Notes from the February Hamilton Town Council meeting
The February Hamilton Town Council meeting opened without comments from attendees. Highway Superintendent Florenz shared information on traffic calming signs. These solar-powered signs with a speed display would be placed along Willey Road in Poolville and in Hubbardsville. Mr. Florenz and Supervisor Shwartz will check with the county about absorbing some of the cost.
The Highway crew has made 39 runs between January 12 and February 8. Stone dust is being considered for use in lieu of sand as a cleaner alternative.
The Town is exploring spray foam insulation for the ceiling and the cost of geothermal heating to reduce energy costs in the garage. The geothermal will be covered in part by the $50,000 Clean Energy Communities grant. NYSERDA will also give the Town incentives toward installing the geothermal system.
The Town is considering applying for a Bridge NY grant to defray the cost of replacing the Williams Road culvert, either by installing a bridge or replacing it with another culvert.
In the Town Office, Town Bookkeeper Brynley Wilcox reports that the 2017 Annual Update Document (AUD), an annual financial report to the state, is ready to be submitted pending Town Council review. Clerk Reymers announced there is a new “historian” page under our website’s departments/ officials tab. Visit the page to read the annual reports from Jack Loop, our Town Historian.
The Town is looking for alternates to serve on the zoning and planning boards. Visit the website for more info and contact the Town Office if you are interested in participating. Also, checkout the website for the updated planning and zoning fee schedules.
The work to improve broadband access in our community continues. Supervisor Shwartz is Chair of the County Public Utilities Committee, which is exploring a variety of options including investing in a county-owned fiber network, a model that has been successful in other regions in New York.
The Town Office building committee is moving towards post and frame construction. The limitations of modular construction do not make it suitable for the project. Next steps are to consult with an engineer to get better idea of the expense to build the current floor plan. Councilor Dinski is looking at granting opportunities to help support the cost of the project.
SOMAC submitted its 2017 year-end report and there was an increase in usage for a total of 960 calls. The crew now has a “fly car”, with a paramedic who can travel to calls independently from an ambulance. There are more Colgate students volunteering for SOMAC, allowing for more revenue building transfers. The County Emergency Management Committee held a meeting with all municipalities about improving call time and care throughout the county. Unlike Hamilton, some parts of the County do not have sufficient volunteers and funding, which negatively impacts coverage. The committee is considering how the County may assist in areas where the tax base cannot meet the need.
The Partnership for Community Development is working with Colgate’s Thought into Action to create a community co-working space. It will include computer stations, Internet, kitchen facilities, and more for businesses attempting a start-up.
Councilor Dinski is working with community members to create a Recreation and Youth Committee. The group will explore ways to find safe and engaging spaces and programs for youth outside of a school setting.
The Town Council completed its yearly review of the Comprehensive Plan & Action Plan and identified tasks from the plan to focus on in 2018. In addition to the zoning update already underway the Town will explore creating a Capital Improvement Plan and will guide landowners in joining an existing NYS agricultural district.
The Hamilton Town Council now meets on the second Wednesday of the month at the Village Courthouse in the Village of Hamilton at 6:30 pm. Our next meeting is Wednesday March 14. We invite and encourage you to join us. For more info visit www.townofhamiltonny.org.
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Submitted by Chris Rossi, Hamilton Town Council