No Garbage Collection Tuesday March 14, 2023

ATTENTION RESIDENTS – WASTE AND RECYCLING:

Due to inclement weather, The City of Schenectady will NOT BE collecting solid waste and recycling on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.  Please place your solid waste and recycling curbside on Friday evening, for collection on Saturday, March 18, 2023. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Department of Public Works at 518-393-2159.  We are open from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday – Friday.

 

Your patience and understanding are appreciated

Collection of Storm Debris

ATTENTION RESIDENTS – COLLECTION OF STORM DEBRIS:

 

The Village of Scotia Department of Public Works will be collecting storm debris through March 17th, 2023.  Please place your items at the curb for pickup. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Department of Public Works at 518-393-2159.  We are open from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday – Friday.

Your patience and understanding are appreciated.

Washington Ave Flushing Station

ATTENTION RESIDENTS – On Washington Ave
INTERRUPTION OF WATER SERVICE:

Friday, February 10, 2023

Washington Ave Flushing Station

The Village of Scotia Department of Public Works will be flushing fire hydrants on Washington Ave during the hours of 9 am – 3 pm. During this time, you may experience low water pressure.

The first time you turn on your water after the flushing is complete let the cold water run for 3-5 minutes to allow adequate flushing of your water pipes.

If you have any questions or concerns after flushing your water pipes, please call the Department of Public Works at 518-393-2159. We are open from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday – Friday.

We will work hard to minimize the inconvenience.

Your patience and understanding are appreciated.

 

What new equipment has been installed?

We have installed a permanent automatic flushing station located next to 73 Washington Avenue.  This station will help improve and maintain water quality by flushing less water more often on a scheduled basis to bring freshly treated water into this section of pipe in our distribution network. This helps maintain adequate residuals of free chlorine, which keeps the water safe to drink as it moves, sometimes miles, from the treatment plant to your tap.  Flushed water is directly discharged into the sanitary sewer system.

We will be testing the new station for several weeks to see how much water can be flushed without creating water discoloration to your tap.  Water Department staff will be monitoring chlorine residuals directly from a test port located on the unit.

Why is my water discolored from flushing?  Is the water safe?

Flushing can make the water appear rust-colored because the iron and other mineral deposits in the water mains get stirred up.  There is no health hazard associated with the discolored water.  Water is safe to use and consume during hydrant flushing, however it may stain laundry.

Does the Village test the water regularly? 

The Village of Scotia tests the water leaving the water plant and throughout the water system regularly, following the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Health protocols.

 

Water/Sewer On Line Portal Now Available

You now have the ability to view your bill, pay your bill and monitor your usage on line through our secure website. Payments can be made by credit card for a fee of 2.55%.

Go to our Water/Sewer Bill Portal to set up your personal account.

If you have more than one water account you can link multiple accounts to your personal page. Water and Sewer bills go out twice a year (February and October) but we read the meters  every 40 days. This means that you can monitor your water usage in something closer to real time. If you have a water leak you can catch it before it runs up a large bill.

Help Prevent Sewer Backups

Dear Village Resident,

Recently we had two large sewer backups in our systems.  We are diligent in our annual sewer line cleaning however there are situations that we cannot control, but you can help.

Many household products are labeled and marketed as DISPOSABLE and/or FLUSHABLE; many baby and adult personal hygiene products, along with household wipes and cleaning towelettes are labeled both disposable and flushable. While these products may be marketed as a convenience item in this way, the truth is that these types of items have the ability to clog not only the sewer line on your property, but also can cause blockage and service problems in the public sewer system and pump stations.

Unlike toilet paper, these products DO NOT break down once they are flushed. They can cause blockages in your on‐site sewer, especially older pipelines that may have greases, roots, or other obstructions already existing. A repair of the on‐site sewer line can leave the home owner with a very costly sewer repair.

On a larger scale, when these products make their way into the public sewer system they collect together, causing very large obstructions and clogs in the main collector lines and get tangled in pump stations requiring repair or replacement of equipment.

If you have any questions, please call the Department of Public Works at (518) 393-2159.

Thank you for your cooperation.

David J. Bucciferro
Mayor

Lead and Copper Testing

Dear Village Resident,

As you know the Village of Scotia conducted lead and copper testing at 60 sites in December 2022 and was in compliance with State and Federal Regulations.   These homes were selected from a group of volunteer homeowner and property owners who requested to participate in the study.  The sites tested represent a cross section of homes in the community.

The results showed our 90th percentile for the lead tests was 0.007 mg/l, below the Action Level of .015 mg/l. The sample results ranged from <0.001 mg/l to 0.0748 mg/l. One home tested above the Action Level for lead.

Copper testing was conducted at the same 60 sites. The 90th percentile for the copper tests was 0.12 mg/l. The sample results ranged from 0.0096 mg/l to 0.175 mg/l. The Action Level for copper is 1.3 mg/l.

Work will continue on a Corrosion Control Study that will identify if we can modify the drinking water chemistry (such as pH and hardness) to prevent the potential for corrosion or add orthophosphate to form a barrier between the pipes and the drinking water to prevent leaching of lead and copper.  When the results of this study are complete, we will share with the residents the results and the options the Village has to address the issue.

In the summer of 2023, we will again test for lead and copper in our system.  If you have any questions, please call the Department of Public Works at (518) 393-2159.

David J. Bucciferro
Mayor

ARPA Business Grant Program

Dear Business Owners,

The Village of Scotia is pleased to announce the ARPA Business grant program.  This effort is intended to assist businesses in our community to make improvements that will have a positive effect in the village.  Attached is a summary of what types of projects are eligible, who is eligible to apply and what businesses are not eligible to participate.  Also attached is a copy of the application form.

The Village has allocated $50,000 in ARPA funding for this project.  The program application process will run from February 1st until February 28th.  The grants will be rewarded on a first come first serve basis with project completion dates expected to be no later than December 1, 2023.  In order to be eligible, you must meet the attached criteria for participation and submit a completed application with requested funding to cover the scope of work that range from $500 to $5,000.

Grant applications will be reviewed for consistency to the criteria outlined, and awards will be made up to the amount requested on an ongoing basis.  We encourage those eligible businesses to take advantage of this program.  This is the first step in what we hope will be a renewed effort to provide opportunities for improvement and expansion of existing businesses as well as create opportunities for new businesses to call Scotia home.

If you have questions or seek additional assistance in participating in this program, please contact Mayor Bucciferro at 518-374-3195.  Please mail completed applications to:

Village of Scotia, Business Grant Initiative, 4 No Ten Broeck, Scotia, NY 12302

Regards,

David Bucciferro
Mayor, Scotia NY

Letter From The Mayor, ARPA VOS GRANT Application, ARPA GRANT Eligibility Criteria

Court Clerk Hours

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY  1/24/23
SCOTIA VILLAGE COURT TEMPORARY CHANGES

FINES
Fines will be collected in person at 4 North Ten Broeck Street  at the designated times only:
USE THE VILLAGE HALL DOOR ONLY
TUESDAYS 1:00PM-4:00PM
FRIDAY, January 27th 10:00AM – 1:00pm; All other FRIDAYS 1:00PM-4:00PM
PAYMENTS ACCEPTED:  EXACT CASH, MONEY ORDER, BANK CHECK
NO PERSONAL CHECKS ACCEPTED
Credit Card Payments are only accepted online at WWW.GOVPAYNOW.COM
ENTER CODE: A001DM

If you would like to make a payment and you do not need to be seen by the clerk or a judge, please use the drop box located to the left of the door.  Just leave your first name, last name and date of birth along with your payment.  If you would like a receipt, enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

If you have questions, please contact the Court Clerk at 518-374-2099

 

COURT
Court has temporarily been relocated
COURT SESSIONS WILL BE HELD EVERY THURSDAY BEGINNING JANUARY 26, 2023 AT 5:30 PM

Location:

BEUKENDAAL TEMPLE
22 SCHONOWEE AVE., SCOTIA
FRONT DOOR ENTRANCE

Village Clerk’s Office Open by Appointment

Village Clerk’s Office is open by Appointment Only; please contact 518-374-1071.

There will be No In-Person Water and Sewer Payments.  Check or Money Order with Phone Numbers will be accepted by Mail or Drop-Box.  Cash payments ONLY can be made at First National Bank of Scotia, Mohawk Avenue Branch Only; payment stub must be included.  All Credit/Debit/ACH payments can be made online; subject to additional fees.

Click HERE to view and pay your Water/Sewer bill

Village Hall Update

Hello everyone-

I wanted to provide residents of the village with an update as to the increased activity at Village Hall. It was discovered on Wednesday morning at Village Hall the roof had been compromised causing damage to the existing ceiling structure and creating a serious safety concern to our employees and visiting public. After consultation with the Village Trustees, Department Heads and our Engineering Consultant a decision was made to close off the second floor of Village Hall to the public and village staff. This will have a minimal impact to daily operations. Essential Village services, personnel, IT systems, and critical infrastructure will relocate to temporary offices in other Village facilities or suitable locations. In addition, there are also plans to secure suitable accommodations for the Village Board and Village Court.

There are no temporary fixes available for the current roof, which is well beyond its useful life. As such we have plans developed and immediate steps are being taken to make this important improvement to move the roof replacement to BID as soon as possible and begin the work. This essential roof replacement is part of the Village’s Municipal Facilities Project, which was approved by Village voters in 2022.

I along with the Village Trustees thank the Village residents for recognizing the need to improve our municipal facilities by approving the referendum last year. Following decades of deferred maintenance, this project allows the Village to responsibly address the condition of Village Hall while preventing further catastrophic damage to the roof.

Village services will continue to operate with some modifications to accommodate the limited space. We ask for the public’s patience during this time. I would like thank all of employees for their continued hard work during this time.

We will be posting on Monday January 9, 2023 any of the minor modifications to the village operations that will be taking place. Regular updates about the Municipal Facilities Project, and the Village’s Office relocation plan will be available on the Village website. All questions and media inquiries should be directed to Mayor Bucciferro (dbucciferro@villageofscotiany.gov).

Mayor David