6/17/15 EAST GREENBUSH TOWN BOARD MEETING

A consultant at the 6/11/15 Pre-Board Meeting pitched a multi-municipality NYS State Department Local Government Efficiency Grant application to establish a Municipal Infrastructure Rapid Response Team, whereby a member experiencing a sewer, water, snow or flooding emergency would be assisted by other members’ available equipment and crews, with expenses paid by the member needing assistance.

There are modest application development and submission costs and, if the grant is awarded, local matching funds requirements (possibly including in-kind staff services).  The grant would pay for planning and implementation costs, including unique equipment for use by the members.    I personally support shared services agreements, especially if grant money is available.

108-2015 was nonetheless defeated at the 6/17/15 Board Meeting, with Supervisor Langley and Councilperson Malone voting “Yes” and Councilpersons DiMartino and Matters objecting.  Perhaps over concern that EG would be a net assistance giver, but costs are reimbursed!

The same votes defeated 109-2015 to hire Chazen Companies to write other Grant Applications. EG’s Planning Director and/or Engineer could do this if not fired by the Majority.

Note: NYS’s Consolidated Funding Applications are due 7/31/15.  Hence the rush.

98-2015 Filling Ethics Board Vacancy failed with CPs DiMartino and Matters voting “Yes” and Supervisor Langley and CP Malone voting “No”.

Noteworthy resolutions receiving unanimous approval:

100-2015 Appointing Police Officer - Congratulations & welcome to John DeRubertis;

103-2015 Certain Paving Expenses;
104-2015 Designating a Portion of Lakeshore Drive One-Way from 6/19/15 to 9/18/15;
106-2015 Emergency Repair of Old Troy Road Bridge; and
107-2015 Chazen Companies Bridge Condition Assessment of Old Troy Road/Mill Creek Bridge.

Thankfully, the many attachments referenced in the Resolutions were included in the on-line Agenda. 

Aside: Resident (A) complained that two residents, including yours truly, had spoken during the Open Public Privilege portion.  Resident (D) suggested banning (A) from speaking at future meetings or at least gaveled out of order.  I disagree with banning people but support gaveling them.  

Remember, “Better to remain silent and thought a fool than speak and remove all doubt!”

Also, we don’t need various audience members shouting “Order!”

Pete Stenson

East Greenbush

 

Happy Fathers Day!

Remember our troops who can't be with their children, fathers or families today and every day they serve to our country overseas.  Also remember those who will never be together again because they made the ultimate sacrifice.

JUNE 14TH IS FLAG DAY - FLY IT PROUDLY!

You're a Grand Old Flag

by George M. Cohan

 

You're a grand old flag,
You're a high flying flag
And forever in peace may you wave.
You're the emblem of
The land I love.
The home of the free and the brave.
Ev'ry heart beats true
'neath the Red, White and Blue,
Where there's never a boast or brag.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
Keep your eye on the grand old flag.

 

6/4/15 Special East Greenbush Town Board Meeting

The EG Town Board held a Special Board Meeting on 6/4/15 to consider nine resolutions authorizing about $600,000 in change orders to essentially return the Waste Water Treatment Plant to its 3/11/15 pre-spill condition and push the renovation project’s completion date back 151 days to 11/25/15.

The resolutions were initially introduced at the 5/20/15 Board Meeting; however, Councilpersons Deb DiMartino and Mary Ann Matters would not act due to the lack of documentation and justification supporting  the resos and the change orders.

CPs DiMartino and Matters held a public meeting with Delaware Engineering and The Chazen Companies, the WWTP renovation design and construction management consultants, to discuss their concerns and questions on 5/27/15.  The few issues remaining after that meeting were apparently resolved and the resos were unanimously adopted today (6/4/15).

At the beginning of the Special Meeting, CPs DiMartino and Matters reiterated their complaints about the lack of information coming from Supervisor Langley. 

Why does he refuse to share, especially when calling the WWTP situation “an emergency” and unsuccessfully imploring Delaware and Chazen to do the same on 5/20/15?  He doesn’t play well with others, I guess.

Supervisor Langley’s most recent cover-seeking “Supervisor's Report” states “I agree that everyone who is in the position to make decisions should have the ability to ask questions”.  They evidently ask the questions – you just don’t give them the documentation and justification needed to do their jobs!

One of CPs DiMartino and Matters concerns was possible financial exposure if the insurer doesn’t reimburse the spill-related costs of Delaware and Chazen - costs which wouldn’t be known until after the work was done.

I suggested that the Sewer Funds generally have sizable positive fund balances which might be used for these ‘soft’ costs if not reimbursed.  There it is, in both the Delaware and Chazen resolutions: “covered by Sewer fund balance for the portion of the current proposal estimate limit denied by insurance”.

 

It’s not rocket science, Supervisor Langley, just communication, cooperation, working together and, most importantly, adult behavior! 

Pete Stenson
East Greenbush

Special Meeting Notice

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Town Board of the Town of East Greenbush will hold a special Meeting on Thursday, June 4th, 2015 at 4:30 p.m. at Town Hall for the purpose of voting on resolutions related to the remediation and construction to the Waste Water Treatment Plant that were withdrawn at the regular May 20, 2015 Town Board Meeting. (Original Resolution No. 75-2015 - 83-2015)