The Stillwater Village Board of Trustees heard its second report in as many months during its meeting March 19 on plans to move the Town Offices to the church hall of the former St. Peter The Apostle Parish on Hudson Avenue.

The town, which needs more space to operate, plans to lease the building from the Albany Roman Catholic Diocese for the next five to 10 years and needs village approval of a site plan application because of the building’s “change in use” from a church hall to office space.

Andy Rynph of Chazen Engineering presented blue print plans to the board for exterior changes to the property, which he called “very minor at best.”

The footprint of the building and the size of the parking lot will remain the same, he said, and already conform to village zoning regulations and set back requirements. Code requires 40 parking spaces for the office space and there are currently 84 spaces at the church.

The main exterior changes will involve the addition of more handicap accessible parking spaces, some new parking space striping and constructing a sidewalk to extend to the back door of the building. The picket fence will remain in tact and a new sign will be installed designating the Town Offices. Sign plans have not been submitted thus far.

Rynph said the two entities would share the parking with the town operating weekdays and the church offering one mass on Sunday morning.

“The plans appear to be symbiotic meeting both the church and town’s needs,” Rynph said.

Most of the work will be interior construction dividing up the building into offices, running telephone and internet wiring, and renovating a bathroom so it’s handicap accessible.

In other business March 19, village trustees passed a resolution revising the water regulations for the 2013-2014 year.

The major change is that the EDU rents will now be sent to residents with the April 1 water bills instead of the June 1 property tax bills. Village property owners are now responsible for notifying the village clerk office in writing of changes in EDU classifications of their property at least 30 days prior to the April 1 billing. Late payments are subject to a 5 percent penalty.

Village Trustees also heard the following reports/updates at the March meeting:

• Trustee Judy Wood-Shaw reported that 20 people attended the village’s monthly Senior Socialization program in February (President’s Birthday Theme) and Congressman Paul Tonko was a surprise guest. The program is held 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the last Friday of each month at The Stillwater Area Community Center. As a member of the Emergency Management Plan team, she also reported she would be attending an American Red Cross shelter training workshop on April 4 in Ballston Spa with The Stillwater Area Community Center Director. The workshop includes instruction on management issues, client services, shelter set up, registration, etc. The village is still in need of volunteers to assist in an emergency — both local residents and area service groups. Those interested should contact village hall.
• Trustee John Basile reported that the village sewer renovation project is nearly complete with only 30 manholes left to be sealed/lined which will happen some time in April. He also said a new sewer “gravity” line has to be installed from Barbolt Court to the main on Hudson Avenue. As part of that work a water line also needs to be relocated and that may or may not be covered by the approved project financing.
• The Fire Department responded to two alarms in February including a structure fire on Carpenter Place due to a furnace malfunction and a mutual aid for a possible structure fire at Saratoga Hills. The department also conducted six drills during the month and fire prevention at the WinterFest 2013.
• Department of Public Works crews were busy plowing and salting roads during March snowstorms, working on faulty pumps at Pump Station No. 1, patching potholes, and reading water meters.
• Trustees approved a resolution to accept the results of the March 19 Village General Election as presented by the election inspectors. Trustees Ellen Vomacka (23 votes) and Keith Collins (19 votes) ran unopposed for new four-year terms, which will begin on April 1, 2013 and run through March 31, 2017.