At a glance
The Public Works Board met Monday evening to review the sidewalk improvement district budget and plan next steps. The board will repay $50,000 of the city's initial loan this year and use the roughly $250,000 in assessment revenue for new construction. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for December 22. This was Justin Weaver's last meeting as ADA coordinator and mayor's aide.
Roll call and meeting start
The board called the meeting to order at 5:00 PM. Gary Purnhagen attended virtually due to cell connection constraints.
Key points
- Justin Weaver chaired the meeting as ADA coordinator and mayor's aide
- Tyler Pricer and David Mar attended in person
- Gary Purnhagen joined by video but warned his cell connection might drop
SID budget and loan repayment plan
Gary Purnhagen reported on the sidewalk improvement district budget submitted to the Common Council. The board will repay $50,000 of the initial loan this year and use assessment revenue for construction.
Key points
- The board presented a budget to finance staff following last month's discussion
- Assessment funds from the SID cannot be used to close the city's $300,000 budget gap
- The board will repay $50,000 of the initial $500,000 loan this year
- Roughly $250,000 in assessment revenue (from $307,000 collected) will fund new construction
- The repayment strategy phases in low payments for the first few years to maximize construction work, then increases payments to repay the loan fully over time
- A public hearing on the SID budget is scheduled for late December
- Public hearing and special meeting set for December 22 to ratify the budget
- Common Council will vote December 17 on continuing Crawford and Associates as project manager
Some financial details were garbled in the auto-caption. The $307,000 figure and exact payment schedule may need verification.
Project manager update from Crawford and Associates
Ryan Locker of Crawford and Associates reported light activity this month, mainly helping with tax role documents and budget preparation. The firm is ready to move forward once the city identifies the next construction phase.
Key points
- Crawford helped prepare tax role documents and budgeting information for next year
- The city submitted a million-dollar grant application through Laertes; a response is expected by late January
- If the grant is awarded, the city has two options: design work for the grant-covered area using city funds, or pick a different area and leave the grant area for full grant funding
- The grant would cover 100 percent of construction costs but not design or upfront planning
The million-dollar grant response is expected in January or February. The board discussed planning two paths depending on whether the grant is awarded.
ADA coordinator report and DRRi project update
Justin Weaver reported that communication has resumed between the city and contractors on the DRRi project. A $400,000 pay request was approved, and remaining punch-list work will happen in spring.
Key points
- Meaningful conversations are happening between the city and Louise and Kraton Manning to wrap up the DRRi project
- A pay request for $400,000 was submitted and will be granted; the city had been holding roughly $600,000 due to lack of communication
- Punch-list work from Arterial, including correcting uneven granite sets and pavers, will be completed in spring
The transcript garbled contractor names (Louise, Kraton Manning, Arterial). These references may need verification.
SID mailer to residents
Justin Weaver presented a draft one-page mailer to go out with January water bills. The mailer explains the SID, how to submit for credit, and includes a link to the city's assessment database.
Key points
- The mailer will be included with January water bills; DPW needs it by Friday, December 19
- The draft includes information on the SID, how to claim credit for sidewalk work done in the last 10 years, and a link to the online assessment database
- The mailer has more space this year because it links to the website for assessment examples rather than printing them
- Gary Purnhagen will review the draft and provide feedback by Tuesday; Justin will make corrections and deliver it to DPW
- The board discussed adding clearer directions to the city website on how to find individual property assessments, which is not intuitive
The mailer must be submitted to DPW by Friday, December 19, to be included in January water bills.
Credit application process and timeline
The board discussed when to open applications for sidewalk work credit. They decided to wait until March 1 to allow time for transition planning, with a May 1 deadline.
Key points
- Last year's deadline for credit applications was May 1; the final tax roles with the county are due July 1
- The board considered opening applications January 1 or February 1 but settled on March 1 to allow time for the new administration to determine who will collect and organize applications
- Justin Weaver handled all credit applications this year; his departure in January creates uncertainty about the process
- The board will revisit the timeline in January depending on how the transition proceeds
Justin's departure leaves the credit application process in flux. The board will determine who collects and organizes applications during the January transition.
Public questions
Lloyd asked where the loan came from. Justin clarified it was a transfer from the general fund.
Key points
- The $500,000 initial loan came from the city's general fund
- Lloyd asked about the mayor-elect's transition team; Justin said there was an attempt to reach out before Thanksgiving but communication has been unclear
Closing remarks and adjournment
Justin Weaver thanked the board for the opportunity to serve. Members praised his work as ADA coordinator. The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:45 PM.
Key points
- Justin said it had been his pleasure to serve and that he had developed a fondness for sidewalks and accessibility work
- Gary Purnhagen said the board would not be nearly as effective without Justin's conscientiousness
- Tyler Pricer and Ryan Locker thanked Justin for the labor he put in both as ADA coordinator and board member
- The board adjourned with holiday wishes
About this page
FUTURE HUDSON is an experiment in civic engagement: every public meeting of the City of Hudson since January 2026, transcribed and made readable, so any resident can follow what the city is deciding without attending every meeting. This page covers one meeting; see the full archive.
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