Lowdown on November 26 Haverstraw Town Board Meeting

BY MICHAEL CAHILL

Negotiations with GenOn over the future tax rate of the Bowline Point Power Plant property are hopefully nearing a conclusion, according to Haverstraw Town Supervisor Howard Philips.

The comments came during Monday night’s regular board meeting. Philips said that the negations were ongoing, but that he and the board were not at liberty to speak about the process. He indicated however that things might soon be reaching a conclusion.

The GenOn corporation, which owns the Bowline Power Plant, has sued the Town of Haverstraw each year for the past several years, seeking a deep reduction in its property tax rate. According to Philips they are currently seeking a 97 percent reduction.

The town is hoping to reach an agreement with GenOn to prevent the case from going to court. If GenOn were to get the reductions they want on the property they would be paying less than $300,000 a year in property taxes, according to Philips.

Also at Monday’s meeting the board continued to leave open the public hearing concerning the clean up of the property at 11 Brisman Drive in Thiells. The property owner was not able to attend this week’s meeting, and no public comments were heard.

The board also moved to cancel the board meeting scheduled for December 24. The only official board meeting next month will be held on December 10. Philips announced that a special meeting would be held sometime before the end of the year for any minor motions that may be needed.

The board also held a public hearing about changing the terms of permits for refuse collectors from the calendar year (January 1 to December 31) to the fiscal year (April 1 to March 31). After no comments from the public, the board voted unanimously to pass the measure. Current permit holders will be allowed to keep their permits until the new fiscal year begins on April 1.

Finally the board scheduled two public hearings concerning minor corrections to the town code, (Chapter 167, and A176). Those hearings will take place at the December 10 meeting.

The Town of Haverstraw Town Board will meet again on December 10 at 8 p.m. at town hall.

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