Week of town and village meetings

MILLBROOK — The week of March 7 started with an ice storm and ended with floods, but municipal meetings took place as scheduled even though 32 Millbrook village and 659 town of Washington residents still did not have power Tuesday evening and were bracing themselves for rain at the end of the week.

Comprehensive Plan Committee

Coming off the Saturday, March 5, community agreement on a vision for the comprehensive plan, members of the town of Washington Comprehensive Plan Committee got together on Monday night, March 7, for their regular first Monday of the month session. They agreed that the final draft of the draft vision statement (see sidebar) must be presented and approved by the Town Board in a public hearing, although there might still be a little wordsmithing needed.

The old goals for the plan from May 22, 2010, were distributed again. River Street, the town’s planning consultant, which was not present at the meeting, has been working on analyzing the input of that May meeting for the last nine months and has now promised to combine this with input from the recent visioning meeting and the survey. Their report is due by the next monthly meeting on Monday, April 4.

Village of Millbrook passes first law of the year

The Village Board passed the first new law of the year at its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday,  March 8. Local Law No. 1 of 2011 adds additional violations that would prevent the Planning Board or the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) from reviewing or approving action on any application where any violations exist.

According to village attorney Rebecca Valk, had this modification of Section 230-58.2 existed, the Planning Board would not have been allowed to even consider, much less approve, preliminary site plans from the developers of Bennett College.

Stormy weather

The ice storm stalled the start of the project to finish relining the village sewer pipes. The contractor began on Elm Drive instead of Church Street as planned. The work will be completed before the expiration of the grant on Thursday, March 31.

Financial matters

It’s already budget season in the village, and workshops were announced for every Monday evening, starting on March 28. Work on the village’s comprehensive plan will begin after the budget work is over. Deputy Mayor Stan Morse is assembling a collection of plans from other municipalities.

During the public comments session, Hurley made it clear that no village money would be spent on renovations to the Thorne Building on Franklin Avenue until the lease dispute with Michael and Erica Downing is resolved.

Village Trustee Tom Whalen had earlier explained the legal process of eviction, starting with a notice of default, cure period and subsequent notice to terminate the lease with the Downings because of their financial inability to proceed. Valk said that the village would know soon whether an actual trial would be necessary.

The Village Board went into executive session to approve final language for the settlement of the DeBonis family claim for damage caused to their property by the leaking fuel tank buried next to the Village Hall. The dollar amount will be something above the village’s last offer of the $40,000.

The next regular Board meeting will be on Tuesday, March 22.

Town of Washington

 The town of Washington swore in five volunteers at the meeting on Thursday, March 10.

Michael Shepley accepted appointment to the town Planning Board for a term of seven years. Fletcher Coddington was sworn in as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) and Jeff Feigelson to the Board of Assessment Review.

Two additional members were added to the Conservation Advisory Commission (CAC): Howard Schuman and John Asklidsen. Town Supervisor Florence Prisco observed that since Schuman comes to all the meetings, he should be on the committee.

Prisco commended the town’s Highway Department, which did not declare a state of emergency during the most recent ice storm. Even though 600 people in the town were without power and the firehouse was ready to open as a shelter, no one called and asked for assistance.

Departments check in

Satisfactory reports came in from all departments. Ninety-two percent of taxes have already been received, with the developers of Bennett College late.

Lang Farm Lane became the newest named road in the town to assist 911 rescues.

A request for proposals is out for the concession at the town pool after the previous vendor declined to renew.

The town will hold its own senior picnic this year on Wednesday, June 8.

Renovation work on the court area of Town Hall in underway, and Councilman Bob Audia is making panels to repair a door with an estimated replacement cost of $3,500.

“This is the way we keep our taxes low,” Audia joked.

Another Wetlands public hearing will be held on Monday,  March 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the Millbrook firehouse. The town’s consultant, Steve Marino, is expected to present information on the additional cost to applicants under the proposed law.

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