by David Flint
Stephentown is one of only a few towns that have had any provision for authorizing and permitting of open burning in the Town, and the authority has long rested with the Fire Department.[private]The Fire Department has also been the entity that has taken on the responsibility of trying to get people to clearly post their 911 address at their residence.
Now comes the 2015 International Building Code and Fire Code that, among other things, will transfer the authority and responsibility for both of these tasks to the Town Code Enforcement Officer, and all towns must now follow the Code’s provisions for burn permits.
Stephentown’s CEO, Dean Herrick, came to the Town Board meeting on Monday to explain. The State, he said, has adopted the International Code as is. The Code will be in effect as of October 3. Previously burn permits were not included. Now they are and the permits must be issued by a certified code enforcement officer.
The Code requires permits for agricultural, forest or wildlife management practices, prevention or control of disease or pests, or a bonfire. It lays out the minimum required distance from any structure for different types of fires whether a permit is needed or not, i.e. fires in approved containers (15 feet), bonfires (50 feet), recreational fires (25 feet), portable outdoor fireplaces (15 feet). The Code requires that “open burning, bonfires, recreational fires and use of portable outdoor fireplaces shall be constantly attended until the fire is extinguished.”
The Town Board will decide later whether to charge a $25 fee for burn permits. At this time, both Herrick and Board Members seemed to think that securing compliance with the Code would be easier if no fee is charged.
Herrick said he would coordinate with the Fire Department and work with them to the extent that they want to stay involved with burn permits.
911 Addresses
The new Code also requires that “New and existing buildings shall be provided with approved and maintained address identification.” This address, also known as the 911 address, has to be legible and visible from the street or road fronting the property. The characters in the sign have to contrast with the background and numbers must be Arabic, not spelled out. Characters must be “not less than 4 inches high with a minimum stroke width of 1/2 inch.”
The Code requires too that the Town ensure that approved street and road signs are installed and maintained.
Councilman Bill Jennings said that the Fire Department keeps a list of known residences without address numbers posted. He said it was not a huge number but more than they would like it to be. He said there were a lot of residents who don’t want anyone to know where they live… “until they call the Fire Department.”
Herrick said that after October 3 he will issue a letter to residents about the 911 address requirements. He won’t be a stickler on the specifics of the regulation but will begin enforcement of the Code after that.
The Board agreed that the requirements for both burn permits and 911 addresses should be posted on the Town’s website.
Dog Abuse Case
Costing The Town
The Town paid a bill of $2,016 to Pondview Country Kennels for 112 days of boarding for a dog that was involved in an animal abuse case. Eckhardt said the case was still in the Court and until it is completely resolved the Town must continue to pay the boarding fee. The Court has ruled that the dog owner must reimburse the Town for all expenses but it is highly questionable whether the owner has any money to pay.
Transfer Station
The Board passed a resolution appointing Rebecca Hartnett as Substitute Transfer Station Attendant to replace Edward Rogers who resigned. Hartnett’s term expires at the end of the year.
Councilman Jennings reported that the number of people using the Transfer Station on Mondays has been very low and may not justify the expense of keeping the Station open that day. Monday hours are 3 to 7 pm and only during the summer. Jennings said the Board may want to reconsider whether to continue next summer with the Monday hours.
Money For The
Swim Program
The Stephentown Library that is running the Youth Summer Program was belatedly able to add a swim program by combining with Berlin and using the Hoosick pool. Thirteen children from Stephentown signed up. This caused the Youth Commission personal service line item to go over budget. Therefore the Board now authorized the Supervisor to transfer money for the appropriate amount from the General Fund when the final payroll is issued.
Broadband Needed
Councilman Gerry Robinson reported that he and the Board are continuing to document the need for better internet service in Stephentown. They want to make sure the Town is not overlooked in the State’s drive to increase broadband at an affordable rate in rural areas. A survey has now been posted on the Town’s website (townofstephentown.org) where people can indicated how well served they feel the Town is in this respect and what might be done to improve things. Robinson hopes to get as many residents as possible to take the survey. In addition to the online survey, he will be sending the survey in the mail in the next few days to all Town residents.
Budget Process
Eckhardt said the 2017 Budget process starts on September 1 when he sends out budget request forms to departments and Town organizations. These need to be returned by September 20. Eckhardt puts them into a budget and presents it to the Town Clerk who draws up a Tentative Budget and presents it back to the Town Board by October 5. There will be a public hearing no later than the Thursday following Election Day. The Town must submit its adopted Budget to the State by November 20.
If the Town wants to exceed the budget cap – which this year allows a tax levy increase of no more than 0.6% – the Town Board must pass an Override resolution prior to adopting the Budget.
The Board passed an Override last year in the face of a 0.9% tax cap. Comments made now by Board Members indicated that they are not likely to accept an even lower limit this year.
Bob Davis Speaks
Bob Davis, owner and Chef of Knuckleheads Restaurant, came before the Board to suggest that they might be more supportive of local businesses. Small businesses in the Town are struggling, he said, and some are closing. Davis pointed to events that Neil Gardner has sponsored such as the recent Fractal Fest that organizers had spent months preparing – Gorgeous…beautiful forest art work…no trash…no marijuana…no animosity. He mentioned also the competition of radio controlled aircraft, also known as drones, at Gardner’s last year, and other festivals held in Hoosick and Grafton recently. These festivals, he said, bring in a lot of customers and sales tax to local businesses such as Knuckleheads, Pizza Plus, Gardner’s, Cumberland Farms, Dunkin Donuts and the Trading Post. He asked the Board to consider how they might do more to encourage festivals like this and bring them back year after year.
Davis also suggested that with Dunkin Donuts leaving Cumberland Farms, the Board might meet with company officers and see what they could do about getting them settled at another site in Stephentown such as the now vacant building at the Route 22/43 intersection.
Davis acknowledged that he had received a packet from the Town asking What can we do to help your business. Jennings said that was from his Business Development subcommittee of the Comprehensive Planning Committee. It was sent out to all businesses in Town trying to get input on how to improve the business climate in Town. Davis said he had not responded because he preferred a personal, face to face approach. Jennings said there was no time to visit over 100 businesses in Stephentown, but the packet had provided an email address and a phone number and suggested if the recipient didn’t want to fill out the form and send in written ideas, they could call or email and someone would come and talk. However, Jennings said he had not received any response at all from Davis. “We actually are trying to do some of the things that you are complaining about,” Jennings said.
Davis denied that he was complaining but thought that there were resources in the Town to improve things, resources that were not being used.
Eckhardt suggested that Davis put his ideas in writing and also meet with the Comprehensive Planning Committee and the Business Development Subcommittee. Davis said he would do that. The CP Committee meets on the fourth Monday of every month at the Town Hall at 7 pm. Meetings are always open to the public. The meeting in September will be a public workshop at which public input is encouraged.
Deposits & Spending
The Town Clerk turned over the sum of $874.30 to the Supervisor for the month of July. The distribution from the Office of the State Comptroller, Justice Court Fund to the Town was $5,274, of which $2,791 stays in the Town. The Transfer Station deposited $8,086.
The Board audited and approved claims in the amount of $14,323,57 from the General Account and $98,678.91 from the Highway Account, of which $48,995 was for body work and installation of hydraulic and plow systems for the Highway Department’s new International dump truck.
The Board set its next workshop meeting for Monday, September 12 at 7 pm and its next regular meeting for Monday, September 19 at 7 pm. [/private]