Vol. 36, No. 50 3 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018
3
ONE DOLLAR
The Nutcracker
returns to Walden
Page 14
w w w .W a l l k i l l V a l l e y T i m e s . n e t
Plans revised for new Wallkill firehouse
By TED REMSNYDER
After more than a decade of planning
and false starts, the Wallkill Fire District
is prepared to bring a proposal to
local taxpayers next spring for a new
firehouse located on the Borden family
property across the street from Wallkill
Middle School. During a presentation on
Thursday evening at the Shawangunk
Town Board meeting, Wallkill Fire
District Commissioners Michael Croce
and Rich Freer laid out the organization’s
proposed 17,500 square foot site that
would necessitate $5,582,469 in borrowed
funds to construct.
The tentative plan is to call a public
vote on the proposed firehouse in March.
The project contains $5,687,500 in building
costs and $1,394,969 in additional soft
costs, but $1,500,00 would be covered by
reserve funds.
The current firehouse plan represents
the third design in the past 12 years, as the
group has worked to lower the scope of the
project. “We’ve done everything we could
do to size back this firehouse,” Freer told
the board. “Our main purpose is to serve
the community with fire protection. You
don’t need that big social hall, so we sized
that down. But we do need a five-bay
firehouse. The firehouse next door is a
four-bay firehouse that was built in 1964
and that served us well. But in the future,
we have developments planned in this
town like the Wallkill Town Center, which
is going to break ground next spring, and
you never know when the Borden trust
may start their project again.”
The Shawangunk board does not have
Continued on page 5
Gathering of angels
“Angels” from the Freedom Road Bible Church Live Nativity gathered backstage Thursday night in Walden’s Village Square. The performance
was part of the annual Walden Tree Lighting. More photos on page 3.
Airbnb law
to face public
hearing
By LAURA FITZGERALD
[email protected]
The Village of Montgomery Board
of Trustees introduced a local law that
requires short-term rental owners to
register with the village and undergo
yearly inspections.
All landlords must register and obtain
a short-term rental permit from the
village within thirty days of the law’s
passing. Rental permits are granted after
an inspection by the village building
inspector. Inspections must be completed
and permits renewed yearly.
The building inspector will inspect the
premises to ensure the dwelling complies
with village building code, it contains
basic fire safety measures and is in proper
living condition.
The annual inspection fee is $50 per
property. The application and renewal fee
will be established after the law is passed
by the village board.
Short-term rental units are usually
booked through popular apps like Airbnb
and VBRO. As of Dec. 10, a search on
the Airbnb app showed two units in the
village. One of those rooms are in the
Borland House, a registered Bed and
Breakfast.
Village of Montgomery Mayor Stephen
Brescia and several members of the board
said a short-term rental law will protect
consumers from unsafe dwellings and
village residents from problems that may
arise from short-term rental users.
The Building Inspector may deny or
revoke permits if the applicant fails
to comply with the law and/or village
Continued on page 8
SERVING CRAWFORD, GARDINER, MAYBROOK, MONTGOMERY, PINE BUSH, SHAWANGUNK, WALDEN AND WALLKILL