EMS services
All three of the EMS companies in the Town of Queensbury received a 5% budget increase approved by the town board Monday night. The town contracts with three rescue squads, all 501(c)3 registered nonprofits, for ambulance services.
The budget covers operating expenses, insurance and debt service.
Although the agreement was approved last night, it covers the calendar year.
“They need more than 5%, but this year, let’s go with 5%,” Supervisor John Strough said.
A few concerns from the board include the need the squads face for more trained volunteers, the need for negotiations to begin mid-year this year in order to approve a budget in time for next year, and the need for data.
Board member Tim McNulty said he would like to see more data from the companies into the future. “[Let’s] set some metrics for next year,” he said.
Board member Harrison Freer said the town should be working toward setting a multi-year contract with the squads. The Fire Companies in town already have multi-year contracts.
The amounts approved:
Bay Ridge Rescue Squad: $548,295.
North Queensbury Rescue Squad: $358,356
West Glens Falls Rescue Squad: $986,224
Coincidentally, this week is the 46th annual national “EMS Week,” according to the American College of Emergency Physicians. The theme this year is “This is EMS: Caring for our communities.”
Broadband in the North Country
The board also approved a resolution asking the state to rescind Department of Transportation fees required of internet service providers when they install cables that traverse state rights-of-way. The resolution urges the governor to rescind the fees so that “the Governor’s pledge [to bring high-speed internet to the North Country] can be fulfilled and expansion of the fiber network in the North Country can continue in order to serve critically unserved and underserved areas.”
Laying cable through the remote parts of the Adirondacks is already expensive, and the state owns so much of the property, a company finds it impossible to avoid the fee, Strough said, adding, “It’s almost prohibitive to bring broadband north.”
Jenkinsville water update
The town board scheduled the first few minutes of the meeting to speak about the continuing issue of water quality in the Jenkinsville neighborhood of Queensbury. Supervisor John Strough gave an update and asked if the rest of the board members had anything to add, but none did. This was not a public hearing, so none was taken from the handful of people in the board room or from those watching online.
According to Strough, the number of private drinking wells with elevated levels of 1,4-Dioxane has remained the same, 18, since the last reports. Nine wells need retesting.
Whether the town writes the “site characterization” report or the state Department of Environmental Conservation does, is still the matter at hand. The site characterization is an in-depth report to determine if the town's closed landfill in Jenkinsville is leaking toxins into ground water. The area has four landfills, and the town board has maintained that more research is needed to know which, if any, is leaking the toxins.
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If the town completes it with DEC oversight, it could run 1.5 to 3 years and cost $150,000 to $600,000, Strough said. He got these numbers from the CT Male engineering firm working on the project with the town. The DEC did not offer a cost estimate but said the reporting could take 3.5 years or more, Strough reported.
The primary concern for the town is to make sure people in the neighborhood have safe water, Strough said.
The matter moves to a June 7 public hearing and a final vote on the matter.