by Kieron Kramer
At its meeting on Tuesday evening the Rensselaer County Legislature passed a resolution commending the Society of St. Stanislaw, “The Polish Hall,” in Hoosick Falls upon celebrating its one hundredth anniversary. The resolution says, “Consistent with the duty of this Legislative body to recognize the contributions and achievements of organizations of service to Rensselaer County, we praise with respect and admiration the Society of St. Stanislaw as it reaches an important milestone.”
[private]One hundred years ago, according to the resolution, this organization was comprised only of Catholic males of Polish descent. This Society has changed with the times but still remembers the customs of Poland and maintains St. Stanislaw, the Bishop, as the guardian of their Society. Over time they have transformed into a service organization that provides a social atmosphere for any adult who wishes to become a member. They have a membership of around 600 people from eleven different states and have donated almost $500,000 to over 80 local and regional charitable organizations.
The resolution notes that on Friday, August 17, the Polish Hall will be kicking off a celebration weekend with music and a buffet. On Saturday, August 18, there will be a tailgate procession throughout the Village of Hoosick Falls and the Town of Hoosick to be followed by an afternoon picnic, chicken dinner, culminating with the music of the Rymanowski Brothers, the Capital District’s premiere Polish band. On Sunday, past and present members of the Society will be honored at an anniversary ceremony.
The Clerk of the Legislature will transmit a copy of this resolution, suitably engrossed, to the Society of St. Stanislaw.
Lest We Forget
For the last ten years or so large amounts of federal money has been funneled to State, County and City
governments all across the United States under the auspices of the Homeland Security Act. The intention for the use of the funds, in the form of grants, was to provide equipment and training to local first responders in preparation for reacting to a terrorist attack using conventional, radiological, chemical or biological weapons. Over the past decade Rensselaer County has been the recipient of numerous Homeland Security grants. Of the 51 resolutions passed at the County’s meeting on Tuesday evening the latest federal grant, to the Sheriff’s Department in the amount of $85,271 for “law enforcement tactical equipment and fees,” was the only resolution debated.
Republican Legislator Ken Herrington, representing Crospeyville, Brunswick and Pittstown, among other towns, spoke in opposition to accepting the grant. As he has maintained in debates of earlier federal and State grants, once the funding runs out the County is stuck with the cost of maintaining the program. The continuing cost of these programs uses funds that would better be used for basic County services, he said, and gave as an example the fact that 10 of the Sheriff’s Patrol cars need to be replaced in the near future. Republican Legislator Richard Salisbury, representing Brainard, East Nassau, Averill Park, Taborton and West Sand Lake, among other towns, said, “At this stage in our history the federal government can’t afford it either. All we are doing is borrowing money from China and pushing it down the line. I see this country going down the tubes like all the other great empires.” Democratic Legislator Mark Fleming of Troy said he wanted funding like this to be used less “foolishly.”
Many Legislators spoke in favor of accepting the grant. It would provide equipment to secure public safety without cost to the County. It is not clear in the resolution what “the law enforcement equipment” is, but, apparently, whatever it is will be useful to the Sheriff’s Department. This Homeland Security grant is, perhaps, not an appropriate one for Herrington to object to since on its surface it procures equipment and does not establish a program with ongoing costs. Furthermore, the resolution that passed 13-3, with three Legislators absent from the meeting, includes the caveat that “any positions, programs, expenditures and/or agreements or contracts authorized or established pursuant to this resolution shall terminate and cease upon discontinuance of said funding.” Both District 5 Legislators, Stan Brownell and Lester Goodermote, who represent the towns of Stephentown, Berlin, Petersburgh, Grafton, Hoosick and the Village of Hoosick Falls, voted to accept the grant. As Brownell said after the meeting, “I don’t think the time is now to vote against public safety dollars.”
Democratic Legislator Kathleen Cassidy from Troy suggested that the Legislature “sit down and look at all these grants collectively in a systematic fashion, perhaps in a committee.” The Chairman of the Legislature, Martin Reid, concurred with Cassidy, and he said that the Rules Committee had rejected three Homeland Security grants last week. One of them was funding for a 26-foot Health Department trailer that would contain antidotes to biological weapons, such as anthrax, and other medical supplies that could be transported around the County to respond to an attack. Goodermote said after the meeting that the County could transport this material with “existing assets.”
Transporting Children
The Legislature passed a resolution authorizing the County Executive to retain several companies to transport special needs children during the summer. Among the companies was Folmsbee Transportation, which hit the news on January 8, 2009, when one of its vans got stuck in the snow on a seasonal portion of North Moore Hill Road in North Stephentown. Seasonal roads are not plowed in winter and are officially closed to traffic from October 15 to April 15. A State Police helicopter, a Folmsbee mechanic and a snowmobiler located the bus at 7 pm that day. One of the other companies was Northland Transportation, Inc. whose employees left a three year old child, who was supposed to be attending Capital District Beginnings preschool in Berlin, on their bus on Monday, April 16, alone for three hours. The child received medical treatment at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center for mild dehydration. The employees were terminated by the company.
Hazard Mitigation Plan Adopted
A resolution passed in which the County accepted lead agency status, determined no significant environmental impact and adopted the Rensselaer County Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan.
According to the resolution, in 2000 the United States Congress adopted the Disaster Mitigation Act which required municipalities to adopt natural hazard mitigation plans to identify hazards that threaten such municipalities and describe ways to reduce future damages associated with these hazards. In 2008 the County accepted funding to prepare such a plan in coordination with the cities of Rensselaer and Troy, the towns of Berlin, Brunswick, East Greenbush, Grafton, Hoosick, Nassau, North Greenbush, Petersburgh, Pittstown, Poestenkill, Sand Lake, Schaghticoke, Schodack and Stephentown and the villages of Castleton-on-Hudson, East Nassau, Hoosick Falls, Nassau, Schaghticoke and Valley Falls. The plan was developed in coordination with these municipalities, and a Public Hearing was held before the May 2012 meeting of the Legislature. The plan will be updated no less than every five years.
Underwear
The casual reader may like to know that the Legislature passed a resolution authorizing the purchase of inmate underclothing for the Rensselaer County Correctional Facility. According to the resolution, all prisoners must wear facility issued clothing pursuant to the New York State Commission of Corrections’ minimum standards. The County intends to purchase men’s and women’s T-shirts and underwear for use at the jail. These items will be purchased from TCS Jail Supplies of Waco, Texas, as low bidder, for $14,905.
Donation To The Berlin July 4th Parade
The Legislative budget includes $1,000 to be used as discretionary funds by each of the 19 Legislators. In an interview after Tuesday’s meeting Brownell and Goodermote said that they pool their discretionary funds. Together they have $2,000 which they have traditionally donated to civic organizations, community activities and other charitable causes in eastern Rensselaer County. They said they have begun the paperwork so that, together, they can donate $250 to the Berlin Fourth of July Parade. “It’s the only Fourth of July Parade in the County, and besides, the Committee sent us a letter asking for funds. We love that parade; it’s a beautiful parade,” said Brownell. The Legislators encourage requests by worthy causes for these discretionary donations.[/private]