Recent Flooding Dominates The Discussion
By Doug La Rocque
Residents of the village packed the meeting room Tuesday July 11 to hear the presentation from the engineering firm of Barton and Loguidice, hired to conduct a study of how water flowing through the village from Woods Creek, could be diverted and hopefully prevent another flooding incident like the one that occurred on July first. The study offered some different solutions. One would continue the creek’s path through a series of culverts and ditches, with many forms of reinforcement and raising of the banks along the route. While less expensive then diverting the waters, it is not considered much of a viable approach, and was not met with much acceptance from those on hand.
The other plan would be to divert the water using a nearly mile long culvert, starting from a spot near the top of Richmond Avenue, sending it through the low lands between the St. Gobain plant and the village ballfields on Waterworks Road and on to the Hoosick River. This is not cheap, in fact Robert Murphy Jr. a Land Use Planner for B & L, estimates it would cost between seven and eight million dollars. Where all this money would come from is an unknown. The town and the village are applying for another grant of $750,000 to one million dollars, but would have to find other sources of funding as well. Shortly after the flood, all of the area’s elected representatives toured the flood damaged site, and Mayor Rob Allen is optimistic they will be able to come up with some answers. He did tell those gathered he is actually hopeful of hearing some proposals from New York State soon.
In the meantime, the clean-up continues along Hall Street and other impacted areas. Some residents asked the Board, if their homes were even safe to re-occupy, and if not, tell them now before they spend thousands trying to make them livable again. The Board had no immediate answers, and was asked if it could bond the needed money to divert Woods Brook. The answer was probably no. The Village already has significant debt from the recent PFOA crisis, and until a deal is worked out with Honeywell and St. Gobain to take care of that, another huge bond does not seem feasible.
Two Arrested For Damage To Village Ballfields
Shortly after the ballfields were repaired and the annual baseball and softball tournaments got underway last weekend, it was found that the concession stand had been broken into, candy stolen and a hose left running in an attempt to again flood the field. On Thursday, Village Police Chief Robert Ashe announced two teenagers, a 16-year-old from Hoosick Falls and a 17-year-old from Troy, had turned themselves into authorities. Both were charged with Burglary in the 3rd degree and Petit Larceny. They were released into the custody of Probation. Their names were not revealed because of their age. Chief Ashe indicated more arrests are possible.
Chief Ashe also outlined how he plans to spend some of the $110,000 dollars seized last July during a drug arrest. He told the Board he will use about $37,000 to purchase a new vehicle for the department and another $37,000 to upgrade security at the police headquarters. This will involve the installation of a keyless entry system. The Board approved the purchase, and this will leave about $46,000 in the fund for future needs. He also told the Board the NYS Department of Corrections has ordered the Department to build a holding cell at its headquarters, something Ashe said they once had. Because some equipment remains, he believes they can comply with the order at a cost of no more than $2,000.
Resolutions and Motions
The Board gave Mayor Allen permission to sign and execute a one-year Memorandum of Agreement to the current CSEA contract that is retroactive to June 1, 2017. It also gave approval to shared services agreements between the Village Highway Department and New York State, as well as one with the Town of Hoosick.
A three-year shared service agreement between the town and the village for Police Services was also given a yes vote. Other motions included a downward adjustment in sewer and water chargers at 53 Center St. where a leak was recorded and receipt for repairs submitted. The credit amounts to just under $100.
A motion to seek bids on a contract for an attorney to assist the Village in prosecuting certain codes enforcement and zoning law violations, with work to commence on or about August 15, was given the go ahead, as was a resolution expressing support for the Engineering Planning Grant funding application to evaluate effluent disinfection alternatives at the Village’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Brighid “Briggs” Buzzell of the combined Economic Development for the town and village also presented two drafts of the new logo for the village, one with each building in the logo outlined, the other without lines. After looking them over and some discussion, the Board decided to go with the original draft, without the lines.
The Board then went into executive session for an update on possible litigation regarding environmental issues before adjourning.