4
Wallkill Valley Times, Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Montgomery takes step toward expanding water district
By RACHEL COLEMAN
The Montgomery Town Board has given the greenlight for an extension of the water line for the Neelytown
West Water District to be designed, at a cost of $120,500.
At their meeting on Thursday, town engineer Mike
Aiello presented the board with his estimate for the
design work necessary to extend the water line down
Neelytown Road and onto Maybrook Road, for an approximate total of 7,000 feet of pipe.
“This will get us to the point of being able to go out to
bid,” said Town Supervisor Mike Hayes.
It was pointed out that the cost is within the expected
costs of the project and included in the bond the town
obtained for the project.
The water district expansion will go out to bid once
Aiello has completed the engineering and the Department
of Health gives its approval.
The town of Montgomery is also taking on another
project, this time on Danielle Court, where the developer
has failed to complete the work required for the subdivision, including some drainage work, fencing and other
items, due to lack of funds.
The town will use fees they have been holding in
escrow for the applicant to pay for the work. If the
developer had completed the work, the estimated $80,000
would have been returned.
“This is the first one that really ended this way,” said
town attorney Andrew Gilchrist.
While the town will apply the $80,000 toward the work,
the cost to complete the project could be higher.
According to the town board, the project was originally
approved about a decade ago and costs are now higher.
In addition, the requirements for a municipal project are
different than a private endeavor.
Councilman Dan Dempsey stated that the town will be
“on the hook” for whatever funds are lacking.
The board also approved $4,832 for split rail fencing at
Benedict Farm Park and a new Parkland Fee schedule
that will charge different rates depending on whether the
applicant is a town resident.
Storage space in the barn at Benedict Farm Park will
soon be available for rent to sports organizations using
the town fields. The pavilion is currently available for
rent.
In other business, Supervisor Hayes said he was scheduled to meet with Central Hudson about the non-working
streetlights at the entrance and exit ramps for I-84 at Exit
5.
Hayes said it was his understanding that the issue was
due to a broken wire under those ramps, which will be
difficult to access as he doubted the NYSDOT wanted
them to cut into the road. He believes the wires are the
town’s responsibility and the electric company is responsible for the poles. Central Hudson was looking into an
alternative way to power the lights.
The town board also discussed alternative energy
during their meeting, as they worked on possible guidelines for solar panels in the town.
Attorney Andrew Gilchrist noted that the board was
trying to find a balance between providing alternative
energy and protecting the aesthetics. He pointed out
other issues like heated stormwater runoff into wetlands
and what would trigger a larger review by the Planning
Board (solar farm scale).
Hayes will prepare a “skeleton” of what the board
would like to see as a minimum standard and then pass
it on to the attorney who will flesh it out and return it
before the board for review at their first meeting in April.
Pine Bush budget to be unveiled March 29
Continued from page 1
Superintendent Joan Carbone noted that districts
are recommended to set aside only about four percent of
budget monies in fund balances. The proposed district
budget of more than $110,000,000 would allow for only
about $4.5 million to be held in its fund balance. Since
Pine Bush exceeds that, it wouldn’t harm the district to
use some of that money to balance the budget, she said.
Carbone concluded by informing board members that
they may make one of three recommendations: increase
the tax levy by more than the 0.37 percent allowed this
year; dip into the fund balance; or tell Pacella where
he can make money-saving budget cuts. Board Vice
President Gretchen Meier and board member Roseanne
Sullivan each said they’d favor using the fund balance.
The proposed budget will be presented at 7 p.m. on
Tuesday, March 29, at Circleville Middle School. The
school board may adopt the budget at its April 12 meeting at the high school, as well as approve the property
tax report card. The budget vote is May 17, 2016; polls
are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Voters will also elect
candidates for four positions on the school board. The
three-year terms of Board President Lloyd Greer, Vice
President Gretchen Meier and Trustee James Starr
expire on June 30 this year. The unexpired one-year term
of Eric Meier, who passed away last fall, will also be up
for election; that seat expires June 30, 2017. Petition packets for those who would like to run for election are available at the district office, and must be submitted before
5 p.m. on Monday, April 18. In addition, a workshop for
prospective candidates is planned for 9 a.m. to noon on
Saturday, April 9 at Orange-Ulster BOCES.
The board honored four student musicians for earning accolades recent