New Highway Superintendent Appointed
by Doug La Rocque
The town of Brunswick has been without a working Highway Superintendent for more than a year now, when Brandon Hill was seriously injured and unable to perform most, if not all, of his duties. Deputy Highway Superintendent Ed O’Donnell has been filling in, with help from experienced persons. Town Supervisor Phil Herrington however, has stated that the town needs a full time superintendent on site, and to that end, the board at its Thursday, November 8 meeting approved the appointment of Terry Scriven, for a term that will expire on December 31, 2021.
New Basketball Court
For a number of years, residents of Brunswick have been asking about an outdoor basketball court for both youths and adults. It now exists at the Brunswick Community Center on Keyes Lane.
The work was done by Area Contractors, with the Highway Department providing the top soil and seeding the area around the court.
Taxes Will Go up Slightly
There was no tax increase in Brunswick last year, but there was also no COVID-19 pandemic. As has been chronicled in The Eastwick Press many times over the summer, the shutdown this spring of many businesses, has resulted in potential loss of state aid and a decreased sales tax revenue. That, according to supervisor Herrington, has meant some cuts and a tax hike of 1.9% in the tentative budget, which is under the state’s tax cap. The town is also facing a 6% hike in health insurance costs. Despite this, Supervisor Herring told the meeting, he does not see any cutbacks in services or layoffs of town employees. He added it is only the sixth time in his 27 years in office, he has had to raise taxes. The board scheduled a public hearing on the budget for Thursday, November 5 at 5:30 pm at the town hall.
Water for Sharpe Road Development
The council has approved the extension of the Brunswick Water district to cover the new homes being built on Sharpe Road. The extension was part of the negotiations before the Brunswick Planning Board, which agreed to the subdivision, with a condition the developer offer water from the district to neighboring homes, which were concerned about the subdivision’s impact on the quality and volume of their wells. The board also approved a resolution establishing the Sharpe Road Subdivision Drainage District.
Remembering Joe Bruno
Supervisor Herrington made the motion to adjourn the meeting in honor of the late Senator Joe Bruno, who passed away on October 9. He noted that “Joe” had been a strong supporter of upstate New York, and in particular, his own community of Brunswick. He noted he was good friends with many of the current Board and a close neighbor to many in the room. The Supervisor noted the Senator was proud to say he was from Brunswick, not Troy as his mailing address indicated.