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Wallkill Valley Times, Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Valley Central $22.7 million bond resolution
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‘What?”’
Gallaway said the tax increase from
the proposed referendum, which would
cost a homeowner with an annual school
tax bill of $4,000 an extra $180 per year
over a 15-year span, is too high for local
seniors. “You’re strangling us,” she told
the board. “I’m complaining about it
because I had hopes that you could be
fair. This is not fair. This is $22.7 million.
Okay, we’re getting state aid, but you’re
shoving that down our throats for the
next 15 years.”
District employee Diane Savage
explained to the board that she had voted
for all the annual school budgets, but was
concerned with the cost of the proposal.
“Do you honestly think this is going to
pass with the seniors?” Savage asked the
board. “I’ve had many come to me and say
‘We’re barely doing it now.’ My question
was how much more is it going to cost the
taxpayers, which I just saw. They can’t do
it anymore.”
Local union leader Matt Stoddard
urged the board to use local labor if
voters were to approve the project. “I
personally will be voting for this because
I do think that the school needs it, but one
of the questions I’d like to ask the board
is if this does pass, will you guys consider
using local labor on this project?” he
asked the board. “On the last project that
was done here, it was done with a Jersey
outfit and there were some issues. If it
does pass and you guys do use local labor,
there’s a couple things local labor can do
for you. It will keep the tax dollars here in
this community. If you decide to use the
local labor and enter into a project labor
agreement, you can probably save five
percent on the project, which is roughly
$1 million.”
During last Monday’s meeting, Walden
Village Trustee John Ramos said he
agreed with Stoddard that local workers
should do the construction work if the
project moves forward.
“If we’re going to do some work, we
should do it with local contractors,”
Ramos said. “They (out-of-state firms)
are not embedded here in the community.
People who work locally buy food here,
they buy gas here.” Ramos added that
he would ask the state Department of
Transportation to also use local labor on
its planned installation of a traffic light
on Route 17K outside the school complex.
Ramos also asked the administration
what benefits Walden Elementary would
receive from the proposed work. The
package includes a new fire alarm system,
upgraded emergency lighting and a new
communications system for the Walden
school.
The district’s bond presentation
included a stat that 21 accidents have
occurred outside the school since the
Dollar General store was built across the
street from the complex.
“I certainly respect their opinions, but
as I’ve stated previously, I think the one
issue that people have called me about
is to say ‘This is an accident waiting to
happen,’” Xanthis said. “I think everybody
recognizes that. The other thing is that
before DOT wasn’t ready either. But now
they’re on board, and if we can get on
board with them I think it’ll be a nice
safety improvement for the community.”
Employees, residents and county’s largest players turn out for Medline meeting
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Several union leaders also expressed support for the
project, stating the construction will provide hundreds of
jobs.
“With regard to construction of the facility, the site
work alone could provide my members with thousands
of hours of work, which is needed for them to provide
for their families,” Business Representative of Local 825
Operating Engineers Tim Muller said.
Several employees also echoed Medline’s claims that
the facility in Wawayanda is outgrown. Medline employee
Chris Hughes said the lack of space has forced many
employees to work more overtime, straining work/life
balance.
“Getting a larger building for us is a necessity at this
point,” Hughes said.
Despite the support, there were many cords of dissent.
New York State Senator James Skoufis chastised the
company for seeking a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT)
that will save the company millions.
“Pay your damn taxes. Anything short of that is
irresponsible, offensive and a disgusting display of
greed,” Skoufis said.
Medline requested approximately $17.6 million from
the IDA for real property tax exemptions over a 15-year
PILOT and $8 million in New York State sales tax
exemptions. In the first year, the company is projected to
make $76.8 million in profits with tax abatements. Without
abatments, the company would make $74.8 million in the
first year, according to Medline’s IDA application.
Despite the abatement, the DEIS estimates the project
will generate $27 million in tax revenue over the life
of the PILOT in town, county and school taxes. The
abatements cannot be approved or denied until after the
project is approved by the planning board.
Of those taxes, the Valley Central School District
would receive approximately $2.3 million per year
before tax abatements. Valley Central Superintendent of
Schools John Xanthis said Medline is also negotiating an
additional tax revenue of $300,000 per year for the school
outside of regular taxes.
President of the Orange County Partnership Maureen
Hallahan praised the project for job creation and tax
revenue generation.
“Commercial development is a critical component of
our overall health and economic wellbeing. We have to
support commercial development to offset our overall
costs, especially for our school,” Hallahan said. “We’re
asking that you approve the Medline project, which will
soon be one of the highest taxpayers in your town and
one of your largest employers.”
Many residents protested the project, it will clog
the village with traffic, cause negative environmental
impacts, be a huge eyesore and ruin village and town
residents’ quality of life.
“The taxpayers of the Town of Montgomery believe
that something dangerous, painful, or perhaps life
threatening will change their current quality of life,”
Town of Montgomery resident Thomas Walcott said.
Chief among residents’ concerns was traffic. The
DEIS states signs will be installed at the entrance on NYS
Route 416, routing trucks away from the village. However
trucks will be route through the village in the event of a
flood on 416.
Dukhan has suggested the village police department
may fine Medline trucks who enter its boundaries.
However, at a town board meeting on June 4, Village
of Montgomery Mayor Stephen Brescia and village
attorney Kevin Dowd expressed doubt that a fine would
be enforceable.
The DEIS traffic study predicts 619 new truck and
passenger vehicle trips per day at full build out in 2030.
The facility will be operational for 20 hours a day, from 3
a.m. to 11 p.m., with three employee shifts.
The DEIS proposed several traffic mitigation
techniques, such as widening existing shoulders,
adjusting traffic signal times, and installing a traffic light
at the Neelytown Road and 416 intersection.
Residents also expressed concerns about
environmental impacts, chief among them stormwater
impacts and the site’s proximity to the Wallkill River. The
site lies in a 100-year and 500-year floodplain, according
to the DEIS.
“You get a week of rain what is going to happen? The
run-off for one square foot of land with an inch of rain is
massive. The Wallkill is going to flood our whole county,”
Montgomery resident Chris Caurillo said.
The project includes about 57 acres of impervious
surfaces. The stormwater management plan includes two
storm forebays, two CDS3 units, two bioretention basins
and one stormwater pond; all management features are
proposed on the west side of the building, according to
the DEIS.
Residents also worried about light, noise and air
pollution.
The DEIS states the site will be lighted with 35-foot
LED poles, which will be shielded to prevent light from
spilling off the site. Construction noise may take place
from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Medline hopes to complete construction in just over
12 months, with construction beginning in late 2019 and
completed by fall 2020. On that timeline, full operations
would begin in June 2021, according to the DEIS.
Several residents called for a moratorium on
commercial development as the town updates its 1988
comprehensive plan.
“I think it would be extremely foolhardy to execute
such large projects without having a master plan ahead
of the game,” Village of Montgomery resident Maria
Beltrametti said. “Surely the plan comes before the
execution, it’s only the responsible thing to do.”
Despite residents’ concerns, Dukhan said Medline
will be a good investment for Montgomery.
“Medline is the company that goes above and beyond
for its customers, its employees and its community,”
Dukhan said. “We will make you proud and we will
always do the right thing.”
Written comment will be accepted until Sept 2. via
email to [email protected] or delivered
in-person to town hall, 110 Bracken Road, Montgomery.