Supervisor's Report October 2007

TOWN OF VARICK

Supervisor’s Report
October 2, 2007

It has been another very busy and important month with many meetings and many things accomplished.

Great news for the residents in the Hamlet of Fayette! Last week we received word that Small Cities have awarded a $600,000.00 grant toward the Fayette/Varick water project. We need another revenue stream of $400,000.00. It will happen. I want to thank Jeff Trout and Stu Brown the project grant writer for their continued steadfast efforts in this project during these past couple years. Working with our neighboring Towns is what is being encouraged by the State Government. The Town of Varick has been able to accomplish just that during the past four years.

The one-day workshop on co-funding for water infrastructure projects with an individual project consultation was very educational. During the individual consultation, I sat at a table with members from several funding agencies such as: New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation, Office for Small Cities, Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Health, Department of State, NYS Office of the State Comptroller, Energy Research and Development Authority and USDA Rural Development. The agencies that Varick would get money for the Route 89 project will come from the Environmental Facilities Corporation and USDA Rural Development. They are more than willing to help us find the money. If the money is not immediately available, we will be patient and ready when it becomes available. The responses from the mailing to the property owners on Route 89 continue to come. I have had 4 people who either could not afford public water or who had a system of taking water from the lake that opposed the project. It is important to stress, no one is forced to hook up to water.

Two weeks ago I had the opportunity to travel to Albany to attend the Fall Conference of the New York State Association of Counties. One session I attended dealt with shared municipal services. Varick has been ahead of that concept when we joined the four townships to the South to become part of a five Towns Assessment Group. There maybe other places that we can work with our neighboring Towns to accomplish some savings for our taxpayers. Cutting costs in creative ways should be on all of our agendas.

Several important resolutions were passed which directly effect us here in Varick: one was concerning increased recognition of tourism as a major economic engine for our Counties and New York State. The tourists bring tax dollars.

I serve on the standing Committee on Indian Affairs & Gaming, which we proposed and passed the resolution calling for the collection of sales and excise taxes on tribal lands and a resolution calling on the Governor to take any and all necessary action to oppose applications for taking land into trust unless the application is approved by the affected County. It was very fruitful and enlightening working conference.

Joan Teichner