City celebrates grant wins and redistributes funds for SLPAC

Chester Town Supervisor Brandon Holdridge announced the release of $115,000 in grant funds for resurfacing Johnson Road at the July 24 Chester Town Board meeting. This announcement was made last week through Senator James Skoufis' office. Additionally, $130,000 in grant funds were released for improvements to the Walton Lake Estates Water District at the July 24 Chester Town Board meeting.

The city only has to pay $10,000 for the Johnson Road project. Skoufis' announcement claimed the $115,000 grant was not processed under Valentine's direction and praised Holdridge for getting the paperwork done. Valentine responded that his office had been working on the project but claimed it was bogged down in paperwork.

In other news, the city has decided to pay out $12,000 to the repair reserve fund for the SLPAC. That money was in their bank account last fiscal year and was returned to the city's general fund. The board decided that was a mistake and reallocated the money to the SLPAC's fund balance. They may get even more money this budget season, Holdridge told The Chronicle, as the city wants the SLPAC to have a nest egg for repairs to the building. Any use of the funds would have to be subject to a public hearing and approval by the City Council.

The city is also applying for a $24,700 grant from the Climate Smart Communities grant to share the cost of building a gazebo at Knapp's View. The gazebo would be about 20 by 40 feet. Holdridge said it remains to be seen whether the city would move forward with the project if it does not receive the grant.

The city also announced a further two-week extension of the tender process for supplying the new emergency district, pointing out that potential bidders needed more time to process their applications.

Public hearings

Three public hearings were held at the July 24 meeting. A representative from Virginia-based Mission Clear Energy spoke during a hearing on a proposed moratorium on battery storage. The representative said they would be available to the city for any advice on the issue and claimed that improved technology has greatly reduced the number of emergencies at battery storage sites.

The city could not yet approve the moratorium because it needed to give the county two more days to respond. A vote is expected at the August 14 meeting.

No one from the public commented on a plan to put stop signs at five intersections in Surrey Meadows, and the city council passed the plan 5-0.

A proposed referendum to stagger City Council terms, which would be set at four years instead of two in the district system, also received no comment from the public. The bill passed, and voters will vote on the referendum in November. If they reject the referendum, each City Council seat will be up for grabs every two years starting in 2026. If they pass the referendum, two City Council seats will be up for grabs for two years and two for grabs for four years in 2026. After staggering, the seats will be voted on every four years. Holdridge's next election is in 2027, but only for a three-year term, putting him on schedule under the even-year law Albany passed this year.

Martine DePasquale, chair of the Conservation Advisory Council, and William Green spoke to the City Council about forming a tree commission to plant trees on public lands. Green said the Arbor Day Foundation generously awards grants for tree planting and hopes to receive several thousand dollars in funding from the City Council for the project.

Other business

The committee passed legislation that would move the five-ton weight limit on Kings Highway to the Kings Highway Bypass instead of Pine Hill Road. The city welcomed a new member to the SLPAC Advisory Committee: Tim Hassler, who lives in Sugar Loaf, owns a business there and studied theater at Yale.

At a public hearing, Cindy Smith warned the City Council that the 100 acres on Ridge Road they wanted to acquire as open space to preserve conservation lands might be “bad land” and that they should make sure they only pay fair market value for it.