The Peru Gazette

Editor’s Note – More names will undoubtedly be added to this list.

Click here for the MYNBC5 story 

Click here for the MYNBC5 story 

As of Wednesday, January 3, 2024, the JCEO will be staffing its office in the Peru Town Hall. Personnel shortages resulted in the office being closed for the past few weeks. Rihanna Warren will be the new Peru JCEO Coordinator.

The board will advertise bids to replace a small bridge on Cook Rd. Only one contractor bid last year with a bid higher than the town had budgeted. This year the board is hopeful that more bidders will come forward this year. The recent heavy rains washed out the bridge, forcing the Highway Superintendent to hire Fuller Contracting to perform temporary repairs. The bridge serves only one homeowner.  The bid opening is scheduled for January 29 at 10 a.m.

Longtime planning and zoning board members were reappointed to the following positions:
Richard Williams, as Planning Board Chairman
Ryan Davies, as Planning Board Vice-Chairman
James Falvo, as Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals
Sean Lukas, as Vice-Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals

Thursday’s meeting was Councilman Rick Barber’s last board meeting. He did not seek reelection. Barber plans to continue serving as a County’s America 250 Committee member. Barber said NY state plans to construct a pathway and install benches at the Peru Dock, which overlooks the site of the Battle of Valcour, the Revolutionary War’s first battle. The state asked Barber if Peru would do the excavation work needed for the path. Peru will also install an aluminum flagpole. The state’s plan includes moving the two existing monuments a short distance. Barber thinks it might not be necessary to move the monuments. See discussion on the video beginning at the 23:10 mark and ending at the 31:00 mark.

The board appointed three staff members to the position of Deputy Town Clerk
Judy Akey #1 Deputy Town Clerk
Pam Barber – #2 Deputy Town Clerk
Christine Crawford #3 Deputy Town Clerk

Supervisor Brandy McDonald thanked everyone who contributed and assisted with his Christmas toy drive. He said the program served over 200 children this year.

In other actions, the board:

• Scheduled the 2024 Organizational Meeting for Monday, January 8, 2023, followed by the regular meeting at 7 p.m.
• Approved its 2024 meeting schedule.
• Approved end-of-fiscal-year fund transfers from budget line items with a surplus to budget line items with a deficit. The transfers totaled about $83,000.

Click here for the Spectrum News story 

Click here for the Syracuse.com story 

It was very difficult to limit to 65 photos. 

Click here for the photos 

Photos taken near the River Rd. in west Peru.

We’ve received reports of patchy freezing drizzle across the region this afternoon. As road temperatures cool below freezing this evening, additional freezing drizzle or light snow may coat area roadways. Please keep in mind the changing road conditions.

New York is #1

Click here for the VTDigger story 

Click here for the VTDigger story 

Clinton, Essex and Warren co. received a combined total of nearly $4M

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Click here for the Syracuse.com story 

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

CVPH program encourages all those who are eligible to donate in the New Year 

Peru drive Monday, January 29 

PLATTSBURGH, NY (12/28/2023) – The Adirondack Regional Blood Center, a program of the University of Vermont Health Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (CVPH) encourages all those who are eligible, to kick off the New Year by donating blood at one of its January community drives or by dropping in at the Center, located at 85 Plaza Blvd.

To donate blood, potential donors must be at least 17 years-old (16 years-old with written parental/guardian consent), in generally good health and weigh at least 110 pounds. A screening questionnaire addressing personal medical, social and travel history must be completed prior to donating.  A donor card or another form of identification is also required. Donors must wait 56 days between donations.

The January blood drive schedule is as follows:

• Tuesday, January 2, West Chazy Fire Department, 4 to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 3, Massena Memorial Hospital, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Friday, January 5, Curtis Lumber, Plattsburgh, 8 to 11 a.m.
• Monday, January 8, Willsboro Fire Department, 3 to 6 p.m.
• Thursday, January 11, Fort Covington Adult Center, 2 to 5 p.m.
• Monday, January 15, Champlain EMS Station, Route 11, 3 to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 16, Miner Institute Chazy, 1 to 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 17, BHSN, Route 22B, Morrisonville, 1 to 4 p.m.
• Thursday, January 18, Elizabethtown Community Hospital, 1 to 4 p.m.
• Monday, January 22, Adirondack Medical Center, Redfield Room, Saranac Lake, noon to 4 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 16, Brushton-Moira American Legion, 4 to 7 p.m.
• Monday, January 29, St. Augustine Parish Center, Peru, 3 to 6:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 30, Malone Callfiremen Station, 2 to 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 31, Franklin Academy, Malone, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Click here for the NCPR story 

Click here for the Adirondack Daily Enterprise story 

Jessica A. Chase reportedly drove at troopers responding to a welfare check

Click here for the Sun Community News story 

Click here for the Syracuse.com story 

Motorists Should Avoid the Area Starting Early Saturday Evening (Jan. 6) and Take Alternate Routes

Closure is Required to Safely Remove a Portion of Brookside Road Overpass in New Paltz

Overpass Has Been Hit By Over-Height Trucks Nine Times in 2023

Plattekill Service Area to Close Late Saturday Afternoon

Southbound Lanes to Fully Close Jan. 13-14

The New York State Thruway Authority today announced that the northbound lanes of the Thruway (I-87) from exit 17 in Newburgh to exit 18 in New Paltz will fully shut down to all traffic at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, for at least 12 hours so a portion of the damaged Brookside Road overpass in New Paltz can be safely removed over the northbound lanes, weather permitting. The Plattekill Service Area will be closed during this operation. Motorists should seek alternate routes while this work takes place or avoid travel in the area during these times, if possible.

Closed to traffic since May, the Brookside Road overpass has been hit by over-height vehicles nine times in 2023 and 27 times since 2019. These repeated collisions have resulted in considerable damage to the steel that supports the overpass and decreased the amount of weight it can safely carry. Following regular monitoring and multiple inspections, Thruway and consulting engineers have determined the overpass should be removed in the interest of public safety.

Built in 1954, the four-span continuous four-girder bridge carries Brookside Road (milepost 74.17) over the Thruway – one lane of traffic in each direction – in the town of New Paltz in Ulster County. It had a vertical clearance is 14.2 feet, which has been reduced to 14 feet due to the multiple bridge strikes in both directions, including one on Oct. 30 when its girders above the northbound lanes was struck by a truck hauling a forklift.

To limit impacts to Thruway motorists, this work is scheduled to take place on Saturday night into Sunday morning when traffic volumes are at their lowest. As a result, all northbound lanes north of exit 17 (Newburgh – Scranton – I-84 – NY Routes 17K and 300) will close at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, and are expected to remain closed for at least 12 hours. The northbound Thruway is expected to reopen the next morning, with traffic reduced from two travel lanes to one travel lane through the construction zone.

All northbound traffic will be detoured at exit 17 in Newburgh. The detour between the exits for traffic traveling northbound is 24 miles on local roads (see map). Motorists can follow the posted detour to I-84 east, where they will travel three miles to exit 39 and turn left onto Route 9W north. After approximately 16 miles, vehicles will turn left on westbound Route 299. They will travel five miles to reenter the Thruway at interchange 18 (New Paltz – Poughkeepsie – NY Route 299).

Motorists should expect reduced speeds on Routes 9W and 299 and may encounter heavy delays. Detour signs will be posted every two to three miles along the detour. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes to avoid this area altogether.

The Authority is coordinating with state, county, and local authorities on this operation. Authority officials have briefed TRANSCOM, a coalition of 16 transportation and public service agencies in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. Tandem operators and trucking associations are also being notified of the impending closure.

Variable Message Signs on the Thruway and surrounding highways will advise motorists of the upcoming work, starting Tuesday, Jan 2.

Here’s what motorists and residents should expect on the evening of Saturday, Jan. 6: Read more »

1. Call Meeting to Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call 

4. MOTION:  Acceptance of Minutes for the Regular Meeting of December 11, 2023.

5. Community Input. 

6. DISCUSSION/MOTION:  Set Date of the Organizational Meeting of 2024 as January 8 at 5 PM.

7. DISCUSSION/MOTION:  Approve Regular Meeting Schedule of 2024.

8. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Approval to Put Cook Rd. Culvert Project Out to Bid.

9. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:   Reappoint Richard Williams as Chairman of the Planning Board.

10. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:   Reappoint Ryan Davies as Vice Chairman of the Planning Board.

11. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:   Reappoint James Falvo as Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

12. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:   Reappoint Sean Lukas as Vice Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

13. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:   Appoint Deputy Town Clerks.

14. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Line Item Transfers for General Fund 2023. 

15. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Line Item Transfers for Peru Sewer Fund 2023. 

16. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Line Item Transfers for Valcour Sewer Fund 2023. 

17. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Line Item Transfers for Water Fund 2023. 

18. DISCUSSION:  Other Business.

19. DISCUSSION:  Public Comments on Agenda Items Only.

20. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Pay December 2023 Bills.

21. MOTION: Adjourn Meeting.