Highway Department Facing Multiple Problems
TRACS Says Thanks
By Doug La Rocque
Concerns about equipment problems and obstacles to plowing snow were raised by Highway Superintendent Herb Hasbrouck at the Monday, December 12 Town Board meeting. [private]The large amounts of snow put down by Mother Nature during last week’s snowstorm on unfrozen dirt roads created several problems. One truck moved over for a car onto a soft shoulder and rolled over as it was turning onto Dunham Road from Route 2. Hasbrouck said no one was hurt, but it took several hours to get the vehicle upright and back to the town garage. It took several more days to fix it.
Another truck suffered some serious motor problems during the storm and was also out of service. Hasbrouck said another problem they and many other towns are dealing with is the placement of garbage cans in the road, something he said the law clearly prohibits. He called it a safety issue, even aside from the mess that results when a plow knocks one over and garbage flies everywhere. Hasbrouck also mentioned the placement of mailboxes, indicating many are too close to the road. Vehicles parked on the roadway have become another problem. Codes Enforcement Officer Tom Withcuskey said in Grafton, no parking on town roads is allowed.
Councilman Eric Buckley said the Town is in receipt of a letter from the Brittonkill School District saying that if roads are not plowed, they will not pick up the students. Hasbrouck said he is aware of it, and has spoken to the District transportation office about it. He explained that if a road – in this case the District is speaking about Clickner Road – is plowed early in the morning, his truck may not be able to get back to that road for three to four hours. This is the time required to complete a beat, to make sure other roads are plowed for bus pick-ups and residents leaving for work as well. With several bus runs scheduled about an hour apart, he said he just can’t leave a plow parked there.
Hasbrouck also said he spoke to the school about the size of the bus being used on that road. He feels it is dangerous to run a full sized vehicle down that road. The District, he said, responded they do not have a smaller vehicle to put on the run.
During the public comment section of the meeting, Kautz Hollow resident Douglas Pratt said, “in the last couple of years I have seen a change in the attitude and the performance of the town highway department.” Pratt also said it was tough to communicate with anyone at the Highway Department and get a response.
He indicated that the Town spent a lot of money putting the ditches along the road back in shape after Hurricane Irene, but in the last couple of years, the condition of the road has gone downhill. In particular, Pratt indicated the road is no longer crowned, as he believes it should be.
Hasbrouck responded that at this time, he lacks the gravel to properly crown all the roads, and the fact that he is often down to one grader makes the chore more difficult. Hasbrouck said this again goes back to the shape of his department’s equipment.
Several board members agreed, and indicated that is why the 2017 budget now contains monies to start a fund to upgrade this equipment. Mr. Pratt did thank Mr. Hasbrouck for giving him his cell phone number and hoped for better communication and thanked the Board for starting to address the equipment issue.
Looking For Funds For Flood Plain Mitigation
Jim Bonesteel from the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance is hoping the Town of Grafton might join them in seeking a grant from the Hudson River Estuary Program for a watershed flood mitigation assessment. Bonesteel said these plans include the Poestenkill and Quackenkill creeks. Some of these plans would be prepared by engineering firms, but he hoped some more ideas might come forth from a series of public meetings they plan to schedule.
He said the grant does not require any matching monies from the town and would set the stage for more funding for some actual improvements to the watershed to help with flood prevention.
Departmental Reports
• Buildings and Codes Enforcement Officer Tom Withcuskey reported they have 63 building permits out to date, and that he has completed all the required classes for the 2016 code updates. He also talked about people cleaning their driveways and plowing snow into the roads, something he labels as dangerous for snow removal crews, and illegal. Withcuskey said if you have to plow snow across a road, make sure you clean it up. The assessor report said he has been spending time with property updates, reviewing sales and working on cost estimates to mimic sales.
• Town Clerk Kathy Mason Wagar reported income of $3,312 from her office that was turned over to the Town.
• Youth Program Director Noelle Goyer said they had another great year and there are a lot of things planned for 2017.
• Dog Control Officer Jay Goyer said in his report, he dealt with barking dog complaints and missing dog issues.
• Grafton Community Library Director Ronnie Tatro talked about a program for children and adults making paper flower wreaths. The goal is to make a large wreath they can hang in the library. On Thursday December 22, they plan to make a gingerbread library, baking things that can be brought in for the structure. Tatro said at the end of the 6 pm program, participants will be welcome to eat their creation.
Prior to the start of the regular business, two members of the TRACs program from the Berlin School District presented the Board with a plaque, thanking them for their donations that helped send two students to their Eastern States Conference this past summer. The TRACs program helps educate students to assist other students dealing with various forms of peer pressure, such as drug and alcohol abuse.
Zachery Buckley headed a bottle collection drive through the fall to raise money for the Grafton Youth programs. He presented the Board with a check for $354.
The Board plans to hold its annual year-end meeting on Wednesday, December 28 at 6 pm and its Organizational Meeting on Monday, January 2, also at 6 pm. [/private]