Stephentown Assessor MacVeigh Will Retire
by Thaddeus Flint
It was an eventful night at the April 18 Board meeting in Stephentown Monday, with three new laws enacted, the announcement of the Assessor’s retirement, and a letter of resignation from his wife.
[private]The Quiet Times Law is probably the only one of the three new laws passed that will pertain to most residents. Actually it will pertain to only a few residents really, but the effect of the law should be felt by many if it is enforced.
The need for some kind of regulation of sound came about after several noisy concerts, some lasting for days (and nights), left residents exhausted from listening to music they didn’t really want to listen to. Some complained of not being able to sleep at their homes in the usually quiet countryside miles away from the event locations.
The problems, however, with any kind of sound or noise ordinance are many. Measuring and enforcement can be difficult and expensive. And in a rural community where certain noisy machines are pretty much needed, a door could be opened to an endless number of complaints, not all of which might be valid.
“There’s been more trouble due to noise ordinances, than almost any other thing that Towns have tried to do,” said Councilman William Jennings at the March 14 public hearing on the proposed Mass Gathering Law that preceded the proposed Quiet Times Law. “It seems to set neighbor against neighbor and you have all sorts of fights as soon as you have a noise ordinance.”
The Town Board, hoping to avoid setting neighbor against neighbor, chose to slowly and carefully consider the problem, holding a number of public hearings on the matter, before they came up with the rather simple law that was finally passed.
“It’s our first stab at a living document,” said Councilman PJ Roder, admitting that changes might one day be in order depending on the law’s success or failure.
The draft of the law that passed is slightly different than the one that is on the Town’s website, dated March 16. That one limited quiet times “during which amplified music should not be heard in the Town of Stephentown.”
Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt said that “thirty or forty people beating on a tin can or a garbage can” could probably produce just as much of a racket as “amplified music” and so the word “amplified” was dropped leaving just “music.” Just what the definition of music is is not defined. Will that come back to haunt them? The Town might find out this summer, but that’s why Roder was calling it a “living” document.
At any rate, should one be playing music, amplified or not, and not just making a racket, that music is no longer allowed to stray past the boundary lines of the music maker’s property during certain hours. These are Monday through Thursday, Midnight to 8 am the following morning. On Friday and Saturday it is 1 am to 7 am the following morning, and Sunday, 8 pm to 8 am the following morning.
Enforcement would also appear to be somewhat hazy. The law reads that the “Town Board may maintain an action or proceeding on behalf of the Town of Stephentown in a court of competent jurisdiction to compel compliance with or restrain by injunction any violation of this Local Law.”
The simplicity is enticing. “This is in lieu of having a 40 page law,” said Jennings.
Only time will tell if it will remain on just one page.
The law passed with all in favor. Councilman Chris Demick was absent from this meeting.
Local Law #1 which provides regulations concerning the excavation on streets and sidewalks was a bit more in depth at six pages long. For the most part it just makes sure that the Town is adequately informed and compensated if a utility comes along and starts digging things up. Eckhardt said that the ever looming pipeline did “push” the subject a bit.
“It made us think twice,” he said.
This law also passed with all in favor.
Local Law #3, which provides for the defense and indemnification of Town officers and employees, also passed with all in favor.
Eckhardt noted that the State of NY had already enacted similar provisions to protect its own officers and employees.
“It’s reasonable,” said Justice John Meekins. “If you put somebody in harm’s way, you should defend them.”
Once the law passing was over, the resigning began.
First Joan MacVeigh of the Assessment Review Board told Eckhardt, not all that happily, that she had been informed that there was a complaint against her, something to do with a conflict of interest. She said she was told she would have to resign, but was upset that Eckhardt didn’t tell her personally. Eckhardt said he was unaware of this problem. He appeared to not want to ask for her resignation though.
“I could care less about sitting on that Board,” said MacVeigh, which made things easier for Eckhardt.
“Can I ask…” Eckhardt started to say.
“I’m writing it on a piece of paper right now,” replied MacVeigh.
With that done, the Town now needs a new member of the Assessment Board before Grievance Day, which is May 24. The rules state that the person must be a resident, not necessarily a property owner, and eighteen years or older.
“Maybe somebody with a little more common sense than 18,” advised MacVeigh after she handed her resignation to the Supervisor.
Anyone who meets these requirements is encouraged to contact the Supervisor’s office, although the Board seemed to be staring at Meekins.
“I will certainly consider it,” said Meekins.
The Town’s Assessor of almost 40 years, Thomas MacVeigh then also tendered his resignation to retire for June 2. MacVeigh, who started work as Assessor on June 1, 1976 said his deputy would be willing to take over and he would be available to help her get up to speed.
Eckhardt pointed out that adding MacVeigh’s name to the retired official’s plaque would require putting on his name twice due to the number of years.
The night began with a presentation by TRACS, the youth coalition against drugs and alcohol abuse in communities. According to Coordinator Biffy Cahill, donations by local towns and private donors reached $8,000 last year and allowed 3 adults and 15 youths to attend the summer Eastern States Conference in Rhode Island. Some of the TRACS members present described how the Conference educated and empowered those who attended, allowing them to return to their Towns and continue the movement to reduce alcohol and drug use by their schoolmates.
Cahill asked that the Board consider once again funding some students to attend this summer’s Conference.
“It’s an investment in your own Town,” said Cahill.
Councilman Gerald Robinson pointed out that opioid use has become problematic in the region. “Your mission is a very important one, and a serious one.” he told the TRACS members. “We will give you the support you need.”
Eckhardt added that a resolution on the funding could be expected at next month’s meeting which will be held May 16.[/private]