VOORHEESVILLE — Fines have gone up in the village for speeding and parking. And a new restrictions in the dog law fine owners of barking dogs and fine them if they don’t pick up their dog’s feces.

An amendment to the village’s dog law, which it has had since 1970, adds a noise restriction, a pooper-scooper ordinance, and increased fines to the already-existing law. The fine had been no more than $25; now the law states that a first offense warrants a fine of no less than $50 plus prosecution fees and, for subsequent offenses, not less than $100.
The fine is not less than $250 for violations of the noise law, which reads: "It shall be unlawful for any owner of or any person harboring any dog to permit or allow such dog to" to engage in habitual loud howling or barking or to conduct itself in such manner so as to habitually annoy any person other than the owner or person harboring such a dog. Any unreasonable or unnecessary noise by continued barking, howling, or other animal noises is considered to be continuous after fifteen (15) minutes."

The board passed the amendments unanimously during a public hearing held during a workshop meeting before the monthly village board meeting on Feb. 27.

During the meeting that followed, the board unanimously passed increased fines for speeding and parking in the village. In discussion at the workshop meeting, Trustee Jack Stevens and Deputy Mayor William Hotaling expressed trepidation about raising the fines.
"It’s a small area," Anne-Jo McTague, the village’s attorney, said of Voorheesville. "Wait until you get past the circle, then speed," she said, referring to the roundabout linking Route 155 to Route 85A.

The fine for speeding within the village limits is now not less than $150, rather than the old fine, which had been not more than $100. For parking violations, which include parking on any street from midnight to 6 a.m., from Nov. 15 to April 15, parking in certain designated areas, or stopping at some intersections, the new fine is to be not less than $50 for a first offense, not less than $100 for a second, and $200 plus the cost of towing and storage for a third offense. The fines had been not more than $10 for a first offense, not less than $10 for a second, and not more than $100 for a third offense.

Other business

In other business at recent meetings, the board:

— Agreed unanimously to write a letter of support to Michael Breslin, Albany County executive, and Charles Houghtaling, chairman of the Albany County Legislature, in response to a letter that they sent to the village requesting re-authorization to collect an additional 1-percent sales tax. According to the letter, Albany County has been collecting the tax since 1992 and the village of Voorheesville brought in $215,101 from the tax in 2006;

— Heard from Trustee Hotaling that the zoning board of appeals granted developer Troy Miller a setback and that Miller has gotten an application for demolition of the house at the corner of Stonington Hill Road and Maple Avenue, which is now empty, but the village hasn’t approved it yet. Miller plans to put a senior-housing complex on that property; and
— Heard from Dominick Campana that he has gotten a committee together for looking into building a skate park for village kids. The proposal that he gave the board carries an estimated cost of $40,000. He said to the board, "I know the budget is going to be the biggest hurdle."