by David Flint
There seems to be a resurgence of community spirit in Stephentown. Following the opening of three new businesses in Town recently – Cinch’m Up Stables, the Beer Diviner Taproom & Market and Knuckleheads Restaurant – a Beautification Committee is now being formed. The latter was instigated by a most generous offer from Burt and Alice Swersey to donate hundreds of trees and shrubs from their Shadowbrook Nursery – a business now being phased out – to beautify the downtown area. [private]Swersey has already placed about a dozen plants around the Town Hall. These include rhododendron, mountain laurel, spirea, a Japanese tree lilac, a shrub maple and a gold thread cypress. They have not been put in the ground yet, and, in the meantime, a group of volunteers has been seeing
to it that they are watered every day. Swersey intends to donate hundreds of additional plants. His vision is “to have a roadway filled with hundreds of flowering shrubs, from the circle in front of Madden’s, all the way to the Library and Town Hall, and even beyond, so that Stephentown becomes known for beautiful flowering plants, integrated throughout the Town.”
The Town Board discussed Swersey’s offer at its Workshop meeting on July 8 and again at their regular meeting on July 15. The Board decided that a citizens Beautification Committee is needed to work with Swersey and volunteers, coordinate with the Town Board and Highway Department and with landowners and Town organizations and see to it that the plantings receive continuing care. This will be an ongoing committee, much like the Beautification Committee that was established in recent years in the Town of Berlin. Kevin Carpenter of the civic organization Community Stephentown agreed to head up this committee and a sign up sheet for other volunteers was passed around at the meeting.
Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt said that the Town Board would support the Committee in any way it can, including facilitating applications for grant money and possibly with some small amount of direct financial support, but the responsibility of arranging for the plantings and their upkeep will lie with the Committee itself.
It was noted that Millie Smith, who has volunteered her services for a number of years in maintaining the little Town park at the intersection of Routes 22 and 43, would now like to step down from that responsibility. The Board suggested that the Beautification Committee might take over that responsibility as well.
Solar Power Considered
The Town is considering going green in another way too. Eckhardt said that he and Councilman Bill Jennings met recently with Monolith Solar to discuss the feasibility of installing solar panels on Town buildings. These would be photovoltaic panels under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) whereby Monolith would own, install and maintain them and in turn provide electricity to the Town at a rate typically reduced about 25% from the current rate. Interestingly, Eckhardt said that it turns out that the most appropriate roof space might be the Transfer Station shed and one of the most appropriate spots might be the old landfill area adjacent to the Transfer Station.
Jennings said the Town has much more solar collecting capability, i.e. roof space, than they could use for such a system. It can be designed to provide only up to 110% of the electricity the Town uses, and the Town buildings don’t use all that much. But Eckhardt said that even if the system produced enough to drop the Town out of the commercial rate category of usage which incurs a “demand charge” that would constitute a major savings in the electric bill.
Professional Planner
The Board last month authorized Eckhardt to work with its attorney in drafting a Request for Proposals to retain a professional planner to guide the Town in developing a Comprehensive Plan. Eckhardt said he had just received the RFP from Dreyer Boyajian. When the Board has had a chance to review it, it will be available on the Town website.
Simplifying Recycling
Jennings reported that ERCSWMA is urging that the Transfer Station go to Single Stream Recycling, meaning that cardboard and paper would be included in the same bin with cans, bottles and glass. Going this route would get the Town a $40 credit per ton for recyclables. ERCSWMA calculates that the Town got $274 in 2012 for recyclables but would have received $3,760 if the SSR plan were in effect. Other towns adopting this plan have also found additional savings in that they have less non-recyclable waste to be hauled away. Jennings felt the proposal would benefit the Town, but it will be discussed further at the next Workshop meeting.
The Board is still considering withdrawing from ERCSWMA when the Town’s 20-year contract expires in October of next year. Councilman PJ Roder noted that the Town pays an annual membership fee of $14,000. Was the Town getting much for that? “Probably not,” he concluded.
Town Hall Refurbishment
One proposal was received for painting and refurbishing the Town Hall. Eckhardt said it would be discussed at the next Workshop meeting once the Board has had a chance to look it over.
Uniform Service Won’t Be Renewed
Councilman John Meekins drafted a letter of notice to the Unifirst Corporation that the Town’s contract with them for providing uniforms to the Highway Department will be terminated when it expires at the end of the year. The Board will decide whether to continue on State contract with another company or to put the contract out to bid for next year. Eckhardt said that Unifirst wanted a five year contract but also wanted a built in annual increase of 5%.
Route 22 Generating Anger
The condition of Route 22 from Petersburgh to New Lebanon continues to deteriorate and the topic comes up often at Town Board meetings. A comment from Billy Hammersmith that NYSDOT is not considering resurfacing the road until 2017 generated a good bit of angry remarks. Hammersmith said that Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin
recommends that businesses and individuals write letters of protest and post comments on his Facebook page
Eckhardt said that the Town Supervisors Association met with NYSDOT. “Between myself and Rob Jaeger and Ziggy Krahforst, we gave them an earful on what this means out here.” Milk truck companies, he said, are taking Route 346 over to Route 7 in order to avoid the wretched conditions on Route 22. People are having to realign their cars frequently. People are also avoiding campgrounds on Route 22 because it’s too rough. Eckhardt said his own farming equipment has been taking a beating. He told, too, about a milk truck driver he encountered by Cumberland Farms. He had a roll of duct tape and was trying to tape the headlight of his truck back into the fender because the crappy roadbed had jarred it loose.
NYSDOT Region 1 Spokesman Bryan Viggiani confirmed on Wednesday that this section of road is on the list for resurfacing, but not until 2017. “We do recognize the need for resurfacing out there,” he said but added that the Department has to cope with computing priorities throughout the eight county region.
Resolutions Passed
The Board approved a request that NYSEG install a new street light at the intersection of Route 43 and Madden Road. The Fire Department has warned that this is a very dark and dangerous spot when they have to set up Provost Road as a detour.
The Board designated the New York Secretary of State as the local government agent for service of notices of claims.
The Board authorized the Town Clerk to advertise for the position of Town Assessor with resumes and letters of interest due back by Friday, August 9. Eckhardt said that every Town’s appointed Assessor position expires on September 30 and all are for a six year term.
The Board voted to accept closed bids for the Highway Department’s excess 2004 F350 4×4 diesel pickup with plow, with the minimum bid set at $1,000. Bids are due in the Town Clerk’s Office on Friday, August 9.
The Board authorized the payment of the new International dump truck purchase from Town reserves pending receipt of funds from the recently authorized Bond Anticipation Note.
Deposits & Spending
The Town Clerk turned over the sum of $461.10 to the Supervisor for the month of June. The distribution from the Office of the State Comptroller, Justice Court Fund to the Town was $1,567.46
The Transfer Station deposited a total of $6,342 for the month of June.
The Board audited and approved claims in the amount of $129,653.96 from the General Account and $26,024.41 from the Highway Account.
The Board set their next workshop meeting for Monday, August 12 and their next regular meeting for Monday, August 19, both meetings to start at 7 pm.[/private]