TOWN
BOARD MEETING
MARCH
16, 2001
The
regular meeting of the Town of Esopus Town Board was held on Thursday, March
16, 2001 at 7:30 PM in the Town Hall on Broadway in Port Ewen, New York. The following persons were present:
Supervisor
Ray Rice
Councilman
Marshall Courtney
Councilman
John Loughlin
Councilman
Peter Beisel
Councilman
Gloria VanVliet
Highway
Supt. Art Cross
Recording
Secretary: Diane L. McCord
Town Clerk, RMC
Guests: Dawn
Letus, Daily Freeman Reporter
Ira
Weiner
Greg
Gulbrandsen
ANNOUNCEMENT:
There are six dogs at the
Town of Esopus Kennel available for adoption along with seven puppies available
in another four weeks.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
TOWN
BOARD RESOLUTIONS:
1. RESOLUTION REQUESTING ULSTER COUNTY
LEGISLATURE TO REMOVE 3 &
3/4 % RESIDENTIAL ENERGY TAX
RESOLUTION TO THE ULSTER COUNTY
LEGISLATURE
REQUESTING
THE REMOVAL OF THE 3 & 3/4 SALES TAX ON RESIDENTIAL ENERGY
MARCH
15, 2001
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Board of the town of Esopus, in the County
of Ulster, as follows:
WHEREAS, the Ulster County Legislature continues to impose a 3
& 3/4 % Sales Tax on Residential Heating bills, and
WHEREAS, this is an extremely regressive form of tax and
considering the exorbitant energy costs for our residents,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Esopus Town Board requests
that the Ulster County Legislature remove the 3 & 3/4 % sales tax on
residential energy.
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY COUNCILMAN
GLORIA VANVLIET
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE Aye
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY Aye
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN Aye
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL Aye
COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET Aye
RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED.
2. RESOLUTION REGARDING THE DREDGING OF PCB’S
FROM THE HUDSON RIVER - MARCH 15,
2001
WHEREAS, PCB’s or polychlorinated biphenyls are a group of
chemicals that were widely used as a fire preventive and insulator in the
manufacture of transformers and capacitors; and
WHEREAS, during a 30-year period ending in 1977, it is
estimated that approximately 1.1 million pounds of PCB’s were discharged into
the Hudson River from two General Electric (GE) capacitor manufacturing plans
located in Fort Edward and Hudson Falls, New York; and
WHEREAS, PCB’s were banned by the EPA in 1979, and are
classified as a probable human carcinogen by numerous national and
international health-protective organizations, such as the EPA, The Agency for
Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (an arm of the U.S. Public Health
Service) and the World Health
Organization; and
WHEREAS, although many of GE’s PCB’s remain concentrated in hot
spots in the sediments of the upper Hudson, PCB’s have polluted the entire
stretch of River below Hudson Falls and, as a consequence, in 1983 a 200-mile
stretch of Hudson River from Hudson Falls to the Battery in New York City was
classified as a Superfund site by the EPA; and
WHEREAS, the EPA has issued a proposed plan which calls for the
removal, or dredging, of 2.65 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment from
potions of the upper Hudson River; and
WHEREAS, GE and others are strongly opposed to the EPA proposed
plan; and
WHEREAS, numerous individuals and organizations are strongly in
favor of the EPA proposed plan; and
WHEREAS, an extensive public relations campaign has been waged
by both GE and its opponents on the dredging proposal; and
WHEREAS, GE has devoted extensive resources in its efforts to
influence public opinion against the dredging proposal by use of radio,
television, newspapers and the internet; and
WHEREAS, GE’s characterization of the EPA proposal has been
misleading and has inaccurately described the technology and methods that would
be used should the EPA proposed plan be implemented; and
WHEREAS, a major portion of the residents of the Town of Esopus
depend upon the Hudson River as a source of drinking water as well as for
various other economic and recreational purposes; and
WHEREAS, it is of vital importance to the residents of the Town
of Esopus that the Hudson River be improved and that sources of contamination
of all kinds e eliminated to the maximum extent practicable; and
WHEREAS, as a result of the dedicated efforts of organizations
such as Clearwater, the quality of the Hudson River has improved dramatically
over the past
30 years and such
improvements have greatly improved the quality of life in the communities along
the Hudson, including the Town of Esopus; and
WHEREAS, municipalities throughout the Hudson Valley and
beyond, including the Town of Esopus, have been solicited by organizations on
both sides of the dredging issue seeking to list such municipalities among
their respective supporters; and
WHEREAS, the selection of an inappropriate method of
remediation could have a substantial negative impact on the Hudson River and
the quality of life i the communities along its shores; and
WHEREAS, it is recognized by the Town Board that the
determination of the best method of remediating PCB contamination in the Hudson
River is a highly complex process requiring extensive technical expertise and
study; and
WHEREAS, it is the opinion of the Town Board that although
public opinion and discussion should play an important part in determining the
future of the Hudson River Valley region, the best method of remediating PCB
contamination in the Hudson River is not likely to be found through opinion
polls conducted among affected communities in the wake of an unprecedented and
sustained blitz of mass mailings, infomercials, print ads and other
advertisements disseminated through all available media.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that after considerable
deliberation, the Town Board of the Town of Esopus hereby abstains from taking
a specific position either in favor of or opposed to the EPA proposal; and it
is further,
RESOLVED, that the Town Board hereby calls upon the EPA and all
other federal and state environmental agencies to take whatever actions may be
technologically feasible and cost-effective in order to ensure that the
residents of the Town of Esopus shall continue to have a safe source of
drinking water and that the economic and recreational benefits of the Hudson
River are preserved.
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE Aye
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY Aye
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN Aye
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL Aye
COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET Aye
RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED.
Supervisor Rice expressed
concern about when and if the dredging occurs our drinking water will have to
be tested more frequently and who is to cover the increased costs?
3. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TOWN CLEANUP DAYS AT
THE TRANSFER STATION
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Board of the Town of Esopus, in the County
of Ulster, as follows:
WHEREAS, the Town Board is desirous of assisting Town residents
in cleaning up their properties;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Town Board authorizes Town
of Esopus residents to use the Town Transfer Station on May 5th and
May 12th, 2001 free of charge for their Spring Cleanup. Guidelines for the Cleanup Days are
attached.
RESOLUTION OFFERED BY
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE Aye
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY Aye
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN Aye
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL Aye
COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET Aye
RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED.
Supervisor Rice mentioned the
GREAT HUDSON RIVER SWEEP sponsored by Scenic Hudson. The Waterfront Advisory Committee will be
cleaning up at the Sleightsburgh Park at 10 AM on April 28th and a group of
citizens from River Road will meet at Lighthouse Park.
4. RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PAYMENT OF
BILLS RECEIVED SINCE THE FEBRUARY BOARD
MEETING
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Town Board of the Town of Esopus , County of
Ulster
as follows:
WHEREAS, the Town of Esopus has been presented with vouchers
for payment and these vouchers have been examined and approved by the Town
Boardm
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that the following vouchers
be approved for payment:
GENERAL FUND #103-166 $78,950.20
HIGHWAY FUND #
36- 59 14,929.91
STREET LIGHTING # 3 1,802.96
PORT EWEN SEWER #
27- 45 10,572.19
PORT EWEN WATER # 54- 79 24,300.02
TOTAL......................................................................................130,555.28
RESOLUTION OFFERED
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE
RESOLUTION SECONDED BY
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL
SUPERVISOR RAY RICE AYE
COUNCILMAN MARSHALL COURTNEY AYE
COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN AYE
COUNCILMAN PETER BEISEL AYE
COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET AYE
RESOLUTION DULY ADOPTED.
6. MOTION TO APPROVE MINUTES SINCE THE FEBRUARY MEETING
A MOTION TO APPROVE THE
MINUTES SINCE THE FEBRUARY TOWN BOARD MEETING WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN JOHN
LOUGHLIN AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN GLORIA VANVLIET.
ALL TOWN BOARD MEMBERS
VOTED IN FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED.
PUBLIC COMMENT: There was no comment.
7. ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE AVAILABILITY OF
CORRESPONDENCE AND THE FOLLOWING
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES:
Town Clerks’ monthly report
for February 2001
Port Ewen Water/Sewer
District Monthly Report dated February 2001
Port Ewen Water/Sewer Board
Minutes dated March 12, 2001
Monthly report of the
Building Inspector dated February 2001
Economic Development
Committee Minutes dated February 26, 2001
Fire Inspection Report dated
February 2001
Monthly Statement of the Tax
Collector dated February 2001
Planning Board Minutes dated
February 21, 2001
Zoning Board Minutes dated
February 2001
A MOTION TO ADJOURN AT
7:40 PM WAS MADE BY COUNCILMAN JOHN LOUGHLIN AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR RAY
RICE. ALL TOWN BOARD MEMBERS VOTED IN
FAVOR. MOTION CARRIED.
Respectfully
submitted,
Diane
L. McCord
Town
Clerk, RMC