by David Flint
Stephentown Town Supervisor Tom Sherman lost out to Larry Eckhardt at the Republican Caucus in his bid to be nominated for a second term. But it was Councilman Eckhardt who presented a plaque to Sherman at the Town Board meeting Monday evening, marking his last meeting and honoring him for his years of service. Eckhardt noted that Sherman had served four years on the Town Board and
another two years as Supervisor. “He was at the helm in interesting times and led the Town through some uncharted territory, including the flood last summer,” Eckhardt said, to the applause of all those attending. Sherman said it had been a privilege. “I really appreciate how everyone pitched in and made sacrifices to make the last two years happen, with reduced taxes two years in a row. Thanks.”
DOT Recommends Pease Road Bridge Be Demolished
Sherman reported that he and Highway Superintendent Aldy Goodermote had met earlier this month with two engineers from the State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) at the Pease Road Bridge. Following that meeting he had received a letter from NYSDOT Regional Planning & Program Manager Robert Hansen along with historical documentation regarding the closing of the bridge. The letter said that the bridge had been closed in 1988 following an inspection that revealed extensive structural deficiencies that made the bridge unsafe for traffic. At that time traffic on the bridge had been determined to be about 100 vehicles per day. “The bridge has seriously deteriorated in the past 20 years,” Hansen wrote, “and is, in our opinion, past the point for an economical rehabilitation.” Although the bridge has been blocked off for motor vehicles, Hansen noted that there is evidence that local people have been using the bridge after it was closed, “unaware of the extremely serious deterioration that has occurred to critical structural members on the bridge.” He recommended that the Town demolish and remove the bridge. The cost for that would be about $50,000 if contracted out under State requirements, but he suggested the Town might be able to do it for less.
Sherman said the estimate to remove and build a new bridge was between $1.2 and $1.5 million and NYSDOT was unable to offer any assistance. He said he was mainly concerned about safety, and he urged the Board to consider in the next two months what to do about it. Some suggested that the bridge might be made safe for pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Town Supervisor-elect Eckhardt said that might be an option and the Board would consider it.
Road Materials Bids
The Board awarded bids for road work materials. Three bids were received and all three were accepted, with the purchase and source of the product to be at the discretion of the Highway Superintendent. The bids were awarded to CWG Excavation (Chad Gerstel), the Richard Senter Trust (John Senter) and Quality Construction (William Hammersmith).
A Check From Beacon Power
Brian Baker, acting on behalf of the Beacon Power Corporation, presented a check signed by Bill Capp, Beacon’s CEO, in the amount of $1,250 made out to the Town of Stephentown. The money is a donation,
Baker said, as a token of the company’s intent to be a good partner in this Town. Of the amount donated, $750 will go to the Food Pantry and $500 will support the Youth Commission’s programs.
Town Historian
New York State requires that every Town have a Town historian. Stephentown has had the position on the books for some time, but according to Beverley McClave, it has not been filled for over 20 years. McClave, a member of the Stephentown Historical Society, appeared before the Board to endorse the application for the position by Thomas Laier, a resident of Saddleback Ridge Road. McClave read Laier’s letter of application which stated that, aside from having a love for local history – his ancestors settled in Sand Lake in 1765 – he is a certified History, English and Elementary teacher with degrees from the State University in English, History and Education. Currently he is reading and researching George Holcomb’s diaries.
Laier wrote that he would consider it a great honor to record and preserve the history of the Town of Stephentown for its residents and suggested that he might also be of some help in securing grant money for the Town.
Applications for Town appointive positions will be considered at the Board’s Organizational Meeting on January 4. State law stipulates that the Historian shall serve without compensation unless the governing board of the Town provides otherwise.
Zoning Board Upholds Stop Work Order
Following up on a discussion that occurred at the last Town Board meeting regarding a wood chipping mill that was operating on Jones Road, Sherman reported that the Zoning Board of Appeals had met on December 3 to hear arguments from the Z And D Wood Shavings Company appealing a stop work order from Code Enforcement Officer Dean Herrick. Herrick had ruled that the operation was illegally set up in a residential zone. Z And D claimed they were exempt since they served an agricultural use. Sherman said that the ZBA had rejected the appeal and upheld Herrick’s order, and that all the pertinent documents are on file with the Town Clerk.
ZBA Member Fred Wallbank submitted his resignation from that Board on November 29. The Town Board at this meeting passed a motion to acknowledge his resignation effective immediately.
New Hours And
No Brush At The Transfer Station
Eckhardt reported that as of the first of the new year, the Transfer Station will no longer be open on Monday. It will also open one hour later on Wednesday, making for a total of 20 hours per week. Thus the new hours will be: Wednesday noon-7 pm; Friday 1-6 pm; Saturday 8 am-4 pm.
Eckhardt said the Board and Transfer Station staff are not happy that State regulations prohibit them from burning brush because it means that brush can no longer be accepted at the Station.
On a happier note, he said that the Transfer Station between December 2008 and November 2009 had come very close to its budgeted income.
Sherman noted that regulations still being worked out allow for residents to burn brush. They must have a permit issued through the Fire Department, and the Fire Department is in the process of establishing criteria and guidelines with the State Regional Forest Ranger, Joe Hess. Certain times of the year will be restricted.
Sherman suggested that the Board might consider other options at the Transfer Station such as installing a chipper for brush to provide wood chips for residents or creating a mulching area where leaves could be dumped and turned into mulch for residents’ use.
Cyril Grant said that there is a lot of controversy surrounding the open burning regulations but they do permit the Fire Department to burn for training purposes. This could mean that if the Transfer Station were to accept brush, the Fire Department could periodically burn it in a training session. Eckhardt facetiously suggested they save it up for a year and then conduct one great “ceremonial burn.” Grant said the Board would have to provide refreshments for the firefighters over the several days that such a burn would smolder.
Snow Plowing
The Board considered a resolution authorizing the Town Clerk to advertise for bids for snowplowing at the Transfer Station. Councilman PJ Roder reminded the Board that the current year’s contract includes also plowing, shoveling, sanding and salting around the Town Hall because the Highway Department cannot always be there when people want it done. The Board agreed to add the Town Hall to the bid and passed the amended resolution. Sealed bids are to be received at the Town Clerk’s Office by noon on Wednesday, December 30.
Deposits & Spending
The Town Clerk reported she had deposited a total of $11,723.83 and turned over the sum of $4,384.53 to the Supervisor for the month of November. The distribution from the office of the State Comptroller, Justice Court Fund to the Town was $1,379.
The Board audited and approved claims in the amount of $19,323.90 from the General Account and $109,929.66 from the Highway Account.
The Board set their Organizational Meeting for Monday, January 4, at 7 pm and the next regular Town Board meeting for Monday, January 18, at 7 pm.