The Peru Gazette

Springtime street sweeping will not be necessary 

By John T. Ryan

Peru – What Supervisor Brandy McMcDonald predicted to be a five-minute December 29 town board meeting ended up being a fifty-minute meeting. Action items included:

• Purchasing fencing to enclose road salt.
• Purchasing a road salt tracking system and cameras.
• Transferring several budget line items.
• Making regular payments.

Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell is gradually introducing a road salt reduction program to reduce salt use, eliminate the need for sand, protect the environment, and save money over the long term. Springtime street sweeping will also not be necessary. He recommended implementing the program in Peru after seeing the system successful in Lake George and after considerable research.

Town plow trucks will spray a low salt-content brine on roads before a storm’s arrival. GPS-linked truck systems will record and calibrate salt application amounts. “Live Edge” plows installed on each truck are segmented in a series of jointed, spring-loaded sections that move up and down, conforming to a road’s surface, removing snow and ice closer to the surface than traditional plows, and reducing the need for salt.  In addition, video cameras along roads will provide up-to-date information on road surface temperatures and conditions. So instead of driving to distant places like Peasleeville to inspect a road, highway personnel can view road conditions on their cell phones. Farrell mentioned the Peasleeville, Patent, River, and Union Roads as probable camera locations. The board authorized the purchase of monitoring software at an annual cost of $5,040 and six solar-powered cameras at $37,484. Click here for a more detailed explanation of the program. 

It also awarded a bid to C&E Fencing for $10,635 for providing and installing fencing to enclose the town’s salt storage area. Salt’s rising cost led to Mike Farrell’s decision to add more fencing to the salt storage area.

Interim Youth Director Christine Marino reported that 112 children signed up for the Youth Commission’s winter basketball program. They’ll play on eight teams, with the schedule announced on January 20. Three coaches are still needed; therefore, Marino will actively seek coaches over the next several days. The Ski Club will begin traveling to Whiteface in about two weeks.

The board will advertise for a permanent youth director in the next few days. Marino, who has been serving as interim director, said she is interested in the civil service position.

Supervisor Brandy McDonald thanks all residents who generously contributed to his effort to purchase food and toys for local families and children.  He said the program assisted 76 families and 141 children.  Peru’s JCEO Outreach worker April Wait was also a big help. 

In other actions, the board:

• Authorized payment #4 in the amount of $243,104.74 to Luck Brothers related to the Elm Street sewer project.

• Approved line item budget transfers from accounts with excess funds to accounts with inadequate funds for the following items:

$15,991 – General

$143,314.05 – Highway (Michael Farrell said this transfer was related to higher than anticipated heating fuel and truck fuel costs)

$13,021.43 – Sewer

$523.37 – Valcour Sewer

$3,763.95 – Water