The Town of Shawangunk has received $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding from Ulster County to extend water and sewer services along Route 208 south of the hamlet along the Wallkill River.

The Town Board voted 5-0 at its July 20 meeting to authorize Supervisor John Valk to sign the intermunicipal agreement with Ulster County.

Valk said the Town of Shawangunk will chip in “twice that” to fund the expansion of the water and sewer services.

Valk said the addition of water and sewer along Route 208 South should enhance the town’s prospects for attracting businesses in that part of the hamlet.

“It’ll help promote economic development in that area,” Valk said. “The County is very generous to split up their ARPA funds and share it with the towns. It’ll make our money go further too.”

The American Rescue Plan Act was signed into federal law on March 11, 2021, to provide $350 billion to state and local governments across the country to support their response to and recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency.

In other news, the board unanimously approved the purchase of a 2023 Ford Explorer for the town police force. The purchase was made at the recommendation of Police Chief Gerald Marlatt, who said the town should be able to pay for a portion of the new police car after auctioning off two older vehicles.

The new vehicle will cost $66,095 and will be purchased from low bidder Nielsen Ford in Sussex, N.J.

Before the vote was taken, Councilman Alex Danon asked how many vehicles the part-time police force needed.

Marlatt and Valk said the police force should have seven vehicles – three for school resource officers, two for patrols and a car each for the police chief and a sergeant.

Marlatt urged the board to act quickly.

“They’re only holding it (the vehicle) temporarily,” Marlatt said. “If I don’t give them an answer by the end of the week, it’s off to somebody else.

“We need a car,” Valk said before the vote was taken.

The board unanimously approved the low bid of Green Meadows Enterprises of Wallkill to complete a water line replacement for First Street and North Street for $94,000 and construction of sidewalks for First, Second and Third Streets for $232,561.

The board voted 5-0 to approve the Vision of Wallkill’s annual Weekend of Wallkill on September 22 and 23 near the Wallkill Public Library lawn.

The event will begin at 5 p.m. on Friday, September 22. It will continue from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the following day.

Councilman Brian Amthor said progress is being made to form a joint association with the Gardiner Association of Businesses (GAB) to promote businesses in both towns.

“I’m going to a meeting next week and they’re going to restructure the board to be half Shawangunk and half Gardiner,” Amthor said. “We’re in the process of seeing who we’re going to nominate in each town. It is moving forward. Hopefully by the fall we should have it all done as a combined effort.”

The entire Town Board attended a GAB mixer on June 8 to learn more about the organization. About 80 people representing businesses from Shawangunk and Gardiner attended the event.