Source: New look and new artists at the Strand in Plattsburgh | NCPR News

By John T. Ryan 

The Peru Town Board’s made several important decisions and discussed several import issues at its recent meetings. They include preparing construction bids for wastewater treatment plant upgrades, preparing bid specifications for Phase #2 of the ongoing sewer line upgrade project, the possibility of paying for an expensive Telegraph Rd. bridge and culvert construction, and taking advantage of an opportunity to extend the town’s walking trail. 

On October 25th, the town board authorized the issuance of $9,9454,421 in serial bonds to finance a state-required upgrade to the town’s wastewater treatment plant. Not long after that, the town learned it qualified for a 0% loan. At the board’s December 29th meeting, Water-Sewer Superintendent Courtney Tetrault reported that NYS awarded Peru two grants totaling $2,366,290 to help finance the project. The town has also applied for a grant to pay up to 25% of the project’s total cost.

AES Engineering is preparing bid specifications to remove a lagoon at the wastewater treatment plant. The lagoon has only been used during high water situations since the early 1990s. The lagoon space will make room for the plant upgrades. 

The town will soon advertise for bids for phase #2 of the ongoing sewer line upgrade project. Phase #2 involves installing a new sewer line from the Peru Community Church down Elm Street to almost Jarvis Road.  Along with improving service, the new line would enable the town to decommission an existing line from Sanborn Lane to Owens DriveRifenburg. Rifenburg Construction of Troy, NY is in the final stages of completing phase #1. 

Town Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell reported that the town might have to finance the entire cost of replacing the culvert and bridge on Telegraph Road near the Sullivan Road intersection. NYS didn’t include Peru in the latest NYS Bridges grant awards. Both structures are gradually eroding. Contractors hurriedly installed them following the 1998 floods. The town is pursuing further grants and the infrastructure bill Congress recently passed might be a help. 

When the Town of Peru constructed its walking trail, property owners John and Penny Clute granted an easement across their property for the portion of the trail exiting on Route 22. The town board periodically discussed extending the trail to Lapham Mills Park. Now, with the help of Assemblyman Billy Jones, the town has secured a $125,000 grant to purchase Clute’s 124-acre parcel. Town Attorney Matt Favro will attempt to reach a purchase agreement. The parcel extends north to within 1,700 feet the Lapham Mills Rd. The town would have to either get an easement or purchase the remaining 1,700 feet of property, plus build a bridge to reach the Lapham Mills Rd. 

The New York State Department of Labor Wage Board was expected to decide whether they would be lowering the overtime threshold for farmworkers from sixty to forty hours per week in 2020 but extended their decision until this year when they scheduled three additional hearings about the matter. Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) testified in front of the Wage Board on Tuesday evening, while Jesse Mulbury from Northern Orchard and Helen Giroux-Taylor from Giroux’s Poultry and Chazy Orchards testified earlier this month in support of maintaining the overtime threshold at sixty hours.

“I’ve had many conversations with farmers and farm workers across New York and they all are adamantly against lowering the overtime threshold,” said Assemblyman Jones. “Farmers follow the seasons and work long days during the spring and summer to make sure everything is harvested. It’s different than other industries and lowering the overtime threshold to forty hours is just impractical when farmers must fit in so much work in such a little amount of time. This is especially concerning not just for farmers but for migrant workers as well who come to the North Country from all over the world through H2A and other labor programs. I’ve talked to workers who have come to our region year after year to work at our farms who are worried that New York will lower the overtime threshold and they will no longer be able to afford to work in our state. Too many North Country farms have closed over the years because they just cannot make ends meet and lowering the overtime threshold will unfortunately cause more to close. It’s time to invest in our farms like the Governor laid out in her State of the State and make decisions that will positively impact this important industry and continue to bring fresh, locally made products to New Yorkers. Additionally, the state legislature has made it clear that they want to maintain the overtime threshold at sixty hours. So many farmers and farmworkers as well as my colleagues have testified before the Wage Board and I encourage you to listen to their pleas to keep the overtime threshold for farmworkers.”

“It is of utmost importance that farmers and farm workers in the state make themselves heard during these opportunities to testify,” said Jesse Mulbury, farm manager of Northern Orchard and chair of the New York Apple Association. “Farmers are grateful to Assemblyman Jones for taking the charge to help our voices be heard during the ongoing Wage Board hearings which threaten the viability of farming in New York. Agriculture is one of New York’s’ most important industries, and farmers are fighting to ensure that New York farms will be able to stay in business, provide stable jobs and opportunities for our employees, and produce heathy foods for our state and country. We are extremely concerned about the implications of lowering the overtime threshold any further. Many small farms are at their breaking point and need help from the State, not more restrictions. Lowering the threshold any further will have disastrous effects on the apple industry, which is struggling to survive with the current mandates for overtime especially during our critical periods of apple bloom and harvest. Lowering the threshold any further threatens the very existence of the H2A labor program in the state- if farmers are only able to afford to offer further reduced hours to guest workers, then these workers WILL go to other states instead of  New York to seek work. Without H2A workers interested in coming to work in New York, the apple industry will not be able to harvest our apples and will collapse.”

“For our family business lowering the 60-hour overtime threshold will really put us at a competitive disadvantage,” said Helen Giroux-Taylor of Giroux’s Poultry and Chazy Orchards. “As farmers in New York State, we have to compete with farmers in various states that do not have this additional regulation.  This is a state versus federal issue for us economically. Caring for live animals and growing crops is a 7 day per week job. With the current increase in consumer demand for cage free eggs, and new apple varieties, the cost of doing business is constantly rising.  Coupled with the events over the past few years, making this change would have a negative impact on agriculture throughout the state for years to come.”

The NYSDOL Wage Board will be hosting the last hearing about the overtime threshold for farm workers on Thursday January 20 and a decision is expected for later this year.

Senator Dan Stec (R,C-Queensbury) issued the following statement after Governor Hochul’s 2022-23 Executive Budget presentation: 

            “After the lengthy, self-aggrandizing budget proposals of recent memory, Governor Hochul’s budget presentation was to-the-point.

“At first glance, there’s several items in her proposal that would benefit North Country families and businesses. For years, I’ve advocated for tax relief for homeowners, middle-class families and small businesses, and I’m pleased to see the governor include those items. In addition to increased school aid, support for our veterans and investments in infrastructure, I’m optimistic that we can take steps this year to greatly enhance our quality of life.

“I am deeply concerned, however, with the amount of spending and just how we’ll pay for it. Last year’s state budget was more than twice that of Florida, a state with two million more residents than New York State. Even with the disclosure that some of the spending in this year’s budget is short-term, the governor’s proposal is a costly $216 billion, an increase from last year’s enacted budget.

“A few weeks ago, Governor Hochul correctly acknowledged that 300,000 people left New York. A large part of that exodus is the tax-and-spend culture and increased cost of living in this state. If we can’t rein in our state’s spending and make it more manageable long-term, it will be a challenge to bring those people back or keep others from leaving.

“In the days to come, I’ll be looking into the specifics of her budget proposal and its direct impact on our communities. My main goal during this entire process will be to ensure this year’s budget is fiscally responsible, increases our quality of life and makes our communities safer and more affordable.”

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“France worked for the sheriff’s office for 10 years, most recently with the corrections division transport platoon. She also was a U.S. Navy veteran, according to the release.”

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Source: The New York executive budget by the numbers – City & State New York

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 “Governor Kathy Hochul announced her proposed budget today that will help move our state forward and will address many issues people are experiencing across the North Country. This included funding that will help the North Country get back to work such as $10 billion for healthcare, $31 billion for education including a $1.6 billion increase to foundation aid, and $1.4 billion for child care. Besides the $1.6 billion increase in foundation aid for schools, the Executive Budget also included a significant increase in aid for K-12 schools and needed operating aid for SUNY.

“Residents across the North Country will find relief in the middle-class tax cuts included in the budget. The cuts include accelerating a  $1.2 million tax cut for middle-class taxpayers that will help 6 million New Yorkers get more money in their pockets sooner. The tax cuts also include a $2.2 billion middle-class property tax reb­­ate for 2.5 million homeowners, which is welcomed news for so many North Country homeowners who continue to pay high property taxes. Property tax relief will go a long way in helping the middle-class and seniors who are struggling to make ends meet due to increased costs of living. As we negotiate the budget, I will work to extend middle-class tax cuts and circuit breaker property tax relief to more New Yorkers.

“The Governor also announced $32.8 billion investment for infrastructure to improve the state’s roads and bridges, continue to expand broadband services throughout New York, and ­make important updates to our public transportation system. This will not only create construction jobs and improve state roads and bridges across the North Country but will also bring more work to our region’s transportation manufacturing sector that builds the electric buses and train cars that will be part of the infrastructure improvements. Important funding for economic development was also included in the budget such as $₃₅₀ million in tax reliefs for small businesses and up to $350 million for a new Office of Workforce and Economic Development through Empire State Development.

“Additional funding was included to help streamline the process for MWBE certification-which has been one of my priorities for years. The Governor also included a new Pharmacy Benefits Bureau to reduce prescription costs and regulate Pharmacy Benefit Managers, an important change to our healthcare system that I advocated to be included in the Executive Budget. The Hire-A-Vet Credit was also extended and improved by expanding eligibility to all veterans and those who work part-time, a win for veterans across the North Country. The budget also included important victories for farmers such as creating a new tax credit for overtime hours and expanding the Investment Tax Credit and the Farm Workforce Retention Credit programs. A historic $100 million for addiction services was also included in the budget which will help so many across the North Country who are in recovery find the support they need.

“There is still a lot of work to do before the 2023 State Budget is finalized, but the Executive Budget proposed today is a good start. Between economic and workforce development, middle-class tax relief, and investment in our healthcare and education systems, the Executive Budget will provide much-needed relief to North Country residents and I look forward to finalizing these proposals in the upcoming weeks during budget negotiations.”

“Governor Hochul introduced an executive budget proposal at a critical moment in our state’s history. As we continue our recovery we are faced with many challenges, but the proposed budget sets forth the Governor’s priorities to address them while also recognizing the importance of achieving and maintaining a long-term structural budget balance.

“The Governor announced significant funding increases for health care, infrastructure, affordable housing, and environmental projects, as well as support for vulnerable New Yorkers and continuation of the plan to fully fund school foundation aid. These are important objectives that will require careful balancing with other state and local funding needs and available resources, now and into the future. The Governor’s commitment to building the state’s reserves is something I have called for repeatedly and is critical to planning for future unforeseen events.

“State revenue is running well ahead of projections, and the proposed budget includes significant federal aid to support our recovery. The state has the opportunity to provide needed relief to the many individuals, small businesses and sectors that are still struggling. We must make sure these funds are allocated effectively and properly used.

“My office will review all of the executive budget proposals and release a more detailed analysis soon.”

Source: Gov. Hochul balances spending and saving in $216 billion budget | NCPR News

These are additional lab-confirmed cases over the holiday weekend. The total does NOT include results of the hundreds if not thousands of home-administered tests.

Click here to review the minutes published on the town’s website.

Click here to review as published on the town’s website.

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          “Unfortunately I tested positive for COVID-19 but I am taking all the necessary precautions and have started to quarantine. I am thankful that I am vaccinated and got my booster shot but this is a reminder of how prevalent COVID-19 is in our community. We all must continue to work together to get through this and I want to encourage everyone to continue to stay safe, get vaccinated, and stay home if they are sick.”

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