Hoosick Skating Rink Renovations
After the Town was awarded a grant of nearly $1million to install refrigeration at the Town skating rink, the Town joined the Northeast Ice Skating Managers Association so as to learn more about what it takes to run a full-scale ice rink facility. Supervisor Mark Surdam contacted the President of this association, Ben Ruggles and asked for help finding professional help for the Town to understand what will be involved in building and managing such a facility. He was referred to Rink Management Services Corporation (RMSC) and Dr. Don Baldwin, PhD, who is a Senior Development Specialist at that company and a Certified Ice Rink Manager. Surdam and Town Councilman Eric Sheffer spoke on the phone with Dr. Baldwin and RMSC CEO Tom Hillgrove, who outlined what would be included in a feasibility study. The cost to have the feasibility study done is $10,200, and this figure was received soon enough to put it in the Town’s 2018 budget. RMSC said it will take about 4 to 6 weeks to complete the study.
Councilman Dave Sutton said he believes it is critically important for the Town to learn more about what it is getting into before it spends $1 million plus to create a large regional ice skating facility. He wants to be sure that the facility will be financially sustainable in the long run. Surdam said he also plans to meet with the Hoosac School to see what they are willing to commit to the project.
The Board agreed to hire RMSC to do the feasibility study at a cost not to exceed $10,200.
The Board also passed a resolution to set skating rink hours and prices for the upcoming season. They are pretty much as in previous seasons. Adults are $4, children and seniors are $3, and skate rentals are $2. The entire rink can be rented for $60 per hour. Hours will be posted when the rink opens.
Seeking Input On PFOA Recovery
Hoosick Supervisor Mark Surdam said the Town is sending out a letter to all Town residents who live outside the Village, seeking input from the community about what they would like the Town to prioritize in its negotiations with Saint-Gobain, Honeywell, and State authorities.
The letter asks for feedback from residents on such issues as whether they would like the Village water system extended to more areas of Town, maintenance of POET systems in perpetuity and other issues directly related to water contamination. It also asks residents to brainstorm about how funding from the two companies could be used to restore the good name of the Town and Village and “make sure that the future development of the Town, both residential and commercial, is not significantly diminished” by the PFOA contamination and its attendant publicity. It asks residents to comment on such things as a fund to help homeowners with painting and landscaping to keep the Town looking nice, funding for economic development efforts, and to come up with their own ideas for the town’s recovery from the PFOA crisis.
The Town Board is hoping for a lot of response to the letter so that they can accurately represent public opinion, and they feel they can be more effective in their negotiations if they are clear about what the community wants.
The letter was funded by a technical assistance grant made by Saint-Gobain and Honeywell. All of the letters should be in the mail by the end of the week.
Highway
Highway Superintendent Bill Shiland said he has finished and submitted his FEMA report on the March storm, which came to a total of $27,000, so this will bring some revenue to the Town once FEMA gets through its paperwork.
Shiland also said he is working with engineer Charles Tutunjian from Creighton Manning Engineering to get in an application for BridgeNY funds to restore or replace the Cottrell Road Bridge. Tutanjian said he will charge “a nominal fee” to help with the application, which will be about $1,000.
No Charges re ACH Withdrawals
Hoosick Supervisor Mark Surdam said he had a visit from a State Trooper who had investigated unauthorized withdrawals from a Town account last August. The trooper told Surdam that his conclusion was that it was a mistake and was rectified promptly when it was discovered. He said there will be no charges filed in connection with the matter.
Budget Passed
The Board unanimously passed the Town Budget for 2018. Supervisor Surdam said it contains a tax levy increase of 1.83%, which is just under the tax cap.
Supervisor Surdam passed on to the Board a request from the Youth Center for payroll assistance for programming through the end of the year. They requested $4,000. Surdam asked Town Bookkeeper Emily Sanders to assess if there is money left over this year that could be transferred to this use. She said there is probably about $3,000 that could be used. Councilman Dave Sutton made a motion to give the Youth Center $2,000 to help them finish out the year, and it passed unanimously.
A Thanksgiving Eve Celebration to benefit the Youth Center will be held at the Hoosick Falls Country Club on November 22 from 6 to 11 pm. Details can be found at the youth center web site: https://hoosickcommunitycenter.com.
At the conclusion of the meeting the Board went into executive session. The topics to be discussed there included the lease agreement with HAYC3 and a Notice of Claim that the Town has received. A Notice of Claim is not a suit against the Town, but is a notice to the Town letting it know that a claim may be filed against it, outlining in summary form the substance of the claim against the Town. This Notice of Claim was filed by attorneys for Asa Clark and his company ABC Carpentry and is related to the flooding caused by the torrential rains on July 1 of this year. Clark’s company is in the old Dodge Industries building next to the Armory on Church Street, and it was devastated by the flood, with a great deal of mud covering his shop and extensive damage to the tools and machinery there.
In other news:
• Councilman Eric Sheffer researched the welcome sign posted at the intersection of Routes 7 and 22 and found that it was a collaboration between the State and the Town and that the Town is supposed to maintain it. He is speaking with people that the Town may be able to hire to restore it.
• Supervisor Mark Surdam said the Bath House renovation project will start construction in the spring. It wasn’t feasible to get it started before the cold weather came on.
• Councilman Dave Sutton said the Immaculate Conception Church is engaged in a multi-year planning effort concerning their church building after damage to the basement function room occurred during the torrential rains at the beginning of July. Sutton said the building was built for a congregation of a couple of thousand and now has several hundred at any given service. One of the options being considered, said Sutton, is demolishing the building, but he stressed that no decisions have been made yet.
• Surdam announced that Arlene Wysocki has resigned from the Board of Assessment Review. The Town is looking for someone to fill the position. It is pretty much a one night per year commitment. Training is required before starting which takes an evening (about 3 hours). Anyone who is interested in serving on that Board is asked to contact the Town Clerk and express their interest.
• Surdam noted that both of the newly elected Town Councilmen will be leaving positions in Town government when they join the Town Board – one from the Planning Board, one from the Zoning Board. The Town is in need of 2 new Zoning Board members and 3 new Planning Board members. Hoosick residents who would like to serve on these Boards are asked to contact the Town Clerk.