The Peru Gazette

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Alden Stevens

By John T. Ryan

Anyone visiting the Peru Town Hall recently may have noticed a man they do not recognize either examining town records or entering data into a laptop.  For the past several weeks Alden Stevens, a records management specialist, has been organizing thousands of town records and preparing thousands of others for disposal. Last year the Town received a $24,961 state grant to identify and organize required town records and to purge obsolete records. The Town Board asked for bids and in December it awarded Stevens a $17,851 contract with the additional $7,000 to be spent on shelving.

Retention requirements for government records are complex. The Town Supervisor, the Town Clerk, the Town Court and the Zoning Enforcement Officer all maintain extensive official records. Towns typically have thousands of documents in storage with varying retention requirements. Alden Stevens explained, “Most people revert to a cautious philosophy, ‘When in doubt, save it!’ Making a decision on what records can be safely destroyed is very time-consuming and destruction is not easy to work into a normal workday. New York State recognized this and created the Local Government Management Fund to provide both fiscal and clerical assistance.” The hope is that towns will correct accumulated problems and develop procedures to carry them into the future. In the past few weeks Stevens has evaluated over 1,600 cubic feet of Peru’s records and has determined that 852 cubic feet can be legally destroyed.

Stevens is organizing Peru’s documents by date and type and entering the information into an Excel database.  The database will direct Town personnel to specific storage containers and specific locations.  Some records have very long retention periods. Peru’s marriage, birth and death certificates date back to the late 1700’s.  Payroll records must be maintained for at least fifty-five years. Other records have shorter retention requirements. Many accounting documents have a six year retention period.  The system Stevens is setting up will encourage timely document destruction.

Reorganizing government records sounds like a tedious job, but Alden Stevens says his interaction with town staff members makes his job enjoyable. He said he appreciates the friendly people and excellent cooperation he has received here in Peru.

AGENDA TOWN BOARD REGULAR MEETING

July 25, 2011 @ 7:00 PM

1. Call Meeting To Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call Read more »

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Jeff Cochran Photo: PHOTOPIA/Shaun Heffernan

A morning poetry workshop and an evening of poetry in Chazy. Click here

By John T. Ryan

Several area residents reported seeing black smoke rising from a 507 Route 22B residence last evening.  The home burned to the ground, but it wasn’t bad news because the Peru Volunteer Fire Department was conducting a “practice burn” at the vacant house located across from Dimock Farms.  Chief Brian Westover said, “This is the first home we’ve had for a practice burn in about seven years.”

The practice burn enabled the Fire Department to give its new members valuable training. Before setting the entire home ablaze, a firefighter ignited a smoke fire in a 55-gallon drum in the home’s interior.  Using ladders and a South Plattsburgh Fire Department aerial ladder the firefighters mounted the home’s roof where they used axes and chain saws to cut ventilation holes.  Ventilation holes reduce smoke and reduce temperatures within a burning structure.  Next, the firefighters set a room ablaze and with the help of breathing apparatus they entered the home to extinguish the blaze.  Finally, the entire home was set afire giving firefighters the opportunity spray water on the building’s exterior. The department’s new pumper, referred to as Brutus, can pump up to 2,000 gallons a minute.  Experienced firefighters instructed the new members as they performed all this training.

The 1100-degree temperatures measured on the house’s roofline made it a very warm summer evening for the personnel.  The firefighters volunteer to do this while most of us are comfortable in our air-conditioned homes. A second practice burn will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 23, 2011 at a large home near the corner of the Mannix and Clark Roads. (Click here to see more Peru Gazette photos).

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By Donald McBrayer

Geoffrey Spear was nominated to run for Town Councilor at the Peru Republican caucus that was held on Thursday, July 14th.

A Peru native,  Spear is the son of Dr. Merritt  & Joan Spear. Graduating from Peru Central in 1980, Spear went on to earn a B.S. degree in Biology/Chemistry and a Masters Degree in Education/Athletic Management at Springfield College, MA in 1988.

Spear works as a men’s soccer coach and college instructor at Plattsburgh State University. He is married to Dr. Anne-Marie Boule Spear, a dentist with offices in Peru and Plattsburgh. They have four children ages 9-18. Geoff is involved with the community as a member of the Peru Community Church, a volunteer Peru Youth Commission soccer coach, and a coach for the Plattsburgh youth travel soccer program.

“I’m running for the Town Council so I can be a voice for all citizens in making the decisions and taking the actions that will charter the course Peru should take over the next several years. Having spent my professional career as a coach, I know what it means to be a part of a team.  I am confident that I have the common sense, leadership ability, listening skills and understanding of working in a collaborative manner to be an effective member of the Town Board,” Spear stated.

Election day will be November 8th this year.

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