Plus other recent business for Village Board
There’s no shortage of opinions about the Cold Spring Police Department. In late March, the Village Board issued a 16-question survey on its operations, part of its response to an order by Gov. Andrew Cuomo requiring municipalities to review their law-enforcement operations.
At a meeting on Tuesday (April 13), Trustee Fran Murphy said 43 percent of 625 residents and business owners who received a link to the online version of the survey had already submitted responses, which she called “phenomenal.” She said 22 people had submitted paper responses. Murphy said volunteers had fanned out across the village to distribute printed instructions on how to receive the survey. She continues to get four or five requests per day and will begin reporting results in early May. (Requests for a link to the online survey can be emailed to [email protected]; paper copies are available at Village Hall.)
In other business …
■ There were no comments during a public hearing on Tuesday (April 13) on the tentative 2021-22 budget, which includes projected spending of $2.65 million. The board said that the tax rate of $11.39 per $1,000 of assessed value was not expected to increase.
■ The board approved the village’s continued participation in the Community Choice Aggregation Program that enables municipalities to source electricity on behalf of its residents. Beacon and Philipstown are also part of the program.
■ At an April 6 meeting, Bruce Croushore asked the trustees to pass a resolution supporting his request for the pedestrian crosswalk at Oak Street and Chestnut Street (Route 9D) to be moved 30 feet south, citing drainage problems and poor nighttime visibility. However, the crosswalk is under the jurisdiction of the state Department of Transportation and trustees said they would need to hear broader public support for a move.
■ The public restrooms near the pedestrian tunnel will reopen from Thursday through Monday beginning today (April 16). They will be open daily after Memorial Day weekend. The Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce has asked the Village Board to support requests from volunteers who man the information booth for improved Wi-Fi, designated parking and liability insurance coverage.
■ The Zoning Board of Appeals ruled at its March 18 meeting that the owners of the Old VFW Hall on Kemble Avenue can allow a preschool to operate there, provided it is registered with the state Department of Education.
■ The Historic District Review Board last month approved applications for the development of two single-family houses on Paulding Avenue as part of the Butterfield redevelopment project. In his monthly report, Sean Conway of the Review Board said it was “satisfied these properties create a softer transition between the multifamily condo complex and the historic residences along Paulding.”
■ Cold Spring police officers responded to 67 calls for service in March. Two arrests were made under the mental-health law, both involving the same person. Officers issued 18 traffic and 18 parking tickets. The Cold Spring Fire Co., which is in the midst of a drive to recruit new members, responded to 15 alarms.
■ Fifty residents who are behind on their water bill payments will be offered a payment plan rather than having the balance added to their tax bills.
■ Jennifer Zwarich, chair of the Tree Advisory Board, reported there would be no public celebration of Arbor Day on April 30 but there will be a planting at Village Hall and recognition of Cold Spring’s designation as a Tree City USA for the fifth consecutive year.
