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Herkimer County LDC to pursue ownership, public hearing and environmental testing for former Bill's School site
Summary
Participants at a recent Herkimer County Local Development Corporation meeting discussed taking ownership of the former Bill's School property, scheduling a public hearing with the village, pursuing a lien waiver and completing environmental testing funded in part by federal and state programs.
Members of the Local Development Corporation (LDC) in Herkimer County discussed plans to take ownership of the former Bill's School property, hold a public hearing with the village to formalize the transfer, and complete additional environmental testing, participants said.
The matter matters because the site could be redeveloped and leased to a private developer; speakers said coordination with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funding may cover remediation costs and shape reuse options.
At the meeting, participants said the village did not list Bill's School as an interested party during a prior 19b notification effort and therefore was not legally notified about tax matters tied to the site. The LDC speaker said the property has no outstanding tax liens and that the next step is arranging a public hearing with the village for the village to officially transfer the property to the LDC.
Charlestown was identified as handling a separate lien waiver expected “by the end of the month,” with a fee the speaker described as $10,000. The speaker characterized that fee as notable but did not provide additional documentation at the meeting.
The speaker said an Environmental Phase I assessment has been completed and a Phase II investigation is planned; participants said the EPA would cover the Phase II costs. The meeting record shows concern about potential contaminant migration toward a nearby river but also notes that EPA review to date found no contamination in a pond area mentioned during the discussion.
A participant said they had met with a potential developer and that the LDC intends to own the property and lease it to a developer if a deal is reached. The speaker mentioned coordinating with NYSERDA and with National Grid on site work, and said the parcel is roughly 12 acres "about"—an approximate figure provided during discussion. The speaker also said there is a map of the property and that pricing for structure work will be sought to inform redevelopment plans.
Other brands and reuse options were mentioned in passing, including a prior inquiry about a Sonic location; no formal proposals or commitments were presented at the meeting. Participants said the first developer to sign an agreement would be preferred, but no formal developer selection process or timeline was recorded.
No formal vote on the transfer, lease terms or lien payments was recorded in the transcript; the meeting moved toward adjournment without a documented motion outcome. Participants indicated they will provide details to board members ahead of any formal vote or payment decision.
Looking ahead, participants said they will schedule a public hearing with the village and circulate details to board members before any final action. Specific dates, formal motions to accept the transfer, and final remediation costs were not specified at the meeting.
