The Peru Gazette

By John T Ryan

Summary of Peru Town Board’s May 12, 2025 Meeting 

Paving Bruce Drive was scheduled for Wednesday, May 14.  Once that’s complete the highway department plans to pave Telegraph Rood from the road closure point north to the Bear Swamp Road. The board approved financing for a Highway Department 2025 Western Star plow truck for $352,946 utilizing $152,946 in available funds and issuing a bond not exceeding $200,000. Highway Department Superintendent Michael Farrell says plow truck replacement costs doubled over the last past few years with a three to four year waiting period. 

Courtney Tetreault reported that on or about Saturday, May 3, vandals defaced the Sullivan Park entrance sign, damaged a Sullivan Park picnic table and bench, and severely damaged metal signs at Little Ausable River Park. Town Supervisor Craig Randall said the repair cost to the Sullivan Park sign is 3,000.  A Peru-based company, Artisan Sign and Design, donated the sign to the town in June 2021. Randall said the town will press charges when one or more persons are apprehended.

NYS Police have scheduled a ceremony to rename the Carpenter’s Flat Bridge for the late NYS Trooper Christopher Garrow for Heyworth Mason Park on May 30 at 11 a.m. 

Town Historian Helen Nerska will conduct a Peru History Tour on Saturday, May 31. It will leave the town hall at 10 a.m. The board verbally agreed to Nerska’s request to donate 1st Baptist Church congregation documents to the Town of Ausable. The church began on Fuller Road in Peru, but moved to Ausable.  Peru collected many records over the years.

Recreation Director Kristen Marino reported many participating teams in summer programs, including three peewee baseball teams, three grasshopper baseball teams, two grasshopper softball teams, two peewee softball teams, plus T-Ball. 

Mrs. Marino still needs a pickleball instructor, a tennis instructor, and an assistant recreation director. Opening days are May 23 -24. The Clinton County Youth Bureau will conduct an umpire clinic at Lapham Mills Park on May 23. 

The board also: 

Approved signing a customer agreement with Hamilsun Solar with an anticipated saving of 7% of the town’s total electricity charges. Savings are estimated at $7,000 annually. 

Tabled a six-month contract with White Knight Kennels as the town’s dangerous dog facility.  The exact cost could not be determined because there appeared to be a wording error in the proposed contract.

Approved purchase of mechanical parts for closing the former wastewater lagoon adjacent to the Brand Hollow Road.

Approved using some or all of the town’s remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) monies of $138,041 to repair or replace manhole repairs and/or replacement. 

Approved purchase of playground mulch for $4,764. 

Approved purchase of a 40 ft. Commex metal storage box for $4,240 to store items displaced during the wastewater treatment plant upgrade project.