Regular Meeting—September 10, 2003

            The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM by Mayor J. Bert Mahoney.  Trustees Kelts, Pascucci and VanDervoort were present.  Trustee Rocque was absent and excused.

Also present were Treasurer Gorham, Director of  Public Works Falcone, Clerk O’Brien, and Attorney Fred Hutchison.  Several village residents also attended the meeting.

            Trustee Kelts moved to waive reading the minutes from the previous meeting and to accept them as written.  Trustee VanDervoort seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

            Trustee Pascucci—Re a proposed skateboard park, an RPI professor of engineering has expressed interest in mentoring the interested young people to build their own facility, introducing them to engineering in the process.  The town has committed one end of the Garrett Field tennis courts to the project.  Another meeting will be held soon.  He also suggested that a defibrillator should be purchased by the village and town for use in the Town Hall.

            Trustee Rocque’s report on the fire department and the DPW report were both read by Trustee VanDervoort.  The fire department answered 13 emergency alarms during August.  Volunteer Day will be observed Sat., Sept. 13, at the Ford fire house.  The DPW has met with county officials to finalize the 10 ton weight limit signage and installation.  Both reports are available for inspection from the Village Clerk. 

            Trustee Kelts—Plans are complete and signups are still coming in for the Sell-out.  We should have a full park on the 27^th.

            Village finances as of Aug. 31 are as follows:  Checking account balance, $70,552.84; money market account, $263,625.27; total cash balance, $334,178.11.  Special projects fund balance, $46,167.19.  Unaudited utilities, $3,168.83; Payrolls, $9,474.06; Section 8, $19,589.00.

            We have a General Fund abstract in the amount of $30,395.47 and a Special Projects Fund abstract, for the landscaping in Knickerbocker Park, in the amount of $9,920.00.  Trustee Kelts moved to pay these bills upon approval of the department heads and the village board.  Trustee VanDervoort seconded the motion and all voted Yes.

            The Broad Street rebuild project will not be done until next spring, due to a water line which must be replaced.  The State DOT will hold a public meeting to discuss the rerouting of traffic and other aspects of the project.   The Rt. 32 bridge work is behind schedule because of the need for more steel work than was originally anticipated.

            The Peebles Island Bridge is almost complete and scheduled to open Nov. 1.  Signs in front of St. Mary’s School designating spaces for school bus parking will be changed to show the specific hours when only buses can be parked there.

            Trustee Kelts offered a Resolution (#       ) authorizing the mayor to sign an agreement to join the family self-sufficiency program with Section 8, at no additional cost to the village.  Trustee Pascucci offered the second.  All Trustees and Mayor Mahoney voted Yes.

            Trustee VanDervoort offered a Resolution (#     ) to again authorize the mayor to sign a betterment resolution with the State of NY for the work on Broad Street between 7^th St. and the 5^th St. Bridge.  Trustee Kelts seconded;  all Trustees and Mayor Mahoney voted Yes.

             Trustee Pascucci offered a Resolution (#      ) stipulating that the Village share of the above Betterment Resolution will not exceed $16,000.  Trustee Kelts seconded; all Trustees and Mayor Mahoney voted Yes.

            Trustee Kelts offered a Resolution (#       ) transferring $15,000 from A8510.4, Community Beautification, to A9950.9, transfer to Capital Projects Fund.  The second was offered by Trustee VanDervoort.  All Trustees and Mayor Mahoney voted Yes.

            Trustee Kelts offered the Resolution (#      ) on a notice of intent to cooperate with Saratoga County on an MS4 Grant for the storm water separation project.  Trustee Pascucci offered the second.  All Trustees and Mayor Mahoney voted Yes.

            Trustee Kelts offered a Resolution (#      )  to hold the third annual Fife and Drum Muster on June 4,5,6, 2004.  The second was offered by Trustee VanDervoort; all Trustees and Mayor Mahoney voted Yes.

            Mayor Mahoney announced that all board members have been invited to march in the Fordian Fever parade on Sat., Oct. 4, lineup at 9:30AM.

            The mayor opened the meeting to anyone wishing to address the board.  Dr. Paul Grattan, Third & Division St., asked about traffic control at that intersection to permit easier pedestrian crossing of Third St.  He also asked when his sidewalk would be repaired from damages inflicted during snow removal last winter.  He was assured that the contractor was supposed to be working on sidewalks within the next 2 weeks, but any traffic control on Third St. would be up to the State since that is a state highway.

            David Baker, 10 7^th St., spoke regarding his FOIL requests, which he claims have not been adequately addressed, although he had received a response within the mandated time period.  He was informed by the clerk that the reports were now available for his inspection and that a letter so stating had been mailed to him that day.  Mr. Baker stated that the village is “in violation of the law” by not immediately producing the reports he asks for, and is deliberately trying to withhold the information from him.  He claimed that this is the reason why the Freedom of Information Law was created and compared the Village of Waterford to the Watergate scandal of the seventies.  During a heated exchange with Mayor Mahoney, Mr. Baker insisted that the fire siren is blown unnecessarily by “little boys playing with their sirens” and stated that he will continue to submit FOIL requests until the siren is turned off.  Mayor Mahoney assured him once again that the siren is important to the safety and well-being of all village residents and will not be turned off because of his demands.   Mr. Baker angrily left the meeting.

            Ed Huneau, 3 Sixth St., expressed concern over the condition of Broad Street continuing throughout the winter.  He was assured that the road will be scraped and a thin coat of blacktop applied before winter.

            Frank Galarneau, 5 Sixth St., asked for clarification of steps being taken on weight limits for trucks in the village.  He was assured that once the correct signs are installed, the police will be able to enforce the limits.  He also asked about the status of the King Fuels station at 112 Broad St., which has been closed for over 12 months.

            As there was no further business to be conducted, the meeting was adjourned at 8:10 PM.       

                                                                        Respectfully submitted,

                                                                       Nancy P. O’Brien, Village Clerk