The Peru Gazette

The Press Republican reports

By John T. Ryan 

Clinton County sales of existing single-family home continued their strong rebound in November with a 108% increase compared to November 2008. Clinton County’s increase in New York State was the third highest increase reported by the NYS Association of Realtors (NYSAR). Fifty-two homes were sold in the county compared to twenty-five last year. Median home prices increased from $115,000 to $125,000 or back to 2007 levels. NYSAR said the sales rebound returned real estate sales to more normal levels. They credited the federal first-time homebuyer tax credit with driving the housing market.

Here are the sales statistics for Clinton, Essex, Jefferson and Warren Counties: 

Richard Williams, Vice Chair of the Town of Peru Planning Board, called the meeting of Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 7:02 pm, to order.

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Walter Russell, Chair of the Town of Peru Zoning Board of Appeals, called the meeting of November 18, 2009 to order at 7:03 p.m. 

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By John T. Ryan

The Peru Town Board completed its 2009 business at an 8 a.m. December 31^st Special Meeting at the Peru Town Hall.  Supervisor Peter Glushko and Counselors Brandy McDonald and Jim Douglass were present. Counselors Tom Powers and Kregg Bruno were absent. End of year fund transfers were quickly approved and thirty bills approved for payment. 

Supervisor Peter Glushko took advantage of Cortland Forrence’s presence to give the Deputy Supervisor a “Key to the Town of Peru.” Glushko said, “We owe Cortland for the pro-bono work he did for the insurance change and all his work on the budget. It’s good to see we have citizens willing to do things like this for the good of the town.”  Forrence became Deputy Supervisor in September 2009 at a time when the supervisor’s position was vacant and the budgeting process needed to move forward.  In November the town was notified that it faced a 35% increase in health increase rates. Forrence worked with the board to find an alternative insurance program resulting in no rate increase.

After expressing his thanks to the Board for the award Forrence said he had come to the meeting to discuss the town’s health insurance buy-out program.  He said the Town Board had discussed raising the town’s employee buy-out (currently at $2,000) for several years and had not taken action. An employee can take advantage of the buy-out if they are eligible for the town’s health insurance and chooses to not take the insurance. This usually happens when an employee’s spouse has better coverage through his or her place of employment. Five employees currently take advantage of the buy-out program. Forrence said he was concerned that if the buy-out amount is not increased more employees will choose the town’s health insurance program at a cost to the town of approximately $11,000 per employee for family coverage. Counselor Brandy McDonald said he has checked with other communities and they offer significantly higher buy-out amounts.  He said Beekmantown offers a $3,500 buy-out and is in the process of increasing it to $4,000.  After discussion the Board voted 3-0 to increase the 2009 buy-out from $2,000 to $2,500 pending review by legal counsel.  A possible increase in 2010 will be discussed at future meetings.

Supervisor Glushko noted the favorable comments residents have made about the town plowing hamlet sidewalks. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell reported that the plow borrowed from the Town of Ausable has a broken part and that the part is no longer manufactured. He hopes to have the part welded before the next snow storm.

Supervisor Glushko concluded the meeting by wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

The meeting adjourned at about 8:45 a.m.

The adirondack almanack reports

The Peru Town Board will hold a special meeting on Thursday, December 31st at 8:00 a.m. to complete fund transfers and possibly conduct other business. The Town Council will hold its organizational meeting at 6:30 p.m. on January 11th. The regular meeting will follow.

The Post-Standard reports

The Watertown Times reports

By Donald McBrayer

The Regular Town Board Meeting was held on Monday, December 28 at 7 P.M. In attendance was Supervisor Peter Glushko, Councilors Tom Powers, Brandy McDonald, and James Douglass, and Town Clerk Kathleen Flynn. Town Attorney Don Biggs and Councilor Kregg Bruno were absent.

This meeting marked the final Town Board Meeting for Tom Powers who completed his four-year term. Recently elected Susan Polhemus will be taking the position the 1st of January. Mr. Glushko marked the occasion by presenting Powers and retiring Town Justice Peter Keenan with the key to the town in honor of their service. Both men received a standing ovation.

The remaining agenda items included:

• A passed resolution for 9 minor adjustments to the recently passed budget.
• A passed motion setting the time and date for final end-of-year transfers and bill paying to Wednesday, December 31 at 8:00 A.M.
• A passed motion setting the time and date for the organizational meeting to Monday, January 11 at 6:30 P.M. to precede the scheduled regular meeting.
• A passed resolution authorizing $1500 from the 2009 budget to begin construction on a new set of tables for the town hall.
• A discussion to increase health insurance buyouts to eventually reach $3000 in two years.
• A discussion on the progress regarding of selection of a new IT support service for the town.
  

The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 P.M.

The Watertown Times reports

The Press Republican reports

The Times Union reports

The adirondack almanack reports

On November 21, 2009 Ernest E. Rock of the Hallock Hill Road passed away at age 84. A retired corrections officer and farmer, Ernie was a World War II Navy veteran serving as an aircraft carrier tail gunner. At Ernie’s funeral his daughter Rebecca Drollette read a letter which Ernie, at age 18, wrote home to his Aunt Ruth Rock as he was completing his Navy training. We are pleased to reprint this letter believing that it exemplifies a wonderful example of an American patriot’s faith in God, country, family and community. That same spirit continues today. Please keep all our soldiers around the world in your thoughts and prayers during this Christmas season. 

December 19, 1943

Dear Aunt Ruth,

I’ve been to Church and we have a wonderful chaplain. The Mass was beautiful. Christmas night the 12:00 Mass that I’ll attend will be broadcast all over the United States.

They are going to make our Christmas as good and entertaining as possible, but there is nothing in comparison with a beautiful Christmas at home. No matter how humble it is, home is the most wonderful place in the whole world especially to a sailor. We are all here for a purpose, for the purpose of eliminating the enemy and making a lasting and permanent peace. We are here for that job. We are going to give everything we have for that job so that in the future we can spend all our happy years at home. I know we are not at home and that our job is dangerous and necessary and in the event we don’t come back what we did will live on. But we are not all going to die and some of us are going to come back to share the peace we fought for.

Here in my company all kinds of men are put together and we are all one. No one man is better than the other. We are Americans and for America. We shall fight and for America we shall die.

This year at Christmas we can’t be together in body, but in spirit we are combined in both. When we go to the railing Christmas Eve we will all be combined with the aid of God.

Now we are being taught to kill and destroy, but we are also being taught to live. To live as Americans should and can. This is a battle and this battle will be won by the strong of mind and the strong of heart.

I’ve got a little friend here from Puerto Rico and I’m teaching him to speak English. He is a nice boy and a real American. He can talk pretty good by now and his nice black curly hair is all gone. We had our regulation hair cuts yesterday and we were clipped bald, but it will grow.

Maybe this letter sounds like a sermon or maybe just plain nuts but our chaplain told us to write home a Christmas letter something like this and I hope I’ve done a good job.

We have a swell time here. A guy is playing a mouth organ and we are raising hell. We do all day. I’ve gained about 5 lbs. A lot of food and not much work. I hope everything is OK at home and around.

                                                            Love,

                                                            Ernest

A Syracuse woman was just arrested for driving drunk with a person under 18 years of age in her vehicle. This is a felony under a recently passed NYS law referred to as Leandra’s Law. Many people seem unaware of this law so the Gazette is publishing these pertinent links: NY Daily News Story      Post-Standard story

The adirondack almanack reports

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports

On August 7th, 2009 Peru Town Historian Ron Allen and his wife Carol presided over the dedication of historical markers for Peru Landing and Port Jackson. The dedication ceremonies at the Valcour Conference Center took place at the exact place where Port Jackson was located. It was the point where many of our ancestors arrived in the North Country and it became their economic link to the outside world. The remarks Ron Allen made that August day taught a valuable historical lesson and should be preserved. Therefore, the Peru Gazette asked his permission to publish them online. Read more »

By John T. Ryan

The Zoning Board of Appeals had acted on its agenda December 16, 2009 when Board Chairman Walter Russell announced that he will resign as Board Chairman effective January 1, 2010.  Reading from a letter addressed to Town Supervisor Peter Glushko Russell said, “It has been my great pleasure to serve on the ZBA since 1991. The time has come for new people to take over the reigns of the board.”  After a brief discussion, the board elected Vice-Chairman Leon Blair as the board’s next Chairman and board member James Falvo as Vice-Chairman. Read more »

The Adirondack Daily Enterprise reports (Includes a great photo representation)

By Adele Douglas

You no longer need to drive to Staples to make color copies.  There’s a new color copier in town, at the Peru Free Library. Color copies will cost you 50 cents, black and white copies 10 cents.  You can either bring in your print job or send it from the six public computers in the library.  The copier can handle paper up to 11” by 17” and can also be used as a scanner.  For more of your communication needs, the library also hosts a fax machine ($1 per copy, with a $3 maximum charge).  These services are all part of the library’s ongoing effort to better serve the needs of the community.  Please call librarian Becky Pace if you have any questions, 643-8618.

The Press Republican reports

By Donald McBrayer

The Regular Town Board Meeting was held at 7PM on Monday, December 14. This marks the first Regular Meeting for newly seated Town Supervisor Peter Glushko, and Councilors Kregg Bruno and James Douglass. Also in attendance were Councilor Tom Powers, Town Clerk Kathy Flynn, and Town Attorney Don Biggs. Councilor Brandy McDonald was excused. Read more »

The Watertown Daily Times reports (Interesting story in light of today’s Press Republican supplement on Clinton County agriculture)