Petersburgh Town Board Action – Salt Shed Completed

by Alex Brooks
Highway Superintendent Ray Harrison said, “We put the first load of salt in the salt shed today.” Assembly of the roof structure has been completed, and it is now in service.
Thanks For Help With New Ambulance
The Petersburgh Ambulance Squad presented a plaque to the Town Board expressing its thanks to the people of Petersburgh for “dedicated assistance in 2009.”
Star Ridge Way Again
The question of whether the Town should take action concerning the dispute over Star Ridge Way was again debated. Town Attorney Kevin Engel said he thought the Town Board’s position was not to take any action on it. Planning Board Chairman Dave Miller disagreed with that stance. He said he is already involved because he was required to submit to the court which is hearing the dispute between the homeowners and the developer of the subdivision an affidavit stating the terms of the Planning Board’s approval. He said the Judge in that case has asked, if the road is not up to specifications, why hasn’t the Town done something about it?
One of the homeowners in that subdivision, Teresa deWaal, asked the Town to respond to her attorney’s letter seeking to know the Town’s position on the matter. She said, “The court wants the Town to rule before they rule.”
There was some uncertainty on the Board about the Planning Board’s ability to take action to enforce compliance with its rulings, but the Board seemed to feel that the Planning Board should be able to enforce without any need for Town Board action. Miller said the Planning Board would discuss enforcement action at its meeting next Monday, December 28. He said there are two violations in the Star Ridge development – one is that the road was created as a sixth lot when only five lots were approved, and the other is that he believes the road was never built to the specifications written on the subdivision map as approved, which are a 20’ wide roadway and a 30’ radius turnaround at the top.
Right To Farm Life Law
Amendments to the Town’s right to farm life law were again under discussion. Supervisor Peter Schaaphok summarized two small changes in the wording, one to clarify a section on health impacts of farming activities on neighboring properties and the other allowing only the Code Enforcement Officer to make inspections without an appointment, not Town Board members as in previous drafts. Discussion of this latter point led to Town Attorney Kevin Engel suggesting that the source of this authority be clarified, and Schaaphok asked him to read it and make suggestions on how to do this.
Ray Broadwell asked why the Town wants to take on the burden of this kind of enforcement when there are already laws and enforcement mechanisms at higher levels of government. Miller again mentioned the poorly kept pig farm and the rats it attracted, which was the episode which pointed up the need for some limits on how and where farming is done in the Town.
Collaboration With Berlin
The Board approved the usual agreement with the Town of Berlin for the joint operation of the transfer station, which Schaaphok said is the same as it was last year. In the cover letter about this, Berlin Supervisor Rob Jaeger suggested a joint meeting of the two town boards to explore other ways the two towns could work together. The Board was agreeable to such a meeting and asked Schaaphok to work on setting it up.
Town Librarian Sharon Hodges said a large truck delivering something to the Highway Garage had knocked down the electrical wire serving the Library. Ben Krahforst re-connected it temporarily, and Highway Superintendent Ray Harrison said Krahforst will permanently re-install it later. Hodges said a piece of the building had been pulled off by the impact, and she was concerned that the weather or small animals might be able to get in. Schaaphok and Harrison said they would work something out to get it repaired.
The Board scheduled its 2010 Organizational meeting for Monday, January 4, at 7 pm.