Police cracking down on riverfront parking

(Photo by Jason Kaplan) - Students from Storm King School helped dig a hole to plant a tree in front of the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley Wednesday morning.

Around Village Hall

Arbor Day. Storm King School and the Cornwall Garden Club will be planting trees along Hudson Street this week. On Wednesday, students at the boarding school planted two trees, one in front of the Food Bank and another in front of Cornwall-on-Hudson Elementary School. The Garden Club will be planting a tree in front of St. Thomas of Canterbury Church at 2 p.m. on Friday. Mayor Brendan Coyne said the village is still trying to replace trees lost during Hurricane Irene.

Parking stickers. Trustee David Carnright brought to the board’s attention a way in which residents are avoiding paying for a riverfront parking pass. Instead some are parking at Pagenstecher Park and walking the quarter mile to Donahue Memorial Park. The board discussed putting signs at the park requiring parking permits. Coyne said about a dozen parking tickets have been issued to those parking at the riverfront without a pass. It was suggested signs indicating the parking pass requirements be posted at the entrances to the park on Dock Hill and Shore Roads.

Sewer capital. During Monday night’s Cornwall-on-Hudson business meeting of the Board of Trustees, village clerk/treasurer Jeanne Mahoney reported $116,841.78 was collected in sewer capital fees last year. The village is collecting money to help pay for repairs to the Town of Cornwall’s sewer plant. Rather than wait for a bill from the town, the village is getting a head start by setting aside funds.

Energy costs. The village is looking to save thousands of dollars in electricity costs by purchasing electricity from a supplier, rather than directly through Central Hudson. Two energy strategists, Michael Viner with Energy Price Management Group and Michelle Ries with M&R Energy Resources Corporation both met with the Board of Trustees to discuss energy rates available on the open market. The board, Monday night, approved a resolution to seek proposals from each individual. Proposals will be due on May 11 and will be discussed at the next work session. The resolution stipulates the offer must remain open through May 19 when the board can vote at its business meeting.

Contract negotiations. Mayor Brendan Coyne said negotiations with the CSEA employees are complete and both sides have agreed to the terms of the new contract. The contract must be sent to Beacon for CSEA review. The PBA contract is still under negotiation. A meeting was held two weeks ago.