What Happened at the Public Hearing

On Wednesday night, there was a public hearing to answer questions and receive comment from the public about the proposal to acquire and rehab 701 Union Street as Hudson's police and court building. Although the meeting was intended to be an opportunity for the aldermen to hear from the community before voting on the project at the special meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. this afternoon, half the aldermen were absent from the meeting. Neither of the two aldermen representing the Second Ward, Abdus Miah and Wanda Pertilla, was present, nor were Sheila Ramsey (Fourth Ward); Cappy Pierro (Fifth Ward), an outspoken opponent of the plan; and Chris Wagoner (Third Ward), who is on vacation.

There weren't very many questions and comments. The principal questioner was Cheryl Stuart, of Citizens in Defense of Hudson, who wanted to know if the Phase II Environmental Study had discovered carcinogens, in particular radon. The answer to this question revealed some interesting information. Although the word radon appears in the report, it turns out that no radon was actually discovered at the site. Rather the report indicates that the vapors from organic compounds found under the slab on which the building sits represent a level of concern similar to radon, a carcinogen whose presence can be easily and effectively mitigated. Joe Rapp, who has been involved in the cost analysis of the project, pointed out that the soil contains the remains of buildings that were there before and explained that any area that has been populated over a long period of time, as this one has, will have the problems found at this site.

Rapp made a point of correcting the misconception that the building is a prefab structure. It is, he explained, a structural steel building--solid and well built, with a useful life well into the future.

Stuart also asked about the financials and was told that the project, which is expected to cost $2,573,175--an amount that includes the purchase of the building and 1.86 acres of land (for $668,000) and a 10 percent contingency--will be financed over 20 to 22 years by a municipal bond. William Clark, counsel to the NYS Court Facility Review Board, pointed out that 33 percent of the interest cost will be reimbursed to the City by the State of New York.

Another concern voiced by Stuart had to do with locating the police station on the south side of town. A resident of State Street, she wanted a precinct on the north side of town to provide "a police presence in our area." HPD Chief Ed Moore assured her that the police don't respond to calls from the station and expressed the opinion that concern about response time was not really relevant in a city that was only two square miles. He questioned the assumption that most crime happens in the Second Ward but spoke of his interest in establishing an "office of convenience" in or close to Bliss Towers and Schuyler Court.

A question from Alderman Ohrine Stewart (Fourth Ward) about the cost of the move and furnishings elicited the response that the sale of the current police and court buildings on Warren Street would be ample to cover those costs. Rosemary Zukowski, chief court clerk, volunteered the information that the State will provide for the move and the furnishings "of the court part."

Bart Delaney, Fifth Ward alderman elect, declared his support for the project. "If I were sitting on the Council now, I would certainly vote in support of this project," Delaney stated and went on to express his strong belief that the Council should approve it.

The only naysayer at the hearing was Alderman Bob Donahue (Fifth Ward), who wanted to know why the price kept going up--first $1.2 million, then $1.6 million, now $2.57 million. It was explained to him that the $1.2 million and $1.6 million were the cost of renovation and did not include the purchase price of the building. Rapp admitted that the original goal was to keep the project under $2 million, but the 3,000 square foot expansion required by the Office of Court Administration brought the price to where it is now: $2.57 million.

Donahue also brought up "Civic Hudson," the building proposed in early 2012 by Galvan Partners. Donahue recalled, as he has two or three times before, that the only objection to the project was the two floors of "supportive housing" meant to go on top of the police and court facility. Overlooking the fact that those two floors of supportive housing were critical to the scheme for financing the building, Donahue declared that the building without the top two floors could be built for $3.5 million--"just a little more" than the cost of purchasing and rehabbing 701 Union Street. Donahue seems to have gotten the figure $3.5 million from an estimate provided in 2004 by BBL Construction Services, the builders of the Central Firehouse and county building at 325 Columbia Street.

At the point when Council president Don Moore was ready to adjourn the public hearing, Mayor William Hallenbeck asked Clark to comment on what would happen if the City does not move ahead with the project. As counsel to the Court Facilities Capital Review Board, Clark made it clear that he could not speak for the board, but he did say that it was likely that sanctions would be imposed. The nature of the sanctions would be intercepting state aid to the City, which amounts to somewhere between $1.3 and $1.5 million annually. Clark stressed that the court facilities in Hudson are "woefully inadequate." Guidelines call for 6,000 to 7,000 square feet; the current facility is 1,600 square feet. He said the Hudson city court is one of the five worst court facilities in the state, and the worst in the seven counties that make up the Third Judicial District.  

The Common Council is expected to vote on whether or not to move ahead with the project at a special meeting this afternoon at 5 p.m.   
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