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From the
Columbia Land Conservancy's Senior Project Manager Thomas Crowell:
Assemblyman Patrick Manning to Host Public Discussion of the B&A Rail
Trail Proposal
Assemblyman Patrick Manning, in concert with Supervisor Jim Keegan, will host a public gathering on January 4th to discuss a proposal by the County Board of Supervisors to utilize the former Boston and Albany (B&A) rail bed as a public recreational trail. The discussion will take place at 7 p.m. at American Legion Post #252, Main Street, Philmont.
The county-owned B&A rail bed extends approximately eight and half miles from just west of the center of Claverack, through Mellenville, and into the hamlet of Ghent, where it joins the former Harlem Valley Rail line. Staff from the Columbia Land Conservancy will be on hand to discuss how this potential project and the proposed Harlem Valley Rail Trail project, now underway with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, could bring recreational and economic benefits to the towns of Ghent and Claverack.
A second meeting on the same topic will be held at the Ghent VFW at 7 p.m. on the 18th of January. Any interested parties are encouraged to attend and make comment. For more information call Tom Crowell at the Columbia Land Conservancy: (518) 392-5252 ext 209.
Rumor of Philmont
store closing put to rest
By Kate Kirschenheiter, Register-Star, November 16, 2005
PHILMONT -- While the rumor mill makes it sound like Lagonia's Country Market in Philmont is or soon will be closed, Robert Lagonia was very clear Tuesday morning that he isn't quite ready to let the store close for good.
"I don't want the community to think we are closing," Lagonia said. There is already a sign in the window that shouts out "We are still open" when people pull into the parking lot or pass by on the street.
During its years of operation, the market has changed hands and has even closed down completely twice; with this being the third time the market is floundering from lack of grocery shoppers.
According to Lagonia, the size and scale of the store, as well as the many varieties of merchandise offered, are a large part of the problems it is facing.
"It's just the size of the store," Lagonia said. "The configuration of the store is just too big. There just isn't enough money in the village to support what is currently there. It's used as an oversized convenience store."
Lagonia, who has been running the store for three years and has owned it since January, has a plan in mind and is currently selling down the shelves, as he put it, in order to make the village market smaller.
"We are still getting fresh bread, fresh meat, fresh produce, fresh milk," he assured, "but we are toning down the groceries. We are thinking about cutting the store in half and trying to carry the same items, just not as many varieties."
Currently, for example, the village market carries "60-feet of dog food," which Lagonia said is overstocked for a store that the community does not frequent as their primary grocer.
Lagonia acknowledges that except for a select few, the market's customers do most of their actual shopping in nearby Greenport where chain stores like Price Chopper, Shop-Rite and smaller grocers like ALDI's and Save-A-Lot reside.
In order for the market to stay open, Lagonia needs the community to show that they are going to continue shopping at the smaller scale version of the market.
"We need an indication that they will support us if we are smaller," he said during an interview at his neighboring restaurant. "We are trying to get a feel for what the community thinks about it."
Lagonia said the market would still carry what it doesnow, but like the dog food, there wouldn't be 12 types of ketchup available to customers, for example, with only a few of the most popular versions remaining.
"If we get a following with less product, then we are still going to do business," Lagonia assured the Register-Star Tuesday. "Even toning down the product, I don't know if we can do it."
If the shoppers don't show their support for the old country market, Lagonia, like any businessman, is certain of one thing.
"If not, it's going to go."
Po tribute
unveiling Saturday
Register-Star, October 30, 2005
PHILMONT -- The Philmont Public Library will have an unveiling of the Memorial Tribute to former Mayor Philip "Po" Mossman 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the library, 101 Main St. There will be a short service and light refreshments. The public is cordially invited to join the family and library board and staff at the unveiling. The display will be available for viewing for approximately one month.
Village's
reservoir suffering from weed infiltration
Board considers physical, chemical and biological options
By Kate Kirschenheiter, Register-Star, October 29, 2005
PHILMONT -- A recent topical study of the village's reservoir, Summit Lake, determined that the lake suffers from problems with American waterweed, algae and the beginnings of what could one day be a water chestnut infiltration.
"In mid-August I came and looked at the lake," said Department of Environmental Conservation Lake Services Representative Scott Kishbaugh at Wednesday night's Village Board meeting. "We have some concerns about aquatic plant growth to the surface."
Kishbaugh described the growth as "persistent" and a significant enough problem to require some sort of action on the part of the village.
He told the assembled board and audience members that he felt the aquatic weed problems were more significant than the algae problems and that the plant growth may even be contributing to the algae.
"It slows the water down," he explained, adding that this allowed sunlight to warm the water better and facilitate the growth of algae in the lake. "Normally, it should flow steadily."
Kishbaugh was able to identify the predominant aquatic plant in the lake as common waterweed, or American waterweed. And he assured the village that they weren't alone in terms of having this plant in the reservoir.
"About every lake in Columbia County has this plant," he said.
But aside from the predominant plant, Kishbaugh saw an even greater threat to the lake -- water chestnut.
"There is enough that it's a cause for concern," he said, though he himself only saw a few patches of the plant. "It is very common in the Hudson River. It was introduced in Collins Lake in Scotia about 100 years ago and spread rapidly. It has the potential to take off and explode."
According to Kishbaugh, water chestnut is very difficult to control, but he felt that the village was at a good stage to tackle the problem before it really took off.
"This is a plant we want to try to eliminate as quickly and as aggressively as possible," he said. "The best way to deal with it is to cut it before the seed drops. This will help retard growth in the future."
Kishbaugh suggested pulling the plants between mid-June and early August.
To describe just how prolific water chestnut can get, he gave a visual idea one might come across on the Hudson River.
"There are places on the Hudson that you can't get a canoe through," he said.
The common waterweed affords the village a few more options than the water chestnut does, in terms of dealing with the problem. Kishbaugh said there are three different categories of maintenance: physical, chemical and biological.
Physical includes draw downs, dredging and other similar means; chemical is the use of herbicides; and biological utilizes organisms that feed on the plants causing the problems.
After much discussion and weighing the pros and cons, it seemed at the meeting that in order to deal with the waterweed a draw down was the first, if not the only, step in combating the plant.
"You can draw down the reservoir and expose the plants to drying or freezing over winter," he said.
There had been talk of dredging the lake, but Kishbaugh said that was not a top priority in his mind for a number of reasons; some being that it tends to be very expensive and could cost the village $50,000, the permits are also extensive and take a lot of time and it tends to remove all plant material.
Biological controls that Kishbaugh mentioned included the use of grass carp, which are an exotic species of fish that feast on common waterweed.
The grass carp, however, pose a number challenges in the reservoir. One, there would need to be a stocking of approximately 150 to 200 fish, which costs in the range of $4,000 to $5,000 and there would need to be a way to keep them contained in the lake.
To put a fence up at the damn, according to town officials, would be a highly difficult undertaking, and Kishbaugh said it wasn't something that many municipalities had opted for because of this sort of challenge.
There is also question of whether or not any of the reservoir is classified as a wetland. If so, the use of grass carp is greatly limited, if not prohibited, because once they ate out the waterweed, they would move on to other lake growth and possibly endangered or protected plants.
One audience member piped up and asked about the possibility and potential benefits of installing a drain in the reservoir, which might increase oxygen flow and get the water moving more.
Kishbaugh felt that it might not have much of an affect on the problems facing the lake, primarily because the lake does move at a decent pace.
On the topic of the grass carp and the fencing needed to control them, audience member Max Dannis inquired about the possibility of placing the fence farther down the stream, not at the point of the dam.
Kishbaugh said this might be a possibility, but that the village would have to take up the question with the man from the DEC's fisheries division.
Mike Scheller asked what the village's chances of getting the lake dredged would be, to which Kishbaugh responded it would hinge on the question of wetlands.
"The key is if it is partly wetland," he said. "If it is, then not likely. If there are no wetlands, then it is possible." But also cautioned, "dredging has been referred to as a lobotomy for a lake," he said. "It causes significant changes."
Another point against dredging is that no sediment can be moved from behind the dam, according to a number of board members and Scheller, because of the back pressure it provides.
"You wouldn't dare do anything near that dam," Scheller said.
Trustee Brian Johnson commented that the draw down seemed like the least expensive way to go and he inquired about the length of the permit process. Kishbaugh said the permitting is usually same season as when the application is sent in.
The village would need to go through a state Environmental Quality Review Act process to determine impacts of the project, similar to what has to be done in Planning Board situations.
Scheller also brought up that the lake was drawn down six years ago when there was a break in the dam and that all the research about the impacts of a draw down had been done then.
Kishbaugh acknowledged that this might save the village some legwork and time in collecting that information. He said that next step for the village is to contact the necessary people within DEC and find out what they can and can't do for sure.
"In my opinion, the side effects of a draw down are smaller," he said. "But others disagree with that."
Register-Star,
October 27, 2005, Letter to the editor
Tree-huggers thanked
To the editor:
After one and a half years the Philmont Main Street Tree Project is complete.
Special thanks go to tree-huggers, Joan Simard, Barbara Sagal, Eileen Ordu, Philmont Main Street Committee members, village of Philmont, Trustee Brian Johnson, participating village residents and businesses, town of Claverack, Max Dannis and Sam Wright.
Hats off to the New York state Department of Transportation Landscaping Division for providing us with beautiful trees and a great work crew.
What a great bunch of folks to work with!
Carolyn Stern
Main Street Committee
Tree Project Coordinator
Philmont
Mellenville: Halloween party
The Mellenville Grange #1255 will hold its annual Community Halloween Party 6:30 p.m. Thursday. All community members are invited to attend and enjoy games, treats and costume judging.
In Brief
Haunted house
Register-Star, October 26, 2005
PHILMONT -- The Hudson River Academy will present its second annual Halloween Haunted House from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday and from 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday at the old Taconic Hills-Ockawamick school building on Route 217 in Philmont.
Admission will be $4 for adults and $2 for children 11 and under.
Refreshments will be available.
Pumpkin Walk 2005
Bake your apple and/or pumpkin pie, carve your pumpkin, put a candle in it and bring them to the Pumpkin Walk on the Reservoir in Philmont on Saturday, October 29th from 5PM - 8PM.
A fun-filled family evening, there will be a campfire by the Reservoir, live music, make-a-scarecrow, storytelling, hayrides and much more fun. Some of the civic and religious organizations in the community will be there with bake tables, soft drinks and coffee for sale.
There will be an apple and pumpkin pie contest. Bake your favorite or bake one of each. Judging will occur and there will be first, second and third place ribbons for the best pies. After the judging, the pies will be cut up and distributed to walk attendees.
Pumpkins will be lined up along the Reservoir and lit at dusk. Stroll along and look at all the jack'o'lanterns, listen to the music and enjoy a piece of pie!
Please join us.
Contact information: brewster129@aol.com or call Jeff at 672-7647.
Sponsored by the Main Street Committee in Philmont.
Register-Star,
October 23, 2005
In brief
Haunted house
PHILMONT -- The residents of the Pine Haven Home in Philmont will sponsor a "Haunted House on the Hill" from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
All are invited to attend and the event in free.
Refreshments will be available.
For more information, call 518-672-7408 extension 120.
Register-Star,
October 22, 2005, Letter to the editor
No partisanship on site
To the editor:
Some confusion, and apparently some dismay, have resulted from the presence of "hyperlinks" to the Web site of the Philmont Library, located at www.philmont.org. The links in question appear on the Web sites of the Claverack Republicans and the Claverack Democrats.
A recent letter from Sally Baker of Philmont says that the Republicans' inclusion of the link is an attempt to suggest that the Philmont Library endorses the Republican candidates. Ms. Baker's letter also has been read by some as critical of the library, as if such endorsement actually had occurred.
It comes as no surprise to me, though, that library staff have confirmed that no such endorsement occurred, or will occur, because it is neither appropriate nor legal for the library to take sides politically.
I can tell you that the Claverack Democrats' Web site, www.claverack.org, which originally was developed in 2003 to fill a need for community information, put up links to a number of nonpartisan organizations that are important to our community -- not the least of which is the Philmont Library.
In no way was inclusion of the link intended to represent any partisanship whatsoever. I won't speak for the Claverack Republicans, of course, but it does not appear to me that any partisanship was intended on their part, either.
At any rate, at the library's request and to put this issue to rest, the link from the Democrats' Web site to the Library's Web site has been removed. (The Republicans have done likewise.) That said, we hope that members of the community will continue to find their way to the library's site, so that children and adults will have maximum access to the information provided there.
The Philmont Library is an enormous asset to our town. And there's an issue that I have no doubt that the Claverack Republicans and the Claverack Democrats can agree on.
Virginia Martin
Claverack
Register-Star,
October 19, 2005, Letter to the editor
No endorsement
To the editor:
This letter is in response to the Letter to the Editor submitted by Sally Baker in the Oct. 12, 2005, issue of the Register-Star. The Philmont Public Library was not consulted when the Web site she refers to was created. Therefore, we had no prior knowledge that we would be included as a link on the site, nor were we aware that we would be included on the other party's site as a link.
Within an hour of the time the library became aware of each of these links, we requested that our name be removed; and it was removed in each ease.
The Philmont Public Library has worked hard to enhance the lives of the people in our community and to establish a reputation for doing so. We wouldn't want Ms. Baker's misinterpretation of a link being equal to an endorsement to tarnish that reputation. We have not and will not endorse any candidate for public office.
Rain Whittaker,
Board President
Karen A. Garafalo, Interim director
Philmont Public Library
New trees
help spruce up Main Street in Philmont
By Kate Kirschenheiter, Register-Star, October 19, 2005
After a year and half of work, Main Street in Philmont now sports 37 new trees of various sizes, shapes and species.
Tuesday, workmen from DaCosta Landscaping in Ossining, Westchester County, who contracts with the state, could be seen planting trees anywhere from Roxbury Road near the Claverack Town Justice Court to Eagle Street by the American Legion.
"The Main Street Committee has been working on the tree-planting for about a year and half," said Main Street. Committee member Carolyn Stern. "The New York state Department of Transportation landscaping division has a project to revitalize main streets throughout the state. We got on their list and waited about a year and half."
According to Stern, different trees were placed according to height requirements -- which ones would fit underneath power lines being an important consideration.
"If there were low wire, we used more of the smaller trees," she said. "In areas where there was more clearance we used the larger street trees."
Sortie varieties planted in the village included cusa dogwood, flowering pear, lilac, scholar, service berry, linden, locust and maple trees.
"The goal is to create a streetscape that would provide shade and would add a flow and unity to the village," Stern said. "In certain areas we had to use smaller trees. We tried to cluster them together, so there is a group of pear trees instead of having one by itself."
Trees were planted on the land of private citizens, businesses and on three village and one county location.
"We had to get permission from local businesses and private citizens to plant the trees," she said.
Stern said that anyone living on Main Street who is interested in participating in the next round of tree planting can contact her through the village office at 518-672-7032 or send mail to P.O. Box 569, Philmont.
Workshop on
cleaning up lake set for October
Register-Star, October 12, 2005
PHILMONT -- A representative from the New YorkState Department of Environmental Conservation will attend the village's Oct. 26 workshop to discuss the conditions of the reservoir and possible remedies.
According to Village Trustee Joseph Krein, the reservoir, also known as Summit Lake, needs to be cleaned up, which is the reason for the DEC representative.
"We need to get rid of some of the algae on top of it," he said from home, "especially since the community center is done."
Krein said the clean-up could involve dredging the lake, which used to be suitable for swimming but hasn't been in a number of years.
"We've had some problems with it," he said.
The public is invited to attend the 7 p.m. meeting at the village hall on Main Street in Philmont.
--Kate Kirschenheiter
Community
Center near completion, will open soon
By Kate Kirschenheiter, Register-Star, October 12, 2005
PHILMONT -- After years of work and a number of setbacks, the Philmont Community Center on Lake View Drive is nearly complete and will soon be ready to open to the public, according to village Trustee Joseph Krein.
"I've been working on it for three years," Krein said of the community center, adding that he took on the project when he gained his trustee seat. "It was previously worked on by Brian Johnson and Doug Cropper. It's finally going to be done because of a large donation from Max Dannis."
The community center, an old bathhouse on the edge of Summit Lake in the village, was completely gutted, doubled and expanded, Krein told the Register-Star Monday.
"It was an old bathhouse for the reservoir when we used it as a beach," he said. "We are going to reopen the snack bar and the community center is one large room with a furnace and a bathroom."
Krein said the building will be used for Community Day in the village, as well as other projects. He added that he has also been approached by various organizations in the area who wish to use the facility for meetings.
"I've been working on it for so long," Krein said. "It's just going to be so great to finally have it open and have it used. It's going to be used by the whole community and as a youth center."
There were, however, some setbacks in the community center's renovations, Krein said, which have since been taken care of.
"What took me so long is that we had a lot of vandalism," he said. "All the windows were broken. I had to put bulletproof glass in the windows, put in security doors and security lighting."
Last year, Krein said, the electricity was wired in the community center, and thanks to the donation from Dannis, the interior of the center is complete now.
"Because of the large donation, I was able to get the interior finished in about three weeks," he said, adding that he was not the only one to work on the project.
"There were a lot of other people who helped over the years," Krein said, giving credit to Johnson and Cropper for getting the ball rolling.
Krein is hopeful the new community center will be ready to open in about three weeks and he said there may be some sort of grand opening ceremony."It's been one of those projects I don't think anybody ever thought would get done," he said. "I hope to have some type of grand opening."
The completion of the community center is part of the reason the village wants to have Summit Lake cleaned and they have asked a representative from the state Department of Environmental Conservation to attend a workshop Oct. 26.
"It's currently not open to swimming," he said of the lake. "That's one of the reasons I want to get it clean."
Krein noted other advances in the community, such as the trees on Main Street, which are the undertaking of the village's Main Street Committee. "A lot is happening in the village," Krein said. "The village is up and coming."
In brief
Tree project completed
Register-Star,
Monday, October 10, 2005
PHILMONT -- The Philmont Main Street Committee, together with the New York State Department of Transportation Landscaping Division, has completed the Main Street Tree Project, part of on-going revitalization in the village.
Thanks to the cooperation of Philmont residents, businesses, the town and the village, 35 trees will be planted along Main Street, taking into consideration aesthetics, overhead wiring and traffic visibility. Varieties include red maple, seedless ash, honeylocust, scholartree, lilactree, flowering pear and serviceberry.
Trees were staked on Oct. 3 and will be planted soon after.
Judge dismisses
Article 78 against Summit Heights subdivision
By Kate Kirschenheiter, Register-Star, Thursday, October 6, 2005
PHILMONT -- An acting state Supreme Court judge sided with the village of Philmont, dismissing an Article 78 suit alleging the Planning Board and Board of Trustees had violated state Environmental Quality Review Act procedures in the Summit Heights development review.
"Judge [Christian] Hummel dismissed the Article 78 petition in its entirety," village Attorney Robert Fitzsimmons said Tuesday. "The decision finds that both the village Planning Board and the village Board of Trustees complied with the law during the review process, specifically that the boards complied with the requirements of SEQRA in the review process."
The Summit Heights Phase II development, a 72-unit sub-division project adjacent to Summit Lake, has drawn much controversy from villagers who disagreed, in particular, with the SEQRA declarations and the amendment of a conservation easement to allow for stormwater retention ponds.
As of now, the Planning Board has issued a negative SEQRA declaration and preliminary plan approval for the project and the Board of Trustees amended the 10.92-acre conservation easement to allow for the ponds, as well as issued a negative SEQRA declaration.
Marc Gerstman, the attorney for the petitioners in the Article 78, said that the judge did not have an understanding of the environmental review and it reflected in his judgment.
"It seems to me that the judge did not understand the procedural objections that we had raised about the environmental review that took place," he said when reached Wednesday. "[And] that the court did not understand the difference between publicly owned property and an easement."
In a memorandum of law, the petitioners previously asserted that the "Planning Board and Village Board violated SEQRA and acted arbitrarily and failed to follow prescribed SEQRA procedures and requirements by issuing negative declarations for the proposed Philmont Ventures LLC subdivision."
In addition, they alleged that the Village Board violated the Environmental Conservation Law by amending the easement.
The village, of course, disagrees.
"The members of the village Planning Board and the village Board of Trustees need to be commended for all of the hard work, time and effort that they put into review of the project," Fitzsimmons said. "The decision affirms the fact that both boards properly considered all relevant concerns and carried out their legal duties in undertaking a thorough [review] of the project."
Alfred Mattikow, representing developer Philmont Ventures, agreed with the village attorney and added, "Obviously, I'm pleased with the result. We're going to go forward and complete the approval process."
In his issued court decision dated Sept. 29, Hummel ruled, "The record reveals the Respondents complied with the requirements of SEQRA and took a hard look at the environmental impacts the subdivision would have on the community."
He further ruled that the Village Board's decisions were not "arbitrary or capricious" as the petitioners had contended.
One gain for the petitioners, however, was the issue of standing. In their memorandum of law and other court paperwork, the village had contended that the petitioners did not have standing to bring an Article 78 against the village.
Petitioners listed on the paperwork include Christopher H. Reed, Jean Giblette, Susannah L.K. White, Ursula Lehnardt, Sherrill Bolevice and Leonard W. Miller Jr.
The judge said that in order to establish standing the petitioners had to demonstrate they are in close enough proximity to the land under consideration and that the effect of the proposed action has greater effect on them than the general public.
Hummel ruled that the petitioners have standing as they challenge the "alleged environmental injury to the scenic character of the Conservation Easement and the proposed subdivision."
He cited a court case which stated "aesthetic or quality of life type of injuries have consistently been recognized by the courts as a basis for standing."
Gerstman was happy with the judge's decision to grant that the petitioners did have standing in the case.
"We are pleased that the court found the petitioners did have standing to challenge the village's actions," he said Wednesday. "Unfortunately, the judge decided on what the SEQRA claims in basically one paragraph. The rest was background and the issue of standing."
Until he meets with the petitioners, Gerstman could not say whether or not the dismissal of the Article 78 would be appealed by his clients.
"The petitioners will have to decide whether or not to prosecute an appeal," he said. "We demonstrated neither board did what they were supposed to in the environmental review."
The Summit Heights subdivision is scheduled to appear before the Planning Board at their Oct. 19 meeting.
Democrats
celebrate opening of new headquarters; candidates speak
Register-Star, September 26, 2005
PHILMONT -- Close to 100 Claverack Democrats celebrated the opening of their new Philmont headquarters Sept. 18 with speeches from the candidates, music from Philmont's one-man-band Paul Slusar and Claverack's Abby Lappen, and homemade refreshments from members.
Town Chair George Rodenhausen introduced candidates Max Dannis for town supervisor, Katy Cashen and Cyndy Hall for Town Board, and Jenny Post for town clerk, all of whom spoke to a crowd that overflowed onto the sidewalk.
After outlining her campaign promises, Hall added that she would do her best to "bring our town together. Let's end this talk of us vs. them, newcomer vs. old-timer, outsider vs. local. We are all local. We all live here. And we are all human beings, each with special and unique talents. We all want the same thing -- to live the best life we can, in the town we love."
Among those attending were Denise King, chair of the state Democratic Party's executive committee and past Democratic county chair; current First Vice Chair Phil Giltner; Democratic Board of Elections Commissioner Ken Dow; Operation Unite Executive Director and newly appointed Democratic Columbia County Civil Service Commissioner Elena Mosely; and Stuyvesant Democratic candidates Peter Donahoe, Lee Jamison, Sandra LoPresto and Rhonda Granger.
The headquarters at 104 Main St. in Philmont are stocked with campaign and voting materials including applications for voter registration and for absentee ballots. It will be open to the public from noon to 7 p.m. nearly every day until the Nov. 8 election.
"We want Claverack citizens to be able to come by and be informed about our platform and our intentions for the future of Claverack," said Dannis. "This is the most important election in this town's history."
The new Philmont headquarters supplements the Claverack Democrats' virtual headquarters, which opened two years ago at www.claverack.org.
The headquarters can be reached at 518-697-0212.
Dems to hold
weekly forums
Register-Star, Monday, September 26, 2005
A weekly series of open forums for citizens and Democratic candidates titled "What's On Your Mind?" will begin Wednesday at the Claverack Democratic headquarters at 104 Main St. in Philmont.
The forums, meant to encourage communication between citizens of Claverack and Philmont and the Democratic candidates for town government, are sponsored by the Claverack Democratic Committee. They will be held 7 p.m. every Wednesday at the new headquarters.
"Certainly we candidates all have our own ideas about what Claverack needs, but we also want to know about all the ideas the rest of the people in town have," said Max Dannis, Democratic candidate for town supervisor.
"The only way to find out is to ask," added Katy Cashen, candidate for Town Board.
The forums are open to all, and although the first evening will be open to any topic, subsequent forums will focus on a single pre-announced issue—such as development, affordable houses, kids, open government, etc.
"We're going to walk the walk of open government even before we get into office," said Cyndy Hall, the other Democratic candidate for Town Board. "It will be an opportunity to meet neighbors, and to share refreshment as well as concerns. Just come and talk to us."
Register-Star,
September 26, 2005, Letter to the editor
Honoring a mayor
To the editor:
The following commentary was presented by the undersigned at the Philmont Village Board meeting on Sept. 12, honoring the late Mayor Po Mossman:
"Thank you Mayor Speed and members of the VillageBoard of Philmont for this opportunity to share a commentary on behalf of a very special public servant and friend.
"Po Mossman was definitely the type of individual that is rare in public office today. He began the day with solid leadership and ended that day withsteadfast, unwavering dedication to doing the job of mayor. He always did what was best for the majority interest and got the peoples business done!
"The word triumph is really two words as they applied to Po. He knew how to TRI and he certainly knew how to put UMPH into whatever he was attempting to do.
"Respectfully, I leave you with thoughts to ponder about how you might honor his service and memory. Perhaps you will rename this building, the Po Mossman Municipal Building, or rename a street after him, or perhaps when the new development takes place, one of those access streets could be named 'Mossman's Way.'
"In closing I offer you Mayor Speed my very best wishes as you carry out the responsibilities of this village. I trust you will carry on with the same dedication of doing what's in the best interest of the majority for the folks in this village. We have known each other for many years, I consider you a friend, and I know the people of Philmont and the town of Claverack will honor your loyalty to this office."
Albert L. Wassenhove
Ghent
Register-Star,
September 19, 2005, Letter to the editor
Follow the rules
To the editor:
My name is Chris Hoppe and I live across the street from the current Summit Heights subdivision in Philmont. I do not oppose the proposed expansion of the subdivision, but I do oppose the Planning Board's waiver of many things that will make this a good place to live and an asset to the village.
Just as the Village Board has given away the farm in allowing the developer to expand the work into a former conservation easement, the Planning Board is now waiving requirements called out in the village's subdivision rules.
Although the subdivision rules permit the Planning Board to waive, in writing, any of these requirements, I don't see how it benefits the village.
Items already verbally waived in past meetings include: streetlights, sidewalks and trees. These are things that distinguish inviting villages from barren developments.
The rationale for waiving streetlights was that they would contribute to light pollution. Why not specify shielded lights? There is an organization called the International Dark-Sky Association that promotes such fixtures.
The town of Hillsdale zoning code specifically calls for exterior lighting approved by the IDA.
The sidewalks were waived because the developer claimed the lots would be too steep to accommodate them. The lots are steep, but most are to be graded to have a fairly level front yard. Perhaps the shoulders could he eliminated in places to accommodate the sidewalks or maybe the sidewalkis only installed on one side of the road in places.
I cannot imagine why planting trees on the individual lots would be a problem. Trees are growing there now and the developer has agreed to plant many trees in the steeply graded disturbed areas of the conservation easement.
I encourage Philmont residents to contact the Village Planning Board members and let them know how you feel about this. I also encourage the residents to attend the to-be-announced public hearing on this matter.
The requirements in the subdivision rules were put there for good reasons after much consideration. I believe every effort should be made to preserve these requirements.
Chris Hoppe
Philmont
Register-Star,
Monday, September 19, 2005, Letter to the editor
Lasting memories
To the editor:
The family of Philip "Po" Mossman would like to express their sincere appreciation and gratitude to all those who offered their condolences, made donations in Po's memory or provided support in some other manner.
A special thanks to the Philmont Rescue Squad, Philmont Fire Company, Philmont Police and other local law enforcement agencies. Po may be gone, but the memories will last forever.
After 55 years in operation, "Nick's Restaurant" (Po's Bar) in Philmont has been sold. Thanks to all for your patronage and many happy memories. Good luck to the new owners.
Marie Mossman
and family
Philmont
Register-Star,
Saturday, August 27, 2005, Letter to the editor
Surprising revelations
To the editor:
If you live in Philmont and haven't yet attended a Philmont Planning Board, you really should drop by just to watch how the proposed Summit Heights development will eventually affect your pocket book. Last night's meeting (August 17) was full of surprising revelations that had both the developer, Alfred Mattikow and the Planning Board Chairman, Charles Nichols clearly showing wear and tear of these frustrating and complicated proceedings. At one point, Mr. Mattikow invited the Planning Board Chairman to call him directly to discuss an item so they could hash it out between themselves. Whatever became of ethical standards for discussing items in the scheduled Planning Board meetings?
The meeting then turned to addressing the misinformation provided by the Philmont Village Board regarding the available water flow for domestic use and for fire fighting usage to the existing Summit Heights Overlook Court homes, let alone sufficient water flow to supply an additional 70 homes in the proposed development. Over three months ago in a Village Board meeting the developer had been assured that there is sufficient water pressure to service the proposed development. Apparently this is now magically not the case, and will require the installation of two new municipal water pumps to service and protect existing Summit Street homes, Summit Heights Overlook Court existing homes, as well as the 70 proposed development homes. One really has to question, once again, if the Village Board conducted any of the feasibility studies they publically assured village residents they would be doing. The question of how much two new water pumps will cost and who will eventually foot the bill remained unanswered in last night's Planning Board meeting.
Sally Baker
Philmont resident
Register-Star,
August 26, 2005, Letter to the editor
A Number of Concerns
To mayor of Philmont and Board of Trustees:
I am a resident of Philmont living on Summit Lake for 12 years now.
I and my husband have known many homes, but my daughter came here as a 3-year-old and is now 15. Philmont is her hometown. All here friends and history are here. She's grown up on "the res" canoeing, ice skating, swimming at the railroad tracks and jumping off Bullhead Rock.
When she heard houses were going to be built on the hillside, she was upset. Children don't like change. But I explained (as it was explained to me) that the new homes and families would only help to improve Philmont and the lakeside would remain as is, with homes only visible in the winter months.
But due to conflicting rumors, I decided to go to an informational meeting.
I was surprised and initially overwhelmed with the information presented. Two maps were displayed. Apparently, only the original one was available to the village when making its crucial vote concerning a conservation easement on Summit land. Now a second map has been produced by the developer which includes much more disruption of the hillside.
Originally two ponds were needed to deal with runoff/drainage. Now secondary runoff areas have been added. They include three additional 5-foot-high embankments running up to 40 feet long. All these areas need road access and maintenance. This maintenance and any future liability is to be at the cost of the village. There are differing opinions as to what this cost will be.
Also, a 125-foot perimeter at the shoreline that was to be untouched is now penetrated by the secondary drainage system.
There also seems to be some change in the house construction. Due to the steep grade which exceeds that of Summit Street, the houses will now be placed on 10-foot stilts [i.e. foundations higher than the 8-foot standard], and the yards will have very limited level ground. As I assume mostly families will be buying these homes, how would their children play without swing sets and pools?
I have learned that not all the proposed homes at the Summit Heights phase one have sold. If the new homes go up in price to cover the cost of this extensive foundation work, they will become less marketable.
The water runoff issue also concerns me. With more maintenance roads, steep grades and fewer mature tress, are we confident that flooding will not be a problem?
Another water concern came up in discussion. A lack of it. In assessing water available to the fire department, it was discovered at higher levels (i.e. Summit Heights) there may be insufficient volume and pressure to adequately fight fire.
When I think of homes that might not sell on an already disrupted hillside, lost tax revenues, pond ands drainage system costs in perpetuity, I am no longer reassured that this project is good for Philmont. Fire and flood have played a devastating part in Philmont's history. If we can humanly prevent this in the future we must try.
More thought and consideration needs to be applied before we finalize this project.
Megara Cassin
Mother of Danielle David
Philmont
Mayor Philip
Mossman dies
By: ROBERT MITCHELL, Independent, 08/19/2005
PHILMONT-Talking with the people who worked with him day in and day out, one finds it difficult to separate the persona of Mayor Philip "Po" Mossman from the village he loved and lived in for 75 years.
And shock best describes the reaction of those who discovered early Wednesday morning that the mayor had died suddenly at home during the night.
On Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Mossman was chatting at village hall about the impending sale of his longtime home and business, Nick's Restaurant. It had been his home for 55 years. He and his wife, Marie, were planning to relocate within the village.
Mr. Mossman spoke over the years of moving south when he retired. He went so far as to buy a home in Florida for visits. But when he was down there he missed Philmont and wanted to know what was going on in the village; so he sold the house, said longtime village Clerk Eilene Morris.
Mr. Mossman was born in Philmont, June 23, 1930. He was in the Army during the Korean war, and after he retired as deputy superintendent for the Claverack Department of Public Works he served as mayor of Philmont from April 1987 to May 1995 and again from April 1997 until his death. He also was a member of the Fire Company and of numerous civic and municipal organizations. An obituary appears on Page 21 of this edition.
Deputy Mayor Clarence "Skip" Speed said the village was the mayor's life. "He wanted the best for Philmont," said Mr. Speed, who lives across the road from the mayor. The two frequently visited each other. Because of that, "I usually knew hour by hour what was going on in the village," said Mr. Speed.
"We saw the best of Philmont," he said. "In its prime, when you did not have to leave [the village] for clothing, the barber, movies, grocery, shoe repair, dentist and doctors...this was in the 1950s, 60s and 70s," said Mr. Speed.
At the time of his death, Mr. Mossman was still trying to have a drug store open in the village so residents would not have to drive all the way to Greenport or Chatham for their needs. The additional residents would have helped bring business back to the village, he had said.
The mayor will probably be best remembered for being "set in his ways," said Mr. Speed. "If he thought he was right he would stick right to it, which was a good thing. He could be persuaded [to change his mind] but you had to definitely show him where he was wrong," said Mr. Speed.
Mr. Speed cited two new fire trucks, new public works equipment and getting the Philmont Library up and running as among the mayor's most recent accomplishments.
And then there was the new village office, a new police car and a new rescue truck.
Mr. Mossman had a reputation for getting things done.
"He was very proud of the village," said Village Planning Board Chairman Charles Nichols. "He got on well with the county and state political machinery and could get things done."
Mr. Nichols grew up with Mr. Mossman. "We were born the same year and went to Philmont High School together," he said. "We were both in the Korean War."
"He was an interesting man and did a lot of good for Philmont. In my opinion he was the best man for the job."
Mr. Mossman, Mr. Speed and several others contacted for this article attended Philmont High School, now the site of a Stewart's Shop on Main Street.
"This was a mill town, and we both grew up in the depression," Mr. Nichols said. "He accomplished a lot with his life and married a good woman. Not everyone liked his style as mayor; he said pretty much what he meant."
"There was a standing joke between us, and among those who knew of our relationship, that when I took my hands out of my pocket he would find his way into them to get help for a village project."
"He batted close to a thousand. It bordered on a virtual impossibility to say no to Po," said Mr. Saland.
The senator said that he had visited Philmont a few months ago to be recognized for "some of things I had done."
"Po said: Come take a look at the retaining wall project. The next thing I know I was committed to help," said Mr. Saland. "To day this day I can't figure out how it happened." "He was a joy to both myself and my wife," said the senator.
"This is a very sad day," said Trustee Joe Krein. "He was a good man and we will miss him. He cared for this village and what happened to it."
Mr. Krein said the mayor could tell great stories about growing up in Philmont.
"He was a wild man when he was younger, said Mr. Krein. "It was just fun to hear his stories about the village's early days, about the girls and the cars," he said. "His face would light up when he talked about the old high school and the movie theater."
Former village Mayor Russ Robertson had Mr. Mossman as a student. Mr. Robertson was athletic director at the Philmont High School.
"He was a real boy...he was into athletics and was a good catcher for baseball, he was not a problem," said Mr. Robertson.
As mayor, "the man tried his very best," Mr. Robertson said. Village mayor is a "thankless job in the first place, and in a small village like this, you are right half the time, and half the time not right," he said.
"He was a trying to do his job. He was in his office a good many hours a day so people could come in and talk to him," said Mr. Robertson. "That is way I feel about him. He was a personal friend and a student of mine."
Columbia County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald Simons extended his sympathy to the mayor's family and friends. "He has been a longtime friend of mine, a good friend," Mr. Simons said. "We had many political dealings, and we had a good solid relationship. He will be missed."
Columbia County Judge Jonathan Nichols said: "With the passing of mayor Philip "Po" Mossman, this county, and village of Philmont in particular, lost a citizen committed not only to his family but also to service of his community."
Mr. Mossman was "a true character, a product of, and woven into the fabric of his community. For us who knew him, when anyone referred to Philmont, you thought of Po. The deepest condolences are extended from my family to his, and personally, I have lost a friend."
"I have known him all my life," said Trustee Brian Johnson, born and raised in Philmont like Mr. Mossman. "It was an honor and privilege to serve with him as a trustee. We were good friends. The village will miss him greatly."
Valatie Village Mayor Gary Strevell had known Mayor Mossman for about two years. "We had long discussions about being mayor of a small village. He shared his years of experience with me. He had a remarkable record. I will miss him. I guess if I could have known him longer that would have been better for me, unfortunately I met him late in the game." "My condolences go out to his family and the residents of the village. They lost a big part of their community."
Lester Davala ran a tough race against the mayor in the last election.
"This is not a good day for the village of Philmont," said Mr. Davala. "We lost someone in political power for around 20 years. He did do his job, and he did it to the best of his ability. I can't say the village will be a better place without him. He did his job and he did it well."
Chatham Village Mayor Paul Boehme became mayor at about the same time as Mr. Mossman. "The one constant in our discussions was his concern for the village of Philmont," said Mayor Boehme.
Claverack Councilman Bill Blaauw has known the Mossman family for many years.
"When I was [Claverack] highway superintendent, he was my deputy," said Mr. Blaauw. "He was a team player and he was always there," he said. "He was a pleasure to work with."
Mr. Mossman has always been active in politics. "We got started with town politics back in the late 1970s," said Mr. Blaauw.
The village has grown and prospered because of his ability to reach out to people," Mr. Blaauw said. "Look at all the things he has done ... the fire trucks, the library, work on the Summit Lake dam and spillway, improvements to the village's waterworks...," said Mr. Blaauw. "He has been a hard worker and organizer, he would step up to the plate when no one else would," he said.
Philmont Library
announces programs
Register-Star, Monday, August 1, 2005
PHILMONT -- Philmont Library Director Rebecca Holbert will present a workshop titled "Be a World Musician" 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at the library, located on Main Street.
Children will learn about other cultures through music. Eight countries will be explored through songs which are native to each country or whose song lyrics appear in familiar melodies. Instructions will be given for constructing musical instruments using easily found materials.
For more information, call 518-672-5010 or stop by the library. There is no charge for the event, which is made possible with public funds from the Decentralization Program of the New York Council on the Arts, administered through the Twin Counties Cultural Fund in Columbia County by the Columbia County Council on the Arts.
Register-Star,
Monday, August 1, 2005, Letter to the editor
Supports mayor
To the editor:
I am pleased and proud to stand in solid support of Mayor Mossman's vote of support for the Summit Heights project. He and fellow Trustees Brian Johnson and Clarence "Skip" Speed have demonstrated the type of leadership that serves the common good and majority interest.
May I remind one of the mayor's critics who thinks he's living in the past and carries an out-of-date mindset, that bona fide leadership is never outdated. You start the day with leadership and end the day with unwavering leadership, or you better step aside and let someone else carry the banner. Our society has become, as the noted columnist George Will recently stated, a "therapeutic society." The American spirit was not born out of timid souls, but recorded in the pages of our history as the result of solid, positive, results-oriented leadership!
The village of Philmont has seen some great preservation and renovation projects take place without the favor of public grants! Private investment and solid business practices by such noted establishments as the Vanderbilt Inn, Mike Johnston Trucking, Bill Ritchie's Car Wash, Scoops, the LaGonia Establishments and Serge Bervy Insurance, stand out as solid examples. Hats off to these folks who have set a remarkable standard that others would do well to emulate!
To my critic in the My View Column of the Register-Star, dated July 24, let's get the facts straight! You did not sit next to me during the public forum in Ghent, my wife was on the right and a gentleman from Kinderhook was on my left. I did not attend this session to engage in any spirited conversation or to offer any therapeutic advice, but rather to state my opinion on the creeping attempt to mask land control under the guise of political activism! The facts speak for themselves!
Yes, there are times when bold leadership for the common good demands that one must say: "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead." Keep up the good work Mr. Mayor, that pharmacy in Philmont is closer to reality thanks to your efforts and education!
Albert L. Wassenhove
Ghent
Residents
file Article 78 lawsuit against planning, village boards
By Kate Kirschenheiter, Register-Star, Tuesday, July 26, 2005
PHILMONT -- Following the Village Board's decision to amend the conservation easement adjacent to Summit Lake in order to allow for stormwater retention ponds for the Summit Heights subdivision project, town residents have amended the Article 78 lawsuit filed against the village Planning Board to include the Village Board of Trustees.
"We've obtained an order to show cause, which allows us to amend the petition to include the Village Board of Trustees," said Attorney Marc Gerstman, who is handling the proceeding for the villagers. "It also directs the respondents to show cause why a preliminary injunction shouldn't be granted."
Gerstman said the allegations being brought against the village state that the boards violated the state Environmental Quality Review Act as well as violated Article 49 of the Environmental Conservation Law.
"Article 49 of the Environmental Conservation Law governs conservation easements in the state," Gerstman said.
At a June Village Board meeting, the trustees approved with a split vote to amend the 10.92-acre conservation easement to allow for the retention ponds which would support the Summit Heights development.
They also declared a negative impact on the state Environmental Quality Review Act form, effectively stating that the development would not have significant negative environmental impacts on the village.
According to resident Christopher Reed, the board's decisions were strongly opposed by a number of village residents throughout the process.
"The village made a very bad decision with that," Reed said of their decision to amend the easement. "We're raising awareness about that, as well as the quality of the environmental review that both the Planning Board and Village Board have done in connection with this development."
Reed, along with a number of other villagers opposing the development and the amendments to the easement, has been holding informational meetings at various village residences to inform the villagers about this issue.
"We hope to share our knowledge of what this development on Summit Heights is about," he said Thursday. "And to get people thinking about its potential impacts on the village."
While the meetings are open to the public, there are reasonable restrictions on attendance because of they convene in homes.
"Someone will leaflet the neighbors," Reed said. "We hope we'll get some good turnout."
The meeting held July 19 drew 15 or so people, a number of whom the village meeting regulars had not seen before.
"It was a good turnout," Reed said. "There were a number of people who are directly involved in this, about a half dozen, and then another 8 or 10 who we had not seen before."
The next meeting is being held 7 p.m. Thursday at 9 Church St. in the village.
"It's really very low key," Reed said. "We have some members of the community who have been following this issue very closely and have educated themselves and we are sharing that knowledge with others and hopefully we will see if we can find out how other people feel about this development and the way it is being handled by our village leaders."
Article 78 proceedings, a provision of the state Environmental Quality Review Act, give citizens in the community the right to challenge the way in which theirmunicipal officials review projects with environmental impacts.
"We are trying to hold the village to a higher standard in the way they approach a development of this size and complexity," Reed said. "We think that the impacts are greater than what the village believes they are. We want that information up front before we get into a situation that we'll later regret."
Gerstman explained that the next step in this process is the answer from the village boards and Philmont Ventures in regards to the order to show cause.
"We are pursuing the matter," he said. "We think it's unfortunate that the Village Board decided that they could disregard the importance of a conservation easement that a prior Village Board recognized as being very significant."
Mayor Philip Mossman deferred comment on the Article 78 to the village's attorney.
Philmont Village Attorney Robert Fitzsimmons did not return calls for comment as of press time.
Register-Star,
Sunday, July 24, 2005, Letter to the editor
Great Community Day
To the editor:
Along with the hundreds of other participants in Philmont Community Day, I want to express my thanks to Joe Krein and Barbara Sagal for their continued commitment, hard work and enthusiasm in support of the village.
Community Day was a great success by any measure. My 6 year old was happy to spend the whole day exploring from booth to booth up and down Maple Avenue. It was wonderful to see the diversity of worthy enterprises and causes sustained by people from the community.
And special thanks also to the fire company for the parade, the food and the fire safety tips in the "smoke house."
Finally, the multi-block party and fireworks were a fitting cap to a great day. What a great party for a great community!
Max Dannis
Claverack
Register-Star,
Saturday, July 23, 2005, Letter to the editor
Mayor living in the past
To the editor:
When Philmont Mayor Philip Mossman decided to break a 2-2 tie vote on June 13, thus allowing the invasion of a piece of property in Summit Heights protected by a conservation easement, he was quoted in a recent issue of Our Town magazine as voting "for the people who have lived and worked here all their lives."
I find Mr. Mossman's comment and attitude both interesting and infuriating. I wonder if Mr. Mossman believes that the majority of Philmont's current residents are people who have lived and worked here all their lives? I would venture to guess that the demographics do not support that belief. On my street alone it is not the case. In fact, I would suggest that most of the current business owners have not lived and worked in Philmont their whole lives.
So by casting his "yes" vote for this group, who is it that the mayor thinks he is representing? I might also add that a large number of the people in Philmont who are most actively involved in the community (as firefighters, EMS personnel, government board members, volunteer committee members etc.) have in fact not lived here their whole lives. Yet these people have brought renewed vitality to the village through their willingness to serve the community.
I am tired of hearing about "old-timers" vs. "newcomers," as if one group has more credibility or is more worthy of respect than the other. I expect my village government to act in the interest of all residents, even those yet to come to Philmont. I would challenge the mayor to demonstrate the level of support he feels his vote stands for.
At the public hearing where amending the conservation easement was discussed, opinions ran 14-1 against such an amendment. When Mr. Mossman says he votes "for the people who have lived and worked here all their lives," he is living in the past, carrying an outdated mindset which results in decisions that cannot possibly serve Philmont well in the present or in the future. It's time for him and others in our local government to step away from this divisive way of thinking.
In my opinion, the only party who will be served by the mayor's vote is an outside real estate developer who certainly has not lived and worked here all his life! The rest of us will be left to deal with the consequences of a misguided decision.
Sheri Bolevice
Philmont
Philmont Public
Library's summer performing arts camp sessions to continue
Register-Star, Saturday, July 16, 2005
PHILMONT -- The Philmont Public Library's summer performing arts camp sessions are continuing with the following events which will take place 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the library.
Tuesday: The Storycrafters, nationally known for their critically acclaimed productions of traditional stories which integrate songs from different cultures, will present a workshop/performance explaining the many playful sides of the art of story telling.
Thursday: Singer, songwriter and theater artist Liv Cummins, co-founder of the Columbia Arts Team and host of the local variety/sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Liv," will lead a theater workshop where children will interact through games and performance.
For more information, call 518-672-5010 or stop by the library. There is no charge for the events, which are made possible with public funds from the Decentralization Program of the New York Council on the Arts, administered through the Twin Counties Cultural Fund in Columbia County by the Columbia County Council on the Arts.
Divided board
changes easement
By Kate Kirschenheiter, Register-Star, June 15, 2005
PHILMONT -- A split Village Board voted Monday to approve a controversial amendment to the Summit Heights conservation easement.
The board, in another split vote, decided to issue a negative declaration under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, meaning that the proposed changes to the easement are not expected to have a large adverse impact on the environment.
The board's decision appears to have ended at least one chapter in the ongoing controversy over the placement of stormwater retention ponds within the conservation easement adjacent to the Summit Heights housing development.
Public opposition to the proposed amendment to the easement was obvious as attendees of the meeting cheered and applauded for village Trustee Barbara Sagal who was undeterred in her resolve to vote that the proposed action would have large impacts on the area in question. "This will set an important precedent for future development," Sagal commented at one point during a review of the SEQRA declarations. "Easements should be enhanced not broken down or dismantled."
The proposed stormwater ponds and the necessary gravel maintenance roads are to be constructed on approximately 1.4 acres of the 10.92 acre conservation easement established in 1991 when the Summit Heights development began. A sewage station, originally slated for positioning within the easement, was also included in the night's agenda.
Alfred Mattikow, a spokesperson for Philmont Ventures LLC, the firm responsible for the development, said that after speaking with the village Planning Board it was decided it would be beneficial to move that sewage station outside the easement.
To do so, Philmont Ventures proposed subdividing lot 51 of the development so that the sewage station could be placed on a 0.18 of an acre lot across the street from the easement.
"This is an attempt to reduce the impacts of these things," Mattikow said at the meeting. "We could always not move it and leave it within the easement." Mattikow also read from a letter that was sent to the village in order to "try to settle the controversy" offering the village ownership of the 10.9-acre easement and an additional 20 acres at the back of the development.
Additionally, Philmont Ventures offered the town $50,000 toward recreation fees and a promise of an additional $100 per lot upon filing of the subdivision, and $300 per lot when the homes are built on the property.
Conversation revolved for a while around a maintenance road leading to one of the retention ponds that is currently slated to have a 25 percent grade. Sagal was of the opinion that a grade such as this would be dangerous to Department of Public Works crews who would be required to travel the road to clean out the ponds.
Angelo Santabarbara, an engineer for Philmont Ventures, not share this view. "It's our opinion ' " that even though it is steep, it serves its purpose," he said at the meeting. "I don't know how that could be dangerous. Maintenance is done during the summer, not winter months."
Santabarbara added that they would be gravel roads with some stabilization fabric and possibly a gate to prevent unauthorized persons from traveling down the road.
Village Attorney Robert Fitzsimmons reviewed the SEQRA form with the board and a vote was taken whenever there was opposition to the proposed answers from the applicant.
The first such opposition came when Sagal disagreed with a "small to moderate" declaration on a statement asking whether the proposed action of the development would physically alter areas of the project site with grades higher than 15 percent.
"We just talked about it," she said, referring to the maintenance road that would be a 25 percent grade.
Santabarbara argued that this is the only piece of the proposed action that would fall into this category and that it would not cause a large impact.
Mattikow furthered the argument. "It is 1,000 square feet of land affected" he said. "It's a 10-foot-wide road on almost 11 acres."
A vote was taken, resulting in the impact being slated "small to moderate".
Trustee Brian Johnson commented on his choice. "It doesn't matter what the grades are," he said. "It's the amount of land affected."
Next up was the proposed impact on aesthetic resources, to which the applicant submitted an answer of "no impact."
Sagal again interjected. "This obviously differs from current land use patterns," she argued. "Now it is pond, wildlife and open space. It will be structures such as stormwater retention ponds."
She felt it should be labeled a "large impact".
Santabarbara and Mattikow responded, saying that currently the property is privately owned, meaning that the public cannot walk on it; and that the ponds would not be visible, nor would the gravel roads.
Sagal voted large impact, Trustee Clarence Speed said no impact and Johnson and Trustee Joseph Krein said small to moderate. The average was taken and the declaration made small to moderate.
Also in the aesthetic department was how the proposed action would impact the public's enjoyment of the area.
Sagal again moved that it be considered a large impact, because it would reduce public enjoyment of the land.
Santabarbara again argued it was not visible, to which a number of people in audience blurted out that it can be seen.
Sagal was again outvoted and the impact decided as small to moderate.
She and Mattikow continued to bat back and forth over the magnitude of impacts, but Sagal was continuously overturned by the others on the board. Only one other trustee decided on a large impact during the process.
When the board reached a decision on the proposed action conflicting with an officially adopted plan or goal of the village, Sagal argued that it conflicted with the village's master plan and zoning that called for conserving open space.
She pushed for a large impact in this category and Krein agreed with her. However, they were overturned by two no-impact votes from Mayor Philip Mossman and Johnson, and one small to moderate by Speed.
Speed commented on the public's obvious adversity at this point, seeming a little confused as to how they could oppose the village receiving land.
"We are going to end up with 30 acres that people could walk on, make trails on," he said. "You're gaining. I don't see how you could cheer and boo gaining land you can't touch now, only look at. I'm am going to vote my heart. To me this is a big asset to the public."
