Peru highway department gears up for winter, Heyworth-Mason Park paintings awaken Peru students’ interest in local history
By John T Ryan
November 16, 2022 – Peru – As of 8:30 a.m. Peru has more than 4 inches of snow on the ground, and it’s still falling. Thankfully, at the Monday, November 7th meeting, the town board approved hiring Adam Archer and Darrell Martineau as equipment operators, their most important job is driving a snow plow. Darrell Martineau’s only duty is driving a snowplow. At Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell’s request, the board hired him as a part-time seasonal employee. He has the experience and previously served as Peru’s Deputy Highway Superintendent. Two equipment operators recently resigned to accept higher-paying positions. It’s on days like this that residents appreciate the highway department personnel.
Over the past several weeks, the paintings depicting Peru’s history that replaced the boarded-up windows in the Heyworth-Mason Park’s stone building have fascinated many people. Greg Badger, a Peru Middle School art teacher and the artist-in-residence for the paintings, said the paintings also fascinated his students. Badger said, “I’ve been doing some of the paintings at school. I’m a little shocked to see how interested middle schoolers are in community history. They had many questions, especially about all the changes along Elm Street.” Several of Badger’s paintings depict the buildings that once stood at the Elm Street-Main Street intersection, including a pharmacy, grocery store, tavern and firehouse.
To answer the students’ questions, Badger invited two longtime residents, Sherry Dobbs and Larry Shanley, into his classroom to share memories and arranged to have the sessions taped for YouTube viewing. Badger hopes that someday a QR or barcode can be placed near each painting, directing cell phones to the YouTube interviews. Councilman Melvin Irwin, who is organizing, acquiring sponsors, and spending many hours of this personal time working on the painting program, remarked, “I’m really pleased having so many young people involved.”
Interim Recreation Director Kristen Marino reported that there’d been a big sign-up for the youth commission’s upcoming fall-winter basketball program. She is researching uniform and time clock prices.
In other actions, the board:
Approved payment #5 to Luck Brothers of $342,190 for work related to the Telegraph-Sullivan Road culvert replacement contract.
Passed 2022 Local Law #2, raising the income limits to qualify senior citizens’ for certain tax exemptions. The social security benefit increases expected in 2023 would have disqualified some seniors from the property tax exemptions program. Local Law #2 of 2022 Real Property Tax Law Sliding Scale Authorization
Accepted the October Department reports. OCTOBER 2022 MONTHLY REPORTS
Posted: November 16th, 2022 under Arts and Entertainment, Education News, Peru News, Peru School News, Town Board News, Youth News.