Hunter board advances highway-garage design; sheriff seeks secure storage and shared space

Supervisor Sean Mahoney opened the workshop by saying the town would prioritize progress on the proposed Town Hall/Highway Complex and welcomed designers Jason Preisner and Greta Hansen to present preliminary plans.

Jason Preisner outlined space needs, including potential school involvement and interest from Greene County Sheriff Pete Kusminsky in a small substation at the site. Supervisor Sean Mahoney said he had met with Sheriff Kusminsky and Sgt. Robert Haines and that the sheriff’s department wanted “a few officers at the site with a shared locker room and break area” and that the deputies would park outside rather than occupy interior parking.

Design options centered on reducing cost and complexity: Preisner proposed a monolithic (shed-style) roof for the pre-engineered metal building instead of an arched roof to simplify construction. The board discussed mechanical and safety systems — including automated exhaust fans triggered by NOx sensors for the truck bays, three-hour fire-rated walls between mechanics bays and offices, and possible airlock entries at doorways — and debated facade treatment for visibility from Route 23A. Planning Board Chair Marc Czermerys and Councilperson Raymond Legg both pressed for roadside curb appeal, and Preisner said he had previously designed a front that resembled the existing town hall.

The discussion also covered interior programing: a truck-wash system using recycled water, separate office space for town and sheriff staff, mezzanine storage, and vehicle placement for village and town fleets. Preisner recommended propane as the most efficient heating option for this building type. The board scheduled a site visit to a comparable facility in Coeymans for Wednesday, March 4, to review design tradeoffs in person.