VALATIE — The Village Board approved $25,000 this week to cover the cost for drilling a new well. Mayor Gary Strevell said at the regular village meeting Tuesday that the village will pay for the project with reserve funds.
The board heard from representatives from Delaware Engineering, a firm that works with the village on water and sewer issues, at the August 9 meeting. The company believes there are two sites in the village suitable for drilling for water, one on village land and the other on private property.
The $25,000 is just for drilling to find water not for creating the well. The drilling alone will cost $3,000 a day, with added costs for equipment. The village is looking for a new well due to regulations from the state Department of Health regarding the existing wells.
The board also heard about the $200,000 head-works project on the sewer plant intended to improve the sewage treatment process. The board plans take out a loan to cover the cost of that project. The bids on the work will be opened Monday, August 15 and a special meeting will be held Thursday, August 18 at 7:30pm in the Village Hall to award the project contract.
The board was told about two events August 21, one a concert in Glynn Square from 5 to 7 p.m. as part of the VERA summer events. Earlier that day there will be a volunteer park clean up from 8 a.m. to noon. The Town of Kinderhook Trail Committee will be sending people to help. Interested volunteers will met at Gazebo in River Street Park.
Dusting off the village parking tickets also came up at the meeting. Trustee Paul Raihofer said a River Street resident complained to him about people parking on the street, though there are no-parking signs posted. When Mr. Raihofer asked the state trooper assigned to the satellite station on Main Street about giving tickets, he said he didn’t have any village summons forms.
“Last time those were used was when the village had a police force,” said Mayor Strevell. The force was disbanded in the 1970s. Mr. Raihofer said the village printed new tickets more recently but no one knows where they are. The board plans to review the village parking ordinance at the next village meeting.
The next board meeting will be the special session August 18. The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, September 12.