by Kieron Kramer
At the instigation of Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger, with the avid support of Board Member Richard deLeon, the Berlin Town Board voted unanimously on Thursday, April 11, to pass a resolution in “support of the Second Amendment to protect our country and our people.” Jaeger asked for a roll call vote on the resolution. [private]The resolution mimics the resolution passed by the Republican controlled County Legislature in February. Both resolutions are responding to the NY SAFE Act which was adopted by the Democratic controlled State Assembly and Senate and signed into law by a Democratic governor. Both resolutions are essentially empty gestures since they will not lead to the repeal of the NY SAFE Act. No matter what the motive behind the resolutions they can be written off as purely political statements from a Republican Town Board in a Republican run County in a Republican District – no big surprise.
Jaeger felt he was empowered to introduce the resolution because it reflected “the sentiment of the group” at the public hearing the night before, which was attended by about 40 people. He has actually been working on this since early March after meeting with NY State Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin at the Municipal Center in February. Whether it reflects the sentiment of the majority of Berliners is a matter of conjecture. None showed up to speak against the Second Amendment because Americans generally support the Second Amendment anyway. None showed up to speak in favor of the NY SAFE Act. As Jaeger said at the hearing, he was “preaching to the choir.” Well, if you know what the song is going to be and you don’t like the music, you’re not going to show up at choir practice.
Assemblyman McLaughlin did show up, and he had some interesting things to say. First, he described from his point of view how the NY SAFE Act was passed and how poor a law it is and that he is so outraged at the process that he won’t vote to improve it. McLaughlin has made a name for himself with his outspoken comments about Governor Cuomo and the procedure used to pass the Act. Second, he said that the Act would not be repealed. Apparently the majority of New Yorkers, those who live downstate where much of the gun violence is, are in favor of it. He suggested that New York City should become a district and separate itself from the State. Rather, sections of the law will be overturned in court, he believes, and the court cases will be filed in Buffalo where the court would be “friendly” to gun freedom suits. Just the week after this meeting the New York Pistol and Rifle Association announced that it has filed an injunction in the Buffalo Federal Court. Third, in order to understand the motives of politicians, he said, “Follow the money.” This is excellent advice no matter what side of any issue you are on. Be as smart as your smart phone – when information comes on to the little screen figure the motive, follow the money.
What is not clear is why State and national political issues are the business of the Berlin Town Board. The beauty of small town government is that it is so basic. Are the roads passable; are they plowed; are the bridges safe; are stray dogs being returned to their owners; is the water clean; is the environment clean; can the Seniors have activities; can the youth have activities; can the sidewalks be repaired; can the library stay open; can the property taxes be held down, and, by the way, how’s your TV reception? Injecting State and national political issues, which are so polarizing and divisive, into Town life can only hurt a small town community.
Town Business
Highway Superintendent Jim Winn reported that “we’ve got some of the trucks tore apart,” meaning that the Department has been removing the winter equipment, sanders and plows, from the tandem axle trucks used for plowing and hauling. He said that the “blacktop plant is supposed to open today or tomorrow.” “We’ve got lots of patching to do,” he added. Winn said that the roads are drying out and settling down so the Department has “fixed up” the grader and will begin grading this week. Sweeping the salt and sand residue off the paved roads waits for the rented sweeper.
The brand new, red, tandem axle truck was delivered on Tuesday the week before the meeting. It was purchased last November from Delurey Sales and Service in North Hoosick and has been at Zwack’s in Stephentown while the peripherals were installed. It has already been “lettered.”
Jaeger has contacted County Superintendent of Highways Scott Gallerie Sr. to get a copy of the lease for the County’s renting of garage space at the Berlin Municipal Center. The lease will have to be approved by the County Legislature before it goes into effect. Jaeger said he would call Stan and Lester [Stan Brownell and Lester Goodermote – the County Legislators who represent Berlin] to “grease the wheels.”
As Supervisor of Water District #2, Jim Winn reported that the Water District was “almost quiet.” He was referring to the pipe running from the main to a dwelling near the hydrant across from the fire house on Commonwealth Community Avenue. A crack, caused by the water slam when the hydrant is opened and then closed, has reopened, and Winn believes now that the pipe will have to have a piece spliced into it to stop the leak.
Dog Law Still Needed
Dog Control Officer Doug Goodermote reported that the “situation on Hilltop” went to the Town Court and should now be resolved. He said after the meeting that the “ugly dog,” the one that went after him last month, is now being kept in a kennel on the owner’s property and the other seven dogs are still able to roam around since no one has complained about them. In order to satisfy the complaints of neighbors about her peripatetic pet, a dog owner on Cherry Plain Square put in an electronic fence that shocks her dog when it tries to leave the property. Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger reported that a dog was seriously hurt when hit by a motor venicle on Route 22.
For the third meeting in a row Goodermote asked the Board if there has been any progress on the dog law he had asked for in January. Jaeger replied, “We should put it on the workshop agenda and work on it. Then we will bring it back for public consideration.” Jaeger wants to base the dog law on the section of the NY State Ag and Markets Law relating to dog control. In the meantime, Goodermote had to take care of two dogs in the Town’s kennel when there was what he described as a “mental health transport from the trailer park.” He took care of them for a couple of days. In the March workshop Goodermote asked that the new dog law limit the required retention of strays to five days from the 30 it is now. And, he said, he was down to Airport Road again where they are “feuding and fighting and carrying on.” This is about the dog eating the neighbor’s barbecue – among other transgressions. He said the neighbors agreed to put the issue on hold while they wait for the new dog law to give some guidance to resolve the situation. They may have to wait for quite some time.
Did You Arrest My Daddy?
Code Enforcement Officer Allan Yerton reported on a “situation” in Brookside Park. “Mr. Crowe is at it again,” he said. According to Yerton, neighbors said that Crowe was cutting up a car and dumping the antifreeze and motor oil on the front lawn. Yerton asked the DEC to inspect, but the results of the inspection are not known at this time, he said. He added that State Troopers investigated Crowe last week because he cut up a car, without having the title, that belonged to John O’Dell, his grandfather in law. O’Dell died on April 9. Crowe is a tenant of O’Dell’s, but the inheritors may try to evict him in order to sell the property. It will take a long time to get him out unless the building is condemned, Yerton said. Yerton hopes to get some law enforcement agency involved. He believes it “will be resolved sometime.” Board Member Tara Cinney said, “He may just move and be a problem elsewhere.”
Doug Goodermote told a “little story” of his last run-in with Crowe. Goodermote said, “I went there one night on a dog call with two State Troopers; a little girl came out and said, ‘Are you one of the troopers who arrested my daddy; I want to meet all the troopers who arrested my daddy.’ I said, ‘There’s not enough room up here for them all.’”
Planning Board Chair Pam Gerstel announced that “some things occurred” without Planning Board approval. These people must contact her, Gerstel said.
The Workshop
Jaeger said that the forester came to the workshop on March 28 and reported that the Town’s forest is 120 acres not the 90 as originally thought. Because of the increased acreage and the large number of red pine trees on the property, the forester has increased his estimate of income from harvesting from $22,000 to $30,000. Brian Sweeney will harvest one section.
Jonathan Post’s concerns about the danger of Bly Hollow Road resulted in an extensive discussion at the workshop about the road. Some research was done and it was discovered that the last time the Town asked for a speed limit on the road the NYSDOT came back with a 40 mph limit. So, at the workshop the Board voted to re-post Bly Hollow Road at 40 mph, to add three speed limit signs to replace missing ones and to post two cattle crossing signs near the Doug Goodermote farm to help slow down the traffic. Signs at the top of the hill warning trucks to “Use Low Gear” were installed in February.
The Board also voted at the workshop to authorize Winn to rent a road sweeper and voted to request three proposals for the bathroom renovation in the new Town Hall. The public bathroom just inside the front door will be enlarged and will have a handicapped accessible sink and toilet. The staff bathroom on the other side of the wall will be reduced in size and will just have a toilet and a washbasin without the shower it now has. The use of the fields at the Municipal Center by the Taconic Valley Soccer Club was also authorized contingent on the Club presenting an insurance certificate.
Anonymous Complaint
Jaeger said he had received a letter without a return address and signed only “Citizens Group from Petersburgh and Berlin.” According to Jaeger the letter is a “complaint about the operations in one of our sections [sic] of the Town.” He asked that the letter writer contact him because he wants to get more details. “I’m not going on a witch hunt without information that supports it,” Jaeger said.
Property Tax Grievances
Head of the Assessors Allan Yerton announced that tax grievances would take place from 5 to 9 pm on May 28 instead of having two hours during the morning and two hours in the evening as has been done in the past. It is easier on the Board of Assessment Review (BAR) members to meet for one block of time, and it meets the State requirements that two hours be scheduled in the evening, he said. He has notified Derek Burhans, the Chairman of the BAR, who will notify the rest of the members. In the meantime the Assessors will be available on Monday, May 6, May 13 and May 20, from 5 to 9 pm and on Saturday, May 25, to 4 pm so people can review their property tax assessments.
Divesting Town Property
Berlin now has two structures that are no longer in use, the Cherry Plain Polling Place and the old Town garage in center Berlin. Jaeger said that there are particular procedures that need to be followed before the Town can sell these properties. Town Attorney Don Tate was not at the meeting to elaborate on the procedures, but Jaeger seemed to know what to do. The first step, he said, is that the Town Board must determine that neither facility is needed. The sale would then have to be authorized by a permissive referendum.
Jaeger would like to have the process completed early so that the referendum could be held on the first Tuesday in November instead of incurring the expense of a special vote. To that end, he offered a motion to declare that the Cherry Plain Polling Place was “an unneeded structure to the day to day operations of government of the Town of Berlin.” The motion was seconded by Board Member John Winn, and the Board voted unanimously to declare the polling place unneeded. Jaeger said the same holds true for the old highway garage. A permissive referendum must be held before it could be sold, but the Town would not have to have a referendum to rent it out. He made the motion to declare the garage unneeded. This was seconded by Board Member Richard deLeon and then approved unanimously by the Board. “This is just the first step,” Jaeger said, meaning the Board has not decided yet if they want to sell the garage or rent it.
“We need to figure out what to do with the Watipi building,” Jaeger said. The Board had already decided at the February meeting to close it down next winter. Jaeger said that he would notify the local American Legion Post officers of the decision, the Legion meets at the Watipi, and also inform the Berlin Senior Club that they can move down to the municipal facility in Cherry Plain. “There is plenty of room,” he said. The Berlin Seniors would have to change their meetings from Wednesday night, though, because that is Court night. “They can move to Tuesday nights,” Jaeger said, “no one else is using it then.”
Board Member Tara Cinney asked if anyone had contacted Eagle Energy to find out their fuel charges. Using a local energy supplier was suggested by Kent Goodermote at February’s Board meeting. Jaeger asked Cinney, “Would you like to do it?” She said, “Ok.” Perhaps Jaeger has used up all his energy promoting national and state political issues.[/private]