By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA — After several months of hearing concerns that a new DPW lot could create disturbances in nearby neighborhoods, the village will seek to convert state parkland to use as storage for materials.

The plan to move the Department of Public Works from South Main Street to the new site off state Route 37 drew ire from nearby residents on East Hatfield Street and Urban Drive. They have said trucks moving in and out will cause a disturbance and possibly impact property values because of an unsightly storage lot.

The village is moving the DPW so St. Lawrence Soyway can open at the old lot and bring 35 jobs through a $16 million investment.

DPW Superintendent Hassan Farad at the Tuesday village board meeting unveiled a plan that should keep residents happy and allow his crews what they need to do their jobs.

The village proposal would turn the Bushnell Field baseball diamond into storage. The village is now building a replacement field nearby. The Bushnell land is Greenbelt Preservation land, meaning the state Assembly, Senate and governor need to approve the transition. Mayor Tim Currier said they will take an equal-sized lot of village land and make that Greenbelt Preservation in exchange.

About 20 residents of the area attended the meeting to voice concerns that trucks in and out of the DPW site could be noisy on nearby streets.

Fayad says he tells the drivers to take Urban Drive to catch the traffic signal instead of turning out directly onto the highway.

“We’re very concerned about the safety of our employees, so we want them to use traffic lights,” Fayad said.

Some of the residents complained the DPW trucks make too much noise.

“They’re constantly beeping, beeping, beeping, beeping,” said a man who did not identify himself before speaking.

Tom Sequin, who lives in that area, said he has seen private trucks making more noise than municipal equipment.

“The beeping problem is Waste Stream Management,” he said, claiming he has gone out to observe it.

Currier said if they get state approval to use Bushnell Field for storage, they will look at building either a berm or planting trees as a barrier between what will be sand and rock piles and the East Hatfield houses.

“We haven’t been a good neighbor over there, we know that. The superintendent and I proposed sitting down with residents … suggestion was partially to create a berm on that side … or planting trees. But with trees it’s going to take some time to grow,” he said.

Some of the residents are concerned that the activity has created a problem with coyotes that have been displaced by the area being cleared.

“We’re having a coyote problem and we’re very nervous,” said a woman who did not identify herself.

“We’re losing cats, dogs,” said a second woman who also did not name herself. “I’m really nervous in the yard with my dog.”

Currier directed Police Chief Adam Love to ask the DEC to look into the problem.

But this could all be a moot point once both houses of the state legislature get back in session.

If the state decides not to approve the Greenbelt swap, they will have to go back to the drawing board.

“We’d have to find an alternative, because we need to move forward with economic development and jobs,” Deputy Mayor Matt Lebire said. “We just have to.”

Currier said he toured the area and despite the residents’ disdain for the project, commended them for treating him well during the appearance.

“I’m incredibly impressed with the way I was treated … and throughout this process,” he said.

Trustee Tim Ahlfeld gave Currier credit for the work he did to make the project work.

“You did a lot of work and you deserve credit,” Ahlfeld said.

“Thanks, but a lot of people did work on it,” Currier said.