The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan 

The Peru Town Board made several significant decisions at its July 27 meeting. 

The Board: 

• Agreed to a contract with AES Northeast as its engineer to develop plans for the hamlet’s wastewater treatment plant. The NYS is requiring the Town to upgrade the plant and its infection control system no later than 2024. 
• Hired Primelink, Inc. of Plattsburgh as IT service provider effective August 1, 2020 – July 31 2023, at a rate of $2,499 monthly. The price includes approximately $11,000 of new equipment, including a server. The Board interviewed Primelink and Twinstate Technologies of Morrisonville. Supervisor Brandy McDonald said Twinstate was not ready to agree to a monthly agreement preferring to work on a case-by-case basis at a rate that worked out to be about $155 an hour. The Board preferred taking a more comprehensive IT management approach. The Board is very concerned with improving system security, system backup and improving day-to-day service. Prior to this decision, the Board had always hired one-person providers  citing lower cost. Serious service short-falls often resulted.  There are about 22 devices using the Town’s IT system. 
• Approved a $5,247.64 contract with Northern Blacktopping of Morrisonville to pave and color the Town Hall’s outside entrance area. Northern Blacktopping will out down base material,  apply asphalt, and color the surface. Salt deteriorated the pavers that the Town installed during the 2014 Town Hall entrance reconstruction project. 
• Hired Verizon has the Town’s primary internet provider at the Town Hall, the Highway Department and the Water/Sewer Department. Spectrum will still be used at the Courthouse and as a redundant Town Hall provider.  
• Scheduled a sewer system July 27 at 5 p.m. workshop to discuss the sewer projects at the beginning or final planning stages. The Board plans begin construction on the sewer line/lift station upgrade project in October. Upgrades at the wastewater plant and Valcour treatment facility are in the early planning stages.
• Other Items:

Dog Control Offer Dave Drollette reported a dog bite incident at a local daycare.  The owner’s dog nipped at a Child Protective Services employee during a facility inspection.  The same dog was involved in a similar incident about three months ago.  Drollette worked with the owner, the Clinton County Health Department, and Child Protective Services to remove the dog from the daycare.  The dog is currently at a Beekmantown rehabilitation facility. It will not be returning to the daycare. 

A local Solar Farm law should be ready for approval at the Board’s next meeting or soon after that.  Peru is using the Town of Plattsburgh’s law as a guide. 

The Board plans to amend the Zoning Law’s commercial sign provisions at its next meeting or soon after that. Replacement commercial signs would no longer require Planning Board approval.  The Board will schedule a public hearing. 

CEO Bob Guynup reported that his office has collected building $9,500 more in building permit fees than the same period last year. Homeowners are undertaking a wide range of projects ranging from decks to swimming pools. 

Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell commented on several items.

• Farrell described two construction projects on Telegraph St. near the intersection of the Sullivan Rd. A new culvert and a new bridge are needed. Telegraph Street will be closed from 5 to 6 months during construction. He did not say when construction would be taking place. 
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is requiring the Orchard View/Washington St. developer to install a permanent drainage basin before any more construction can commence.
• A monarch butterfly protection program may require towns and counties to acquire permits before undertaking roadside mowing. The NYS Department of Transportation (DOT) has been conducting pilot projects on protecting the invaluable pollinators.  
• Courtney Tetrault reported 14 additional Hometown Hero banners were received last week. Tetrault’s Water/Sewer personnel have mounted more than 100 banners on downtown utility poles. The new banners will have to be installed on side streets or in rural areas.  

Youth Director John Flynn reported that the Youth Commission is conducting a baseball program and plans to hold a soccer program.  Participant numbers are low, but the Youth Commission is moving forward. 

The Board adjourned to Executive Session to discuss a personnel issue.