Battle Flag Presented To Grafton

by Bea Peterson
On Thursday, January 13, the Grafton Town Board gratefully accepted the donation of an American flag from First Lieutenant Dan Naske, Pilot 4ERS, US Air Force. The flag was flown in Afghanistan on August 13, 2010, on his behalf.
Highway Crew Has Busy Winter
The Board commended the Highway Department for the outstanding job they have done in keeping the roads cleared during this winter. Highway Supervisor Herb Hasbrouck said his highway crew “has stood up to the test.” Not only have they been busy plowing, he said, but they have been doing all the things that people don’t see, like all the extra welding and the extra maintenance required to keep everything going. Hasbrouck said he was grateful the Town was part of the Joint Services program since they needed to borrow a truck from Poestenkill when one of their trucks was out of service. The Board also expressed its appreciation to Poestenkill for making the truck available. “The citizens of Grafton appreciate they are safe on the roads,” said Supervisor Kirchner. “Looks like we’re in for a typical old fashioned Grafton winter,” she added.
Hasbrouck also wanted everyone to know that the highway crew did not remove the bell from the Grafton Methodist Church steeple. The Board is pleased to have the bell and said it is a real asset to the Town. It was noted that Ed Wager made some repairs to the bell in 1987, and others recalled that he climbed the tower and rang the bell on September 11, 2001.
The Building Inspector’s report stated 52 outstanding permits.
The Rescue Squad responded to seven calls in December. Fifty-six and four tenths volunteer hours were expended. Administrative training hours were 16.5 and Fire Department assistance was 2.5 hours. Miles expended were 162.
Supervisor Kirchner read a letter from the NYS Office of Parks dated January 6 inviting the Board to a meeting at Tamarac High School on January 27 at 7 pm to develop a new Master Plan for Grafton Lakes State Park.
The Board approved a 36 month contract with Uni-First Corporation for uniform service for the Highway Department at a cost savings of over $2,000 a year.
The Board also approved sending a letter of support for a NYS Grant for the Together Reducing Alcohol (and Drugs) in our Communities (TRACS) for “future funding for efforts to reduce the use of drugs and alcohol by teenagers in our communities, including Grafton, Petersburgh, Berlin and Stephentown.”
Questions And Complaints
As usual the business portion of the Grafton Town Board meeting went smoothly and quickly. It was the public comment session that lasted a half hour.
Frank Sprega complained that trucks parking at the edge of the Grafton General Store lot made it difficult to see around them when trying to pull into traffic on Route 2. Town Supervisor Allison Kirchner said she would talk to the owner of the Store about the problem.
Armed with the organizational financial figures of several Towns recently published in the Eastwick Press, Kathy Goyer had several questions for the Board. First, she wondered about the salary paid to the Town’s bookkeeper, which appeared higher than the other Towns. The Supervisor responded that Tyler Sawyer does all the bookkeeping, including payroll and County and State reports.
Next Goyer asked why Grafton was paying the newly appointed Assessor $8,000 more than the Town of Petersburgh is paying the same assessor. Supervisor Kirchner and Councilman Ed Fredricks explained that he is doing a complete revaluation of the entire Town. When that job is completed in two or two and a half years, his salary will be reconsidered. Fredricks explained that there is a lot of work in a revaluation and already the Assessor, Craig Surprise, has brought a lot of money back into the Town during this past year. A revaluation can cost a town $200,000 or more the Board claimed.
Goyer also wondered why other Towns chose to pay the Assessor’s assistant by the hour, while Grafton chose to pay her $10,000. Several Board members responded that Helen Hemendinger spends many hours doing her job and is well worth the salary.
Goyer also wondered why other Towns gave their employees three percent raises while Grafton only gave two percent. The Supervisor responded that they had started out at three percent for employees but, after the budget hearings, reduced it to two as part of reducing the overall budget.
Next to speak was Dave Buckley who wanted to see more information on the Town website. He wants to see all the Town fees on it and the minutes from the Board meetings on it. He also said the new Governor is establishing a task force regarding mandates, and he suggested the Town have someone “get on board with the new Governor.”
Goyer said she had come for a Board meeting only to find the date was changed. She asked how she would know if the meeting was changed. She was told that a legal notice would appear in The Record five days before the scheduled meeting noting the change.
Rescue Squad Controversy
Goyer was concerned that the public could not attend meetings of the Rescue Squad. Supervisor Kirchner said she was told by Squad Captain Sharon Lecce that it was in their bylaws that the public could not attend. Kirchner said she had asked for a copy of those bylaws, but she has not received a copy as yet. She said a letter would be written to the Squad informing them that since their meeting next Wednesday is being held in a public building the public should be able to attend. The Supervisor pointed out that the Rescue Squad is its own entity. “We do fund them, but we don’t have a say over them,” she said.
Councilman Fredricks said it is difficult to understand, if there are problems in the Rescue Squad, why the same officers get back in every year. He suggested the community find enough EMTs and come up with a plan to take over the Rescue service and come to the Board with that plan.
Because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, the Planning Board meeting is changed to Monday, January 24, at 7 pm.
The next Board Meeting will be Thursday, February 10, at 7 pm.
The Grafton Lakes State Park Winterfest will be Saturday, January 22.
The meeting was adjourned in memory of Lois Gundrum, Malvina Hasbrouck and the victims of the Arizona shooting on January 8.