The Peru Gazette

By Donald McBrayer

The Peru Town Board held its regular meeting at 7:00 PM on August 23rd.
Everyone, except Sue Polhemus who was excused, was in attendance.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found at:
http://d1091839.domain.com/PeruTown/TBM-08-23-10.WAV

The Agenda contained 21 items including:

• Approving minutes for the August 9 Regular Meeting, which can be found at: http://d1091839.domain.com/PeruTown/min10/08-09-2010-RM.pdf
• Passing a Resolution for 3 fund transfers to cover 3 overages. They were: $1160 for money paid to Carol Tetrault, $69.85 for Valcour sewer costs, and $13.32 for Water Department costs.
• Discussed dealing with break-ins at the Heyworth Mason Building. The potential for fire is the greatest fear concerning the old building. The Board will authorize Greg Timmons to place heavy wire screening over the windows being tampered with. The town may also install lighting at a future time.
• Discussed setting up the paperwork for a 5 year ban for $300,000 either through TD Bank, or Chase bank for the River Road Water Project. Town Supervisor, Peter Glushko, will contact both banks for interest rates.
• Discussed adding a cell phone use policy to the employee handbook. The Board is considering a contract with Sprint/Nextel that could save the town around $100 a month. Dead zones around the Peru area was expressed as the reason Verizon was not being considered.
• Passed the Revised Dog Law. The new law contains several stiffer regulations including imposing a mandatory $25 fine for unlicensed dogs, and forbidding dogs from riding unsecured in the back of pick-up trucks. The entire law can be found at: http://d1091839.domain.com/PeruTown/towndocs/Dog-Ordinance.pdf
• Passed a Motion to reward the Lapham Mills Field Fencing project to C&E Fencing in the amount of $9,674 for the installation of 800 feet of fencing at the Lapham Mills Park along Rt. 22.
• Passed a Resolution to reward the School Street Sidewalk Project to Tracy Trombley Construction for the amount of $74,816.45. The sidewalk will be completed in 60 days, and will be 1150 feet long when completed. When asked if the sidewalk will clear the porch of an abandoned house on School Street the Board said it would, “barely”.
• Passed a Motion to advertise for applicants for 2 Planning Board positions that are currently vacant.
• Tabled a Motion to advertise for applicants for 1 Zoning Board position that is currently vacant until an expiration date on the term is determined.
• Discussed the potential problems of a beaver dam at Twin Creek & Summit Drives.  Beavers have built 2 dams measuring 6 feet high creating a water backup that covers roughly twenty acres. The dam is located on private property within protected wetlands. DEC and the property owners have been contacted. One of the property owners does not want the dam tampered with. Highway Superintendent, Mike Farrell says he will not take equipment into protected wetlands. Ferrell went on to explain that the only risk to Town Property was the culvert located at Summit Drive on Old Town Road. It could be washed out in the event the dam fails. Shooting the beavers is ill advised due to the proximity of houses. Other options such as contacting the Army Corp of Engineers, and trapping the beavers were discussed.
• Set Budget Workshop dates: September 8th for Highway, September 15th for W/S, September 23rd , for General, and September 29th for Salaries. All workshops are scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.
  

The meeting was adjourned at 8:45 PM.