Goshen discusses Middletown intermunicipal water agreement and district structure; board seeks more engineering detail
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Summary
The Town Board reviewed an intermunicipal agreement (IMA) with Middletown to acquire water and sewer service for a proposed district, debated district boundaries, financial risk, and sequencing with Amy's Kitchen and other contracts, and asked for further engineering analysis before final commitments.
Goshen — The Town Board spent significant time on Dec. 22 discussing a proposed intermunicipal agreement with the City of Middletown that would supply water and sewer service to a portion of Goshen and an associated district.
The supervisor presented a spreadsheet and told the board the district can fund itself in principle, but several members pressed for more engineering analysis, clarified sequencing with other contracts (including a transfer of Amy's Kitchen's existing agreement with Middletown), and questioned whether phasing components could trigger broader environmental review. "If Amy signs with us first... and the city of Middletown says, 'no,' it's over," one board member said, describing the risk of losing leverage if agreements are signed in the wrong order.
Several members advocated simplifying the structure by formally forming a single district covering Route 17 and assessing all users pro rata; others cautioned that relying on only a few existing users could leave the town exposed if projected outside users do not connect. One board member asked for a presentation from the engineering firm and from Delaware representatives who had previously briefed the board. "I'd prefer to have all four of the contracts in front of me so that I can make a universal decision rather than piecemealing it," a member said.
The supervisor asked the board for authorization to proceed with signing the intermunicipal agreement with Middletown; the transcript records the request but does not include an explicit roll call or final vote text. In other business, the board conditioned approval of a peddler permit on receiving a completed police background check and approved routine finance items including meeting minutes, an accounts‑payable check run, and year‑to‑date budget transfers.
What happens next: Board members requested further engineering reports and clarifications about who pays for which line segments, where mains would be routed, legal sequencing of transferred agreements, and the potential need for SEQRA review before final votes on any intermunicipal commitments.
