Stony Point Town Board Passes Bond Resolutions, Sets Dates for Public Hearings on Sign Law and Waterfront Development

BY CHERYL SLAVIN

Picking up where it left off at the last meeting, the Stony Point Town Board passed three bond resolutions on Tuesday night for a total of about $2 million. The resolutions result in superseding the board’s previous resolution to bond $1.25 million for budgeted capital equipment which covers highway, sewer and golf course projects.

After consulting by conference call and at the meeting with bond advisor James Nytko of Capital Market Advisors, the board chose to take advantage of “historically low interest rates” by taking out long term bonds for items which otherwise were usually financed through shorter term “bond anticipation notes,” or “BANs.” In addition to the $790,000 2015 equipment bond, the board also resolved to bond $787,000 for highway garage expenses as well as the remaining $370,000 left on the loan used to purchase the house now on highway property.

All of the money will be applied to already budgeted items. No additional funds were borrowed for future as yet to be determined projects. According to Councilman James White, the resulting taxpayer savings for 2016 will be around $200,000. The board also passed two additional smaller bond resolutions, including one to cover the police department retirement fund.

The board announced that there will be two public hearings at its February 24 meeting: the first is the continuation of the hearing on the proposed sign law changes to permit electronic signage; the second will be a new hearing on the proposed zoning amendment to permit mixed use development in the PW (waterfront) district. The board will also be considering a draft part three EAF and negative declaration on the same issue.

Waterfront development through the New York Rising Program also progressed as the board voted to issue an RFQ (request for qualifications) to find an engineering design firm to conduct a study and design a plan for post-Sandy Beach Road improvements. The town has already received a $3 million commitment by the state for funds to repair, strengthen and protect Stony Point’s vulnerable shoreline. The Beach Road project, to construct protection against wave action, one of several recommended last year by the local Community Rising committee. The board estimates that it will cost between $150,000 and $190,000 for the study and design alone. The grant money will be deposited in a separate account and available to the town to be spent project by project.

In his Supervisor’s report, Geoff Finn noted that talks with New Planet Energy about the proposed gasification plant are continuing, and that NPE reports a positive recent meeting with the DEC. No date has been set yet for a public hearing, but according to Finn, NPE will be starting to answer more of the questions concerning environmental issues in the coming weeks via its website.

Susan Filgueras brought the public up to date about the first two meetings of the Sesquicentennial Committee, and announced the next meeting date would be Thursday, February 12 at 6 p.m. at the RHO building. Anyone interested in participating is welcome to attend.

The board also voted to approve a $500 donation toward the sponsorship of the North Rockland spelling bee team, to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The team has consistently done well over the past few years, placing first, second and third last year in the regional competition, and 33^rd overall at last year’s nationals.