Chris Rossi, Hamilton Town Councilwoman
Hamilton Mayor Bob McVaugh reminded us that July is a busy month for the Village of Hamilton, with the parade on July 4th and a performance by Symphoria on the Village Green on July 6th. Colgate is bringing a military band to Hamilton for a public performance on July 7.
Our highway crew has been working on road repair and maintenance–ditching, filling potholes, putting stone and oil on roads as well as the Hubbardsville Fire Department’s parking lot. A culvert pipe was replaced on Wilkinson's Road, and drainage pipes were replaced on Humphrey Road. Hybrid Building Solutions were out for yearly maintenance on the salt shed. The Town is considering putting an end wall on this structure to alleviate issues with wind.
Town Clerk Sue Reymers shared news about Emily Eastwood, our new Colgate Upstate Institute Summer Fellow. Emily is working with the Town through early August to identify and help educate our community about energy conservation and sustainable energy opportunities.
The Partnership for Community Development’s first round of Launch Grant applications for small businesses are being considered. Housing improvement grants are also available, with applications on the PCD website at thisishamiltonny.com/work/pcd/grant-programs/pcd- home-improvement-grants The group is also working on creating a webpage with information about recreational opportunities in and around Hamilton. A Colgate Upstate Institute Summer Fellow will join the PCD this summer, researching the benefits and needs of SNAP as well as young farmer initiatives.
Bid documents for construction of the new Town Office are being finalized, and will be released soon. A walk-through with interested contractors will take place during the bidding period. See the Town website or call the Town Office for details.
The installation of technology (cabling and networking computers) in the new building creates an opportunity for shared services with Madison County, which can save the Town money. The Town Council passed a resolution to engage in Shared Technology Services with the County.
The Town Council passed a Resolution introducing and scheduling a public hearing of proposed Local Law #2 of 2017 “A Local Law Establishing a Moratorium on Certain Solar Energy Installations in the Town of Hamilton.”
This moratorium is only on solar projects that generate energy for offsite usage, as they are not covered in our current zoning. The Town needs time to address concerns about siting, permitting, and decommissioning in a way that allow such solar projects while minimizing negative impacts to landowners and the community. A public hearing on the moratorium will be on Thursday, July 13, 2017, at 6:45 at the Hamilton Village Court House.
Supervisor Shwartz spoke about the Countywide Shared Services Plan for municipalities to combine services to save costs. Conversations are ongoing about court consolidation between Village, Town or Regional Courts. The Town is also exploring participation in the County Health Insurance Plan.
The Hamilton Town Council meets on the second Thursday of the month at the Village Courthouse in the Village of Hamilton at 6:30 pm. Our next meeting is July 13. We invite and encourage you to join us. For more info visit townofhamiltonny.org.