Credit: Lenora Champagne
Discussion of a new Pine Plains Town Hall building dominated this month’s meeting of the Town Board on May 18.
Citing the run-down condition and remote location of the current Town Hall at 3284 Route 199, several generations of local officials have set sights on constructing a new facility at the heart of the Pine Plains business district on the two empty lots at 8 and 12 North Main Street.
Opening the May 18 meeting, Town Supervisor Brian Walsh emphasized that plans are still in the early stages, and that cost, building style, and payment options have yet to be determined. Interested residents will be given an opportunity to hear details about the proposal and provide input at a public meeting scheduled for July 10 in the community center over the Pine Plains Free Library. Information about the project will be made available to the public online and in hard copies in advance of the meeting.
The Town Board meeting followed a workshop meeting two days earlier in which board members discussed initial steps for the new Town Hall.
Water Supervisor Ray Jurkowski, who has worked as the town engineer, talked through basic infrastructure issues with the board members. He noted the likelihood of extending the water main 300 feet to connect the new building, and discussed heating and sanitation, including the likely need for a new sewer system.
Board member Sarah Jones queried whether New York state law requires new government buildings to be energy efficient. While Jurkowski said there are currently no such mandates for non-residential buildings, the state does offer numerous incentives to towns to embrace sustainability through programs like Climate Smart Communities.
There was also a discussion about building costs. With post-Covid construction costs on the rise to roughly $500 per square foot for the type of building envisioned, the new Town Hall may cost $3.5 million or more.
Board members will wait to hear public feedback from the July 10 community meeting before soliciting pitches from architecture firms. Board member Don Bartles praised the Stanford Free Library as a promising prototype for the Pine Plains Town Hall, and noted that the building will probably have a basement and a first floor raised slightly above ground level.
Former Supervisor Darrah Cloud, who attended the workshop, noted that members of the community had in the past volunteered to contribute funds towards a new Town Hall and that a local architect had offered to design the building for free. Cloud offered to communicate with the people offering their services should the board be interested.
Apart from the Town Hall issue, the May 18 Board meeting was otherwise brief, with various departments giving their reports. Highway Superintendent Carl Baden noted that mowing had begun and that steps had been taken to mitigate beaver damage along regional roads.
Building superintendent Drew Weaver noted there were 27 permits for the year so far. Water Supervisor Jurkowski noted a persistent leak along a water pipe on Beach Road. He noted it was the third repair required on Beach Road and that he has submitted a memorandum to the Town Board to replace the leaking pipe, which critically serves the recreational fields and wintertime ice rink, as well as the beach house and the Lions Club building.
Jurkowski said it will cost $265,000, with a total project budget of $340,000 to replace. He suggested using $225,000 of remaining American Rescue Plan funds, and noted that the Pine Plains Water Improvement Area has a capital fund of around $400,000 that could cover the rest. It was discussed that the American Rescue Plan funds must be allocated by 2024 and used by 2026.
It was decided by a vote that Jurkowski should reach out to the property owner about an easement (the water system used to be privately owned, so no easement has previously been obtained.)
The Pine Plains police are rehiring a member to help with field training. This will bring them to seven officers, which they have the budget for.
Approvals of personnel included Sandy Koch as a Library Board Trustee.
Funds were approved to maintain the town park.
Willow Roots requested the possibility of doing a weekly flea market at the currently empty lots of the future Town Hall at 8 and 12 North Main. There was concern about the effect on traffic and it was suggested that the organization do a presentation at the next town workshop meeting.
Finally, board member Matt Zick asked attorney Warren Replansky to look into ranked-choice voting. The meeting then went into executive session.