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Forestburgh preps for animal shelter law

By Derek Kirk
Posted 10/11/22

FORESTBURGH -— Following their regular monthly meeting on October 6, the Forestburgh Town Board is preparing for numerous public hearings, including an amendment to the animal shelter holding …

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Forestburgh preps for animal shelter law

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FORESTBURGH -— Following their regular monthly meeting on October 6, the Forestburgh Town Board is preparing for numerous public hearings, including an amendment to the animal shelter holding local law and a two percent tax cap override.

The local law, dubbed Number Three of 2022, will amend the current law of the town’s number of mandatory holding days for recovered lost dogs from 10 days to five.

Forestburgh Dog Control Officer and Town Councilman Steve Budofsky reported to the board that lowering the number of days from 10 to five will match the State’s current law requirements as well as increase the speed of rehoming the dogs at the shelter.

“What this does is it opens up space for a dog to be adopted so another one can come in. It gets a dog adopted sooner than the 10 days because now after five days they’re up to the public to be adopted,” Budofsky said.

Budofsky said that he believed the original purpose of requiring the 10 days was to give people who were visiting the town and nearby areas from further away ample time to be alerted, travel and recover their dog in conjunction with the formerly held contract with a shelter whose services are no longer utilized by the town.

Now, the town utilizes the facilities at Catskill Animal Rescue Inc. in Ferndale. Under the contract with this shelter, Budofsky said he would not allow the dog to go off hold once he knows there is an owner.

“Even if you’re three weeks out…You’re going to be able to get your dog back. You’ll pay the shelter the fee for room and board and vet care, but you’re not going to have your dog euthanized or given away to somebody else because you couldn’t come back,” Budofsky said.

“So now the 10 days doesn’t serve any real purpose, it only holds them back.”

Budofsky said that there has only been one euthanization since the contract was formed three years ago, which was ultimately due to the animal’s irrecoverable health conditions.

The public hearing regarding Local Law Number Three of 2022 is set for November 3 at 6:05 p.m.

Tax cap override and town budget public hearings

Town Supervisor Dan Hogue stated that although he is not expecting the town to exceed the two percent increase limit put in place by the state, the board is seeking to override the tax cap “as a safety net.”

The public hearing on the proposal will be held on October 24 at 6 p.m.

The town is also expecting to hold a public hearing regarding the 2022 Town Budget on November 3 at 6 p.m. 

What to do with DASNY

Councilwoman Karen Ellsweig told the board that the grant application for the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) is “moving along,” stating that the next step is to acquire a request for proposal (RFP).

The grant is expected to give the town roughly $125,000 and is intended to outfit town hall with emergency generators and a 500 gallon propane tank. If the town acquires the grant, it is estimated that there will be roughly $30,000 remaining after the necessities have been purchased and installed.

Ellsweig said that the town must state their intentions on what they propose to do with the money before they can aquire the grant.

The Town Board invited those in attendance at the meeting to share their ideas for ways that money might best be utilized.

Some mentioned upgrading external railings, repairing the historic log cabin, further “emergency situation” add-ons to town hall, a pickleball court and recreation upgrades, installation of infrastructure and fiber optic cables, roads and pavement repairs, and more.

No official decision was made by the board regarding this development.

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