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Mamakating updates lighting and leases

Samantha Montagna - Reporter/Photographer
Posted 9/25/20

MAMAKATING — During the September 15 town meeting, members of the Mamakating Town Board announced that they would be changing out the current light fixtures in Town Hall and in the buildings for …

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Mamakating updates lighting and leases

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MAMAKATING — During the September 15 town meeting, members of the Mamakating Town Board announced that they would be changing out the current light fixtures in Town Hall and in the buildings for the Highway Department to LED light fixtures.

Highway Superintendent Rob Hufcut had brought this idea up to the board during the September 1 meeting, citing that it could be a huge savings in energy and cost of electricity. Town Supervisor Janet Lybolt told the meeting that the total cost to switch out all the light fixtures would be $9,714, but the savings in electricity cost will surpass that.

Supervisor Lybolt announced that there was a problem with the bids for the D & H Canal Trail project. Back in 2014, the engineers estimated the cost for the trail would be $853,397, but the current bids for the project are in the 1.2-million-dollar range. Lybolt said that the grant writer for the town, Kerron Barnes, would be speaking to the Department of Transportation engineers to see if the estimate could be adjusted to fit 2020 costs. If this does not work out, Lybolt said that the town might have to seek out more federal money or they may have to look at the project again and redesign it.

Lybolt also said the town would be looking for ways that the Highway Department or the Maintenance Department can do some of the work to lower the cost.

Highway Superintendent Hufcut gave his report and stated that he is working on “quality not quantity” when it comes to getting roads paved.

“We only have so much help to get everything done,” and the storms “put us a couple weeks behind,” Hufcut stated.

The bridge on Red Hill Road will not be repaired this year, Hufcut announced due to the upcoming cold weather and risk of snow. Hufcut also mentioned that many of the newly paved roads have deep shoulders, and he will be working with the Town of Walkill to use their “shoulder machine” to fix the shoulders.

To end his report, he asked the board to consider replacing the mechanic position that was lost during last year's budget. Hufcut told the board that during the winter season, he has a “plow road” of his own to cover, and if someone calls out, there would be “no guarantee when the road [in question] will be plowed ... It's not supposed to work that way,” he stated.

The town board voted on a new lease for the Dutch Reformation Church in Bloomingburg. The originally planned on a lease to last through 2025.

During public comment, Adrienne Jensen, the secretary for the church's organization, told the board that she spoke to the Vice President of the Preservation League of New York State about grants for the church. She read a letter that stated that in order for grants to be given, the church must have at least six years remaining on their lease, and a 25-year lease was recommended. A lease ending in 2025 puts the lease at about five years and would make the church ineligible for grants. Upon hearing this, the board voted to extend the lease until 2026 with the option to renew the lease every year to ensure that if a grant opportunity comes up, the lease would have six years remaining.

At the end of the meeting during public comment, Samara Ferris, former ethics board member for the Town of Mamakating and former County Legislator candidate, brought up the development Chestnut Ridge's tax assessment, which was addressed during the last town meeting after executive session.

Ferris asked the board why the homes in Chestnut Ridge were reassessed for $50,000 dollars less in value when home values are soaring due to COVID-19. The attorney for the town, Benjamin Gailey, explained that four years ago, Chestnut Ridge filed a grievance to have their property values reassessed. He also explained that any resident can go to town hall to have their taxes reevaluated at any time. Gailey further explained that the lawsuit has been renewed each year for the last four years, and the town has been litigating the issue for a long time.

The town decided to accept a settlement rather than go to court to have a judge decide if the property values were assessed correctly, which could potentially cost the town more money especially if the judge were to decide against Mamakating, according to Gailey.

Chestnut Ridge's taxes have been reduced, but they are still “aligned with other homes in the town” in terms of property value, Gailey said.

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