Berlin Town Board Action – Commemorating The Propane Truck Explosion

by Kieron Kramer
The fiftieth anniversary of the propane gas truck explosion that decimated the center of Berlin, destroying a number of houses and the First Baptist Church and killing 9 residents and injuring many more on July 25, 1962, will be commemorated later this month. Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger announced at the Town Board meeting on July 12 that Town Historian Sharon Klein has posted a three page article and a couple of pictures of the event on the Town website (http://berlin-ny.us/). He also announced that the First Baptist Church will hold a memorial service on July 25 and that former Town Supervisor Sandi Slattery is organizing a memorial event which will take place at the Berlin Fire House on July 28. The Taconic Valley Historical Society addressed the topic at their monthly meeting on July 16. According to Jaeger, “The Times-Union is doing an extensive article on the explosion.”
[private]Speaking of the Town website, it has been suggested, and Jaeger thinks it is a good idea, that there should be a page on the site where Berliners can have the pictures they take around Town posted. And Jaeger has always wanted an overhead shot of the Town or the valley to put on the home page. When or how these upgrades will be done was not explicitly mentioned at this meeting.
Thanks For The Very Big Parade
On the meeting agenda was written,  “Thanks to the Parade Committee and all the workers for a super job!” Jaeger said, “This was the biggest parade since I’ve been in town.” He marched with the American Legion Color Guard at the beginning of the parade and said, “When I turned around, I couldn’t see the end.”
Shared Services
At its meeting on July 10 the Rensselaer County Legislature passed a resolution authorizing the rental of an asphalt paver to perform road maintenance and construction projects for the 2012 summer paving season, ending September 16. The paver, a  Vogele 1110 RTB model tracked asphalt paver with heated vibratory 10 foot screed,  will be rented under a statewide bid for $26,000. The resolution provides that the rental rate will be made available to local governments. According to Berlin Highway Superintendent Jim Winn, the Town can now rent the paver with its operating crew from the County for about $800 per day. Up to now the Town rented a paver from Gorman Bros. for about $4,306 per day. As before, the Town will still have to buy the asphalt, which is quite expensive, and haul it to the paving site in Town trucks. There are a number of small paving jobs related to culvert and bridge replacements that still need to be done so this arrangement with the County will save the Town a ton of money.
Winn said at this meeting that the Department is ready to put the blacktop down and the paver will be available the week following the meeting. Some of the paving will be the finishing touches on some projects for which FEMA will reimburse the Town. A lot of FEMA reimbursements have already been applied for, and Jaeger said, “We haven’t seen any FEMA money; I’m getting nervous.” And he asked Winn, “Did you piss somebody off?” According to Winn other towns have received some FEMA money, notably Petersburgh and Stephentown
In his highway report Winn also said that the Department has done gravelling at Taborton, is ready to do chipping and is putting down some patch.
Water District #1 Supervisor Len Clapp, who oversees this seasonal system on Taborton Mountain, said, “It’s still wet over there.” Winn, who supervises the water system in the center of Town, Water District #2, said, “It’s all good.”
Dog And Man
Dog Control Officer Doug Goodermote reported a dog barking oddity in Brookside Park. A man pitched a tent in his yard and has been sleeping, or trying to sleep, in it. The dog in his neighbor’s yard barks at him. Goodermote received a complaint from the camper about the barking, and he received a complaint from the dog owner claiming that the man camping is making his dog bark. Next step? Man bites dog.
Goodermote also reported that he had driven up from Cherry Plain and spent three hours looking for a dog owned by Amanda Bailey, who lives on Southeast Hollow Road. He finally found the dog on Mill Street and called the owner who came and picked the dog up. He told this story primarily, it seems, because in his travels he noticed how many houses in Berlin have “grass so tall that it is growing above the windows.” He said this was true in Cherry Plain, too, and he wondered what the Town could do about it. “That has nothing to do with dogs,” he said, “other than that everything is fine.”
The theme of the run down look of certain properties in Berlin reappeared at the end of the meeting when Deputy Supervisor Tara Cinney said, “I agree with Doug [Goodermote], the lawns look pretty shabby even though some have been mowed.” Apparently, some neighbors are mowing the tall lawns next to them. According to Supervisor Jaeger, most of these properties have been repossessed by banks that are not maintaining them. Goodermote said he had heard of a town that passed a law prohibiting putting furniture on the front porch. This was briefly described as the Redneck Law. Jaeger responded, “But can you still put a toilet on the porch?” More seriously, Len Clapp said that Sand Lake passed a law with financial penalties for properties that are not maintained. There are two foreclosures in Taborton he said, and the banks hired local contractors to mow them. “We’d have a heck of a time enforcing these laws; it’s like the curfew,” Jaeger said.
Green Energy With A Solar Array
Code Enforcement Officer Allan Yerton reported that a permit has been issued for the Fire Department. They will be installing “a very big” solar array on the Fire House, he said.
The monthly discussion on the progress, or lack of progress, of Verizon to establish cell phone service on the tower located on the Goodermote property in Cherry Plain was had. “It’ll be about two weeks before they start up [service],” Goodermote said. Jaeger said, “I won’t hold my breath.” “Yes, we’ve heard it before,” Goodermote said.
Planning Board Chair Pam Gerstel said that that Board and the ZBA are still working on revising the land use regulations from 1988. Jaeger said that the regulations have been posted on the Town website as a pdf and the public can review them there.  Gerstel added that the Planning Board has made some changes to the 1988 regulations but the proposed changes are not on the website.
Tammy Osterhout began her report on the Summer Youth Programs by thanking those who recently donated to the program – Billy and Lisa Hammersmith, June Hoffman and an anonymous donor. Thanks to them the arts and crafts program has four looms and plenty of yarn for the weaving activity. She also thanked Audrey Vanderhoef and Kelly Lewin for donating half of their proceeds from selling hot dogs at the Berlin Fourth of July Parade. Jaeger said they donated the other half to the seventh grade class. The summer program is going great guns; Osterhout said that about 40 kids are participating. There are only 14 kids signed up for the swimming program however. Osterhout said the swim program has 40 slots available.
The only topic at the Board workshop held on June 28 was the acquisition of the school warning lights that used to be used at the Grafton Elementary School and their installation at the Berlin Middle/High School in Cherry Plain, according to Jaeger. This has been an ongoing topic for several meetings now. The signs and lights have been removed and stored in the Grafton Town Garage since Grafton provided them to the school, according to Jaeger. “They have a vested interest in the lights so we will have to negotiate with them,” he said. “The lights were expensive when new,” he added. The object, Jaeger said, is to slow motorists down to 45 mph when the lights are flashing during student pickup and drop off times at the school. “The DOT claims that there was no accident there since 2000, but there was one in 2005,” said Jaeger.
Resolutions
The Board passed two resolutions unanimously. One authorized the use of space in the Highway Garage parking lot on Wednesday evenings and on Sundays from 11 am to 2 pm by the Our Valley Community Farmers Market. They will set up tables and a couple of tents, Jaeger said, to sell their goods. The authorization is contingent upon Jaeger double-checking with the Town’s insurance agency to see if the Farmers Market will need to supply an insurance rider. The other appointed Samantha Gale and Joseph Sweener, Jr. to the staff of the Summer Youth Program as volunteers. They will substitute for some of the regular staff when they have college commitments. The Youth program, unlike others, according to Osterhout, enrolls kids who are younger than pre-k. Obviously, a lot of supervision is necessary.
Other Business
• The gladioli bed that was said to be crushed by the old Stewart’s sign when it was taken down last month seems to have bounced back, it was reported.
• Ivan Wagar reported that the repairs on one container at the transfer station are complete and two other containers are being worked on.
• Jaeger reported that the Town needs someone to clean the Town Hall and the Watipi Building. Anyone interested should send a letter to Town Clerk Anne Maxon.
• Pam Gerstel asked if anything could be done to get Route 22 paved. She was told that the State is committed to other projects. Gerstel commented that Route 2 in Grafton and Route 22 in North Petersburgh have been paved recently. Ivan Wager thought that Route 22 from Berlin to Stephentown “needs more than just a top coat.”
• Gerstel announced that Joe and Nanci Bogovitch have sold their house and are moving to Florida. They have a good, baby grand piano that they can’t take with them and want to give away. Anyone who wants the piano should contact them.
• The closing date for the Berlin Lumber property purchase has not yet been announced.
Condolences
At the beginning of the meeting Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger noted the passing of Charlotte Yerton, who died on July 7. Mrs. Yerton’s husband, Don, served on the Town Board for many years. “On behalf of the Town Board we send our condolences to Don, Al and Chris on the unfortunate passing of Mrs. Yerton,” Jaeger said.[/private]