by Alex Brooks
The Petersburgh Town Board accepted with regret the resignation of Amy Manchester. She is giving up her position on the Town Council to take up her duties as the new Town Justice. Amy recently attended a training course for new Town Justices at SUNY. She said it was hard, but she got a 98 on the concluding test and is ready to take up her duties. Amy passed around her father’s certificate of completion from the same course, which he completed just about 50 years ago, in February of 1962, when he started his service as Town Justice in Petersburgh. Amy’s father, Neil Manchester, passed away the afternoon after she got back from her Justice training course.
There are two years left in Manchester’s Town Council term. The Board appointed Duane Goodermote Jr. to the Town Board for a one year appointment. An election will be held next fall for someone to serve the final year of the term.
Highway
Highway Superintendent Ray Harrison said he had finished all of the FEMA work repairing roads damaged by Hurricane Irene, except that paving of Stillman Village Road won’t take place until next spring. He said the crew had drawn about half of the sand it will need this winter.
PVMCC
Town Supervisor Peter Schaaphok said the PVMCC is having trouble getting reasonably priced liability insurance because of the activities it sponsors at the Hall. Lee at the Rose & Kiernan Insurance Agency suggested that the Town sponsor those events because it would not cost the Town much more than it is already paying for liability insurance and it would save thousands of dollars on the PVMCC’s insurance. The Board seemed amenable to considering this idea, but they had some questions about what exactly would be involved in having the Town be the sponsor, so they tabled the matter until they could gather more information.
Bond Received
Schaaphok said the Town has received the money on December 7 from its Revenue Anticipation Note in the amount of $275,000. The interest rate is 1.5% per year. The Board also revised its 2011 budget to reflect the Hurricane Irene spending, adding $275,000 to both the revenue side and the expenditure side.
Ethics Committee
The State Comptroller is asking all municipalities to put in place an ethics policy for its officials. Petersburgh passed an ethics law in 1991, which Supervisor Schaaphok pulled out of the files for re-examination. Town Attorney Kevin Engel suggested that the Town Board establish a committee to review that law and make recommendations for any revisions they may think advisable. Meanwhile, Schaaphok will write back to the Comptroller saying that the Town has an ethics law in place but will be organizing a committee to consider updating it.
Credit Card Use
A proposed policy on credit card use drafted by Town Clerk Callie Crisp was distributed to the Board members. They will read and consider it for action at a later meeting, probably at the Organizational Meeting.
Other Actions
The Board authorized paying the down payment so contractors could get started on repair of the fire alarm systems in the Town buildings.
The Board agreed to renewal of the annual contract with Pondview Country Kennel to handle dogs picked up by Petersburgh’s Dog Officer.
The Board accepted the recommendation of the Library Board of Trustees in appointing Melissa Lockett to the Board.
The Board passed a resolution authorizing Siegfried Krahforst to sign Town checks as Supervisor, Amy Manchester to sign Town checks as Town Justice and Barbara Snyder to sign Town checks as Deputy Supervisor. Although Snyder has not yet been appointed Deputy Supervisor, it is the Board’s understanding that she is Krahforst’s choice and will be appointed at the Organizational Meeting.
The Board scheduled the End of Year Meeting for 9 am on Saturday, December 31, and the Organizational Meeting for 7 pm on Monday, January 2.