Woodstock Town Board Meeting May 20, 2008

Woodstock, May 20

In a meeting of the Woodstock town board that did not break up until close to one o’clock in the morning much was said and little accomplished.
Matters got off to a disappointing start when bids for the town hall renovation were opened to discover that even with the absence of a bid for drilling the wells for the geo-thermal heating-cooling system the project is more than $100,000 over budget. There was no discussion on how the Town would proceed.
Routine resolutions to pay the monthly bills in the amount of $306,048.59 (councilman Chris Collins abstaining since he never got around the inspecting them), authorize budget transfers, accept minutes of previous meetings and accept the town clerk’s report passed quickly and without much discussion.
There then erupted a lengthy, often acrimonious discussion instigated by councilmen Jay Wenk about proposed changes to the rules of order governing the conduct of board meetings, with no conclusion except to agree to discuss them later in the meeting.
The public hearing on the matter of closing Maple Lane from Mill Hill Road to Deanie’s Alley on Wednesdays from 3:00 to 10:00 pm from May 28 until September 24 brought statements of concern from residents of Maple Lane who thought the traffic plan had serious deficiencies. Attorney Eric Schneider, representing a Maple Lane resident contested several of the assumptions in the traffic plan. Attorney for the farmers market, Dick Goldman responded, “If there are things we did not anticipate we will tweak the plan.” Upon closing of the public hearing the town board then swiftly agreed unanimously to close the road.
There was then an hour discussion on a resolution authorizing altering a route of one of the trails on the Comeau property for the purpose of directing dog walkers away from the soccer field where children play. The proximity of a vernal pool turned out to be a big hitch. The resolution was tabled.
A resolution to expand the Comeau road to accommodate more parking was discussed for fifteen minutes, until it was tabled.
A resolution to expand parking on the upper Comeau parking lot was discussed for an hour, until it was tabled.
Little of the above discussion was deprived of jibes, darts and needlings hurled mostly in the direction of the supervisor, who maintained throughout that the parking improvement was necessary for public safety since use of the Comeau property has greatly increased over the years.
At 10:30 the agenda was suspended for a lengthy discussion on the rules of order, which seemed to proceed toward resolution, when councilman Wenk surprised the board with lengthy additions he apparently had not discussed with any board members prior the meeting. Councilman Collins probably, if unintentionally distilled the entire conversation with his comment, “I don’t even know if we have been following them [rules of order].” At 11:50 the topic was exhausted with no action taken.
The meeting was temporarily disrupted by the news, well received by the board, that a particular slate of candidates won four seats on the Onteora school board. The bearers of these tidings thanked the supervisor for directing Woodstocker’s attention toward the importance of the election. The supervisor thanked the voters of Woodstock for getting out to vote.
Also it was announced that Pam Boyle, the Town’s bookkeeper, won a seat on the Kingston school board.
At 12:15 councilman Collins introduced a resolution to prohibit any activity that would in any way change or alter the Comeau property until such time the Comeau easement was upheld by a court decision. The supervisor pointed out that all his proposed improvements to this point were in harmony with the easement. When it appeared the topic could go on for a long time, Jackie Earley, the town clerk, told the board that she was going to leave the meeting, explaining, “Some people have to work in the morning.” Councilman Wenk announced his support for Collins’s resolution, and with Terrie Rosenblum and the Supervisor indicating their opposition, Councilwoman Liz Simonson was the decisive vote. She punted, announcing that it was almost one o’clock in the morning and that it was not fair to the public for the town board to make decisions at an hour when the public probably was not awake to witness them. However, she did persuade the board to then rush through a resolution concerning a local law establishing a permitting process for development near wetlands and watercourses.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:45 with two reporters, the town videographer, the (very tired) town clerk and one member of the public in attendance.
Although there had been discussion of a meeting to be held at 5:00 o’clock on June 3 to complete some business, the location was not identified, nor was a resolution adopted to that effect.
Left on the table were resolutions giving the supervisor more control over town board member’s use of attorneys and consultants, who have apparently been running up the costs for those services, and authorizing a mass mailing to the town residents information packets educating them to the proposed amendment to the zoning law establishing a permitting process for development near wetlands and watercourses. Also, there were no subcommittee reports.