Stamford Approves License with Catskill Athletic Club, Will Borrow To Raze Burned Main St Buildings

STAMFORD – Village trustees approved a resolution to license the use of Churchill Gym to Catskill Athletic Club and approved taking out a $300,000 loan to demolish the burned out buildings on Main St., during their regular meeting Tuesday.

The club is already using Churchill Gym, but trustees agreed to a one-year license, similar to a lease, for $850 per month.

Village officials approved replacement of the boiler last month. The boiler to heat the building has been one of the difficulties, along with repairs to keep the building going without becoming a burden to taxpayers. The Main St. level of the building houses the Stamford Library, which has purchased land and is fundraising to build a new library at the Corner of West Main St. and Lake St..

It is also home to Kiddie Corner Preschool.

The village purchased the Churchill building from the Stamford school district, which still uses the facility for practices and has been paying to use the facility.

Heating the gym with an ailing boiler has been costly and the village has been exploring avenues to help pay for the operation and maintenance of the building. Brent Trimbell approached the village a few months ago to use the facility for sports training. The facility was used by Trimbell as an agility training camp last summer that was very successful. Since then he has received his not-for-profit designation. The first six months will be paid by certified check 

The BPI boiler will cost $43,900 and the village will apply a $35,000 Robinson-Broadhurst grant to the purchase and pick up the $8,900 balance.

Trustees approved a resolution for the village to borrow $300,000 to demolish the two burned out buildings at 60 and 64 Main St. in the village. Because the buildings have been condemned for more than a year and are deemed a hazard to public safety, the village will pay to demolish them. According to Code Enforcement Officer Rich Irwin, no netting has been placed over the building to prevent flying debris. He told board members he has given the owners ample time to protect the public.

Trustee Darren Hanway will work on a sidewalk law and update the snow removal law. They will be combined into one law. Code Enforcement Officer Rich Irwin said the problem with most laws is enforcement and he suggested a person be designated to enforce the law. It will be incorporated into the law. Village property owners are responsible for the clearing, however, the village crew does do it. The law is to cover when the crew has an emergency or breakdown and is unable to do it.

The village will contact Steel in the Air to review contracts for the equipment atop Mount Utsayantha. NYSEG utilizes the communications towers, but has no agreement that benefits the village. That contract will be reviewed by the NYSEG contracts. NYSEG has apparently entered into an agreement with Delaware County.

The village is also seeking requests for proposals for engineering services for Phase II of the water project.

They also discussed frost plate replacements for village water meters. The plates help keep the meters from freezing in cold conditions when pipes might freeze.  Several plates have been replaced this winter and the rate has not been increased for several years. The cost of the first frost plate will be picked up by the village, but any thereafter will be charged to the homeowner at a cost of $100 each.

No one has filed a petition to run for the four-year trustee seat. The one year unexpired term filled by Catherine Snyder is expiring. Petitions are available at village hall.Village elections will be held March 18.