by Kieron Kramer
There were only four Berlin Town Board Members at the Town Board meeting on Thursday, October 13. Jim Saunders was not present because he had resigned from the Board at the Workshop meeting held in late September. He had appeared at the workshop, handed over his letter of resignation before the meeting started and left, according to Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger. Saunders had served on the Board since being elected in 2005 and still had two years to serve on his present term. No reason for Saunders’ resignation was given. After announcing the news at Thursday’s meeting Jaeger said, “We thank James for his time and effort to be on the Board; not everyone always agrees, but it is a big commitment to be on the Board.”
Saunders’ seat will not be filled until January. Supervisor Jaeger suggested at this meeting that the newly constituted Board should get to choose with whom they want to work in January. The only member of the current Board who will still be standing after the election in November will be Jaeger. He said that he had contacted the Board of Elections and was advised that the seat does not have to be filled since the Berlin Board has four members at present and can form a quorum. Board Member Richard deLeon Jr., himself an appointee in June of this year to replace Richard von Schilgen, said, “I’m ok with that.” The Board agreed to put off the appointment until a new Board is in place.
So for two meetings the Berlin Board will have four members. The January appointee will serve for one year with the election next November determining who will serve out the final year of Saunders’ term. Jaeger announced that people interested in serving on the Board should “send us a letter of interest if you have nothing to do.”
Ye Gods And Little Fishes
“The DEC is great but Fish and Wildlife is a pain in the a**,” said Highway Superintendent Jim Winn. “I never knew a fish had so many rights,’” he added, referring to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service not issuing an approval of the culvert installation on Walnut Lane because the design called for concrete blocks at the bottom of the culvert. According to a functionary at Fish and Wildlife, fish can’t swim over concrete blocks. Does this prohibition prevent rubbing fish bellies raw? Presumably there are sound environmental reasons for Fish and Wildlife’s position, but that didn’t keep them from being ridiculed at this meeting. Board Member Sheila Hewitt said, “They can swim over concrete; I’ve seen’em. If those fish want to go somewhere, they’re going to go.” Where there is water, that is. And we’ve all seen them swim in and out of brightly colored castles in a fish tank. Straightening a stream is also a problem for Fish and Wildlife and this affected the culvert replacement on Comstock Road. Winn reported that the culvert on Comstock would, nevertheless, be finished the next day after this meeting, and he also said that the culvert on Watson Road is “straightened” up. Along with all this, the Highway Department has also been chipping, and Winn said he has gotten all the CHIPS paperwork done as well.
Winn had attended the Highway Superintendents’ Association informational meeting in Poestenkill where the topic was FEMA funding. Hewitt had heard that some of the communities south of Berlin may have trouble getting reimbursed. Winn said that FEMA is expected to reimburse the small projects, those costing under $63,900, in about three months time. According to Billy Hammersmith, who filed permits for five small jobs which are now completed, the property owners have already been reimbursed by FEMA.
The problem for FEMA is prioritization. “There was so much damage everywhere,” said Winn. “We got nothing compared to them [the hard hit area towns],” said Hewitt. All of Berlin’s projects are small, costing under $63,900 and are mostly culvert replacements. “Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork,” Winn said. According to Ivan Wager, there is a deadline extension until the end of October for reimbursement applications. “All of Berlin’s paperwork was put in by Jim [Winn] right away, “ Wager added.
During this discussion, Winn said that he had finally received the permit for the Walnut Lane culvert replacement in spite of the fish complication and would begin work on it soon. This is lucky because Mark Primeau, who lives on Walnut Lane, said that kids and impulsive people are crossing through the brook there. “It is dangerous,” he said.
While waiting for FEMA reimbursement, Berlin will have to lay out a sizable sum, which they started doing at this meeting by authorizing payments totaling $36,297.55. This represents payments that are being made to Peckham’s for stone, Quality Construction for road materials and Yacano’s Gradall Sales and Abele Tractor for heavy equipment rental.
The Little Hoosic Watershed Association has also been hard at work repairing storm damage. LHWA President Len Clapp reported that 90% of the storm damage along the Little Hoosic River has not yet been filled in but has been “corrected.” The LHWA is requesting proposals for hauling about 3,000 to 4,000 yards of sludge and relocating it to three or four locations that have been washed out. A proposal for seeding about 5 acres along the river bank is also being sought. FEMA will pay for the LHWA work.
A Halloween party sponsored by the Youth Commission is scheduled for 6 pm on October 31 at the Berlin Fire House.
Due to space considerations in the print version, the rest of the Berlin Town Board meeting will appear next week.