Town Board selects its confidential secretary & makes appointments
By John T. Ryan
The Peru Town Board announced at its Monday, December 22, 2008 meeting that it had selected Pamela Barber to fill the newly created position of confidential secretary to the Town Board position. Barber will begin work on December 29th. A Saranac native, Barber resides in Peru. She comes to the town from Monahan & Loughlan, a roofing and sheet metal contractor, where she has been office manager. In October the Board abolished the confidential secretary to the town supervisor position in favor of having the confidential secretary report directly to them. Thirteen people applied for the position.
In other actions the board/counselors:
Reappointed Betty Corrow and Richard Williams as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Planning Board for 2009.
Reappointed Walter Russell and Leon Blair as Chair and Vice-Chair for the Zoning Board for 2009.
Appointed Larry Bosley to a seven-year term on the Zoning Board as recommended by Chair Walter Russell.
Appointed Benjamin Wright to a seven-year term on the Planning Board as recommended by Chair Betty Corrow.
Counselor Tom Powers withdrew his motion to place an item on the agenda to discuss the retirement reports being filed with the State of New York by a town official. Town Attorney Donald Biggs asked to review the matter before entering into public discussions.
Discussed revisions in the health insurance offered to retired employees. The board appears to favor offering the retirees two plans. The town will pay 100% of one option having higher deductibles. A retiree can elect a lower deductible plan by paying approximately 10% of the premium. The matter will be discussed at a Special Town Board Meeting scheduled for December 29th at 6 p.m. In 2009 the town will pay $57,705 for retiree health benefits and $91,520 for current employee health benefits.
Learned that the town should be doing its own payroll accounting by mid-January. The town has been out-sourcing this function. The town will be using the KVS software that it purchased several months ago.
Received a copy of an amended Outdoor Wood Boiler law from Town Attorney Donald Biggs. The town attorney has incorporated the changes suggested by counselors. Based on the comments made at this meeting, more changes may be forthcoming. Perugazette.com will publish the proposed changes within the next several days.
The meeting included a twenty-five minute Executive Session called to discuss employee issues and potential litigation.
Posted: December 24th, 2008 under Town Board News.