HILLSDALE–Town Supervisor Peter Cipkowski reported this week that the town has received long-awaited state approval for the hamlet sidewalks project.

There will be a meeting April 3 at 10 a.m. of town officials, project designers and the contractor to finalize a construction schedule. The work will run along both sides of Route 23 from the Route 22 intersection to Town Hall. The near million-dollar project, of which Hillsdale’s share is $188,734, is projected to take 8-to-12 weeks to complete.

Also at the March 21 Town Board meeting Supervisor Cipkowski announced that state Department of Transportation has agreed to investigate the town’s request for lowered speed limits on sections of County Route 21 and 22.

In addition, Mr. Cipkowski said that an official “request form,” which will be circulated by Timi Bates, has been drafted for residents on Whippoorwill Road to petition DOT to modify access onto Route 22. A house at the intersection obstructs the view of traffic. Residents on Wolf Hill, Pumpkin Hill and Sir William Road are eligible to sign the petition too.

A member of the public suggested that buying the house and demolishing it might be a cheaper alternative.

In other town business:

• The board voted unanimously to extend Local Law 1, which calls for a moratorium on commercial solar power installations in the town. The extension is for three months and lengthens the original six-month moratorium adopted at the September 2016 board meeting

• In a unanimous vote the board gave the green light to Climate Smart Committee Chair Tom Carty to apply to the state Department of Environmental Conservation for a $16,000 grant to add a charging station for electric cars at the Town Hall parking lot. Mr. Carty said that there will be no cost to Hillsdale for the charging device, the software or electricity consumed for the first two years. If approved, Hillsdale must match 20% of the grant. The application deadline is March 31

• Supervisor Cipkowski plans to meet with Kevin Egan, director of government relations for Charter Communications, Monday March 27 at 11 a.m. to discuss the company’s plans for upgrading broadband service in Hillsdale

• Applications to the summer youth program will be available on the town’s website from April 1 – May 1. Councilmember Jill Sims-Elster said that no jobs would with the program would be available because all the counselors from last year are returning. However the town will be looking for another swimming pool due to renovations at Taconic Hills scheduled for this summer

• Infrastructure plans call for repainting the Roe-Jan barn before the start of the Farmers Market season, and renovating the town park’s basketball court

• Anyone who has have documents to shred may put them in one of the two bins available until March 31 at Town Hall. The town website says that “this service is available during Town Clerk and Deputy Clerk hours every weekday except Wednesday.”

The next town meeting is Tuesday, April 11 at 7p.m.