■ At its Wednesday (Nov. 1) meeting, the Cold Spring Village Board approved a Recreation Commission proposal to create a dog park in the northwest corner of Mayor’s Park. The nonprofit Friends of Philipstown Recreation will raise the funds.
■ Resident Peter Farrell addressed the board regarding flooding and damage to homes on Main Street east of Chestnut Avenue during the severe storm on July 9. Farrell read a letter signed by himself and seven other residents, asking if village mitigation efforts on Cedar Street during the storm contributed to the flooding.
The mayor responded: “Your premise in that question is not correct.” She said no pumping took place until July 14 and that the storm, which saw more than 9 inches of rain in 3 1/2 hours, created rushing waters that were too dangerous for workers to stand in. As a result, “There were no interventions during the storm,” she said.
Farrell said “pumping” wasn’t mentioned in the letter but that water from Cedar Street landed in his property, to which the mayor responded: “Water from the entire mountain landed in your property and everyone else’s.”
After Farrell commented that some residents “are concerned that nobody is being transparent” about floodwaters that came down one side of Main Street, Foley said that she, the Philipstown supervisor and a county official could meet in public session or at residents’ homes to review maps showing how the water moved, what the village did and what is planned.
■ The board supported a plan by Simon Pieza for his Eagle Scout project to add two picnic tables with built-in chessboards to Riverfront Park. Pieza said he was inspired by similar tables in Brooklyn, where he lived before moving to Cold Spring. “It is something everyone can enjoy; of course, you’d bring your own chess pieces,” he said. The Historic District Review Board will review the project on Tuesday (Nov. 7).
■ Three men, all non-residents, addressed the board in succession during public comment. The first identified himself as Scalzo and the second as John Paul Reyes. The third declined to identify himself but was Leonard Filipowski, a provocateur who last appeared at the Sept. 16 meeting. The trio had complaints about Cold Spring Police Officer Kenneth Baker; Foley said the village does not address personnel matters during public meetings.
