Monell Boy Sout Troop #316 having a lesson in town governance
Blooming Grove, NY - Monell Scout Troop #316, which was adopted this year by the Town of Blooming Grove as its sponsor, and chartered by the Washingtonville Monell Fire Company, attended the Town's June 4th Board Meeting with Scout Leaders Brandon Nielsen and Steven Amante. Supervisor Rob Jeroloman gave them step-by-step descriptions of each of the discussions and the decision processes the Town Board took, including two Public Hearings on Property Maintenance Violations and seventeen other official Agenda items.
The Scouts listened intently, and were ushered up to the dias for a photo shoot at the end, sitting in the Council chairs proudly. Indeed, they learned enough to perhaps take seats there officially some day, and attendees joked that council members better be careful since they looked so good up on the dias that they might not want to relinquish the seats.
In other news: A question about the current status of the business yard full of vehicles at the corners of Hudson and Route 208 finally received a response that the Town and public has wanted to hear; i.e, that court proceedings have ended and the truck, car and bus vehicles scattered around the yard were promised to be removed within the next 3 weeks, at which point construction of the site plan buildings that will enclose them will commence.
A change has been made in the Schedule of Fees for SEQR review for Conditional Use Permit application fees to $500, and for Filling and Grading = $500 or $1,000 for short or long form, and $500 or $1,000 for Short or Long Form Zone Change Applications.
Lasser Park Senior Center Contracts for an Entry Porch and Facade, walkway and perimeter decking, was approved for a total project amount not to exceed $623,950. The good news is that this will essentially complete the exterior work of the new Senior Center, though there are interior furnishings and kitchen equipment to be completed in the coming months. As a Senior Center at least some of the work is eligible for significant CDBG (Community Development Block Grants) which are funded by the US Congress. The bad news is that changes that have to be made to the O&R grid supplying electric to the building will likely not be completed until December, thus looking forward to an early 2025 opening celebration expected for February.
A bit of Town history ended the meeting when the Scouts and other attendees learned that any unanswered questions could either be resolved by calling Town Clerk, Darlena Decker, or checking the current or historic meeting minutes resources, some of which are on the Town's website. They were pleasantly shocked to learn that these town records, including births, deaths, marriages and other important town history information, date back to its formation in 1799 and that Darlena Decker will help them look at these records if they want to call and stop by. Councilmember Johanna Kiernan, who is the official Town Historian, is also assembling separate records for each of the Town Supervisors. Supervisor Jeroloman said that that now that this Summer's repainting of the Town Hall interior is done they look forward to placing some of these framed historical maps, documents and pictures on the hallway walls.
Comments