Marbletown board approves building access-control upgrade, appoints assessment reviewer, backs sidewalk grant, buys sweeper and sets dog-control hearing

The Marbletown Town Board voted to move forward on five resolutions at its regular meeting, approving a building access-control agreement, an appointment to the Board of Assessment Review, formal support for a state sidewalk grant application, purchase of a highway sweeper attachment, and a public hearing date for revisions to the town’s dog-control law.

The board approved an agreement with Cyber Guardian Consulting to consolidate several incompatible door-access systems into one fob-based system. Staff told the board the total contract cost is about $8,800, split between two towns so the town’s share would be roughly $4,400. Supporters said the measure will improve security and let staff centrally control doors that have been found unlocked during police sweeps; opponents questioned the expense. The board carried the measure after discussion.

Bianca Quigley was approved for appointment to the town’s Board of Assessment Review, the panel that hears property-tax grievance cases. Board members noted the position carries a five-year term and requires state training; the panel pays $50 per meeting. The nomination was moved, seconded and approved.

On transportation funding, the board voted to support submission of an application to the New York State Department of Transportation’s Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) for sidewalks in the High Falls/Route 213 corridor. The board heard updates from staff on the pre-application process, coordination with county reviewers and the consultant GPI (Greenman-Pedersen), and discussed that accident data might not strengthen the application but community support points and safety arguments could help. The board asked staff to gather letters of community support in advance of the March application deadline and to confirm preliminary drawings and crosswalk placement with DOT reviewers.

Public-works staff also briefed the board on the purchase of a self-contained sweeper attachment for the highway skid steer, which staff said will save labor, allow reclamation of sand and millings for reuse, and pay for itself over several years. The purchase was approved.

Finally, the board set a public hearing on proposed changes to the local dog-control law (including clarified definitions of “at large,” updated penalty language and delegation of enforcement duties). Members discussed duplicate language in the draft and the town’s agreement with the regional SPCA for holding found animals; the hearing will proceed after a clean redline is circulated.

Public comment on the resolutions included remarks from Alex, a High Falls firefighter and resident, who urged support for the sidewalk grant on safety grounds: “I just want to express my support and gratitude for the grant application for sidewalks in High Falls,” he said, citing heavy pedestrian use and previous fatal accidents.

What’s next: the board instructed staff to finalize contract documents (pending Rosenale’s parallel approval for the access-control work), collect community letters for the TAP application, circulate a clean version of the dog-control ordinance before the public hearing and proceed with procurement for the highway sweeper. The meeting record shows each resolution was taken up and recorded as carried in the meeting minutes.