NEW SCOTLAND – The town board at a special meeting on Wednesday, June 9, discussed possible clean energy projects that it would undertake were it to receive an $80,000 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
The 120-year-old Hilton Barn was lowered to its new foundation Monday, moved across the street last March to save it from demolition. New Scotland Supervisor Doug LaGrange said he hopes to eventually see the barn connect with the Helderberg-Hudson Rail Trail and use it as a venue.
Funds from state and county grants, town parks, and private donations are being dedicated to the relocation of the Hilton barn to lands adjacent to the Albany County rail trail.
A standing-room-only crowd attended an Albany County Helderberg Hudson Rail Trail information session Tuesday at the Cornell Cooperative Extension office in Voorheesville and learned that the entire rail trail would be paved and open in 2017.
“We still need RFPs to get the cost," said Albany County Legislator Herbert W. Reilly of requests for proposals to move the large historic barn across the road to new digs. "We need a hard quote."
The town remains in negotiations with two Hilton-barn heirs for land across the road from the historical barn the town hopes to save but is slated to be razed.
