Aug. 1 and 8 meetings

By Michael Turton

From Aug. 8 meeting …

  • Village Accountant Michelle Ascolillo reported that 94 percent of property taxes, totaling $1,501,145, have been collected. She also said that, two months into the fiscal year, building permit fees and parking meter revenues are well ahead of budget.
  • Officer-in-Charge Larry Burke noted that Cold Spring Police Department officers are available to check on homes when residents are out of town. Call 845-265-3407.
  • Seastreak, the New Jersey-based cruise line, will again seek permission to bring ships to Cold Spring during several fall weekends.
  • The village has received a request from a New York City film company to shoot a “superhero mockumentary” in Cold Spring from Sept. 21 to 26 with a cast and crew of up to 20 people. The fee charged by the village is $1,500 for the first day and $1,000 for each subsequent day.
  • As part of Central Hudson’s ongoing tree maintenance project to protect power lines, the Tree Advisory Board negotiated the full or partial removal of seven trees. Its chair, Jennifer Zwarich, estimated this saved the village $5,000 to $7,000.
  • The board appears ready to approve the removal of 46 yew trees on village-owned property adjacent to 230 Main St. The owners, Sarah DeFranco and Dave Reeves, will pay $8,000 to $10,000 to replace the trees with four shade trees and four shrubs but board members said they want to discuss the placement of the shrubs.
  • The board amended village policy to allow authorized personnel to make purchases of less than $700 at their discretion.
  • Water Supervisor Greg Phillips noted that Internet access provided by Verizon at the water treatment facility had been out for the better part of nine days and that he is investigating a switch to Optimum. Dozens of residents also suffered loss of service.

From Aug. 1 meeting …

  • Representatives of the Cold Spring Fire Company discussed repairs to the boiler at the Main Street firehouse estimated to cost $3,500. Also, the Village plans to issue a request for proposals for repairs to the roof.
  • The cost of liability insurance for the village will be $80,546 for the current fiscal year. It has budgeted $81,000, an increase over last year due to the purchase of new vehicles.
  • Mayor Dave Merandy said he had been advised by the village’s insurer that having lawsuits pending against the village is not unusual — most municipalities face two or three at any given time. He also said the village’s insurance policy has no deductible and that defending suits represents no additional cost to the village.
  • The Dale family has submitted plans for a plaque they are donating for installation near the riverfront bandstand to commemorate Francis and Imogen Dale, whose efforts led to the founding of the Cold Spring Musical Society and construction of the bandstand in the 1920s. Trustees requested further information regarding the wording and placement of the plaque.
  • The annual senior citizen’s picnic will be held at Mayor’s Park on Saturday, Sept. 16, from noon to 4 p.m.

Around the Village

Cold Spring Police Department (July)

Calls for service: 84
Arrests: 3
Parking tickets: 60
Moving violations: 22

Village Court (July)

Number of defendants: 27
Number of small claims: 1
Fines, bails, penalties: $3,185
Parking tickets: $1,914
Civil fees: $288
Mandatory state fees: $2,284

Building Department (June)

Permit applications: 34
Permits issued: 17
Dumpster permits issued: 2
Fees collected: $6,358

Highway Department (June)

Garbage picked up: 66.3 tons
Recycling picked up: 30 tons

Painted crosswalks and No Parking areas on Main.
Repaired drywell on Constitution Drive.
Repaired catch basin on Pine Street.
Cleaned and organized property at garage.
Cut grass and trimmed trees.
Filled sinkhole in front of Mayor’s Park gate.
Cleaned leaf debris from village office roof and gutters.
Filled potholes throughout Village.
Placed three trash cans and two recycling cans on Main.
Cleaned riverfront and weed-whacked dock.
Trimmed trees at waterfront.
Cleaned streets with sweeper on Bobcat.
Painted parking spots at riverfront.
Placed trash cans at riverfront and dockside.
Placed fencing at Highway Department.
Hung July 4 banner and bunting.

Behind The Story

Type: News

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Turton, who has been a reporter for The Current since its founding in 2010, moved to Philipstown from his native Ontario in 1998. Location: Cold Spring. Languages: English. Area of expertise: Cold Spring government, features

One reply on “Notes from the Cold Spring Village Board”

  1. Thanks very much for this information about the Village Board — it’s good to know what’s going on without having to attend the meeting.

    The item I am most concerned about is the Seastreak requesting permission to return again for the Cold Spring tours that mean so much to all the merchants of Main Street. Is there any question that the Board of Trustees will not permit them to dock their boats? Are they planning to increase the fees again? I find it troubling that there seems to be this game playing every year about what the terms and conditions will be for the Seastreak.

    Depending on the weather, very often Cold Spring does not have much of a Christmas shopping season. The tourists that come up on the boats really help our last quarter bottom line and many shops would have a hard time surviving the bleak winter months without that year end boost in revenue.

    Wouldn’t it be nice if the Board would not only approve the application but welcome the Seastreak tours with open arms?

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