by Kieron Kramer
Wesley Edwards of Stephentown and his family came into the well of the Rensselaer County Legislature on Tuesday to be presented with a copy of the resolution passed by the Legislature last month honoring him for having served as Stephentown Town Justice for 50 years. [private]The two District Five Legislators, Stan Brownell and Lester Goodermote, who represent the towns of Stephentown, Berlin, Petersburgh, Grafton, Hoosick and the Village of Hoosick Falls, and Alex Shannon of Nassau, who was a Town Justice in a past life, accompanied the Edwards family. Brownell made the presentation. “Honorable Mr. Edwards, come down and join us in the well,” he said.
After saying “This is a distinct honor and privilege,” Brownell read the resolution passed last month of which the highlights are that Edwards was born and raised in Berlin, graduated from Berlin High School in 1947, served six years in the United States Army with about half of that time in Heidelberg, Germany, met Janet McClintock at the Bridgeway in Cherry Plain and married her in 1955. Together they raised three children, Greg and wife Doreen, Dwight and wife Anne and Carolyn and husband Patrick, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Edwards took office in 1964 as a Justice of the Peace and was only challenged in three elections – his first in 1963, 1967 and 1971. In 2008, Edwards received Special Recognition from the New York State Magistrates Association for his 45 years of continuous service in the local justice system. Last month’s resolution says that although Edwards is not the longest serving judge in New York State he is the longest lasting judge in Rensselaer County.
Five decades, half a century, so who’s counting, right?” Brownell said. “You are to be applauded for that service – you took office when I was two years old!” he added. Edwards responded, “My hair was the same color as yours then.” “You have served with many justices including the Honorable Cyril Grant,” Brownell said and asked, “Do you want to say a few words?” To which Edwards said, “No.” Then he relented and said off mic, “It is a pleasure to get this recognition; I couldn’t have done it without the support of my wife.”
Property Removed From Stephentown Tax Roll
A resolution passed unanimously authorizing the Rensselaer County Chief Fiscal Officer to correct the Town of Stephentown Tax Roll for 2013. The parcel was acquired by the Town of Stephentown on September 11, 2012, from the Federal National Mortgage Association with the intention of using it for the expansion of parking at the Town library and expansion of the Town highway garage driveway. This constitutes public use as defined in Article 4 of the New York State Real Property Tax Law. The Town of Stephentown passed a resolution on December 16, 2013, waiving the Town’s portion of the 2013 property tax. NYS Tax Law states that the real property owned by a municipal corporation within its corporate limits held for a public use shall be exempt from taxation and special ad valorem levies and special assessments. In the resolution the Legislature directs the cancellation of any tax that is rendered unenforceable and uncollectable by operation of any statute, and the Rensselaer County Chief Fiscal Officer is authorized and directed to correct the Stephentown Tax Roll for 2013 by removing the unenforceable tax and to chargeback the appropriate amounts to the appropriate taxing jurisdictions.
Local Snowmobile Clubs Get More Money To Maintain Trails
The Legislature passed a resolution Tuesday authorizing the Rensselaer County Executive to execute snowmobile trail grant agreements with the Rensselaer County Snow Riders, Inc., Grafton Trail Blazers, Inc., Black River Raiders Snowmobile Club, Inc. and Stephentown Trail Riders and to amend the 2014 County Budget accordingly. The 2014 State funding for this project is $32,760 which is $4,225 more than what was originally in the 2014 County budget. The clubs will receive amended contracts in the following amounts:
• Rensselaer County Snow Riders, Inc., Schaghticoke – $11,655 (last year it was $9,655);
• Grafton Trail Blazers, Inc. – $12,699 (was $10,375 in 2013);
• Black River Raiders Snowmobile Club, Inc., Sand Lake – $5,670;
• Stephentown Trail Riders – $2,835 (was $2,160 last year).
The resolution says that the State of New York provides Snowmobile Trail Grant funding annually to municipalities and their snowmobile trail clubs to maintain snowmobile trails open to all snowmobilers. The County of Rensselaer, together with its snowmobile trail clubs, has applied for and received funding for the maintenance of snowmobile trails in the towns of Berlin, Grafton, Hoosick, Pittstown and Schaghticoke. The trail grant agreements are totally State funded and will produce no fiscal impact to the County. The purpose is to provide recreational opportunities for County residents.
Albany/Hoosick Falls/Bennington Bus Service
A resolution was passed Tuesday that authorizes the use of State Transit Operating Assistance (STOA) funds to help fund bus transit service for the Albany/Hoosick Falls/Bennington bus service provided by Yankee Trails, Inc. The State funding allocation for this project had been calculated at $50,030 but has been increased to $50,831. Now the County is appropriating $57,131, which is $801 above the amount originally allocated for the bus service.
District 5 Legislator Appointments
The Rensselaer County Legislature is authorized to appoint five residents of Rensselaer County to the Capital District Regional Planning Commission. Legislator Stan Brownell was one of the five appointed to the Commission. Brownell, who is Vice Chairman of the Legislature, was also appointed to the Albany County Airport Authority Regional Advisory Board.
Legislator Lester Goodermote was appointed as Rensselaer County Legislative Representative to the Board of Directors of the Rensselaer County Extension Service Association for a term to commence immediately and to expire December 31, 2017.
Appointments Of Local Residents
A resolution passed appointing members to the County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board. Among them were Omer Brenenstuhl of Hoosick, Chairman of Soil and Water’s Board of Directors, Carl Cipperly of Hoosick, representing the Rensselaer Taconic Land Conservancy, and Paul Greene of Berlin, farmer.
A resolution appointed members to the Rensselaer County Emergency Radio Communications Committee. Among them were Jerry Harris of Johnsonville, Battalion 2, David Basle of Poestenkill, Battalion 3, Carlton Coon of Hoosick Falls, Battalion 5, Rowland McClave of Stephentown, Battalion 5, Ivan Wager of Berlin, Fire Coordinator, and Robert Ashe of Hoosick Falls, Hoosick Falls Police Department.
A resolution was passed appointing members to the Rensselaer County Environmental Management Council. Among those named were Denise Jacon Church of Petersburgh, a reappointment, and Carl Cipperly of Hoosick. Also on the Council is Omer Brenenstuhl, Chairman of the County Soil & Water Conservation District.
A resolution appointed Chris Headley of Stephentown to the Rensselaer County Fire Advisory Board for a term to commence immediately and to expire December 31, 2016.
Electrical Rates
The Legislature also passed a resolution urging State review of recent electrical rate hikes. The resolution says, “National Grid has publicly claimed to have little control over the rate increases, claiming the rate increases are due to outside forces and instead connected to rising natural gas prices…The cost increases in many cases have been dramatic and significant, with some customers stating publicly that bills have doubled or tripled in the past two months…These rate hikes are occurring during what has been a colder than average winter, meaning the price increase is particularly harmful to seniors and working families already left vulnerable by an economic downturn…The sudden increase in electricity costs is deserving of a review of contributing factors for the rate increase and… a review by the Public Service Commission is both needed and warranted given the dramatic increase in costs…This Legislative Body further believes the Public Service Commission should review and report back to the Governor and State Lawmakers by March 15th to expedite an explanation to the public and allow for any corrective measures to be taken quickly.[/private]