By Doug La Rocque
Members of the Berlin Town Board cannot stress enough the importance of residents of Berlin Water District # 2 returning the income surveys that were recently mailed to all those in the District. They are needed to help the district qualify for a grant to fund the estimated 2.5 million dollar cost of constructing a water tower, that the NYS Department of Health (DOH) says is required to avoid a permanent boil water order. The District may well be eligible for an interest rate of three percent or less on the loan portion of the grant from the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation. It is however, all dependent on the results of the survey, and there must be an 84 percent return rate for the survey to be valid.
These surveys are completely anonymous.
Approving a Bond Issue
After several minutes of discussion about the fairness of putting the entire town’s taxpayers on the line for the costs needed to build the water tower for just the Water District # 2 residents, the Board did vote unanimously to authorize the issuance of 2.5 million dollars in municipal bonds, as a backup to the hoped-for grant and loan. Town Attorney Don Tate explained the full faith and credit of the Town is required for such bonds, not just those that reside in the district. Supervisor Rob Jaeger said Cedarwood Engineering, who is handling the water tower project, is very optimistic about securing the grant and loan, as long as the required amount of surveys are returned, and the results show the District’s income levels meet all the requirements. If the grant and loan become reality, no bond will be issued.
Summertime Briefs
Once the water tower issue was resolved, the rest of the meeting moved right along, as meetings in the summer tend to do. The newly opened Stewart’s Shop was brought up during the discussion involving water meters for the District. A meter was installed at the store, but it appears it was placed on a discharge line, not the water line coming into the shop. It was noted that it will soon be fixed.
Highway Superintendent Jim Winn said his crews are still doing ditching, mowing is progressing, and he hopes to complete upgrades to a few roads in the next couple of weeks. He is still waiting on the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Army Corp of Engineers to issue a permit for the replacement of the Mattison Hollow Bridge. One of the hang-ups involved the cutting of three trees so a temporary road can be build while the bridge is out. Seems DEC needs to be certain the trees are not nesting habitat for the Northern Long Eared Bat.
Dog Control Officer Doug Goodermote received permission for a Fall Rabies Clinic, the specifics to be announced shortly. ZBA chair Nick Adams spoke on two points, clarifications needed to the Town’s mass gathering statute, and a request to construct another cell tower. The mass gathering issue is the result of a recent music festival held by the Beer Diviner on Bly Hollow Road. The crowd was estimated to be well below the 300-person limit currently in the town statutes. Mr. Adams noted there is space on existing towers in the Town for a new carrier. He also noted that Susan Womersley had resigned as the ZBA’s Secretary and as a member of the Board itself.
The Planning Board is still reviewing the current 1988 Land Use Regulations as well as the 2005 proposed changes that were rejected by the Town Board at that time. One issue raised is that the lines of demarcation between different zones in the Town need to be more clearly defined.
Town Clerk Anne Maxon turned over $5,429 in local, county and state funds, as well as $1,271 in non-local revenues.