Village Board Minutes

August 5, 2024 (15)

A regular meeting of the Village Board was held August 5, 2024 at 6:30 PM in the Firehouse, 16 Saratoga Ave.

Mayor Miller called the meeting to order &led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll Call: Trustee Clark, Trustee Kirchhoff & Trustee Stollery were present.  Trustee Bedell was excused.

Motion by Trustee Kirchhoff, seconded by Trustee Stollery, approved minutes of July 15, 2024 public hearing & regular meeting as typed.
Carried – 3 – 0

CORRESPONDENCE – none.

PUBLIC COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & CONCERNS (AGENDA ITEMS ONLY)

Jim Murray, Center St, spoke in favor of the Village issuing a letter of support to Hal Raven to purchase the IP railroad tracks.

DEPARTMENT REPORTS

CLERK-TREASURER – Clerk-Treas Colson was present, report for 8/5/2024 read & filed.

Motion by Trustee Clark, seconded by Trustee Kirchhoff, approved payment of abstract #4 in the amount of: Payroll $90,568.51 (#0120-0122); General $233,784.57            (#0123-0159, 0171, 0173, 0176-0178); Water $3,541.48            (#0158-0164, 0171, 0177); Sewer $4,971.69 (#0156-0159, 0165-0171, 0176-0177); and Capital Projects $167,269.11 (#0172, 0174-0175).
Carried – 3 – 0

Clerk-Treas Colson informed the Board that the CDBG application prepared for the Heath St & Hill Ave was unable to be submitted.  The Office of Community Renewal requires the notice of public hearing be published in the official newspaper seven days before the public hearing.  The Board passed the resolution to apply and set the public hearing for July 15^th on July 1^st.  Due to The Post Star only publishing three days a week & the Independence Day holiday the notice was published four days before the hearing.  Clerk-Treas Colson mistakenly thought the requirement was five days and felt the posting was adequate since the notice had been posted on the website, Facebook and in the Village Hall thirteen days in advance.  Unfortunately, the lack of sufficient notice was a fatal flaw preventing the application from being submitted.

Chief Kelley arrived late due to a fire call.

DPW/WATER/WWTP – Supt Lozier was present, report for July 2024 read & filed.

DPW has begun complete restoration of dead-end Center Street.

A recent spill from the Tops grease dumpster has been cleaned out of the storm sewer.

Major storm damagecleanup of streets, the Beach, and Pagenstecher Park has been completed.  There has been extensive damage to the Reservoir property that will take quite some time to clean up.  The Board instructed Supt Lozier to continue to evaluate the situation as his schedule permits and they will consider possibly outsourcing cleanup if he deems it necessary.  The Lower Reservoir is accessible.  Until the area is cleared, people are advised not to attempt accessing the Upper Reservoir.

Don Rhodes, Laberge Group, addressed the Board regarding the oil contamination found on Gobel Ave.  the contamination is a result of off site contamination not related to the construction, DEC has been monitoring to identify the heavily contaminated area which has been excavated, stored at the DPW garage on plastic tarps, and will be taken into custody by DEC and their approved contractor for disposal.  Materials determined by DEC to be lightly contaminated (5 parts per million) have been approved to use as fill under the reconstructed roadway adjacent to the areas already contaminated and will be covered with subbase and paving.  Kubricky completed the extra excavation on a time and materials basis and will submit a change order to the Village estimated to be around $5,000.  EFC will consider if the additional cost is payable under the current funding.

FIRE DEPARTMENT – Chief Kelley arrived at 6:36 PM, report for July 2024 read & filed.

Chief Kelley stated the brush truck was fixed and in service and that the storm made for a busy July with 21 calls July 16^th-17^th.

BUILDING INSPECTOR – Insp Hepner was present, report for 8/5/2024 read & filed.

The RISE project was issued a Certificate of Occupancy in July.

Mayor Miller inquired about a reported problem on Center St, Insp Hepner and Dr. Siniapkin investigated and the issue was not as extensive as previously reported.  All animals at the residence are being removed by animal control.

OLD BUSINESS – none.

NEW BUSINESS

Resolution #21 approved, setting standard workday and reporting to NYS Retirement for elected officials Michael Bedell & James Clark.

Hal Raven, Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railway, addressed the Board regarding potential purchase of the IP owned railroad tracks in Corinth.  Mr. Raven plans to make a purchase offer to allow him to use the property and tracks to build a shop facility for repair of the railroad cars near the Corinth Central School Bus Garage.    Mr. Raven’s plans include rebuilding the tracks across Palmer Ave to allow access by rail to Pagenstecher Park & the Hudson River Mill Museum, possibly using grant funding.  Mr. Raven requested a letter in support of the plan from the Village Board.  The Board consensus was to issue a letter of support.

The Board considered a change order to install a two-foot-wide wing curb and drainage catch basin to better address surface water run off on Gobel Ave.

Resolution #22 approved, authorize mayoral signature on change order #4 on Palmer Ave/ Gobel reconstruction project for John Kubricky & Sons; increase of $16,000.

The Board considered a change order to pave a 4 to 5-foot section of Fourth St between Palmer Ave and Palmer Ave Alley using unit pricing in the Palmer Ave project.  The recent work paid for by Hudson River Credit Union has left  a mismatch in paving, the Credit Union paid for their portion of the work, attorney and engineering fees.  Paving the remaining portion can be paved using CHIPS funds.  Supt Lozier recommended the repave be completed.

Resolution #23 approved, authorize mayoral signature on change order for paving four – to five-foot section of Fourth St between Palmer Ave and Palmer Ave Alley by John Kubricky & Sons; $10,400.

Motion by Trustee Kirchhoff, seconded by Trustee Clark, approved attendance at Fall NYCOM Training School in Saratoga September 16-20, 2024 for all interested employees and elected officials at a cost of up to $808 plus reimbursable expenses per individual.
Carried – 3 – 0

PUBLIC COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

Jennifer Michelle, Locust Ridge, addressed the Board regarding the risk of invasive plants being stirred up at the Reservoir during clean-up and offered to contact DEC for recommendations on minimizing the impact to native plantings.  Mayor Miller thanked her.

Jennifer Kietzman, Pine St, asked if the Board was still considering a joint Downtown Revitalization or New York Forward Grant application with the Town.  Mayor Miller informed her of recent discussions with State representatives and his general feeling that the Village was not ready to move forward at this time with no executable plans in place.  The mayor stressed the importance of the Comprehensive Master Planning process in order to obtain community buy in and stated it may be a year before the Village would have viable projects.

Jim Murray, Center St, suggested reviving events similar to the Firemen’s Association carnivals.

Hal Raven, Saratoga Corinth & Hudson Railway, informed the Board the railway may be interested in hosting a community event similar to a Touch-a-Truck event with historic D&H railroad cars.

BOARD COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & CONCERNS

Trustee Clark gave Supt Lozier information on submitting storm clean-up costs for FEMA funding.

Mayor Miller stated the Beach inspection by DOH found no issues. 

The RISE Project ribbon cutting is August 22 at 10:30 AM.  Mayor Miller stated it appears apartment leases are being given through a lottery system with no preference to Corinth residents, he is inquiring with Sybil Newell.

Mayor Miller stated the Sheriff reported decreased traffic violations and an increase in arrests for July.  The mayor has requested the Sheriff’s Dept increase patrolling at the Beach, Hamilton Ave, and downtown businesses.

Mayor Miller asked Don Rhodes about the Palmer Ave project.  Mr. Rhodes stated it is still ahead of schedule, paving should be in September, curbs and sidewalks would begin soon.  Mr. Rhodes also asked a Board member to visit the resident on Palmer requesting no trees be planted near their property as the landscaping plan was developed by LA Group and the omission of the trees near that resident’s property would leave a hole in the landscaping.

ADJOURNMENT

Motion by Trustee Stollery, seconded by Trustee Clark, that the Board adjourn, 7:31 PM.
Carried – 3 – 0

Nicole M. Colson
Clerk-Treasurer