ALTAMONT — William Gizzi hoped to move into the house he is building on Gun Club Road by Christmas. It should be finished within the next few weeks, but "right now I’m planning minute to minute," he said yesterday. "It all depends on the water."
He and his wife, Andrea, bought property at 6396 Gun Club Road, just outside the village line, and began building their house in June. The Gizzis drilled a well in May and got the results from the first water test in June that showed the well was "total coliform," Gizzi said. The couple has had the well cleaned and tested four times since then, without results that meet county health-department requirements.

On Oct. 10 the Gizzis sent a letter to the village of Altamont asking for access to municipal water. Altamont has had a moratorium in place, denying water outside the village because the supply is limited. The village has drilled successfully for water on Brandle Road and purchased land there to develop an additional water source.
Mayor James Gaughan wrote a response to the Gizzis on Oct. 19 denying their request. "Until the supplemental water system is in place, which is not anticipated until mid-2007," wrote Gaughan, "the Village does not plan to consider adding new outside users to the system."
Asked in a phone interview yesterday when the new water source will be connected, Gaughan answered, "I believe that we say at every single meeting when we report on this that our projected schedule is early spring. That means February."

Under the previous village administration, developer Jeff Thomas had been promised village water for a senior housing complex on Brandle Road, just outside the village line. Following legal action from the owners of the well property, counter claims from the village, and a suit from Thomas, the matter was eventually settled out of court and Thomas will receive water for his housing complex once the new well is on-line.
"I’m in a situation now where I was told I would not be able to get the village water," Gizzi said in front of the village board at Tuesday night’s meeting. "I’m just looking for some help."
"I don’t mean to belabor the subject," Gaughan replied. "We basically refused your request." He said that, after the Brandle Road well is hooked up to the water system, the board would consider requests for access to the municipal water.
"It’s not like I’m asking for something because it’s convenient," Gizzi said yesterday. "I’m asking because I need it."

Other business

In other business, the board:
— Heard from Mayor Gaughan that the village received a $2,050 grant from Albany County for seniors’ recreation. Gaughan expects the money might be used to bring in speakers, "something to entertain and educate," he said;

— Heard from Gaughan that the village did not receive a grant that it applied for from the state’s Department of Transportation. The village had hoped to use the grant money to renovate the old train station for the library. Gaughan would like to re-apply for the grant, he said;

— Heard from Gaughan that the village’s police department got a $2,800 United States Department of Justice grant for bullet-proof vests;

— Heard from Dan Madison that the new truck for the fire department is expected to arrive soon. Madison’s term as the fire chief is up. He got a standing ovation from the board and village residents who were at the meeting;

— Voted unanimously to thank Madison formally for the work he has done for the village;

— Voted unanimously to approve Altamont Fire Department officers Paul Miller as chief, Mark Wertman as first assistant chief, and Robert White as second assistant chief. This slate was submitted by the firemen after they voted on Nov. 6;
— Voted unanimously to conduct a feasibility study of space use of the Crounse House’s primary structure. The village and the town of Guilderland recently purchased the run-down historic building on Route 146 at the outskirts of the village. "We just want to see how we can utilize the space," said Gaughan;

— Voted unanimously to have a board meeting on Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. in the village hall’s community room to discuss the draft comprehensive plan before the public hearing;

— Voted unanimously to have a public hearing for the draft comprehensive plan at the board meeting on Dec. 5 at 8 p.m.;

— Voted unanimously to buy a Kubota front-end mower from Randall Implement Company, which is located in Latham. The company had the lowest bid, $21,136. The mower will replace the village’s 1987 Toro and was recommended by Timothy McIntyre, the head of public works;

— Voted unanimously to accept Daniel Mosbey’s letter of resignation from the department of public works, effective Oct. 26, due to personal reasons; and

— Discussed the Altamont Police Department’s new standard operating procedures manual and criticized at length The Enterprise’s coverage of the matter.