by David Flint
An open meeting of the Berlin School District’s Stephentown Study Group on Monday was intended to “revitalize efforts” to explore ways the Stephentown Elementary School building and grounds could be available for Town programs and community needs. Interim Schools Superintendent Charlotte Gregory said it was time for the District’s municipal partners to “step up to the plate” and indicate some commitment. She said the Study Group had completed a number of investigations and inquiries on behalf of the Town but was not empowered to make any decisions.
The Study Group is a committee of 10-12 residents and business people of Stephentown, some of whom work for the District. Also attending the meeting at the former Stephentown school were Town Councilmen Larry Eckhardt, PJ Roder, Chris Demick and Mark Prescott. Town Supervisor Tom Sherman instigated the Group and has been an active participant in past months but was not present at this meeting.
Uses proposed for the building include after school child care and recreation programs, art exhibits and talent shows,
drama presentations, local medical first care services, arts & crafts classes and a senior citizens meeting room and cafeteria. Fidel Moreno, at this meeting, said that Bob Reiter, the County Veterans Service Agency Director and a Stephentown resident, had also expressed interest in using the building for senior veterans programs. He reported, too, that a resort manager in nearby Hancock had indicated interest in possibly using the facility as an emergency or evacuation center for which he believed FEMA money would be available.
Gregory said the District will be receiving a grant from the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) in the amount of $1.3 million to be shared with the Troy School District. With that money they plan to set up a community fitness center in each of the three currently operating schools and one in the Stephentown building as well, to be located in the room that was the kindergarten room. The equipment can be used by both children and adults. The center is expected to be in operation in December. Berlin School Board President Frank Zwack, also a Stephentown resident, said the PEP center could be a base on which the Town could start to build a community center. It would help get kids off the streets, and senior citizens could be tapped to help run it.
Town Board members expressed strong interest in keeping the playground, the playing fields, the basketball court and the gymnasium available for Town use. The Town has been using the school for their summer youth program. Some thought that could be accommodated at the Fire Hall, but the Youth Commission also runs a basketball program in the school gymnasium in the winter months. Board members could see the benefit of a community center but were not sure the Town could afford the upkeep, especially given the damage to the budget caused by the recent flooding. Eckhardt said that whatever we do it would have to be fund neutral, causing no increase in school or Town taxes. Grant money might be available for startup, but, Eckhardt insisted, it would have to be sustainable in the long term.
Tom Morelli, School Board Member and Stephentown resident, said what is needed is a clear articulation of goals by the Town and the appointment of one person as a leader who can build a team and take responsibility. He did urge Town Board members to pick one or two of the proposed projects, along with continuing the basketball program, and give it a try.
Sue Cass, President of the Stephentown Library Board, agreed with Morelli that someone needs to be assigned to get the job done. She said a lot of ideas can be bandied about but none of them will happen unless funds are committed to hiring a responsible consultant to take charge. Cass said she and others would be more willing to help out if they were assured that someone was in charge and pushing.
$1 Rental
Gregory said the District had community service funds set aside that could help the Town get up and running with some kind of center. For the short term, she said, the arrangement could be one of shared municipal services. The District is prepared to lease the building to the Town for a fee of one dollar a year. But for the long term, Gregory encouraged the Town to think about actually acquiring the building. Whatever works here, she said, would be a model for Grafton
Eckhardt said it would help if the District could provide a concrete number for how much it would cost the Town to keep the building maintained for the years 2010 and 2011. He noted that the Town was currently in a difficult economic situation due to the road damage caused by the flooding. Morelli in turn asked that the Town should provide the District with some specific numbers regarding what their requirements are. The parties agreed to meet again with more specific information on Tuesday, October 13, at 6:30 pm.