The Peru Gazette

As of Wednesday, January 3, 2024, the JCEO will be staffing its office in the Peru Town Hall. Personnel shortages resulted in the office being closed for the past few weeks. Rihanna Warren will be the new Peru JCEO Coordinator.

The board will advertise bids to replace a small bridge on Cook Rd. Only one contractor bid last year with a bid higher than the town had budgeted. This year the board is hopeful that more bidders will come forward this year. The recent heavy rains washed out the bridge, forcing the Highway Superintendent to hire Fuller Contracting to perform temporary repairs. The bridge serves only one homeowner.  The bid opening is scheduled for January 29 at 10 a.m.

Longtime planning and zoning board members were reappointed to the following positions:
Richard Williams, as Planning Board Chairman
Ryan Davies, as Planning Board Vice-Chairman
James Falvo, as Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals
Sean Lukas, as Vice-Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals

Thursday’s meeting was Councilman Rick Barber’s last board meeting. He did not seek reelection. Barber plans to continue serving as a County’s America 250 Committee member. Barber said NY state plans to construct a pathway and install benches at the Peru Dock, which overlooks the site of the Battle of Valcour, the Revolutionary War’s first battle. The state asked Barber if Peru would do the excavation work needed for the path. Peru will also install an aluminum flagpole. The state’s plan includes moving the two existing monuments a short distance. Barber thinks it might not be necessary to move the monuments. See discussion on the video beginning at the 23:10 mark and ending at the 31:00 mark.

The board appointed three staff members to the position of Deputy Town Clerk
Judy Akey #1 Deputy Town Clerk
Pam Barber – #2 Deputy Town Clerk
Christine Crawford #3 Deputy Town Clerk

Supervisor Brandy McDonald thanked everyone who contributed and assisted with his Christmas toy drive. He said the program served over 200 children this year.

In other actions, the board:

• Scheduled the 2024 Organizational Meeting for Monday, January 8, 2023, followed by the regular meeting at 7 p.m.
• Approved its 2024 meeting schedule.
• Approved end-of-fiscal-year fund transfers from budget line items with a surplus to budget line items with a deficit. The transfers totaled about $83,000.