The Peru Gazette

Peru, NY  At the Peru Town Board’s Thursday, October 10 meeting, the board presented a 2025 preliminary budget exceeding the 2% tax cap by $114,000. Six days later, at a Wednesday, October 16 workshop, Supervisor Craig Randall announced that after lowering budgeted contingency spending, including a more accurate sales tax estimate, utilizing fund balances, and making more precise estimates in other accounts, the preliminary budget is $3,000 under the tax cap. The tax levy would be $89,177 higher than this year, $2,763 417 vs. $2,674,240.

Randall cautioned that keeping the 2026 budget under the tax cap will be more difficult given upcoming culvert repairs, water treatment, and wastewater treatment upgrades. He stated, “None of the expenditures are by choice. The four culvert replacement projects could total up to $10 million, but the last thing I want to see is someone injured because of a culvert collapse. We’re also facing expenditures up to $10 million at the water plant and $25 million at the wastewater plant.”  Randall is hopeful grants may lower some of the water-related costs. Nevertheless, the town will face funding challenges,

The board agreed to hold a public hearing on the preliminary budget on November 4 at 5:30 p.m. A special meeting to adopt the final budget is planned for Tuesday, November 14, at 5:30 p.m. Changes can be made within 10 days following the public hearing.

In other actions at its October 10 regular meeting, the board agreed to join other Clinton County towns in requesting that the state exempt heavy-duty highway equipment from its electricity-powered vehicle requirements. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell said New York City’s experiment with electric trucks failed. Given our colder temperatures, Farrell says using electric vehicles would be costly, impractical, and would cripple snow plowing operations.

The board tabled a resolution to renew its Clinton County snow and ice removal contract for three years, with a 2.5 percent price increase for years one and two and a 4 percent increase in the third year. Peru plows about 23 miles of county highways. Highway Superintendent Michael said he doesn’t have issues renewing for three years, but some other towns have concerns.

Planning for the Fuller Road and Lions Road culvert replacement projects continues. The board hired Machabee Land Surveying to conduct topographical surveys at a cost not to exceed $3,500 for each culvert.

Tedford Consulting will prepare grant applications for the Wastewater Treatment Plant project for $100 an hour, with a total cost not exceeding $24,500.

November 3, 2024 Correction: The Gazette initially reported that the board approved the Clinton County snow and ice removal contract; in fact, the board tabled it. 

Click here to review the PRELIMINARY 2025 BUDGET