It’s Mud Season In Town
By Thaddeus Flint
The roads are muddy, the Highway Department is getting a new truck, and the Library is making it financially attractive to return anything you might have been meaning to return—but just haven’t had the time yet—since from around the end of World War II. These were the important topics of the March 18 Stephentown Board Meeting, as the Town seem to be returning to those times that were less contentious and less expensive.
The Highway Department will be getting a 2019 four wheel drive pickup from Carmody Ford of Greenwich sometime after all the mud goes away. The Board voted with all in favor of accepting a bid—the only bid—from Carmody for $36,520 to provide the new truck. The Town received a 5% discount, and with a possible trade in value of around $10,000 for the old truck, Highway Superintendent Aldi Goodermote pronounced the bid as being “probably the best deal you will ever get,” although he didn’t appear overly excited about it one way or the other. Goodermote said he expects to see the truck “probably before July.”
In the meantime, the old truck will be used as the Highway Department does its best to keep things from returning to the old days. “I remember we used to throw down pallets and walk in,” said Goodermote of some dirt roads that used to slurp down cars, and sometimes even the machines that came to pull them back out. Councilman Bill Jennings said he remembered alternate routes through the fields at Eckhardt’s farm as they were more drivable than the roads. So things might look bad, but they aren’t as bad as they could be. The water table is very high at the moment since, according to Goodermote. “We started this season back in November,” he said. The Highway Superintendent echoed what the New Lebanon’s Highway Superintendent, Jeff Winestock, said recently: Heavy vehicles, like garbage trucks, Consolidated line trucks all summer, and now Lewis tree trimming equipment this Spring, have all been giving the roads “a pounding.”
“We could use a dry April or May,” hoped Town Supervisor Larry Eckhardt.
“Be careful what you wish for,” replied Goodermote.
On the other hand, the Town could get another Hurricane Irene, pointed out the Supervisor. Just in case, the Board authorized Stephentown’s participation in the Rensselaer County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, which is supposed to help the Town get funding to fix things before an Irene so they won’t need as much funding rebuilding things after an Irene. There was actually an update to the previous plan, but now the County wants the contacts of whoever will be in charge when a future disaster hits. “Put your name first,” was the Highway Superintendent’s request to Supervisor Eckhardt.
Assuming disaster, at the very least, waits until fall to visit the only Stephentown On Earth, the Eckhardts will this year be hosting Rensselaer County’s Second Annual Farm Day Out on August 18. From 12 to 3 pm, Kinderhook Creek Farm will be demonstrating just how much time and labor actually goes into some of the crops that most people take for granted. Also, hay wagon rides! Eckhardt said the previous Farm Day Out, held in Berne, was attended by over a thousand people. The Supervisor added that such a crowd would actually be of some use to him, “chasing the bears out of the fields.”
The Stephentown Memorial Library is also planning for summer events. Previous Library Board President, Scott Menhinick, said they were “getting a head of steam up” as they begin preparations for this year’s Celebrate Stephentown weekend. The theme this year will be “We Are Stephentown” and emphasizes “everybody working together for the future of the Town,” said Menhinick. “We are excited to build on the successes of past years” added Menhinick.
Also in Library news, Director Kim Roppolo announced that they are making it easier than ever to return late items. Libraries have realized that people sometimes stop using local branches because of stuff they should have returned a long time ago, but didn’t, and now are afraid to, because they believe it might require a second mortgage on their house. The solution Stephentown’s library is offering is Fine Free Fridays. Bring back everything you happen to still have lying around, and if you no longer have any checked out items all late fees are waived. Basically the Library would love to have you back if you have stopped going. And it might get some interesting things back as well. Roppolo said someone recently returned a copy of Life Magazine they noticed was a bit late. It was overdue since the 1960s. There was an article on The Beatles in that issue which probably took some time to get through. The magazine was, however, returned before Fine Free Fridays began and as such was returned with a check. There was no word on whether or not someone had to refinance a house or two to cover that check.