The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

The Peru Town Board meeting of Monday, August 10th, was a relatively brief 33-minute meeting.

The Board:

• Approved changing Code Enforcement office hours on days when either Zoning Board of Appeals or Planning Board meetings are scheduled. The office will be open from 11:30 a.m. until the 7 p.m. meetings. These hours better coordinate with board meetings and employee work hours.
• Scheduled a public hearing on a local law to regulate solar farm development for 5:45 p.m. on Monday, September 14th.
• Met with Northern Blacktopping representative Corey Trombley regarding the color and design of the plaza area in front of the Town Hall. Northern Blacktopping won the bid to pave the area.  Trombley said the asphalt coloring should be bright for at least six years and remain attractive for several years after that. The pavers that were installed only six years ago have deteriorated badly.

In other items:

Water Sewer Superintendent Courtney Tetrault reported that recent high winds dislodged Sprint Corporation’s antenna from the water tower. The Town realizes approximately $30,000 annually by leasing antenna space on the water tower.

Tetrault’s staff installed an additional light at the Sullivan Park skating rink.

Installation of an emergency generator at the Town Hall is awaiting the arrival of an NYSEG gas engineer.

NYSEG has not indicated when it will be installing the hamlet’s new 4k LED street lights.

Click here to review department July reports

The meeting adjourned at 6:34 p.m.

Businesses are applying Source: Slow start for New York’s $100 million small businesses loan program | CSNY

Substantial Recovery from March 31 Fiscal Year-End

The New York State Common Retirement Fund’s (Fund) estimated return in the first quarter of the State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2020-21 was 10.35 percent for the three-month period ending June 30, 2020, with an estimated value of $216.3 billion, according to New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

“One of the strongest rebounds in modern history lifted the Fund’s value well above what it was at the close of the state fiscal year and restored most of the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” DiNapoli said. “Until there is a solution to the global public health crisis, market volatility and uncertainty will continue. We manage New York state’s pension fund to withstand tough challenges. That’s why the Fund remains one of the nation’s strongest, providing retirement security to our 1.1 million working and retired members and their beneficiaries.”

The Fund’s estimated value reflects benefits of $3.34 billion paid out during the quarter. Its audited value as of fiscal year-end March 31, 2020, was $194.3 billion.

As of June 30, 2020, the Fund had 53.0 percent of its assets invested in publicly traded equities. The remaining Fund assets by allocation are invested in cash, bonds and mortgages (23.2 percent), private equity (9.6 percent), real estate and real assets (8.7 percent) and credit, absolute return strategies and opportunistic alternatives (5.5 percent).

The Fund remains one of the nation’s strongest public pension funds. Pew Charitable Trusts’ latest analysis of state pension funds, based on 2018 data, ranked the Fund as the second best funded in the nation.

DiNapoli initiated quarterly investment performance reporting in 2009 as part of his ongoing efforts to increase accountability and transparency. Quarterly rates of return provide a snapshot of performance over three months and reflect a fraction of the Fund’s annual investment return.

About the New York State Common Retirement Fund, The New York State Common Retirement Fund is the third-largest public pension fund in the United States. The Fund holds and invests the assets of the New York State and Local Retirement System on behalf of more than one million state and local government employees and retirees and their beneficiaries. The Fund has consistently been ranked as one of the best managed and best-funded plans in the nation. The Fund’s fiscal year ends March 31.

###

Find out how your government money is spent at Open Book New York. Track municipal spending, the state’s 170,000 contracts, billions in state payments and public authority data. Visit the Reading Room for contract FOIL requests, bid protest decisions and commonly requested data.

Source: Exploring forgotten lands: The Sable Highlands – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: Amazon store coming to Crossgates

Source: Burlington City Council creates reparations task force; fails to override veto – VTDigger

Source: Nursing homes scrambled for equipment, officials testify | News | pressrepublican.com

Source: CVPH nurses hold informational rally | Sun Community News PLATTSBURGH | A rally held Friday sought to bring awareness to proposed cuts for CVPH staff.

Source: AuSable Forks man mourned following fatal motorcycle wreck | Sun Community News JAY | A leisurely midday motorcycle ride ended in tragedy Sunday, claiming the life of an AuSable Forks man.

Source: City & State Coronavirus Update

Source: New local cider house rules | News, Sports, Jobs – Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Source: Wedding receptions in NY may have more than 50 guests, court rules; happy couple’s last-minute victory – syracuse.com

Here are today’s Clinton County Health Department COVID-19 case updates.

Humidity is expected to rise this week. In addition to wearing face coverings, washing hands frequently, and maintaining physical distance (at least 6 feet), stay cool while staying safe with these tips:
– Bring water with you and drink plenty of fluids.
– Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, and light-colored clothing.
– Pace your activities so as not to overexert yourself and find shade to cool off.
– If you are feeling any symptoms of heat exhaustion (such as sweating, nausea, or dizziness) move to a cool place, loosen your clothing and sip water.
– If you are wearing a cloth face covering and feel yourself overheating or having trouble breathing, put at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and others and remove the face covering.

Source: Fire heavily damages Adirondack home of Rachael Ray

Source: States on hook for billions under Trump unemployment plan; Cuomo calls it impossible – syracuse.com

Source: School Opening Update with Dr. Thomas Palmer by The Peru Tech Bytes Podcast • A podcast on Anchor

Source: Amesite brings advanced remote learning to Peru | Sun Community News PERU | Amesite’s remote learning AI software comes to Peru and CVES BOCES.

Peru High School Graduate – Winner of the Nobel Prize of computing. Sister of Rev. Philip Allen and Peru farmer Jimmy Allen.
Funeral Tuesday at St. Augustine’s church  

Source: Obituary of Frances Elizabeth Allen | Hamilton Funeral Home serving…

Source: Frances Allen, Who Helped Hardware Understand Software, Dies at 88 – The New York Times

Don’t forget to stop by the Farmer’s Market at the Peru Shopping Plaza. It’s in its beginning stages with limited exhibitors, but the plaza owners are working to make it grow. The Peru Gazette will have a story on the market later this week. It’s open today until 2 p.m.

Source: DEC accepting applications for pheasant hunt program – – The Adirondack Almanack