The Peru Gazette

L-R Kregg Bruno, Peter Glushko, Kyle Kemp, Brandy McDonald, Nathan Fuller, James Douglass, Susan Polhemus

By John T. Ryan

On March 11^th the Peru Town Board continued its effort to recognize Peru Boy Scout Troop 49’s Eagle Scouts.  Eleven Troop 49 scouts have achieved the Eagle Scout rank in the last two years and four additional scouts are working towards the Eagle rank.

• Nathan Fuller achieved the Eagle Scout rank on 9/4/11.  His Eagle Scout project involved replacing the concrete footers for the cannons at the American Legion Post 20 on Quarry Road in Plattsburgh. He also constructed a stone pathway to walk around and look at the cannons.
• Eagle Scout Kyle Kemp constructed a walking trail at the Mother Cabrini Shrine in Peru. Kemp also placed rocks around two ponds at the Shrine to help stop ongoing erosion.

The Board approved an annual contract with Zoning and Planning Board Attorney Tom Murnane at the rate of $150 an hour.  In its continuing effort to cut expenses, the Board has decided that Murnane will only attend Planning and Zoning Board meetings when requested.  Also, Murnane has been told to advise members of the general public that they will be responsible for payment of his services if they call his office with questions. In the past, Murnane billed the Town of Peru when he responded to the public’s phone calls.

In other actions the Board:

Town Supervisor Peter Glushko reported that FEMA and NYSEMA (The federal and state emergency management offices) would not be reimbursing the town for all its Hurricane Irene related expenses. The town has received $838,757 to date with $32,455 in NYSEMA monies still outstanding. Repairs totaled $1.2 million including approximately $210,000 in Town of Peru labor and equipment costs. The town financed the repairs with a 5-year no-interest loan.  The non-reimbursed monies will have to be accounted for in future Highway Department budgets.

Appointed Carrie Beattie and Bill Meyers to the Peru Youth Commission succeeding Kay Barber and Pat Uliva.

Accepted a bid from contractor Brandon Ryan to cut and remove about 20 trees from the Walking Trail at a cost not to exceed $2,000.

Learned that the Water Quality Improvement project start-up would be delayed until mid-April. J. Hogan Refrigeration has not received all the required filtration media and equipment. The other contractors should have their portion of the project substantially complete by March 28th.

Discussed replacement of the Town Hall’s entrance stairs, supporting walls and railings. The steps are separating from the supporting wall to the point where one portion of the stairs has been blocked off. The Board will look into alternative solutions.

Supervisor Peter Glushko will be attending NYS Comptroller’s basic accounting school on April 16,17 and 18 in Canton, NY.  Confidential Secretary Pan Barber and Receptionist Judy Akey have already taken this course. Glushko plans to send Barber and Akey to an advanced accounting class later this year.

Water/Sewer Superintendent Greg Timmons reported that the town’s new electronic sign should be erected near the Little Ausable River Park Gazebo within the next few days.