Some Town Board Members Perform

The October 28 Town Board Meeting was something else. Was it because it was being held in the Court Room (The regular meeting room was hosting Early Voting)? Is it because there were a few new faces in the crowd? Was it the bullet proof glass divider? But the Foghorn Leghorn riffs are exhausting, not illuminating.

After the usual beginning of the meeting formalitie, the Public Hearing Portion of the meeting began with three items. Two of the items had to deal with budget dollars required in 2025 for the Water and Sewer Districts. Mike Tremper of Camo Polllution explained that the sewer plants are over 60 years old -- and while they are operating as designed, specifications and requirements have changed in those 60 years. Basically the same story for the Water districts. Anticipate a 3 to 4% increase in the Operations & Mainteance budgets. Since homes owners in those districts are also responsible for paying the bonds + interest for those investments (and those costs are fixed) -- Sewer & Water bills will increase less that 3 or 4% in 2025.

The Three Public Hearing Topics... no members of the Public Spoke.

• A Local Law Regulating Hazardous Pollution Sources in Proximity to Public Water Supply Surces, Aquifers and Wetlands - Adjourned because the Town Attorney is still working through the issues raised by the County Planners

• Proposed Budgets, O&M Charges, Rates and Rents for Special Improvement Districts and Special Improvement Areas for FY 2025.

• Capital Budgets O&C Charges and Water/Sewer Rates and Rents for Special Districts and Special Improvement Areas for FY 2025

The Public Portion of the Meeting then opened -

Members of the public spoke about the on-going issues of Large, Loud Vehicles Using Dean Avenue as a cut-through and asking the board to consider putting a weight limit on the road -- which over time, will help guide drivers using GPS systems to stay off of Dean Avenue if they are driving large vehicles. Dean Avenue was built prior to cars, with houses close to the road and is a dense neighborhood - not designed for high-speed traffic.

There was also a question about the Preliminary Budget -- which it turns out has been posted to the Town Website.. but in a rather obscure section that requires intimate knowledge of the wetsite's layout. Search and it is there (Reminder... there is a special Town Board Meeting at November 7 to review and finalize the 2025 Budget).

Discussions - the architect who designed the proposed new stage for Schlathaus Park then presented his design and explained the design and structure choices. He explained some of the Zoning Requirements, not that the Municipality needs to follow set-back etc. requirements, but rather to understand what Town Zoning Code requires... including a requirement for a fire suppression if larger). He is designating materials for their costs (low) and durability (long) - indicating that a new stage would have a 50 year estimated life span. He used the surrounding landscape of mountain views, apple trees and clouds in the sky as inspiration for the design. He also said that pre-fab kits that are being sold on the market are not good solutions for the Town's requirement as the pre-fab kits are either designed for the home market or for festivals where they would be taken down after use for a short time.

Here's the Deal -- This project -estimated to cost $750K - is covered by federal funding IF there is a signed contract by December 31 of this year. To do that ... the Town Board needs to get their act together -- so that bids can go out to contractors, contractors have time to respond to the bid, and a contractor is chosen and voted on .. by November 22 -- so that the Grant requirements can be satisfied.. and sent to the appropriate agency for approval. After spending months agreeing that the current stage at Schlathaus park is woefully inadequate and has served its purpose well, but needs to be retired.... the bombast began "I have more questions, I need more information" declared one council member... ok... and what would those questions be? Because it is very difficult to respond with out specific questions/issues. Then the concern that a 3 foot high stage is too low (higher would require additional costs/safety concerns) ... then came the questions about the park (one would VERY much hope that town board members would have a basic understanding of town properties and buildings)....the upshot is that there is a special meeting scheduled at 11:00* on November 2 at Schlathaus park to review the site. Of course there had to be a discussion about the concerns of a holding such a meeting re: Open Meeting Laws -- but never fear, the public is invited to this meeting on November 2.

* If you plan on attending, please check with the Supervisor's office to confirm the time, it may have been moved to 10:30 re: a later discussion.

THEN... the acting Supervisor of Buildings & Grounds came forward to explain - that to keep all the Town's Mowers and the vehicles for the Bldgs. & Grounds team operating, the mechanic, who was recently hired and is by all accounts doing a bang-up job refurbishing and getting/keeping vehicles on the road, is doing this work without a lift. This means jacks are being used, with the mechanic working on the ground, on his back.

The acting Supervisor explained that he got prices from 4 manufacturers and there is a $28K lift that would be suitable. Then came the long discussion about which building the lift should go in, which one would require less remodeling to accomodate the lift, easier to heat, already has electricity - and the Town Board Members masquerded as building engineers doing "due diligence" instead of taking recommendations from the professionals whose job responsiblities are to sort this out. Concerns about a mechanic working under a lift (vs. under a Jack like is currently done) "alone" and why can't you use the Highway Department's garage/lift -- ignoring the fact that the Highway Department has its own fleet and requirements to attend to - all resulted in the November 2 meeting will be extended to view the Buildings and Grounds buildings so a committee can decide where a mechanic can work. The Acting Buildings & Grounds Supervisor assured the board members that there were always at least 2 people together working together in the event of any emergency.

Consent Agenda - Approved

• Resolution Adopting Final Benefit Assessment Rolls for Special Improvement Districts and Special Improvement Areas for FY 2025

• Resolution Adopting Capital Budgets, O&M Charges and Water/Sewer Rates and Rents for Special Districts and Special Improvement Areas for FY 2025.

• Resolution Authorizing Installation of Street Lighting in the Town of Wappinger.

  • Where Losee Road, Miracle Circle, Lormar Court respectively meet Myers Corners Road have been identified as an area of need for street lighting, and

    the entrance to Cedar Hill Road was moved a new street light was not added at its current terminus where it meets Old Hopewell Road and has been identified as an area of need for street lighting

Non-Consent Agenda - Discussion Required

• Resolution to Designate a Portion of the American Rescue Plan Funds to construct a new stage at Brexel-Schlathaus Park - Tabled (see discussion above) - Tabled

• Schedule Special Town Board Budget Meeting for November 7 - Approved

• Resolution Approving Preliminary Budget for FY 2025 and Directing a Public Hearing. This was a long convoluted discussion about process of publishing and approving elected official salaries in the budget... and after the council member with the longest tenure fully understood the process, we all got the treat of listening to him explain it to us.. in the name of transparency. -- Approved

• Resolution Authorizing Recommendations of the Planner to the Town of Wappinger Comprehensive Plan -- if you have been following the Planning Board/Town Board meetings over the last year or so -- there is code, and code revisions that are very poorly written. So poorly, that the attorneys can't make head or tail of it.. and has been the source of litigation. This resolution asks the Town Planner to provide recommendations to the board - Approved

• Resolution Introducing Local Law - which reduces the weight limit on Dean Avenue.

  It was late in the evening at this point in the meeting... AND... we were treated to another monologue on how this will work and the implications. - Public Hearing set of November 25.

Given the late hour... and that the Board was scheduled to interview candidates for the Zoning Board of Appeals (yea! they chose one - Mr. Chris Hernandez) the Supervisor asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Not satisfied with the air time already used... we received a lecture on how dry it is.. and to please be careful with cigarettes, there should be no burning etc (a town-wide note was sent out earlier in the day) ... and a repeat of the top 40 hit of the difficulties of providing Ambulance Services, that the Town is in discussions with the Village... and we are luckier in the Town of Wappinger compared to other towns who are struggling to provide services.

The Board went into Executive Session -- and emerged cranky and perturbed about 11:15 PM.