Town of Red Hook Town Board
Workshop Meeting
July19 2005

A workshop of the Red Hook Town Board was held Tuesday July 19, 2005 with the following in attendance:

Supervisor – Marirose Blum Bump
Councilman – James Ross
Councilwoman – Sue Crane
Councilwoman – Jean Bordewich
Councilman – Harold Ramsey
Town Clerk – Margaret E. Doty

Also present: Deputy Supervisor William O’Neill

Supervisor Blum Bump read the Supervisor’s Report for June which was not available at the Town Board meeting.

Motion by Councilman Ramsey, seconded by Councilwoman Crane and carried unanimously accepting the Supervisor’s Report for June as read.

On the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Land Use Conservation and Development Working Group Deputy Supervisor O’Neill gave a brief report.

The maps-The Soil and Slope Map is finished, the Agricultural Resource Map is ready but the Water Resource Map is not ready, hopefully in a couple of months.

The Inter-municipal agreement Task Force met July 11, 2005 at the Town Hall along with Ted Fink of Greenplan with each municipality representative to discuss the proposed consolidated Planning Board. Another meeting will be held on August 12th.

Pre-Planning Conferences were held with Mr. Kalina on his proposal and Dr. Leone and Dr. Migliorelli project with donation of a 60 acre parcel to the Town of Red Hook to preserve natural resources (well site).

St. Margaret’s Home project, grant was filed by June 30, 2005. This was discussed at the Board meeting on July 12, 2005.

The special projects were discussed as the road issue with respect to the Hardscrabble Commons and Anderson Commons. Future meetings are planned for the Highway Garage plans.

Councilman Ramsey said they discussed the road width with Greenplan, Planning and Highway Superintendent was going to measure the equipment and roads and would get back to them.

Councilman Ramsey questioned when would the school get involved with Inter-municipal planning?

Deputy Supervisor O’Neill said it would be with major subdivisions 4 or more and they are going to be copied on the minutes from every meeting.

Supervisor Blum Bump said on the St. Margaret project we are trying to set up a meeting with Hannaford as Winty Aldrich will be the one going to Maine.

Councilwoman Crane asked that she be informed as she also was going to Maine and would like to attend that meeting with Hannaford.

Supervisor Blum Bump introduced Karen Schneller-MacDonald who will give a presentation on the use and importance of Wetlands.

Karen said Wetlands bring to mind wildness, beauty, inaccessibility and sometimes negative feeling of uselessness when considered near human resources. Why do we need to protect wetlands and stream corridors? We need to protect and enhance surface water resources.

Wetlands are areas that are periodically saturated with or covered by water. The presence of water in these areas is the major factor in determining the types of soil that develop and the kind of plants and animals that live there. Since the water level often varies in a wetland certain plants and wet soils are usually good indicators of a wetland.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife service maintain a list of twenty different wetland categories. Familiar types of wetlands include marches, swamps, bogs and vernal pools, also the shallow water zones of rivers, lakes and ponds. Some wetlands are not easily recognized.

Wetlands and stream corridors regardless of size provide a variety of functions important to our quality of life.

-regulating storm water runoff flows.

-contributing to the protection of clean ground water by acting as a natural filter of wetlands.

One of the things to protect wetlands would be to develop a local ordinance. Local leaders could implement and support these protective guidelines and policies for use of these wetlands.

Councilwoman Bordewich asked if development was going on and you didn’t want the wetlands disturbed could this be done.

Karen said there are a number of things to start with planning strategies, plan cluster concepts, saving open space and wetlands. There are a number of reference books available to help you.

Supervisor Blum Bump asked if there are wetlands does that mean there is an aquifer.

Karen….not necessarily but if there is one it should be protected.

There is a lot of information out there as it is becoming more and more a concern to protect the wetlands.

Councilwoman Crane…if we should concentrate on large areas of wetlands where would you start in the Town.

Karen said you would probably start with an ordinance by implementing and supporting protective guidelines for use of these wetlands.

Councilman Ross said we have a 100 foot buffer on the Sawkill for protection.

Supervisor Blum Bump thanked Karen for her presentation.

On the Conservation Easement Law Robert McKeon sent out an E-mail to the Board with the criteria. The CAC and Agriculture Committee would be meeting to discuss this on July 19th at 7:00 p.m.

Supervisor Blum Bump said the notice of public hearing July 27, 2005 pursuant to Eminent Domain procedure law all the parcels numbers were not included so a new public hearing will be set for August 3rd which will include all the parcels the Town is interested in.

Motion by Councilwoman Bordewich, seconded by Councilwoman Crane that we cancel the public hearing set for July 27th and reschedule the public hearing on Eminent Domain procedure law for August 3, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. which will include all parcel numbers of the properties.

Supervisor Blum Bump - Yes
Councilman Ross - Yes
Councilwoman Crane - No
Councilwoman Bordewich - Yes
Councilman Ramsey - No
 

Councilwoman Bordewich read a letter she had complied on the reassessment project review, report of the results of the reassessment and grievance board review process.

Councilman Ramsey also wanted to include in the letter, how many will be going to small claim court and is Richard Trotti still getting complaints and how is he handling these complaints.

Councilwoman Bordewich will E-mail the board a copy after Supervisor Blum Bump signs it.

DEPARTMENT REPORTS:

Recycling –
Councilwoman Bordewich read report from T.J. Hackett at recycling. Thanked the board for appointing Kevin Holt as volunteer.

Freon units are building up, still needs equipment to do this. He is planning on contacting Hobson’s in Rhinebeck to see if they can help us out.

His use of safety cones and parking signs has helped at the center.

CAC-
Councilwoman Bordewich reported that on the CAC that Susan Ellis was working on the wetland protection that they would recommend to be included in the Town’s zoning code. They are also working on the trails.

Brenda Cagle, volunteer to represent us putting trees on rural and scenic roads.

Councilman Ramsey asked if Laurie Husted had done the energy audit on the Town Hall.

Supervisor Blum Bump said yes it has been done.

Councilwoman Bordewich said on Wayne’s recommendation we should send a letter about speed on W. Kerley Corners.

Councilman Ramsey said he would send a letter to Commissioner Murphy.

Councilwoman Bordewich reported that she went out last week with Wayne to finalize the bicycle route on marking signs from Village on Linden Avenue for safety from Rec. Park to Bard. Wayne spoke of putting 4 ft stone dust path on the east side of Linden Avenue, although there is six foot asphalt on either side this path would insure more safety for walking. Wayne felt the cost for the path would be in his budget. He would also put in some signs. When we get the grant we will put a path through the wetlands that would come out Apple Ring through Linden Acres ending at Bard theatre.

Will send a letter to Commissioner Murphy regarding the bicycle and walking signs on Linden Avenue.

The next workshop we will discuss eminent domain so a presentation can be made to the public on August 3rd.

Supervisor Blum Bump opened the floor for a public comment period.

Linda Keeling resident thanked Harold for responding to her request but has not received her other foil request from Supervisor Blum Bump on #2 and #3 and would like them in writing. The time frame for these requests has already past.

The Town has to remember any trails you put in have to be handicapped accessible.

Councilwoman Bordewich said it’s not a trail but a path along Linden Avenue, a shared roadway.

Linda said she was attending a meeting tomorrow and would check it out.

Councilwoman Bordewich asked that she give her a call after she attended the seminar.

Kathy Stewart resident asked if the letter you are sending to the assessor all of that information could be gleaned by everybody if you used excel. I would suggest the request be computerized and made available to everyone.

My next question is that I know there is a lot of discussion going on about the highway garage. Right now the highway garage sits on the aquifer and I would like to see if there was someway or request that you look at some possible other sites out of the center of town away from the middle of traffic away from the aquifer.

Councilman Ramsey replied we have considered it but the biggest expense would be the removal of the salt shed.

Kathy said this may be a big commercial site we could sell off and pay for the whole thing.

Louis Dondero resident said on the letter you are sending to Mr. Trotti will it be after the fact.

We have been given the run around by Mr. Watch and his staff. I went to grievance with a stack of stuff and the review board said there was no change as we had no evidence.

Mr. Trotti said all my changes were made on the computer but I haven’t seen it.

Mr. Dondero asked if he would have a map of the Central Hudson property and received one.

Motion by Supervisor Blum Bump, seconded by Councilwoman Bordewich meeting adjourned 10:05 p.m.

Town Clerk, Margaret E. Doty