This article appeared in the Townsman, September 18 edition
The business meeting of the Woodstock town board began with a protest of the changing on the locks on the Community Center and the new policy instated by supervisor Jeff Moran requiring users of the facility to pick up and return its key to the Woodstock dispatch service located in the Town Hall. Amy Goddes, treasurer for the Senior Recreation Committee and Anita Yuran, member of the Woodstock Recreation Commission both considered the new policy cumbersome, time consuming and unnecessary. Moran defended the action basing his policy on the Town's need to protect the security of the facility. After some back and forth it was agreed he would meet with Yuran to see if a better solution can be found.
In another matter with potential impact to the Community Center, the board will decide at a future meeting whether to close the Town Hall meeting room to groups using the facility from November 1 to April 1 in order to save on heating costs. Councilwoman Liz Simonson will work with the Town's bookkeeper to determine what actual savings might be realized by such action. Moran feels certain that the groups using the Town Hall will find space available in the Community Center, maybe with some "minor inconvenience."
The town board heard a request from the Woodstock Film Festival to reduce the rental fee 20% to the sum of $1699 for the four days they would be using both the Community Center and the Tall Hall for their annual film festival. The Festival was entitled to such discount, according to Festival representative Amy Witkis, because their use of the buildings exceeded one hundred hours, a threshold in the Town's recently adopted fee schedule. California Quarry Road resident Randi Steele spoke out against the rental scheme, claiming that the Festival's use of the internet to pre-sell tickets to its shows discriminated against the sight impaired. Ms Steele is legally blind, and has not been able to see preferred shows because of the lack of a box office where she in the past had been able to select tickets. "Shame on the Woodstock Film Festival," she declared. The board agreed she had raised good points, but felt it should separate the issue of the Festival's right to the discount from her concerns, and after calling upon the Film Festival to address the matter voted unanimously for the reduced rate.
Dennis Doyle, Director of the Ulster County Planning Department, and professional planner Peter Fairweather, upon invitation of Councilman Chris Collins, made a presentation concerning the Town's stalled comprehensive plan. "We can't come to Woodstock every two years to talk about comprehensive plans," joked Doyle. He urged the board to adopt a plan, describing it as a strategic vision of the community. "You are going to grow," he asserted. "The question is; how do you want to grow?" He offered several strategies to move the plan forward. Fairweather, who had worked for the company that wrote the voluminous never-adopted plan still sitting on the shelf, suggested the board simply adopt the executive summary. He advised the board to engage professional staff and commit to getting the project done in six months. The presentations were followed by agreement on the board to each read again the executive summary, and discuss it at a future meeting.
Christina Vazquez, representing Vaz-Co Reclaiming Service, was invited by Councilman Jay Wenk to address the board on the subject of removal of buried fuel tanks. Vaz-Co is a company recognized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as competent to properly remove buried fuel tanks. Ms Vazquez offered up solutions heard before, including sending out surveys and trying to get several projects scheduled together in order to reduce costs. George ("Jerry") Washington, a member of Wenk's committee to address the buried fuel tanks threatening the Town's aquifer, explained the difficulty of getting cooperation from an area where "many houses are in ill repair," and where residents "are a tenant and the landlord doesn't give a damn." Washington again cited a law that he has never been able to produce, which he claims would give the Town authority to simply remove tanks. Washington invited Ms Vazquez to a private meeting to discuss his data.
Long time Woodstocker Rene Cantine introduced to the board Magdelena Gouvei, a member of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce and Arts, who proposed a fashion show on the Village Green on October 5 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. The show will be a prelude to a fashion show to be held at the Woodstock Playhouse some time next year, proceeds of which will go to the Playhouse for improvements. A fashion show planned earlier this month at the Playhouse fell through. The board authorized the action, contingent upon approval of the Woodstock Reformed Church, which owns the Village Green, and the Town's committee on safety.
Mark Jargow had a more difficult time with his proposed "Bike Day," scheduled for October 19 between the hours of 11:00 and 4:00 PM. The board felt the proposal was too skimpy in detail, but finally agreed to approve it contingent upon a more fleshed out plan and approval of the Town's safety committee.
Committee reports were mostly a recitation of plans for future discussion, and nothing concrete with respect to Green Fleet, the Carbon Neutral Initiative and expanded cell phone service was advanced. Councilwoman Terrie Rosenblum reported that the Recreation Commission was preparing the ice rink for use this winter, and that parks commissioner Gordon Wemp was progressing in discussions with the Comeau Users Group on improvements for the Comeau trails. Moran read from the 1998 report from the Facilities Committee, and urged the town board to address issues concerning the Town's infrastructure. Councilwoman Liz Simonson urged the town to take up the expired cable television franchise.
After many years of work the amendment to the zoning law that would regulate development near wetlands and water bodies is scheduled for public hearing on October 21 at 8:00 PM at the Community Center. Copies of this proposed legislation were not available at the meeting.
The resolution to pay the monthly bills totaling $170,279.35 passed with Collins abstaining on the grounds that he never inspected the vouchers. The Town Clerk's report, budget transfers and minutes for previous meetings passed without objection.
After a half an hour of discussion, the evening ended with adoption of Wenk's very watered down anti-idling resolution by a 3-2 vote, Moran and Rosenblum voting nay. The meeting adjourned at approximately 12:10 AM.
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