[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6663901,"mediaKeyId","2386810-163e62aac43de3574dc68a68443e7c7d","parentId",2386810,"title","Trustees approve routine items: road closures for winter festival, fountain contract and other consent items","audioSeconds",1177,"startMs",383000,"endMs",1560000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2386810-163e62aac43de3574dc68a68443e7c7d&start=383&end=1560","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2386810-163e62aac43de3574dc68a68443e7c7d/thumbnail_383000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6663901/Ballston-Spa/Saratoga-County/New-York/Trustees-approve-routine-items-road-closures-for-winter-festival-fountain-contract-and-other-consent-items","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663901-f8b689e92f4f306a97e18c6c6f907611/orig.mp4?Expires=1775741732&Signature=CaDJxxaAAoEJW7kSNy8pDN7zOOpoOpJhSMJSwavazuiXRJwFWxn6tyO8vzkR1XYkIO9P--6az0Ok2LVaPqtYyc5MOkv7tjp3drJ40nVZj4sknvpxSXmSqbfxccRi2XmSJUkIyKhyjwsgBzLdtpoSDIb8MBFUyef3grtooNN8LVbDZdk0~FODXV2R5Zk86TZBCbQx6BCKG7y-JxLi2DtiyFz9SRppGugptZI1WPjUSrg-JaHGMPxROQTTPjnysjdmfEs5eRHhjRYoQ5dVF4sM7PZkFt2tZYXLlhGX5VZsHqT8PB~vp~gCIF9XrVeLuixQfAGN3jWYhniaNNslBrATzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ballston Spa, NY","date","2025-02-25T15:34:44.38Z","article","At the meeting trustees approved a series of routine and project-related agenda items on voice votes.

Road closures and parking restrictions: Trustees approved a motion to close Bath Street (High Street to Hamilton Street) and several side streets, and to close the Bath Street parking lot, from Friday at 7 a.m. until Saturday at 9 p.m. for a winter festival scheduled for Friday, Feb. 28 to Saturday, March 1. The motion included limited resident access on specified side streets and a prohibition on parking on the cited stretch of Bath Street.

Fountain contract: Trustees approved a contract with Jay White Creations for a new fountain at the historic spring in Woods Hollow Park (referred to in the meeting documentation and public remarks). The contract total as read at the meeting was $8,000 and the mayor was authorized to execute the agreement following review by the village.

Road salt purchase: The board authorized DPW spending of $12,330 for road salt after a motion and second; trustees noted deliveries and county coordination related to salt shortages.

Part-time police appointment: The board approved the appointment of Daryl Haberneck as a part-time police officer.

Water hookup and developer approvals: Trustees approved a request to allow new construction on Trebel Avenue (map ID read on the record) to connect to village water and authorized the mayor to execute the necessary agreement after engineer approval.

Arts funding reallocation: The board approved reallocating $500 in committee-on-the-arts funding intended for a ballet program toward a public sound-bath experience class.

Consent agenda: The board approved the consent agenda items as presented with no items pulled for separate discussion.

Ending: Most items were approved on voice votes with brief discussion or none; the winter festival road closures and the fountain contract were singled out for short public mention and support from residents and trustees.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Village of Ballston Spa Board of Trustees Meeting 2/24/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved a set of consent and action items including temporary street closures for a winter festival, a local artist fountain contract for Whistler (Woods Hollow) Park, purchase of road salt, a part-time police appointment, a water hook-up for new construction and small arts reallocation.","taxTitle","Ballston Spa, Saratoga County, New York","taxId",62389,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6663906,"Zoning advisory committee members and trustees clash over draft code timing and canceled meetings",0,444000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2386810-163e62aac43de3574dc68a68443e7c7d&start=444&end=444","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2386810-163e62aac43de3574dc68a68443e7c7d/thumbnail_444000.jpg","/articles/6663906/Ballston-Spa/Saratoga-County/New-York/Zoning-advisory-committee-members-and-trustees-clash-over-draft-code-timing-and-canceled-meetings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663906-5efc1fce831625ea2eb6cc54bd2db81f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775741732&Signature=LzRnbGgNrKOYeCOUrDxyZ98sgayOW8SSxCUrKB8C3OQuGBjvY~lHcnTqIgqJk3XMdq44BcixxMKjL9C4-99Kthh472T26QPfbNfBxkaceVtW7FuSQFLhfsZgnlFQ3Ucp0rPAUq0oKLburHbV5BXonngOKcicgN2cxRW9ZS77OXzbD0C3AyURti3WsLy5CmivXYBfAam~c6vxMNjnGTulNGR7YLXVB5Dm7dCIvI0DklHMPeEjTooiYwcjah4lTxdJAT240c-SiBesRvVI~4oMFafjNHGoYHCN-DSsqSkoGuhaxTAaD-RsBJxE6p6wvpCL7bjwUWg-Ttw7OMF~NGBHiw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of Ballston Spa’s volunteer Zoning Advisory Committee told trustees during public comment that the committee’s work remains unfinished and that its chair spoke for the group without committee approval.

Marilyn Stevenson, who said she has handled publicity for the ZAC, told trustees the consultant had not cleared the committee’s work and that the committee’s final tasks in its scope of work remained incomplete. “The statement is false, misleading, self serving,” Stevenson said of an earlier minute that reported the consultant had told the ZAC their obligation was complete. She asked trustees to retract that portion of the minutes and press the committee’s work forward.

Several ZAC members and other residents echoed that account. Kamranah Harwana, a ZAC member, read the ZAC charter adopted by the board and said the committee charter permits meeting without a quorum for discussion but requires that the committee continue work through its assigned scope; she said unilateral cancellations of meetings had prevented completion of tasks.

Jared Eichelucci, another ZAC member, said the committee had not had a chance to provide guidance to the consultant on several outstanding, potentially contentious topics and that the mayor had encouraged members to submit comments directly to the board rather than work through the committee as chartered.

Trustees and the mayor described a compressed timeline and said they wanted to avoid a protracted process. Mayor Frank Rossi said he wants a product sooner rather than later and asked for transparency about areas of disagreement. Several trustees encouraged the ZAC to provide written statements on contentious topics so the board can review differences ahead of a public workshop.

The consultant, Fisher Associates, and its lead (identified in public comment as Chris Kushel) have been working on draft zoning text and mapping; multiple ZAC members told trustees the consultant asked for more time and that a posted public draft that had been scheduled for mid-February was delayed. ZAC members asked the village to remove canceled meetings from the public calendar and to restore scheduled meeting dates so the committee could meet and take votes where necessary.

At the meeting’s end trustees took an action to restore (uncancel) meeting dates on the village calendar so the ZAC’s scheduled meetings remain publicly posted. The board also encouraged ZAC members to submit written comments on a set of identified contentious items — several members said they would and asked for a public workshop and hearing to follow the draft release.

Ending: ZAC members asked for their chartered role to be respected, for canceled meetings to be restored on the public calendar and for the board to receive written positions on outstanding issues prior to public hearings. Trustees urged timely delivery of a public draft and that the board receive clear, documented input on contentious items before final action.","Members of the village’s Zoning Advisory Committee (ZAC) told trustees the committee has been sidelined: meetings were canceled, a public draft release was delayed and the committee chair spoke publicly without committee consensus. Trustees said they want a clear record of committee views before adopting zoning changes.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6663911,"Ballston Spa trustees approve $75,000 payment tied to Woods Hollow logging contract amid public objections",1539,736000,2275000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2386810-163e62aac43de3574dc68a68443e7c7d&start=736&end=2275","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2386810-163e62aac43de3574dc68a68443e7c7d/thumbnail_736000.jpg","/articles/6663911/Ballston-Spa/Saratoga-County/New-York/Ballston-Spa-trustees-approve-75000-payment-tied-to-Woods-Hollow-logging-contract-amid-public-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6663911-c3efadb5578020060b059439c96d7fc5/orig.mp4?Expires=1775741732&Signature=PLAU3UXL-MA99xc01XmD6Od7FPCag-rayxuQRIbZcL4wZoGgkBFuGhBfhdr8w8PDfsRYnpip3oXNQ60jY723DK4JGJh16IKklGg8bwh6F6cNo-YnFSlOT8K0kckzfOelBzN7KQTe42LdrVh9UNHTtsXAtstn3PZmWnanW~YsFZuyoGZmOBNxX5O2BEF3I7iDvM6ULKxfIstIwGo3~-V3dAHhGXTqFZm1cCFTPAzn2c54c36t0n9WQq3Bt9MWDY8EXlzTdcm5J4MkhYaG7AsnizHM0chbmVHID~18jIVwOj7WcxTkTMBCtZaNvYZBJgrpJLNXHjecDMT0FDjuGcVs8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ballston Spa trustees voted to authorize a $75,000 payment to Lumac (also referred to in public comments as Lumek/Lumeck) related to a logging contract tied to the sale of Woods Hollow, approving the motion on a 3–2 vote.

The payment, listed on the agenda as item 7d, drew sustained public comment. Marilyn Stevenson, a member of the zoning advisory committee, told trustees the minutes of a previous meeting misstated committee business and called into question a statement by the zoning advisory committee chair that “the consultant confirmed that the zoning advisory committee has fulfilled its obligation.” Stevenson said that was “false, misleading, self serving” and that the consultant had not told the committee their work was finished.

Resident Keith Lewis urged trustees to examine the contract closely and follow Department of State guidance on contract nonperformance, saying elected officials “have a responsibility to ensure that public funds are spent appropriately and that contracts with vendors are fulfilled as agreed.” He recommended reviewing terms, investigating nonperformance, documenting communications and enforcing contractual terms.

Several speakers and trustees described factual contract details and timeline changes that they said affected negotiation leverage. Public comments and trustee remarks referenced an original contract with a termination/determination date of Dec. 31, 2024 and an allegedly altered signed date of Aug. 30, 2023. Trustees and public speakers said that alteration, which they described as not explicitly approved by the full board, shortened the time available to negotiate and may have influenced the settlement figure.

Bob Bryce, vice president of Saratoga Life Management Corp., said the town of Milton supplied the $75,000 and that the village was acting as a conduit: “the village of Ballston Spa isn't paying a dime to settle our contract,” he said, describing how he had negotiated with contractors and explaining why his crew had held dates and expected payment.

Trustees who spoke at the meeting expressed differing views. One trustee said the village had separated the Lumac contract from the Woods Hollow sale “very purposefully” so the sale could proceed, but also said they had never been comfortable paying the full $75,000 given the limited work performed. Another trustee described concern that the village had not negotiated a better outcome and that the lack of a termination clause in the Lumac contract left the village exposed to a larger payment than it might otherwise owe.

At roll call, the board recorded Trustee Baskin voting no; Trustee Price voting yes; Mayor Frank Rossi voting yes; the final tally announced was 3 in favor, 2 opposed, and the motion carried. The board did not read an itemized breakdown of who else voted yes or no during the roll call recorded on the audio.

Trustees and public commenters called for records review and said they would seek more documentation about how the contract date was changed and who authorized it. Several speakers urged the board to strengthen contract language going forward — especially termination provisions — to avoid similar disputes.

The board’s approval authorizes the payment as presented on the agenda; the motion’s text as read at the meeting referenced authorizing payment of $75,000 to Lumac pursuant to the agreement connected to the Woods Hollow matter. The board did not adopt additional conditions to the payment on the record during the vote.

The discussion continued in public comment after the vote with residents expressing frustration about negotiation outcomes and about whether the village realized full fair-market value for the property given the separate contract settlements.

The payment and related records — including the signed contract(s), any documents that changed the contract dates, and correspondence with Milton and Lumac — were discussed repeatedly in public testimony; trustees and members of the public requested that those documents be assembled and made available for review in light of the legal and financial questions raised.

The board did not announce an immediate follow-up directive to staff on legal review during the motion’s passage. Several residents said they intended to pursue legal review and further public disclosure.

Ending: Trustees approved the $75,000 payment despite public objections and calls for further documentation; residents and some trustees said they will press for records and stronger contract safeguards in future agreements.","The village board voted 3–2 to authorize payment tied to the terminated logging contract for the Woods Hollow property. Public speakers and some trustees said the amount appears excessive and questioned changes to the original contract date and the absence of a termination clause.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Trustees approve routine items: road closures for winter festival, fountain contract and other consent items

Zoning advisory committee members and trustees clash over draft code timing and canceled meetings

Ballston Spa trustees approve $75,000 payment tied to Woods Hollow logging contract amid public objections