by Kieron Kramer
The Berlin Town Board voted on a 40% water rate increase for Water District #2 at its regular Town Meeting on Thursday, April 9. If a homeowner has one kitchen sink, one toilet, one tub or shower, one basin, one washing machine, one dishwasher and one outside tap, the increase will amount to $15.60 per quarter over the current rate or a $62.40 increase per year. Residents with the above fixtures will pay $218.40 per year for their water starting in October. Commercial structures will also see a 40% increase. Commercial rates are higher than the residential rates. The last water rate increase was in 1987.
During the Public Hearing that preceded the regular meeting, one of the rationales for raising the water rates was that the 2009 budget for Water District #2 shows a $10,874 deficit. In 2009 $58,294 was budgeted for the Water District. This may be high. The actual expense for 2008 was $38,144.08, resulting in a $5,085.35 surplus. All these figures are from a spreadsheet developed by Board Member Sheila Hewitt.
The most persuasive argument made for raising the rates was that the water system is antiquated and should probably be replaced before it suffers a catastrophic failure. Town Supervisor Robert Jaeger called it a hundred year old system. “It’s a disaster in reality,” he said. A reserve fund will have to be built up in order to pay for the massive repairs that are looming. The annual rent income with the increased rates is projected to be $58,800. If all goes smoothly, as in 2008, Jaeger said he hopes that $10,000 to $15,000 can be deposited into the reserve fund each year that there is no expensive repair required.
The current Berlin water rates are so low in comparison with other municipalities that the Town is not eligible to apply for State water system improvement grants. At some point, a successful grant application and the reserve fund can pay to modernize the system. It was estimated that replacing the system would cost between $1.5 million and $3 million. At the moment the water mains are of many different sizes have variable pressures and leaks and create anxiety about the system’s reliability in fire fighting.
Water District #2 extends from Pa’s Country Car Wash on Route 22 down South Main Street to the intersection of Route 22 and South Main, branching up Plank Road one house past Morse Heating and up Green Hollow Road to Whitney Rathbun’s, through Echo Park, Brookside Park and to Berlin Elementary. There are 179 units on the system including the Berlin Elementary School. The regulations were written in 1962, but no one seems to have a copy that includes page one. The rates are based on fixtures on each property which requires constant updating. Town Clerk Anne Maxon said that some people voluntarily update their number of fixtures. Hewitt suggested that the 178 units be recanvassed to get the correct number of fixtures and that the School be metered.
Richard Von Schilgen thought that the water expenses should be shared by the entire Town. “The whole town benefits from the village; this is a community isn’t it?” he asked. It was pointed out that if the school was metered, the water district expense would be spread out to all school taxpayers. Fire Commissioner Mark Primeau said that increased water rates would raise the Fire District tax which also spreads the expense town-wide.
Bruce Hake pointed out the problem with fixture based fees. “People don’t use the toilet twice as much just because they have two toilets,” he said. Fixture charging is outdated and is an ongoing “nightmare” – constantly needing updating through inspection, he added. Jaeger agreed. He said the Board would look at moving to a metering system as part of the five year plan. By next year the Board will make a presentation on a metering system. With a show of hands most people in the room, about 40, indicated that they favored a metered system. It was pointed out that Hoosick Falls has moved to a metered system and that the meters are read from a car driving slowly by. It was also estimated that the meter, the valves and the backflow prevention valve would raise the cost of each meter close to $500.
Maxon pointed out that some properties in Town are already metered – the car wash and the former pizza place – and that even in the village various dwellings have their own water source. She also mentioned that when Petersburgh upgraded its water system everyone, whether on their own well or not, paid $1,000. For those who are curious as to why the Water District fiscal year is October 1 to September 30, Maxon explained that the fiscal year is keyed to the tax cycle. Water bills not paid are added to the County tax bill and must be filed by January 1.
At the end of the public Hearing Ricky Palmer shouted, “We are stealing the water now. Do it!” His sentiment seemed to be the consensus.
When it came time to vote, Sheila Hewitt made the motion to raise the water rates and Board Member George Shuhart seconded. Board Member Carl Greene suggested that the Board work on updating the regulations at the workshop on April 23 at 7 pm in the Watipi Building. The workshop is open to the public.
Decisions At The Workshop
According to Jaeger’s report, at the last workshop on March 26 the Board decided that it would rent the Cowee garage for the year, even without a lower rent for the balance of the year, in order not to lose it for the winter months. At Highway Superintendent Jim Winn’s request the Board also approved the purchase of culvert pipe for $4,000 and two tons of calcium for dust control. Winn indicated that a new chain is needed for the sander. The cost is $960. The meeting ended at 8:45 pm due to a power failure. Jaeger asked Anne Maxon to call Act Electric to come check the problem, which turned out to be a short in the main service panel.
Supporting Local Justices
At the request of the NYS Magistrates Association the Board voted to oppose a bill in the NYS Legislature that would allow defendants to opt out of having their case heard by a non-attorney justice. The resolution, written by Jaeger, said that the Town “recognized the fine work done by Justices Knightes and Rechen in our court. Any transfer of cases would be ill-advised.” The Town is vehemently opposed to this bill, Jaeger wrote. Of course, some towns in NYS might not have Justices who are as fair or as knowledgeable as Knightes and Rechen and the bill was meant to protect the rights of the accused.
Dangling Pole
Apparently, there is a utility pole, which according to Anne Maxon is on Greene Hollow Road, that is dangling by its wires. The NYSEG pole was to be removed by that company which detached its wires and freed the pole. However, Fairpoint has not yet removed their telephone wires from the pole.
I Don’t Do Cats
For the second month in a row Dog Control Officer Doug Goodermote feels a neighboring Dog Control Officer has butted in on his territory, in this case it was the Officer from Averill Park. In a telephone interview Goodermote said a cat was caught in a trap on Dingman Road up near Taborton. The person who found the cat could not reach Goodermote so the Averill Park Animal Officer took the cat out of the trap and took it to the animal hospital where it died. The animal hospital requested payment from Berlin, but since this was done without any authorization from Berlin the Town has refused to pay the bill. Goodermote says the trap owner is the responsible party. Every trap has the owner’s name on it, he said, and that should have been noted so he could pay the bill. “I don’t deal with cats,” he said in the meeting. “Every town does it differently.”
Goodermote reminded everyone that the spring rabies clinic is on Thursday, April 23. Don’t hold off until the fall, he warned, because if the veterinarian doesn’t use most of the vaccine she brings this spring, Berlin will cut back to one clinic per year, and this is it. Goodermote said he had two barking dog complaints and a few complaints on dogs roaming loose. “But we have no law on that,” he said referring to the lack of a leash law in Berlin.
County DOH Is Not Listening
In a report that confirmed what Richard Von Schilgen said at last month’s meeting about the lack of response from the County Department of Health, Code Enforcement Officer Allen Yerton, who met with the DOH recently, said that they “need to take a lesson in listening.” Regarding the rat problem reported last month, the DOH told Yerton that 90% of the rat baiting is done in Troy and Rensselaer. “Other towns are on their own.” He said that the DOH will require a permit to repair septic systems. The permit fee will be $75. “Anything already in they don’t care about,” he said. Most of the meeting was a discussion on lead control, mostly in apartment buildings. Any house constructed before 1995 probably has lead paint in it. There are programs to help landlords with lead paint abatement. Yerton concluded by reporting that there were five code enforcement officers from area towns, but “the meeting was not good; they are not helping towns at all.”
Yerton also reminded the public that surface swimming pools 24 inches high or above need permits and a motion alarm. Also, he has a proposal to update the Town’s demolition permit that he will submit to the Planning Board.
Highway Report
Highway Superintendent Jim Winn reported that the Office of Governmental Services contract for road salt purchase needs to be in by April 23. It was decided that the Town would contract for the same amount as last year. Winn said he used 150 ton of salt this year but there is lots of leeway in the contract. You can purchase 70% of what you contract for if you don’t use a lot or as much as 120% if more road salting is needed. He said some cold patch has been applied to Southeast Hollow Road and that Cherry Plain Square had just been blacktopped. The Highway Department has been sweeping and has finished the first trip around. Winn said a couple more go-arounds might be needed. The FEMA paperwork for money to reimburse the Town for the damage done during the ice storm in December has been completed. Winn also said that the plows and sanders have been removed from the trucks, the sanders cleaned and the plows painted.
Transfer Station Fees Go Up May 1
Jaeger reminded the public that the Transfer Station fees are going up on May 1. He suggested that people buy their tickets now at $1.50. They are like forever stamps, someone quipped.
Head Transfer Station Attendant Ivan Wager said that the little augie has been put back in service. The recycling contracts for newspaper and cardboard will not be renewed at the present rates because of market conditions. Ivan will check with other vendors. We have been paid for everything so far he said but in the future the recycling may not generate income but will probably not cost anything either.
Other Business
• Jim Winn reported that Water District #2 “has been pretty quiet.”
• Carl Greene reported that the Little Hoosic Watershed Association annual meeting was well attended. The men from US Fish & Wildlife will return in the spring for a meeting with people who have questions or concerns about the four projects proposed for the Little Hoosic.
• Vic Lewin of the ZBA reported that he hoped a vote would be taken at the next ZBA meeting on April 16 on the application for a cell tower on Satterlee Hollow Road.
• Planning Board Chair Pam Gerstel said that the “Flanagan second subdivision will be presented at their next meet on April 23 at 6 pm.
• Jaeger reported that the Comprehensive Plan Committee will meet April 13, but that they are running out of grant money.
• The Board voted to appoint Dave Theriault as alternate member on the Zoning Board of Appeals.
• The Board voted to appoint Sharon Klein to the Comprehensive Plan Committee.
• Sheila Hewitt announced that customers of Charter Communications, the cable TV provider for Berlin, will have to pay by mail. Hewitt’s Market is no longer accepting payments on their behalf.
• Stewart’s contributed $500 for the gladioli project to beautify Berlin that was started by Don Calman.