by Doug La Rocque
After several members of the Town Council expressed surprise about the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance’s (RPA) plans to open a Community Forest on land situated between Stuffle Street and Foster Road, the Council invited RPA Executive Director Jim Bonesteel to their Workshop meeting on Monday, January 24 to explain what the Community Forest is and answer their questions. And many questions there were.
School Loses Out
As to whether the Town would lose tax revenue on this land purchase (the RPA is a not-for-profit entity) the answer is yes and no. While the 394-acre parcel would apparently go off the tax roles, the RPA’s governing body has voted to make annual payments to the Town in lieu of taxes. According to Mr. Bonesteel, these would be paid to the Town’s general and highway funds as well as the fire department. Not included in this so-called PILOT program are the Berlin and Brunswick School Districts or Rensselaer County. They would apparently lose their tax revenue on this parcel.
Traffic and Parking
One of the concerns brought forth at the regular Town Council meeting two weeks ago was
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