In the face of significant public criticism, the Lloyd Town Board voted unanimously last week to rescind their previous recommendation to reappoint Dominick Martorana for another term on the Ulster County Planning Board [UCPB].   

Last month it was reported that Martorana, who chairs the Lloyd Planning Board, had spoken at the Jan. 6 UCPB meeting against rezoning Matt Smith’s parcel on Commercial Avenue to General Business, despite both the Lloyd Town and Planning Board voting in favor of the zone change.

Martorana also ran afoul of state law that prohibits his speaking at the county level about an issue that is before his town. In addition, Martorana gave less than correct information about Smith’s parcel that moved the UCPB from issuing a no county impact ruling to one of Required Modification. The Town Board later overruled that recommendation in a unanimous vote.

The Majority Leader of the Ulster County Legislature, Paul Hansut, R-Lloyd, indicated that he explained the circumstances surrounding Martorana’s actions at the January UCPB meeting to James Maloney who chairs the county committee that oversees the UCPB.

“Dominick has been up there for a long period of time and he knows these people [UCPB members] and they trust what he is saying to be true and it really was misleading,” Hansut said.

Hansut said that he informed Maloney that this is the second time Martorana has done this at the county level, citing the John Indelicato case in 2007 when Martorana again spoke and offered incorrect information on that zoning request.

Hansut said he expects any county support for Martorana has slipped away.

“We [Ulster County Legislature] are respecting the home rule and the town is going to recommend another candidate for the position, which we plan on supporting,” he said.
Martorana remaining on the Lloyd Planning Board may also be in jeopardy, since he refused to recuse himself on several occasions when Smith was before his board, but did so only after Smith continued to press the point. Martorana was not only Smith’s former real estate agent for the parcel, but had, according to Smith, expressed the desire to purchase the property himself.

Lloyd Councilman Kevin Brennie said he thought the time has come for Martorana to step down from the Planning Board.

“I think it would be in the best interest of the town if he resigns,” Brennie said. “I think everybody wants it.”

Exemption deadline is March 1
Lloyd Assessor Elaine Rivera informed the Town Board that the deadline for residents to file exemptions is less than a month away.

“It’s all of them,” she said. “Any and everything has to be filed in the Assessor’s Office by March 1. The ones that we do renewals on are senior citizens, enhanced STAR and agricultural exemptions. That’s a renewal and you have to reapply.”

Rivera said residents have to file in her office at Town Hall.

“If they call up, we will tell them what they need to bring with them, depending on the type of exemption depends on what you need to bring,” she said.

She said that if a senior or a disabled resident cannot come to the office, she will go to them.

“If you can’t get out or don’t have transportation, I will go to you,” she said. “But you have to contact me.”

Rivera can be reached at 691-2197.

Storm water requirements ahead of schedule
Costantino praised both Building Department Director Dave Barton and Code Enforcement Officer Shari Riley for keeping the town ‘ahead of the curve’ in ensuring Lloyd complies with all of the current regulations on storm water management.

Riley said that each year the town has to review 20 percent of their MS4 area. By June she expects to have a report to the Town Board on this work. Riley and Costantino both thanked James Mandola, who worked for the town on MS4 requirements. Because of his diligence, Costantino said, the town will meet the requirements for the next 5 years.

Code in near final form
Costantino said the final version of Chapter 100 on code changes has only minor revisions in it but it may still be sent to the UCPB next week for one more review. Barton said the document is a distillation of all of the past meetings and the public’s comments.
“It’s the most complete one to date,” he said.

Police chief responds to speeding complaints
Lloyd Police Chief Dave Ackert said added patrols on Mayer Drive and North Chodikee Lake Road have helped calm some of the speeding issues people have complained about.
Ackert informed the board that he is considering purchasing a new car for the department through an auction house to see if the price is better than what is on state bid. He said New Paltz did this and got a 1-year-old vehicle with low mileage and with all warranties carried over. .

Scenic Hudson hands Lloyd $275,000

Steven Rosenberg and Seth McKee of the environmental land preservation group, Scenic Hudson, presented Lloyd Supervisor Ray Costantino with a $275,000 check that is part of the purchase price for the Bob Shepard Highland Landing Park.

“It was a long commitment and a labor of love to push this boulder up the hill,” Rosenberg said.

McKee added his thanks for the patience the town has shown while waiting for this day to arrive.

“We appreciate the efforts of so many volunteers that has given you access to the Hudson River,” he said. “We are glad to have played a small part.”

Costantino said work at the park continues to move forward.

“There is so much more promise to come, like the bulkhead repairs,” he said. “We [town] will stay involved.”

Town Clerk Rosalie Peplow said that besides the riverfront park, Lloyd has reaped tremendous benefits in recent months with the openings of the Franny Reese Park and the Walkway Over the Hudson.

Rail Trail East bid approved
The Town Board approved a bid of $2,489,598 from Merritt Construction for building the eastern section of the Rail Trail. The contract is contingent upon the NYS Department of Transportation [DOT] approval of the Award of the Construction Contract.

Ted Kolankowski, senior land use planner with Barton and Loguidice, said he checked references of the company as well as past DOT projects Merritt had worked on.
Costantino said the company is anxious to get started and may soon begin by Mile Hill Road.

Amended fee schedule approved
The board amended their fee schedule for site plan, special use permits, rezoning petitions and other applications required under the zoning code, subdivision regulations and other local laws in an effort to ensure that all engineering, legal and consulting expenses for projects are paid for by the applicants and not by the taxpayers. These fees may be in addition to the regular fees and will allow the town to recoup any expenses incurred during the review process.

The funds will be placed in escrow accounts and be subject to maintaining minimum balances and be governed by escrow agreements reviewed and approved by the town’s attorney.

Two appointments approved
Cos Trapani was appointed on Feb. 3 to serve on Lloyd’s Water and Sewer Committee. His term will run until Dec. 3 of this year.

Dorothy Trapani was hired as a part time clerk to the Building Department at $12.50 per hour and will not exceed 18 hours per week. There will be a one-year probationary period and she will serve under Building Department Director Dave Barton.

By MARK REYNOLDS
mreynolds@tcnewspapers.com