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Thursday, August 15, 2002
Springfield vetoes boat washing station
Town supervisor Armstrong says zebra mussels problem exaggerated
By RITA FERRANDINO
Staff Writer
At the Springfield town board meeting Monday night, board members turned down a free boat washing station at the Public Landing, where town residents and their guests launch boats into Otsego Lake.
The Springfield town board had an eventful meeting Monday night, discussing everything from windmills to zebra mussels.
Bob Einreinhofer, president of the newly formed Otsego Lake Association, made a presentation about a boat washing station to kill zebra mussels with hot water before boats are introduced to the lake. The station, like one at Sam Smith's boatyard and two proposed for Lakefront Park in Cooperstown, would be established at the Public Landing in Springfield.
According to Dr. Tom Horvath of the Biological Field Station, zebra mussels have already established a population in Canadarago Lake and it is very probable that they will be introduced to Otsego Lake. Their shells clog pipes, presenting a dangerous and expensive problem, and their decomposing bodies produce a stench and foul taste.
Springfield supervisor Tom Armstrong said he believes there is a lot of exaggeration about zebra mussels.
"It's like an airplane falling from the sky," he said Tuesday. "Most people don't fall."
The free washing station would kill the pests with a 140 degree spray, but the board opted instead to ban guests from using the launch and limit access to Springfield residents who live in town for six months or more out of the year, which eliminates use by summer residents.
"It's a shame they turned down the pressure washer," said town clerk Jeannette Armstrong. "It's free. And now the people who come for a week in the summer are going to have their boats quarantined the whole time and that's not going to work."
When asked how Springfield distinguishes six month residents from others hoping to use the launch, Armstrong laughed, "You can see by how old they are."
And what about the people from Springfield who take their boats elsewhere and then return to the lake, posing a hazard?
"Are you trying to make this harder than it is?" Armstrong responded.
Jeannette Armstrong suggested that when fishermen apply for a license, they be given information about zebra mussels so they can react accordingly.
• In other business, Mike Gregg, an electric engineer from Niagara Mohawk, presented plans to purchase the switching station on Route 54 from NYSEG. The subject of the station arose at the most recent meeting of the Springfield planning board when Erich Bachmeyer presented the intention of Global Winds Harvest to run an underground cable to the switching station to power windmills slated for construction in Cherry Valley.
"We have nothing to do with windmill farms," said Gregg, who added that Niagara Mohawk has been developing their plans for eight months. "We're trying to find a way to have the least impact on the towns involved and offer reliable power to Cherry Valley."
Niagara Mohawk needs to acquire a limited franchise permit from the town board, Jeannette Armstrong said.
• The board hosted a public hearing about a subdivision presented by realtor John Mitchell, who wants to split 2.2. acres of the Brookfield property on Lake Road, tear down the Happy Landings cabins currently on the site and build four new houses, which he said will have state of the art septic systems. In order to accomplish this goal, Mitchell would need to be granted a variance from the town board.
"We couldn't approve or disapprove it," Armstrong said. "We're going to find out the legal aspects of it from Diane Carlton but we're going to have to set up a zoning board of appeals."
• George Rutler of the Springfield Historical Association presented plans to have a walking track constructed around the sports field behind the community center. The plans were approved by the board. The funding will come from a $10,000 grant secured by Senator Jim Seward.
Board member John Walrath suggested a moratorium on wind towers. "We're going to discuss it more next month," said Tom Armstrong.
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