The Peru Gazette

By John T Ryan

If all goes as planned, the 7 Jenkins Street tennis courts will soon be private property.  At its Monday, March 10 meeting, the town board declared the property surplus and will list it for sale as soon as the market value is determined. In 2016, residents proposed repairing the courts for pickleball; however, after receiving a $30,000 repair cost estimate, the board did not take action. In September 2022, the board discussed selling the property. Now, it’s moving forward.

Awarding bids for the state-mandated sewage treatment plant project should occur very soon; however, when the board opened general construction and plumbing bids a few days ago, no contractor submitted a bid for the mechanical (heating/air conditioning) phase. Monday evening, the board voted to readvertise that portion of the project. Board members want to know the project’s total cost and tax impact to determine its scope. The Water, Sewer, Parks Department would like to relocate its office, equipment & vehicle garage from Cross Street to the treatment plant. The department and the highway department would then use the Cross Street garage for storage and demolish an old River Road storage building that needs a new roof.

New York State approved reducing the Roadwell Road speed limit to 45 MPH from  55 MPH. The town will erect new signs when ground conditions permit.

Peru Girl Scout Leader Michelle Calkins and her daughter Olivia asked the board’s permission to set up several children’s activities at the Little Ausable River Park. They would include frog hotels, frog huts, bird feeders, birdhouses, a flower garden, a fairy garden, and a painted rock snake chain.  The scouts would phase them in and ask for community support to maintain them. The board gave its blessing but asked Calkins to update them on what is happening with photos.

Verizon requested the Zoning Board’s permission to locate a communications tower at the Peru I-87 rest stop.

The Telegraph Road Bridge approval continues at a slow pace. Mike Farrell reported that DEC granted preliminary project approval, but he hasn’t heard from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Supervisor Craig Randall appealed to residents to complete the community survey online.  The Planning Board is revising Peru’s plan for future development and is doing its best to seek public input.

In other actions, the board:

Reappointed Ashley Akey and Alexis Grennan to three-year terms as members of the Peru Youth Commission.

Approved purchasing a steam jenny for the highway department for $9,218.  The department uses the steam jenny to thaw and remove ice from culverts.

3/12/25 – 5:31 PM – Correction made to the speed limit change reported. The state approved the reduction for the Rockwell Road, not the Rock Road.