Amenia town board awards contract for Town Hall gym floor

AMENIA — Following months of study and discussion, the Town Board voted unanimously at its regular meeting on Thursday, July 18, to select a contractor who will refurbish the deteriorated Town Hall gym floor that supports recreational programs for several local groups.

Receiving proposals from four contractors, the Town Board chose Gugliotti Associates of Plantsville, Conn., to complete the project.

The town has determined that an original maple floor underlies the top layers of flooring. If that hard maple floor can be sanded and refinished, the project cost will be $17,308. If it turns out that the old maple flooring is deteriorated beyond repair, then the cost of installing a new Herculan membrane floor will total $41,500.

In preparation for what would be a capital improvement to the town’s water district, the Town Board considered seven proposals from engineering firms qualified to prepare a preliminary engineering services plan. Together with the town’s water district operator, VRI, the Town Board selected Delaware Engineering of Red Hook to prepare the plan for a total cost of $36,000.

The plan will include an engineer’s assessment of the town’s water sources and a review of storage and distribution systems. Delaware will also engage in a limited analysis of the area served by the water district and finances, as well as make recommendations for a prioritized improvements plan with general cost estimates for each phase. Under the contract, Delaware Engineering will also identify sources of grant funding and avenues for low-cost financing.

In other action, the Town Board agreed that the Climate Smart Task Force can proceed with a grant application through the state Climate Smart Communities program. A required match amount of $5,000 will be taken from the Climate Smart budget line in support of an application for a state grant of $25,000 to be used in updating the town’s Comprehensive Plan. The updates will include elements ensuring sustainability. Resident Christina Gast of the town’s conservation advisory council was appointed to represent the town in submitting the grant application.

Initiating planning for the drafting of a local law to guide cannabis distribution within the town, the Town Board discussed responses to preliminary questions posed by a planning consultant.

One question to be determined by the town is the distance that a dispensary would need to stand from sensitive locations including schools, parks, recreational fields and churches.

Councilwoman Rosanna Hamm suggested increasing the distance from 200 feet to 500 feet from parks and houses of worship, for example.

Town Supervisor Leo Blackman indicated that he would like to see mapping of the effects of the different proposed radii.
Councilman Paul Winters said that if the radii were expanded to 500 feet, that would exclude all locations in the Amenia downtown area. He felt that the only two remaining possible locations would be Freshtown Plaza to the north or the Fudgy’s Plaza to the south.

“The people who will purchase marijuana,” Winters said, “would not be remaining nearby. They would take it home.”

Adequate parking and tasteful signage were also seen as issues needing resolution.

“Historically,” Hamm said, “bars were away from the center, partly because of parking.”

“Now we don’t have any,” Blackman observed.

The planner is also seeking information about decommissioning a dispensary, an aspect of the law to be written. Councilman Brad Rebillard asked for clarification from town attorney Ian Lindars.

Lindars explained that decommissioning must be included to define what would become of the leftover inventory.