The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan (Corrected March 31, 2009 – The March 30 Board Workshop involved the recently passed Work Boiler Law not the proposed outdoor burning law.)

Counselor Cortland Forrence’s announcement that he will be resigning in a few weeks overshadowed other important business at the Town Board’s March 23, 2009 meeting.  After several weeks of meetings and workshops, the Board opened bids for the town’s 2009 liability insurance contracts and found they will be saving between $14,700 and $17,000 this year with increased coverage.  The Board, however, did not award the contract at Monday’s meeting. Northern Insuring Inc. and Latremore’s Insurance submitted sealed bids for opening at this meeting. Northern Insuring submitted a bid of $57,657. Latremore’s bid was $54,999.  Last year Northern Insuring charged the Town $71,992. Counselor Powers motioned to award the bid to Latremore’s. Supervisor Donald Covel seconded the motion. Counselor Powers voted “yes.” Counselor Cortland Forrence voted “no” saying that Northern Insuring had provided good service for seventeen years and that good service was very important. He stated that if the town ever has a large claim against it, he did not think that a savings of $2,657 was enough of a difference to change companies. At this point, Counselor Powers, who had spearheaded the insurance bidding process, stated, “My first loyalty is not to a business but to the taxpayer.” Supervisor Covel voted “yes” saying he felt that after all the workshops and the bidding process the town had to be fair and award the contract to the lowest bidder.  Counselor Brandy McDonald said that it had been his understanding that the Council would have some time to review the bids and contracts once they had been submitted. He voted “no.” Counselor Peter Glushko said he wanted to consider the matter and abstained from voting.  Since a majority did not vote in favor of the resolution, it failed. The Council then scheduled a special meeting for March 30^th at 6:30 p.m. to decide the matter.

In other significant items:

• Following a forty-minute Executive Session the Board voted 5-0 to create a second Highway Department Crew Chief/Foreman position. The Board appointed Robert Wright to this civil service position at the recommendation of Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell.  Farrell said he has known Wright for about ten years and has great confidence in his abilities.  The Highway Department will now have two Crew Chief/Foreman positions.
•  In the public comment portion of the meeting John Ryan, Editor of the Peru Gazette,  stated that he would be reporting a counselor as absent from a meeting unless the counselor is attending to government business or is not present because of sickness. The Town Board’s current practice is to excuse a counselor for any reason whatsoever. As long as a counselor notifies someone he or she will not be present, he or she is never counted as absent. 
• The Board requested a cost estimate from the Town Engineer for the Winding Brook Development Water District.
• Counselor Powers stated that he is working with Moriah Shock prisoners to clean up Little AuSable River Park and the River Rd. He will have the prisoners twice a month.
• Supervisor Covel introduced the idea of a formal community clean-up day and a yard sale day.  No formal action was taken.
• Town Secretary Pam Barber reported she has scheduled the Summer Concert Series at the Little AuSable River Park Gazebo. The Peru Community Church Fellowship Center is available for rain dates for all concerts with the exception of one occasion.
•  The Board scheduled a workshop on modifying the recently passed wood boiler law. It will follow the 6:30 p.m. March 30^th Special Meeting.
•  Counselor Brandy McDonald reported that several homes and signs have been damaged by paint guns especially in the Laphams Mills and the Peasleeville areas. He said the Town of Plattsburgh has replaced almost $8,000 worth of vandalized signs.
• Resident Rick Healy complimented on the Board on the use of bidding for liability insurance. He said it appeared that the town had been excessively charged for several years. He noted that Code Enforcement Officer Paul Blaine had contacted him with regard to his recent complaint about a brush pile at 5 School Street on property that adjoins his property at the corner of Pleasant and School Streets. He considers the brush pile to be a fire hazard. He also stated that many motorists are driving unsafely on School Street when school is dismissed and that there is great potential for a serious accident.
•  The Board passed a resolution to rename 1,237 feet of Winding Brook Road as Bloomfield Drive from Route 22B eastward.