Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Local Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ballston board asks highway superintendent to scope Jenkins Park drainage repair and Veterans path repaving
Summary
The Town Board agreed June 30 that drainage repairs at Jenkins Park (engineer estimate $132,000) should precede other park improvements and asked the Highway Superintendent to assess a proposed repaving of the Veterans bike path (approx. $200,000); both items will be revisited at the next meeting.
The Town Board of the Town of Ballston on June 30 directed staff to seek cost and feasibility details for two local infrastructure projects: drainage work at Jenkins Park and repaving the Veterans bike path.
Councilwoman Kelly Jasinski told the board she had circulated photos showing standing water at Jenkins Park after recent rainfall and said the drainage problem must be solved before any other park improvements proceed. An estimate from MJ Engineering for the drainage work is $132,000; Jasinski asked the board to authorize the Highway Department to attempt the repairs and to have Highway Superintendent Joe Whalen provide a total cost and timeline. The board asked Jasinski to report back at the next meeting and said it would pursue alternatives if the Highway Department determines the work cannot be completed this year.
The board also discussed the Veterans bike path, which Jasinski said has been closed for several years except at the Outlet Road entrance and is in poor condition. Telephone poles are reportedly rising through the existing asphalt and National Grid will not allow the removal of poles, Jasinski said. She recommended grinding the pole bases, milling the path, and installing new asphalt; she estimated the work at about $200,000. Jasinski noted that public‑benefit funds from the Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) project are expected to be available in 2028 and suggested those funds as a potential source.
Why it matters: Jenkins Park is a neighborhood facility used for recreation and the board flagged standing water as a safety and maintenance concern that could impede other planned park improvements. The Veterans bike path serves cyclists and pedestrians; the board’s decision to seek a Highway Department estimate keeps the project on a local track while staff evaluate funding options.
What happens next: Councilwoman Jasinski will consult Highway Superintendent Joe Whalen about both projects and report cost estimates and timing to the board at a future meeting. No formal appropriation or contract was approved at the June 30 meeting.
Quote: “This work must be done before any other improvements are made to the park,” Councilwoman Kelly Jasinski said about Jenkins Park drainage.
Funding and scope details clarified at the meeting: MJ Engineering provided an estimated cost of $132,000 for the Jenkins Park drainage work; the Veterans bike path repaving was estimated by the board at approximately $200,000; the board emphasized the Highway Department should first evaluate whether it can perform the work in‑house and on what schedule.
Notes: National Grid’s refusal to remove poles was cited as a constraint for the bike path project; the board did not commit to any funding source at this meeting.
