Town Board Holds Year End Meeting
By Heidi Woofenden with Doug La Rocque
There were a number of items on the agenda for the board’s final meeting of 2020. They included awarding HVAC bids to Galusha HVAC LLC and Galusha Contracting, two separate companies operated by a father and son. The board also gave its unanimous approval to a resolution declaring New Lebanon to be a Purple Heart Community, in honor of all of those who where injured in combat while in military service. The board further approved lighting upgrades to town buildings and said yes to having solar credits applied to solar panels at the Town Hall. Auction International’s bids for surplus highway equipment was accepted as was the 2021 town insurance policy.
More Discourse Over Highway Department Purchases
After the town board refused to approve the purchase of a new payloader by Highway Superintendent Jeff Winestock back in November, citing NYS Highway Law 142 that certain purchases for highway equipment and supplies must first be approved by the board, the matter was revisited at the Year End Meeting. Superintendent Winesstock would like the board to adopt a provision in 2021, that would allow him to make purchases up to $10,000 without prior board approval. Law 142 does allow for the board to make such pre-approvals. The board was not ready to act on that at this meeting, wishing to discuss it first with its legal counsel. It may be brought back up at the January 1 re-organizational meeting.
Resignations and Appointments
The board accepted the resignations of Tegan Cook and Cynthia Creech from the various boards they served on, including Planning and the ZRC. The town will now accept applications for those positions, with interviews slated for February 6.
Giving Thanks
Town Clerk Marcie Robertson presented Town Supervisor Tistrya Houghtling with a bouquet of flowers, as an expression of thanks and gratitude for all the help she has given during Ms. Robertson’s first year as Town Clerk. Supervisor Houghtling was the Town Clerk for four years, prior to being elected Supervisor in November of 2019.