Goshen eyes possible new town hall property at Lakeville Inn

Town board members discussed the potential purchase of 31.4 acres at the Lakeville Inn for a home for a new town hall and police department headquarters. The Lakeville Inn, which is owned by the Catholic Archdiocese, is located at 100 Fletcher St. Currently the town hall is located at 41 Webster Avenue.

Councilman George Lyons said he spoke to someone who lived at the property and there are five septic tanks there, as well as approximately seven acres of wetlands. He said the board needed to do more due diligence on how much of the acreage the town would actually use.

Councilman Philip Canterino estimated the town would use 8.6 acres of the property with 15 acres in the back being unused. Supervisor Joseph Betro said the town should consider a conditional purchase of the property to move the process along, only buying the property if certain conditions are met. Councilwoman Melissa Gallo asked if the board could do a site visit before making a decision.

Environmental Review Board Chairman Neal Halloran opined from the audience that the town already owned two sites that could be used for the town hall, including the corner of Mill Road and the Salesians property. Supervisor Betro replied that the Mill Road area was designated as parkland, to which Halloran said the state can convert parkland back to another zone.

Water/sewer

The board also discussed a contract prepared by Young/Sommer LLC for legal services pertaining to the proposed purchase of a waste water treatment plant and new sewer and water district formation. Betro and other councilmembers noted the rates the law firm wanted to charge were well above other rates the town pays for similar work.

The town plans to borrow money from its ‘B fund’ to pay for the formation of the districts, after which they will be paid back. Resident Chris Healey reiterated his previously stated opposition to the creation of a new water district, which he believes will open the door for high-density housing. Betro said the district will strictly be to attract commercial business that will help the town’s tax base. Healey warned that “they” will sue their way in and that they have done so in other communities.

The town board also approved the creation of a SDA-Persoon Drainage District Fund and agreed to open a new bank account for the fund at Orange Bank and Trust Company.