Town board rejects purchase of Laroe property

A petition with hundreds of signatures and the support of Supervisor Brandon Holdridge was not enough to change the minds of four town board members regarding the fate of the 101-acre Ridge Road Laroe property, which many, including the landowners, wish to see preserved as open space.

All town board members besides Holdridge said the town’s budget situation does not allow it to invest in the property. Councilman Tom Becker said the town needs to prioritize its tax dollars on investment in infrastructure. Councilman Larry Dysinger said those who signed the petition do not represent the entire town and the project was not in the best interests of the entire town.

Councilman Robert Courtenay and Councilman Antonio Ardisana said they agreed with the sentiments of Becker and Dysinger. That left Holdridge as the sole supporter of preserving the property, which is eligible for a 50% matching grant from the county and thus would cost around $650,000. Any bond on the property would be subject to a referendum vote; still the town board did not want to even let the project get to that point.

A member of the town Conservation Advisory Council also spoke at the meeting, stating the CAC supported the open space project and a referendum for a bond.

Public comment

During public comments the town board held a moment of silence for Dave Bell, the former highway superintendent and water administrator. Then the supervisor’s mother, Marion Holdridge, spoke at length about issues her community has with activity at Camp Monroe.

Marion Holdridge said the property should be used as a summer camp but instead is used as a hotel, with busses coming in every week with more people. The county has issued a temporary residence permit for the property but she alleged that town law trumps county law when it comes to such permits. The town’s building inspector has visited the property but failed to contact the owner. Marion Holdridge claimed the property has violated noise and garbage ordinances. No clear resolution was reached at the town board meeting.

Sewer upgrades

Brian Smith of the Moodna sewer agency, which covers several municipalities including the town of Chester, gave a report to the board. He said his agency has an annual budget of $3 million and three employees along with himself as a part-time administrator. He said Moodna is aiming to put a new control panel in at Surrey Meadows with the goal being to rebuild the pump station.

Fireworks

The board declared July 12 as the date for the annual fireworks, with July 13 the rain date. The fireworks distributor claimed prices are going up due to tariffs. The town also allotted $6,627 for drones to be part of the show.

Ambulance service

Empress ambulance service issued its first-ever report to the town board for the month of February. They reported 89 dispatches with 68 transports and only two instances where no ambulance was available. Average response time was 9 minutes and 1 second. Supervisor Holdridge said, “We are definitely getting our money’s worth.”

Other business

The town board voted to purchase a new truck for the highway department — a Hempstead Lincoln at the price of $58,963. The police department announced a $10,000 increase in insurance rates requested by O&R for placement of surveillance cameras on their utility poles. The board approved the expense 5–0.

The CAC is hosting another Repair Café, this one scheduled for April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The board approved the use of the Senior Center 5–0.

The board established a fee schedule for the use of the Senior Center by non-profits. For Chester-based non-profits, the cost will be $250 plus liability and cleaning costs. For non-Chester-based groups, the fee would be $600.

The town board is adding to its workload. Already known for lengthy meetings, the town is adding a third monthly work session meeting the third Wednesday of every month at 2 p.m. Supervisor Holdridge said it does not mean the meeting will necessarily be held every month, just that it is expected to be.

The board reaffirmed a deal with Reimagined Productions for $45,000 for the use of the SLPAC from March 28 through May 5 for the filming of a major motion picture. It was noted that some recognizable people from Hollywood might be on site.

The board voted 5–0 to buy a Chevy Silverado for the Parks and Recreation Department at the cost of $62,313.