The Board of Trustees approved the hiring of a new Stormwater Management Officer Tuesday night to help the village draft Stormwater Management Plan as required by state and federal law.

The village will use the services of Lindsay Zepko, who has been the Stillwater Town Planner since February 2013, and Stormwater Management Officer, in an “ad hoc” role at a cost of $4,500 annually.

In that role, Zepko will offer direction on all matters regarding stormwater management as Stillwater works through the initial phases of becoming what is known as an MS4.

Small municipal stormwater sewer systems or MS4s that are located within the boundaries of an “urbanized area” are regulated under EPA’s Phase II Stormwater Rule. This requires MS4s like Stillwater to develop a stormwater management program that will reduce the amount of pollutants carried by stormwater during storm events to waterbodies to the “maximum extent practicable.” The goal of the program is to improve water quality and recreational use of waterways.

Zepko will also be responsible for collecting all highway and parks department information and data, review all projects approved, closed or currently under construction in the village, and review all complaints/violations and actions taken.

In other business Tuesday night, Mayor Rick Nelson told the board that the New York State Legislature during its recently-finished session adopted the Zombie Property legislation that will help municipalities like the village deal with vacant properties within its boundaries. The village has been dealing with this issue for many years.

Among other provisions, this legislation will:

• Require the majority of banks that are first lien mortgage holders to maintain vacant and abandoned one- to four-family residential properties or be subject to fines of up to $500 per day;
• Provide for an expedited foreclosure process in certain circumstances involving bank foreclosures of vacant and abandoned property;
• Establish a vacant and abandoned property registry which will be maintained by the NYS Department of Financial Services and to which local officials will have access; and
• Create a toll free hotline for people to report potentially vacant and abandoned properties.

The board also honored village Code Enforcement Officer Lawrence Allen who is officially retiring June 30. Last month Trustees appointed Stephen Streeter of VanNess Road to replace Allen in the position. Allen has been village CEO since February, 2013.

The Code Enforcement Officer is responsible for making sure residents are in compliance with sections of the village municipal code, ordinances and resolutions in such areas a planning, zoning, community nuisance, property maintenance, housing, signs, and related areas.