Three firms bid on NYSERDA grant
By Michael Turton
After months of discussion, the Village of Cold Spring Board of Trustees approved hiring an additional officer for the Cold Spring Police Department at their Tuesday (Aug. 26) meeting. Michael O’Rourke is a 23-year veteran of the New York City Police Department. CSPD has been short one officer on the schedule for several months, a situation which resulted in accrued overtime and at least one shift in which there was no officer on duty.
Trustees also moved toward filling the two remaining spots on the new, seven-member Zoning Update Committee. Susan Peehl and Tom Monroe, two of five residents who have indicated an interest in serving on the committee, were interviewed in a closed session prior to the start of the regular meeting. Previous appointments to the committee include Barney Molloy, chair of the Planning Board; Marie Early, chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals; Carolyn Bachan, member of the Historic District Review Board; Michael Armstrong, former chair of the Special Board for the Comprehensive Plan and Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan, and Donald MacDonald, past chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The code, originally written in the 1960s, has long been criticized as inappropriate for Cold Spring because it was taken from a suburban community that bore little resemblance to the village.
Three consulting firms have submitted proposals, seeking the contract to assist the village in implementing a $75,000 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The grant will support the Zoning Update Committee in its work.
Trustees agreed to set aside one meeting to interview the three consulting firms, each of which have considerable local experience: AKRF, which worked with the Town of Philipstown on its zoning update; Barton & Loguidice, which is currently working with the Cold Spring Planning Board on the Butterfield project; and GreenPlan, which wrote the successful NYSERDA grant application and which worked with the Special Board in developing the Cold Spring Comprehensive Plan and LWRP.
Streamlining pension administration
Representatives of RBC Wealth Management and Penflex Inc. addressed the Village Board and suggested improvements to streamline data entry procedures for the Cold Spring Fire Company’s service award program — a move that trustees readily agreed to. Volunteer firefighters qualify for a pension based on years of service and Penflex specializes in administering such programs in conjunction with RBC.
The village sets aside funds each year in order to meet the program’s future pension needs. In recent years the annual contribution has been as much as $60,000 — an amount expected to be reduced to approximately $54,000 due to the strength of the program’s investment portfolio.
Leaks at Village Hall
The cupola that sits atop Village Hall housed the fire company siren.
Cold Spring’s Village Hall has a leaky roof. According to Mayor Ralph Falloon the causes may include the cupola and a ladder that is permanently mounted on the roof near where the two halves of the building meet.
The cupola, which is now empty, housed the siren for the village fire company during the period that the building served as the fire hall. Falloon said the cupola’s roof is “completely shot.” Steps are being taken to make necessary repairs.
Paving contracts were approved to complete work on Grandview and Parrott Streets. Intercounty Paving of Carmel was the successful bidder on both projects.
Photo by M. Turton
