After six months in office, it’s time to take a look at some of what has been achieved by the new Town Board.
We implemented a difficult and
long overdue sewer rate increase after intensive analysis and a series
of public hearings. We’ve overhauled the planning department with a
series of excellent appointments and an emphasis on the use of in-house
resources instead of expensive consultants. We created a formal system
for tracking and spending Generic Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS)
fees so that infrastructure issues can be addressed and our parks
revitalized. Efforts to improve the Hampton Manor Park have included a
volunteer cleanup, new playground equipment, the return of the gazebo, a
new mural and rebuilt chimney for the Lakehouse, and a developing plan
for a new walkway. We’re seeking grants to improve the Town Park and
are investigating the possibility of restoring swimming to the pond in
the Park.
We restored the question and
answer format to Town Board meetings and added public comment to
pre-Board meetings. We’ve established an Honor a Veteran Program. We’ve
held several meetings with residents of Hampton Manor concerning the
drinking water in the Manor. Efforts to revitalize Columbia Turnpike
include a Rapid Action Plan that will incentivize redevelopment of small
businesses, redrafting of the Town’s Building Code and Zoning Ordinance
to facilitate a stronger code enforcement program, and working with
landowners to improve appearances. The Weathervane is gone. We signed a
new contract with our Police Officers and hope to do the same soon with
our DPW employees and the Bruen Rescue Squad. We’ve modernized the
information technology in Town Hall by replacing our obsolete servers
and purchasing new computers.
What’s next? We’re preparing for an independent audit of the Town’s finances for 2015.
Our summer camp opens on July 5th and once again it is
fully enrolled. Road paving is scheduled for July 25-27. In August
we’ll pass a new Code of Ethics, one that will further remove politics
from the business of our Town government. We’re researching accounting
software for the Town Comptroller and new designs for our website.
There’s much to be done but we’re excited about what has been achieved
to date.
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
From Supervisor Jack Conway.....
The demolition of the Weathervane began today. It should take 3 or 4
days to complete the demolition and site clean up. That building stood
for almost 75 years but has been vacant the last 8. This Town Board
was adamant that the building had to be taken
down but we got a great response from the property owners, who agreed
that it was an important first step in revitalizing Columbia Turnpike.
It's going to take a lot of cooperation between the public and private
sector to make things happen and today showed
the promise and possibility of getting that done.
Today was noteworthy for several other reasons. It marks the END
of the decline of Columbia Turnpike. It is the opening salvo in a major
code enforcement push on 9&20. And it lays the groundwork for a
Rapid Action Plan that will provide significant incentives
for redevelopment on that corridor. This Town Board has made code
enforcement and the revitalization of 9&20 very high priorities.
Today is only the beginning.
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