Flowing
Altamont doubles its water supply



ALTAMONT — After years of uncertainty, the water-strapped village has relief.

Two new wells are on-line, completing a $1.4 million project that just about doubles the village’s water supply, said Mayor James Gaughan.

Several years ago, engineers discovered water on privately-owned land outside the village. Under former Mayor Paul DeSarbo, Altamont agreed to buy about five acres on Brandle Road from Nancy and Michael Trumpler in order to provide water for village residents. Soon after the deal was made, the village agreed to also provide water to developer Jeff Thomas for his senior-housing complex, planned for Brandle Road, just outside the village limits.

Distressed the water would be used outside the village, the Trumplers filed court papers seeking to get out of their contract and asking a judge to rule on its validity. The village counter-sued for tens of thousands of dollars and Thomas then also sued the Trumplers for $17 million, claiming interference.

Later, Thomas offered the Trumplers $100,000 to drop their suit and to settle with the village, which was now headed by Mayor James Gaughan.

The village didn’t accept the offer because there were conditions attached, Gaughan said this year when the offer came to light. Thomas requested that the village grant him immediate access to municipal water, rather than waiting until the new wells were on-line, and he wanted a waiver of the benefit assessment fee, which would total roughly $62,000 to connect all 72 of his units to the water system, Gaughan said.

In April of 2006, the village agreed to pay the Trumplers $225,000 for the five-acre well site plus 32 adjacent acres to be used by Michael Trumpler during his lifetime.

In March, the village board voted to implement a fee of $2,500 per unit for each new residential unit hooking into the new Brandle Road water system.

Last August, the village asked for easements from property owners along Brandle Road so that the pipe line could connect the wells to Altamont’s water system; it offered to waive the hook-up fee as an incentive to gain easements.

In February, the village board adopted a $30 annual fee on all units connected to the village’s water system to help pay for the Brandle Road well project.

Now the new wells are hooked up to the municipal system.

Gaughan had initially thought that the wells would be on-line in February, but due to some hold-ups, it was connected this summer, he said last week.

"There were some technical problems that had to be addressed," he said.

There are two satellite radio connections, one at the new Brandle Road well site and one on Gun Club Road, Gaughan said, and there was trouble with communications between the two sites.

Now, he said, "We are satisfied with the way things are running."

At Altamont's July 3 village board meeting, with the new well water on-line, the board approved water service to four new customers. The village had had a moratorium on granting water outside village limits.

Local developer Troy Miller's application for water service to 774 Route 146 was granted as was Michael McMillen's request for water service to 778 Route 146; both applied within the last month, Gaughan said last week.

The board also granted water to William Gizzi, of 6396 Gun Club Rd., and Michael Santabarbara, of 6404 Gun Club Rd.; both applied for water months ago because of contaminated well water in that area.

Each of them will be hooked up to the water system after they pay the $2,500 benefit assessment fee and roughly $400 hook-up fee, Gaughan said.

The village will grant water to single-family houses that are outside the village but adjacent to the water line; 21 of these connections are possible, Gaughan said. The new wells can accommodate the demand, he said.

Other business

In other business, the board:

— Voted unanimously to authorize Tim McIntyre, superintendent of public works, to purchase on state contract a plow and dump truck for approximately $107,000. No one spoke at the public hearing on the purchase. The truck will replace two existing vehicles, both of which will go out to bid, McIntyre said;

— Voted unanimously to amend the first local law of the year after holding a public hearing on the matter. The board has broadened the senior-citizen tax exemption to include people with higher incomes;

— Heard from McIntyre that the department of public works has been conducting the first phase of the sanitary sewer inspections and has found about 15 small leaks. He will also do dye testing in some areas and camera work in others, he said;

— Voted unanimously to accept the resignation of part-time police officer Walter Pajak, who submitted a letter of resignation on June 14;

— Voted unanimously to adopt a new set of subdivision regulations, as prepared by the comprehensive planning committee. The new regulations will replace the subdivision rules adopted in 1970 and amended in 1988;

— Voted unanimously to authorize the fire department to transfer its Firemen's Service Connected funds from UBS Financial Services to RBC Dain Raushcer, as requested by the department;

— Voted unanimously to refund $313.50 to Beth Denniston for an error in her water and sewer bill;

— Voted unanimously to refund $70 to Christine Carpenter for overpayment on a summer camp application; and

— Agreed to cancel the Aug. 7 village board meeting unless an emergency arises.