SCOTIA Board to vote on social host law Parents who let minors drink targeted BY MARK ROBARGE Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Mark Robarge at 395-3123 or mrobarge@dailygazette.net.
The village is expected to join a growing list of localities that have adopted social host laws when its Board of Trustees meets tonight. The board will host a public hearing on the proposed local law, then vote on the measure during its 7 p.m. meeting in Village Hall. Mayor Kris Kastberg said the law has the unanimous support of the board. Under the law, parents who knowingly allow minors to consume alcohol in their private residence would face a fine, as yet unspecified, Kastberg explained. There is a similar statute in state penal law, but police must prove intent to charge someone under that law, while the local law requires only that police prove parents had knowledge of the event. “It’s pretty much a cookie-cutter law that’s going around with all municipalities now,” Kastberg said. “It’s an enforcement tool for police.” Among the municipalities that have adopted similar laws are Broadalbin, Gloversville, Hoosick Falls, Johnstown, Niskayuna and Stillwater. Kastberg said the village got the idea from those communities and tailored the law to fit the village code. Trustee Armon Benny said he has followed the enactment of the law in other communities and hopes it will have the desired effect on both parents and their children. “It’s a case of responsibility as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “It puts some responsibility on young adults, but it also goes back and tells the parents the ultimate responsibility lies with them. Hopefully, people will just sit up and take another little notice of what their kids are doing and make sure that they’re doing the right things.” Kastberg said a key element of the law is that police must prove that parents should have reasonably been aware of the drinking. “If I go on vacation and my daughter has a bunch of friends over without my knowledge, that’s a discretionary out for police,” he said. “We aren’t forced to ticket parents. If it’s a graduation party and they say, ‘Look, we’ll buy you a keg as long as you behave yourself,’ it’s certainly the adult’s responsibility.”
Gee, what do you suppose they will do about the parents who party and smoke crack and drink alcohol in front of their kids? Now they won't allow the kids to, but they clearly should also have a responsiblity on their adult behavior in front of them.
Ya see...once you start creating these 'big brother', 'common sense' laws, it ends up being a domino effect and it could just go on and on and on!!! I'm sure we have all heard at least one story, if not more, about the behavior of some residents on Hamilton Hill and their behavior in front of their children. I have a couple spine chilling ones! I mean come on...let's use some common sense here.
And I am somewhat disappointed in Scotia for calling this law and 'cookie cutter' law and more or less just going along with the rest...and doing so 'just because'.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
It is a shame that laws have to be made to 'teach' parents their responsibility........we are a land of laws and we are slowly building a brick wall and locking ourselves inside the 'chamber'.......if our youth die due to irresponsibility of their own and sometimes due to 'adult' choices---welcome to life here on earth....it's amazing we made it this far as a species here on earth......
"No son/daughter....you cant have beer at your graduation party, even though you are 18, can vote, drive and die for your country.....but, I do have something better. Here are a bunch of condoms/'the day after pill' and some zoloft.....go forth and have a nice life......."
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Wow Senders....I couldn't have said that one better myself!!!!!! Bravo!!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
SCOTIA Geese are gone, so are swimmers Collins Lake water quality improves BY EDWARD MUNGER JR. Gazette Reporter
The water is clean, weeds are down to a minimum and fewer than two dozen Canada geese are hanging out. Life is good at Collins Lake, officials say. But despite this, the village’s parks chief said recreational swimming appears to be down so far this summer. Scotia Parks and Recreation Director James Marx on Friday said work to eliminate Eurasian milfoil, harass Canada geese and aerate the water has put the 55-acre lake in great shape. “The water quality is excellent,” said Marx, who said the village spent about $100,000 last year on a program to eradicate the invasive weed milfoil — dangerous and un- pleasant for swimming and fishing — and install an aeration system to improve the water’s oxygen levels. Volunteers and dogs have the geese at bay. The lake was closed for the first time in 2005 and remained closed through most of last summer due to bacteria levels, but it was cleared for swimming last August and passed its tests this year, Marx said. Marx said it’s possible the length of the closure between 2005 and 2006 might have led people to find other places to swim. “There’s still a lot of apprehension,” he said. About 22 Canada geese are molting right now, so they can’t fly, Marx said. In August, he said, he expects efforts by the volunteer group Save the Geese to intensify because the geese will be flying again and more may want to return to the park. Village Mayor Kris Kastberg said he took his daughter and nephew fishing on Collins Lake on July 4 and he was surprised at the success eradicating the milfoil. “There’s about a quarter of the weeds as there used to be,” Kastberg said. Kastberg cited grant funding as important help for the village’s campaign. Last year, the village was awarded a state Department of Environmental Conservation Invasive Species Eradication Grant of $53,790, and another $25,000 in state funding for an aeration system. The aeration system is increasing dissolved oxygen levels in the lake, which is good for the fish, among other things, Kastberg said. Kastberg said the long layoff last year and the year before is probably one factor behind low turnouts so far this summer at the beach. “We did have to close down last year, and that may have put the beach out of people’s minds. And this summer’s been funny, it’s been unbearably hot or unbearably cold. That makes it tough too,” Kastberg said. Ultimately, Kastberg said, efforts to improve conditions at the lake will pay off not only for Scotia, but for Schenectady County.
http://www.dailygazete.com GLENVILLE Freemans Bridge landowners get sympathetic ear Zoning changes spark opposition BY MARK ROBARGE Gazette Reporter
A pair of property owners in the Freemans Bridge Road area renewed their objections last week to provisions of the town’s master plan for that area that they say would render much of their land virtually worthless. But more than 1 1 /2 years after fi rst objecting to parts of their properties being classified as land conservation areas, where development would be severely restricted, the three may get at least some relief. As board members considered changes to the master plan — which is used to guide future growth — landowners Richard Pahl and James Luke said the town was basically taking their land by restricting its development. “I’ve paid taxes on this land for 47 years,” said Luke, who owned Schenectady Seed until it closed in January. “How would you like someone to take your land? Why was I paying taxes on it?” The Town Board adopted the Freemans Bridge Road master plan in 2004, but has yet to agree to a series of zoning changes needed to reflect the objective of that plan to develop that area with a mixture of retail business, multi-family residences, offices and high-tech businesses. The board rejected the zoning changes by a 3-2 vote in February 2006, with board members Valerie DiGiandomenico, Mark Quinn and Edward Rosenberg citing differing reasons for their opposition. A second vote later in the year ended in a 2-2 deadlock after Rosenberg abstained because his realty business, Gage Realty of Scotia, handles some properties in the Freemans Bridge Road area. At last week’s meeting, board members asked Kevin Corcoran, director of the town planning department, to come up with a compromise. “I don’t think any outcome is going to please everyone,” said Quinn. “However, I would like to talk about maybe a compromise with some of the landowners that are losing commercially viable acreage. DiGiandomenico said she will continue to vote against the proposed zoning changes until the plan is changed to address the landowners’ concerns. “I think the people’s presence there spoke volumes,” DiGiandomenico said. “It shows that the people are concerned about what’s going on on Freemans Bridge Road.” Corcoran said the land conservation areas are included in the master plan to ensure that the area does not become overdeveloped and face resulting traffic or environmental problems. The properties selected for inclusion were those already considered to have restrictions because they sit in wetlands or on a flood plain or are in the path of the runways at the Schenectady County Airport, he said. But Pahl said he would effectively lose 12 of his 15 acres, while Luke said 16 of his 20 acres would be affected. “That’s asking a bit much,” board member Mark Quinn admitted. “That is the equivalent of a taking, and that’s not the legacy I want to leave this town with.” Pahl and Luke were joined in their opposition last week by attorney Michael Brockbank, who was representing the Sarnowski family, who closed their Van Curler Greenhouse in May. Brockbank offered a modified map of the Freemans Bridge Road area that made changes to land conservation areas to offer some relief to the property owners. Among the suggested changes was the inclusion of the site of the former town landfill on Sunnyside Road, which was at one time listed on the state Superfund list because of chemical contamination but has since been cleaned up. “If we can move some of those acres of conservation land to another location and still reach our goal, I’m amenable to that,” Quinn said. Rosenberg said he thought the town could offer the landowners some help. “If we can tweak that plan without making any changes to the overall plan, as far as traffic counts and the amount of available property we have, I’m hoping that it can be a win-win for all the residents and the individual property owners,” he said. Meanwhile, board members did agree to reclassify a property off Freemans Bridge Road and Maple Avenue that had been listed as a land conservation area. Deputy Supervisor Robert Bailey asked that the property owned by Lyons Ventures Inc. that is undergoing a $16 million environmental cleanup project after being listed by the federal Environmental Protection Agency as a inactive hazardous waste site instead be made available for commercial development. Bailey said the site’s location near the intersection of Freemans Bridge and Sunnyside roads makes it valuable for development. And while the property should be safe after the cleanup is completed, Bailey said it would have hardly any value as open space. “I questioned whether that’s an appropriate designation for that,” he explained. “It might better be zoned industrial or commercial, in keeping with what’s been going on there.”
Posted on: 07/19/07 Written by: Jennifer Farnsworth, Contributing Writer email: news@spotlightnews.com
Scotia parents with underage children need to think twice before allowing alcohol to be consumed at their home.
A new law passed by the Scotia Board of Trustees Wednesday, July 11, states that parents who aware of underage drinking on their property are responsible. Trustees passed the “party law” by unanimous vote, with Mayor Kris Kastberg making it clear that law enforcement must be able to prove that the parents were aware of the drinking.
“If my wife and I go away and my teenage daughter has a party with alcohol, and I am totally unaware, that’s a different story. If we hold a party and allow the kids to drink as long as they are ‘responsible,’ that is breaking the law,” said Kastberg.
Many local municipalities, including Niskayuna, Gloversville, Broadalbin, Johnstown and Stillwater, have passed similar laws that warn parents that drinking under their supervision will not be tolerated. Many local and state officials fear that there is an idea among parents that it is better to allow kids to drink under the parents’ roof as opposed to being unsupervised.
Scotia’s “party law” aims at preventing this mentality.
“It’s a matter of responsibility and not just on the part of the kids, but the parents as well. If you allow kids to drink in your home and then they leave and cause harm to someone, you as a parent need to be held liable,” said Trustee Armon Benny.
The law states it is the purpose of the village to protect public interest, health, safety and the welfare of residents. The law talks of “open house parties,” which are defined as a social gathering or otherwise at a residence or other private property with minors present. The law states “persons who are in control of such residences know or have reason to know of such service and / or consumption and will be more likely to ensure that alcoholic beverages and drugs are neither served to nor consumed by persons under the age of 21 at these gatherings.”
A similar law on the state level states that police officers must prove intent while local officers need only to prove parents had knowledge, under the local laws, being passed by communities.
Many local and state officials fear that there is an idea among parents that it is better to allow kids to drink under the parents’ roof as opposed to being unsupervised.
Yeah, this would fall under the "I never inhaled" crowd...........
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
There is a fine line here. I know many very responsible parents, who when it comes time for graduation parties, they will have the 18 year olds at their house, with the other parents permission, and allow them a few drinks, where these kids will spend the night. I mean ya have to know that these kids are going out and drink anyways!!! Do you know how many under 21 yr olds that have fake ID's and can get into just about any bar in the capital district? I know many many many!!! So would you want them out drinking and driving in the bars or in the safety of your home under supervision?
And are we going to hold parents accountable for their kids when they go off to college at 18 years old and indulge in all night beer parties? On and off campus? Come on...use some common sense here!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Well, on another note, the U.S. Waterski Show Team, based at Jumpin' Jacks has the proud honor of hosting the regional competition this coming weekend. The team is looking really good for this competition this year, although I must say, I've never really seen any other teams.
And are we going to hold parents accountable for their kids when they go off to college at 18 years old and indulge in all night beer parties? On and off campus? Come on...use some common sense here!
If they want to continue to continue their health care coverage until they are 21........
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
SCOTIA & GLENVILLE Town, village officials to meet to explore sharing services BY MARK ROBARGE Gazette Reporter Reach Gazette reporter Mark Robarge at 395-3123 or mrobarge@dailygazette.net.
Town and village officials decided against a proposal to collaborate on building a sewage treatment plant, but that did not spell the end of their effort to work together. The town and village boards are scheduled to meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Scotia’s Village Hall to discuss other ways the two governments can improve services and save money. “It’s something that they’ve talked about, and now is the opportunity to determine what does make sense,” said Tony Germano, Glenville’s town administrator. Scotia mayor Kris Kastberg said the municipalities already work together, citing as an example the sharing of equipment for highway maintenance. Beyond that, he said, the heads of all village departments have filled out surveys to identify services that could be shared. “As far as cooperative stuff, sharing equipment and like that, we pretty much have that nailed, we do a lot of that,” Kastberg said. “So then the question is, where can we consolidate.” Glenville town supervisor Frank Quinn added that the effort to work together has a good chance at success because of unanimous support among officials in both municipali-“What’s unusual is we’ve got both boards — you’re talking about 10 people now — who have agreed to get up and deal with this thing,” he said. “That in itself is a shift.” The two municipalities jointly studied earlier this year the possibility of building their own sewage treatment plant, but abandoned the idea after deciding it would be less expensive to continue contracting with the city of Schenectady. While the town and village decided against that collaborative effort, the process gave officials added motivation to move forward. “It’s not that we haven’t communicated with the village and vice versa; it’s just that now the boards have decided they actually want to set some goals and objectives, things that definitely could be accomplished over the next several months,” Germano said. The joint meeting is designed to help the boards identify the best candidates for consolidation, all three officials agreed. “We’ll be looking at certain services that we both need to do,” Germano said. “How do we combine them perhaps so that we get a better delivery of service for the residents?” Kastberg said he will specifically suggest three areas that he believes could be prime candidates for consolidation — police, fire and water — and ask to focus discussions there. Quinn agreed that public safety is the best place to start. “I think the focus of this next goround will be in the public safety arena,” Quinn said. “Whether we’re talking about the courts or the police, let’s see what’s in there that might be a natural.” Such discussions have the support of Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who signed an executive order in April creating the Commission on Local Government Efficiency and Competitiveness. The goal of the commission is to streamline government by recommending ways state and local governments can work together through mergers, consolidations and shared services. Germano said town officials attended the first public hearing hosted by the commission on June 13 in Saratoga Springs and were anxious to explore the possibilities. “It’s a perfect time to do it,” Germano said. But Quinn is also cautious about public reaction to the discussions. While the opportunity to save money should appeal to taxpayers, he also expects to hear some concerns about giving up local control of those services the municipalities decide to share.
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