The Peru Gazette

File Photo

By John T. Ryan and Donald McBrayer

The Peru Town Board conducted its first business meeting of 2011 on Monday, January 10th. Actions/reports included the following:

• Received reports from all departments/officers including Dog Control.
• Conducted a moment of silence in honor of the victims in the Tucson, Arizona shootings. Supervisor Peter Glushko said the Town Flag will fly at half-mast until sunset on January 14^th per order of the Governor Cuomo.
• Discussed upcoming repairs to a Highway Department 2005 International truck. Superintendent Michael Farrell will try to hold off the repairs until spring because the truck in needed more during the winter months.  Repairs will cost between $2,300 and $2,500.
• Discussed purchasing diesel fuel and gasoline through a Clinton County contract rather than the current New York State contract. The county’s price is $.10 less per gallon. Farrell would like to make the change when the state contracts run out in late summer. In the eleven months ending November 30^th the highway department used 22,309 gallons of diesel fuel and approximately 1,600 gallons of gasoline. Farrell said  all fuel costs are expected to be extremely volitile in the next several months.
• Supervisor Glushko said he has received many compliments regarding the town’s sidewalk plowing program. He is concerned about people plugging sidewalks when they plow their driveways. This matter will be discussed at the next board meeting.
• Received Roy Zalis’ resignation from the Zoning Board of Appeals and approved the appointment of Donald McBrayer to complete Mr. Zalis’ term of office. There are currently two Zoning Board Alternate positions and one Planning Board alternate positions open.
• Approved the reappointment of Richard Williams to the Planning Board and Leon Blair to the Zoning Board for seven year terms of office.
• Adjourned into Executive session to discuss employee employment histories and litigation.
• Supervisor Glushko stated that the New York State Association of Towns will conduct town official training in New York City from February 20-February 23, 2011. Glushko said the classes and courses are very beneficial and there is the opportunity to meet with other town officials. Several local towns usually travel together by bus to the training.
• Received a letter from the JCEO requesting support in the ongoing “Pepsi Refresh” contest. People are needed to vote for the JCEO via the internet.
• Supervisor Glushko stated that the town will receive $2,500 from Clinton County to help pay for the last election expense. The town budgeted $6,000 and the actual cost totaled $14,703. Glushko commented on the cost of the scanning machine voting system and unfunded mandates.
• The town’s records clean-up work is expected to begin in April.
• There were 29,000 visits to the town website in 2010