Ambit Energy Makes Presentation and Court Relocation Still Under Consideration
By John T. Ryan
Energy costs and relocating Peru Town Court were the primary topics at the Monday, December 8, 2014 Peru Town Board meeting.
Supervisor Peter Glushko related that at a recent town supervisors’ meeting Supervisor Bernie Bassett said Plattsburgh had saved thousands of dollars using Ambit Energy as its natural gas and electricity supplier. NYSEG is the Town of Peru’s longtime electric and gas supplier, but Glushko believed the board should hear a presentation by Ambit Energy Business Consultant Colleen LaFountain.
Lafountain told the board that Ambit Energy is a $1 billion company with the highest customer ratings. Along with a rewards and free energy program she said Ambit Energy would guarantee that Town of Peru would saves a minimum of 2% if it switched from NYSEG to Ambit Energy. She stated that some customers save as much as 8%. No contract would have to be signed and the town could return to NYSEG at any time. Supervisor Glushko said the issue would be on the Board’s December 22nd meeting agenda.
Relocating Peru Town Court continues to be an issue. Supervisor Glushko and other board members do not want court proceedings held in the midst of the town offices when the building is open for public business. Judge James Kirby wants to convene court at 2 p.m., one hour before the Town Hall’s doors are closed to the public.
Counselor Donald McBrayer, the Board’s liaison to Peru Town Court, has stated he believes that conducting court downstairs would be the best option, but he respects the hard work Town Historian Ron Allen has done and he is concerned about Allen having to move his office and records upstairs to the court’s current office. Ron Allen was present at the meeting. He explained his position stating, “The biggest problem is space. When I took this position twelve years ago, the town’s historical records were in a two-drawer file cabinet. But as soon as people found out the historian had a location they came forth with photographs and other historical documents. The main floor doesn’t have sufficient space for our display cabinets and it wouldn’t be a good location to display items during our annual open house or to hold group meetings with other local historians.”
Counselor Bruno commented, “We’re are just looking at all the options at this point.” Counselor Brandy McDonald told the Board that the owners of Glenwood Plaza would be willing to rent space for $700 per month. Counselor Jim Douglass warned, “”We would have to look carefully at the hidden costs of moving.” Renovations, furniture, utilities, relocating technology and phone service were mentioned as expense items. Board members will look over the Glenwood Plaza space before the Board’s next meeting.
Elmore SPCA has not submitted a 2015 animal shelter contract proposal. Dog Control Officer Jim Drollette said he is satisfied with the North Country SPCA in Elizabethtown; however, traveling to it is 66-miles round-trip, a long trip for Drollette and for a Peru resident reclaiming an animal.
The Board scheduled a December 22, 2014 6:30 p.m. public hearing on increasing 2015 water and sewer rates. The 2015 town budget anticipates $26,496 in increased water revenues and $31,000 in increased sewer revenues. The water district has 704 users. The sewer district has 501 users. Click here to view Water-Sewer 2015 Rate Increases
Posted: December 9th, 2014 under General News, Peru News, Town Board News.