Meetings of Interest in the Week Ahead

The autumnal equinox occurs this week--on Wednesday, September 22. During this week which brings us to the end of summer and the beginning of fall, here's what's happening.

• On Tuesday, September 21, the Common Council holds its regular monthly meeting at 6:00 p.m. Given the ten-person limit on the audience in Council Chambers and the recent investment in "Owl" technology, it is assumed that this will be a hybrid Zoom meeting, however, the link to the meeting has not yet been published.

Update: The word is the meeting is to be conducted entirely on Zoom. Click here to join the meeting.

• On Wednesday, September 22, Arterial, the group designing the DRI Hudson Connects project, is holding an in-person public workshop at Hudson Hall, 327 Warren Street. Since the last public workshop, which took place on July 27, Arterial made a presentation to the Historic Preservation Commission and received input from the Conservation Advisory Council and more than a dozen historic photographs of Hudson streets from The Gossips of Rivertown. It will be interesting to see if and how this information is reflected in the designs being proposed for the area of the city below Second Street.

• At 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 22, you can play Match Game with Trixie Starr at Poured Candle Bar, 711 Warren Street--but only if you are vaccinated. RSVP at pouredcandlebar@gmail.com.
• On Thursday, September 23, the Planning Board holds a special meeting at 6:00 p.m. This meeting was originally scheduled to be the continuation of the board's consideration of Colarusso's application for conditional use permits, and it will be that, but three public hearings have been added to the agenda: (1) 716 and 718 Union Street, where yet another microbrewery is being proposed; (2) 427 Warren Street, the former police station now occupied by Finch, where the addition of a second story for retail use is proposed; (3) 26 Warren Street, for a change of use from a single-family residence used as a bed and breakfast to a hotel. Click here to access the Zoom meeting.
• Also on Thursday, September 23, at 6:00 p.m., Alan Neumann, president of Historic Hudson, will make a presentation about the Dr. Oliver Bronson House and Estate, which was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2003. The event is part of the History Room's Local History Talk series. Neumann will discuss Historic Hudson's advocacy for the stabilization and restoration of the Bronson House, located on the grounds of the Hudson Correctional Facility, and its vision for Bronson Park, a proposed 123-acre public access park on underutilized land owned by the State of New York. 

The in-person event takes place in the Community Room of the Hudson Area Library, 51 North Fifth Street. Seating is limited, and you are encouraged to reserve a seat by emailing brenda.shufelt@hudsonarealibrary.org or calling 518 828-1792, extension 106. Masks and social distancing are required. For more information, click here. 

• On Friday, September 24, the Historic Preservation Commission holds its second meeting of the month. Click here to join the Zoom meeting.  

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A Statement from FOPS

Last week, in an event organized by the Friends of the Public Square (FOPS), volunteers painted the benches in Seventh Street Park green. At midweek, the Department of Public Works removed the fences around the fountain. Today, the following statement appeared on the City of Hudson website. The meaning of the first sentence of the third paragraph is not entirely clear. It appears that the word not may have been left out in the first clause of the sentence. 

The Friends of the Public Square (FOPS) is committed to rejuvenating the 7th Street Park. FOPS has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Hudson, which was approved by the Common Council following a public hearing.

In its initial year, FOPS has initiated several preliminary improvements in consultation with the Department of Public Works. On September 12, FOPS organized a community event to paint the benches a more attractive color, Essex Green. FOPS also received permission from Mayor Johnson to have the two fences removed after it was reported that the fountain was inoperable. The high voltage signs and double fences were no longer necessary to protect the public from a fountain that had retained inactive wiring for years. FOPS plans to paint the fountain basin green as well. Next month, FOPS plans to plant daffodils around the fountain, which will come out in the spring. The plaques on the fences have been preserved.

The removal of the fences does prevent the later installation of a safe and attractive fountain will never be installed, nor signal that a statue will stand in the place of the old fountain. Before any permanent changes are made to the park, there be will an intensive process of community engagement beginning in November. No permanent changes will be made to the park without public input, and final sign-off from the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). Notice of community meetings will be made via as many avenues as possible and held at various times to allow maximum participation.

Of Interest

Yesterday, the National Review published the first of two articles by its art critic, Brian T. Allen, about Olana: "How Olana, Frederic Church's Home, Survived the Bulldozer and Thrived."

Photo: Peter Aaron|OTTO

COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health released its numbers earlier today. Since yesterday, there have been 22 new cases of COVID-19. The number of active cases being reported today is 21 more than yesterday, from which it can inferred that, since yesterday, only one county resident has recovered from the virus. There are eighteen fewer county residents in mandatory quarantine today than yesterday, but the number hospitalized and in the ICU remains the same. There has not been a death from COVID-19 reported in Columbia County since September 7.

The New York Forward dashboard is reporting a positivity rate for Columbia County yesterday of 6.1 percent and a seven-day average of 4.6 percent. By comparison, the daily positivity rate for the Capital Region is 4.4 percent and the seven-day is 4.1 percent.

A year ago today, the CCDOH reported 1 new case of COVID-19. The total number of cases was 551, and the number of active cases was 2. There were 10 county residents in mandatory quarantine, 1 was hospitalized, and none was in the ICU. The total number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 at this time last year was 37.

Challenges for the HHA

The Hudson Housing Authority (HHA) Board of Commissioners has ambitious plans for redevelopment, plans that include demolishing the nine-story Bliss Towers and Columbia Apartments, the cluster of buildings known as "the low-rise," all built in the early 1970s during Urban Renewal, and replacing them with new buildings on that site and on HHA-owned land across State Street from Bliss Towers. They also have aspirations to build on four parcels currently owned by Hudson Community Development and Planning Agency (HCDPA).

A draft RFQ (request for qualifications) for the project was prepared in June with the expectation that it would be issued in July and proposals would be received in August, but instead, in July, HHA executive director Tim Mattice resigned, and so did Michael Bruno, the board's legal counsel. As a consequence, the board's attention has been directed to other things.

On Friday, the HHA Board of Commissioners held a special meeting to, in the words of Revonda Smith, who chairs the board, "update everyone on where we are." Smith told her colleagues what Gossips had already reported: that the Board of Commissioners of the Troy Housing Authority had voted against allowing its executive director to serve as interim director for the Hudson Housing Authority. Smith mentioned four names as candidates for interim director, only one of which was familiar: Nick Zachos, former director of the Hudson Youth Department. The board's priority now is to draft an interim agreement (IA) before they can appoint someone to that position.

Regarding legal counsel, Smith reported that they had contacted three law firms: one declined; one did not respond; one said they would get back to them but has not yet done so.

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Of Interest

On Thursday, 73 North Second Street, the building that constructed in 1933 as the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church but was known familiarly as the Polish Church, was featured on the Facebook page For the Love of Old Houses. 

According to For the Love of Old Houses, the building, which is now being called "The Abbey," is for sale for $3,150,000. Back in the day when the building was owned by Ashton Hawkins and Johnnie Moore (2003-2011), it was known as "Mission Grange." The building is listed by realtor Atelier/WM, where the price is given as $3,125,000. According to tax records, the last time the building was sold, which was in 2016, the selling price was $755,000.

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Latinx Festival in Hudson

This Sunday, September 19, the Columbia County Sanctuary Movement hosts the area's first Latinx Parade and Festival in Hudson.

The parade down Warren Street, from Seventh Street Park to the waterfront, begins at 1:00 p.m. The festival, with music, artists, food vendors, and activities for kids, follows at Henry Hudson Riverfront Park and continues until 6:00 p.m. For more information, click here.

COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health has released its numbers for today. Since yesterday, there have been nineteen new cases of COVID-19. The number of active cases being reported today is four more than yesterday, from which it can be inferred that, since yesterday, fifteen county residents have recovered from the virus. There are 21 more county residents in mandatory quarantine today than yesterday, and one more is hospitalized. Of those hospitalized, one fewer is in the ICU today than yesterday. A press release today from Matt Murell, chair of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, indicates that both now intubated are unvaccinated. There has not been a death from COVID-19 reported in Columbia County since September 7.

The New York Forward dashboard has not been updated since yesterday.

A year ago today, the CCDOH reported no new cases of COVID-19. The total number of cases was 549, and the number of active cases was 1. There were 5 county residents in mandatory quarantine, and none was hospitalized or in the ICU. The total number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 at this time last year was 37.

News from the Tourism Board

Only four of the eight members of the Tourism Board were present at last night's meeting (Chris McManus, Kate Treacy, Ivy Dane, and Selha Graham), but some interesting information emerged. First, Ryan Wallace, who replaced Calvin Lewis as Third Ward alderman, has also replaced Lewis as chair of the Tourism Board.

Also of interest was the proposed Tourism Board budget for 2022, presented by Chris McManus. The proposal is that $209,845 be allocated in the 2022 city budget for distribution by the Tourism Board. 

Of that amount, $42,000 is to be used to repeat Warren Street Shared Usage in 2022, $28,345 for Waterfront Wednesdays, and $60,000 to support four BIPOC events in Hudson--$15,000 each for Operation Unite Black Arts & Culture Festival, Juneteenth Festival, Bangladeshi Cultural Festival, and Latinx Festival, which is happening for the first time this weekend. Lesser amounts are being proposed for such events as Winter Walk ($7,500), Flag Day ($2,000), and Hudson Pride Parade ($2,000).

Responding to the proposed budget, Wallace suggested, "Let's pull together and get feedback from the community." McManus assured him, "This is a list for us to start a discussion. This is not an ask."

In considering this proposal, a little history is in order. For many years, the City of Hudson allocated $20,000 annually to support events and festivals determined to enhance the quality of life for Hudson residents and attract visitors to Hudson. That money was divvied up among organizations planning qualifying events by the Arts, Entertainment & Tourism Committee, a standing committee of the Common Council created in 2000. At the beginning of 2018, Council president Tom DePietro did away with the Arts, Entertainment & Tourism Committee and in April of that year assigned the task of meting out the $20,000 to the Finance Committee. During the budget process at the end of that year, the Board of Estimate and Apportionment (BEA) decided to eliminate the $20,000 from the next year's budget, so in 2019, the $20,000 for festivals and events was provided by the Tourism Board, taken from its budget which that year amounted to about $140,000. The money was divided among eleven groups. The list of events funded in 2019 can be found here. 

The Tourism Board was created in 2018 by the lodging tax law, Section 275 Article VIII of the city code. The law originally gave the Tourism Board a percentage of the revenue from the lodging tax, never to exceed $250,000 a year. Early in 2020, the Council voted to amend Section 275 Article VIII to eliminate the Tourism Board's funding and to direct all the revenue from the lodging tax into the general fund. It's interesting that some of the loudest voices calling for defunding the Tourism Board back in 2019 are now members of the Tourism Board and seeking funding from the City. Of course, the only thing some recall about the original Tourism Board is the proposal to hire a consultant to help craft a strategic plan to market Hudson in a way that respected the integrity and character of the city, didn't relinquish telling Hudson's story to the whims of travel writers, and made Hudson's popularity as a destination more dependable and sustainable. That effort was reduced by critics to the notion of branding, and so it is remembered by at least one member of the current Tourism Board.

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Not to Be Missed

Roger Hannigan Gilson, who was once a reporter for the Register-Star, then started his own news blog called The Other Hudson Valley, and is now writing about Hudson and the rest of the Hudson Valley for the Albany Times Union, Zoomed in on yesterday's meeting of the Hudson IDA. His article about the decision to grant PILOTs and other financial benefits to the Galvan Foundation for the two apartment buildings proposed for North Seventh Street appeared today in the Times Union: "Hudson city treasurer votes against tax breaks for housing complex." It is recommended reading.

New Ladder Truck Arrives in Hudson

Our tax dollars bought it and will be paying for it for the next several years, so we all should celebrate and take pride in the arrival of the new giant ladder truck. The new ladder truck, which cost about $1.4 million, arrived in Hudson today.

Photo: Michael Weaver|Facebook

COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health has released its numbers for today. Since yesterday, there have been seventeen new cases of COVID-19. The number of active cases being reported today is three fewer than yesterday, from which it can be inferred that, since yesterday, twenty county residents have recovered from the virus. There are 57 more county residents in mandatory quarantine today than yesterday, and one more is hospitalized. The number in the ICU remains the same. There has not been a death from COVID-19 reported in Columbia County since August 7.

The New York Forward dashboard is reporting a positivity rate for Columbia County yesterday of 4.7 percent and a seven-day average of 4.2 percent. By comparison, the daily positivity rate for the Capital Region is 4.1 percent and the seven-day average is 4.3 percent.

A year ago today, the CCDOH reported no new cases of COVID-19. The total number of cases was 549, and the number of active cases was 1. There were 5 county residents in mandatory quarantine, 1 was hospitalized, and none was in the ICU. The total number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 at this time last year was 37.

Expanding the Depot District?

On September 9, Gossips reported that the sale of the former Community Theatre building to Galvan Initiatives Foundation, which had been announced back in November, had finally closed. 

When Galvan announced its plans to acquire the building, this statement was made about its intended use: "Galvan will develop the building as the gateway to our Depot District Initiative, a mixed-use commercial and residential development. . . ." 

Gossips learned recently that Galvan Civic I, Inc., the entity that owns 202-204 Warren Street (the Brousseau Building), 364-366 Warren Street (the former Register Star building), and 51 North Fifth Street (the location of the Hudson Area Library) has purchased 612 Columbia Street, the house immediately adjacent to the former Community Theatre.

What plans Galvan may have for this little building are not known.

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Pursuing the Solar Farm

On Monday, at the informal Common Council meeting, Public Works Commissioner Peter Bujanow presented a revised request for expressions of interest (RFEI) for developing a solar farm on City-owned land off North Second Street. He assured the Council that the revised RFEI does not offer the capped landfill as a site for the solar array. He described the parcel being offered as "near the dog park." 

Although the capped landfill is not the parcel being offered for development, appended to the RFEI is a 21-page report done by the EPA in June 2017 assessing the viability of the capped landfill as a site for solar panels. Alderman John Rosenthal (Fourth Ward) suggested that including this information might be unwise. Bujanow maintained that it was "in the City's best interest to include the data collected in 2017 about the landfill," arguing that "letting them know that someone has identified this area as ripe for development" was a good thing, even though "this area" is not the actual area being offered for development.

The Common Council is expected to vote on issuing the RFEI at its meeting on Tuesday, September 21. In the meantime, the document has been posted on the City of Hudson website, and Council president Tom DePietro is asking for comments from the public. The RFEI can be found here. Comments should be directed to councilpres@cityofhudson.org. 

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Don't Fence Me In

The fence around the fountain in the Public Square (a.k.a. Seventh Street Park) is coming down this morning. This is something people have been talking about for more than a decade, but thanks for Friends of the Public Square (FOPS), it is finally happening.

Just as a reminder, this is what "Inspiration Foundation" looked like in 1975, when it was first created to replace the original 1883 Venus fountain.

PhotobyGibson.com

COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health has released its numbers for today. Since yesterday, there have been 21 new cases of COVID-19. The number of active cases being reported today is sixteen more than yesterday, from which it can be inferred that, since yesterday, five county residents have recovered from the virus. There are ten more county residents in mandatory quarantine today than there were yesterday, and there is one more hospitalized. One of those hospitalized is in the ICU. There has not been a death from COVID-19 reported in Columbia County since September 7.

The New York Forward dashboard has not been updated since yesterday.

A year ago today, the CCDOH reported 2 new cases of COVID-19. The total number of cases was 549, and the number of active cases was 2. There were 5 county residents in mandatory quarantine, 1 was hospitalized with the virus, and no one was in the ICU. The total number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 at this time last year was 37.

Meeting Addenda

Here are some amendments to the list of meetings published on Sunday night.

• The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting scheduled for today at 6:00 p.m. has been canceled. The meeting has been rescheduled for Wednesday, October 20.
• On Thursday, September 16, the Tourism Board meets at 7:00 p.m. No agenda is available. The meeting will take place on Zoom. Click here to join.
• On Friday, September 17, the Hudson Housing Authority Board of Commissioners holds a special meeting at 6:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss filling the vacancy left by Tim Mattice's resignation as executive director. At the board's regular meeting on September 8, it was announced that Deborah Witkowski, executive director for the Troy Housing Authority, would serve as interim director for the Hudson Housing Authority, until HHA hired a new executive director. Since then, Gossips has learned that the THA Board of Commissioners did not approve that arrangement. The meeting will take place on Zoom. Click here to join.

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The Other Shoe Drops

This afternoon, the Hudson Industrial Development Agency (IDA) held a special meeting and approved the PILOTs and other financial benefits sought by the Galvan Foundation for 708 State Street and 75 North Seventh Street. 

In each case, the vote was 4 to 2. Those voting in favor were Tiffany Garriga, Common Council majority leader; Rebecca Wolff, Common Council minority leader; Cheryl Kaszluga, city assessor; and John Cody, representative from the Planning Board. The two nay votes were cast by Heather Campbell, city treasurer, and Richard Wallace, the community representative on the IDA. Mayor Kamal Johnson recused himself from the vote, but, for those attending the meeting on Zoom, it was impossible to hear his explanation of why he was doing so.

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The First Shoe Drops

Tonight, midway through a meeting that lasted for five hours, the Planning Board completed the SEQR (State Environmental Quality Review) process for 75 North Seventh Street and 708 State Street and voted unanimously to make a negative declaration.

Of the eighteen questions on the Full Environmental Assessment Form, the Planning Board answered yes to seven of them: (1) Impact on Land; (9) Impact on Aesthetic Resources; (10) Impact on Historic and Archeological Resouces; (13) Impact on Transportation; (14) Impact on Energy; (15) Impact on Noise, Odor, and Light; and (18) Consistency with Community Character.

The Planning Board did not vote on approving the site plan, but a negative declaration is all that is needed for the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) to make a decision about granting PILOTs and other financial benefits to the project. The IDA meets tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. for the purpose of doing just that. Click here to join the Zoom meeting. At the Planning Board meeting tonight, Dan Kent of the Galvan Foundation said that "site plan approval at the October meeting would be fine" for pursuing funding from NYS Homes and Community Renewal.

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COVID-19 Update

The Columbia County Department of Health has released its numbers for today. Since yesterday, there have been eleven new cases of COVID-19. The number of active cases being reported today is eight fewer than yesterday, from which it can be inferred that, since yesterday, nineteen county residents have recovered from the virus. There are 41 more county residents in mandatory quarantine today than yesterday, but one fewer is hospitalized with the virus. Of those hospitalized, two are in the ICU. There has not been a death from COVID-19 reported in Columbia County since Tuesday, September 7.  

The New York Forward dashboard is reporting a positivity rate for Columbia County yesterday of 6.2 percent and a seven-day average of 3.9 percent. By comparison, the daily positivity rate for the Capital Region is 5.2 percent and the seven-day average is 4.4 percent.

A year ago today, the CCDOH reported no new cases of COVID-19. The total number of cases was 547, and the number of active cases was 0. There were 6 county residents in mandatory quarantine, and no one was hospitalized or in the ICU. The total number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 at this time last year was 37.