The Peru Gazette

By Donald McBrayer

The Town Board held their regular meeting on Monday, June 25, 2012.  Everyone except Brandy McDonald, who was excused, was in attendance.

The board passed a motion declaring the town parks as “No Smoking” areas. Town Supervisor Pete Glushko informed the board that he had received emails complaining about smoking at the Lapham Mills Park during a game. Smoking during the Summer Concerts at the Little Ausable Park was also discussed. Town Councilor Jim Douglass expressed concern about the message that was being sent to kids if smoking was allowed to continue at the parks and added,  “This would set a good example to the kids.” No smoking signs will be erected in all town parks in the coming weeks.

Work continues at the Heyworth/Mason Park. Park Coordinator Adele Douglas updated the board on progress this past week:

• A bench dedicated to former Town Supervisor Ken Jahn has been placed behind the stone building.
• The interpretive signs need new holes drilled in them before they can be mounted to the stands. This should be done later this week.
• Landscaping has been completed along the entrance and behind the stone building. This includes new trees, plantings, and mulch.
• Trees have been removed along the entrance by Kelly tree Service providing a better view of the park.
• DOT has approved the connector Trail between Heyworth/Mason and the Little Ausable Park.
• The connector trail has been cleared by Donald & Adam McBrayer, and the cut brush removed by Kelly Tree Service.
• Highway Superintendent Mike Farrell will bring in gravel this fall to complete the connector trail.
• Farrell will also be completing a gravel walkway around the perimeter of the park along the river’s edge, and will be clearing away brush to increase views of the river.
• W/S Superintendent Greg Timmons informed the board that he was waiting for NYSEG to set two power polls at the Little Ausable Park pond before he can begin work on restoring the pond.

During the meeting the board also:

Passed a motion to erect 3 new stop signs in the town. The first will be placed on Chamberland Road at the intersection with Dashnaw Road. The other two will be placed at the corner where Jenkins Street meets Mason Road in the hamlet. A motion to also erect no parking signs along Chamberland Road was tabled.

Passed a resolution awarding J.E. Sheehan Contracting of Potsdam a bid of $441,535.00 for the South Acres CDBG Sewer Project. Work on the project should begin later this summer. The bid amount is well within the $600,000 grant set aside for the project.

The town will be applying for an Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant (ECWAG) in the amount of $500,000 to cover damages to the reservoir from Tropical Storm Irene and the 2011 spring rains not covered by FEMA. This is a non-matching grant.

Set a New Zoning Law Informational Meeting date for agricultural landowners for Thursday, July 19 at 7PM. Several Peru agricultural landowners have expressed concern over the proposed Agricultural Overlay District, and how it limits development on lands that would be preserved for agricultural use in the new zoning law.

The Meeting was adjourned at 8:40PM