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Philipstown 2008 Reorganization Meeting Held
Garrison Fire Department budget still unresolved
by Mike Turton
 | | Elected Philipstown officials take a moment during their swearing-in ceremony to pose for the camera |
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And you thought you had a tough time deciding whether or not to make even a single New Year's resolution to guide you through a new and possibly improved year in 2008? At its January 3, 2008 meeting, the Philipstown Town Board passed no fewer than 47 resolutions as it organized for the year ahead. In doing so, the Board approved everything from M&T Bank being named as the Town's bank, the PCN&R being designated the official Town newspaper and Tina Merando being approved as Marriage Officer to John Noschese being confirmed as Fire Marshall, Frank Wiese appointed as Deputy Highway Superintendent and Andy Merante being named as Chairman of the Planning Board.
Town Board members were also given their assignments for the year including newly-elected Councilors Nancy Montgomery and Barb Scuccimarra being appointed to serve as representatives to the Planning and Zoning Boards respectively.
Following the reorganization meeting, a public hearing was held to review proposed financing of equipment by the Garrison Volunteer Fire Department (GVFD). Funding of the GVFD has been a point of contention throughout the 2008 budget process and it was no different at last week's public hearing. The department maintains a reserve fund as the key element in its ten-year plan for vehicle replacement. Some residents have argued against a reserve fund, stating that the Town should not pay out tax dollars any sooner than it has to and that the reserve fund is larger than needed. At previous meetings, GVFD Treasurer John Svirsky has maintained that a reserve fund makes good fiscal sense, especially when compared to GVFD coming before the Town Board to ask for funds for new vehicles all at once. The new pumper, which the GVFD is now in the midst of acquiring, will cost $440,000. Payments are made as the new vehicle is assembled and a down payment of $163,000 was made in 2007, covering the cost of the chassis. In previous presentations GVFD had indicated that it would purchase the vehicle outright, however at last week's public hearing a lease to purchase arrangement was outlined. The fly in the ointment was that GVFD Treasurer Svirsky was vacationing in Florida and was not on hand to explain the change in financing strategy. The public hearing was adjourned with no resolution. A new hearing will be scheduled and advertised once additional information is received from GVFD.
Immediately following the public meeting, the Board got back to its regular business. While the number of topics on the first agenda of the New Year was small, their importance to the community were not insignificant. Robert Folchetti of Robert Folchetti and Associates made a presentation as part of an ongoing process through which the Board will select a firm to conduct planning and engineering work on behalf of the Town.
Folchetti and Associates was the third company to make such a presentation. The firm selected will work out of the Town office on a part-time basis to assist the building department with week-to-week operations on such maters as code enforcement while also helping the Town to implement a number of new planning documents including the comprehensive plan and the open space protection plan. Storm water management and other engineering needs will also be addressed by the company selected. It has become apparent during the presentations that Tim Miller Associates of Cold Spring, the company that has acted as the Town's planner for some seventeen years, will not be returning in that capacity.
Michael McKee, Chairman of the Philipstown Greenway Committee, also addressed the Town Board regarding the Hudson Fjord Trail System. If implemented, the proposed project would see the creation of a trail system along Route 9D from Little Stony Point on Cold Spring's northern boundary, to an area just north of Breakneck Ridge. Breakneck Ridge has been identified as one of the most popular day hikes in the U.S. The 9D corridor receives very heavy usage by hikers and bicyclists but is also known for being an extremely hazardous stretch of highway. The project would include creation of a separated, paved trail along with improvements to parking at both ends of the corridor. Representatives of the Greenway Committee and the Town plan to meet soon with state and federal elected officials regarding possible funding for the project, the cost of which is estimated to be in the two to three million dollar range.
The Town Board also received the annual code enforcement statistical report. While 164 building permits were issued in 2007, only eight new housing starts were recorded. Twelve Planning Board applications and fourteen Zoning Board applications were processed along with twenty-six wetland permits. Eighty-four violation notices and twenty-seven court appearance tickets were issued. The telephone was seldom silent as one thousand nine hundred and seventy nine calls were received.
Supervisor Bill Mazzuca said that he had received correspondence from a resident of East Mountain Road South expressing concern regarding excessive noise from helicopter flights over the area. Councilor Barbara Scuccimarra indicated that while there is no legal remedy the FAA has been responsive in the past and does speak to the companies involved. Mazzuca indicated that the situation will only get worse with the expansion of Stewart Airport. Councilor Richard Shea echoed that sentiment, indicating that flights over East Mountain Road would increase in frequency with planes flying overhead every sixty seconds or less. While he did say that Orange County would benefit from the expansion Shea questioned any advantages for the Philipstown area. "What benefit are we gaining?" he asked. "I don't see any, certainly not any economic benefit" Shea concluded.
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