|
|
|
|
Click to visit the
Official Town Site
|
|
|
|
|
|
General News: Businesses Chip in for Village Parking
|
| Bob Gilmore discusses his plan |
June 19, 2007
After several weeks of sometimes heated public discussion about parking in the village, a novel plan was presented Monday night to the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson board of trustees by Bob Gilmore, head of the Department of Public Works.
First, he came up with a design for expanding the current parking lot and re-routing traffic flow through the area. Then, Gilmore says, he got on the phone last Wednedsay and started calling local businesses, asking them to help the village pay for the project.
By the end of the day, Gilmore had commitments from thirteen business owners to donate labor and materials worth nearly $100,000. He got another commitment from Senator Bill Larkin for $30,000 to pay for the village’s paving costs.
At Monday’s evening board meeting Gilmore presented his plan for expanding the current parking lot and allowing traffic to exit onto River Avenue through a village lot that is currently undeveloped. It would also include a new sidewalk along the elementary school.
Gilmore plan impressed the board and a round of applause went up for his initiative in proposing a solution to the thorny issue of parking spaces in the business district, coupled with the traffic of students coming and going to school in the same area.
“It will cost the tax payer zero, “ Gilmore announced to the board before adding one condition. “The whole project is definitely donated but it needs to be decided within one month or the deal is off the table.”
Trustees seemed eager to move ahead with the proposal but Mayor Joe Gross cautioned that more study needed to be done on issues like engineering before approving the changes. Others, including Ray Yannone and Tony Missere who own businesses that want additional parking space, spoke in favor of moving ahead with Gilmore’s plan.
“It’s a golden opportunity,” Yannone said. “He (Gilmore) has considered everything and everybody’s concern.”
The board decided to authorize a survey of the area with the expectation that the public will be able to review the plan and speak about it before any decisions are made. The village lot that will be turned into a one-way exit was scheduled to become a ten-vehicle parking lot developed by Tony Missere, owner of the River Bank restaurant. That deal prompted several residents to complain to the board last month about the impact on their properties.
The businesses that have pledged labor, materials, and funding are: Steve Drabick, surveyor; Mike Seaman and Intercounty Tree Care, tree work; Nannini and Callahan, base materials and compacting roller; Scott Spagnoli and Spagnoli Excavating, bulldozer and stump excavating; Lucie Provencher, Ray Yannone and Deke Hazirjian, guardrails; Tony Missere, light for new steps; Eugene Randazzo and Randazzo Landscaping, shrubbery for a buffer zone; Gill Davidson and Risco Services, striping; Glen Abrams of Glenco Supplies,, signnage; John Speranza and Speranza Landscaping, stone steps; Burns & Whalen, sidewalk materials and installation.
Comments:
|
Hello- My name is Will Hall & I live on River Avenue. I really don't like the idea of having a parking lot added to my street or having another exit for traffic to come through onto River. I suggest having a one way entrance added which would enter the municiple lot from River Ave. This entrance would allow traffic to enter the lot in- one way from River (just about 20 ft. down the street from the existing one way exit) & would only cost the lot about 2 parking spots. Also- I suggest that lines be painted in the parking lot to maximize its capacity. The spots are there- we just have to use them. Further, I believe that the "vacant village lot" that has been negleted for over 2 decades since I've been alive-be used as a community garden or not be used at all. Why should it be used to benefit one or two businesses when it could benefit the village as a whole if it was attaractive? Its been gross for years-but a parking lot would look even worse. We have access to all these great local entrepreneurs... lets have them donate their time on something positive... they are in it for the advertising & as far as I am concerned it would be negative advertising to pave land in the village that need't be paved. Hope this problem gets solved quickly.
posted by WillHall on 06/20/07 at 12:00 AM
|
|
Wait a minute - We can have all this wonderful, benevolent assistance and save the village all kinds of money - BUT - we-have-to-take-it-right-now-or we-lose-it?!
Marketing experts do this all the time; make it sound like you (the consumer)will lose out to put pressure on you to panic you into a deal that seems just great! If these businesses were truly concerned with the well being of the whole community, they would not be handing out ultimatums. They should be willing to allow the project to be evaluated properly and stop trying to give us the bum's rush.
Maybe *before* that's how it was done, but that is not good business nor is it good government.
posted by kate benson on 06/20/07 at 12:00 AM
|
|
Well,
I give Bob Gilmore credit for comimg up with the ideea and planning to add to the existing parking lot area. Now I guess it is the Villages turn to come up with additional revenues for repair and maintenance Year after year. After all we have to upkeep landscaping anfd flowers, fences , repairs to Blacktop, sidewalks, patrolling by the police of the area, checking for vndalism, graffitti, skateboarding, skating and just hanging out in the area.Again, although we have solved one problem by adding additional parking areas, but haven't thought out the upkeep and cost to the taxpayers in the years to come.... the time to think of this is now.... Phil Hopp
posted by Philip Hopp on 06/21/07 at 12:00 AM
|
|
We are talking about the parking scene here. If you have an issue with the uncontrolled youth in the village you need to address that, either at a village meeting or by calling the police when necessary. My neighbors and I wonder why the kids running amok at 3 a.m. aren't picked up and brought home to their parents. There is nothing like lack of sleep to remind a parent that they have a responsibility to raise their kids. And after 3 trips on the village tab start charging the parents of these errant youngsters $50. a ride. That will make them ask.. "It's 10:00, do I know where my children are?"
posted by kate benson on 06/22/07 at 12:00 AM
|
|
This is not a kids problem. It's a problem of people wanting more parking on River Ave.
posted by WillHall on 06/23/07 at 12:00 AM
|
|
This may be a good proposal, however, the process is in question. The mayor and the trustees are elected by the community to manage village affairs such as road changes to improve traffic flow, expansion of public parking, etc. The Superintendant of Public Works reports to these public officials and should keep them totally informed of his activities so that effort expended on the publicıs behalf can be managed properly. It is very surprising that Mr. Gilmore prepared detailed plans for a major project, including discussions with local businessmen and Senator Larkinıs office to secure donations and funding, without prior approval and guidance from the mayor and the full village board. We elect village officials to work closely with employees and do not intend that these employees work independently on projects of their own choosing. Warren and Mary Mumford
posted by warmar on 07/02/07 at 12:00 AM
|
Add a Comment:
Please signup or login to add a comment.
|
 |
|
|
|
