The Peru Gazette

On Sunday March 29, 2009, the Press Republican reported on its front page that Peru Town Supervisor Donald Covel has been arrested on seven new official  misconduct charges and one charge of obstruction of governmental administration.  The charges were not unexpected. They relate to a September 2008 indictment and Mr. Covel’s refusal to plead guilty to […]

By John T. Ryan (Corrected March 31, 2009 – The March 30 Board Workshop involved the recently passed Work Boiler Law not the proposed outdoor burning law.) Counselor Cortland Forrence’s announcement that he will be resigning in a few weeks overshadowed other important business at the Town Board’s March 23, 2009 meeting.  After several weeks […]

By John T. Ryan Peru Town Counselor Cortland Forrence surprised the few people remaining at the end of the March 23, 2009 Council meeting when he announced that he would be leaving the Council sometime this year. Forrence said, “I don’t have the time to keep up the schedule of meetings that are necessary to […]

By John T. Ryan Posted March 11, 2009 at 12:21 p.m. and updated 1:09 p.m.  A correction was made on March 12, 2009 at 6:55 a.m. Mr. Healy’s is concerned with brush being piled adjacent to his property and being a fire hazard, rather than limbs overhanging his building.  The Peru Town Board conducted its […]

By John T. Ryan Four residents voiced asked questions or voiced opinions at the March 9, 2009 Public Hearing on the proposed Open Burning Law for the Town of Peru. John Ryan said he believed an article about the law’s provisions should have appeared in the Press Republican in addition to the required printing on […]

The Peru Water Department has requested that the Peru Gazette publish this notice: VIOLATION NOTICE The Town of Peru has to sample quarterly for total trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids to comply with the disinfection by-products rule for E.P.A. and New York State. Test results for the 4th quarter of 2008 exceeded the allowable maximum contaminant […]

By John T. Ryan The Town of Peru may have an open burning law in place within the next few weeks. The Peru Town Board at its February 23, 2009 meeting

By John T. Ryan  Here are the primary agenda items published by Town Supervisor Donald Covel for the February 23, 2009 Peru Town Board Meeting:

Submitted by Adele Douglas The Committee to Implement the Comprehensive Plan welcomes the public at all its meetings. The Committee usually meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month at 6:30 in the Town Hall.  Meeting dates for the next month will be confirmed on the calendar in the Town Hall.

By John T. Ryan The Peru Town Board meeting of Monday, February 9, 2009 centered on insurance cost reduction and a proposed open burning law. Supervisor Donald Covel was excused and Counselor Peter Glushko presided.

By John T. Ryan The Frosty Springs Bottling Company’s main building was destroyed by fire on February 3, 2007.  The cause of the fire was never determined. A new building was constructed at a cost of approximately $500,000 and completed in February 2008. Today the building sits idle, while Frosty Springs has its water bottled in Massachusetts […]

By John T. Ryan On Monday, February 9, 2009 Peru Town Supervisor Donald Covel refused District Attorney Andrew Wiley’s offer to accept a guilty plea on the charge of obstruction of governmental administration and has asked for a trial.  Wiley is also expected to reintroduce previously dismissed charges of official misconduct and The Press Republican reported that […]

By John T. Ryan Sidewalk plowing, insurance coverage, open burning and equipment purchases highlighted the Peru Town Board’s January 26, 2009 meeting.  During the public comment period resident Greg Cassidy complained

The agenda for the Peru Town Board’s  January 26th meeting is one of the briefest in recent memory. Supervisor Donald Covel will discuss and/or vote on the following matters: retirement procedures for elected and appointed salary positions as directed by the NYS Retirement Department; contracts that were not approved at the Board’s January 12th organziational […]

By John T. Ryan Peru Town Supervisor Donald Covel told the Peru Gazette this morning, “All charges against me have been dismissed with the exception of the charge related to the firing of Paul Blaine.” Covel’s statement was confirmed by the Clinton County Court and by Covel’s attorney Mark Cowen.

By John T. Ryan   The Peru Town Board conducted its annual organizational meeting on Monday, January 12, 2009 preceding its regular meeting. Annual contracts were renewed and committee chairs appointed for 2009. There were no significant changes from 2008.   Michael Farrell made his first report as Peru’s Highway Superintendent.

By John T. Ryan The legal case against Town Supervisor Donald Covel has been “adjourned without date” according to a Clinton County Court spokesperson.  A scheduled January 6th conference between the Court, The District Attorney and Covel’s Attorney Mark Cowen was cancelled. The case is, however, is still considered to be active.

By John T. Ryan The Peru Town Board conducted a brief meeting on December 29th. The Board approved the 2009 Town Employee Handbook which includes the retiree health insurance options

By John T. Ryan The Peru Town Board announced at its Monday, December 22, 2008 meeting that it had selected Pamela Barber to fill the newly created position of confidential secretary to the Town Board position. Barber will begin work on December 29th.

By John T. Ryan The legal action related to a September 2008 indictment of Peru Town Supervisor Donald Covel continues. The next step is a January 6th Clinton County Court Conference.

By John T. Ryan Money saving measures, open burning and sidewalk clearing were the most important items discussed or acted on at the Peru Town Board’s December 8th regular meeting. The council also conducted a brief executive session to discussion personnel matters and the Charter Communications contract.

Submitted by Peru Codes Enforcement Officer Paul Blaine The Town of Peru Codes Office has recently installed web pages for Building, Planning and Zoning and can be accessed through the Town’s Web site at Perutown.com.

By John T. Ryan The Peru Town Board had a light agenda at its November 24th meeting. Outdoor wood boilers were the subject of a twenty-minute discussion. As he had done at the board’s November 10th meeting, resident Dennis Mason

Submitted by Adele Douglas, Co-Chair of the Little Au Sable River Trail Fundraising Committee Hi Everyone, Please plan to do all your Holiday Hardware shopping at the Peru Aubuchon next weekend (Nov 29th and 30th) and tell all your friends and neighbors to do the same. Manager Steve has offered to donate 10% of weekend […]