The Peru Gazette

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The Town of Peru Town Board will be holding a workshop on Wednesday April 17, 2019 at 1:00 PM at the Peru Town Hall.  Discussion item will be the Town of Peru’s Youth Commission roles, responsibilities and job descriptions.

Thank you

Dianne Miller

Town Clerk

Glens Falls, NY – Today, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik announced the 2019 Congressional Art Competition for New York’s 21st District. The Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students in NY-21.

“Each year, I look forward to receiving dozens of incredible pieces of art from the students in my district for the Congressional Art Competition,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “This competition is an amazing opportunity for students to display their artistic prowess and creativity. As co-chair of the Arts Caucus, I will always work to empower young people to showcase their personalities through their artistic expression. The winner of the Congressional Art Competition will have their artwork on display in the United States Capitol for an entire year for elected officials, dignitaries, and tourists from around the world to see.”

Artwork entered in the contest must be original in execution, may be up to 26 inches by 26 inches, 4 inches in depth and cannot weigh more than 15 pounds.  The artwork may be:

• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (It is recommended that

charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed.)

• Collages: must be two dimensional
• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
• Computer-generated art
• Photographs

Art submissions along with a Congressional release form must be submitted to one of Congresswoman Stefanik’s district office locations no later than April 26^th, 2019. For a full list of rules, click here.

More Flexibility for Visitors Wishing to Camp Last Minute

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced that for the first time visitors to DEC campgrounds are now able to make reservations as late as one day in advance of their desired stay.

“Camping is a weather-dependent activity for most people and we want to ensure that anyone deciding at the last minute to visit one of our amazing campgrounds can reserve a spot,” Commissioner Seggos said. “With a one-day advanced reservation window, more campers will have the opportunity to explore all of the natural treasures our facilities have to offer, which means more camping, hiking, fishing, and exploring for everyone.”

This change affords last-minute campers the security and convenience of reserving a campsite at any of DEC’s campgrounds, including our newest facility, Frontier Town Campground, Equestrian and Day Use Area in the Adirondacks, which begins its summer season on June 28. The change also brings DEC’s Forest Preserve Campgrounds in line with reservations at facilities operated by the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

DEC operates 52 campgrounds and five day-use areas in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserves. The summer camping season runs through Labor Day, with some facilities remaining open during fall foliage and hunting season. For more information on DEC-operated campgrounds, including a list of campgrounds and schedules, visit DEC website’s Camping section, or call DEC’s Bureau of Recreation at 518-457-2500. To make reservations at any of these facilities, call ReserveAmerica at 1800-456-CAMP (2267) or visit the ReserveAmerica website (link leaves DEC’s website).

NY DOT personnel cut a tree deemed hazardous on Main Street this morning.

From the office of Assemblyman Billy Jones

Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay) announced that the 2019-20 state budget invests in critical funding that will help North Country farmers grow their businesses. This year’s plan includes $33.2 million for agriculture across the state.

“North Country folks know better than anyone that our farms are the lifeblood of this state,” said Jones. “Hardworking farmers provide the food our families need to stay healthy and move products that fuel our economy. This year’s state budget provides key funding for programs that will help keep local agriculture thriving for years to come.”

Having run his family’s dairy farm, Jones knows firsthand how much hard work goes into the industry. To support local dairy farmers who are struggling due to declining milk prices, the state budget once again includes $1.2 million for Cornell’s PRO-DAIRY program. The program offers educational services and research for New York dairy farmers that enhance profitability.[1]

To help farmers effectively grow and promote their products, Jones helped secure $413,000 for the New York State Maple Producers Association, a not-for-profit organization that works with local maple producers to improve processing and help market maple products. The budget also includes $750,000 for the NYS Apple Growers Association, which represents over 700 commercial apple growers across the state, working to promote local apple products while communicating with retailers, handlers, consumers and processors to boost apple-based production. New York State is the nation’s second-leading apple producer, yielding 29.5 million bushels of apples annually.[2]

Further, Jones fought for $300,000 for the Northern New York Agricultural Development Program, a farmer-driven grants program that provides research and technical assistance for farms in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.[3] The budget also restores $600,000 to Harvest NY, which develops educational programs to increase agricultural investments, profitability and sustainability in New York State.[4]

“I’ll always fight to invest in programs that help farmers, preserve our farmlands and support innovations,” Jones said.

APRIL 8, 2019 @ 7:00 PM

1. Call Meeting To Order

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Roll Call

4. MOTION:  Approval of Minutes for the Town Board Regular Meetings of March 25, 2019

5. MOTION/DISCUSSION:  To Accept reports from all Departments: (Water/Sewer/Valcour; Highway; Town Clerk; Dog Control; Youth Department; Code/Zoning; Supervisor’s Report; Court; Website; JCEO; and Banking Reports)

6. Community Input

7. DISCUSSION/MOTION:   Local Law Regarding Professional Fees for Planning & Zoning.

8. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  New Hire for Water Department. 

9. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Approve Boulrice & Woods CPA Contract. 

10. RESOLUTION/DISCUSSION:  Approve Shared Services Agreement with NYSDOT. 

11. DISCUSSION:   Youth Commission Liability Coverage.

12. DISCUSSION:  Sewer Collection Project Update and Schedule Workshop.

13. DISCUSSION:  Other Business. 

14. DISCUSSION:  Public Comments on Agenda Items Only.

MOTION:     Adjourn

By John T. Ryan

Peru – As previously reported it appears the long-planned Main Street upgrade project isn’t going to happen. Deputy Supervisor Jim Douglass declared the project “pretty much dead” at the Town Board’s March 25, 2019 meeting while emphasizing he does not want to lose the $150,000 in remaining grant monies. Options such as paving the road leading to Heyworth-Mason Park or replacing deteriorated sidewalks are under consideration. Any proposal would have to be approved by one or more New York State departments.  

The Peru Gazette contacted former Town Councilman Donald McBrayer and two Main Street Committee members for comments regarding the project’s fate. McBrayer responded, “I looked at the Main Street Project as a long term plan spanning the next few decades to ensure Peru would remain competitive when attracting families and businesses. As Clinton County grows and develops its communities will no doubt compete for residential and commercial expansion. Without a plan Peru risks losing in such a competition. The Main Street Project was carefully crafted to meet Peru’s Comprehensive Plan goals, but it requires in-kind services performed by our own employees which would be used in a series of grant matches…When implemented as planned the final result would have been a thriving hamlet that is thoughtful of its residents and friendly to business development with almost no cost to the taxpayers.”

Diana Padron commented, “I think it would have been nice to have a bigger draw to the center of town making it more family-friendly and good for biking. We were thinking this was the first of several upgrades.” 

Becky Pace talked about the many hours Committee Chair Adele Douglas has devoted to the project. Pace loves the project’s additional green space – replacing asphalt with earth, grass and trees. Pace commented, “It would have made our community more appealing. It would have attracted more visitors and perhaps more people to live here. We want to keep this a vital community. The fact that the Town will not step up to put this project in their schedule to make this a better place is upsetting.”  

The Town Board asked the Main Street Committee for a recommendation after learning that the New York Department of State would not waive its Minority/Women’s Owned Business Enterprise (MBE) requirement and learning, furthermore, that the contractor they planned on hiring had gone out of business. Three members of the  Main Street Committee met two weeks ago.  They asked the Town Board if Peru’s Highway Department assisted by the Water/Sewer Department could undertake the project. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell responded that he does not have time because of upcoming road paving, culvert replacement and street sweeping projects. Pending personnel retirements will also leave him short-staffed. Farrell did say he has the experience to do the project.  

The Main Street project has a long and complicated history. It dates to 2014 when the Town received a $25,000 New York Department of State Local Waterfront Improvement Grant. The Town was to provide some in-kind sevices by its personnel, but the project would be fully grant funded. A Main Street Committee was formed. Its members included Adele Douglas, Diana Padron, Dr. Anne Marie Boule Spear, Becky Pace, Jerry Ross, Mark Robinson, Judy Grant, and Nicole Laplante. Adele Douglas chairs the committee. Counselor Donald McBrayer was the Town Board’s Committee liaison.  

In 2015 NYS awarded an additional $46,000 grant to hire a consultant to develop more detailed plans. Community input was sought and public hearings were held. The plan envisioned Town Highway Department personnel removing Main Street’s very wide paved shoulder from the Stewart’s intersection to the Dollar Store and replacing it with trees, grass and wider sidewalks.  Very few parking spaces would be lost and the street would be more visually appealing. The Little Ausable River Walking Trail loop through the hamlet would be improved and the narrower street would slow traffic. Future grant-funded phases south on Main Street to Heyworth/Mason Park were envisioned. The consultant predicted quick NYS Department of Transportation (DOT) approval with construction beginning in summer 2017. DOT took a year to approve the project.  

In early 2018 Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell said his Department did not have the time to undertake the project because of a busy summer paving schedule; therefore, in March the Town Board put the project out to bid.  The first two bid rounds yielded prices far exceeding the grant.The Board reacted by reducing the project’s distance down Main Street. Instead of stopping at the Dollar Store, it would stop when the money ran out. A contractor submitted a bid under $150,000; however, because the contractor did not comply with NYS’s Minority/Women’s Owned Business Enterprise (MBE) requirement, a NY Department of State waiver had to be requested. The Department took months to deny the waiver and during the hiatus the contractor ceased operation. Main Street Committee Chair Adele Douglas said, “The project was so small it didn’t attract bidders and contractors couldn’t subcontract part of the work to MBE qualified contractors. We have to figure out some project that we can do.” There is one bit of good news. The State Department did extend the time limit to use the grant to March 2020.  

That’s where the project stands today. The Town has a grant, but only a few months to use it and the beginnings of a major change in Peru’s “downtown” appear to be dead. 

Click here to see the project details. 

WEDNESDAY, April 17, 2019 @ 7:00 PM

TOWN OF PERU

1. CALL MEETING TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. APPROVAL of March 20, 2019 minutes.
5. OPEN FLOOR to public hearing
6. APPLICATION:

1. 1. 1. 1. Area Variance: Z-2019-039 Stewart’s Shops Corp.

Area Variance – of 1,356 sq. ft. for a new convenience store exceeding the 2,500 sq. ft. commercial allowance in the Hamlet District

280.1-9-21.1/280.1-9-21.2

2997 Main St. 

Peru, NY 12972

7. ANY FURTHER BUSINESS
8. CEO REPORT:
9. ADJOURNMENT

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Source: New York’s community colleges get boost in new state budget – Times Union

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