“Ratify or Decertify”
By Doug La Rocque
Those were the words of Grafton Town Councilmember Eric Buckley to Highway Superintendent Herb Hasbrouck, and by extension to Teamsters Local 294 that represents the Highway Department employees. According to Mr. Buckley, the town and the union reached a gentleman’s handshake agreement on an initial contract back in July, but the union has yet to ratify it. And it is the wage scale contained in this agreement that appears to be preventing the town from hiring Commercial Drivers License employees, something it has been in search of for some time. According to Mr. Hasbrouck, he has had several CDL applicants apply for the job, but they all want to start at $18 an hour. That union contract agreement calls for a $15 wage. Mr. Buckley says he sees no legal way for the town to hire new employees at a rate higher than current employees would be making. He also says that through Town Attorney Sal Ferlazzo, they have been pushing the union for a ratification vote, but with no success. Mr. Hasbrouck says he is not part of the union and was also not part of the town’s negotiating committee, and has no influence in the matter. Councilmember Buckley says the union needs to accept or reject the agreement, or decertify the union, so the town can move forward on hiring highway department personnel. Currently, the town has but one full-time employee and some part-time help. Mr. Buckley also expressed his concern that the town spent over $14,000 in legal fees and countless hours to hammer out the agreement, that he fears may all be for naught.
Snow Removal Concerns
Superintendent Hasbrouck told the Board he is working out the details to have the town contract out some of the wintertime snow removal, but that he and Attorney Ferlazzo have not yet hammered out all the details. The Town Board hopes to have a private contractor handle the northeast portion of the town, including the Babcock Lake area. As it has often been known to snow in October in Grafton, The Eastwick Press asked Superintendent Hasbrouck, if it snows now, will people see Town of Grafton trucks on the roads? He answered, emphatically, “yes.”
The New Ambulance is on the Horizon
Earlier this month, three members of the Grafton Rescue Squad traveled to New Jersey to check on the progress of the new ambulance, and reported back that all is going well. After nearly two years of haggling back and forth with New York State over a $150,000 grant obtained by the office of outgoing State Senator Kathy Marchione, the squad says it expects delivery of the new vehicle during the first week of December.
It’s Town Budget Time
The Town Board will get its first look at Supervisor Ingrid Gundrum’s preliminary 2019 budget at a workshop scheduled for Monday, October 29 at 6:30 pm at the Town Hall. If all goes well with the process, there will be a public hearing at 6 pm on Wednesday, November 8. Asked how the budget is shaping up, Ms. Gundrum said it is still a work in progress, but of course the goal remains to minimize or eliminate any tax increase.
Department Reports
Assessor David Galarneau reported the work on the 2019 Reassessment is on schedule, and most will begin to see their new numbers mailed to them in January. He is planning a meeting from 5 to 6:45 pm on Wednesday, October 24. The Grafton Community Library continues to grow, with over 500 patrons in September.
Codes Enforcement Officer Tom Withcuskey said there are 35 new building permits out year to date, he is working on a couple of possible demolitions, and that a codes violation situation on Mill Street will probably result in tickets being issued. Town resident Mike Salway asked why Planning Board minutes were not up to date on the website. Ms. Gundrum said they were all available at the Town Hall but that she would ask the town secretary to put them on the web site as well. The Town Clerk’s office turned over a check for $2,700.65 in revenues for September.