Town of Waterford, NY
65 Broad St.
Waterford, NY 12188
John E. Lawler - Town Supervisor
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this message finds you all well and looking forward to the upcoming holiday season.
The Town Board is working to finalize and adopt the town budget for 2022 and I am pleased to advise you that town property taxes will be reduced by 2 ½ percent. The financial impact from the Covid-19 epidemic has not been as severe as anticipated because the Town Board took quick action in early 2020 and throughout 2021 to minimize those impacts. Along with cutting taxes, the 2022 budget also includes continued investments in road paving, roof repairs for several town buildings, repairs at the Hurst Harbor Center, new park playground equipment, and additional improvements to the town swimming pool.
The Saratoga County Department of Public Health will be sponsoring a Pfizer booster vaccination clinic for persons aged 65 and older on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at the Waterford Senior/Community Center located at 125 Second Street (directly behind the Waterford Library). An appointment for the booster shot is required and residents can register for an appointment at saratogacountyny.gov or by calling 518-693-1075.
The town will also benefit from receiving a $925,000 payment from Momentive Performance Materials as a result of a settlement for past violations and non-compliance with NYSDEC environmental rules and regulations. While these funds will benefit Waterford’s taxpayers in the long run, DEC requires that the town use the funds only for specific projects that have been pre-approved by DEC. It is also my expectation that there will be a renewed commitment from Momentive to operate their facility in compliance with all environmental rules and regulations to protect the health and safety of our residents.
The annual Town Christmas parade will return this year on Saturday, November 27th at 6 pm. The parade will march from the Canal Bridge at 9th street to Soldiers and Sailors Park where Santa will officially light the fabulous Christmas decorations in the Town and Village parks. This is a great event for the young and the young at heart and I hope to see you all there.
Please have a safe and fun Halloween.
Thank you,
Jack
*Attention Residents*- Please refrain from dumping/flushing wipes and other non biodegradable materials down your toilet or through your garbage disposals.
The Wastewater Department would again like to remind residents to please refrain from dumping/flushing wipes and other non biodegradable materials down your toilet or through your garbage disposals. All of these types of materials should be going in with your household trash. They can not only cause backups in home piping and laterals but can cause blockages and clogging in pumps in pump stations which can cause system backups. Click here to view the flyer.
Available Assistance Programs For Residents
HEAP- Home Energy Assistance Program- The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) can help eligible New Yorkers heat and cool their homes. If you are eligible, you may receive one regular HEAP benefit per program year and could also be eligible for emergency HEAP benefits if you are in danger of running out of fuel or having your utility service shut off. Contact Saratoga County Department of Social Services to find out more information about this program.
152 West High Street
Ballston Spa, NY 12020
Phone: (518) 884-4146
Days Open: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:00pm
Umbrella of the Capital District- 25 Years of Helping Seniors and People with Disabilities Maintain their Homes and Independence. Umbrella is a membership organization. For an annual fee, Umbrella members have access to a screened, skilled group of handy persons who provide a variety of services, including home repairs, housekeeping, lawn and gardening and shopping. Click here for more information on Umbrella of the Capital District.
Update on the Friedrichsohn Cooperage Contaminated PCB Cleanup Project
Update as of December 7, 2021
The removal of contaminated soil is complete and equipment is currently being removed. Restoration of the towpath will begin by December 17th. The coffer dams will be removed in January as well as the work trailers. In the Spring, the area will touched up with topsoil and seeds.
Project and Contact information can be found here: bit.ly/fact-sheet-cooperage.
Important COVID -19 Vaccination Update
Here is the link for the NY State Covid-19 vaccination website:
https://covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/
Here is the telephone number for the NY State vaccination hotline:
NEW YORK STATE COVID-19 VACCINATION HOTLINE
1-833-NYS-4-VAX (1-833-697-4829)
Here is the telephone number and link to Saratoga County Public Health Services:
Saratoga County Public Health Services
518-584-7460
Dragon Boat Festival 2022
Spectators line the Waterfront Promenade to witness a truly incredible day of racing for a good cause. The Town of Waterford, NY is Proud to host this event to benefit Susan G. Komen and their fight against breast cancer.
Momentive Assessment Lawsuit Settled
After lengthy negotiations and extensive legal action which included our retaining the services of a nationally recognized commercial appraisal firm, the Town of Waterford and the Waterford-Halfmoon School District have agreed to settle the assessment lawsuit.
In their lawsuit, Momentive had demanded that the property’s taxable assessed value be reduced from $195 million to $54 million. They also demanded a total refund in excess $12 million from the School District, Town of Waterford and Saratoga County for overpayment of taxes from 2016 – 2019.
The settlement establishes a taxable assessed value of $95 million and a total refund of $5 million to Momentive. The refund will consist of an approximate $3.5 million from the School District, approximately $1 million from the Town, and $500,000 from Saratoga County. The settlement prohibits any further assessment challenges by Momentive for a period of 5 years.
The $1 million Town refund and the ensuing loss of future tax revenues as a result of the reduction in the assessment is expected to negatively impact the Town’s 2021 operating budget. The Town Board will make every effort to offset this by reducing operating expenses and utilizing surplus funds to minimize the impact on Town taxpayers.
The final settlement reduced the potential tax refund liability by more than 50% and prevents Momentive from bringing future assessment challenges for five years. Given the potential for a much larger refund and an even greater reduction in the taxable assessed value, we are confident this settlement is in the best interest of our tax payers.
2022 Tentative Assessment Roll
Please see the link below for the 2022 Tentative Assessment Roll on the County Website.
2022 Tentative Assessment Rolls
2021 Final Town Tax Assessment Roll
The 2021 Final Town Tax Assessment Roll has been completed and is available for inspection in the Town Assessor's Office during regular hours. The information is also available on the County's website:
https://www.saratogacountyny.gov/2021-final-roll
Scroll down and click on the Town of Waterford link and you will have access to the entire Final Roll.
To find a particular property, owner, or address, use the “Find” box. Many residents feel it is important to know the assessments on their properties. If you need help reading the Roll or understanding its abbreviations, the Assessor is usually available to help (call for an appointment: 235-9907).
Using either of these methods can help you decide if your assessment is fair or needs review. If review is your choice, go to www.tax.ny.gov or telephone your Assessor.