Richmondville Officials Consider Applying For 45M Grant For Pedestrian Path

RICHMONDVILLE — Town of Richmondville Officials are thinking about applying for $4.5 million from a state grant program that would fund a pedestrian path along some or all of a new sewer line.

The issue came up at the Town Board's Thursday, Oct. 9 meeting. At that meeting, the board scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23 to further discuss and get public input on the pedestrian path idea. That public hearing will be held at Town Hall, 104 Municipal Lane, just off Podpadic Road.

In a brief telephone conversation after the Oct. 9 meeting, Town Supervisor Jeffrey Haslun emphasized that "nothing is set in stone" at this point and nothing will move forward in terms of applying for the grant until it is seen what transpires at the Oct. 23 public hearing.

Haslun added that the idea for applying for the grant came up during a discussion with Engineer Brendon Becker on the latest developments in a pending $12-13 million sewer improvement project that would provide public sewer service to a large part of the Town of Richmondville, including Warnerville.

Haslun said that Becker indicated it would be a good idea to apply for the grant, which if received would come through the Department of State's Downtown Revitalization Program. He said the grant would likely require some sort of match, and estimated the costs for applying for the grant would be somewhere around $5,000.

If the grant is applied for and received, the pedestrian path would function as a sidewalk along bit stretches of Route 7. Councilman George Horning was excited about the potential for improved safety. He said he sees students from Cobleskill-Richmondville High School and others walking along Route 7 and it scares him.

"Sidewalks would make a lot of sense," Horning said at the Oct. 9 meeting. "If we can do it for five grand (apply for the grant), I say take a shot at it."

Haslun added "we may not get it this year but maybe another year."

The Oct. 9 Town Board meeting was held at the Richmondville Firehouse on Main Street because Town Hall was being used for a meeting of county Magistrates.