Message from the Mayor: Film shoots, CAMP, and too much going on this weekend.
Posted on: April 27, 2017 - 11:49pm
Fellow Residents,
A variety of events this weekend and some quick updates.
Movie Shoot Ends
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We had the filming complete for an end-of-the-world movie called "I Think We Are Alone Now", starring Peter Dinklage and Elle Fanning. It tied up the area around the Library and was somewhat disruptive as these shoots can be. The Village and Library each netted a not-inconsiderable sum for the privilege of hosting the movie crews. Over the past couple of years, the Village has banked over $125,000 from these film shoots, set aside in a Betterment Account that Village Manager Frobel has long-planned for use on downtown renovation projects to be decided by the Board. That's a handy amount of money - and we will be working with a group of volunteer residents to consider practical ways to spruce up the downtown with those monies that will be visible, useful and a tangible off-set to the misery of the filming disruption. Shooting resumes elsewhere in the Village on another project (“Divorce”, Sarah Jessica Parker, HBO) in May.
CAMP Presentation
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As part of the planned demolition of Building 52, BP is required to produce a Community Air Monitoring Plan ("CAMP") that describes exactly how they will be monitoring the air quality during the demolition. The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the NYS Department of Health both sign off on the CAMP, and the DEC will be here on Wednesday, May 24th to answer any questions the public may have regarding it. (Details will follow.) The CAMP itself has not been quite yet finalized, but when it is in the next week or two, we will post it on the Village website for any interested parties to review. The demolition plan itself is also subject to DEC and EPA review - already complete and the results being folded into the plan. The demolition should finally be underway during the summer and the building down in a matter of weeks from its start.
The DEC also reports that BP Arco has finished additional sampling that the DEC requested be carried out on the river bottom offshore from the waterfront (part of what will be remediated lies offshore), and once BP has formally finished turning over those results to the DEC, the "clock" will begin running on BP to complete the remediation engineering design - they'll have 180 days to turn the design around and submit it to the DEC for approval. (This design specifies exactly how BP will carry out the clean-up necessary to hit the targets set by the DEC in its Consent Order, which establishes clean-up thresholds.) Once approved and updated, BP can (finally!) get to work on the bulk of the remediation of the waterfront. It's been a long time coming. During the preparation of the remediation design, our Waterfront Shoreline Committee, a (volunteer) group of remarkably skilled residents will be working with BP Arco and the DEC to make sure our Village's desires for shoreline amenities are incorporated into the design - where the kayak ramp will go, a fishing or boating pier, beach, etc. Their design work, informed by input from residents, is not theoretic: where the Shoreline Committee agrees the kayak ramp will go will literally be where the kayak ramp goes. We finally sublimate our dreams into engineering specifications. A long time coming.
Volunteer Day - Sunday, 12-2
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Speaking of volunteers, that is as good a segue as I could hope for - this Sunday, from 12PM to 2PM, the Village Recreation Department is hosting a Volunteer Fair at the Community Center - representatives from dozens of local volunteer groups in Hastings will gather to meet, greet potential volunteers and mingle. A community is all about engagement - and among our best moments and memories are those when we are engaged in something we care about, giving ourselves to a cause. This is an activist community, with many hundreds of your neighbors engaged in everything from running the (volunteer) Fire Department to helping local immigrants settle into new lives. I guarantee that there is a group doing *something* that would engage you, and I can also say that most of them will take whatever you are willing to give - whether its a few hours a month or crazy hours each day. Don't hold back because you think you are stretched - engage and make a difference and have fun doing it as you meet your fellow residents. You can always binge-watch that series later when its raining. Come on out and see what is going on in this remarkable community.
There are other events in town underway this weekend as well.
Village Clean-up Days, Saturday, April 29th and Sunday the 30th
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This annual tradition has residents working to clean up a part of the Village after the detritus of the winter accumulation. Select any site to clean. Call Lisa O’Reilly at 478-2380 ext 642 or email her at loreilly@hastingsgov.org to indicate the area you are covering. Trash bags are available at the community center. Contact friends and neighbors to participate. And join us for pizza at the VFW from noon to 1PM (for clean-up volunteers only)
Andrus on Hudson Spring Fest, Sunday
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Andrus-on-Hudson is hosting a Spring celebration on Sunday, April 30 from 12:30 to 4:30. Admission is free. It includes live music (Solar Punch, Blank Citation, Walkabout Clearwater Chorus and Jenny Murphy), a maypole dance hosted by Harry Chapin and his fiddle, food, a bouncy castle, potato sack races, petting zoo, and more. Entrance on Broadway and Tompkins.
Student-Sponsored Climate Change Rally, Saturday
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On Saturday, from 1PM to 2PM, students will rally at the VFW plaza in support of the Climate March underway in Washington.
Used Book Fair, Friday & Saturday
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The PTSA sponsors their ever-popular Used Book Fair – Friday from 8:30AM to 4PM, 6:00PM to 8:30PM and then Saturday from 10AM to 2PM at Hillside Elementary small gym.
Live Music
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The Village is graced with two excellent live acts on Saturday evening. Susan Kane and Peter Calo are at the Upstream Gallery starting at 7:30pm, doors open at 7PM, $10 suggested. Here And master fiddlers “Maja and David” are at Purpl here , $22. Both are crazy-good acts and they’re here, live.
School Board Forum (Thursday, May 4th, 7PM School Café)
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The next School Board Election features five candidates vying for three seats - come hear them speak on the issues at a forum hosted at the Hillside Elementary School cafe
Finally, heads up – next weekend is the revival of a Hastings tradition – the Spring Thing takes over the downtown on Sunday, May 7th from 12:00PM to 4PM – a great band line-up and tons of activities. More to come. Fun all day long.
A lot, obviously, going on. We certainly do punch beyond our class. As always, write if you have questions – I don’t respond to questions posed on social media, so if you want to hear it from this horse’s mouth, you’ll need to reach out to the horse by email, phone or letter and I will do my best to answer promptly.
Sincerely,
Peter Swiderski
Mayor
7 Maple Avenue