LEGISLATURE STUFF - Doing What They Gotta

CATSKILL - The necessities of governance were attended to when Greene County Legislature members recently held their regular monthly meeting,

Lawmakers appointed Tanya Ernst as temporary Acting Clerk of the legislature following the passing of Tammy Sciavillo.

Sciavillo, the well-respected and longtime legislature clerk, died on November 13 from unspecified causes. She was 54.

Earlier this year, Sciavillo was named 2025 county “Employee of the Year,” drawing high praise from legislature chairman Patrick Linger.

Since the spring of 1999, “every resolution, every minute of every meeting taking place at Greene County government bears testimony to her tireless work ethic, focus and dedication,” Linger stated.

Ernst currently serves as confidential secretary to county administrator Shaun Groden, taking the clerk title with no added compensation.

It is expected a permanent replacement will be selected at the legislature’s annual organization gathering in early January, 2026.

In another matter linked to doing what must be done, lawmakers okayed a resolution authorizing the acquisition of real property connected to the Batavia Kill Bridge replacement project in the town of Windham.

The overpass is located on County Route 40, known locally as Maplecrest Road, near the intersection of County Route 56 in the hamlet of Maplecrest.

County highway superintendent Scott Templeton reported the job two years ago, hosting a public information session in the summer of 2024.

Templeton, at that time, reported there could potentially be complications with the purchase of one tract impacted by the work.

The former Morrow General Store and post office building rests on the banks of the Batavia Kill, closely adjoining the bridge.

While the building has some local historic significance, it lays directly in the path of the necessary project path as determined by the New York State Department of Transportation, working in close coordination with the Federal Highway Administration.

The building must, therefore, be removed. If all had gone well, construction was expected to begin in 2026, although that timeframe could be slowed.

Templeton, in his 2024 report, noted that replacement of the bridge is necessary because, “a 2020 biennial inspection resulted in a rating indicating the structure is moderately deteriorated.

“The existing bridge was constructed in 1936 and consists of a single-span superstructure with prestressed concrete voided slab unit founded on cast-in-place concrete abutments,” Templeton stated.

“The streambed of the Bataviakill below the bridge is degrading due to the poor alignment of the existing bridge abutments and stream channel,” the roads chief stated.

“The alignment of the county route 40/56 intersection, immediately east of the bridge, has multiple geometric deficiencies,” that will also be remediated by the , Templeton stated.

Not everything has gone smoothly. Lawmakers have now had to approve buying the land by means of the Eminent Domain Procedure Law.

“In order to accomplish the project, the county must acquire real property

interests from three property owners, including…the Morrow Parcel,” the resolution states.

“In accordance with the provisions of Article 3 of the New York Eminent

Domain Procedure Law (“EDPL”) and the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Assistance Act of 1973 (“Uniform Act”) and its implementing regulations, the County has caused to be appraised the fee interest that it seeks to acquire in and to the Morrow Parcel,” the resolution states.

The county, “has had such appraisal reviewed by an independent appraiser, has established the highest approved appraisal amount as the amount that it believes represents just compensation to be paid for the acquisition of such fee interest,” the resolution states.

Further, the county “has communicated to the owners of the Morrow Parcel a written offer to purchase such fee interest for one hundred percentum of the just compensation amount so established,” the resolution states.

However, “due to issues encumbering title to the Morrow Parcel, the owners of the Morrow Parcel are not able to convey to the county marketable title to the Morrow Parcel,” the resolution states.

“As a consequence of which, the county must acquire title by means of the Eminent Domain Procedure Law,” the resolution states, a relatively rare circumstance for the county. No timeline was set.