CHATHAM–Town Supervisor Jesse DeGroodt reported to his board at the regular meeting Thursday, September 19 that he has sent a proposal to the Town of Kinderhook for offering swim lessons at Crellin Park during the summer recreation program. The program is funded by the Town of Chatham.
Dee Spain, assistant to Kinderhook Town Supervisor Pat Grattan, said in a phone interview after the Chatham meeting that Kinderhook is looking at ways to combine services with Chatham for the summer swim program.
Currently Kinderhook rents Knickerbocker Lake on Route 9, where the town offers swimming lessons during the summer. Ms. Spain said that renting the lake, which is privately owned, hiring lifeguards and swim instructors and paying the Town of Kinderhook Highway Department to maintain the beach during the six-week summer program is “a big cost.”
She emphasized that the two towns were still in the “planning stages,” and nothing had been decided yet for next summer’s program.
If the Kinderhook rec program does switch to Crellin, Ms. Spain said that parents would be responsible for transporting their children to and from Crellin Park for swimming lessons in the morning, but that the town would bus the Kinderhook students in its all-day Park program to Crellin for open swim time in the afternoons.
The Chatham Town Board also heard last week from Highway Supervisor Joe Rickert about leaks in the town highway garage roof. He said after the rains earlier this month the leaks left quite a lot of water in the shop. “We are trying to protect $3-and-half-million worth of stuff,” he told the board of the equipment housed in the 27-year-old building.
He contacted three companies, asking for quotes for fixing the roof and said he received two bids. Supervisor Jesse DeGroodt said the board would look at the bids and discuss the repairs at a later date.
Mr. Rickert also reported that construction on the Albany Turnpike Bridge in East Chatham was on schedule and that the old span would come down September 24. Construction on the White Mills Bridge is still in the pre-construction phase, Mr. Rickert said.
In other business last week the board:
•The town’s Zoning Implementation Committee (ZIC) is looking for another member. They currently have 8 members and they are looking for one more. Board and ZIC Member Henry Swartz said there were issues the committee wanted to vote on that need a full group to finalize.
•Discussed the issue of garbage cans being left out for pickup. Town attorney Tal Rappleyea suggested amending the local litter law to include garbage in cans. But board member Maria Lull said that County Waste, the private garbage collection company for the town, has been up to three days late collecting the garbage in her part of town.
“Joe [Rickert] has said there is a possibility we could make money if we had our own trash pick-up,” Mr. Rappleyea said.
•Heard at the outset of the meeting a presentation by Chatham Schools Superintendent Cheryl Nuciforo about the proposed $13.8-million upgrade to the elementary and high school buildings to prepare for the closing of Middle School building on Woodbridge Avenue in the village of Chatham.
Ms. Nuciforo, who said the construction and upgrades would have no impact on local school taxes, plans to give her presentation to several community groups in the area and offered to meet with any group of 12 adults or more to discuss the plans. Information is also on the school district’s website, www.chathamcentralschools.com.
The Town Board plans to have a budget presentation on Tuesday, October 1 at 6 p.m. at Town Hall. There next regular meeting is Thursday, October 17 at 7 p.m.
To contact reporter Emilia Teasdale email eteasdale@columbiapaper.com.
