At 6:00 PM on Monday, March 1st, 2021 Mayor Meg Grenier read the following statement: this is the Village of Menands Board of Trustees, semi-monthly meeting. I am Mayor Meg Grenier and as it is 6:00 o’clock, I will call this meeting to order. For anyone outside the village staff who is attending this video conference, I would ask if you would please identify yourselves, Steve Boulet, Renee Lequire, Bill Nevins, John Stangle. The Mayor asked them to mute their microphones.
Mayor Grenier then did a roll call of Village staff: Deputy Mayor Aileen Nicoll, present, Trustee Seth Harris, present, Trustee Diane Foley, present, Trustee Brian Marsh, present, Clerk Don Handerhan, present, Village Attorney Steve Rehfuss, present. On behalf of the Village Board, I would ask all residents that we please keep our First Responders, all essential workers and those affected by this pandemic in our thoughts and prayers.
Pursuant to Governor Cuomo’s executive order number 202.1 issued on March 13th, 2020: Suspending article 7 of the public officer’s law, to the extent necessary to permit any Public body to meet, and take such actions authorized by law that allowed the public to not be physically present at the meeting, but allow the public to listen to or view such meetings via teleconference call or video conference, while recording and later transcribing of the meeting. Village of Menands Board of Trustees semi-monthly meeting is being held via Google Meets video conference to protect Public Safety and Welfare during this COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to conduct this meeting effectively we asked those in attendance to please mute your microphone during the meeting. As we are conducting only essential business during tonight’s meeting, there will be no public comment. Any comments previously submitted to Clerk Handerhan prior to the meeting and deemed essential will be read into the record. Governor Cuomo has extended executive order number 202.1 through March 24th, 2021.
Trustee Harris made a motion to accept the minutes of the February 16th, 2021 Board Minutes, seconded by Trustee Foley.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
A motion was made by Trustee Marsh to approve payment for the following, seconded by Trustee Harris.
WARRANT #19:
Void Check # 11637 Securewatch24, LLC/duplicate $1,100.00
GENERAL totaling $ 63,071.05
WATER totaling $ 15,886.24
SEWER totaling $ 9,040.75
TOTALS $ 87,998.04
PARK IMPROVEMENT: totaling $ 723.50
PAYROLL # 20: totaling $101,88.22
(02/12/21-02/25/21)
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
A motion was made by Trustee Marsh, seconded by Trustee Harris, to accept
the following resolution:
RESOLVED, that the Treasurer be, and hereby is, authorized to make the following Budget Transfers
Account Account
From Acct: A.1990.0400 To Acct: A.1325.0404
Description Contingent Account Miscellaneous
Amount: $6,300.00 $6,300.00
From Acct: A.3120.0106 To Acct: A.3120.0107
Description Holiday DWI Patrol
Amount: $2,500.00 $2,500.00
From Acct: A.3120.0417 To Acct: A.3120.0201
Description Gas and Oil Computer and Software
Amount: $8,000.00 $8,000.00
From Acct: A.5110.0104 To Acct: A.5110.0105
Description Parttime & Summer Help Overtime
Amount: $7,500.00 $1,500.00
From Acct: ” To Acct: A.5110.0419
Description ” Vehicle Mtce
Amount: ” $6,000.00
Approved:
Trustee Foley Voted – Aye
Trustee Harris Voted – Aye
Trustee Marsh Voted – Aye
Trustee Nicoll Voted – Aye
Mayor Grenier Voted – Aye
Mayor Grenier led discussion regarding the Public Employer Emergency Health Plan that has been mandated by the State of New York. The plan has been approved by the Menands PBA and the Teamsters 491. Discussion followed. Plan is attached.
A motion was made by Trustee Marsh to approve the Public Employer Emergency Health Plan, seconded by Trustee Nicoll.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
Mayor Grenier led a discussion regarding the naming of the Mohawk Hudson Bike Trail Connector at exit 6 of I-787 after former Trustee Ronald H. Miller. As a new Assembly session began in January, we need a revised resolution, noting the Assembly bill #A277. She then presented the following resolution:
Trustee Harris read the following resolution:
A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF NAMING THE MOHAWK-HUDSON BIKE TRAIL CONNECTOR AFTER RONALD H. MILLER, PURSUANT TO ASSEMBLY BILL #A277
WHEREAS, the Village of Menands, which borders the Hudson River on the east, lost bike/pedestrian access to the river through the development of I-787; and
WHEREAS, regaining access to the Hudson River, has been an ongoing process for several years to benefit the residents of the Village of Menands and surrounding communities; and
WHEREAS, Ronald H. Miller, a longtime resident of Menands, served on the Village of Menands Board of Trustees from April 7, 2003 through April 4, 2011; and
WHEREAS, as an economist, Ronald H. Miller, devoted his professional life to environmentalism, with an agenda to provide Menands access to the natural beauty of the shores of the Hudson River: and
WHEREAS, Ronald H. Miller, was instrumental in restoring bike/pedestrian access between the north end of Menands and South Troy, at the Troy-Menands Bridge to the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail, however, leaving a gap for central access in Menands to the river, which became next on Ron’s agenda; and
WHEREAS, Ronald H. Millers efforts to restore access, continues with the recent work performed by New York State Department of Transportation, to add a connector on the Exit 6 if I-787 northbound ramp in Menands to the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail; and
WHEREAS, Ronald H. Miller passed away prior to seeing his vision become a reality, and the Village of Menands, Board of Trustees, supports recognizing Ron’s efforts in naming the connector for Ronald H. Miller.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF MENANDS THAT WE FULLY SUPPORT THAT THE CONNECTOR TO THE MOHAWK-HUDSON-BIKE-HIKE TRAIL BE NAMED FOR RONALD H. MILLER, PURSUANT TO ASSEMBLY BILL #A277 PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES THIS 1st DAY OF MARCH, 2021
VILLAGE OF MENANDS
Megan Grenier, Mayor
Trustee Harris moved the approval of the resolution, seconded Trustee Foley.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
The Clerk reminded the Board that the Budget Workshop will be March 8th at 5:30 PM.
Mayor Grenier advised the Board that the Park will be open for reservations Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021. Applications are available on the Village Website. Please contact the Village Office to confirm the date is available. Along with the Application, Corticate of Insurance and check for $150.00 will need to be sent to the Village Office.
Mayor Grenier advised he Board she received the annual letter advising the Village of the Hudson-Mohawk Road Runner Club Marathon on Sunday, October 10th, 2021 at 8:00 A.M.
Resident Steve Boulet asked if there were any updates regarding Economic Development within the Village.
Mayor Grenier advised that recently she and Clerk Handerhan have been speaking to developers to try to bring a grocery store and other businesses into the Village.
Memorandum 2/14/21
TO: All Menands Village Board Members
FROM: Bill Garvey, Jr.
I got letters of importance & concern they are:
While reading the 1/4/21 Board Meeting Minutes Village Board Member S. Harris asked if all trail markers have been installed. The Clerk replied that as far as he knows they all been installed. However, he will contact Chazen Companies to confirm. I do support installing trail markers for welfare, recreational, public safety and the quality-of-life reasons. As you remember that I made a proposal to have trail markers colored red, yellow, orange, purple, whited and light green. I wish to know what colors the new trail markers are during this time?
I like to bring to your attention dealing with my concern about unused and poor conditioned buildings. This subject is one of the serious problems in Menands and several other localities throughout our nation. Unused and poor condition buildings in local communities including our Village are health, welfare, environment, public safety, social, fire and quality of life hazards. When buildings are no longer used or in poor condition, they create problems like vandalism, criminal activities, leaky water or other pipes people living unlawfully, broken windows and faulty wires. When unused and poor condition buildings are abandoned by their owners, we the tax payers in localities including Menands are forced to suffer paying taxes for those buildings. This is unjust, unacceptable, unreasonable and plain wrong. Let the owners of unused and poor conditioned buildings pay taxes for them. In the Village of Menands, we have quite a few unused or poor conditioned buildings like the former Olympic Bowling Lanes and 1 red b rick building on Elmwood Road, 1 house on Glenwood Road, Former Price Chopper Supermarket Store and 1 building connected to it plus a few former stores at Mid-City Plaza. Please keep in mind that unused and poor conditioned buildings in all localities including our Village may cause property values to decline plus they could cause the quality of life to deteriorate. I like to have all owners of unused and poor conditioned buildings in our Village to get slapped with high surcharges, fines and be given community work service.
I just read in 1/19/21 Village Board Meeting Minutes that Walgreens Drug Store on 444 Broadway here in Menands is going to close its doors on 2/18/21 and I’m sorry to hear about this bad news. It is too bad to see our Village lose its only drug store. So Menands will need to find another drug story by which this will be tough to find. This will cause the tax revenue base of our Village to decline = LOSS OF JOBS. Since some residents of Menands do not have cars to go to most places. This will create hardships and problems for those residents in Menands plus public transportation in the Albany Area is inadequate, inefficient, costly and unreliable. I’m sure that no one is happy to see Walgreens Drug Store here in Menands to close its doors on 2/18/21
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Yours sincerely
Bill Garvey Jr.
The Clerk received calls from the following residents for comments at tonight’s Board Meeting:
Bill Roylance:
- What efforts is the Village of Menands doing to ensure that Village Residents especially the elderly get vaccinated?
Mayor Grenier advised the Village does not have the capability to administering the vaccine, Albany County Legislator Alison McLean Lane put on Facebook that she is willing to help get people vaccinated.
- What is the Village doing about the condition of 33 Glenwood Road the home itself and trash all over the property?
Mayor Grenier replied that a NOTICE OF VIOLATIONS has been given, but due to the Courts being shut down the Village has not been able to move forward.
Connie Van Buren:
- Complaining about trash cans on Clifford Road
- Not being put away after pick up
- Being placed in front of homes
- Trash on ground and blowing all over the street
- Non-residents bringing trash to be pick up
- What can the Village do about cars not being moved from the road during plowing of snow, when a Snow Emergency is not called.
Mayor Grenier stated that the DPW and the Police work together to have vehicles moved during a storm.
Trustee Harris gave an update regarding Story Walk on the Sage Trails. Trustee Harris advised a meeting was held with Mayor Grenier, staff from Menands School, the Upper Hudson Library and Chazen. Mayor Grenier and Trustee Harris agreed it was a very productive meeting. A discussion followed.
A motion was made by Trustee Marsh to adjourn, seconded by Trustee Harris.
ADOPTED:
Trustee Foley voting AYE
Trustee Harris voting AYE
Trustee Marsh voting AYE
Trustee Nicoll voting AYE
Mayor Grenier voting AYE
The meeting was duly adjourned at 6:18 P.M.
__________________
Donald Handerhan
Village Clerk