by Kieron Kramer
It’s all quiet on the Berlin front. At first, at the Berlin Town Board meeting on Thursday, March 13, various Town officers said that last month it was “all quiet” in Water District #2, in Code Enforcement, in Zoning appeals, in Youth Commission activities and at the transfer station. Well, not exactly. [private]There is a major upgrade to the water system in the works. Code Enforcement Officer Allan Yerton said that there were a couple of building permits issued. ZBA Chairman Nicholas Adams reported that he had been notified that the Vincents have acquired the bond needed to develop their mine on Plank Road. “So, in about two weeks we expect to resolve this issue,” he said. Tammy Osterhout said that she has heard nothing about the Hoosick Town Pool availability and the Youth committee is looking for alternative locations for the summer swim program. It’s “all quiet” at the transfer station, but Berlin and Petersburgh have not yet resolved their differences over the transfer station contract.
Sand And Salt And Paving Route 22
Highway Superintendent Jim Winn said, “We are salting, sanding and fixing stuff – that about sums it up.” He then said that the Department has been running the trucks hard and there have been some broken rims, blown wheel bearings, burst hoses and worn calipers which the Department has been fixing. Some of these breakdowns are caused by the weight of the snowplows and the rough road surface of Route 22 Winn asserted later in the meeting when the repaving of Route 22 by the NYSDOT was discussed after Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger read the letter from the DOT that was forwarded to him by County Legislator Stan Brownell, who represents District 5. The letter said, “We are scheduled to begin paving on Route 22 and Route 20 in the coming 2014 construction season. Route 22 will be paved from the Columbia County line north, 9.4 miles, to Cherry Plain. We are proposing to pave from Cherry Plain to Petersburgh in 2015.” This news was not well received by those at the meeting. No one was exactly sure how far into Cherry Plain the paving will go, but Jaeger said that it will go to the Cherry Plain southern boundary, not past BCS or to Bly Hollow Road. This won’t help the condition of the Highway Department’s trucks. Another year will go by until there is some relief to the drivers of Route 22 in Berlin.
Board Member Steve Riccardi asked Winn, “How are we as far as the winter snow fund goes.” Jaeger responded that the Snow Removal Fund is to cover snow plowing expenses until March 31 and that he had given the Board an accounting of the fund that Riccardi could look at.
Elm Street Bridge Resolution And Water District Upgrade
County Engineer Wayne Bonesteel attended the Board workshop on February 27 and presented the plans for the Elm Street Bridge replacement. The County will begin replacing the bridge, probably this June, and 80% of the expense will be covered by federal funds, 20% by State funds. At present the bridge carries a 6 inch water main across the Little Hoosic River. The Town wants to upgrade the water system serving customers on the east side of the river by replacing the 6 inch main with a 10 inch main. Unfortunately, the upgrade is considered a “betterment” and is therefore not eligible to be covered by the federal funding for the bridge replacement. The Town will have to pay $19,743 to replace the 6 inch main with a 10 inch main from Route 22 to Taylor Avenue on the other side of the river. A resolution, written by the County, authorizing Jaeger to enter into an agreement with the County wherein the Town reimburses the County for this expenditure, was presented and passed 3-0 at this meeting with Board Member Dean Maxon abstaining.
This is quite an inexpensive upgrade; most of the expense for engineering and construction and removal will be borne by the federal and State funding. The Town’s share will also cover all the new shut-off valves for the new main as well as the service hook-ups to the buildings from Route 22 to Taylor Avenue, Water District #2 Supervisor Jim Winn said. The new valves will give the Town more flexibility when repairs are needed on either side of the river, and the increased water volume should solve many of the water pressure problems on the higher ground on the east side of Town. This is one of the many upgrades that are needed by the Town water system, many of which will be quite expensive.
Barking
Dog Control Officer Doug Goodermote said that people who phone in anonymous complaints give him the house address but he has a difficult time finding the location. The 911 numbers are not always visible. Goodermote said he would rather have the name of the person or a description of the location. He also reminded everybody that a rabies clinic is coming soon. He said it is a little early this year; it’s on April 3, but the date depends on the veterinarian’s schedule.
Frozen Eggs?
Tammy Osterhout announced that the annual Easter egg hunt would be held on Sunday, April 13, at 1 pm. Because of the harshness of this winter, she was immediately teased about the event. Jaeger joked, “Hot cider will be provided.” A number of others gave her some good natured ribbing.
According to Osterhout, an optimist, who just took an inventory of supplies for the summer arts and recreation program, that program has a backlog of supplies and won’t need more.
Transfer Station
Supervisor Jaeger reported that after the workshop on February 27 he had “extended an offer” to the Town of Petersburgh Board to have a meeting at 6 pm on March 27 before the next Berlin Board workshop. The meeting is contingent on receiving more information from Petersburgh about their concerns with the transfer station contract. After Thursday’s meeting Jaeger and Town Board Member Tara Fisher said that they wanted to go into the meeting with an agenda already set. “I know they want to talk about the $1,000 per month fee,” Jaeger said. He said that as of this evening he has no more information. Only Petersburgh Board Member Denise Church had responded, and Siegfried has not yet confirmed the meeting, Jaeger said.
FCCLA Request
In the workshop Tammy Osterhout requested that $1,080 from the fund established by Margaret Kinn’s bequest be used to sponsor four kids to the FCCLA Leadership Conference in Syracuse. This doesn’t touch tax dollars or revenue, she said at Thursday’s meeting. Their fundraising fell short this year but, Osterhout said, “We have already spoken about how to replace the money.”
The Board voted 3-0 to sponsor the students with Board Member Dean Maxon abstaining since one of the students is family.
Security Cameras
Fisher asked Jaeger about the security cameras that the Board voted last month to install. Jaeger said that BJ’s has an eight camera set for $379 with 60 feet of cable for each camera. He suggested that one be put in the judges’ chamber, one in the Town Clerk’s Office, one aimed at the back door of the Town Hall and the rest focused outside, two being affixed to the outside of the front entrance to the Town Hall.
Odds And Ends
Town Clerk Anne Maxon will attend the insurance workshop in Petersburgh on the Wednesday after this meeting.
Pat Shuhart has resigned as Secretary of the Board of Assessment Review (BAR) so a secretary is now needed for that body. The BAR is also two members short; people are needed.
Jaeger said that he has 53 feet of radiator that he will donate to replace the damaged heating system in the Berlin Historical Center.
The Board voted to pay all bills as read.
The Justice Audit was held right after the workshop. At this meeting the Board voted 4-0 to accept the audit. Dean Maxon said, “I can vote on this one!”
Kudos To The Highway Department
“The Highway Department is doing a great job,” said John Keller at the end of the meeting. Jaeger, who drives a school bus on the sometimes treacherous Berlin roads, agreed wholeheartedly. A letter of gratitude from the Friends of the Cherry Plain State Park and the Taconic Hiking Club thanked the Department for plowing out the entrance to the Park on the Friends’ sponsored Outdoor Day and for clearing the hiker parking areas on Green Hollow and Mattison Hollow roads.
Winn said, “The young guys are doing a great job. They were very gung-ho, but it’s getting a little old.”
In Memory Of Leo Goodermote
The meeting began with a standing moment of silence in memory of Leo Goodermote, a Berlin fixture, who died suddenly on March 3.[/private]