The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

The Peru Town Board conducted is final meeting of 2014 this morning (December 31^st) at 8 a.m. The Board approved several fund transfers; encumbered or reserved certain monies not expended in 2014 for 2015 and approved closing the Town Hall’s common area for public business at 1 p.m. every Tuesday. Supervisor Peter Glushko, Counselors Donald McBrayer and Jim Douglass were present. Counselors Kregg Bruno and Brandy McDonald were excused from the meeting.

The Board passed a resolution introduced by Supervisor Peter Glushko to close the Town Hall’s common area prior to and during Town Court sessions. The resolution cited safety concerns to the general public entering the building to transact business. Judge Kirby addressed the Board stating. “I want to go on record as being opposed to this action. It will not solve the problem.”  Supervisor Glushko stated that people involved in court proceedings would not be permitted to enter the Town Hall’s common area until 1 p.m. Judge Kirby will convene court at 2 p.m. Later in the meeting Judge Kirby inferred that he would prefer using the Town Hall’s lower level for court proceedings when he asked several questions relative to relocating the town historian’s downstairs office to the office currently occupied by Town Court. Counselors James Douglass and Donald McBrayer reiterated their reluctance to relocate the historian’s office.  Disrupting the JCEO office’s downstairs operations was mentioned as another concern. Counselor McBrayer, the Board’s Liaison to Town Court, said he viewed today’s action as a temporary solution and that he would be working with Judge Kirby and the Town Board to find a long-term solution to the issue. The Board did agree to reserve (encumber) $7,523 in unspent 2014 court monies for 2015 purchases of a computer server, filing cabinets, a shredder and a printer.

The Board approved several Highway Department fund transfers. $31,141 was transferred from the Town’s General Fund to the various Highway Department accounts and $66,731 was transferred between several Highway Department accounts. The transfers were related to higher than expected overtime costs during last winter’s hard winter, higher than expected paving costs and much higher salt and sand costs.

Town Historian Ron Allen requested that unexpended Town Historian monies be reserved or encumbered for repairs at the Town’s historic Rock Road School House. $5799.68 was encumbered. The work has been estimated to cost $7,600.

$4,220 was encumbered for the Youth Commission for the purchase of a new computer and clay for the athletic fields.

Code Enforcement Officer Frank Slycord told the Board, “Our office has had a very busy year. We issued 145 building permits, 25 new home permits and 14 Planning Board applications.” Slycord also stated that New York State is requiring that all Planning and Zoning Board members participate in four hours of annual training. If they do not have that training they cannot vote at board meetings. The training is available online and in Plattsburgh. Most Planning Board members have undergone the training while most Zoning Board members will have to attend if they want to continue as Board members. Slycord and Counselor Douglass both emphasized that board volunteers are appreciated and respected, but training is essential.

The Board scheduled its annual Organizational Meeting for January 12, 2015 at 6:30 p.m.

Supervisor Glushko stated he would be setting up a Memorandum of Understanding with the Elizabethtown SPCA for its dog shelter services.

The meeting adjourned at 9 a.m.