Alex Wade, the longtime Saugerties building inspector and more recently the special projects coordinator for the Village of Saugerties, died on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. “He was found deceased at his house after a wellness check by police,” Saugerties mayor Bill Murphy said. He described Wade as “a mysterious person; nobody really knew Alex or knew his family.”
On the day Wade died, “A package was delivered here for his birthday,” Murphy said. Assuming the return address in Oklahoma was a family member, Murphy had the police track the address down. The sender was a third cousin of Wade.
Murphy said that he has spoken with Wade’s relatives, and they were glad to hear that he was loved and cared for “and how much he was revered in this community. His cousin Dolly wrote his obituary from the family’s perspective, and Mike Campbell and I worked on the other half,” the mayor added.
Wade’s obituary stated that he was known by many in Ulster County as a “walking encyclopedia” of Saugerties facts, especially any involving his beloved combination of architecture, history, building codes and transportation matters.
He was hired on July 1, 1991, as a code enforcement officer for the Village of Saugerties. He handled special assignments for four successive Saugerties mayors — John M. Robbins, Anthi (Tina) Chorvas, Robert Yerick and Murphy.
Wade shepherded many key Saugerties projects from start to finish. He was on the original Saugerties Lighthouse board and was the Lighthouse Conservancy architect and construction manager. (When he was 82, he wrote a history of how the lighthouse was saved from extinction, for the Saugerties Historical Society newsletter.) He teamed with Mayor Robert Yerick to begin a “Village Streetscape” project that is still ongoing. The project largely eliminated unsightly overhead utility wires from Main and Partition streets and has involved the selective replacement of damaged village bluestone sidewalks. He was an expert consultant as well as an author. He was on the board of directors of the Saugerties Historical Society, where he was its first vice president and remained an officer for almost 20 years. He consulted for projects such as the Saugerties Bike Routes, the Saugerties Area Mobility Analysis and the restoration of the Dutch Barn that the Saugerties Historical Society situated on the Kiersted House property. Wade’s European studies contributed to his publishing books on small-frame and energy-efficient houses (1977), a subject that was ahead of its time when these books were published. If a hazard mitigation plan was needed, he was the one that people turned to. If a transportation issue needed someone to give it some focus, he was on top of many lists as the person to call. Saugerties came to rely on him for his expertise, advice and insights. And finally, many who knew Wade found him to be an affable and easy conversationalist, often in discussions at local pubs, restaurants or bars.
Murphy recalled that, over the 13 years that he has been mayor, “When somebody asked me a question I didn’t know the answer to, I’d say. ‘Let me check with Alex.’ Alex could tell you who put in a sewer line 35 years ago, and how much they charged for it. We were blessed to have him as long as we did.”
Wade’s funeral service was held last Saturday, December 9 at the Seamon-Wilsey Funeral Home in Saugerties.
Saugerties Village ponders grant application for infrastructure upgrades
Village of Saugerties assistant building inspector Kevin Brown and grantwriter Mike Karashay submitted a “decarbonization grant” application to the village board at its meeting on December 4, which would cover interior lighting, and possibly heating, windows and doors, “but they need an energy audit of the buildings we’re doing, but the energy audit would cost $7,500. In this application we’re asking for $5,000 out of that $7,500. That’s the maximum we can apply for under Phase One,” Brown said.
Mayor Bill Murphy said that lighting standards have changed since the last upgrade, but windows, for instance, should still be good. Extending the lighting analysis to street lighting, Brown said that a lot of the ballasts and starters in those fixtures are wearing out, “and they’re not cheap.”
From expenses to a possible solution, Brown said that there is a grant that could cover part of the cost. “There is a grant out there; it’s called a revitalization grant,” Brown said. This is a large-scale state-funded grant for revamping village infrastructure. Coxsackie got $400,000 from one such, which it used one to redo its downtown building façades, parking lots and boat launch.
Murphy said that the village had applied for that grant, along with Upstate Films. The object was to renovate the Orpheum Theatre. “I think a lot of business owners would be interested in this,” he said.
Trustee Vincent Buono asked whether businesses would have to apply, but Brown said that he wanted to be sure the village board was interested before he sought details about the grant. Trustees assured him that they are interested.
The revitalization does not have to occur downtown, Brown said. He would like to see improvements to the beach area included in any grant. Trustee Don Hackett pointed out that the village would have to match grant money with its own funds or the equivalent in work performed by village employees.
Brown said that he and grantwriter Mike Karashay would be working on the grant proposal, and warned that it would involve a large amount of both their time.
Saugerties working to upgrade sewage treatment plant
The Village of Saugerties is seeking grants to help fund necessary improvements to its sewage plant, trustee Don Hackett said at the village board’s regular meeting on Monday, December 4. Hackett said that he met with Joe Myers, the plant operator, and Mike Hopf, the water plant manager, who has also been overseeing the sewage plant to discuss needed upgrades needed to maintain the plant’s operating permit.
The village is expecting American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding toward an upgrade of its sewage plant, which needs a good deal of work to meet its licensing requirements, said trustee Donald Hackett. A $400,000 grant is to be confirmed later this month; the grant will require a match from the village of $800,000, according to Hackett. The village has paid off its existing debt, so it should be in good shape to raise this money, he said, adding that grantwriter Mike Karashay has been working on that grant proposal, and it should be well in hand. In addition, the village is expecting a federal grant, arranged by congressman Marc Molinaro’s office, Hackett said.
At this point, the village has a list of upgrades that will be needed to maintain its permit to operate. The village must submit a plan for the necessary work within a year-and-a-half, and will then have a similar amount of time to complete the upgrade.
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