Local News

submitted by Town Clerk Anne Maxon, compiled by Kieron Kramer

The Berlin Town Board met on January 2, 2014, at 7 pm for the Organizational Meeting. Members present were Town Supervisor Rob Jaeger, Councilwoman Tara Fisher, Councilman Stephen Riccardi and Councilman Dean Maxon. Councilman John Winn was absent.

Town Officers And Salaries

Supervisor – Robert Jaeger – $8,240

Bookkeeper – Maureen Seel – $8,281

Town Clerk – Anne Maxon – $9,894

Council Members – $2,000 each (4)

Highway Superintendent – James Winn – $40,600

Deputy Highway Superintendent – Donald Sweet – $15.97 per hour until changed by contract negotiations

Highway Employees – $15.45 per hour until changed by contract negotiations

Justices – Joe Rechen and Donald Sweet – $6,503 each

Justice Clerk – Elizabeth Miller – $5,349

Code Enforcement Officer – Walter A. (Allan) Yerton (appointed at the January 9 regular meeting) – $9,500

Board of Assessors Chair – Patty Baretsky – $7,103

Assessors – Stanley Pettibone II  and vacancy – $5,883 each

Chair of the Planning Board – Pamula Gerstel – $150

Planning Board Members (4) – $50 each

Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals – J. Nicholas Adams – $150

Zoning Board of Appeals Members (4) – $50 each

Board of Review Members (3) – $100 each

Tax Collector – Pamela DeShane – $3,226

Registrar – Anne M. Maxon – $200

Deputy Registrar – Arietta K. Jaeger

Town Attorney – Donald Tate – $5,550

Dog Control Officer – Doug Goodermote – $5,610

Water District #1 Superintendent – Leonard Clapp Jr. – $5,000

Water District $2 Superintendent – James Winn – $10,000

Head Transfer Station Attendant – Ivan Wager – $14.90 per hour

Transfer Station Attendants – Maurice (Kipper) Maxon and Allison J. Hall Sr. – $12.41 per hour with substitute Rose Orenstein on call.

Water Rent Collector for Water District #2 – Anne Maxon – $1,100

Custodian of 65 S. Main St, 17563 NY 22 and the Watipi Bldg. – Rose  Orenstein – $8 per hour

Town Historian – Sharon Klein – $800

Official Newspaper – The Eastwick Press (Troy Record  as alternate)

Official Depository – Key Bank

Other Appointments And Motions

Tara Fisher was appointed on January 1 as Deputy Supervisor by Supervisor Jaeger to perform duties as outlined by Town Law in the event the Supervisor is not available.

Committees

Youth Commission – Dean Maxon

Buildings – Rob Jaeger and Stephen Riccardi

Highway – John Winn and Dean Maxon

Disaster Plan – Ivan Wager

Comprehensive Plan – Tara Fisher

Chain of Command list for the people to be contacted for authority to act in an emergency – Supervisor Robert Jaeger, Deputy Supervisor Tara Fisher, Councilman Dean Maxon, Councilman John Winn, Councilman Stephen Riccardi, Highway Superintendent James Winn and Deputy Highway Superintendent Donald Sweet.

Monthly Town Board meetings set for the second Thursday of each month at the Town of Berlin Municipal Center at 7:30 pm and to provide for Town Board and public review of vouchers/bills starting at 7 pm the same night.

Monthly Town Board workshop meetings set for the fourth Thursday of each month at the Town of Berlin Municipal Center at 7 pm (if required).

Polling Places – Districts #1 and #2 – Town of Berlin Municipal Center pending County approval

Hourly rates for equipment and labor – Backhoe – $50, Dump truck – $80, Labor $15.45 – for work performed by the Highway Department for Water District #2.

Spending limit for the Highway Superintendent set at $2,000 without prior approval of the Town Board.

Petty cash fund for the Town Clerk set at $200.

Mileage rate set at $.56 per mile for use of a personal vehicle for Town business when authorized by the Town Board.

Supervisor Jaeger was authorized to pay the utility bills and health insurance bills when received.

The Fourth of July Parade Committee was authorized to plan and hold the Fourth of July Parade.

Allison J. Hall Sr. was appointed to remove snow at 65 S. Main St., 17563 NY 22 and the Watipi Bldg. sidewalks – $8 per hour

The Town of Berlin Procurement Policy was approved.

The use of Town Highway equipment, manpower and materials on private property was authorized in extreme emergency in the event that first responders or other emergency personnel are not able to access the property.

Payroll deduction for Highway employees’ health insurance maintained at 15% of total cost of policy

Supervisor instructed to file the annual report and to submit the report within 60 days after the close of the fiscal year to the State Comptroller and the Town Clerk and require the Town Clerk make  a summary available for inspection within 10 days of filing

submitted by Melissa Putterman Hoffmann

The Annual Berlin Community Clothing Swap will take place on Thursday, January 23, from 2:30 to 5:30 pm and Saturday, January 25, from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm  in the cafeteria at Berlin Middle School/High School.  According to Dianne Mosher, coordinator of the Winter Forum on Families in Need and a Family and Consumer Science teacher at Berlin Middle/High School, the Clothing Swap began six years ago when a group of concerned citizens from the community and staff from the Berlin schools were identifying the needs of families in a time that was becoming increasing economically stressful.

The Clothing Swap, now in its sixth year, serves families in the Berlin Central School District and surrounding community.  Community members are invited to donate gently worn clothing for all age groups, as well as take any clothing they can use.

No donation of clothing is necessary in order to take clothing – the point of the event is to provide clothing to anyone in need.  Dorothy Stall, school nurse and Winter Forum member, explained, “The clothing swap is for everyone.  We all know how fast kids grow – often outgrowing clothes before they wear them out.  Additionally, how many times have you bought something for your child that makes them say ‘you don’t expect me to wear that, do you?’  That’s the reason you might even find clothes with tags still on them at the swap.  Many of our teens these days enjoy the outfits they can put together from second-hand shops.  This makes shopping local. So come see what you can find, and if you have things you can donate, bring them along.”  For more information, contact Melissa Putterman Hoffmann at 658-2515 x227.

The tremendous generosity the residents of Berlin have shown in support of the Berlin Community Food Closet is appreciated. However, the much colder temperatures we have experienced so far this winter has resulted in a surge of requests for assistance with kerosene, fuel oil and electrical bills, which have greatly depleted our funds.

If you are able to do so, please consider making a donation to the Berlin Community Food Closet so that we can continue to provide for the needy in our community. You may send donations to the Berlin Community Food Closet, P.O. Box 284, Berlin, NY, 12022.