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
The Monthly Town Board Meeting of the Waterford Town Board will be held at 7:00PM at Waterford Town Hall
The Town Board of the Town of Waterford will hold the monthly Town Board Meeting on Tuesday February 1, 2022 at 7:00 PM at Waterford Town Hall 65 Broad Street Waterford NY. The meeting will also be available via Zoom. If participants prefer not to use the Zoom software to monitor the meeting, they can call in using this phone number for audio only (929) 205-6099 using meeting ID 874 1417 2051 and passcode 459312. Click here to view the February 1, 2022 Meeting Agenda
Click here to join the February 1, 2022 Town Board Meeting at 7:00PM
PUBLIC NOTICE
TOWN OF WATERFORD ADOPTION OF A LOCAL LAW PURSUANT TO CANNABIS LAW § 131 SUBJECT TO PERMISSIVE REFERENDUM
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Board of the Town of Waterford, in the County of Saratoga, State of New York, on December 28, 2021 duly adopted, subject to a permissive referendum, Local Law No. 5 of 2021 entitled “A Local Law to Opt-Out of Allowing On-Site Consumption Sites as Authorized Under Cannabis Law Article 4” an abstract of which follows.
The aforesaid local law exercises the local option of the Town of Waterford pursuant to Cannabis Law §131, to opt-out of licensing and establishing cannabis on-site consumption establishments within its boundaries of the Town of Waterford.
The full local law is on file in the Office of the Town Clerk at the Town Hall, 65 Broad Street, Waterford, NY 12188, and is available for public inspection during regular business hours.
Said local law is subject to a permissive referendum and shall take effect 45 days after its adoption unless within that time a petition is filed with the Town Clerk of the Town of Waterford requesting that the resolution be submitted to the qualified electors of the Town for their approval or disapproval in accordance with Section 24(1)(a) of the Municipal Home Rule Law of the State of New York. Mary Shannon Carrigan, Town Clerk Dated: December 29, 2021 Click here to view Local Law No. 5 of 2021
The Rockefeller Institute of Government is Introducing the Marijuana Opt-Out Tracker
View which municipalities in New York State have made the decision to opt out of adult-use marijuana dispensaries and/or on-site consumption lounges in their jurisdiction.
Read the full NYS legislation on the cannabis law here.
Available Assistance Programs For Residents
HEAP- Home Energy Assistance Program
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps low-income people pay the cost of heating their homes. If you are eligible, you may receive one regular HEAP benefit per program year to help you pay for heating your home. Eligibility and benefits are based on: income, household size, the primary heating source, and the presence of a household member who is under age 6, age 60 or older or permanently disabled. Click here for more information on HEAP benefits and eligibility.
To apply, Saratoga County residents can contact the Saratoga County Department of Social Services-152 West High Street, Ballston Spa, NY 12020 Phone: (518) 884-4146 or Saratoga County Office for the Aging- Phone: (518) 884-4100.
NYS Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP)
The Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) helps low income households pay the cost of drinking water and wastewater services. The program can assist households who have past due bills (arrears) for drinking water and/or wastewater services. For more information on the LIHWAP program and to apply click here. You can also call the NYS LIHWASP call center at 1-833-690-0208.
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.
The PCB Monitoring Plan is available here; Monitoring PLAN and the overall Health and Safety Plan is available here; Health & Safety Plan.
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
1/22/21 COVID-19 VACCINATION - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click this link for details regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine
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.
History of Waterford, NY
The Town of Waterford is situated in the southeastern corner of Saratoga County, 12 miles north of Albany at the junction of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, and the junction of the Erie and Champlain Canals. It is the home of the “Waterford Flight”, the highest set of lift locks in the world.
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/pdf/publications/orpts/grievancebooklet.pdf or telephone your Assessor.
Harbor Visitor Center
Gateway to New York's Canals
Make Waterford part of your vacation this year!
View Live Video - Hudson Mohawk View
Waterford Harbor Visitor Center
One Tugboat Alley
Waterford, New York 12188
(518) 233-9123
Moor along the shores of historic Waterford - 1,000 feet of Linear floating docks and 600 feet of concrete wall available.
Services include:
- Water
- Showers
- Electric
- Pump-out