Town,Village boards discuss community matters at first joint meeting

The Town and Village of Woodbury held their first joint hall meeting on Monday, March 30, marking the first time the two groups have met in this way.

During the meeting, the town and village boards discussed future projects, community issues and upcoming events affecting residents.

Village updates

Mayor Andrew Giacomazza said the village is currently drilling for wells and highlighted the need for an additional well to be brought online. He added that the village has received approval from the Diocese of New York, the Cemetery of the Highlands, the Woodbury Commons and the parcel on Route 32 next to Timber Ridge.

This comes as the village board voted to extend its moratorium on water usage for another six months.

“There are people not happy with [the moratorium], but we really had to do this,” Giacomazza said. “There was no other choice in the matter.”

Giacomazza also discussed the village’s moratorium on battery storage facilities, along with plans to install a generator in the Skyline Drive area to prevent water service disruptions during power outages.

Upcoming town projects

During the meeting, Town Supervisor Jacqueline Hernandez provided an overview of the town’s projects, noting that many are funded by grants secured by previous administrations. Projects include renovating the animal shelter, replacing the temporary Ridge Road bridge, and upgrading the Senior Center’s bathroom.

“With the animal shelter along with several other projects, we are in the process of taking the next steps of securing the funding that will be needed for us to go into construction,” Hernandez said. “Once we are in construction, we can then submit for reimbursement for those grants that we receive.”

After putting out a bid for the animal shelter in the last town board meeting, Hernandez said they’re expecting contractors to submit proposals in 30 days before construction can begin. The project is expected to bring upgrades to the dog kennel and a new cat enclosure that will be neighboring the dog park.

In addition, the town is also looking to replace the existing temporary bridge on Ridge Road. Hernandez said the town plans to use a bond anticipation note (BAN), a form of short-term funding, to cover the upfront costs for the bridge project, which would be reimbursed once grant funding is received. She added that the town hopes to put the project out to bid in April, with construction completed before the start of the next school year.

Also, the town is in the process of renovating the Senior Center’s bathroom to accommodate senior citizens. Hernandez said that the town is planning to go out to bid for the project in August, with the renovation completed sometime in September.

St. Patrick’s Church

Additionally, the town also discussed its desired plans to purchase and renovate the former education center and gymnasium at St. Patrick’s Church, converting it into a town municipal building.

Hernandez said discussions about potential uses for the property have taken place in past administrations. She added that, in addition to creating office spaces, renovations would be needed to address drainage issues.

On March 23, Senator James Skoufis announced the addition of $1.3 million in the Senate’s budget proposal to fund the project. Will Alexander, director of operations for the Office of Senator James Skoufis, spoke briefly about the project, adding that Skoufis is working with other assembly members and the governor’s office to secure additional funding for the project.

“The centralization of the town’s offices would serve the dual purposes of ending a currently expensive lease to help save taxpayers money, as well as preserving a key community property from outside development,” Alexander said.

Hernandez added that if the town is unable to secure the full amount of funding for the project, she discussed the possibility of holding a public vote to decide whether to fund the remaining balance.