The Sidewalks Of New Lebanon

by Thaddeus Flint
On March 12 the Town of New Lebanon held a public hearing on a proposed plan to add sidewalks from roughly Lovers Lane, running along the north side of routes 20 and 22, to about the High School. There was mention of taking property through eminent domain, and many residents were worried taxes would go up, so it was little surprise that the new Town Hall was packed that night.
[private]Actually, it was beyond packed. One resident counted 82 people in a room that could legally hold only 49. Not everyone could get in and not everyone who got in wanted to stay in that crowd for the entire hearing.
Whether a resident got in or not, the representatives of Creighton Manning, the design firm in charge of the project, were not answering the questions the residents had that night. It was just a hearing and so the public was heard and advised that their concerns would be addressed later. Well, it is now later.
Answers to many of the questions from that night’s hearing are now available. They will posted shortly on the Town’s website at TownofNewLebanon.com (click the “information on the sidewalk project” link) and will also be available in a printed form at the Town Clerk’s Office.
While there are many valid questions, it would appear that there are not so many valid answers. A representative example is as follows:
Comment: “How much will the taxes go up for this?”
Response: “It is estimated that the Town will spread the cost of this project over many years to minimize any tax increases to the residents of New Lebanon.”
Some residents might have a hard time accepting such non-answers for answers. Another question that was popular at the hearing was this one:
Comment: “Who will be responsible for snow removal, repair and upkeep of this sidewalk?”
Response: “Maintenance of the proposed sidewalks including snow removal, repair and upkeep has not been determined to date. The Town of New Lebanon will put forth a resolution to have the sidewalks maintained either by Town’s forces or by the individual property owner.”
There you have it. Nobody knows. Or they do know, and they aren’t telling. Either way, residents will get another chance to voice their concerns and try to get some better answers. The Town will be hosting a Sidewalk Project Public Information Meeting on Monday, May 13, at 7 pm. With an expectation that there will be more than 49 residents and their opinions this time, the meeting will be held in the New Lebanon High School gymnasium.[/private]