Hastings BOT: The 'Buck' Stops Here

• Editor's note: The proposal the mayor will seek to make is to have the radius for the use of tranquilizer guns shortened. He said the state is already recommending a change to the radius for bowhunting. The article has been altered to reflect this fact; we regret the error. 
  
  

“Whenever I speak to people face-to-face in the village, the number- one concern by far is the concern over what is being done about the rising deer population,” said Hastings Mayor Peter Swiderski on Tuesday.

During the board's regular meeting, trustees discussed options for moving forward with a plan to control the growing deer population in the community. 

“We unfortunately are riddled with the negative impacts of deer in our community and do not really get to enjoy the benefits of having the deer’s presence that other communities in New York State get to have,” Swiderski said.

The perceived negative effects of deer overpopulation have been listed many times; they include: traffic accidents and destruction of property to the spread of disease and in particular, Lyme disease. In terms of the "positive effects" the mayor referenced—other communities are able to gain revenue and tourists from issuing hunting licenses and establishing open space for hunting. Hastings, though, is too small and densely populated to legalize hunting in any form.

Hastings is a densely populated community and in accordance with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) laws, a municipality must have a 500-foot radius of open space around a hunter—meaning no houses and no schools. 

The mayor pushed for use ofwhich he said has found instances of success across areas of New York State and the country and seems to have minimal negative impact on the community. This method entails shooting deer with a dose of a specific birth control vaccine, in the hope of reducing the number of offspring overtime. 

However, the state would need to amend its radius required to shoot tranquilizer dart—a change the mayor supports. Immuno-contraception is still in its experimental stages and has yet to be approved by the DEC. 

“We would like to experiment and try something that will work for us and will continue to try so that—whatever approach we move forward with—we will stick with year in and year out," Swiderski said.

Other members of the board including Trustee Bruce Jennings acknowledged the complexity of this issue as well as the confusion it has created.

“I am struck by the fact that some people think we can just go out and shoot the deer," Jennings said.

Resident Ted Mason spoke passionately against the use of contraception and implored the board to seek other, more pragmatic, approaches to the problem. 

“My son lost his side mirror while avoiding a deer on the Saw Mill Parkway and I don’t understand why the board would consider contraception to be the most effective method in controlling a deer population that can travel from town to town and are not controlled,” said Mason,

Mayor Swiderski concluded by saying that he wants to explore these other methods first and wants to find the solution that puts the least negative impact on the village.

Here’s a look at some other news from the Hastings Village Board meeting:

Grant Applications Approved for Quarry and Riverview Parks

The board approved two applications for state funding that would improve connectivity and usage of the two parks and perhaps best of all, will not put any tax payer money into either project.

A total of $187,358 is being sought to complete the Quarry Park Trail that extends from the Warburton Ave Bridge down to Southside Ave. With this final extension in place, hikers will now have a direct link to the waterfront and other park spaces.

At Riverview Park, a grant of $75,125 is being sought to restore and redesign the facility into a multi-use and improved area and while designs are preliminary. Components of the plans call for a dog park, playground area and a central mixed-use green space as well as additional seating area around the park.

The board will discuss the specifics at their next meeting in September.  

Taxi-only parking zone

The board approved a resolution to create a taxi only parking zone along Main St. near the A & P supermarket that would create about four additional spaces specifically for taxis.

The hope in creating the parking zone is that taxis will no longer take up spaces in the village that are normally used by merchants and or shoppers. Cooperation is going to be assumed on the part of the transportation companies and Hasting Police will be monitoring the taxis usage of the new parking zone.

Salary increase approved for non-union personnel

After not having any increase in three years, non-union personnel for the village will see a two percent increase in salary and while the current economy continues to be sluggish, the board resoundingly approved the resolution, stating that Hastings needs to continue to able to attract quality workers versus losing them to other positions of higher compensation.

The next Village Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday September 6 at 7:30 p.m.