Village discusses handicapped access, resignations and speed control

MILLBROOK — The Village Board held its last meeting of the month on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at Village Hall. Mayor Laura Hurley took the board through a short agenda dealing with regular business and some ongoing topics affecting the community.Community Development Block GrantThe Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 9008 is looking for help in providing handicapped accessibility to the second floor of their post building. Hurley said it was never an issue in the past; however, a couple of the members now are unable to get to the meetings because of the stairs. The bandshell property where the VFW meets not only serves them, but also provides bathroom facilities to the public anytime there is an event at the bandshell. Hurley proposed the board submit a block grant application to help the village build a ramp to make the facility handicapped-accessible. “The way that the program works is that you have a public hearing to take public comment. Then, if anyone has any other suggestions or feels there is a better use [for the block grant funds they can speak up]. The county’s priorities change from year to year,” said Hurley. “This year the top priority is economic development in public infrastructure, which is where we fall in. After that it’s transportation, then wastewater strategic action.”The VFW has already started seeking bids to do the work in case the village is awarded the block grant by the county.ResignationsThe board verbally accepted the resignation of Water and Sewer Clerk Dana Sukow at its previous meeting. The board officially accepted the resignation during its meeting Tuesday night.Sukow held the position for four years. She said she was glad to serve the community in that capacity.The board also accepted the resignation of Peter Doro from the Village Planning Board. Doro sent a letter to the board stating that due to personal reasons he could no longer perform the duties required of him by the board. Speed control in the villageHurley asked the board for feedback on how to get drivers to slow down while traveling through the village.The issue of speeding on village streets has been a constant one. Hurley wanted to know if the board felt it was worthwhile to try and lower the village speed limit to encourage people to slow down. “In favor of trying to have everyone slow down, we have had enforcement on Alden at school release,” said Hurley. “We have had a few people pulled over and given warnings. We’re trying to send a message that we are not going to put up with this. The research I have done would indicate that we would have to lower the speed limit of the entire village.” Trustee Edward Cox said he wouldn’t have a problem having a study done to look at lowering the speed limit in the village. However, if done, he would want it to be based on scientific study.“As long as it was something traffic engineers looked at and recommended to us as a viable solution,” said Cox. “I am afraid they would find just the exact opposite, that a speed limit of 30 on village streets might be reasonable.”Trustee Joseph Spagnola suggested enacting zero tolerance on the streets and enforcing it. Hurley said she would look into how much it would cost to do the type of study they need; she suggested they keep the speeding issue on the table for future discussion.The next regular Village Board business meeting will be on Tuesday, Oct. 9, followed by another board meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 23.