Village of Red Hook Mayor’s Report May 2024
INSURANCE:
NYMIR Insurance June 1 renewal has been received. The cost without Cyber insurance is $82,934.00 – a 2.1% increase from last year. Cyber insurance was $1860.10 last year. The required questionnaire for Cyber insurance has been completed and we should get our quote shortly. With the three funds, we have a budget of $81,600 – so we’ll need to do a small budget adjustment which I will propose once we get the Cyber insurance quote.
SEWER PROJECT:
Long-term financing for the no-interest $6,162,618 loan with NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) successfully closed on May 16, 2024. EFC paid off the Village’s USDA-Rural Development (RD) $3,593,000 loan on May 20[th] . The interest rate for the USDA-RD loan was 1.875%. Final interest to USDA-RD of $18,371.06 has been authorized to be paid. Our loan with EFC is for 30 years with payments due annually on March 18[th] in the amount of $205,430.
The USDA-RD December disbursement request, revised in May, (Form E) has been accepted, the money received, and the invoices paid. The requested sewer related items using the remaining contingency funds have been approved. I am working on the final disbursement request to close out the project.
SEWER EXPANSION – PHASE II:
Our working group meets every two weeks to review both the ongoing operations and the Phase II project.
You have a copy of the Draft Engineering Report from Delaware Engineering for the Sewer Phase II Expansion. We have a resolution to authorize the submittal of this project for listing on the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Intended Use Plan (IUP), due June 15, 2024. The project as currently designed includes the addition of approximately 170 properties in the Village, adding 175,000 gallons per day (gpd) capacity for use by the Village and an additional 50,000 gpd capacity dedicated to the Town Sewer District #1 as requested by the Town. The proposed map includes the three potential development projects – Cookingham East, the Ross property & Anderson Commons – as well as expanding service to the south of the WWTP along Rt. 9, to the West to include the Middle & High schools, to the East to include the former Red Hook Electric and to the Southeast to include the Light Industrial District and a good portion of the residential district. The estimated probable cost of the alternative including the Town Sewer District capacity is $19.5MM.
Once our project is listed on the IUP, any additions, deductions, or cost increases will not change the grant amount. We can always make the expanded area smaller, so it is advantageous to apply for the larger project being considered and reduce it later if that makes sense.
The Town is simultaneously working through their procedure to establish a sewer district which they are required to do for the Village to provide them with sewer services. The Town is applying for a NYS Intermunicipal Grant since they will be connecting to the Village’s sewer system. An Intermunicipal Agreement (IMA) is required to have been agreed to and included with the Town’s grant application. We have an IMA before us tonight for approval. This document has been reviewed and vetted by Rich Olson, Village Attorney, Robert Flores, Village Engineer, and me. We can make changes to the IMA subsequently should we desire.
COOKINGHAM EAST/RED HOOK GATEWAY:
I attended the exciting announcement that RUPCO received a Momentum Fund Grant of $3.45MM for which they had applied last July to support the infrastructure for their proposed housing development in the Village of Red Hook.
ABRAHAMS PARK TASK FORCE:
The Abrahams Task Force met on May 31[st] . Betsy Brauer attended from Alaska via zoom! Amy Perella and I were in attendance. Brent Kovalchik joined us toward the end of the meeting.
Betsy had previously shared a test version of the survey she has developed. She had 6 test responses. We discussed finalizing the survey and how to distribute it as widely as possible. Melkorka has since been working on a flyer to help publicize the survey. We plan to translate the survey into Spanish and perhaps offer a shortened version for youth. We are working on those details now.
We discussed the parking lot. We agreed that we would look into hiring a civil engineer to aid in the process of designing the parking lot, getting the proper permitting through DEC and avoiding wetlands for the muchneeded parking lot. Karen is to work on an RFP.
UPSEU CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS:
The Deputy Mayor and I met with both the Police and the Highway with their union representatives in May. The Village is in the process of reviewing the union proposals and preparing for our next meeting in consultation with our labor attorney, David Wise.
WIIA – WATER PROJECTS:
SCADA Controls Upgrade – this project is underway and expected to be completed by the end of July. The SCADA system controls the water system, and this upgrade will increase the efficiency of the system. Avanti Construction is the contractor. The cost for this project is $416,700.
Cherry & Graves Street Water Main Replacement – This project began in mid-May. The contractor is Amity Construction. Construction will continue through the end of June then go on hiatus for July and August. Amity is due back September 3[rd] to complete the project. Substantial completion is contracted to be December 17, 2024. The project began at the intersection of Cherry St. and Market St. There is a lot of rock all along that section of Cherry St. They are down around the corner. Hopefully it will be easier going from here forward having gotten through most of the rock. The cost for this project is $1,003,560.
Water Tank Rehabilitation – This project will likely start sometime in July. The contractor is Worldwide Industries. The cost for this project is $373,500. Completion is expected to be before the end of 2024.
OTHER:
Thank you to the Red Hook VFW Post 7765 for persevering in the face of nasty weather forecasts and hosting an important observance of Memorial Day with a parade and a powerful ceremony held back at the Post. And we hope to be able to return to ending at the Memorial in the Park next year.
I was invited by the Red Hook Rotary to be their guest speaker at their meeting on May 14. It was a good opportunity to share some of the projects we are working on and to thank and compliment them on a wonderful Apple Blossom Day event.
I attended the New York Council of Mayors (NYCOM) Conference at the Sagamore Resort from May 15 to 17. It was an excellent opportunity to attend many meetings and training sessions about all things Villages and Cities as well as meeting with other mayors around the State.