John Kolodziej Appointed Delhi Swim Director

DELHI - John Kolodziej was appointed as the swim director at the Delhi Town Pool for the 2024 season at the board meeting on April 8. 

Kolodziej was asked to start immediately through Aug. 2 and will receive a $4,000 stipend.

Supervisor Maya Boukai estimates Kolodziej will work a total of 90 hours teaching classes with an additional 40 to 60 hours for registration and other paperwork. 

Councilmembers are still seeking the hiring of a head lifeguard, a swim instructor, and a lifeguard. Kolodziej will assist with recruitment efforts. Kolodziej has worked for several years as SUNY Delhi's swimming and diving head coach and has several contacts that might help in recruitment efforts. If the town has the staff and time to do so they will also hold an adult aerobics class and mommy and me course.

SUNY Delhi announced they will not be opening their pool for the summer 2024 season. Boukai anticipates roughly four municipalities that will now utilize the town pool that previously used SUNY Delhi for lessons. Boukai and Kolodziej will contact those municipalities to see if they are developing programs to pay for swim lessons for their town residents.

The town council is unsure how many hours they will be able to open for public swim due to staff shortages but are guaranteeing six weeks of lessons this year. Boukai announced at the March meeting the town plans to open the pool from the first-week school is out until after Labor Day. The pool will be open from around noon or 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday with an early closing of 5 p.m. on Sundays. 

Boukai was permitted to purchase four lounge chairs for the pool area at $25 a piece pending they are in good condition. Boukai said it would be ideal for the pool to have roughly 10 chairs though they are expensive. The used chairs she is getting at $25 are originally over $100 since they are designed for commercial use. Ace Hardware has chairs for $80 but are not for commercial use.

Councilmember Christina Viafore said it might be in the town's best interest to spend a bit more money on commercial-use chairs that would last longer.

Boukai will continue to explore options for pool furniture.

Councilmember Matthew Krzyston will ask if SUNY Delhi students could engineer and construct an outdoor shower station for rinsing off at the pool.

The council approved purchase and installation of a camera at the pool concession building for a cost of $350. Regular monitoring of the camera is an additional $22.66 monthly fee.

In another discussion, the council agreed to work toward becoming a climate-smart community. Viafore was appointed as the coordinator for the program. The council also adopted the village climate-smart task force to collaborate with the village on the program initiatives. Individuals on the task force include Village Trustee Janet Tweed, Transition Catskills Representative Kristina Zill, town resident Kathy Mario, town resident Tim Pham, O'Connor Foundation Representative Amy Warner, village resident Candice Kuwahara, and SUNY Delhi student Melissa Gundogan.

Climate Smart Communities Program is a New York State run program seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to changing climate through offering a points-based incentive program for local municipalities. Participating communities can earn points by taking actions such as supporting walkability or biking. Once enough points are earned, the community is eligible for a grant which can be used to initiate other climate-smart projects. 

The council agreed to send a letter of interest for becoming a part of the New York State Pro-Housing Community Program. The program, initiated in 2023, seeks to reward local municipalities working to address the state's housing crisis. A "pro-housing communities" designation gives municipalities priority in applying for grants including Downtown Revitalization Initiative, the NY Forward program, the Regional Council Capital Fund, capital projects from the Market New York program, the New York Main Street program, the Long Island Investment Fund, the Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund, and the Public Transportation Modernization Enhancement Program. Communities seeking designation are required to submit documentation showing an increase in housing permits by 0.33% over the past year or a 1% increase in housing stock over the past three years. Communities that have not yet seen housing growth can still seek designation by passing a resolution stating a municipal commitment to pro-housing principles which includes documentation including zoning code, zoning maps, housing permits, and more.

In other business:

Gerster Trucking, Inc. of Davenport was awarded the hauling bid for $6.75 per yard for grit and stone from the rider pit and $7.25 for another pit further away.

Allison Oil was awarded the heating oil bid for $3.39 per gallon.

The council purchased cyber insurance for $250,000.

Council members adopted a local law regulating the licensing of dogs. The law requires dog owners to license their pets annually with the town clerk at a fee of $6 or $15 for a dog not spayed or neutered.

Potential road closures on Hamden Hill Road might delay traffic on April 22, reported Highway Superintendent Daren Evans.

Boukai reported $3,700 in interest received from the general fund and $2,700 received from the highway fund after placing monies with NYCLASS, a local government investment bank. At the close, in May, of CDs placed with Delaware National Bank of Delhi, they will have gained $18,000 in interest.

Council members entered an executive session to discuss a personnel matter with no decisions made following.

The next regular town board meeting is scheduled Monday, May 13 at 6 p.m.