by Kieron Kramer
Toward the end of the Berlin Town Board meeting on Thursday, March 12, Richard VonSchilgen thanked the Town for its response to his complaint about rats in his rental units on Main Street across from the Town Hall, a problem, he says, that is caused by a neighbor who dumps refuse and garbage in the lot behind VonSchilgen’s building.
He said that late last year a tenant noticed some cookies missing from her counter and asked the landlord if he had a key. The tenant may have smelled a landlord, but the landlord smelled a rat. VonSchilgen set out a series of traps, and, two weeks ago, he discovered one snapped on a rat.
VonSchilgen said that the County Health Department was unresponsive to his complaints, although Code Enforcement Officer Allen Yerton said he was going to meet with a County Health Department official about it. Yerton said that there are codes that can be enforced regarding the dumping. Unfortunately, the owner lives out of state, he said. VonSchilgen said that the DOH had told him to go to the animal control officer. This caused a round of guffaws because everybody knows that Doug Goodermote is a dog control officer; he doesn’t control cats, turkeys, fish, ferrets, goats or geese. Rats are definitely out. Unfortunately, a rat infestation is no laughing matter. It is unhealthy, dangerous and hard to get rid of.
Town Board To Meet Twice A Month
The Berlin Town Board will meet twice a month for the next three months to see if the extra monthly meeting will increase communication between Town Officials. The Board will also work on developing the five year plan at these extra meetings. The meetings will be held on the fourth Thursday of the month, March 26, April 23 and May 28, at 7 pm in the Watipi Building. If it works well the second meeting will become a fixture for the long term. Town Supervisor Robert Jaeger said that the meeting is a workshop, that it is open to the public and that all major decisions will continue to be made during the regular meeting. He added that there are not many seats at the Watipi Building and people should dress warmly.
The move to meet twice a month was instigated by Deputy Supervisor Carl Greene in response to last month’s Board meeting in which it was clear that the lines of communication between the Highway Committee, the Highway Superintendent and the other members of the Board were obviously frayed. The bone of contention then was Highway Superintendent Winn’s purchase of a sand screen for the recently purchased truck at a cost of $1,800 and for which he thought he had Board approval. Greene in a two page single-spaced typed letter to the other Board members argued that to avoid misunderstandings like this, the Board should act as a “committee of the whole” in all areas rather than continue with the committee system now in place. Jaeger, realizing that this could also implement his desire to develop a five year plan, got on board right away. Upon seeing the letter, Board members asked Greene if he ever slept. “Sleep is over-rated,” he said. Then Winn asked him, “How old will the baby be?” Carl Greene recently became a dad.
Water Rates To Rise
In an effort to balance the revenues and expenditures in Water District #2, the water system that supplies most of center Berlin, the Board is proposing a water rate increase. Both water districts in Berlin are supposed to be fully funded by the users in the districts. For the last several years the Town has been pumping money into Water District #2, $2,820 in 2007, $5,339 in 2008. According to figures that Board Member Sheila Hewitt provided, the projected expenditures in 2009 will be around $11,000 unless the rates are increased. The expenses for Water District #2 include the salaries of the Water Supervisor, Jim Winn, the water tax collector, Ann Maxon, water quality testing, chemical additives, maintenance and repairs and, most expensively, electricity to run the pump.
Jaeger said the rate increase would amount to $15.60 per quarter or $62.40 per year per household. Hewitt added that these figures were based on one kitchen, one bath, a dishwasher and an outside faucet per household. Jaeger wants to decide this soon so that the Fire District and the School District can plan their budgets with the new rate. A public hearing on the rate increase was scheduled for 7 pm in the Town Hall before the next regular Board meeting on April 9.
CHIPS Funding To Stay The Same
Highway Superintendent Jim Winn reported that the roads are soft but not as soft as in other towns, that one tandem had a leak in the fuel pump and that the yoke on the loader had to be replaced. He said that the price of stone from Callanan’s is going up but the County bids are due in April “so we’ll see.” He said that inspectors from FEMA had visited and determined that the debris and damage from the December ice storm is not as bad as elsewhere, but Winn is pretty sure that Berlin will get some FEMA money.
Winn said he had heard good news from Grafton Highway Superintendent Sandy Hasbrouck, who attended the NYS County Highway Superintendent’s Association advocacy day, that the CHIPS (Consolidated Highway Improvement Program) funding would remain the same as last year. At first the State had predicted a 42% cut, Winn said, but “this is our share of the stimulus package.”
Winn asked authorization from the Board to rent a road broom to sweep sand off the paved roads in Town. The sweeper costs $1,200 per month, and Berlin usually rents it for a month, but the sweeping might take longer if there is a lot of sand left on the roads. The broom is oversubscribed so if we reserve it now we will get it when it’s time to sweep, Winn said. The Board authorized him to rent the sweeper.
Winn asked the Board if they wanted to continue renting garage space from Hudson River Hardwoods, LLC, formerly Cowee’s. The garage space has been rented in winter because it is big enough to house the Town snowplows, thereby avoiding removal of the plows every night to get the trucks under cover. The Town has been paying $300 per month from December through March to use the space. Board Member George Shuhart said, “We’ve got to have someplace to put those trucks.” Jaeger asked Winn to talk to Tara Fisher, Hudson Hardwoods manager, to find out what an annual rate for the garage space might be. “We can take care of it at the workshop,” Jaeger said.
Vic Lewin reported for the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) that they have not heard from the Town’s engineer yet regarding the siting of a cell tower on Satterlee Hollow Road. He is hopeful that more information will be available by the date of the next ZBA meeting on March 19 at 7:30 pm in the Town Hall. A bill for $6,020 from Peter Henner, the attorney representing the Town, has been received. Verizon is responsible for the Town’s expenses during the permitting process and has deposited a bond and a $5,000 working fund to cover the expenses. Jaeger said he would call Mike Cusack, the Verizon lawyer, to have more money deposited. Jaeger also announced that Dave Carter and Dave Theriault have indicated their interest in serving as the alternate member on the ZBA. The ZBA will meet with the applicants on March 19.
Rabies Clinic Set
Dog Control Officer Doug Goodermote announced a rabies clinic for Thursday, April 23, at the Berlin Highway Garage. All vaccines – rabies, dog-DHLPP and cat-FURCP – will cost $10, cash only. Cats will be inoculated from 6 to 7 pm, and dogs from 7 to 8 pm. Call Goodermote at 658-3308 with questions. If this clinic is not heavily attended, then it will be the only clinic offered this year.
In the past month Goodermote has picked up two dogs. He found the owner of one, the other will go to the dog pound. It was the subject of an animal cruelty complaint so Goodermote and a NY State Trooper investigated. Goodermote said, “I couldn’t find much wrong.” But, according to Goodermote, another dog officer in the County chipped in and “stirred the pot.” The dog owner, who lives on Berlin Mountain, didn’t want to fight it, Goodermote added.
Charter Bankrupt
Jaeger announced that he had finally received a letter from Charter Communications, the company that holds the expired cable TV franchise with Berlin. According to Jaeger, the letter stated that Charter is going into voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April in order to reorganize and reduce its debt by $8 billion. He suggested that the Town put the issue of the cable TV franchise on hold.
LHWA Meeting
Carl Greene reported that the Little Hoosic Watershed Association (LHWA) will meet on March 19 at 7 to deal with two big issues. The constitution and the bylaws of the Association will be amended to match the requirements of the 501C3 application for non-profit status which is ready to be filed when the amendments are made. The US Fish and Wildlife representatives who inspected the Little Hoosic River have chosen and designed four priority projects to be sent to the DEC for approval. “These things are moving along because of the hard work of volunteers, especially Claudia Kavenaugh; she has done a tremendous amount of work,” Greene said.
Stimulus Money For Southeast Hollow Bridge
Jaeger said that he would apply on line for stimulus funds for the repair of the Southeast Hollow Bridge which he identified as the Town’s number one infrastructure priority. He said he would like to include local contractors in the project so the application will meet a criterion of creating new jobs. The other criteria would be that the project is “shovel ready,” the Town has already spent $9,000 on engineering studies, and it is planned to start this summer. Also, the project meets the cost avoidance criterion with an expenditure of $80,000 for the large concrete culvert instead of the $500,000 estimated to replace the bridge with a similar structure. Due to DEC regulations of waterways the replacement of the bridge cannot begin until June 15 and must end by September 15. “All they can do is say no,” Jaeger said of the stimulus money application.
In other business:
• Sheila Hewitt announced that the Comprehensive Plan Committee will meet on April 13 at 7 pm in the Library. “Make yourself heard,” she said. Jaeger said that the $25,000 NYS grant for the Comprehensive Plan did not come through.
• The Board asked Winn get estimates to install an auto-switch on the water pump.
• Jaeger announced that the Town audit has been filed and is in good shape thanks to Maureen Seel and Sheila Hewitt.
• The Board heard from Kent Goodermote that more of the recently installed sidewalk is crumbling.
• Sheila Hewitt asked if something could be done about the Hartnett House, which is in bad enough shape to be dangerous. The owner received a demolition permit 4 or 5 years ago, according to Hewitt. Code Enforcement Officer Allen Yerton wondered how the Town established the length of its demolition permits, which is 3 years. It was guessed that George Avery began this policy when he was Code Enforcement Officer years ago. Yerton said that the term of most demolition permits is 30 to 90 days. The Board agreed that Yerton should study the issue and make a recommendation for a new term for the permit at the next regular Board meeting.
• Hewitt announced that a new business would open soon on Main Street in Berlin, Vonadeau Wine and Spirits.