[1:58] The hill on board the order. Please

[1:59] stand for the pledge of allegiance.

[2:01] » I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[2:04] United States of America and to the

[2:06] republic for which it stands. One nation

[2:09] under God, indivisible, with liberty

[2:11] [clears throat] and justice for all.

[2:13] » Okay. Thank you all very much. I'm going

[2:15] to uh ask that the clerk do please do a

[2:18] roll call. And I want to let the public

[2:20] know that as per uh the law that was

[2:23] passed about extraordinary circumstances

[2:25] circumstances video conferencing, I did

[2:28] have two town council members uh contact

[2:30] me in writing within the allotted time

[2:32] frame with uh specific reasons falling

[2:35] under the extraordinary circumstances

[2:37] video conferencing uh law. So uh would

[2:41] you please do the roll call?

[2:43] » Uh council member Hernandez

[2:45] » Present.

[2:46] Council member uh Ziggler

[2:49] » Here.

[2:50] » Supervisor

[2:52] » Here.

[2:53] » Uh Council Member Corano Nordenstrom

[2:56] » Here.

[2:58] » Uh Council Member uh Fel.

[3:02] » Oh, you muted.

[3:03] » He muted. Uh but he said here.

[3:06] » He did say shake hand.

[3:08] » There you go.

[3:10] » Got it.

[3:11] » Thank you. And thank you all for

[3:14] being here tonight. Um uh first is our

[3:17] public comment. Uh would we have 10

[3:20] minutes aotted? Would any member of the

[3:21] public like to comment

[3:23] » Or

[3:24] » Oh, and Marcy Ella and Michael Miller.

[3:27] Okay. Uh Mr. Miller or Marcy or Amy or

[3:31] Jeff

[3:33] have any public comments? I have Amy

[3:36] Davidson, which I'm going to throw it to

[3:38] Amy.

[3:39] » Thank you. Um, first of all, I would

[3:42] like to recommend that we reinstitute

[3:45] the three minutes or 10 minutes of

[3:47] public comment at the end of the meeting

[3:49] just because it's a little easier than

[3:51] if there's something to comment on with

[3:53] the time after the meeting because

[3:54] otherwise I'm making comments now

[3:57] » On hypothetical what might be said,

[3:59] right? Anyway,

[4:00] » My um my discussion today again has to

[4:03] do with roads, which is obviously my

[4:05] favorite topic. Um, and I just feel like

[4:09] the

[4:10] the presentation from um Richard Briggs

[4:16] was was great, but I feel like we need

[4:18] more detail because I think this storm

[4:21] that happened July 28th through the 30th

[4:24] is really pretty extreme and I don't

[4:26] think this really captures all of the

[4:28] work that the highway department A had

[4:30] to do. Um, but it's also gives us an

[4:33] opportunity to provide a little bit more

[4:36] detail. So there's going to be

[4:37] institutional knowledge as more of these

[4:39] extreme ring happen. So my suggestion

[4:42] would be to take the report at a

[4:45] preamble at least to mention this is in

[4:47] response to the July 28th 30th

[4:51] you know extreme rainfall storm um

[4:54] because I did a little research and I

[4:57] couldn't find it anywhere on New York

[4:58] State or National Weather Service other

[5:01] than the closing of Route 22. So, I just

[5:04] feel like we just need to have a little

[5:06] bit more information about that. And my

[5:09] other comments, and again, I do not want

[5:11] to create more work for Richard, so

[5:13] maybe it can go to somebody else, is

[5:15] that the damage between severe and

[5:18] moderate, which is how it's categorized

[5:20] here by the road listings, you know,

[5:23] probably needs a little bit more nuance

[5:25] because I do know that like FUD and

[5:27] pheasant lean had definitely severe

[5:29] damage compared to claw. I would put

[5:32] those in two different categories if it

[5:34] were me trying to create a rating system

[5:36] now and for the future. But Richard, you

[5:38] might have ideas and I don't know if

[5:40] your team takes photographs just to

[5:43] capture things so we can see. And again,

[5:46] it's 10 years down the road. We're going

[5:48] to have different people here. How are

[5:49] we going to compare what happened to the

[5:51] past, what worked, etc. Plus, this might

[5:53] be a good opportunity to start start

[5:55] capturing the costs because these

[5:58] extreme weather events are going to only

[5:59] happen more frequently. unfortunately

[6:02] and continue to cost the town money. So,

[6:05] those are my comments. Thank you.

[6:07] » Thank you. Thank you for your comments.

[6:09] Uh, any other member of the public?

[6:13] » IPhone 7. Um,

[6:16] » This my wife.

[6:16] » Oh, hi.

[6:19] All right.

[6:21] You got your seven. You see about seven.

[6:24] All right. Then I'm going to call the

[6:25] public um comment to close and move on.

[6:30] Um, next up is uh the approval of

[6:32] minutes. Uh, for the sake of efficiency,

[6:34] can I get a motion to approve the

[6:36] minutes from July 21st uh the July 21st

[6:40] public hearing and the July 29th special

[6:42] meeting? Can I get a motion, please?

[6:44] Council member.

[6:45] » Council member Hernandez. Second.

[6:49] » Second.

[6:51] » Second.

[6:52] » Thank you. We got a second. Uh, Bart,

[6:54] you first. Any comments? Nico. Council

[6:58] member

[7:00] Karana Nordenstrom.

[7:01] » Yeah. Yeah. Mike, if if you could could

[7:04] you separate the motions.

[7:07] Um I I didn't attend the the special

[7:11] meeting.

[7:12] » Okay. All right. Yeah, that's true. All

[7:13] right. So, um I'm going to withdraw that

[7:15] motion. Can I get a motion to approve

[7:18] the minutes on July 21st?

[7:21] Um the Ziggler and Hernandez.

[7:25] Um

[7:26] uh any discussion on the minutes from

[7:29] July 21st?

[7:32] » Yeah, I I just um there is a section

[7:35] under the highway super uh attendance

[7:39] report um that I think is

[7:44] um maybe something that the town

[7:45] attorney should discuss with our board.

[7:49] If if that's if that's how our meetings

[7:51] are memorialized, then I think uh it

[7:54] deserves a discussion

[7:57] between board members.

[8:02] Um,

[8:05] » If if me if you don't remember, uh,

[8:10] myself and two others are being accused

[8:14] of harassment in the minutes.

[8:18] » Okay,

[8:19] » It was it's a summary of what Richard

[8:22] said.

[8:24] Okay.

[8:25] » Which is why I write

[8:26] » I I I don't remember if if names were

[8:30] given but uh

[8:32] » I do and they were

[8:34] » Okay. Uh anyway,

[8:37] » Okay. I can certainly bring this up with

[8:39] Ken Dao, but I think um

[8:40] » Videos are

[8:41] » No, I I think it's important that the

[8:42] entire board um uh seeks counsel in this

[8:47] particular case. I mean, it's a

[8:49] verbatim. It's a verbatim u transcript

[8:53] of what happened. It's it's not

[8:56] verbatim. [clears throat]

[8:57] » Well, it's it's a it's a it's a

[8:59] reflection of what was said by uh an

[9:03] elected official.

[9:04] » Okay. I think it I I think we should

[9:07] discuss it and it should be clarified.

[9:09] It's a pretty serious subject matter.

[9:11] » Okay.

[9:14] Any other comment?

[9:16] Um

[9:18] uh I will run this by um the attorney

[9:22] and CC the board on this the responses.

[9:26] Okay. But uh the motion's on the table

[9:30] to approve. All in favor of approving

[9:33] uh the word Hernandez Ziggler and

[9:37] » Approved.

[9:39] » All against

[9:42] Trump. Okay. Thank you. Uh, can I get a

[9:45] motion to approve the July 20 21st

[9:49] public hearing? Uh, uh, Hernandez, can I

[9:52] get a second? Ziggler. Uh, any further

[9:56] discussion on the public hearing notes?

[10:00] » Can you stop J talking so I can hear?

[10:02] » Yep. Hey guys, me please. No discussion.

[10:05] Thank you. Um, any further discussion?

[10:10] » All in favor?

[10:11] » I unanimous. Thank you. Uh the special

[10:15] meeting on July 29th. May I get a motion

[10:18] to approve, please? Uh Ziggler

[10:21] Hernandez. Uh any discussion on the

[10:23] special meeting?

[10:28] Hearing none. All in favor?

[10:30] » I

[10:31] » I

[10:34] » And one abstension. Okay. Thank you. Um

[10:39] okay. Supervisor's report. I want to

[10:41] talk about the EMS in Columbia County.

[10:44] Um I did uh post both the press release

[10:47] from Chairman Morurell and the report

[10:49] that was given by PJ Keeler. Um

[10:54] long story short, uh currently, as I'm

[10:56] sure members of the EMS know, we operate

[10:59] on a regional basis. Hillsdale is part

[11:01] of the cop rescue squad which is funded

[11:04] by the towns and correct me if I'm

[11:06] wrong. Hillsdale Copek to Conic and

[11:08] Ankram Community

[11:11] » I'm sorry

[11:12] » Community now cope

[11:14] » It's called

[11:15] » Community rescue I'm sorry community

[11:18] rescue see I told you but anyway the the

[11:21] point is uh we used to have seven there

[11:24] are now four regional emergency units

[11:27] which um is not practical in that

[11:33] if there's a big emergency in Gent

[11:36] Copic's going to come through. You know,

[11:38] there's no boundaries.

[11:40] The county is not broken up in four

[11:41] districts. It is a countywide

[11:45] system. So, by having it broken up into

[11:49] four system, there not only

[11:50] efficiencies, there's, you know, no

[11:52] county oversight. Uh, and some towns

[11:56] through I can't exactly explain why, but

[12:01] um, you can quiz me later, actually pay

[12:04] more than their share, some pay less

[12:06] than their share because it's all based

[12:07] on population and home values and some

[12:11] complicated math there. So, what PJ

[12:14] Keeler and Chairman Morurell are

[12:16] proposing is that we dispense with the

[12:19] regional model and go to a full county

[12:22] model. Uh this will be voted on

[12:26] uh hopefully at the September meeting so

[12:28] we can budget for it for 2027 during our

[12:31] budget season. I will be voting for this

[12:35] as I feel this is a natural

[12:38] progression in Columbia County. As as I

[12:41] said we used to have seven regionals. We

[12:42] only we're down to four. Also, uh these

[12:46] numbers that are posted are tentative,

[12:49] but it looks like Hillsdale is

[12:51] essentially paying their fair share. So,

[12:54] while some towns would see an increase

[12:57] because they have historically gotten

[12:59] lucky, uh Hillsdale seems to be on an

[13:01] even keel. So, there's really no

[13:04] financial

[13:05] downside to Hillsdale switching to the

[13:08] system.

[13:09] » Please. Yeah.

[13:11] But does community rescue still keep

[13:14] their identity as community rescue?

[13:16] » Yes. Still the four squads that's left,

[13:19] » Right? But they'll be funded from one

[13:21] pot. Okay.

[13:22] » That will be distributed and that math

[13:24] is still being worked.

[13:25] » Okay. I'm just asking that because they

[13:27] all donate to our community rescue

[13:31] squad.

[13:32] » Yes.

[13:32] » And I'm asking because if then if it

[13:34] goes to Big Pop then

[13:37] » Yeah.

[13:38] » So that's that's what

[13:39] » Okay. That's a good point. As far as I

[13:41] know, yes, because they're not going to

[13:44] disband the forward rescue flight,

[13:46] » Right? Yeah. I wouldn't think so, but

[13:48] they could change the name of it. Sure.

[13:50] But right now, they're working under

[13:52] » The EMS, which is Columbia County EMS

[13:55] under the protocol that they still all

[13:57] have their individual identity,

[13:59] » Right? And I could just see that that

[14:03] could

[14:05] » Create a little bit of controversy with

[14:06] residents if

[14:10] with me if I donate okay

[14:12] » You know to community rescue squad and

[14:14] it would actually go to this great big

[14:16] pot right

[14:16] » And goes to Malaysia rescue

[14:18] » Okay that's all

[14:20] » All right that's a good point uh also

[14:22] should mention that they are proposing a

[14:24] uh in their 2027 budget a 5% increase

[14:27] because there is some major

[14:30] without

[14:31] » Without a doubt.

[14:32] » Yeah. So, I think that bodess well on

[14:36] the county level because we'll be able

[14:38] to make a stronger case on the

[14:39] countywide level than you know like

[14:41] right now I attend a a meeting uh down

[14:44] in Copek with um uh Supervisor Lutz and

[14:48] Supervisor Wolf and Supervisor uh Ryan

[14:51] SCOD. Um, but if it's a countywide level

[14:54] and you're all making a case, which is a

[14:56] very strong case which was outlined in

[14:59] detail about the the great need,

[15:01] » Sadly to say, probably not. In the long

[15:04] near future, we're going to have to be

[15:06] having this conversation about the fire

[15:08] companies, too.

[15:09] » Yeah.

[15:10] » Absolutely decide.

[15:11] » Yeah. Agreed. So, I just want the the

[15:16] constituents and the town board to know

[15:18] that is my position. if you have further

[15:20] thoughts. Uh,

[15:22] » So the question, will this create a new

[15:24] agency to oversee?

[15:25] » No, it'll be overseen by the county

[15:27] board of supervisors. Right now, it's

[15:28] four supervisors here, five supervisors

[15:30] here. So, the supervisors just kind of

[15:32] band together,

[15:33] » But is there some overall agency that

[15:35] the four existing ones will be under

[15:38] like a different

[15:38] » It'll be under the county

[15:40] » The county.

[15:41] » Okay. The county board is not running

[15:43] this dayto day. who will actually

[15:45] » We essentially are right right instead

[15:47] of

[15:47] » The county EMS council which

[15:51] » There's that's already exists

[15:53] » That already exists but in terms of

[15:55] oversight instead of four supervisors

[15:57] working tan just over here and five

[16:00] supervisors working up in delay we're

[16:02] all going to be working together and

[16:03] figuring out you know what what's the

[16:05] overall need

[16:08] » Okay um

[16:12] uh July financials are posted. Uh I

[16:15] wanted to make a note that uh the sales

[16:18] tax did come in about $180,000

[16:23] which is on par with last year as well

[16:25] as the $19,000 of um uh tobacco

[16:30] settlement. So that puts us back into

[16:32] the black with our uh um procurement

[16:36] policy, our our fine balance policy, I'm

[16:38] sorry. So um

[16:42] that's that. Uh I didn't want to do

[16:44] that. Um in terms of budget amendment, I

[16:47] did not prepare the highway uh transfer

[16:51] that we had talked about because I know

[16:53] there'll be furthers because of the

[16:55] storm. So I think you and I can get

[16:57] together and um work out an overall

[17:00] budget amendment uh for the next meeting

[17:02] if not October.

[17:04] » Okay. I just didn't want you to think I

[17:06] ignored it. So no budget amendment

[17:08] though this month. Uh town clerk report.

[17:14] » Mike, I'm sorry. May I ask a question

[17:16] about the financials?

[17:19] » We have

[17:22] the fund the fund balance availability

[17:24] and total cash page.

[17:26] » Uhhuh.

[17:27] » There are

[17:30] summaries highlighted in red and

[17:33] negative. I'm sorry if I missed this.

[17:35] Maybe you

[17:37] » Yeah. Um this previous meeting

[17:39] » Negative in so much as we have our fund

[17:42] balance policy.

[17:44] Um

[17:45] » Right

[17:47] » We're we're are we in violation of the

[17:50] policy?

[17:51] » Uh we are not in violation of the policy

[17:53] but we are underneath the amount that uh

[17:57] is suggested. Uh however, with the uh

[18:01] influx of the sales tax, we are now no

[18:04] longer um in

[18:08] under that suggested amount of 734.

[18:13] Um or it might be slightly under, but we

[18:15] still have revenue coming in from

[18:17] various sources. Um the highway, uh we

[18:20] are going Richard's going to tell us uh

[18:22] the impact of the storms. Um, also

[18:25] remember that we do have $250,000

[18:29] uh in the West End Bridge account that

[18:32] is reserved. We spent, I believe, about

[18:34] 50,000 so far. So, that's not in here.

[18:39] Um, that's because that's in a totally

[18:41] separate account. We took it all out.

[18:42] So, that's um and the sewer. We'll talk

[18:46] about the sewer.

[18:47] » So, so the sales tax revenue is is

[18:50] reflected here. Sorry, I'm

[18:54] » After in August.

[18:55] » Uh if you go to uh board documents

[18:59] » Uh finance uh uh deposits, you'll see

[19:03] all the deposits and you can see uh what

[19:06] I deposit on a daily not a daily basis.

[19:08] do it.

[19:09] » But the revenue, so line uh like the

[19:12] sales tax, it looks like it is reflected

[19:14] for 2026 because it says

[19:16] » Sales tax 134,000 and change

[19:20] » Sales taxes quarterly.

[19:22] » Yeah.

[19:22] » So that reflects one quarter. So

[19:25] essentially two 2Q came in which ended

[19:29] June. The county did their magic, sent

[19:32] us a check the end of July and I

[19:34] deposited it in August. and we'll get

[19:37] another one in uh the queue will end in

[19:41] uh September, so we'll get another check

[19:43] in October and then we'll get one after

[19:45] the year is over. So, we're still

[19:47] probably expecting another

[19:50] uh what

[19:52] 350 400,000 from sales tax.

[19:55] » So, so approximately what are we

[19:57] year-to- date? Yeah.

[20:00] » Uh year to date uh sales tax we are

[20:03] approximately

[20:05] 350 and expecting another 350.

[20:10] » But our budget uh if I'm reading this

[20:12] correctly, our budget's only 275.

[20:18] » Yes. Cuz because part of it goes to the

[20:20] highway to

[20:20] » Yeah. Part of it goes to the highway.

[20:22] » A big portion of it goes to the highway.

[20:24] » Not the sale pack. That's the um

[20:27] property.

[20:29] Oh, property tax. Sales tax, too.

[20:31] » Sales taxes.

[20:34] Um,

[20:37] » I think sales.

[20:38] » Yeah.

[20:39] » Yeah. I mean if if if it I mean from the

[20:42] way I'm reading it if if we are at the

[20:46] status or the point that you say we are

[20:51] then

[20:53] then actually our sales tax revenue is

[20:56] not in line with last year. We we would

[20:59] have much more right.

[21:04] I cash a check.

[21:14] » Yeah, I mean we can

[21:16] » Well, no. Yeah, because it is

[21:17] » We can look at this. Um

[21:19] » Yeah, during

[21:19] » Yeah. After the meeting, I just uh

[21:22] » Yeah. No, I I I definitely noticed that

[21:25] also. We can We're going to have a

[21:26] series of budget workshops

[21:28] » If I'm correct. There's 200 deposited

[21:31] yet.

[21:33] There's $275,000

[21:35] in sales tax budgeted for the town,

[21:37] » Right?

[21:38] » And there's $225,000

[21:41] budgeted for the highway,

[21:43] » Right?

[21:43] » And so we're actually

[21:44] » The total is 400 and those cost has been

[21:48] deposited a jet into the highway

[21:49] » Into the highway,

[21:50] » Right? So we we should be based on the

[21:53] second Q above the projections uh of our

[21:57] » Of last year

[21:59] » For sales tax um based on the 180 for

[22:04] just one quarter

[22:05] » Right

[22:06] » But I think if it's allocated to highway

[22:09] isn't it still shown in our general fund

[22:12] budget line

[22:15] » Or no that's

[22:16] » No yeah yeah

[22:18] » It's deposited yes

[22:19] » It's deposited to the general but it is

[22:22] » General

[22:23] » Transferred

[22:24] » Transferred to

[22:26] » Anyway I anyway there's maybe

[22:29] discrepancy there or just clarification

[22:32] of whether or not what is actually

[22:34] included in that line in [clears throat]

[22:36] the

[22:37] » Okay

[22:38] » And then also I think maybe our our

[22:42] board should just discuss

[22:45] um discuss the or reference the fund bal

[22:49] balance

[22:50] policy that we adopt. I think we adopted

[22:53] » Yeah.

[22:53] » A revision to the fund balance balance

[22:55] policy, right?

[22:58] » We we every year we read it.

[23:01] » Yeah.

[23:01] » Oh, okay.

[23:02] » Part of our organization over January.

[23:04] » Yeah.

[23:05] » Yeah. I remember reviewing it at some

[23:07] point.

[23:08] » Oh, yeah.

[23:09] » There's a reason it exists. So, we

[23:11] should maybe

[23:12] » Yeah.

[23:13] » Reference it at the next meeting. part

[23:14] of the policy is that it is uh reviewed

[23:17] and re reestablished every year. So we

[23:20] will continue to do that.

[23:23] Um town clerk report.

[23:25] » Okay.

[23:26] » So Emily has been scanning records and

[23:29] um

[23:31] quite diligently. Thank you.

[23:34] We plan to uh review the vault which is

[23:37] at the substation and order shelving and

[23:40] boxes so we can get them more organized

[23:42] there and still uh do scanning. Um I'm

[23:47] going to order the archive books for the

[23:49] rifle records. We have I think $3,000 to

[23:52] » I think it's $5,000 in record

[23:54] management. There is

[23:56] » Heard of this year.

[23:57] » Then dog license donations in uh are

[24:00] collected are going to be collected

[24:03] monthly by the town clerk at the same

[24:06] time that we collect fees and then we

[24:08] give them to the supervisor because it's

[24:10] broken out in our reports monthly and

[24:13] then it's determined whether we're going

[24:15] to do that monthly to the green county

[24:18] or

[24:18] » Tumblr green.

[24:19] » Tumbl green. Yeah.

[24:20] » Yeah.

[24:22] um or quarterly or something like that.

[24:25] Um Gretchen and I worked on the salt

[24:27] shed grant and managed to get that in on

[24:30] July 30th which took quite a while. Um

[24:35] and then um council member Kurano had a

[24:39] Corano Nordstrom had an issue with the

[24:41] minutes from the prior meeting June and

[24:45] uh was going to supply us with

[24:47] screenshots but I'd never received them.

[24:49] Did you send them, Jamie?

[24:51] » Uh, no, Rebina. I've been on sick leave.

[24:56] » But you can't send the minutes.

[24:58] » Yeah, I didn't res I haven't responded

[25:00] to any emails for three weeks.

[25:04] » Okay. But at the last meeting you at the

[25:07] last meeting, you said that you had you

[25:09] were you had screenshots and you were

[25:10] going to email.

[25:11] » I Yeah, I'm I'm happy to respond to your

[25:15] email in this coming week.

[25:18] » Okay. Thank you.

[25:20] Um,

[25:22] on to the highway superintendent report.

[25:25] Richard,

[25:27] [clears throat]

[25:27] » You got my monthly report.

[25:30] » Yes.

[25:31] » You got my storm damage report.

[25:33] » Yes.

[25:34] » And

[25:37] as a comment to

[25:42] public comment from someone.

[25:46] I

[25:49] do my best to report

[25:52] to the board and the public of what's

[25:57] happening.

[25:58] And I think that the people in

[26:01] Harlemville

[26:04] most that most

[26:08] that got the most damage. I mean, that

[26:10] was out there was probably between 10

[26:13] and 11 inches of rain in 10 hours versus

[26:16] us in in town. Uh 10 inches of rain in

[26:20] 10 hours. Uh

[26:22] and our our highway employees, you know,

[26:26] uh we were short. We're short-handed.

[26:28] We've been short-handed since winter

[26:30] time to employees.

[26:32] Um we worked very diligently to keep

[26:35] coar pipes open, to keep roads open.

[26:38] Unfortunately, we did have to close

[26:40] roads. And again,

[26:46] the comment was made that I made a

[26:50] statement [snorts]

[26:51] and put it in writing and I stand behind

[26:53] that.

[26:56] But Bezant Lane, significant damage.

[27:00] Comro significant damage. The road was

[27:02] closed. We lost a 6ft coldware pipe.

[27:08] I with my budget and what my 284 was the

[27:13] whole nine yards everything is changing

[27:16] because [snorts] there's no there

[27:20] I am not going to give certain con

[27:24] constituents

[27:25] the pleasure of saying I went over

[27:27] budget. I am working diligently to stay

[27:31] within the budget to keep our roads open

[27:34] to keep our roads safe and to continue

[27:37] on

[27:39] our chip ceiling which is starting this

[27:41] week the rain we had dates that this

[27:44] rain changed dates

[27:47] I am not going to be able to do

[27:48] everything that I was I wanted to do

[27:51] it's

[27:53] as an elected highway superintendent as

[27:56] your elected highway superintendent

[27:58] This is in my preview of how to

[28:05] bring it back to you guys of what's

[28:06] going on. Mike, we've been on the phone.

[28:09] We're being almost I I mean, weeks after

[28:13] the storm, this is going on, that's

[28:15] going on. What can I do? You know, you

[28:17] know, so everybody was informed.

[28:20] And Hillsdale

[28:23] is not as bad as a couple other

[28:26] communities, but we

[28:30] suffered significant damage. And I am

[28:34] very proud to say that my

[28:41] work over the last 20 years of chip

[28:45] sealing roads saved this town so much

[28:48] money because

[28:51] I did an estimate for the county for the

[28:54] uh for the emergency management with

[28:57] only materials

[28:59] for this storm

[29:01] of 100 just material.

[29:03] That's without cover pipes. That's with

[29:04] a labor of $125,000.

[29:08] Back when we went through Sandy and

[29:10] Irene separately,

[29:13] we were over $1.2 million in damage to

[29:17] road services alone.

[29:20] and everybody that lives in Harlemville,

[29:23] Harlemville Road being sealed, chip

[29:25] sealed, harder,

[29:28] uh, Wolf Hill, these roads were all

[29:32] underwater. Underwater by feet and we

[29:36] had the road surfaces. I'm very, very

[29:38] proud of that. And I can tell you the

[29:40] majority and it makes me very proud to

[29:43] be able to say this tonight after all

[29:45] the controversy I've gone through for

[29:46] the last two years with Chip Simmon

[29:48] Roads. The compliments and the thank

[29:52] yous to the from the taxpayers of what

[29:55] we were able to save them

[29:58] almost brings tears to my eyes tonight

[30:00] to say that to you

[30:02] because that is a major accomplishment.

[30:06] And to have that money saved is a big

[30:10] deal

[30:12] to me and to so many taxpayers.

[30:19] » Okay. Thank you. And uh

[30:21] » Thank you guys for supporting me, the

[30:23] board, and thank you Mike and Rebina

[30:26] especially with all the

[30:29] the 10:00 at night phone calls and we

[30:31] got to do this, we got to do that, we

[30:32] got to do, you know, thank you guys. I

[30:35] much appreciate it.

[30:36] » You're on the 10 p.m. I'm on the 7 5

[30:38] a.m.

[30:40] » 5 a.m.

[30:43] » Um, no, thank you. Uh, it's hard to

[30:46] believe that we dodged a bullet.

[30:48] » Yeah,

[30:49] » Because

[30:51] » 10 miles

[30:52] » Had that track 10 miles.

[30:56] Uh

[30:57] » If we didn't get the break in the rain

[31:00] in town on this side of just say on this

[31:03] side of Whipville,

[31:05] » If we hadn't gotten that break,

[31:09] » You know, it just it was just light

[31:11] enough to be able to catch up some.

[31:14] » It was a big deal.

[31:15] » Yeah. I mean, I can proudly say Texas

[31:18] Hill Road there no road surface damage

[31:21] and the only reason we lost anything on

[31:23] the shoulders was because the power

[31:26] company had gone up into the woods

[31:28] » And diverted you know they didn't

[31:30] purposely divert the water but with

[31:32] their big vehicles. So, it missed

[31:35] instead of it going into a culver pipe,

[31:37] it just washed down

[31:39] » And it was, you know, a few loads of uh

[31:42] the infamous Gabian rock that cure that

[31:45] problem.

[31:46] » Yeah. Um I I do want to say I I agree

[31:51] with the constituent who said that uh

[31:53] this is will not be the last. And the

[31:54] scary part of this storm is that it

[31:57] wasn't a hurricane. It wasn't Sandy.

[31:59] This was a storm,

[32:01] » Not a tropical something from

[32:03] » You're right. But this was a storm. The

[32:06] hurricanes both Sandy and I [snorts] are

[32:07] in. It was the rain that was over a

[32:11] period of a day and a half, two days.

[32:14] This was rain over a period of 10 hours.

[32:18] » Yeah. you know, so I mean, just go up

[32:23] the Hudson River corridor

[32:26] and there's still state roads that's

[32:28] closed because of this with the same

[32:30] amount of rain,

[32:32] » But it was the amount

[32:35] in the time it was it came in a shorter

[32:38] period of time.

[32:38] » Yeah. Um, like I said, I do like the

[32:41] suggestion brought forth of um photos

[32:44] because I can't drive around on these

[32:45] roads.

[32:46] » They're all on my phone, right? I I can

[32:49] only say that I've, you know,

[32:52] » This is the best

[32:52] » For sure.

[32:53] » Let me put this on a record for sure to

[32:56] employees.

[32:57] » I'm on the road. I have been in

[32:59] equipment. We have the the pictures are

[33:02] on my phone when we, you know, and then

[33:04] doing all the documentation for the

[33:07] county, you know,

[33:09] » And we got the letter today that, you

[33:10] know, it doesn't look like or the email.

[33:13] It doesn't look like any of this is

[33:14] covered. So the taxpayers of Hillsdale

[33:16] have to cover this. It's not like it's

[33:18] going to be any kind of assistance from

[33:20] the state or the federal government.

[33:23] » So, just one more thing that you know my

[33:27] work has

[33:29] saved a lot.

[33:30] » Absolutely. And just so the public knows

[33:32] I did forward that email to the town

[33:34] board. I I I should have put it in the

[33:36] public record which I I can still do. Uh

[33:39] but

[33:40] » To this was it not?

[33:42] » Uh no that was uh that was your report.

[33:45] Um

[33:45] » Okay. uh it did not the level of damage

[33:48] did not reach the threshold for FEMA or

[33:51] » State

[33:51] » Or state uh which is hard to believe but

[33:55] that is what it is

[33:56] » It was such a narrow

[33:59] » Right it wasn't

[34:01] » So we will have some discussions

[34:04] probably next month about um

[34:08] financial matters

[34:10] » I'm as I said I'm adjusting my schedule

[34:13] to I'm not going to be chips sealing as

[34:16] much because of this. I I'm changing

[34:18] things as we

[34:21] » Well, I was on the phone with Rebina.

[34:23] She got me some different reports of

[34:24] where things actually stand.

[34:26] » So, before we start on Thursday and

[34:28] Friday, you're probably going to be

[34:29] later than that now, you know, cuz I'm

[34:32] not going to

[34:33] » Understood.

[34:33] » I'm going to be within the budget.

[34:35] » Okay. All right. I'm actually because of

[34:38] the storm,

[34:41] my equipment budget, I'll publicly say

[34:44] this, the my funds for equipment, my

[34:48] point 2 account has now has to be

[34:51] transferred into my 5110.4

[34:54] account to cover road repairs.

[34:56] » Right.

[34:57] » So, we're going to be falling behind on

[35:00] equipment,

[35:01] » But that's what we have to do.

[35:03] » Right.

[35:05] Okay. Uh if you uh want to meet at any

[35:09] time, let me know to

[35:11] » Yeah.

[35:13] because fall too far behind with the

[35:15] budget amendments,

[35:17] » Right?

[35:17] » So we can meet, you know, maybe Rebina,

[35:19] you Bob and I can give you what what I'm

[35:22] forecasting and then Okay. Just so we're

[35:24] up to date with the amendments because

[35:26] as I said, I thought the 77 was

[35:29] happening.

[35:30] » You know, it would more balance. So, but

[35:33] I wanted to make it

[35:33] » There's going to be some negative in my

[35:35] account for, you know,

[35:37] » Okay,

[35:37] » Before the next board meeting.

[35:39] » All right. Yeah. No,

[35:40] » Because I've submitted some bills

[35:42] already for August. It's going to

[35:45] » It's going to take you over. Okay.

[35:46] Understood. We should be prepared to see

[35:48] » But the overall budget,

[35:50] » Yeah,

[35:51] » I'm still with Evan.

[35:52] » Okay. All right. So, uh look forward to

[35:55] those budget amendments to discuss next

[35:57] month. Uh we'll also be entering a

[36:00] budget season next month.

[36:02] » Where did the year go? Uh you can see

[36:04] our budget schedule down at the bottom

[36:06] of the agenda that's been posted for

[36:08] several months. Uh so this will be part

[36:11] of a larger discussion also going

[36:13] forward.

[36:14] » One thing we didn't discuss under

[36:17] highway

[36:18] which

[36:21] » Maybe it was somewhere coming up

[36:22] somewhere else but the grants for the

[36:24] culbert.

[36:25] » Yeah, that's that's next.

[36:26] » Okay. Okay.

[36:28] » So, I can give a little precy of that.

[36:30] Uh I have Rebina mentioned that the salt

[36:33] shed grant is in. Thank you to Gretch

[36:35] and Stevens and toina Wards. We really

[36:38] uh uh uh burn the midnight oil, shall we

[36:42] say? Uh

[36:44] got them

[36:45] » Right under the wire. Next year I've got

[36:48] I've got CFA due and it's you're going

[36:51] to start this in February. Uh but thank

[36:54] you. Uh upon further investigation of

[36:58] the Hudson River estuary program, the

[37:01] issue is that they require New York

[37:05] State DO design standards, which throws

[37:09] it into Culver. That throws it into a

[37:13] whole different realm of uh

[37:15] architectural drawings of um of just

[37:20] everything. it just takes a culvert and

[37:23] then multiplies it by at least four or

[37:26] five. So that becomes a problem because

[37:29] the match is essentially what we might

[37:31] be paying for.

[37:33] » So I did contact the person that

[37:36] contract that gave us the quote last

[37:38] year of 120 grand,

[37:40] » Right?

[37:42] » And had the discussion. So we're still

[37:44] able to do that. It is a three

[37:49] three-sided

[37:52] » Co piped that

[37:54] » Again the year inflation added to the

[37:57] 120 whatever thousand it was.

[38:00] » But for us to go from $120,000 it's

[38:03] going to close a road for a week versus

[38:07] if we don't do anything that could close

[38:08] the road for whatever.

[38:12] » The money's in my budget.

[38:14] » Yes.

[38:15] But we're now that we've opened

[38:19] ourselves up to a grant, we're can we

[38:22] still go? Because he said he was still

[38:24] well. He was going to update that and

[38:25] he's under

[38:26] » State contract and everything. So that

[38:29] » It's a little bit tougher at this time

[38:30] of year because of the

[38:34] that's a kind of tributary stream, not a

[38:38] trout stream, but there's a couple

[38:40] interrupt you so everyone knows. This is

[38:42] the covert on Mitchell. Just south of

[38:45] just north of 23 on Mitchell the f

[38:49] » Just off the intersection.

[38:50] » Just off the intersection 23.

[38:52] » Sorry to interrupt.

[38:53] » All the Mitchell Street what we have in

[38:55] all the records is the Mitchell Street

[39:01] » South.

[39:02] » Okay.

[39:02] » So,

[39:03] » Oh, yeah. Because it's south,

[39:04] » Right? Okay. Right. And yeah, the one

[39:06] that's been going on since 2018

[39:09] by Home Road is the Mitchell Street

[39:11] North by uh

[39:15] that's just the height of the the water

[39:17] for

[39:19] the fish that's right.

[39:23] » Okay. So, uh, long story short, we can

[39:27] still go after the CFA grant next year

[39:29] for culverts, but the, uh, it was

[39:32] determined that the Hudson estuary

[39:34] program is not really,

[39:36] uh, uh, cost effective for us as a small

[39:40] town with a relatively small cover.

[39:44] » So, we went through this 10 in of rain.

[39:47] » Mhm. And that cold pipe has not did not

[39:53] suffer any further damage.

[39:54] » Okay.

[39:56] But

[39:59] somewhere along the line, we need to

[40:00] have a communication of

[40:03] are we going to go for the cost out of

[40:06] the budget, which the money is in the

[40:09] budget this year for the $120,000 versus

[40:13] [clears throat]

[40:13] » $47,000

[40:15] to be able to get a grant,

[40:17] » Right? Yeah. That

[40:18] » And that's the big hit. I mean, where do

[40:20] we

[40:21] » So, I don't The communication is in the

[40:24] public. So, I'm I'm I'm saying to the

[40:27] board or asking the board

[40:31] to have this conversation with me at

[40:33] least because I don't know

[40:38] where we've only got another month, two

[40:40] months at the most to get this work

[40:43] done,

[40:44] » Right?

[40:44] » So, it's that short of a time frame. So,

[40:47] what do you think?

[40:48] » What's your recommendation? Personally,

[40:50] the way I feel is that, you know, we

[40:53] should get this done with the the

[40:55] budgeted money. But, but the problem

[40:57] being is

[40:59] that amount that was budgeted was for an

[41:03] estimate from last year. I don't have an

[41:05] updated

[41:06] » Estimate and everything. I mean, fuel

[41:10] prices have doubled. I mean, that's

[41:12] that's our big my biggest problem with

[41:13] my budget, you know. So, I mean, I'm

[41:16] sure the cost of this project is going

[41:17] to be more, too, which I don't have the

[41:20] overrun in my budget to be up. You know,

[41:22] if it was

[41:25] 12 and they're going to say 1770, I

[41:27] don't have that $50,000 to play with in

[41:29] this year's budget.

[41:30] » Okay. So, we obviously need the updated

[41:34] um budget numbers to make a decision.

[41:36] » And as I said, I've talked to Chris a

[41:38] couple times about this, but I didn't

[41:40] know where we were standing. I can call

[41:42] him and revisit it and

[41:45] » Yes uh I think the board would obviously

[41:48] consider keep saying [clears throat]

[41:49] obviously staff uh would consider uh an

[41:52] updated proposal uh as this has been on

[41:55] the

[41:56] » I will get that he's got all the

[41:58] information he's got all the photos he's

[42:00] got all that so I can probably

[42:02] » Going to be a couple days but I can yeah

[42:04] and then build from there but I don't

[42:06] know that we're going to have enough

[42:07] time

[42:08] » If we wait until the next board meeting

[42:10] to make a decision Okay. Well, we can,

[42:13] you know, have a special meeting. Uh, we

[42:15] can go through the numbers with you, uh,

[42:17] and see, you know, exactly how much

[42:18] you're going to be

[42:20] » Moving around within your budget and

[42:22] will you, you know, and what's left in

[42:24] our budget and our contingency. And so,

[42:27] there are some moving pieces here, but

[42:28] let's start with the new estimate. And,

[42:30] uh, I, you know, this is,

[42:33] » I just, as I had that conversation with

[42:34] you, I'm just amazed at how much is

[42:38] added to a project.

[42:41] as soon as you ask for a gram.

[42:44] » That that

[42:46] it's the New York State standards that

[42:49] are

[42:49] » I'm sure it's not just New York State,

[42:51] but yeah.

[42:54] [laughter]

[42:56] » Love New York State, but uh

[42:57] » I just, you know, we've always gone

[43:00] through the whole process, so it's been

[43:01] a slow thing. This is basically in our

[43:03] face,

[43:04] » Right?

[43:04] » And it was Yeah.

[43:06] » Yeah. What a difference.

[43:07] » What a difference. But, you know, we do

[43:09] have three other culberts that need

[43:11] replacing also currently.

[43:13] » Well, those culberts, and I I'll say

[43:16] this, they are not

[43:19] » Damaged. They're not like going to close

[43:21] the road,

[43:22] » Right?

[43:25] » They're not an imminent uh

[43:27] » Right. It's it's undersizing and stuff.

[43:30] And if they do flood, it's not like it's

[43:32] going to take out the road because we've

[43:33] had that before in the past.

[43:34] » Mhm. Okay.

[43:35] » But uh

[43:36] » But I guess my point is we can go like

[43:38] it's going to collapse,

[43:39] » Right?

[43:39] » Or the Lord is going to undermine them.

[43:41] » Yeah.

[43:42] » And then have the road change. That's

[43:44] » But my point is next June 30th. June

[43:47] 30th. June 30th, we can go for a CFA

[43:49] grant which does not have the strict

[43:51] standards for the

[43:52] » Start in January. So I

[43:53] » Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we're going to

[43:55] No, actually we're going to start in

[43:56] October and then September 24th when we

[43:59] talk about the budget and the grants

[44:01] we're going to potentially go for next

[44:03] year. have a list of projects and uh

[44:06] » We definitely learned this year with

[44:07] that.

[44:08] » Yeah. Yeah.

[44:11] » But I want to thank you and

[44:13] » Yes,

[44:16] » Did you ask a question? Is are the um

[44:21] Can you hear me? Okay.

[44:22] » Yeah. Yeah.

[44:23] » Yes.

[44:24] » Okay. Um, are the cost differences from

[44:28] the DOT's engineering standards? Are the

[44:31] cost differences

[44:33] also because the estruary programs

[44:36] predominantly support alternative

[44:40] uh crossings

[44:42] like uh

[44:44] uh bottomless culverts and

[44:48] um you know actually actually the type

[44:52] of crossings that are not traditional

[44:54] culverts

[44:56] » Right I believe it's both the design

[44:59] aspect effect definitely was quadrupled

[45:03] uh uh for them to even consider the

[45:05] grant. So uh but that you know also led

[45:08] into the construction cost and the

[45:12] uh I guess whatever standards they use.

[45:14] » Well, we could clearly put in even

[45:17] though it would have a bottom it would

[45:18] be put in the ground. So it would be a

[45:22] foursided structure but it would still

[45:25] have your rear crossing.

[45:28] » Yeah. And it's but the three-sided

[45:30] structure obviously is a lot more

[45:32] because of the footings and the whole

[45:34] » Right but it was also a function of a

[45:36] time constraint coupled with uh

[45:40] unforeseen cost that uh led us to say

[45:43] okay we're not going to be able to

[45:44] approve this

[45:45] » But one of the biggest costs was when it

[45:47] went to that do phase or whatever it

[45:51] » It was a major increase

[45:53] » It was like doing what they did on 23 on

[45:56] these two you know it Yeah.

[45:58] » Significantly more.

[45:59] » So, but uh thank you to Gretchen for

[46:02] » Alerting us to this.

[46:05] » So much work. I can't express.

[46:07] » Yeah.

[46:08] » Yeah.

[46:08] » Even with the salt building, you know,

[46:10] but she did a lot of this work with this

[46:12] this cover pipe too. So,

[46:14] » Yeah,

[46:14] » She was. So,

[46:16] » We are on notice for next year to pursue

[46:20] this, but um and and to have a robust

[46:23] branch. We're going to have another

[46:24] Heather one to deal with and that's the

[46:26] one on Plum Road because

[46:27] » Because of the storm

[46:28] » I could only piece that together.

[46:30] » Okay. All right. So, we're up to Okay.

[46:35] Thank you, Richard.

[46:36] » Yeah. Thank you guys. Much appreciated.

[46:38] Uh, we have to go back to the clerk's

[46:40] report because I neglected to put forth

[46:43] a resolution to pass state form RS2417-

[46:49] as per the office of New York State

[46:51] comproller and the New York State and

[46:53] local retirement system. Can I get a um

[46:58] motion please for form RS

[47:01] » Hernandez? Can I get a second? Ziggler.

[47:05] Uh, any comment on this is a um a form

[47:09] required by New York State. Then they

[47:10] require that it be passed by resolution.

[47:13] Uh, this is for the pension system, I

[47:15] believe. Yeah,

[47:16] » That's

[47:18] » It sounds like a pro for nothing

[47:21] » Substantive we need to talk about here,

[47:23] right?

[47:24] » Yeah, it's

[47:26] correct.

[47:27] Uh, any further discussion?

[47:32] Uh, all in favor? Uh, Feld is frozen.

[47:36] No. Feld. Uh,

[47:39] » Karana.

[47:41] Uh,

[47:42] » I have a one question just because it's

[47:45] just obvious on the but it's it says

[47:48] standard workday and then it has eight

[47:53] hours

[47:56] » As what?

[47:57] » It's a standard work day.

[47:58] » Oh, okay. I see. I see. Um, I see how

[48:01] it's separated. I'm sorry. Go ahead.

[48:03] » Okay. So, all in favor, Hernandez,

[48:06] Ziggler, Feld,

[48:08] » And Chrono. Hi.

[48:10] » Okay. Thank you. We will get that filed.

[48:13] Um, sewer.

[48:15] Okay.

[48:17] H se

[48:20] is coming on September 3rd for a visit.

[48:24] Uh, as you know, we've worked very hard

[48:25] to um,

[48:28] uh, maintain good relationships with the

[48:30] DEC. So, I look forward to the visit

[48:32] from our representative Jamie Malcolm.

[48:35] Uh,

[48:37] » Uh, it's pretty. I don't know. Um,

[48:41] » Uh, good question. I'll call Jamie

[48:43] probably. Well, both. We'll have to go

[48:46] on site. Um, uh, our sewer operator will

[48:50] be in attendance. Um, I did send a soil

[48:55] sample from the burm to Cornell. Takes

[48:58] them eight weeks. Seems like a long

[49:00] time, but that's And I also did disperse

[49:03] a bag of grass seed as a test before it

[49:06] rained a couple days ago. So

[49:09] hopefully

[49:11] uh

[49:12] » It's not growing. That's the issue.

[49:13] » It is growing, but not as robustly as

[49:16] one would. So, I wish Richard was back

[49:18] for this, but I bet they they compacted

[49:20] it, right? When they they formed the

[49:22] » Yeah. Or it could be some salt or some

[49:25] » Yeah. He used the good soil that he had.

[49:28] » Yeah.

[49:28] » They used that for the base.

[49:31] » And then he had to purchase other soil

[49:33] for the top and that was the

[49:35] » Yeah, it was more soil than

[49:37] » I bet it wasn't loosened before you

[49:39] spread that seed in.

[49:40] » It wasn't.

[49:41] » It was not. And then they covered it

[49:43] with the blue mesh. And that's

[49:46] » Even even in great conditions, that's

[49:48] not going to do very well, right?

[49:51] » You can even see the repair that they

[49:53] did in Crerville, you know, in front of

[49:54] the church.

[49:55] » They did all the right stuff, but it's

[49:57] just compacted and the scrap wasn't

[49:59] plate very well. You got to loosen it.

[50:00] » Maybe I'll take you down and

[50:02] » If you have a moment.

[50:03] » Yeah.

[50:04] » In your in your busy season. Um, look,

[50:07] we've had some uh issues with um

[50:12] breakers [snorts] to the pumps. Uh two

[50:16] issues uh while Revina was on vacation

[50:18] that the uh just the breaker flipped or

[50:22] the breaker was removed. So, the we had

[50:24] some unexpected pumping issues uh with

[50:27] two tanks. Uh we did on the uh advice of

[50:32] our sewer operator uh purchase a few uh

[50:36] pumps to have on hand should because the

[50:39] pumps are now 20 years old.

[50:42] » So you know I know I had some very

[50:44] optimistic uh projections for the end of

[50:47] the year uh balance. I think it's going

[50:51] to be not as optimistic as we initially

[50:54] thought because it always seems to be

[50:56] something with the sewer and un

[50:58] unforeseen [clears throat]

[51:01] stuff. But we are, you know, considering

[51:04] that there's been threequarters of a

[51:06] million dollars of upgrades, I think

[51:09] where we will end up

[51:11] debt wise is pretty impressive still. Uh

[51:16] plus we want to ma maintain we want to

[51:19] do the proper maintenance because that's

[51:20] how we got into this mess of the first

[51:22] time.

[51:23] » Proper maintenance wasn't happening and

[51:25] that led to a big

[51:28] problem a big half a million dollar

[51:30] problem. So if we I and the board can

[51:33] you know always uh disagree and um but

[51:38] » Mainten

[51:40] control panel too that wasn't

[51:44] » Uh

[51:44] » Technical that wasn't working properly

[51:46] » Right uh the dosing was the dosing was

[51:49] working properly it's just it wasn't

[51:51] they need to be programmed

[51:53] » Yeah so um just know that thank god for

[51:56] I can't say this enough thank god for

[51:58] less and H2O they have uh I don't

[52:03] know where we would be without them.

[52:05] We'd be shut down. Um um so

[52:09] um we will again be discussing this at

[52:11] budget time. Um so that's uh that's my

[52:14] update. Any other update? Uh we're still

[52:17] waiting to hear about the design grant.

[52:19] Uh

[52:20] » Oh yeah.

[52:22] » Still waiting to hear about the design

[52:23] grant and the um Anthony Street cold

[52:26] water.

[52:27] » The street grant. the street grant.

[52:29] » These were CFA filings in July or

[52:32] December some years.

[52:33] » Yeah.

[52:34] » Oh, yeah. All right. Well, the the

[52:36] design grant was actually a DEC grant

[52:38] which was due in

[52:40] » CFA

[52:42] has got this.

[52:44] » Ah,

[52:44] » Yeah.

[52:46] » Um, so

[52:49] believe me, the minute I hear, I will

[52:51] let you all know and everyone know.

[52:53] Okay. Um, next up, can I get a

[52:55] resolution to hold a public meeting?

[52:59] » Uh, we

[53:01] West End Bridge. Yes.

[53:04] » Sorry. West End Bridge. Um, I we had a

[53:09] preliminary design meeting. I sent you

[53:10] the notes and the transcript.

[53:13] uh GPI which is the chosen um firm will

[53:18] present to both the town board and the

[53:20] public at the November meeting. Um they

[53:24] will be going through uh all the

[53:27] preliminary design work that they've

[53:29] done. They will probably have an updated

[53:33] um cost analysis

[53:36] which will be interesting which I think

[53:39] we will talk about again in uh our

[53:42] budget meeting uh with what Richard is

[53:45] saying about increase cost. You know we

[53:48] originally had a budget of 1.25.

[53:53] » Yeah.

[53:56] » We shall see what they say. I'm just

[53:59] » Now you see why some towns have

[54:00] temporary bridges like the permanent

[54:02] temporary one right

[54:03] » Back

[54:04] they just closed it there's a couple

[54:06] bridges they've just closed ter

[54:11] » Um

[54:13] » Yeah like three of them

[54:16] » Really is it's detrimental with the fire

[54:19] district

[54:21] all the lines

[54:22] » Yeah well this is the one bridge we own

[54:24] and it's a major thoroughare not a m

[54:26] it's not a major thorough affair but

[54:27] It's important.

[54:29] » No,

[54:30] I got

[54:33] » Is actually pretty major.

[54:34] » Yeah.

[54:34] » Oh, yeah. It is.

[54:35] » It really is. It really is because it

[54:37] would actually separate.

[54:40] » I mean, anybody on the other side would

[54:41] have to go all the way through back

[54:43] through into Martindale and come back

[54:46] around.

[54:46] » Yeah.

[54:46] » If Martinale's closed, I'd go that way.

[54:49] » Yeah. So, I look forward to DPI's

[54:52] presentation. I've been very impressed

[54:54] with the level of professionalism.

[54:56] um like uh exhibited so far. I look

[55:00] forward to the board hearing from them

[55:02] directly and to ask questions. So um

[55:06] please review the materials that have

[55:08] been submitted so far and um we'll talk

[55:11] further in November. Uh okay. Uh, can I

[55:16] get a motion to pass a resolution to

[55:19] hold a public meeting

[55:22] uh for local law 262 establishing income

[55:26] levels for senior citizens real property

[55:28] tax exemption on Tuesday, September 15th

[55:31] at 6:45 p.m.

[55:33] » Council member Hernandez second

[55:37] uh Council Member Ziggler. Uh I'll just

[55:40] uh uh uh preface this uh by saying this

[55:44] has been discussed at the county level

[55:48] and what we are proposing to do is to

[55:50] mirror what the county is doing. Um I

[55:54] believe I've sent around an email where

[55:55] the financial implications for Hillsdale

[55:58] are minimal but uh we can discuss this

[56:01] at the public meeting.

[56:03] uh this basically has a new uh uh

[56:06] structure uh for the tax exemption.

[56:11] Uh but we'll be we will be discussing

[56:13] this more next meeting.

[56:17] my I have

[56:18] » I have um one question you might want to

[56:21] bring up with the uh the county council,

[56:27] » But if if you read um the state um

[56:34] » Or if you read the state law, it says

[56:37] » If the income quote if the income of the

[56:40] owner the combined income of the owners

[56:42] of the property for the applicable

[56:44] income tax year exceeds the sum of

[56:47] $3,000 there. Anyway, there's a section

[56:51] that I think implies that the

[56:55] um that the lowest amount is 3,000.

[57:00] So, where it says um I need to pull that

[57:03] back up. um

[57:07] where it says um

[57:11] it's just a a small detail, but

[57:14] » It says $45,000

[57:17] or less.

[57:19] I'm not sure, but it might it might

[57:22] actually be uh $45,000

[57:26] to $3,000. It's not actually to zero,

[57:30] » But I I'm not that has to be interpreted

[57:33] by an attorney.

[57:35] Okay. Um, great. Um, I will look at

[57:39] that. Uh, Ken has uh reviewed this uh

[57:44] did a initial review. Uh, he suggested

[57:48] that we

[57:50] mirror uh what the county and state are

[57:52] doing uh in our uh this will change uh

[57:57] some of our

[57:59] uh local laws obviously. Uh but um I

[58:02] would take a look.

[58:04] » So the the reason we're able to adopt

[58:07] this and the reason the county is is

[58:08] because there's a state mandate for it.

[58:11] So

[58:11] » So I it was just unclear. Um

[58:16] » Okay.

[58:17] » And I think it's something that could be

[58:20] missed, but anyway.

[58:22] » Okay. Um, uh, if you would do me a favor

[58:26] and you could if you could download that

[58:28] and

[58:29] somehow highlight that or I can call you

[58:31] tomorrow and we can talk. But, uh, um,

[58:34] that would be great. Thank you.

[58:36] » Sure.

[58:37] » Um, all in favor of holding the public

[58:39] meeting. Uh, Hernandez, Devorech,

[58:42] Ziggler, Feld, and Coron or Fund.

[58:46] Unanimous. Thank you. Um and uh next up

[58:49] is a resolution to hold a public meeting

[58:53] for local law three establishing incomes

[58:55] for disabled and lowincome real property

[58:58] tax exemption on Tuesday, September 15th

[59:01] at 6:55 p.m. Can I get a motion, please?

[59:03] Supervisor Hernandez, can I get a

[59:05] second, please?

[59:07] » Supervisor Ziggler. Supervisor Council

[59:10] Member Ziggler.

[59:12] Um any further discussion? Uh this is

[59:16] just basically the same law for

[59:19] » Yeah.

[59:20] » Yeah.

[59:21] » Hearing none. All in favor? Uh

[59:23] Hernandez, Devortch, Vigler,

[59:26] » Bel and

[59:28] Corona.

[59:32] » Just muting.

[59:32] » Oh, you mute. You muted, Amy. Jamie.

[59:36] » Yeah, I'm pulling [clears throat] I'm

[59:37] pulling it up. So, sorry it's um loading

[59:41] here. I just wanted to look at it um one

[59:44] last time here.

[59:51] » Um

[59:54] yeah. Okay.

[59:56] Hi.

[59:57] » Okay. Thank you. Unanimous.

[59:59] » Uh next up, um I'm noticing a typo here.

[1:00:02] Um um of the Hamlet Park. Bart, did you

[1:00:06] want to put forward this resolution?

[1:00:07] » Uh yes. This is Oh, we're doing

[1:00:10] evolution, right?

[1:00:11] » Yeah.

[1:00:12] » Yes. Um I'm describing it.

[1:00:14] » Yeah. Just read what's on there.

[1:00:18] » Okay. Resolution XXX. However,

[1:00:22] » 2026 accepted from Mankind LLC for

[1:00:26] 163,616.25

[1:00:29] for construction of the Hammond Park

[1:00:32] band shell.

[1:00:34] Uh

[1:00:35] uh I'll put forward that motion and then

[1:00:38] uh supervisor Hernandez

[1:00:40] council member

[1:00:42] give everybody

[1:00:43] » Not going to give anyone else to drive.

[1:00:45] » Yeah.

[1:00:47] » Next year next year. Next year

[1:00:50] no uh Bart put forward the res. Yeah, I

[1:00:54] made the motion and uh uh council member

[1:00:58] Hernandez seconded it. Okay. uh parts

[1:01:01] that you put forward the resolution. Do

[1:01:03] you want to speak to this first?

[1:01:04] » Uh yeah, this is just in case people

[1:01:05] aren't aware. This is for the assembling

[1:01:08] of the kit. We now have for the banshe

[1:01:12] arrived a couple weeks ago and uh the

[1:01:15] foundation all the assembly. Um and we

[1:01:19] uh got two bids and one was $163,000

[1:01:23] approximately. Other was 172. Um so

[1:01:27] we're going with the lower priced one as

[1:01:29] is usually the case.

[1:01:31] Uh and we had the town uh engineers CPL

[1:01:35] take a look at the bids uh and they are

[1:01:38] fine with the lower price one. They say

[1:01:39] it seemed the company seems to be

[1:01:41] reputable rep good uh you know

[1:01:44] qualifications from elsewhere and so

[1:01:46] that's the one we think we should go

[1:01:48] with.

[1:01:50] » Yeah. I think it's a really good thing

[1:01:51] that both bids are pretty close

[1:01:52] together. That's a good sign that you're

[1:01:54] getting towards an honest number. So

[1:01:56] seems good.

[1:01:57] » Yeah.

[1:01:59] Barb, can you remind us what is the

[1:02:01] total project budget and and um where

[1:02:05] how are we financing this? Just if you

[1:02:08] could

[1:02:09] » Yeah. Well, we're now up to uh a little

[1:02:12] over $100,000 $200,000. The uh cost of

[1:02:15] the kit was about $50,000

[1:02:19] » And they're now doing 163. So that's

[1:02:21] what uh 13.

[1:02:23] » Yeah.

[1:02:24] » Um and we have several grants. are

[1:02:28] paying for it. We uh last year we got

[1:02:30] $80,000 from Rank Stern Hill Community

[1:02:33] Foundation. Uh this year we got an

[1:02:35] additional $45,000 from them and then we

[1:02:39] got 20,000 from the HR&T Foundation. And

[1:02:44] then as you'll see on the next item in

[1:02:46] the agenda, we're asking Rhinest

[1:02:48] Foundation to reallocate $12,000 that

[1:02:51] was going towards this transportation

[1:02:53] program. We're planning on linking up

[1:02:55] the uh South County Transportation uh uh

[1:02:59] system in uh Great Barington, but that's

[1:03:01] not going to happen. They're a bit of

[1:03:03] disarray at this point. They recently uh

[1:03:06] the man running the thing quit or left

[1:03:08] were going for the job. Yeah.

[1:03:11] [clears throat]

[1:03:11] » Yeah. Okay. So that's that's

[1:03:13] » And also there is a u uh uh $4,000 from

[1:03:19] the flea market revenues in addition to

[1:03:21] a reserve of8

[1:03:25] group $85,000

[1:03:27] from the subdivision fee. So uh that

[1:03:32] would put us uh some quick math about

[1:03:35] two 60. So we would still have about $40

[1:03:39] to $50,000 in that reserve which is

[1:03:43] earmarked for Hamlet for park

[1:03:47] » Improvements.

[1:03:48] » So I was c I was counting these numbers

[1:03:51] up but I mean I got a number much

[1:03:54] bigger. So So what is the total project

[1:03:57] number?

[1:03:58] » 213.

[1:03:59] » 213

[1:04:00] » 213 but the numbers you gave me are like

[1:04:03] 426.

[1:04:05] And we were just listing the uh listen

[1:04:07] the grants grants. We have

[1:04:09] » The grants to offset the 213.

[1:04:12] » So we have been uh

[1:04:14] » So you have double the grants

[1:04:19] » Money from the total.

[1:04:23] » No. Uh Bart go through this. It's 80K

[1:04:26] from Rystrom, 45K from Rhinestrom,

[1:04:29] » 20 from HRB,

[1:04:31] » 20 from HRB.

[1:04:32] » 20. Okay.

[1:04:33] » Yeah.

[1:04:34] » Two zero. had in 12K from Rhinestrom.

[1:04:38] Uh we just call it 5K from the flea

[1:04:42] market and then 85K

[1:04:45] uh from the uh the reserve fund.

[1:04:48] » Okay. And we still

[1:04:50] » Just so you know, we did pass a

[1:04:51] resolution at the special meeting to a

[1:04:54] to ask HRBT for additional funds

[1:04:57] » For this also. So,

[1:05:00] » Okay. So, we're still we're still over.

[1:05:04] You said the total project budget was

[1:05:06] 213.

[1:05:07] » Yeah, we're over

[1:05:09] » We're we're over

[1:05:12] » It's 246.

[1:05:14] » No.

[1:05:14] » Yeah.

[1:05:18] » The total of those numbers you gave me

[1:05:20] were was 246 or was it

[1:05:23] » That's [clears throat] was the last

[1:05:25] number 85 or 8500?

[1:05:27] » It's available money. It doesn't mean

[1:05:29] we're going to spend it.

[1:05:31] I I understand that. But usually like

[1:05:34] you you understand specifically how a

[1:05:38] project is funded before you approve.

[1:05:42] » It's fully funded with the grants

[1:05:44] listed.

[1:05:45] » Can I explain? We went into this knowing

[1:05:47] we have $85,000 in a park fund that can

[1:05:50] only be used for projects such as this.

[1:05:52] But we did not want to spend all that.

[1:05:54] So we went out and raised money from

[1:05:55] foundations and we were very successful.

[1:05:58] Right.

[1:05:58] » So, we're only using a tiny bit of that

[1:06:01] » Other reserve park money

[1:06:03] » To go towards this. And if we're more

[1:06:04] successful in getting our additional

[1:06:06] money, we're asking for more from one of

[1:06:08] the f one of the funders, HRBT. We may

[1:06:10] not have to take any money out of that

[1:06:11] fund.

[1:06:12] » Right. So, we have the 213 covered with

[1:06:17] non- taxpayer money.

[1:06:18] » Yeah. Correct. And none of this we're

[1:06:20] talking about is taxpayer money, not the

[1:06:21] 85,000 park fun.

[1:06:25] It's all public money when you receive

[1:06:28] private grants. It's public money. So

[1:06:30] whether or not it's from tax property

[1:06:33] tax revenue or not, but I I I just I

[1:06:37] think when we do projects this size,

[1:06:40] it's important that [clears throat] we

[1:06:42] have a budget a total project budget in

[1:06:46] real time that is published as part of

[1:06:48] the public record.

[1:06:49] » Please review the

[1:06:51] has been discussed. We we B has

[1:06:54] presented budgets.

[1:06:55] » Uh we kept track of the I presented a

[1:06:59] spreadsheet. Uh uh this is again we're

[1:07:02] still within yes the branch cost more

[1:07:05] than we initially thought but we're

[1:07:06] still within

[1:07:08] » The realm of

[1:07:10] » I I obviously obviously the funding is

[1:07:13] available but you know we I think we

[1:07:16] should have a pretty specific idea of

[1:07:18] exactly where the money is coming from

[1:07:20] and if there is any balance of course

[1:07:23] that money can be used for other

[1:07:25] projects. Yeah, agree. But

[1:07:28] » But we should have some idea of that,

[1:07:30] you know.

[1:07:31] » Well, until the bids were in, we didn't

[1:07:33] have a solid number, but we, you know,

[1:07:36] we we had a an estimate that was

[1:07:38] considering the rising cost and

[1:07:42] » The model that we used uh might not have

[1:07:45] been up to the state standards that

[1:07:47] Hillsdale is

[1:07:49] » Using. So, uh that was initially under

[1:07:54] budgeted. The good news is that we have

[1:07:56] the funds to cover this.

[1:07:58] » Okay, great.

[1:08:00] » Okay,

[1:08:00] » Thank you.

[1:08:02] » Yeah, congrats.

[1:08:04] » Uh, all in favor of accepting the bid

[1:08:06] from Man, not Man,

[1:08:08] » I

[1:08:10] Hernandez, Devorech, Ziggler, FEL, and

[1:08:12] Corona Nordstrom. Okay, great. Uh, we

[1:08:16] can contact them tomorrow and try to get

[1:08:18] on their schedule ASAP. Uh,

[1:08:21] » I'll do that.

[1:08:22] » Great. Um, next up is a resolution uh

[1:08:26] requesting the Rinstream Foundation to

[1:08:28] re reallocate the the $12,000 initially

[1:08:32] awarded to the transportation program to

[1:08:34] the construction of the band. So, can I

[1:08:36] get a motion, please? Hernandez and

[1:08:39] Ziggler. Um, Bon mentioned this before,

[1:08:43] the uh unfortunately uh the South

[1:08:47] Connector is going through some things.

[1:08:49] Um uh you can read more about the

[1:08:52] situation in the Berkshire paper. Um

[1:08:55] very unfortunate um but

[1:09:00] that we will not be able to proceed with

[1:09:02] the the um transportation grant. Uh I

[1:09:06] oddly enough I was in a meeting budget

[1:09:08] meeting uh at Columbia County and I did

[1:09:10] mention you know we're still interested

[1:09:12] in the transportation program in

[1:09:14] Columbia County but you know this

[1:09:16] particular realm is is not going to

[1:09:18] proceed. So uh we are proposing to

[1:09:23] reallocate the funds already awarded to

[1:09:26] Hillsdale to the band shell

[1:09:30] and that's the story.

[1:09:32] » Yeah. So I think in this case like I

[1:09:36] think um it's it's hard to vote to

[1:09:40] approve this when we again like don't we

[1:09:44] we don't know exactly what is funding

[1:09:47] it. So we wouldn't want to re I mean

[1:09:50] we've done this before where we

[1:09:51] reallocate something and it doesn't make

[1:09:53] sense to reallocate it. So

[1:09:57] um it would just be nice to to see

[1:09:59] exactly

[1:10:01] um

[1:10:02] » Going towards the bench

[1:10:04] » What what is what is actually needed for

[1:10:07] the for this uh project

[1:10:11] » 23 $23,000

[1:10:14] and and is the total um we have raised a

[1:10:19] total of

[1:10:21] 145 in grants we are proposing we add

[1:10:25] $12,000 to that to bring it to 157. The

[1:10:31] def the uh remaining cost will be paid

[1:10:34] for by an existing reserve fund

[1:10:37] specifically earmarked for Hamlet Park

[1:10:40] improvements.

[1:10:42] So I am in favor and another five of

[1:10:46] flea market

[1:10:47] » Revenue and I can Yeah.

[1:10:50] » Okay. Uh

[1:10:52] » Yeah, it's just different than what

[1:10:55] those are different numbers from what we

[1:10:57] just reviewed, but it's

[1:10:58] » They're the same.

[1:11:00] » Okay.

[1:11:01] » All right.

[1:11:06] » Um all in favor, uh Hernandez Dvorch,

[1:11:10] Ziggler,

[1:11:14] » Here. Uh all against

[1:11:18] » I'm going to abstain just

[1:11:20] » Okay

[1:11:21] » Based on these details.

[1:11:22] » Thank you. Uh Jamie, uh next up is the

[1:11:27] um CSC CEC task force.

[1:11:30] » I was I wasn't present if there was

[1:11:33] » All right. Um

[1:11:35] uh then do you want to speak to the

[1:11:38] comprehensive plan update or do you want

[1:11:40] me to do that?

[1:11:41] » Uh you can.

[1:11:42] » Okay. Um,

[1:11:44] » Are you skipping the Revolutionary War?

[1:11:46] » Oh,

[1:11:47] yeah.

[1:11:49] Uh, let's do the Revolutionary War.

[1:11:52] Okay.

[1:11:52] » Uh, it's right after

[1:11:55] » War number 14.

[1:11:58] » Was it you updated?

[1:12:00] » He must have something.

[1:12:02] » Yeah,

[1:12:03] » This isn't on the This is from the

[1:12:04] website.

[1:12:05] » No, but if you you click here on the

[1:12:08] updated, that's always the Oh, you're

[1:12:10] right. Yeah, this that we added at noon

[1:12:13] uh yesterday uh because the historic

[1:12:15] committee met

[1:12:17] » At noon on Monday

[1:12:20] uh and they are uh I believe Bart and

[1:12:24] Irwin

[1:12:25] » Attended as liaison. Bart and Irwin, do

[1:12:27] you want to speak to the historic

[1:12:29] committee meeting?

[1:12:31] » Is this a resolution?

[1:12:32] » Since Bart does it may not uh drop out

[1:12:35] with the internet. Let him go for it.

[1:12:37] » Okay.

[1:12:38] » Okay. Uh well this is my first meeting

[1:12:40] on this so I'm know no expert at all but

[1:12:43] this is this uh the our official

[1:12:46] historic hillsdale group wants to uh

[1:12:49] clean the headstones and put in signage

[1:12:52] in several town uh cemeteries town and

[1:12:56] non-town cemeteries that had the graves

[1:12:58] of revolutionary war uh soldiers. Uh

[1:13:02] obviously this is part of the 250 uh

[1:13:05] anniversary in this country and um

[1:13:07] » Yeah that's okay.

[1:13:08] » This will be entirely funded by sales of

[1:13:12] the book the start book that uh

[1:13:15] » Uh what is her first name? Kayla Key

[1:13:18] » Jean

[1:13:18] » Jean Jean

[1:13:19] » Wrote uh about many of these soldiers

[1:13:21] families in their lives.

[1:13:24] Yeah, they've raised a good amount of

[1:13:25] money from 2000.

[1:13:27] » They sold a lot of books for like 3,000.

[1:13:29] » 3,000 which would at 25 bucks a pop.

[1:13:32] » Yeah,

[1:13:32] » That's right. If you don't have the

[1:13:34] book, I highly recommend it.

[1:13:35] » It's very well done.

[1:13:37] » Yeah, great tales.

[1:13:38] » Um, so

[1:13:41] asked us to put forward a resolution

[1:13:43] authorizing the Revolutionary War

[1:13:45] veteran headstone cleaning and signage

[1:13:47] project in commemoration of the 250 50th

[1:13:50] anniversary of the American

[1:13:51] Revolutionary War. And this will occur

[1:13:54] uh they have to buy the cleaning

[1:13:55] equipment uh in the midfall, late fall,

[1:13:59] october, November. And uh we would be

[1:14:03] sanctioning this as a town event. So it

[1:14:04] would be covered under town policy. Our

[1:14:07] confederate soldiers on

[1:14:09] » They already

[1:14:11] they already have more than enough

[1:14:13] volunteers.

[1:14:14] » Yeah. Uh Lauren has more than enough

[1:14:18] volunteers to

[1:14:19] » War.

[1:14:22] Okay. [laughter]

[1:14:24] Yeah.

[1:14:25] » Win is this the signage that you

[1:14:27] presented at the last meeting? Was it

[1:14:29] the last?

[1:14:30] » No, no, no, no, no. This is really

[1:14:32] mostly about the cleaning of the graves.

[1:14:34] Um, and Jean had identified most of the

[1:14:37] graves that were still allegible, but

[1:14:39] Lauren was meeting somebody from the D

[1:14:42] today to go to North Hillsdale to the

[1:14:45] cemetery on 21 and 22

[1:14:50] to further investigate there. So, we

[1:14:53] have a complete number before we go in

[1:14:57] and we know how much solution to

[1:15:00] purchase. Uh, it seems like it's a very

[1:15:03] simple process. it gets sprayed on. Uh

[1:15:06] you leave it uh rain and whatever do

[1:15:09] what they do. And I suggested that we do

[1:15:12] a test sample of one stone although that

[1:15:16] may not be partic completely indicative

[1:15:19] because they are made of different

[1:15:20] stones. Uh just to see the process and

[1:15:25] uh

[1:15:27] that's pretty much it. It's it's

[1:15:30] actually [snorts] very clean and it's

[1:15:31] very uh Lauren had sent the information

[1:15:35] on the uh the two products that are

[1:15:37] approved to do this and we chose one one

[1:15:41] yesterday.

[1:15:43] » Yeah. And and Jean uh sent me an email

[1:15:46] asking for information about who to

[1:15:48] contact for the big cemeteries, not the

[1:15:51] ones. So I guess

[1:15:55] » The second part of it is to create

[1:15:58] signage for a small sign for and we we

[1:16:01] decided I think yesterday 8 by 10 was a

[1:16:04] good size uh for each individual

[1:16:06] cemetery

[1:16:08] uh to list the names of the soldiers

[1:16:10] that are in there because uh we know

[1:16:13] that they're there but we don't

[1:16:16] necessarily know where uh over time

[1:16:19] either erosion or you know just stones

[1:16:24] falling over into the ground. Uh so we

[1:16:26] know certain people are there but we

[1:16:28] can't actually mark their graves. So

[1:16:30] they want to do a general

[1:16:33] um sign for each one of them uh that

[1:16:38] will identify the people that are in

[1:16:40] there. Irwin

[1:16:43] um

[1:16:45] uh

[1:16:47] did was there a consideration that um

[1:16:50] historically like women weren't included

[1:16:54] in lists um or as enlisted

[1:16:57] uh persons during this time.

[1:17:00] » Uh I really cannot speak to that.

[1:17:04] » Okay. because that is uh something

[1:17:06] that's brought up and in state, you

[1:17:09] know, um historic site signage that

[1:17:13] » The people who we know actually fought

[1:17:15] in the revolution and there are 72 of

[1:17:17] them in Hillsdale,

[1:17:19] » Right? But that but that list is all

[1:17:20] men, right?

[1:17:23] » Correct.

[1:17:23] » All white men.

[1:17:25] » These are people who served in the

[1:17:27] military,

[1:17:29] » Right? So I think um what what u

[1:17:33] historians are considering now is adding

[1:17:36] additional people to those lists who may

[1:17:39] have not been intentionally may have not

[1:17:41] been documented at that time but

[1:17:44] participated in um on the battlefields.

[1:17:48] If you were if you were a nurse in the

[1:17:50] American re if you were a female in the

[1:17:53] American Revolution and you were a

[1:17:55] nurse, you were not counted for an

[1:17:58] official documentation.

[1:18:01] » I think if you were

[1:18:03] » If you anyway it's a it's a

[1:18:06] » It's a issue that comes up with um in

[1:18:10] this context.

[1:18:14] » Yeah. Black Americans and women were not

[1:18:16] in included in those lists, but are were

[1:18:19] often fought

[1:18:20] » Or um participated

[1:18:23] » Side by side with something.

[1:18:27] » Yeah.

[1:18:30] » I know she's working with the D who the

[1:18:32] ones certify this. Um you can't just you

[1:18:35] know you need actual certification.

[1:18:37] These are the people that are there to

[1:18:39] bring up assignments.

[1:18:40] » Yeah, this is a good point to bring up

[1:18:42] uh as we're doing this. So, thank you.

[1:18:44] » Yeah.

[1:18:46] Uh, you need a motion.

[1:18:47] » Uh, no. I think the motion has been a

[1:18:50] motion. Uh, okay. Can I get a motion?

[1:18:53] Hernandez and Ziggler.

[1:18:56] » Uh, we kind of had the discussion

[1:18:57] period. Any further discussion?

[1:19:00] Uh, all in favor? Hernandez, Ziggler.

[1:19:04] Unanimous.

[1:19:05] » Bel.

[1:19:07] Okay. Thank you. So, thank you to uh the

[1:19:09] historic committee, Lauren, and

[1:19:10] especially Jean Kever, who is very

[1:19:12] passionate about this. Um, next up, can

[1:19:16] I get a resolution to reappoint Mary

[1:19:18] King to the

[1:19:20] » No. Oh, comprehensive plan. Sorry.

[1:19:24] » No, I I I went back.

[1:19:27] » Um,

[1:19:28] I forwarded on to the board that we did

[1:19:30] here from New York State. I did uh talk

[1:19:33] to uh Jamie also. Um

[1:19:37] uh I have also forwarded the contract

[1:19:39] for the comprehensive plan to Kand Dao

[1:19:42] who is going to review this. It's pretty

[1:19:45] you know what the state says the state

[1:19:48] says but he's he's going to take a look

[1:19:50] at it. Um

[1:19:52] the preliminary comprehensive plan

[1:19:54] committee um Michael Toth I believe had

[1:19:58] knee surgery this week. Uh, so the time

[1:20:03] frame is fall. Uh, I leave it to Nico

[1:20:07] and Jamie and Michael and Gretchen and

[1:20:10] Steve Tiger I also forwarded to because

[1:20:12] there's a lot of uh, MWBE

[1:20:15] stuff contained, but it's very exciting

[1:20:18] that we are about to begin this process.

[1:20:20] So, I want to thank everyone involved

[1:20:24] and I look forward to gaining

[1:20:28] input from everyone in the community.

[1:20:32] So, onward. Um, okay.

[1:20:37] » Yes. Can I get a motion to reappoint

[1:20:40] Mary King to the Columbia County

[1:20:42] Environmental Management Council?

[1:20:44] » Make a motion.

[1:20:46] » I'll second it.

[1:20:48] » Hernandez and Fel.

[1:20:50] Um,

[1:20:53] she has been ablely serving for many

[1:20:55] term, two-year terms now.

[1:20:57] » Yeah. Has Mary uh requested this?

[1:21:01] » Uh I reached out to her and she uh

[1:21:04] agreed to serve another

[1:21:06] » React. So this would now be picked up to

[1:21:09] the county level and then they would

[1:21:11] formally approve. But we have to do

[1:21:13] that.

[1:21:14] » Okay.

[1:21:15] » So all in favor

[1:21:17] um uh

[1:21:20] okay unanimous. Thank you. Uh, next up

[1:21:24] is a resolution to appoint Kevin Hines

[1:21:26] as an al alternate to the planning

[1:21:28] board. We've been looking for alternates

[1:21:31] for a long time now.

[1:21:35] Um, can I get a motion please? Hernandez

[1:21:37] and

[1:21:39] » Second

[1:21:41] » I guess not.

[1:21:45] » Um,

[1:21:48] any further discussion?

[1:21:50] » Yes.

[1:21:52] Yeah.

[1:21:53] » Oh, I'm sorry.

[1:21:57] » Is there someone else speaking?

[1:21:59] » No, go ahead.

[1:22:00] » Okay. Um, so I encountered uh when I was

[1:22:05] looking at this, I encountered a

[1:22:09] a potential issue that is that I don't

[1:22:12] think we have a law that actually um

[1:22:17] forms our planning board.

[1:22:20] I don't think we have a local law that

[1:22:22] actually defines the formation of our

[1:22:26] own planning board

[1:22:28] and I think that is required by

[1:22:35] [sighs]

[1:22:35] » Let me

[1:22:37] do

[1:22:38] » Um set up

[1:22:40] » Section 271

[1:22:44] um

[1:22:47] See

[1:22:49] Tom municipal law. So it's it's called

[1:22:51] planning board creation appointment.

[1:22:53] [clears throat]

[1:22:57] It's under section 271. Um

[1:23:01] so from the way I read it we I mean

[1:23:05] maybe we have been appointing alternates

[1:23:07] every once in a while. Uh but I don't

[1:23:09] think I didn't have a law.

[1:23:13] » We do have a law that that created and

[1:23:15] it happened in my term first term I

[1:23:18] think or actually the year term before

[1:23:20] that when Steve was on the board where

[1:23:22] we created two alternatives alternates

[1:23:25] for the planning board and the zoning

[1:23:27] board. So it's a law.

[1:23:30] » Yeah. No, but so uh maybe but I don't

[1:23:34] see it in our e-code or

[1:23:36] » It's not a maybe. It is. So, um, it's

[1:23:39] possible we don't

[1:23:41] » I mean, if you search our e-code, it's

[1:23:43] not there.

[1:23:44] » It's possible that the prior

[1:23:46] administrations didn't keep a copy that

[1:23:48] we could have put on e-code. Um,

[1:23:51] » Right. But e-code,

[1:23:53] » I will look into it.

[1:23:55] » Yeah. So, so that's one thing. I mean,

[1:23:58] so normally I think the town is supposed

[1:24:02] to we we need to

[1:24:05] from the way I read it, we need to adopt

[1:24:07] a a law that says that a planning board

[1:24:10] is formed and that [clears throat]

[1:24:13] » Whether it's five or seven members

[1:24:16] » Um

[1:24:18] the alternate you know that

[1:24:20] » We can choose to have alternates, we can

[1:24:23] choose not to have alternates. Uh but

[1:24:25] that would be

[1:24:26] » That would be defined. Um

[1:24:29] » There is a law Jamie. So

[1:24:32] » So where what is can you reference that

[1:24:34] law? I mean

[1:24:36] » Not

[1:24:38] there is well you can't find it but

[1:24:40] there is one and I do remember it

[1:24:41] because I did attend board meetings and

[1:24:43] Steve is here

[1:24:45] » Right. So, but the e-code is our that's

[1:24:48] that's our

[1:24:48] » E-code is, but it needs to be updated

[1:24:50] all the time. And I can't tell you

[1:24:55] when the last time we updated the laws

[1:24:57] was. It's a separate deal before we even

[1:25:02] » Would have been Well, no, actually Tom

[1:25:04] Carter and I set it up ages ago, but um

[1:25:08] » Okay. Okay. They can only they can only

[1:25:10] put in e-code what exists in paper and

[1:25:14] documents.

[1:25:16] » So if if e-code includes that legal

[1:25:19] disclaimer like that

[1:25:23] anyway you can you cannot we cannot

[1:25:26] reference law that that does not exist

[1:25:30] to us.

[1:25:31] » They do exist Jamie and they are there

[1:25:34] » Just because you cannot find them. So

[1:25:35] that's the first that's the first part.

[1:25:38] Uh the second part is when I did look at

[1:25:41] the e-code, it shows that nothing has

[1:25:44] been updated on e-code since 2022.

[1:25:48] uh in terms of new laws.

[1:25:54] » Um so if that's true,

[1:25:57] » We we just I think this month maybe the

[1:26:01] board should consider reviewing

[1:26:04] » First as the process for updating the

[1:26:08] e-code. Um what that looks like and a

[1:26:10] policy for it. Um because I

[1:26:13] [clears throat] think it it is a

[1:26:14] requirement. I mean, if you have e-code

[1:26:16] and you're not updating it with new

[1:26:18] laws, it kind of defeats the purpose of

[1:26:20] e-code. Um,

[1:26:23] [clears throat] and the other part of it

[1:26:25] is that, um, you know, we're basically

[1:26:29] like appointing people to positions that

[1:26:34] don't exist. I should

[1:26:36] » Jamie, I just Jamie, I just looked up

[1:26:38] New York Town Law 271. It says this lets

[1:26:42] a town board create a planning board

[1:26:44] either by local law or by ordinance or

[1:26:46] resolution. Right.

[1:26:48] » Many small towns it's simply by board

[1:26:50] resolution rather than a codified local

[1:26:52] law.

[1:26:53] » Okay. Where are you referencing that

[1:26:55] from?

[1:26:56] » Uh it's a document.

[1:27:00] I can let me find the I mean it's found

[1:27:02] online. I'm giving you exactly where

[1:27:03] it's coming from.

[1:27:05] » Yeah. I mean, I I'm not saying that I

[1:27:08] I'm qualified to necessarily interpret

[1:27:11] this. I think that our the town attorney

[1:27:14] should look at it and uh advise

[1:27:18] specifically, but um

[1:27:23] [clears throat]

[1:27:24] » Yeah, that's it.

[1:27:28] » Well, that's one of

[1:27:29] » Yeah, it says the town board of the law

[1:27:31] uh I'll quote it. The town board of each

[1:27:34] town is hereby authorized by local law

[1:27:36] or ordinance to create a planning board

[1:27:38] consisting of five or seven members

[1:27:41] and shall resolution appoint the members

[1:27:44] of such board and designate the

[1:27:46] chairperson thereof.

[1:27:47] » Okay. I'm on New York State Senate

[1:27:49] website and it has a whole description

[1:27:51] of section 271 on your planning board

[1:27:53] creation and appointments and

[1:27:56] » Yeah that's what I just read from

[1:27:58] » Resolution

[1:27:59] » Right but I'm repeating it says that it

[1:28:01] can it does not require local law can

[1:28:03] also be done by an

[1:28:04] » Orolution

[1:28:06] » Okay so I

[1:28:08] » Do we have that ordinance

[1:28:11] » I don't know that question I don't know

[1:28:13] that answer

[1:28:17] » What's What year is that?

[1:28:18] » No, that's And I mean, what is the

[1:28:21] definition of an ordinance?

[1:28:24] » Official law, rule, or regulation passed

[1:28:27] by a local municipal government. I just

[1:28:32] » Okay. So, um,

[1:28:34] » Yeah. So, there's

[1:28:39] » I just think that it's in our interest

[1:28:43] organizationally to address this this

[1:28:46] month. and a point to meeting.

[1:28:49] » I I I'm finding it we've we've done

[1:28:52] three organizational charts where

[1:28:54] alternates were listed and at this point

[1:28:56] you're bringing your concerns up. I I I

[1:29:00] don't see the value of that that there

[1:29:03] we have alternates going back at least a

[1:29:06] decade. So obviously this is a part of

[1:29:10] this. So to bring it up at this point is

[1:29:14] » You know the planning board

[1:29:15] unfortunately we have a member who is

[1:29:17] ill and a member who uh is having some

[1:29:21] other issues and they need an alternate.

[1:29:24] They had to cancel a meeting which is

[1:29:26] not ideal.

[1:29:27] » Right. But Mike just to clarify

[1:29:30] alternates are not used in those cases.

[1:29:33] Alternates are used for conflicts of

[1:29:35] interest not for absences. No, they're

[1:29:38] not.

[1:29:39] » No, that's not true. They they are they

[1:29:43] can be used if a quorum is not

[1:29:45] established because people are are

[1:29:47] unable to attend.

[1:29:51] » Okay.

[1:29:52] » I find it I find it odd that we have

[1:29:56] alternates in the or organizational

[1:29:58] chart for three years running and

[1:30:00] probably for 20 years.

[1:30:02] » Mike, I'm just being diligent. I don't

[1:30:05] know why why why I and I'm trying to

[1:30:08] make the planning board functional, but

[1:30:11] they're in, you know, they definitely

[1:30:13] need an alternate and we found one.

[1:30:16] They're having issues with attendance.

[1:30:19] Not by anybody's fault by by but just

[1:30:22] from some circumstances.

[1:30:24] Um, this alternate position has been

[1:30:27] advertised for three years now.

[1:30:30] » Yeah. So, can I read you the law on

[1:30:32] alternate members? It says, and again,

[1:30:35] I'm not an attorney, but it just I think

[1:30:38] there's just a misunderstanding about

[1:30:40] this. It says alternate members. It's

[1:30:43] it's um it's number 15 under that same

[1:30:47] um same law that Bart also pulled up. It

[1:30:50] says a town board may by local law or

[1:30:53] ordinance or is part of the local law

[1:30:56] ordinance creating the planning board.

[1:30:58] Again, it goes back to the local law or

[1:31:02] ordinance specifically creating the

[1:31:04] planning board. Establish alternate

[1:31:07] planning uh establish alternate planning

[1:31:09] board member positions for purposes of

[1:31:12] substituting for a member in the event

[1:31:15] such member is unable to participate

[1:31:18] because of a conflict of interest.

[1:31:22] » That's it. It doesn't say a conflict of

[1:31:24] interest and an absence or a series of

[1:31:27] absences.

[1:31:29] » Is this by majority voter?

[1:31:30] » Yeah.

[1:31:31] » To vote on,

[1:31:33] » Right? So, but we're we're voting on

[1:31:35] naming a alternative alternative to the

[1:31:38] this board. We're not saying what that

[1:31:39] person's duties or otherwise are. So,

[1:31:43] you're going levels deeper than what

[1:31:45] this uh

[1:31:46] » Well, we vote you voted on alternatives

[1:31:48] before. So, I have another So, that's my

[1:31:50] first

[1:31:52] uh [laughter]

[1:31:53] first uh let's call it an opportunity to

[1:31:57] address some of these potential issues.

[1:32:00] The other question I have is whether

[1:32:03] this position was posted.

[1:32:05] » Yes.

[1:32:06] » And for when was it posted?

[1:32:09] » For three years now. It's it's it's on

[1:32:12] our website.

[1:32:15] » Yeah. Every month it's in the

[1:32:16] newsletter.

[1:32:17] » Okay. I I did I didn't find it recently.

[1:32:20] So, uh

[1:32:20] » Look at the last newsletter. You'll see

[1:32:22] it. The August newsletter.

[1:32:24] » Oh, I I didn't find it there. So,

[1:32:26] anyway, but it's

[1:32:27] » Can you do a screenshot?

[1:32:32] I'm I'm very surprised that your your

[1:32:35] board members take personal offense to

[1:32:37] my comments, but

[1:32:39] » It sounds like you're

[1:32:42] » Unwilling to look into this

[1:32:44] » Meeting moving and other issues being

[1:32:47] raised now which don't seem appropriate

[1:32:49] to this thing question. Yeah, but you've

[1:32:52] you've also created you've also created

[1:32:55] alternatives for the zoning board and

[1:32:57] this board is actually uh swapped around

[1:33:00] people that were on the board to

[1:33:02] alternate.

[1:33:03] » No, I think the frustration is that you

[1:33:06] know these concerns were not brought

[1:33:08] forth three years ago. Um

[1:33:12] » No,

[1:33:12] » You know this has been fully advertised,

[1:33:14] fully part of the organizational chart.

[1:33:17] Um, so

[1:33:19] » Yeah, Mike, I honestly I looked at this

[1:33:21] a uh a bit closer because uh because of

[1:33:26] my role

[1:33:27] » [clears throat]

[1:33:27] » Uh in the comprehensive planning

[1:33:29] committee.

[1:33:30] » Okay. All right.

[1:33:31] » So, that's why I did look at a little

[1:33:33] closer. I'm sorry I missed it, but it

[1:33:35] seems like it's been missed for

[1:33:37] » A long time

[1:33:39] » And not just by by me.

[1:33:45] » You want to take a vote? Um, okay. So,

[1:33:52] » I have to go through minutes to ask for

[1:33:54] resumptions.

[1:33:56] Yeah.

[1:33:58] » Okay. So, I I think I need to consult

[1:34:00] this.

[1:34:01] » Well, no, I think uh take a vote to

[1:34:04] appoint

[1:34:06] » Kevin

[1:34:06] » To appoint Kevin Hind as an alternate.

[1:34:09] Uh,

[1:34:09] » And I'll find the minutes or the

[1:34:11] resolution or the whatever it is that

[1:34:12] says that the town board has agreed to

[1:34:15] appoint alternates.

[1:34:17] » Okay. [clears throat] Um, all in favor?

[1:34:21] » Hernandez, Devorech, Ziggler, and

[1:34:24] » Feld. All against

[1:34:28] Corona

[1:34:29] » Abstained.

[1:34:30] » Thank you.

[1:34:31] » Okay. Thank you. Thank you for bringing

[1:34:32] up those concerns. Uh

[1:34:35] um

[1:34:36] as I described the the planning board is

[1:34:42] um

[1:34:44] in a state of flaws or you know is

[1:34:46] having issues.

[1:34:47] » Yeah.

[1:34:48] » And which I'm trying to

[1:34:50] you know evade

[1:34:52] um

[1:34:53] » Roan Park.

[1:34:54] » Uh Roan Park.

[1:34:56] » All right. The roof on the farmhouse has

[1:34:58] been completed. Turns out I was right

[1:35:00] and the sub the plywood underneath the

[1:35:03] roof was completely rotten letting in

[1:35:04] water. So that all had to be replaced,

[1:35:07] » But it's replaced and it's fixed and

[1:35:08] it's good.

[1:35:10] » Um the another good project that was

[1:35:12] completed was the water line to the

[1:35:14] community garden. So now the seniors

[1:35:17] don't have to lug hundreds of feet of

[1:35:18] hose to get

[1:35:20] » Water there, which is great. They have a

[1:35:21] hydrant right at the garden.

[1:35:23] » And we fixed the entrance to the park so

[1:35:25] there's no more puddles, which makes the

[1:35:27] [clears throat]

[1:35:28] » Everybody happy. Yes.

[1:35:32] » Uh thank you. Uh any other business

[1:35:35] before the town

[1:35:38] » Um

[1:35:39] » Yeah m Mike if if I can just go back um

[1:35:44] just because it's um not a resolution

[1:35:47] here but I think separately we should

[1:35:50] address the policy around updating the

[1:35:53] e-code. thought is a very um that is I

[1:35:57] think very serious and um and also has

[1:36:02] to do with the planning board and zoning

[1:36:05] board and our board's ability to

[1:36:08] function in a basic way.

[1:36:11] » Okay. Uh Marina, can you present next

[1:36:14] board meeting of the policies to be

[1:36:17] okay?

[1:36:18] » I'll put that on the agenda for

[1:36:20] September.

[1:36:25] Uh hearing no further business. Motion

[1:36:27] to adjurnn.

[1:36:29] Uh Hernandez

[1:36:31] » And Fel second.

[1:36:33] » Uh all in favor?

[1:36:36] » I

[1:36:37] » Uh unanimous. Thank you all for

[1:36:38] attending. Good luck to our two council

[1:36:41] members tomorrow. Um and um thank you

August 2026 Town of Hillsdale Town Board Meeting

Transcript