KINDERHOOK – The Village Board is moving forward with plans to spend $700,000 to hook up 35 properties in the business district to the Village of Valatie sewer system. The board hopes to adopt a final resolution in one month after receiving the projected costs for the project from Clark Engineering, Mayor Carol Weaver said the October 12 meeting.
The board is also moving ahead with an application for a state grant for the project in addition to the $70,000 in private donations the village holds in escrow. The escrow funds may only be spent on the sewer project.
“We’re going to work on the figures,” said Mayor Weaver, addressing the estimated $32.50 that would be charged to every village residence to cover the construction costs of connecting the properties up to the sewer line. The 35 properties include residences and business along Route 9 and Albany Avenue in the village.
The village has a shared state grant with Valatie to do the work. Each municipality gets $177,000. Al Roberts of the Dutch Inn has pledged $50,000 to support the project and Barry Herbold of Empire State Appraisal Consultants, whose office is in the village, and Paul Calcagno of La Bella’s Restaurant, which was in the village and is now at the Hannaford’s Plaza, each offered $10,000 if the project moves forward.
Mayor Weaver said the village held a public information meeting October 4 attended by over 100 people. “There were a lot for and some against,” she said of public reaction to the project at that earlier session. She said the board members also received letters and email on the sewer project since the meeting.
The board made a few changes to the project since the public meeting and after talking to representatives from Clark Engineering. Members changed the way rates were calculated for offices, and will now use square footage rather than the number of employees, said Ms. Weaver. The change did not alter the rates much, she said, saying the results were “almost the same as when we used employees.”
The board plans to collect more information and then submit applications for grants to fund the project. Village officials expect to review the numbers again at the board’s next meeting Wednesday, November 9 at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall and make a decision on the project then by adopting a motion.
At last week’s meeting the board also got an update on the Hudson Avenue road and sidewalk repair project. Updates of side and street closings have been posted on village website at http://village.kinderhookny.us.