New Lebanon Town Board – Campground Permit Race

by Thaddeus Flint
With race season, and the weather, heating up, Lebanon Valley Speedway owner Howard Commander was in the lineup at Tuesday night’s New Lebanon Town Board meeting defending his campground permit application for a campground that has existed since 1958.
[private]Commander has always maintained that he does not maintain a campground. What he thinks he has is a parking lot where race fans can conveniently leave an RV for the season. They can also stay overnight. The State of New York, Columbia County, the Town of New Lebanon and some of Commander’s neighbors disagree with Commander’s position, and, since 2009, Commander has been on the governmental red tape circuit in a race to get a campground permit before his overnight parking lot is closed once and for all. Commander might now be on his final lap, a checkered campground flag in his sites.
The Town Board has said that a permit will be granted as long as permission has been granted by DOT, DEC and Columbia County. Commander must also install a 24 foot wide crosswalk across Route 20 with illumination and safety lighting. Town Supervisor Mike Benson explained these conditions to Commander and asked what his intent is.
“My intent,” replied Commander, “is to do what you want done.” However doing something and having a government agency accept what you have done can be two entirely different things. The County is apparently satisfied with Commander. “They said a permit is on the way,” said Commander. Satisfying DOT is not so easy. A crosswalk now exists, but, according to Commander, “One DOT office said we won’t look at it until Route 20 is paved.” Is Route 20 being paved? “DOT says they think so,” said Commander, but they couldn’t say when or where.
As for the lighting, Commander found that “there is a special agency in DOT to approve lighting.”
“Figures!” exclaimed Council Member Doug Clark.
Goldilocks Lights
“If we make the lights too bright they will have to come down,” explained Commander. If they are not bright enough they will not be approved. They must be just right. But DOT is not about to explain what just right is. Anyway, “DOT said the lighting is only for beautification of a crosswalk,” said Commander, “it’s not for safety.”
There has also been some discussion of having the whole campground fenced in so race fans would be forced to use the crosswalk. Clark dismissed this, saying, “You can train mice to go through a maze; I think you can train race fans to find a crosswalk.” Clark thought that Commander should have addressed the safety problems on his own without being forced to but conceded that “he has made an effort.”
A vote was taken, and all Board members were in favor of granting Commander his campground permit, subject to DOT approving his lighting, the County Health Department approving the plan, that a 24 foot wide crosswalk exists and that a new map of the campground be provided to the Board. Benson also added that a Town Zoning Enforcement Officer must visit the campground while the campground is in operation season and make a report of his findings.
Council Member Bruce Baldwin brought up the re-application process. The permit must be applied for yearly. Baldwin thought that applying earlier would be more convenient to all parties. “Probably January is better,” agreed Commander. “At least that way if there is something wrong it’s not a week before the race track opens.” Not that this has stopped him yet. Commander’s parking lot is already well stocked with RVs even as he still awaits permission to use it actually as a campground.
Some of the residents in attendance were less than enthusiastic now that the parking lot is a campground. Dave Mieschonz wondered what that meant exactly. “What is the time frame?” he asked. Wasn’t this permit now allowing camping in the parking lot seven days a week 12 months a year? “I don’t disagree,” replied Benson, “it should be looked at.” Benson pointed out that the permit must be renewed each year and so this could be addressed after the first season.
Another resident was concerned that the Speedway wasn’t paying enough taxes. She wondered if it were possible to add a fifty cent entertainment fee to each event ticket. The Town’s Attorney, Andy Howard, felt that it would be imprudent to “isolate any particular business.” Baldwin said that he had looked into this idea before and that it would “require a request to the State Legislature.” Clark explained the local multiplier effect of money. Each dollar spent at the Speedway, that was then spent locally, helped improve the revenues of other local businesses. “Granted we don’t have as many businesses as we like,” said Clark, “but the track brings in revenue. There are economic benefits of having that race track here.”
Town Hall Project
In other news, the Town Hall project is proceeding apace. “We are out to bid,” said Clark. Bids on the project must be received by May 16 at 2 pm. Benson said he had received a great deal of feedback about the revised Town Newsletter. Most of it was positive but “again, again and again I was hearing about the cost.” Printing and mailing is “significant” agreed Benson, who said the Town “needs to step into the 19th century,” although he is already working his way into the 21st century with an idea to email as many Newsletters as possible to keep costs down. Residents who wish to remain in the 19th century would be able to do so and still be kept abreast of Town happenings, but they would have to request that a paper copy be sent to them.
A request to hire Markos Larabee as a member of the Shatford Park maintenance staff was also granted. However, Benson seemed concerned at how this might appear. The Larabees are as busy as bees in New Lebanon. Matt Larabee is currently one of the sitting Council Members. The Park Maintenance Supervisor is Scott Larabee. Benson agreed that Scott Larabee needs staff and so gave his approval to hire Markos Larabee only on an interim basis. “Until such a time as we can obtain additional applicants,” said Benson. Scott Larabee was asked by Benson to “maybe cast a wider net next time.” Matt Larabee abstained from the vote in which all others were in favor.[/private]