Block Grant, fiscal year surplus discussed by Town Board

During the Sept. 18 Woodbury Town Board meeting, Town Supervisor Kathryn Luciani reported that the town received a $175,000 Community Development Block Grant to improve the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility for the senior center bathroom. She thanked the town engineer, building and grounds team, and others for helping with the grant application, which she said received a high score.

Luciani also shared that the town was audited for ADA accessibility in general and complimented the building and grounds workers for their work in making the town ADA compliant, which includes adding more handicap accessible parking spaces at the library.

During the meeting, the board passed a resolution authorizing the town to advertise for bids for the replacement of Ridge Road Bridge. Under the terms of the grant funding the town received from the New York State Bridge New York program, it must solicit bids for construction to ensure it selects the lowest responsible bidder.

At the prior town meeting, Jason Pitingaro of Pitingaro and Doetsch Consulting Engineers shared updates and answered questions on the progress of the bridge. For the town to move forward with its request for construction bids, the state had to give final approval on their bridge design.

Also during the meeting, Gregory Macleod of Highland Mills thanked the town board for its stewardship and what he said is the expectation that the town will finish its fiscal year with between $500,000 to $1 million surplus. He asked if the town did end the year with a surplus if that money would go back to the citizens. Luciani said the board would try to figure it out when it goes to budget and hopes the surplus will bring costs down for everyone.

Clara Rivera, Account Clerk for Refuse and Recycling reported that the town residents are tossing away less trash as garbage is down about 10% and recyclables are just under 8%. This was after the town saw many years of double-digit increases in the amount of trash it disposes, Rivera said.

Councilman Brandon Calore also shared that the information packet for new residents of Woodbury is now available in Spanish.