Board of Trustees

REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF BALLSTON SPA, NY, held March 9, 2026 Present: Mayor Rossi, Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, Trustee Price-Bush, Trustee DuBuque, Trustee Dunkelbarger, Attorney Buettner, Village Clerk Little, Village Admin. Moskowitz. 1) Call to Order 2) Pledge to the Flag 3) Public Hearing – Proposed Local Law No. 1 of 2026 (Ethics Code Amendments) – 7:02 p.m. Mayor Rossi opened the public hearing at 7:02 p.m. and explained that the proposed amendments would ensure properly staggered terms on the Ethics Board and establish a mechanism for nominations and recommendations when a quorum is not available. Ben Baskin, 60 Ballston Avenue – stated he does not object to the specifics of the ethics law changes proposed. Lisa Spidel – stated that if not already in place, the new law should require that any Ethics Board member be a resident of the Village. Mayor Rossi clarified that the existing law at Section 27-21(B)(1) already requires all members of the Board of Ethics to be residents of the Village. Mike Iacolucci, 3 Oakwood Drive – expressed full support for adopting the amendments. Asked several questions regarding wording of the proposed law. Mayor Rossi and Attorney Buettner confirmed the eight-year reference was a drafting error carried over from prior language and would be corrected, and that replacements would serve the remainder of the departing member’s term. All four current positions would be full appointments reviewed by the Mayor and a trustee, then voted on by the full Board. Seeing no further speakers, motion made by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee Price-Bush, to close the public hearing at 7:11 p.m. Ayes All 4) Minutes Motion made by Trustee DuBuque, seconded by Trustee Price-Bush, that the minutes of the 2/23/2026 meeting be approved. Ayes All 5) Presentations None. 6) Public Comment on Agenda Items Only (3 Minutes per Speaker) Mayor Rossi announced that Motion n (authorizing a presentation at the Police Department Garage) is removed from the agenda, as the event will instead be conducted as a joint meeting of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, which as Village boards do not require Board of Trustees permission to use a Village facility. The Village Attorney confirmed this interpretation. Liz Kormos, 89 Hyde Boulevard – questioned 10 Thompson Street (Motion H), asked why the attached contract listed the client as “Frank Rossi”. Mayor Rossi stated the contact came through Don Rhodes and acknowledged the name on the contract would be corrected. Lisa Spidel – On issues 8 a, b & d; asked questions about Village job positions. Also expressed concern about the SLIC Fiber door-to-door solicitation permit. Mayor Rossi explained regarding item 8a; he is already Deputy Clerk/Deputy Treasurer and this appointment adds only the Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics title. Mayor stated there are no territorial restrictions for DPW or police hires and that labor shortages make recruitment difficult across surrounding municipalities. Positions are posted on Indeed and the Village website. Ben Baskin, 60 Ballston Avenue – thanked Trustee VanDeinse-Perez and the Board for seeing the language services contract. Supports the Support Democracy assembly on March 28th. Noted he is glad the Ethics Board vacancy solicitation is now being done as required by code. Marilyn Stephenson, 45 West High Street – encouraged the Board to videotape or livestream the upcoming joint Planning/Zoning Board meeting. Reiterated opposition to SLIC Fiber door-to-door solicitation. Requested that the minutes of the prior meeting reflect the attorneys recommendation; three-week public comment period. Mayor Rossi stated the three-week comment period will move forward, the clock has not yet started, and the Village will announce more publicly when it begins. Mike Iacolucci, 3 Oakwood Drive – asked about plans regarding the alternate Planning Board member vacancy created by Motion F. Mayor Rossi explained that Mike Morrissey must fully sever from the Village for retirement purposes and was not aware of this requirement earlier. The Board will most likely reappoint him at a future meeting if deemed the desired course. 7) Consent Agenda a) Motion made by Trustee Dunkelbarger, seconded by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, to approve the following consent agenda: i) the Library be authorized to pay Accent for furniture purchased for the Library for the total amount of $11,706.99 by utilizing the NYS Bullet Aid funding. (Note: State Contract pricing was used.) ii) DPW be authorized to purchase via Stryker a Lifepak CR2 defibrillator for $1,872.77 and a wall cabinet for mounting at the DPW Garage for $331.76. iii) approve the purchase of 200 tons of Morton’s road salt by the Ballston Spa DPW at a cost of $12,514.00. Ayes All 8) Motions/Resolutions for Consideration/Vote a) Motion made by Trustee Price-Bush, seconded by Trustee DuBuque, that Christopher Peretz be hired as a full-time truck driver/ laborer for the DPW Department. Trustee VanDeinse-Perez noted the candidate bears no relation to her. Ayes All b) Motion made by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee Dunkelbarger, that Lawrence Youngblood be appointed as Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics for the Village office. Ayes All c) Motion made by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee DuBuque, that Kim Andersen be allowed to hold a “Support Democracy” assembly on March 28, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the corner of Milton Avenue and Front Street sidewalk area. Mayor Rossi expressed appreciation for Kim’s work coordinating with the Village on appropriate security for the event. Ayes All d) Motion made by Trustee Price-Bush, seconded by Trustee Dunkelbarger, that SLIC Fiber be approved to receive a permit to solicit in the Village limits Monday through Saturday between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Mayor Rossi noted that SLIC agreed to the 7:00 p.m. end time based on prior meeting discussions. He also noted that the permitting process has practical value, citing an instance the prior Friday when someone was observed soliciting without a permit. The process allows the Village to distinguish authorized solicitors from unauthorized ones and enforce the code. Trustee DuBuque reminded residents that “no solicitation” signs on doors must be respected by permit holders for trespass purposes. Ayes All e) Motion made by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee Dunkelbarger, accepting Mike Morrissey’s retirement as DPW laborer, effective March 27, 2026. Trustee VanDeinse-Perez thanked Mr. Morrissey for his many years of service. Mayor Rossi noted the Village is discussing the possibility of part-time work arrangements post- retirement. Ayes All f) Motion made by Trustee Price-Bush, seconded by Trustee DuBuque, accepting Mike Morrissey’s resignation as alternate member for the Planning Board, effective March 27, 2026. Mayor Rossi explained that the resignation is required for Mr. Morrissey to fully sever from Village service for retirement purposes. The Village was not aware of this requirement earlier and indicated Mr. Morrissey will most likely be reappointed at a future date if the Board deems it the desired course. Ayes All g) Motion made by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee Price-Bush, approving Steven LaTulip as a new active member at Eagle-Matt Lee Fire Company No. 1, effective immediately. Ayes All h) Motion made by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee Price-Bush, approving the proposal of Nolan Engineering to perform a structural review of 10 Thompson Street, and authorizing the Mayor to execute the proposal. Ayes All i) Motion made by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee DuBuque, to award the contract for language services to Geneva Worldwide and authorize the Mayor to send a notice of award and execute any documents necessary to effectuate this resolution. Mayor Rossi noted this was the lower of the two proposals received. Trustee VanDeinse- Perez expressed appreciation that this initiative is moving forward, stating it is a good move for the Village. Ayes All j) Resolution for acceptance of fire pumper truck (USDA requirement). The Village Attorney explained that the Village is closing on the USDA loan for the 2023 Sutphen pumper. She reported she had spoken that day with Chris Hunsinger at USDA. The closing is anticipated for April 17, 2026, with documents to be delivered around April 14th. The resolution authorizes vehicle acceptance and final payment as required by USDA. Motion made by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee Price-Bush approving the resolution authorizing vehicle acceptance and accepting the final payment. Roll Call: Trustee VanDeinse-Perez – Yes Trustee Price-Bush – Yes Trustee DuBuque – Yes Trustee Dunkelbarger – Yes Mayor Rossi – Yes Resolution adopted, 5–0. k) Motion made by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee Dunkelbarger, setting a public hearing related to the Revitalize BSpa (BOA) study for Monday, March 23, 2026, at 7:01 p.m. Trustee VanDeinse-Perez confirmed she had been in contact with Norabelle Greenberger of LaBella Associates regarding comments. Attorney Buettner stated that Ms. Greenberger will provide the SEQR resolution and resolution of intent early the following week. Ayes All l) Proposed Local Law No. 1 of 2026 (Ethics Code Amendments). Motion made by Trustee Van Deinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee Price-Bush. The motion was tabled pending completion of SEQR review. Ayes All (table) The Village Attorney presented the Short Environmental Assessment Form (Parts One, Two, and Three) for this Unlisted Action. She indicated that all 11 questions in Part Two resulted in “no” or “small impact” determinations. Part Three, the Determination of Significance, confirmed the Board took a hard look and determined the adoption will result in no significant environmental impact, no adverse impacts on public health or facilities, and is a reasonable exercise of government. The Board completed SEQR review and issued a Negative Declaration, which is incorporated in the adoption resolution. Motion by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, seconded by Trustee Price-Bush, to lift from being tabled and consider amendments to proposed Local Law 1 of 2026 made Ayes All The Village Attorney read the resolved clauses of the adoption resolution: the Board adopts Local Law No. 1 of 2026; adopts and authorizes the filing of a Negative Declaration under SEQRA; and authorizes the Village Clerk and Attorney to make minor modifications to the local law documents as necessary and to file and promulgate the documents as required by law. The Attorney noted the authority for modifications is limited to corrections such as typographical errors. Roll Call: Trustee VanDeinse-Perez – Yes Trustee Dunkelbarger – Yes Trustee DuBuque – Yes Trustee Price-Bush – Yes Mayor Rossi – Yes Local Law No. 1 of 2026 adopted, 5–0. Mayor Rossi noted the law must still be filed with and accepted by Albany, which is essentially a procedural step but could take up to 30 days. The Village will attempt to expedite the process. m) Motion made by Trustee DuBuque, seconded by Trustee Dunkelbarger, approving the Biometrics4All proposal for $2,180.00 for one year of coverage for their services. Ayes All n) Removed from the agenda: The event at the Police Department Garage will be conducted as a joint meeting of the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals and does not require Board of Trustees authorization to use a Village facility. 9) Mayor’s Announcements Mayor Rossi is back from his leave of absence, he’s glad to be back. Budget: The tentative budget is due in 11 days. Department and non-profit budget reviews are ongoing. DPW Building: Laberge is developing concepts for the DPW building. Mayor Rossi met with Malta Supervisor Cynthia Young to discuss possible utilization of the Malta property for a more passive, bifurcated approach—using the Malta site to relieve pressure on existing DPW space while rebuilding at the current location. Don Rhodes of Laberge is working on pricing concepts within the $4.5 million capital plan goal. Court Relocation: Options for where court could be located are also being explored and will be discussed in executive session. Kelley Park: The park was closed due to an ice jam forming. Residents were urged to stay away from the creek at this time. Parks Improvements: The Village is working on plans for the Tedisco Trail steps and improvements to Iron Spring Park. Plans are being coordinated with the Park and Tree Board and will be included in the capital plan portion of the budget as items to be pursued in the next year. Kelley Park Playground: The Town of Milton will donate playground equipment being removed from Lyle Park in late summer/early fall, which the Village will install at Kelley Park as an interim measure. The Village missed the prior state grant cycle for permanent playground improvements but plans to apply in the next round. Wiswall Park: Park and Tree Board review concluded that the park looks good in its current condition. Additional tables and some plantings are needed, but no major structural additions are planned. 10) Treasurer’s Report No report since the Treasurer is currently working with the Mayor on the budget process. 11) Liaison Reports Trustee VanDeinse-Perez: The BSBPA annual meeting is March 23rd from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at Next Door Kitchen & Bar. A networking breakfast co-hosted by SLIC Fiber and Iron Roost will be held Tuesday, April 7th, from 8:00–9:30 a.m. The farmers’ market season is approaching; interested vendors should contact the business association at ballston.org. Trustee Price-Bush: The Library will hold a ribbon cutting for the Farm-to-Library program on March 31st at 10:30 a.m., weekly produce deliveries will occur every Wednesday and the program is open to all. The book club will discuss Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange on March 12th at 6:30 p.m. and March 25th at 3:30 p.m. The Events Task Force will host the annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, March 22nd, at the Town of Milton Community Center from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., rain or shine, featuring games, crafts, prizes, the Balloon Man, and refreshments. This is a free event. The Ballston Area Senior Center announced upcoming trips: March 24th to Howe Caverns, July 8th Lake George Steamship Mardi Gras cruise, and October 6th Gavin’s Oktoberfest. Trustee DuBuque: The Committee on the Arts will hold its monthly meeting Wednesday, March 11th, at 7:00 p.m. in the Library (note change of location from Brookside). Open mic night at Backbar will be Friday, April 3rd; this is a free event. They are also preparing for Random Acts of Poetry in April, including a poetry chalk walk along BSBPA business sidewalks, “Poem in Your Pocket” buckets at Village businesses, and poems in selected restaurants. A poetry reading and book signing at the Library is scheduled for April 7th at 6:30 p.m. featuring several authors. The Historic District Commission meets March 19th at 7:00 p.m. at 90 East High Street. Park and Tree meets Tuesday, March 17th, at 7:00 p.m. at the Cornell Cooperative conference room. Trustee Dunkelbarger: DPW repaired two water main breaks at McLean Street and Union Avenue. Snow plowing and removal continued. Trucks that broke down were repaired. DPW is still working on the estimated meter list for water. 12) Old Business a) Fence Code Amendment The Village Attorney reported on the review of Chapter 116-1 location restrictions, which currently prohibit fences closer than six inches to a boundary line, creating a foot of dead space between neighbors. After reviewing numerous local codes, the Attorney noted that many municipalities have height restrictions but not location restrictions, and recommended further Board discussion before drafting new language, as moving fences to the property line raises questions of ownership and surveyor disagreements. Trustee Dunkelbarger, drawing on his surveying experience, noted that two surveyors will often place a boundary line in different locations, potentially causing overlapping fences or encroachment disputes. The Village Attorney noted she is also waiting to hear back on whether a fence permit is even necessary, Mayor Rossi suggesting the Village could move to a height-only limitation and leave property line disputes between neighbors. Mayor Rossi invited the public to offer ideas during the second public comment session. 13) New Business a) Ethics Board Openings (Solicitation for Interest, as Required by Code) Mayor Rossi announced the Ethics Board openings have been advertised on the agenda as required by the code. Individuals who submitted committee interest forms since January 1st are already on the list. Additional interest may be submitted via committee interest form at ballstonspa.gov, or by emailing mayor@ballstonspa.gov or villageadmin@ballstonspa.gov. The openings will also be posted on the Village website and Facebook page. b) Water System Delinquencies Mayor Rossi reported that four letters were sent by the Village Attorney regarding water system non-compliance: three involve existing customers who have failed to pay or have not installed correct metering apparatus; the fourth involves a non-customer using Village water without authorization since approximately 2023–2024. The non-customer property owner was informed by the prior property owner of the need to initiate service with the Village and has not done so. Mayor Rossi cited Village Code Section 200-50 regarding termination for non-payment, which requires the Board to direct the Attorney to send 30-day notice correspondence and offers the option for the user to appear before the Board to seek an extension. Mayor Rossi also discussed broader water system management. Approximately 390 of 2,500 accounts currently have two or more consecutive missed meter readings, contributing to an estimated 80-million-gallon unquantified water loss. He noted the Village is working to assign DPW employee Pete Staiziak to focus more heavily on water operations, is implementing a policy that customers with two or more missed meter readings will be contacted and is exploring electronic meter reading submission and new meter technology with Don Rhodes of Laberge. Regarding the fourth property (non-customer, theft of services), the Village Attorney confirmed the Village can legally terminate service immediately as theft of services under the law. The property has been using Village water for approximately two to three years without establishing an account. A prior letter set a March 15th deadline to contact the Village, and no response had been received. The Board discussed the options: Trustee DuBuque asked how long they have known about the situation and asked whether termination would affect a family. The Village Attorney confirmed no one is residing at the property. Trustee DuBuque initially suggested a firm 30-day termination letter, Attorney Buettner noted the prior letter already set a March 15th deadline. Trustee Dunkelbarger stated plainly that if they have not paid in three years, turn them off. Trustee VanDeinse-Perez clarified if they were informed by prior owner when they purchased, are not even a customer, never reached out to attempt to set up an account knowing they are using water, agreed to shutting off the water. Mayor Rossi indicated the Board’s preference would determine the approach; four periods of estimated minimum usage amounts to approximately $850–$900 plus penalties. The Board directed the Village Attorney to send official 30-day letters pursuant to Section 200-50 for the three delinquent customer accounts. The Board reached consensus to terminate water service on March 16, 2026, at expiration of the prior notice, for the one location that is currently listed as theft of services. 14) Public Comment on Any Issue (3 Minutes) Liz Kormos, 89 Hyde Boulevard – asked is water study by Laberge will be made public. Recommended fence code amendments include stone. Melissa Taylor, Creek View Court – expressed concerns about Mayor Rossi’s use of his personal social media page. Asked the Board and Attorney what they plan to do to address it. Fire Chief Krogh – reported on the fire department’s junior firefighter program, established in 2010 with Mayor Romano. Approximately 38 students participated, with a 78% retention rate; seven have become career firefighters. After approximately six years without new applicants, the department now has two applications pending, expected to come before the Board in April. Trustee VanDeinse-Perez expressed support for the program and noted the Ballston Spa Fire Department is robust in its volunteer ranks compared to many communities statewide. Ben Baskin, 60 Ballston Avenue –Recommended the Board make the Planning/Zoning Board comments on the draft zoning code public. Agreed with the fence code amendment. Asked about 10 Thompson Street inspection. 15) Other Business (Including, but Not Limited to Board Response to Public Comment) Trustee Dunkelbarger – no comment, Trustee DuBuque and Trustee Price-Bush– welcomed the Mayor back. Trustee VanDeinse-Perez- Let’s get stuff done. 16) Executive Session: Motion made by Trustee DuBuque, seconded by Trustee VanDeinse-Perez, to enter executive session to discuss a labor agreement and property/litigation matters. Entered at 8:23pm. Ayes All The Board returned from executive session: Returned at 9:05pm: No action was taken. Mayor Rossi introduced Mariah, an intern from Ballston Spa High School, who stated the experience has been very informative 17) Adjournment/Voucher Audit: Motion made by Trustee Price-Bush, seconded by Trustee Dunkelbarger, that the Vouchers be audited, and the meeting adjourned at 9:05 p.m. Ayes All General Fund $ 137,587.58 Sewer Relevy 166.67 Library Fund 2,730.21 Trust & Agency 635.65 Total $ 141,120.11 Respectfully Submitted, Rebecca Little Village Clerk