More About the Grant for the Dunn Building

There has been a lot of angst about the Restore NY grant for the Dunn building on the waterfront. When the grant was applied for, it was thought of as a way to stabilize the building and arrest its deterioration without making a commitment to its ultimate use. For this reason, people rallied around the effort and gave it their full-throated support. But the enthusiasm waned when Alderman Rick Rector (First Ward), at a meeting of the Common Council Economic Development Committee meeting in January, announced that he had recently learned that "the grant is tied into a developer with a plan in place." This was not something most people wanted to hear--especially not those who recognize that what happens with the Dunn building will define future development at the waterfront.

At the Hudson Development Corporation meeting earlier this week, before the board went into executive session to discuss the Kaz proposal, executive director Sheen Salvino offered some more clarification about the grant and its requirements. She explained that, although the grant is for $500,000, the actual amount awarded is based on a per square foot allocation that is different depending upon the intended future use of the building. Because the Restore NY grant program is meant to encourage economic development, the amount per square foot for a building being stabilized for a commercial use is greater than for a building being stabilized for a not-for-profit purpose. The message seemed to be that before the City can start using any of the money, there must be a commitment to the nature of the building's use--not a specific plan, not a specific developer, but the type of use. Saying it will be commercial would bring in the most money, but if the community should decide, during the course of revising the LWRP (Local Waterfront Revitalization Program), that the highest and best use of the building is not commercial, there could be problems down the road. 

The pressure is on for the City to decide how the building should be used. It is expected to be a topic of discussion at the next Economic Development Committee meeting, scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 16, at 6 p.m., at City Hall.
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BB Guns in School and on the Street

BB gun used in robbery|Photo: HPD 

On February, a thirteen-year-old, armed with a BB gun, held up a convenience store on Warren Street. Today, the Register-Star reports about two students facing year-long academic suspensions for bringing BB guns to school: "Hudson City School District Board of Education holds executive session to discuss suspension appeals." 

Last night at the Common Council Youth & Aging Committee meeting, youth director Nick Zachos announced a little victory in the effort to keep these very realistic looking BB guns out of the hands of kids. As the result of what he described as "a little campaign" initiated in a meeting of parents at the Hudson Youth Center, the Walmart in Greenport, where the BB guns can be purchased for $20, is now displaying them in a locked cabinet, which makes acquiring one at bit more difficult.
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Upheaval in County Democratic Committee

This morning, Peter Bujanow issued an email announcing his resignation as chair of the Columbia County Democratic Committee and the resignations of three other officers: Debby Mayer, first vice chair; Mark Leggett, second vice chair; and Angella Pace, secretary. All resignations are effective March 3, 2017. (Treasurer Deb Shakotko resigned on February 13, 2017.) In his email, Bujanow explains the action is a consequence of "the shift in sentiment among some of the rank and file." On his blog, Sam Pratt provides background and insight into what happened: "Facing an insurrection, County Democratic leadership resigns en masse."
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Hudson Area Visitor Survey

Yesterday, the Hudson Opera House, along with Assemblymember Didi Barrett, a consortium of regional cultural organizations, historic sites, galleries, shops, dining and lodging establishments, announced the launch of a comprehensive visitor survey for the greater Hudson region. The survey was made possible by a $60,000 grant from Empire State Development's MarketNY program and was supported by the I ♥ NY Division of Tourism under the governor's Regional Economic Development Council Initiative.

The survey, conducted by George Wachtel of Audience Research & Analysis and Larisa Ortiz Associates, is being undertaken to assess the needs of the growing tourism market within a fifty-mile radius of Hudson. It will collect primary market research information--research information currently not available--from visitors to the area, which can be used to develop market-based solutions to support community revitalization efforts and help civic leaders, business owners, and nonprofit organization define and achieve collective goals and support sustainable growth.

Although it is called a "visitor survey," residents--both full-time and weekend--are encouraged to complete the survey as well as visitors. Everyone who participates has a chance to win one of fifty $10 Amazon.com gift cards or the grand prize of a "Stay and Play" package that includes a two-night stay for two at Wm. Farmer & Sons, dinner for two at Fish & Game, and passes to area arts and tourism destinations. To complete the survey, click here.

Greenport Planning Board and the Haul Road

It was thought that the Greenport Planning Board's review of the proposed Colarusso haul road would begin last night, but it didn't.

The board acknowledged the receipt of the revised project narrative (a condensed and somewhat out-of-focus version of which is now on the City of Hudson website). Ray Jurkowski, the engineer who is consulting both with the Greenport Planning Board and the Hudson Planning Board on this project, had some requests for further revision, having to do with the presentation of the number of truck trips from the quarry to the dock and relocation of the roadway on the "causeway." 

The most significant part of the meeting began when Virginia Benedict, legal counsel to the Greenport Planning Board, delivered her opinion that the review of the project had to be postponed. She explained that on the previous day she had received copies of the Order to Remedy (OTR) issused by the City of Hudson for work done at the dock; the cover letter of the appeal of the OTR; and a letter from Craig Haigh, code enforcement officer, to Lisa Kenneally, chair of the Hudson Zoning Board of Appeals. Benedict told the folks from Colarusso present--J. R. Heffner, engineer P. J. Prendergast, and attorney John Privitera--that Greenport "doesn't want a segmentation argument." She conjectured that the Hudson ZBA could not make a judgment in the matter until the SEQR process was over, but she was seeking advice from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the General Counsel staff and was advising the Greenport Planning Board not to proceed with its review of the project before hearing from the DEC.

Privitera objected to the notion that the dock had to be included in SEQR to avoid segmentation, insisting that "the project site is the haul road." Prendergast lamented, "We're going to lose another month." Chair of the Greenport Planning Board, Edward Stiffler reiterated that the board needed to get "an answer that counsel is comfortable with" before proceeding. 

The board did, however, tentatively schedule a public hearing, or what Stiffler carefully defined as "a public informational meeting to solicit input for the SEQRA review." The date and time are Tuesday, April 18, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is expected to take place somewhere on the campus of Columbia-Greene Community College. Unfortunately, the night chosen for this meeting is the same night that the Hudson Common Council has its regular meeting for the month of April.
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What's to Become of the Kaz Warehouses

Last week, there was a forum about Hudson's need for affordable housing. Yesterday, the Hudson Development Corporation (HDC) Board of Directors met in executive session for more than an hour to discuss the $25 million mixed use development proposed by Sustainable Community Associates--a project expected to have an affordable housing component. This morning, HDC executive director Sheena Salvino issued a press release about the status of the project, which tells us basically nothing we didn't already know. The press release is published below, uncorrected.

Montgomery Street Redevelopment Project on Hold 

Until CSX Lot Secured

Hudson Development Corporation, nonprofit local development corporation, and Ohio based developer, Sustainable Community Associates, in a joint statement have announced that the mixed use redevelopment of the former KAZ Warehouse on Montgomery Street will be put on hold until control of the CSX parcel is obtained. 

HDC released a Request for Proposals in March 2016 for the redevelopment of the abandoned warehouse with the purposes to return the property to the tax rolls and create jobs in Hudson. Sustainable Community Associates answered that call with an ambitious project proposal calling for a mix of commercial, retail and housing.

"At the kickoff meeting in May 2016, the members of HDC, SCA, and City of Hudson officials met to discuss the many moving parts of this proposal and the thresholds that would have to be met before SCA's shovels could go in the ground," says HDC Executive Director, Sheena Salvino. "The key component being the acquisition of the CSX parcel which offers access and frontage via Front Street."

Early and often contact with the CSX Real Estate Office in Florida was made, but it was not until Minority Leader, Senator Charles Schumer got involved in December of 2016. "We were thrilled that Senator Schumer saw the value of this project for Hudson and was able to lend his support," says Mayor Tiffany Hamilton.

Since December, CSX has reached out and we are looking for ways to meet the needs of both interests, said Mayor Hamilton.

SCA Partner, Ben Ezinga stated the "We are optimistic that CSX will work with HDC and the City so that the full site will be available for redevelopment." He continues, "Without that parcel, our project cannot be fully realized."

"Negotiation for the sale of the warehouse will always be stalled if HDC cannot gain site control of the CSX parcel," says Board President Duncan Calhoun. "We feel we are well positioned to obtain the site control and we will continue to prioritize the acquisition so that the full proposal submitted by SCA can move forward."

Gossips Note: "Ohio based developer" Sustainable Community Associates was founded in 2001, when its three partners were students at Oberlin College. One of the partners, Ben Ezinga is a native of Columbia County and currently lives in Hudson.

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Watch the Meeting for Yourself

Dan Udell's video of Monday night's Police Committee meeting can now be viewed on YouTube.

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Wanted: A Crossing Guard

Back in 2002, Marylouise Burke played a crossing guard in a commercial for the anti-anemia drug Procrit. It was a memorable ad. It gave the actress's career a boost and was followed by roles in the movies Sideways (2004) and A Prairie Home Companion (2006). 

But being a crossing guard in real life has no such magic--at least not in Hudson. Mayor Tiffany Martin Hamilton announced at the Police Committee meeting last night that the City needs to hire a new crossing guard to work at John L. Edwards Primary School, because the person who had been working in the job resigned because of harassment--not by the kids but by adults, both in person and online.
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Last Night at the Police Committee Meeting

Toward the end of last night's Common Council Police Committee meeting, Alana Hauptmann, proprietor of the Red Dot, asked the question that was probably on everyone's mind throughout the hour-long ordeal: "Why is everything so contentious?"

The tetchy mood of the meeting started when Alderman Henry Haddad (Third Ward), who chairs the Police Committee, wondered out loud, with what seemed to be feigned incredulity, why so many people had turned out for the meeting. When he was told by Michael Chameides, chair of the Hudson City Democratic Committee, that people were there for the discussion of the "sanctuary city" resolution, which had been referred by the Legal Committee to the Police Committee, Haddad maintained that the Police Committee had not seen the resolution, no one had contacted the Police Committee about the resolution, and they would not be discussing it because they had not read it. (Interestingly, two aldermen--Priscilla Moore [Fifth Ward] and Abdus Miah [Second Ward]--sit on both the Legal and the Police committees.) Haddad blamed Alderman Michael O'Hara (First Ward), who chairs the Legal Committee, for not contacting him about the resolution. Alderman Tiffany Garriga (Second Ward), who was in the audience, faulted Council president Claudia DeStefano, also in the audience, who had insisted in the Legal Committee meeting that the resolution be reviewed by the Police Committee, for not communicating with the Police Committee. 

Eventually, audience members prevailed upon Haddad and the other members of the Police Committee (Moore, Miah, Alexis Keith [Fourth Ward]) to read the resolution, which is a total of 637 words, right then and there, while the audience waited. When he'd finished reading the resolution, Haddad stated: "This sounds very like the unofficial policy already in effect." 

HPD Chief Ed Moore acknowledged the "need to codify what we do now" but expressed his concern about the legal ramifications--not of the proposed resolution but of the commissioner's order issued last week. He wanted to "make sure our officers are protected from violating federal law." Moore had written a memo to Haddad expressing his concerns about the order, in which he objects that the commission's order "assumes that all members [of the police department] are not only fully aware of all applicable New York State laws, rules and regulations, but Federal laws, rules and regulations as well." The memo goes on to say, "it is imperative that the Order be clarified so that members know if any part of the Order is inconsistent with Federal and State Law." City attorney Ken Dow suggested that he and Moore get together to discuss the issues involved in implementing the order. "It's a complicated issue," said Moore, "with a lot of different outcomes if we don't get it right." 

Alderman John Friedman, who was part of the audience, then declared that he was "taken aback" by the discussion because it seemed that no one had consulted the police department about either the commissioner's order or the Council resolution. "I support this," said Friedman. "My constituents support this. Why aren't people talking to each other? Why is this so complicated?" 

Although Friedman made his statements to no one in particular, Haddad wanted Mayor Tiffany Martin Hamilton to respond, and it was at this point that an underlying controversy between Haddad and the mayor surfaced. It seems that a meeting with the police union to negotiate a new contract, scheduled for February 24, had been cancelled. In an email to Hamilton, Haddad blamed the cancellation on the commissioner's order and accused the mayor and the commissioner of "conflating their personal politics with their duties of fiscal responsibility to the city." In her emailed response, Hamilton assured Haddad that another meeting with the union had already been scheduled. At the meeting, Haddad told Hamilton, "Financially, you are not driving the department very well," claiming that former police commissioner Gary Graziano had a new police contract almost in place before an ill-considered statement made by him in a press release last September forced his resignation. 

Returning to the issue of the commissioner's order and the resolution, Dow responded to Moore's concerns by saying, "The policy making was done appropriately, but the implementation requires some attention to ensure the policy is carried out properly." He then asserted, "We are not off track at all."

Eventually, after some urging by audience members to "get this thing done," Miah asked that the committee vote on whether or not it supported the proposed Council resolution. A voice vote was taken, and the members of the committee unanimously voted to move the resolution to the full Council. It is expected that the resolution will be introduced at the Council's informal meeting on Monday, March 13, and voted on at the regular meeting on Tuesday, March 21. 
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Celebrity Sighting

Minutes ago, it was reported by two different sources on Facebook that Hillary Clinton is here in Hudson, apparently lunching at Grazin'. The pictures below, one of which was posted on Facebook, are published here with permission.

Photo by Katherine Bauer

Photo by Katherine Bauer

Former president Bill Clinton is here, too.

Photo courtesy Aaron Enfield and Amy Lavine

Actions Here and There

Last Monday, the Hudson Police Commissioner Martha Harvey and Mayor Tiffany Martin Hamilton issued an order directing that "no resources, facilities, or property of the City of Hudson that are ordinarily or generally in the use or control of the City of Hudson Police Department . . . be made available for use by agents, officers, or employees of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") except as may be required by law." As Hamilton explained in a video filmed by Lance Wheeler, the action was taken, in response to sweeping changes in immigration enforcement policy, "to make the most vulnerable members of our community feel protected." Last Thursday, in a press release, the Hudson Police Officers Union called for the order to be rescinded. One of reasons given was this: "Law enforcement shouldn't be limited or modified by two individuals who have no experience in enforcing laws and keeping the community safe."

Interestingly, on the same day the Hudson Police Officers Union issued its press release, the New York Daily News reported that New York City Police Commissioner James O'Neill had, the day before, issued an internal memo to NYPD officers in response to the expansive deportation policies of the Trump administration: "NYPD commissioner reminds cops to ignore President Trump's immigrant deportation orders." The following statement from that memo is among those quoted in the Daily News article: "It is critical that everyone who comes into contact with the NYPD, regardless of their immigration status, be able to identify themselves or seek assistance without hesitation, anxiety or fear." 

Tonight, the proposed Common Council resolution "affirming the City of Hudson as a welcoming and inclusive city," a resolution sometimes thought of as the "sanctuary city" resolution, will be discussed at the Police Committee meeting. The resolution proposes that officers of the Hudson Police Department will continue their current practice of not asking immigration or citizenship status; will not stop, question, or investigate people solely on actual or suspected immigration status issues; will not inquire into the immigration status of any crime victim, witness, or person reporting a crime; and will not assist immigration enforcement except in certain clearly defined instances involving threats to public safety or the execution of criminal warrants, or when local law enforcement cooperation is required by state of federal statute. The Police Committee meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
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A Notable Moment at the Housing Forum

Dan Udell's video of Thursday's affordable housing forum goes on for an hour and twenty-seven minutes, as did the forum itself. If you don't have time to watch it all, there's one bit you might want to see. A little more than an hour in, at 1:07:17, Paolo Vidali, the CTO and founder of the digital marketing agency Hidden Gears, explains that his business is in Hudson, but he lives in Greene County because the cost of real estate in Hudson is too high. He then asks if there is anyone who represents Galvan present at the meeting.

When Rick Scalera, who is seated right behind him, indicates that he does, Vidali observes that there is "a ton of vacant property" that belongs to Galvan and asks if there is any initiative to develop that property into "something that has an affordable component." 

Scalera responds by saying that Galvan is now working on four sites: 215 Union Street, 260 Warren Street, 11 Warren Street (a portion of which is being readied for the Salvation Army), and a fourth site he can't remember. He says he thinks Galvan "would be more than happy" to go into the affordable housing market "if the City shows a little love." He then alleges that "at least four projects" proposed by Galvan had been turned down by the Common Council, but he only makes specific reference to two: one proposed for Fifth and Warren streets, the other for Fourth and Columbia streets. 

The project for Fifth and Warren was the Starboard project proposed in 2010 by Eric Galloway's Lantern Organization. This would have created thirty-three units of permanent supportive housing, at the corner of Warren and Fifth streets, for men with mental disabilities and substance abuse problems.

That project was abandoned after a public meeting at which the overwhelming sentiment expressed by the people who filled City Hall was that the project was a remarkably inappropriate idea.

The project proposed for Fourth and Columbia streets was Civic Hudson, the 2012 plan to construct a police and court building for Hudson with supportive housing on the upper two floors. The City would, at its own expense, build out the first and second floors for the police department and city court. On the two upper floors, there would be thirty-five studio apartments for formerly homeless adults.

That project was abandoned because the New York State Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP) would not approve the financing for the project in the face of objections from the Hudson Police Department, both the chief and the rank and file, who thought it inappropriate to combine police and court facilities in the same building with residential units.

After making reference to these projects, Scalera segues into questioning the Common Council's commitment to affordable housing, noting that only two aldermen were present at the forum.
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Affordable Housing and Hudson

Affordable housing has been a topic of discussion in Hudson for at least twenty years--ever since people started reclaiming the commercial buildings along Warren Street and 19th-century houses that had been converted to low-income apartments during the bleakest days, economically speaking, of Hudson's recent past. Over the past two decades, affordable housing--a blanket term that seems to embrace everything from emergency shelter for the homeless to moderate-income apartments--has been the subject of ad hoc committees, needs analyses, and forums. The most recent needs analysis was done in 2012; the most recent forum took place last Thursday. The Register-Star reported on the event: "Forum energizes drive toward affordable housing in Hudson." Dan Udell videotaped it: "Affordable Housing in Hudson, NY." With all this information available, Gossips will make no attempt to summarize the forum but rather will report just a few important takeaways.

Forum panelists Bill Hughes, Fourth Ward supervisor, and Tiffany Garriga, Second Ward alderman, and moderator Michael Chameides, Hudson City Democratic Committee chair. Not shown is panel member Matthew Nelson, mortgage officer at the Community Preservation Corporation

Although it was acknowledged that ideally a comprehensive housing plan for the entire city should be developed, the City has neither the resources nor the time to undertake a comprehensive plan. Because affordable housing is a priority of the current administration (that's the mayor of Hudson not the president of the United States) and of Hudson Community Development & Planning Agency (HCDPA), because, to paraphrase Sheena Salvino, executive director of HCDPA and the Hudson Development Corporation (HDC), "there is no shortage of developers interested in Hudson," and because, according to Salvino, there is a "basket of resources" available to develop housing across the entire spectrum, from homeless shelters to moderate-income rentals, HCDPA is moving ahead with a "pilot program" that will focus on the 100 and 200 blocks of State Street.

The lots in question are those along the north side of State Street, from the playground on at the corner of Second Street to North Front Street and extending down the slope to what would be Rope Alley, if Rope Alley continued west beyond Second Street. These lots, together with 1 Lombard Street (Lombard Street is a "paper street" today) and the land on the southeast corner of North Front and Dock streets, properties that are contiguous with the lots along State Street, all belong to the City of Hudson.

1 Lombard Street

North Front and Dock Street

Salvino spoke about working with "our neighbors at Kite's Nest," who are looking to redevelop their property on the west side of North Front Street after a tragic fire destroyed the historic building on that site. The Kite's Nest property is just across Front Street from the City-owned parcels.

The map below shows roughly--ever so roughly--the area being discussed as the site for new housing development. It has yet to be determined whether the development will be strictly residential or mixed use residential/commercial, whether it will be low income, moderate income, or mixed income, and whether it will be multistory apartment buildings, "garden apartments," two-family town houses, single-family homes, or any of a number of other configurations.

As Salvino told those assembled on Thursday, it is now time "to identify what the community wants." She did not outline exactly how that will be accomplished, but it will certainly involve public meetings and probably also surveys. 

Also mentioned as potential sites for development were what is left of the community garden on the northeast corner of Second and Columbia streets, a parcel owned by HCDPA, and the lot on the southwest corner of Fourth and State streets, a parcel owned by the City of Hudson and now being used by Columbia County as a parking lot.

Second and Columbia

Fourth and State

Two more bits of information. It was stated by panel member Bill Hughes that it is not possible for a developer to "self-fund" a project, that is, finance it without some kind of subsidies or tax credits, and make the rents affordable. He defined an affordable rent as between $600 and $950 a month.
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In Kinderhook Yesterday

If you weren't in Kinderhook yesterday to demonstrate in front of the office and home of Congressman John Faso, who was absent from both locations, you can read about the event in the Register-Star: "D-19 residents ask, 'Where's Faso?'" You can also watch part of the gathering in a video by Lance Wheeler.

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Where to Begin Your Saturday Night

Tonight, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Hudson Opera House, there is an opening reception for Chloe Zerwick's "intriguing, ethereal sculptural exhibition," Inside the Box.

In creating her boxes, Zerwick transforms everyday objects into enigmatic three-dimensional statements. Zerwick makes this statement about her work: "As the artist engages with battered remnants found here and there, hidden relationships irrepressibly emerge. Displayed in boxes, gossamer attractions among these bits and pieces reveal secrets from an alternate reality (or from this one), disruptions of meaning concealed in thoughts, feelings, dreams--anointing the mise-en-scène with an unexpected spirit." 

The exhibition of Zerwick's work will be on view at the Hudson Opera House through March 26.
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On the Haul Road

Word is that the revised narrative about the proposed Colarusso haul road has been completed and submitted to the Greenport Planning Board and the Hudson Planning Board. It is not yet available on the City of Hudson website because the sheer size of the document is making it difficult to upload. Meanwhile, Nick Olivari, who apparently has seen the revised document, has an article about the proposed haul road in today's Register-Star: "Hudson residents remain skeptical of Colarusso proposal."

The Greenport Planning Board, which is the lead agency in the State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process, is expected to begin consideration of the project at its next meeting, which takes place on Tuesday, February 28. The workshop session begins at 6:30 p.m.; the regular meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
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Of Interest

NPR posted a feature this morning called "Spread the Word: Butter Has an Epic Backstory." It was all about a recent book entitled Butter: A Rich History. What's significant about the book, aside from the fact that it sounds truly fascinating, is that it was written by Elaine Khosrova, wife of assistant city attorney Mitch Khosrova. 

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Order and Appeal on the Waterfront

On January 27, Mayor Tiffany Martin announced that Code Enforcement had issued an Order to Remedy to A. Colarusso & Sons. The specific violation cited was described as "Replacement of concrete and wood bulkhead with a steel bulkhead on loading dock without approval from the City of Hudson Planning Board as per Section 325-17.1(D) City of Hudson Code." The remedy prescribed was: "Submit a City of Hudson Planning Application to the City of Hudson Code Enforcement Office to appear at the planning board meeting no later than the March 9, 2017 meeting. All planning applications have to be submitted to the city code office 10 days prior to the meeting."

Google Maps

Ten business days prior to March 9 was yesterday, and yesterday, instead of submitting an application for review, Colarusso, through its attorney John Privitera, filed an appeal of the Order to Remedy (OTR). According to the appeal, the OTR was directed "only at the 75-foot retaining wall along the non-working, northern edge of the commercial dock that abuts a shallow, narrow inlet." It argues that the OTR is based on a misinterpretation of Hudson code, that the City was fully informed of the erosion repair project before it was undertaken, that the repair was a minor action that did not require review by the Planning Board, and that the erosion repair was in "the best interest of the the safety and welfare of the community." The appeal, which is fifteen pages long with many more pages of exhibits, states the following conclusion:

Fundamentally, the Order to Remedy is unlawful because it misinterprets the Hudson City Code with respect to local permit jurisdiction over repairs at the dock.

The Order is also deeply flawed because it is only rational and reasonable if there is something to "remedy" at the dock. There is nothing of the sort, so the Order is irrational.

The repairs cannot be undone or changed or altered without violating federal and state environmental permits. There is no improvement to review, no environmental analysis to conduct, no new site plan to study or other reasonable, lawful task for the Board to undertake.

For all of these reasons, the Order to Remedy should be deemed null and void.

The appeal was made to the Zoning Board of Appeals, which will have to act as a judicial body in the matter.
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Update: The appeal and the supporting documents (Part 1 and Part 2) can now be viewed at the City of Hudson website.

Not to Be Missed

"People cannot devalue immigrant labor if they value their own food security." That statement, made by Keri Latiolais of Roxbury Farm in Kinderhook, is the theme of an important article that appeared in the Register-Star yesterday: "Farmers fear loss of labor."
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The Trials of Building a Bridge

In October, DPW Superintendent Rob Perry reported to the Common Council Public Works Committee that he had sent requests for an expression of interest in Hudson's Ferry Street Bridge project to four of the eleven engineering firms on the preapproved list of engineers for this region. It turns out, as Perry told the Public Works Committee this past Wednesday, he was supposed to send the request to all the preapproved firms, which, he said, total fifteen not eleven. This was done, and five firms responded: Barton & Loguidice, Creighton Manning, HVEA, GPI|Greenman-Pedersen, and Modjeski & Masters.

Perry told the committee that the firm chosen will be "in for the total project--from beginning to end." The first phase of the project is the preliminary design, which is primarily structural. Because the scope of the work and the amount of money available for it is fixed, the engineering firm will not be chosen based on lowest bid but rather on relevant experience and qualifications. According to Perry, he and the mayor, and probably also Public Works Commissioner Peter Bujanow, will be deciding which engineering firm will undertake the construction of the new bridge.
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