By Matthew Avitabile
ANDES – At the June 10 monthly town board meeting in Andes, the board tackled several local topics, especially parking in the hamlet.
A resident asked about the level of free chlorine in drinking water, with a further question about how much was needed for the system to operate.
One question was the minimum amount of chlorine within the water, stated as 0.2 parts per mission (PPM) level by operator Andy Serrao.
The resident said that she tested the water as having chlorine at a 2.0 level and said that the water "smells like a swimming pool" and stated that the water burned the leaves of her plants. She further said that the level of chlorine was higher than in New York City.
There was further discussion, with the resident stating concern about there being lead in the water, but the operator said that there has never been a significant amount of lead in the water and that it is treated to prevent lead from entering the water supply.
The operator then said that the chlorine level with the water could be reduced. The next question was whether or not the water was being pre-treated, to which the answer was that filtering, UV light, and chlorine makes sure that the water is safe.
The resident then said that "tiny animals" and "kids" are drinking the water and asserted that the water made blonde hair turn "green" and that the level should be reduced, which the operator said he would consider.
Supervisor Bud Gladstone thanked the organizers of the Memorial Day Parade and had a discussion about putting signs on the triangle to avoid a bottleneck.
The supervisor further talked about a possible expansion of parking in the hamlet This includes behind the pool, Bruce Manor, or possibly at the bank. He credited Derek Curl from the Andes Hotel for working with Andes businesses for providing funding for hospitality and parking staff for events. Part of the issue could be solved through improved signage, said one resident.
There was a further discussion about the possible purchase of a parking lot and a previous accusation that the town hadn’t been open in the process. The town could have “been in contract, ready to purchase but we brought it forward ahead of time” so that the public could know more.
"We weren't hiding a God damn thing," the supervisor said. He said that it was the responsibility of the board to "look at everything," he added. The board could not justify the additional cost and stepped back, Gladstone said.
"If another property comes up for additional parking, you're damn well right we'll look at it," he said.
The supervisor said that the board has "been transparent and will stay transparent." There was a further question about the possible purchase of property and how much in dollar value would trigger a vote.
"You won't spend $10,000 on slow-down signs but you will spend a couple hundred thousand dollars on a parking lot?" a resident asked.
The supervisor said that it was up to the discretion of the board to spend the money. Gladstone also said that the O'Connor Foundation would make a decision on potential funding July 1. He said that he would suggest using town reserves for funding if the grant from the O'Connor Foundation doesn't come through.
Highway Superintendent said that road sweeping continued, culverts were replaced on Fish Hollow Road, a culvert on Weaver Hollow had been blocked by beavers and was unplugged. They updated the fuel master system, patched potholes, and the crew attended a chainsaw/tree cutting program. A truck had a clutch replaced.
There was further question about the status of the town's new truck. The truck is in process and is a "heck of a lot closer" than previous, but it's unlikely to be ready for snow plowing by winter.
Later in the meeting, Derek Curl entered the meeting and discussion about parking improvements. One question from the audience was whether or not those helping with parking would be town employees and covered by worker's comp. The resident was hoping for creating institutionalization, rather than just relying on Curl's generosity.
The Andes Hotel owner credited the community and cited working together to make parking better. He said that the added employees might be under the payroll of the Andes Hotel itself.
He said that the business community would work together to "make sure the town is safe" and that there was more parking. We're all one community," he said. He further said that the businesses were bringing in visitors and took responsibility to aid with parking.
Several town board members said that they had attempted to purchase the previously-mentioned parking lot but had been accused of not being transparent.
“I appreciate people coming together with an open mind,” said Gladstone.
Curl committed to assisting further.
"How do we solve the parking situation when the businesses can survive, Andes survives, and the Andes Hotel doesn't shut down?" Curl said that Andes was the "most beautiful town in the Catskills." He further said he didn't move to the area to cause parking issues but to celebrate the people of Andes. A resident said that Andes was "not designed" to bring in a significant number of visitors, stating that the potential solutions were "band-aids."
Curl asked where the resident would drink if establishments closed. The resident said that a significant number of visitors come to the area and was concerned that there could be a significant parking issue in coming weeks. "There's no way of getting around what happened last year," the resident said, citing potential parking issues.
“We’re fortunate there’s businesses that want to be here,” Gladstone said. He added that residents should “feel damn fortunate” about efforts in the community.
A resident said that there should be a gas station in town.
Another resident said that visitors were necessary for the local economy.
Gladstone said that he “worked [his] ass off” to try to bring a gas station to the area.
A resident asked that the residents "be a part" of the parking conversation. The supervisor cited a previous meeting June 9 and said that there would be a further meeting.
Curl said that he would honor the request to get more public participation in the parking discussion, requesting that those seeking more information "show up."
New Code Enforcement Officer Zach Haverly cited his training and previous work in Walton in his report to the board.
He said that there was concern about policing short-term rentals. This includes trying to find rogue AirBnBs that are being advertised but not reported to the town. He is currently working 8-4 Mondays and Wednesdays and 12:30-4:30 on Friday afternoons.
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