Deerpark Ethics Board to Be Chosen from Five Applicants
New Deerpark Ethics Board and battery storage discussed at recent Deerpark Town Board meeting.
by David Ofshinsky
The Ethics Board and the moratorium on battery storage facilities were topics again at the August 8 Deerpark Town Board meeting.
While not formally on the agenda, Councilmember Christa Hoovler brought up the issue of appointments to the Deerpark Ethics Board. Earlier this year, Hoovler spearheaded an effort to revamp the Town’s half century old ethics policy. She introduced a revised policy in March, and a public hearing was held on it in April. However, when it finally came up for a vote in July, it was shot down by councilmembers who felt it was not needed.
Although the policy was not updated, appointments still need to be made to the Ethics Board, which has been inactive for several years. Town Board members decided to base appointments on a review of resumes that were submitted earlier this year. About five applicants submitted resumes, according to Town Clerk Flo Santini.
A moratorium on battery storage facilities was proposed last March and approved in a vote following a public hearing at the April meeting. This was prompted by an application earlier this year before the Planning Board for a commercial battery storage facility.
As the Town currently does not have zoning laws regarding these types of facilities, zoning laws are needed to determine proper siting and safety measures. These are large scale operations that draw electricity from the grid during lower cost off peak hours and pump it back into the grid during higher cost peak hours. The intent is to help meet ever increasing peak electrical demand without having to build new power plants.
The moratorium is for six months, so action is needed now before it expires at the end of September. The Board appeared uncertain how to proceed, as suggested by Councilmember Alan Schock’s comment, “I know nothing about these things.”
Councilmember Hoovler noted that assistance is available from the state, and Town Clerk Flo Santini was asked to obtain copies of zoning laws from nearby towns that could be used for reference. If the zoning laws can’t be completed before the deadline, an extension of the moratorium may be needed.
Other actions at the meeting included approving bids related to the new pavilion as part of improvements to Harriet Space Park. A $542,000 contract was awarded to A Tech Buildings for the pavilion, and a $139,000 contract was awarded to Pioneer Pole Buildings for the pavilion’s concrete slab.
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