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Wallkill Valley Times , Wednesday , June 15 , 2016
Walden to build new public works facility ; village board approves solar moratorium
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Sewer trucks and the village ’ s massive street sweeper . The planned building has room for storage for as many as 13 vehicles at a time . The permanent structure should be far better than the current solution for keeping the trucks in tip-top condition , as many are presently located under a nearby pavilion that leaves them exposed to the elements . There are also safety issues that render the current facility practically obsolete . “ We ’ ve been talking about this building since 2004 , but now we have to address ventilation problems in the building ,” Walden Mayor Susan Rumbold said . “ The building is 60-something years old , so it ’ s time and it needs to be replaced . It ’ s old . It ’ s outlived its usefulness . We don ’ t have enough room to put our equipment in . You make investments on trucks and other equipment and we need to store them inside to keep them out of the weather so they can last .”
As part of the new site , the Water Department will be moved from its present location on Cherry Street into the new complex . “ Logistically , we wanted to bring Water and Sewer into the same building and this allows us to do that ,” Rumbold said . “ Now everything will be centrally located .” The salt shed at the current facility will remain in place for now , but could be replaced in the long term . John Queenan of the Lanc & Tully Engineering and Surveying company presented a detailed plan for the new building at the board meeting , and he noted that the most difficult aspect of the project will be logistics , as the new facility is being constructed at the same site as the old building . The new building has an expected lifespan of 40 years .
The construction is expected to last between three and four months , and will be carried out by a combination of DPW workers and hired contractors . The board factored in village labor costs for the project into its budget this spring , but Walden needed to pass the bond resolution to raise the necessary cash for the project . The $ 999,500 figure represents a conservative projection of the facility ’ s ultimate price tag . “ The engineers give you an estimate of what the project ’ s going to cost , but until we bid , we don ’ t know what the bids are going to come in at ,” Rumbold said . “ The cement phase may come in less than we ’ re anticipating , which would be a good thing .
That ’ s why we ’ re trying to do a lot of the work in-house . Particularly for the water and sewer stuff , that will save money . There ’ s certain things that we have to use contractors for - the cement work , electrical work . Our guys can go in and do excavation , they can do the water and sewer lines , things of that nature .”
The new DPW building will be the only major infrastructure project the village undertakes this year , and it was the most urgent project the board had to deal with . “ We have nothing else planned ,” Rumbold said . “ This project had to be done . We were at the point where we couldn ’ t not do it anymore .”
At last Tuesday ’ s meeting , the board also unanimously passed Local Law No . 5 of 2016 , which adopts a six-month moratorium on certain solar panels . While the roofmounted units that are gaining popularity thanks to state financial incentives and eco-consciousness will still be sanctioned in Walden , larger arrays and solar farms will not be permitted in the village for the time being . The law will give the village board six months to examine the pros and cons of potentially allowing larger panels to be installed in Walden . “ People are putting solar panels on roofs , which is still allowed , but what we ’ re talking about with the moratorium is solar panels that are placed elsewhere ,” Rumbold said . “ Before people put them in their backyards , we have to discuss that to see if that ’ s something we ’ re going to give out permits for . They can be kind of invasive , as far as neighbors and things of that nature . So we really want to be careful about what we ’ re allowing in the village limits .”
The board also set a public hearing for its next meeting on June 21 to discuss Local Law No . 6 of 2016 , which would amend the village code in regards to unpaid fees . “ It is the purpose of this local law to ensure that all fees assessed by the Village as permitted by Village Code Section 135 are properly and fully paid and do not result in the Village of Walden taxpayer subsidizing fees incurred in connection with private development ,” the proposed legislation reads . “ Toward that end , this local law implements a mechanism to re-levy on the Village real property tax roll unpaid fees assessed pursuant to Village Code Section 135 against the property receiving the benefit of the work associated with the fees that were incurred and assessed pursuant to the Village Code .”
Town of Montgomery Planning Board
approves two subdivisions
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samples contained too much chlorine .
It was pointed out that one lot is now considerably larger than before and a note is to be added to the plans that the property owner can only “ cut one more lot out of it .”
The board voted to “ ratify ” their negative declaration as to SEQRA from last July , with updates as to the new lot numbers .
Conditions for the approval included payment of any fees , submitting common driveway agreements and other items .
In other business , the board voted to send Glenco , Inc . a two-lot subdivision and lot line change on Borden Road , to the ZBA for needed variances . The project will appear before the board at their June 20 meeting .
Messenger Realty , LLC , owner of the property located across from town hall on Bracken Road , was granted a six month extension of its final approval — its ninth extension .
Police Blotter
WALDEN POLICE Abraham Gomez , 24 , of Middletown , was charged May 17 with aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd . He is scheduled to appear in Village Court on July 13 .
Derek Hall , 24 , of Maybrook , was charged May 20 with aggravated unlicensed operation 2nd . He was scheduled to appear in village court on June 8 .
Marquise Marcus , 27 , of Maybrook , was charged May 21 with false personation . He is scheduled to appear in village court on June 22 .
An 18-year-old female of Walden , was charged May 22 with harassment 2nd . She was scheduled to appear in village court on June 8 .
Scott Roosa , 42 , of Montgomery , was charged May 25 with harassment 2nd . He was scheduled to appear in village court on June 8 .
Tonya Best , 40 , of Newburgh , was charged May 23 with aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd . She is scheduled to appear in village court on June 22 .
Tylor Conklin , 19 , of Walde , n was charged May 25 with harassment 2nd . He is scheduled to appear in village court on June 22 .
Hank Destefano , 35 , of Walden , was charged May 26 with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th . He was scheduled to appear in village court on June 8 .
Anthony Garofano , 40 , of Walden , was charged May 27 with petit larceny . He is scheduled to appear in village court on June 22 .
Nicholas Scopteuolo , 29 , of Pine Bush , was charged May 29 with criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument . He is scheduled to appear in village court on June 22
Cassie Smith , 27 , of Port Jervis , was charged May 29 with criminal contempt 2nd . She is scheduled to appear in village court on June 22
Alexis Santana , 30 , of Middletown , was charged May 29 with aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd . She is scheduled to appear in village court on June 22
Owen Harmon , 22 , of Walden , was charged May 31 with aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd . He is scheduled to appear in village court on June 22 .
Jerry Vaughan , 50 , of Walden , was arrested June 1 as a fugitive from justice out of Missouri . He was arraigned in village court and sent to Orange County Jail to await extradition .
TOWN OF MONTGOMERY POLICE
The Town of Montgomery Police Department , in response to civilian complaints , have increased vehicle and traffic patrols directed on State Route 52 in the area of the new construction being conducted .
On June 1 , Town of Montgomery Police Officer , John Hank , was patrolling this area when he observed a green 2007 Toyota Camry traveling in excess of 20 mph over the posted speed limit on St . Andrews Road . The officer activated his emergency lights and attempted to signal the vehicle to pull over . The driver ignored Officer Hank ’ s directions and attempted to flee police . While fleeing , the driver drove his vehicle around road closed barriers at a high rate of speed , nearly striking a construction worker . Officer Hank slowed his vehicle through the construction site where the shocked worker pointed him in the direction of the suspect ’ s location . Police were able to locate the suspect ’ s vehicle , which was stopped behind a residence located on State Route 52 . The driver was taken into custody without incident . He was arrested , ticketed and released to reappear in Court to answer the charges .
The driver was identified as 29-year-old Nicholas J . Mock of Montgomery . He was arrested and charged as follows : Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer in Motor Vehicle in the 3rd Degree - A Misdemeanor ; Reckless Driving - A Misdemeanor .
In addition , he was ticketed as follows : Unlawful Speed : Speed in Excess of 55 mph State Speed Limit ; Unlawful Speed : Speeding in a Posted Zone and Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign .