Petersburgh Town Board Action – The Budget Process Begins

by Alex Brooks
Petersburgh’s tentative Town budget for 2013 has been completed and distributed to the Town Board for review. The Board scheduled budget workshops for Monday, October 22, at 6:30 pm and Tuesday, October 23, at 6:30.[private]Refinancing Water District Debt
The Board received a report from bond counsel about a proposed bond to be used to pay off the Water District’s existing USDA loan. Although Board members said the report was confusing, it did seem clear that going ahead with the refinancing would save a significant sum of money. Supervisor Siegfried Krahforst said to create and sell the new bond would cost about $1,500. The savings in the first year would be about $1,700. Total savings over 12 years would be about $11,000 (minus the cost of the bond). The bond is expected to carry an interest rate of 3%, and the existing loan is at about 6%.
The Board gave authorization for the Supervisor to proceed with the refinancing.
Subdivision Regs Revised
Planning Board Vice Chairman Tim Church told the Town Board their revisions to the Subdivision Regulations have been completed, and the draft was given to the Planning Board Attorney for review and comment. The draft was returned with the attorney’s comments on October 15, and Church said the Planning Board would like to have a joint meeting with the Town Board to review the draft and to solicit comment from the Town Board. Members of the Town Board suggested that some of them go to the Planning Board’s meeting on October 29.
Town Attorney Kevin Engel said if more than two of them go, it would be a meeting of the Town Board and public notice should be given. Duane Goodermote said he thought he could attend, and Supervisor Krahforst said he would try to make it. The meeting will be held at 7 pm on October 29.
Highway Report
Highway Superintendent Ray Harrison said the cooperative paving project between the County and several of the neighboring Towns has been completed and the paver sent back. In Petersburgh the crew paved parts of Dill Brook Road, Stillman Village Road, Lewis Hollow and Prosser Hollow with help from neighboring highway departments, and the Petersburgh crew helped with paving in those neighboring towns.
Supervisor Krahforst noted that the cracks and holes in the Town parking lot have been filled in by the Highway Department and he is continuing to seek cost estimates to have the parking lot sealed.
The Dog Officer was not present, but Krahforst advised the Board that a goat was bitten by a dog this month and that was the only dog incident.
Ethics Committee
Ethics Committee Chairman Deidra Michaels said her committee, which includes Bill Shorter, Mike Buzerak and Dave Huskie, has been revising the Town’s Code of Ethics. She said they have received several complaints, and they will start investigating two of them this week. She said there was a seminar for Ethics Board members but it turned out no one on Petersburgh’s Board could attend at the time it was held. They  hope to attend one in the future when it is offered.
Michaels said all complaints about suspected ethics violations by Town officials should be made directly to the Ethics Board. Citizens can get contact information by calling the Town Clerk. She said the person making the complaint must tell his or her name and address, but the law requires that all complaints be kept confidential so the name of the person making the complaint will not be divulged either to the Town official who is the subject of the complaint, or to the public. Michaels also said that Mike Buzerak has notified the Board that he plans to step down after the revision of the Code of Ethics is completed so the Board will be looking for a new member.
Other Matters
• Supervisor Krahforst said he had received an estimate to have a electric door opener put on the existing front door of the Town Hall to make it more handicap accessible. David Alderman said he thought the estimate sounded high, and he thought the Town should solicit more proposals. Bill Seel said given the age of the doors, it might make sense to replace the door as part of the project. Alderman agreed to research prices and alternatives.
• The Board agreed to pay for a cell phone for the Highway Superintendent.
• Supervisor Krahforst said he is to meet with County Engineer Wayne Bonesteel this week to finalize the Town’s application for funding to replace the Broken Wheel bridge. Once this is approved he will solicit proposals from engineers to design the bridge.  Krahforst said he expects construction to begin in 2013 and the bridge to be completed by 2015.[/private]