it teaches student independence with minimal conflicts with other courses and also offered options for after school hours. The cost of the system was estimated to be $124,220 for the initial program and equipment and $6,804 per year in successive years. Discounts for hosting courses would be available, and E-Rate and BOCES aid would apply. Board members and other administrators were invited to attend a similar demonstration at Maple Hill, and it was suggested they bring selected students with them.

Board Member Morelli said he was all in favor of utilizing the best technology but questioned whether the District was making the best use of the existing T-1 line in the District either in terms of its educational impact or its technological effectiveness. He said the District needed a Chief Information Officer to advise on the District’s technology platform and help make important decisions regarding the latest technology. To Scott Hunter’s comment that the District was close to having “maxed out” the T-1 line, he suggested a closer look at what the traffic is and whether it might not be the deployment of servers that is hampering its effectiveness. 

Don French asked about testing for radon in the schools. Preliminary testing was done earlier in the fall but was not conclusive. Gregory said a second preliminary round of testing would be done this week and results will be available in five or six weeks. 

French asked for the results of special testing in ninth grade Algebra and Geometry to see how students are progressing. Dennis Healy said that there had been progress in that class in Algebra with proficiency levels rising from 28% to 54%. French said he wanted actual grades, not pass/fail results because passing scores could range anywhere between 65 and 100 and would be misleading if 85% were reported passing when the majority actually scored below 80. 

French asked for a report on the construction of outdoor volleyball and basketball courts at the High School/Middle School. Cyril Grant responded that $37,055 had been spent leaving a balance in the fund of $2,343. The courts will not be completed until spring. French wanted to know what additional work is required and whether the work meets all State requirements as far as retaining walls, lighting, fencing, signage, etc. Grant said he would provide additional information. Scott Hunter added that he had spoken with the District’s insurance company and was assured that moving the volleyball court and adding the basketball court should not affect insurance costs but the company will inspect the installation when finished. 

French asked about a parent-teacher conference that was cancelled due to the weather. He asked if that would mean another half day of school closing to accommodate a rescheduled parent-teacher conference. Administrators said the conferences would be scheduled with parents at a mutually agreed upon time outside of school time or they would take place by telephone.

The Board set their next regular meeting for Tuesday, January 20, at 7 pm in the High School auditorium.

The public spent 15 minutes complaining about their cable TV service at the Public Hearing held before the regular Berlin Town Board meeting on Thursday, December 11. The public hearing was scheduled in order to get public input into the Town’s renewal of the Cable TV franchise  with Charter Communications, a company headquartered in Worcester, MA. Charter took over the cable franchise from Avalon which in turn had purchased it from Hometime TV, a local company started by the McTagues, which had the first cable franchise in Berlin. Hometime’s contract was negotiated by the Town in 1992 when Ross Bentley was Supervisor.

Thomas Cohen, from Charter, was supposed to attend this hearing, but the ice and snow storms last Thursday discouraged him. As a result, Town Supervisor Robert Jaeger, who is in contact with him, and the rest of the Board listened to the complaints and suggestions. Jaeger will relay these concerns to Cohen and seek some assurances before the Board votes on the franchise renewal in the January meeting. Had the representative from Charter attended Thursday’s meeting, the renewal would have been voted on that night.

Some of the issues raised will be familiar to many other cable TV subscribers in Berlin. According to Board Member Sheila Hewitt, the “transmission snaps off when the temperature falls to 5 degrees and won’t return until it gets really warm. This has been happening for five winters,” she said. Mark Primeau wanted a local response to complaints  and “somebody local to check the lines out, not somebody who is 3 or 4 hours away.” A local service telephone number would do. He and others said that their service calls are rerouted to other states and even Nova Scotia. Hewitt said that Charter won’t respond to a complaint unless three customers have called to report the same problem. It was suggested that a telephone tree be established to organize complaints. Hewitt said that if there is a town-wide outage each individual must call in order to get credit for the loss of signal. Tammy Osterhout added that Charter doesn’t follow through on credits  that they agree to give. There was a consensus that “Channel 3 is terrible,” referring to the signal not the content.

Supervisor Jaeger said he would pass along these concerns to and also request of Cohen that a cable drop be put into the Watipi Building, which is owned by the Town and in which youth activities take place. There are already free drops in the school, the fire house, the Town Hall and the Town Garage. Some subscribers have been notified of rate increases for 2009. The cost of the basic service will remain the same, but the many of the other services will see an increase of about $1. 

The franchise contract will have a term of five years. According to Jaeger, the current contract expired a year ago. TV is so important that it is hard to imagine that the TV cable franchise will not be renewed in January in spite of the many complaints aired at this public hearing.

The Regular Meeting

Since Jim Winn, Water District #2 Supervisor and Highway Superintendent, was out with the Highway Department crew clearing roads during the storm, there were no reports on these matters. However, members of the Board discussed Water District #2 and  highway issues.

When the bills were being read for approval, Board Member Jim Saunders pointed out that the electricity bill for the Water District was $400 less than last month. He interpreted this reduction as being caused by the repair of the two hydrants, one near the Bank of America and one on North Main Street, reported at lasts month’s meeting. Hewitt added, “That could have been saved for the last year.”

Several highway issues were raised. Jaeger said he wanted the Board  to examine the rates that the Highway Department charges Water District #2 for use of the Town trucks and backhoe. He said the rates now are $35 per hour for the trucks and $15 - 20 for the backhoe. He said the bill for Town equipment for the two hydrants repaired recently was under $1,500. He said the charges should be more realistic, and he thinks $45-50 per hour for the truck is more acceptable. The expenses for Water District #2 are budgeted separately from the Town expenses and are funded by water bill revenues charged to property owners whose water supply is attached to the Water District #2 system. The rates for use of Highway Department equipment will be set at the organizational meeting held in early January.

Truck Purchase Must Be Bid

The 2009 Town Budget has appropriated $38,500 for the purchase of a used truck being sold for surplus by a town in Vermont. Jaeger said that Jim Winn has inspected the truck and felt it is “in real good shape.” Jaeger said a new truck with these specifications would cost $210,000. Because the purchase amount exceeds ten thousand dollars the purchase requires a formal bidding process with the publication of specifications. The published specifications will match those of the truck that the Town has targeted. It had been hoped that because the truck is being sold by a municipality that the formal bidding process could be avoided, but the NYS Comptroller’s Office said that that exemption does not apply to municipal entities outside of New York State. The bids will be opened at the January meeting.

Speaking of trucks, Sheila Hewitt said that people had asked that the Town name be put on the Town trucks. Jaeger replied, “It’s on my list.” Speaking of the Gradall, Jim Saunders suggested that “we get a hold of Ruebel to see what he is going to do.” In the October meeting Henry Ruebel had his bid of $1,125 accepted for the purchase of the G600 Gradall that the Town was selling for surplus. Board Member George Shuhart reported that the insulated, overhead doors for the Town Garage have been ordered and should be installed “any time.”

A Traveler

Dog Control Officer Doug Goodermote reported that he had picked up a Jack Russell Terrier. It took about a week to locate the owner. Goodermote also said that a big, white dog is travelling the fields around Old Post Road. Goodermote has gone up there but can’t catch the owner in order to talk. Goodermote said that people should let the dog roam because, in his experience, this dog will bite.

Other Reports

Planning Board Chairperson Pam Gerstel reported that Board had “been a little busy.” They will deal with a subdivision “at Howie Commander’s place” at the next meeting in January.

For the Comprehensive Plan Committee, Jaeger reported that he will meet with Chuck Gloss of CT Male Associates, the Town’s consultant, to tour the Town next week. CT Male has started work on mapping and setting up the GIS (Geographic Information System) for the Town, he said. Jaeger has also discussed the $25,000 grant applied for through the Community Development Block Grant Program for 2008. He thought it was a good sign that the agency has requested more information in response to the Town’s initial submission.

Reporting on the Youth Commission Tammy Osterhout said that she had discovered that there was some money left over in this year’s budget which she would like to use to buy supplies. She said there was a dance planned for January although the location has not yet been set. Osterhout will apply for a Stewart’s matching grant. Last year Stewart’s awarded Berlin $700; she hopes for more this year.

Board Member Carl Greene  reported that the Little Hoosic Watershed Association was going through the Town records to establish the relationships of the Association with government entities and to find precedents for its actions. He said the Us Fish & Wildlife Service will be surveying the “main chunk” of the Little Hoosic to verify their topographical maps and make sure their calculations of water flow, etc., are correct. 

Ivan Wager reported  that “everything is running ok at the Transfer Station.” The tires, refrigerators and brush have been cleaned up, and the augie has been put away for the winter. “From the guys at the Transfer Station, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,” he announced.

Jaeger reported that there will be a 22% increase in the health insurance rates charged by Empire Blue Cross. He said that the increase was budgeted and that the Town elected to stay with Empire. Because this increase is budgeted there will not be any impact to the Town employees. Jaeger also reported that the Board had received a thank you letter from the Berlin High School Class of 2009 for the Town’s donation to the After Prom event.

Meetings Scheduled

The Board scheduled Settlement Night, a meeting in which the Town settles outstanding bills to be paid for in the current fiscal year, for Monday, December 29, at 7:30 pm. The Board also scheduled a workshop on the five year plan for Berlin for Thursday, January 22, at 7 pm. Both are public meetings but not open to public comment.

At the recommendation of the Berlin Fire Commissioners, the Board will recommend to the Rensselaer County Legislature that Joseph Sweener be appointed to the County’s Fire Advisory Board with Jack Kanopka as the alternate.

Pick Up Your 911 Signs

Fire Commissioner Bruce Hake Jr. announced that all but 25 of the 911 signs funded by the Town and a grant from then NYS Assemblyman Roy McDonald’s office have been made by the Fire Department. Hake wanted to know if the Board would like to extend the program until every property in Town has a sign. He said that there are quite a few low numbers in Berlin so the Fire Department still has plenty of digits that can be used on the new signs. The Department would be willing to continue making the signs, Hake said. The signs that have been posted have been very helpful in finding the location of the calls, he added. The Town would buy more metal sign plates that come 25 to a box. Town Supervisor Robert Jaeger asked Hake to do the research to determine the actual number of signs that are needed to finish the project. Hake said he would do that.

During the first phase of the 911 sign project Berliners were able to call or send in their requests for signs which were made and given to them free of charge. Hake reported that 50 of the people who ordered signs have not yet picked them up. He announced that these people should pick up their signs at the Fire House as soon as possible.

New Carpeting

Noticing that the carpeting in the Town Hall was its old drab self and remembering from the September and October Board meetings that Town Justice Joe Rechen had obtained a Justice Court Assistance Program (JCAP) grant for improvements to the Berlin Court, which meets in the Town Hall, Dave Theriault asked about the grant. Rechen said that the grant was for new carpeting, for new linoleum for the bathroom and for replacement of the old air conditioner, with some added money to purchase certain Justice Court equipment. He said the check will be delivered to the Town on or immediately after January 20, 2009. The Town Board can decide what style and color the carpeting can be, he added.

Selling Cherry Plain 

Polling Place?

Rechen also raised the issue of storage for the files that are required to be maintained by the Court. There is very little room left for storage, he said, and the files cannot be stored in the Town Hall basement because it is too wet. He thought the Cherry Plain Polling Place should be considered for storing the documents even though it would need a dehumidifier. Jaeger said that the mold problem in the Cherry Plain Polling Place is very bad and he feared the files would get moldy. Jaeger also said that the Town should consider whether to keep or sell the Cherry Plain Polling Place since it is not very useful. This is one of the topics he would like to discuss during the workshop on Berlin’s five year plan scheduled for January 22.

Cell Towers

The public discussion turned to the imminent construction of a cell tower in Berlin. The cell tower will be located on the Henry Seagroatt property at 1 Satterlee Hollow Road. There was a balloon test on Saturday, December 13. This is required by the Town Cell Tower law so that residents can imagine the visual impact the tower will have. The balloon is floated marginally above the height of the proposed tower, 124 feet, for eight hours. 

Jaeger said that cell tower developers have been  contacting him and Planning Board Chairperson Gerstel inquiring about the Town, its terrain, its businesses, its population and its cell tower regulations. Jaeger said that the Town regulations give the Town a lot of leeway to adjust the application fees so that it is not an impediment to development. Even though the property owners and not the Town profit from the cell towers, the Town benefits “from the safety issue which is a prime consideration,” Jaeger said. 

It is clear that the residents of Berlin don’t want a large number of towers in their rural community, and so Kent Goodermote asked if the Town can stipulate how many carriers can be accommodated by a tower. The Town can stipulate that the tower be built to accommodate multiple carriers. Jaeger said the Verizon tower on Satterlee Hollow Road has the capability for six transmitters and that erecting one or two more towers should cover the Town’s need for cell coverage. However, it is not a forgone conclusion that just because there is space to rent on a tower that a cell carrier like Verizon will rent to a competitor. A tower built by a developer, like the one on Tinley Road in Stephentown, rather than a cell phone company, is in business to rent to multiple carriers. Ivan Wager pointed out that the size of the base of the tower determines how many transmitters can be accommodated. He said that the towers which carry the heavier microwave transmitters of the emergency services have bases that are a lot bigger than the commercial cell tower bases. Space on the Tinley Road tower in Stephentown has been rented by the Rensselaer County Department of Public Safety, he said.

The meeting adjourned at 8:19 pm.

At the Petersburgh Town Board meeting on Monday, Petersburgh Veterans Memorial Community Center (PVMCC) President Susan Nelsen said the capital improvements to the Veterans Memorial Hall are just about done. The contractor is finishing up “punch list” items. Nelsen said the PVMCC Board is working on a number of goals for the upcoming year, including creating a new brochure to advertise rental of the hall, continuing to develop a volunteer program to support its program activities, continuing to explore for grants that might support its activities, developing annual fund raising events and exploring possibilities for the “greening” of the PVMCC.

Nelsen then asked what was the outcome of her request for assistance with the cost of oil for the 2009 budget season. Bill Seel said they did not fund it because the user agreement says that PVMCC will pay such costs. Nelsen replied that she believes no one can find a signed copy of the most recent user agreement. This resulted in a lot of shuffling of papers and a discussion of different versions of the user agreement.

Nelsen said some of the programming the PVMCC is doing is for the youth of the Town, so they are looking to coordinate with the Town Youth Program. But she was told that the Town doesn’t really have a youth commission anymore. The Youth Program is just the summer program and nothing else.

Nelsen asked if the $1,000 that used to be paid to PVMCC for rent, which now will not be paid but remains in the budget, could be used for other youth activities.  Bill Seel said his thinking at budget time was simply that the youth program exceeded its budget last year so he wanted to leave that money in the budget just to make sure the youth program didn’t go over budget. He didn’t have in mind any new programs.

Nelsen said the PVMCC is not able to continue its Friday night teen programs because “we need someone to run it.” That person would have to be either a PVMCC Board member or a paid employee.  The PVMCC does not have a Board member willing to take on such a major task and does not have the funds to hire someone to do it.

Nelsen said she thought it was a shame to have kids hanging around and not be able to open the building and invite them in.

Nelsen suggested the Town Board and the PVMCC might want to form a committee to discuss how they can better work together.  Bill Seel replied that they already have an agreement.  Town Attorney Kevin Engel asked Nelsen to get together with the PVMCC’s new treasurer, Sue Dawes, and put together a projection of income and expenses for the upcoming year, and if there is a projected shortfall, the Board can respond to that.

Nelsen seemed unhappy with the whole exchange and left the building.

At the very end of the meeting when they were auditing bills, the Board had another informal discussion about this issue and, with urging from Town Attorney Engel, seemed more amenable to Nelsen’s idea of having a committee to work out how the Town- PVMCC relationship will work and possibly amend or restructure the agreement between them. 

Dog Contract

The Board agreed to sign a contract with Pondviews Country Kennels in Stephentown to have stray dogs sheltered there when picked up by the dog officer. There is no annual payment associated with the contract. Pondviews will charge $15 per day when dogs are left there.

Library Open House

Petersburgh Librarian Sharon Hodges said the finish line is in sight for the Library’s long effort to renovate their building, and they are planning an Open House celebration for January 21 to show it off. Hodges said the renovation project was started in 1997, so it has turned out to be a process of over a decade, and when all is finished, the total spent on renovation will come to just about $300,000.  She said, “We are very excited to be coming to the end of our project.” She also noted that Petersburgh usually comes in third or fourth among the 29 libraries in Rensselaer County in per capita circulation, so it is not just a nice building but a very active one. All are welcome at the January 21 Open House.

The Board looked over a document seeking its participation in a grant application to explore efficiencies that could be achieved by various government entities working together. It envisions such things as shared diesel fueling stations, shared truck washing stations, shared vehicle maintenance facilities, combined purchasing co-ops and the like. The lead group for this grant application is the Berlin School District. The agenda said the Schools Superintendent, Charlotte Gregory, would address the Board, but she was not present. The Board was unenthusiastic and tabled the matter.

The Board scheduled its End of the Year meeting for Monday, December 29, at 7 pm at the Town Hall.

The Hoosick Falls School Board meeting began with a recognition ceremony for high achieving students. High School Principal Steven Leunig gave certificates to students who maintained a cumulative average of 95 or better in the first grading period. District Superintendent Ken Facin emphasized that these students are not just doing well - their performance has been truly outstanding. (The names of the students on the Principal’s List were published in the December 5 Eastwick Press.)

Athletic Director Mike Lilac then gave certificates and T-shirts to the scholar-athletes. These are students who maintain an average of 90 or better while participating in a varsity sport. There were six scholar athletes on the golf team, and the highest average on that team was Ethan Myers. There were five on the football team, the highest average belonging to Kevin Woods. There were nine scholar-athletes on the field hockey team, Samantha Merwin having the highest average. There were six on the cheerleading team, the highest average held by Sarah Gleason. The girls soccer team had ten scholar athletes, and Carly Pine had the highest average. Boys soccer had four, led by Ben Taylor.

New York State gives awards for teams which have a high percentage of scholar athletes, and three of the Hoosick Falls teams won this award this fall - golf, field hockey and girls soccer.

The School District also gave an award to the neighbors at the school, Jack and Arlene Wysocki, for being so generous to the School District during the capital project, allowing heavy equipment to cross their land, dirt to be stored on it, etc. Superintendent Ken Facin expressed his great appreciation to them for being so helpful during the capital project.

Governor’s Budget

When the regular business of the meeting began, it was on a far more somber note than that of the recognition ceremony that preceded it. Superintendent Facin said the Governor released his proposed budget today. After analyzing it, Facin said it would mean $551,000 less in State aid  than this year. Facin said, “For us this is a significant sum of money, and it will have a significant impact on our school.” He said he has asked department heads to look carefully at their budgets to find ways to spend less money.

Facin noted that the budget released by the Governor is by no means a done deal; he predicted “a major battle” over school funding. So it is possible that the reduction in State aid will be less than the number in this budget. But prudence requires that the District prepare for a cut in State aid.

Facin’s report ended with an upbeat, can-do message, “We’re going to roll up our sleeves and take on this challenge.”

One thing working in the District’s favor is the cost of oil this year. Number 2 fuel oil has been purchased at an average cost of $2.20 per gallon in September and October while the budget for this year was based on a price of $5 per gallon. Similarly, the actual cost of diesel fuel has been $3.04 in the period from August to October, while the budget was based on a price of $5 per gallon.

HFCS Junior/Senior High School Chorus

Board President David Sutton said the Hoosick Falls Junior-Senior chorus will be performing on TV, as part of WMHT’s Music for the Holidays program, along with 18 other school choirs, Monday-Friday, December 22-26, from 5:30 to 6 pm and December 22-25 from 7:30 to 8 pm. The longer program will be shown Wednesday, December 24, from 2 to 4:30 pm and Thursday, December 25, from 10 am to 12:30 pm. The full broadcast schedule can be found at www.wmht.org/. Click on “Music For The Holidays.” A DVD of the program can also be purchased at the WMHT web site.

Updating Policies

The Board approved a contract to have the New York State School Boards Association update the District’s policies and assemble them on a website where they are linked to the State law. The cost for this is $12,500, payable over two years, so the price per year for the first two years is $6,250. After that, if the District wants to keep the policies on-line it is $2,500 per year, and the update service is $700 per year, so if the District opts to keep going with this program, the cost will end up being $3,200 annually. The Board was thinking of this more as a cost savings than as a new cost because the policy committee currently uses quite a bit of the School Attorney’s time reviewing policy updates, and they believe this is currently costing more than NYSSBA’s fees.

Studying Cooperation

The Board agreed to join a shared grant application led by the Berlin School District aimed at finding efficiencies and cost savings through cooperation of government entities. Superintendent Facin gave the example of buying tires - if several school districts and towns buy tires as a group, they would get a better price. He said he thought there are many other ways to save money by cooperating with other towns and school districts, and it is well worth studying. The cost to the District was not mentioned, but Facin said it is very small.

Other Matters

• Hoosick Falls Teachers Association President Karen Tommasino reported on the activities of the HFTA, which included holding a Christmas Party at Giuseppe’s Restaurant attended by 120 people and conducting a holiday food drive.

• The Board approved the appointment of Peter Nilsson as Network Technician for the District at an annual salary of $38,500. This is a new position.

• The Board approved renewing the contract for School Business Administrator Pamela Hatfield.

• The next regular meeting of the Hoosick Falls School Board will be on January 20 at 7 pm.