by Kieron Kramer
An oddity at the Berlin Town Board meeting on Thursday, January 9, was that there was no Code Enforcement Officer report even though Allan Yerton was present at the meeting and even though the report appeared on the agenda as usual. No mention was made of it. About 40 minutes later Allan Yerton was re-appointed Code Enforcement Officer by the Board after a thirty minute executive session which Yerton attended. Until this appointment after the executive session there was, technically, no Code Enforcement Officer in Berlin and hence no report.
[private]Normally, this appointment is made at the organizational meeting, held this year on January 2, but not this time. Even though it was the topic of an executive session the reasons for Yerton’s delayed appointment could be gleaned from comments solicitated after the meeting. Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger said that the Board “had some issues it needed to resolve” about Yerton on January 2 and wanted to discuss the matter further with him. “These were perceived issues not necessarily actual issues,” Jaeger added. Whether the concern was one Board member’s or more was not revealed. “There were logistic issues with the process,” he said, “Some people from bigger companies expect a response right away.” It seems that Yerton did not respond in a timely fashion to an inquiry from a large business. “Everybody complains [about Town officials]; you’ll never make everybody happy,” Jaeger said. After the meeting, Yerton’s only comment was, “They wanted to have a conversation with me first; it’s no big deal.” Since the Board voted unanimously to re-appoint Yerton, it seems any Board member’s concerns were resolved. Competent Code Enforcement Officers are a rare breed in eastern Rensselaer County so it was in Berlin’s best interest to re-appoint Yerton.
Yerton did have a public comment at the end of the meeting – he announced that the T.V. show, Building Wild, on the small cabin built on Pat Sweeney’s land in Cherry Plain will be aired on the National Geographic Channel on January 28. He had recently seen an advertisement for the show in which Pat Bakaitis appeared. Check your local listings for the channel.
Historical Center Freezes Up
Jaeger announced that the heating system in the old Town Hall, now referred to as the Berlin Historical Center, had frozen sometime after the Monday before this meeting. He said, “We lost the furnace and the radiators,” and he suggested that cast iron radiators not be used in the future especially since he has new radiators that the Town could have for free.
The freeze up was somewhat mysterious. Apparently, the Historical Center was used for Yoga on the Monday before this meeting, and the heat was on. Jaeger said that the thermostats are programmable and weren’t changed. Having looked at it, Yerton said that he didn’t think the furnace is gone. Board Member Dean Maxon said, “We need to find out how this happened; if Main Care [the heating oil supplier] missed a delivery, they should be held responsible.” Someone said that the Main Care truck was seen at the building on Monday or Tuesday. Board Member Steve Riccardi, elected in November and returning to the Board after almost a 20 year hiatus as a civilian, said, “We should put a warning system in all the Town buildings,” except the Watipi which has been drained. “A warning system is inexpensive compared to the cost of repairs.”
Elm Street Bridge Project
Water District #2 Supervisor Jim Winn said that “everything is quiet in the District,” and he reported that the County will begin working on the Elm Street Bridge replacement this year. Part of the project will be the replacement of the Water District water main that runs across the span. The current six inch main will be replaced with a ten inch main up to Taylor Avenue. Winn’s understanding is that the advertisement for the project was published on the day of this meeting, but, unfortunately, it had the water main size wrong. This will be “straightened out,” Winn said, in the specifications given to the contractors bidding on the project. Jaeger said the project was “on target for this summer” and worried that if the construction lasts into July it will affect the July 4 parade which will have to be rerouted. Dean Maxon said that “the State is on the County to do it as soon as possible” which is why the ad was published now. “My impression is that the work may start even before school closes,” he said. Winn expects a June or July start.
Monstrous
As Highway Superintendent Jim Winn said, “We survived the monstrous snow storm last week – a big six inches.” The Highway Department has been using a lot of sand, but, luckily, the hard pack of the snow in the bitter cold did not result in a lot of ice, he said. He reported that the water pump on the front loader had been rebuilt for about $800; a new one would have cost around $1,600. Winn also said that there is a “glimmer of hope for Route 22.” He was referring to the stretch of that highway running south from Cherry Plain through Stephentown and into New Lebanon that is in such bad shape that some peoples’ cars have been damaged by the potholes. It has been “put on the books to do something this year,” he said. “They will start at Columbia County and work north, but at least it’s on the list of jobs to do,” Winn added.
Copacetic Kennel Contract
Dog Control Officer Doug Goodermote said he had been getting calls on missing dogs this past month, but most of the dogs went back home. He said that the State inspector went through the kennel and the paperwork and everything was okay. He said he was vindicated regarding the fracas he had with a neighboring town’s Dog Control Officer a while ago. The State inspector told Goodermote that she would have handled it the same way. When reviewing the kennel contract the inspector noticed that Goodermote would only charge $3 a day for boarding while everyone else gets $20 per day. “I told her I don’t charge anyway; I’m just a farmer used to working for nothing,” Goodermote said.
Pool May Be A Problem
Reporting on the Youth Commission activities Tammy Osterhout said that the dates for the summer recreation program had been set; it will begin on July 2 and run to July 25. The swimming program will depend on the Town of Hoosick pool availability. Hoosick is planning a major renovation of that facility, and Osterhout does not know if it will be finished before August so no dates have been set for the swimming program. If the program cannot take place at the Hoosick pool then it may not happen at all. The learn to swim program requires instructors. “Instructors don’t come cheap,” Osterhout said. The cost may be prohibitive. The Hoosick pool provides instructors but none of the other venues, the New Lebanon High School pool, the YMCA and the State Parks, do. Annette Bell is willing to be the Director of the swim program again this summer. She organizes the program, hires her own staff and coordinates the buses, Osterhout said, but she is not an instructor.
Transfer Station Contract With Petersburgh In Limbo
Transfer Station Head Attendant Ivan Wager was absent from this meeting so Town Supervisor Jaeger reported on his behalf. Wager will be going on his annual vacation the week after this meeting. Kipper Maxon will do the paperwork and supervise the container pick up. Wager will file the State paperwork from Florida.
Jaeger also announced that Petersburgh has paid Berlin for the last three months of transfer station fees but has not yet renewed the transfer station annual contract with Berlin. According to Jaeger, Petersburgh pays $1,000 a month and half of the monthly expenses to run the station. Petersburgh receives half of the money earned from recycling and gets income from selling its own tickets.
Planning Board, ZBA And Assessors
Jaeger announced that the Planning Board and ZBA computer, handed down from the Assessors office, has new software and is ready to use. They have no printer yet. The Assessors have a brand new computer, he said. Head of Assessors, Patty Baretsky, said, “Everything is working now.” She added that all the exemption notifications have been sent out and “we are waiting to hear back.” Jaeger said that the Town has received no responses to the advertisement asking for interested parties to fill the vacant assessor’s post. He suggested republishing the ad.
Workshop
David Keel, the forester for the Town, formerly of Wagner Forest Management, has requested to meet with the Board. This prompted Board Member Tara Fisher to ask if there was a workshop meeting this month that Keel could attend. Jaeger said that a workshop would be held on January 23 at 7 pm at the Municipal Complex.
Odds And Ends
Jaeger announced that the Town’s banking accounts have all “migrated” to the Key Bank in Hoosick Falls. He also announced that the Emergency Command Post had been relocated to the Complex and that, at Ivan Wager’s request, the County’s Fire Safety House trailer will be parked behind the garage at no charge to the County. The Fire Safety House trailer is taken to area schools to educate kids about fire safety. The bills were voted to be paid without any questions from the Board.
Berlin Bank Sign
The auction sign in front of the former Bank of America building on Route 22 and Elm Street, apparently, impedes the line of sight for drivers pulling onto Route 22 from Elm Street. This observation, made during the open discussion period, began the strange tale of the bank property. Dean Maxon said, “The sign should be gone since the bank has been bought.” The real estate rep from the company that bought the building has turned on some electricity and heat in it, Maxon said. Jaeger said that the phone number on the sign could be used to call about removing it. According to Maxon, the bank parking lot has been used as a drop for pizza deliveries and for tag sales for a flea market appearing on Facebook. Two parking slots were plowed for this use during the snowstorms. “It’s amazing what you see out your window,” Maxon said.
The meeting adjourned at 8:43 pm.[/private]