Saltaire Village Meeting: Market Design, Food Trucks & No Tax Increase
By Katherine KlahnNew York, New York – The Village of Saltaire held its Board of Trustees meeting at Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City, on April 1. For those who could not make the trek into NYC, the Village made concessions by providing remote video or audio-access through the app “Go to Meeting.”The board meeting was a mix of budget talks, a code update years in the making and the progress of Village-wide projects. Village officials also provided updates on the anticipated food trucks and 100 Broadway Market projects.Village talk bustled around the planning of 100 Broadway Market, as attendees wondered what would happen to the bike racks and septic tanks in the design phase. The Market’s engineering phase is now complete and a design is being approved. Also as important, Village Board members anticipate obtaining a more “concrete price” for the much-anticipated project. Questions from the floor included what happened with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Money for this project. At this, hecklers in the audience could be heard saying that the money was now in the last owner’s pocket.The construction contract has been awarded to the lowest bidder, a company named Simplex. The plans include an option to build a municipal structure next to it. As for its septic tank, the deck on this project is going to remain large because it has been made that size to camouflage the septic tank, at about 29 feet. The Board says they cannot move or resize the septic system since it is being built in anticipation of future generations of users. The bicycle racks associated with this project are only considered to be a “placeholder.” The racks can be moved depending on how the design phase goes, and where flowers and vegetation are planted.For the completion of 100 Broadway Market there is still much to do and with cold weather hold-ups in such a harshly cold year, it’s no surprise. Mario Poscillico, Village Administrator and Clerk, anticipates the project won’t be completed until the end of the summer season. “By autumn,” he says. Much is still to be done, such as setting the building on a foundation, plumbing and any of the additional construction.With the Market not expected to be ready for operation this coming summer, there are plans to have a food truck to service the Saltaire community instead. Bids for the food truck were discussed. There were two proposals, one to have the truck open for business seven days a week, the other five days a week. Ultimately the two parties submitted a joint proposal to share the contract, in what was described as “a sort of synergy,” according to the Board.In the Public Hearing there were much awaited zoning code modifications made to local law #2. Garbage enclosures will now be mandated at all homes to deter pests and street litter. There is also a new variance allowing pitched roofs to pierce from the present 23-foot maximum height limit to 25 feet. According to the Board, the intention is to “provide more flexibility to those who want pitched roofs instead of flat roofs.”For the second fiscal year in a row, Saltaire villagers can look at a zero percent projected tax increase for the 2015-2016 budget. “More or less we’re looking at a balanced budget,” said Poscillico. He added that the Village will be receiving grants for the 2015 summer, including a $50,000 grant from Assemblyman Phil Boyle.In addition, the firehouse will be receiving Automated External Defibrillators (AED). One will be kept inside the firehouse itself, the others for the fleet of emergency vehicles. Saltaire was also chosen as the lead agency of the 17 Fire Island communities to keep critical infrastructure online in a storm. Through the NY Rising, the State approved $600K for the purchase of 10 generators in total. Seven will go to sub-recipients throughout Fire Island, and Saltaire will keep three.
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