The Peru Gazette

Source: Job Fair rescheduled for April 25 – LakePlacidNews.com | News and information on the Lake Placid and Essex County region of New York – Lake Placid News

Recorded by Town Clerk Dianne Miller

The regular meeting of the Peru Town Board was held on Monday, February 26, 2018 at the Peru Town Hall. Those present were Mr. Brandy McDonald Supervisor; Mr. James Douglass, Councilman; Mr. James Langley, Councilman; Mr. Melvin Irwin, Councilman; Mr. Matthew Favro, Town Attorney; Mrs. Dianne Miller, Town Clerk. Also present Mr. Courtney Tetrault, Water/Sewer Superintendent; Mr. Michael Farrell, Highway Superintendent; Mr. Bob Guynup, Zoning Officer; Mr. James Kirby, Town Justice; Mr. Dave Drollette, Dog Control officer.

The meeting was called to order at 7:01 PM by Mr. McDonald, with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Motion by Mr. Langley, seconded by Mr. Douglass to approve the minutes from the February 12, 2018 meeting. Ayes 4 Nays 0 Motion Carried

Motion by Mr. Langley, seconded by Mr. Irwin, to amend the agenda to add an Executive Session at the end of the agenda, to discuss a litigation issue.
Ayes 4 Nays 0 Motion Carried

Community Input and Questions
None

Main Street Project Update
A discussion of the Main St. Project going out for bid was postponed until after a workshop was set up. The date for the Main St. Project was set for March 12th at 6 PM.
Motion by Mr. Langley, seconded by Mr. Irwin, to approve the date of March 12, 2018 workshop on the Main Street Improvement Project. Ayes 4 Nays 0 Motion Carried

Building Permit Fee Change
Resolution #: 18.26.02-1
MOTION BY: Mr. Langley SECONDED BY: Mr. Douglass

WHEREAS, In order to meet all the financial needs for the management of the Peru Codes & Zoning Office, be it

RESOLVED, that the above mentioned Department will increase by the adopted Permit Fees effective February 26, 2018. (See chart below), and

REPAIR OR ALTERATION OF SINGLE AND TWO FAMILY STRUCTURES:
UP TO $10,000.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 50.00
$10,001.00 to $25,000.00. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    100.00
$25,001.00 and over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    150.00

FEES FOR REPAIRS OR ALTERATIONS OF NON-RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES:
Up to $10,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100.00
$10001.00 to $25.000.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  150.00
$25,001.00 to $50,000.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   200.00
$50,001.00 and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300.00

Demolition fees
Residential : $75.00
Commercial : $100.00

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, that this Resolution shall take effect immediately.
Ayes 4 Nays 0 Motion Carried

Flooding Update
Mike Farrell reported that there was minor flooding on the Patent Rd. and Quaker Highlands area, which was manageable to take care of.

Court Arraignment Concerns
Mr. McDonald met with Mr. Cashman, Town of Plattsburgh Supervisor, on February 22n to discuss the excessive number of arraignments that the Town of Peru does for the Town of Plattsburgh, due to the unavailability of a Judge at the Town of Plattsburgh. A decision was made to have a meeting with the four Judges and the Supervisors to see how to alleviate this one-sided situation.

Miniseries Filming on Lyons Road Area Schedule
Filming for the Escape from Dannemora will be March 6th during the day on Lyons Rd., Laphams Mills Rd. and Rock Rd. A certificate of insurance was provided by Evan Eley.
State Troopers will be on duty throughout the day and Mike Farrell will be on call should
The filming crew need any assistance.

Sewer Upgrade Workshop
Motion by Mr. Douglass, seconded by Mr. Langley, to set up a workshop to discuss the Sewer Upgrade Project on March 13 at 6 PM at the Town Hall.
Ayes 4 Nays 0 Motion Carried

Other Business
Mr. Langley congratulated Mr. McDonald on what a good job he is doing as Supervisor. Mr. McDonald thanked him.

Mr. McDonald will be attending the Budget Advisory Committee Meeting on February 28th at
6 PM at Peru Central School. Since the meeting is open to the public, he encouraged people to attend.

Mr. Tetrault reported a water break on Maiden Lane. His crew patched the break and they will return in the spring to reassess.

Mr. Tetrault informed the Board that Sprint in wanting to put added equipment to the water tower. Mr. Tetrault is reviewing all information and will keep all informed. Mr. Guynup commented that a zoning permit would be needed.

Mr. Farrell stated that the annual lobby for paving money will be March 7th and he will be attending.

Mr. Farrell received a call from an employee of the Highway Department with a verbal notice of two weeks to that employee’s resignation. Mike said he would meet with the liaisons to discuss the situation.

Mr. Farrell is working with Grant Writer Liz Tedford for funding to repair Telegraph Street.

Mr. Kirby asked about the time frame of the installation of the server and having it programmed.
Mr. McDonald was going to follow up after the meeting.

Public Comments on Agenda Items Only
None

Resolution #: 18.26.02-2
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE POST-AUDIT PAYMENT OF CERTAIN CLAIMS, BILLS AND INVOICES OF THE TOWN

MOTION: Mr. Langley SECOND: Mr. Irwin
WHEREAS, the Town Board has reviewed and audited the following claims, bills and invoices for services rendered and goods provided to the Town In February of 2018:
From Town Of Peru Vouchers: # 201800122 through and including # 201800263
Abstract dated 2/26/2018

For the dollar amount totaling: $165,778.08; of that $27,333.94 was wired; and $138,444.14 is remaining to be paid and

WHEREAS, the Town Board finds said claims, bills and invoices to be acceptable in form and reasonable in amount;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that payment of the aforementioned claims, bills and invoices is approved and the Supervisor be and hereby is authorized to make such payment; and be it further

RESOLVED, that this Resolution shall take effect immediately.
Ayes 4 Nays 0 Motion Carried

Motion by Mr. Douglass, seconded by Mr. Langley, to go into an Executive Session at 7:28 PM, to discuss a litigation issue that no action will be taken on.
Ayes 4 Nays 0 Motion Carried

Returned from Executive session at 7:45 PM
Motion by Mr. McDonald, seconded by Mr. Langley, to resume the regular meeting at 7:45 PM. Ayes 4 Nays 0 Motion Carried

Motion by Mr. Langley, seconded by Mr. Douglass, to adjourn the regular meeting at 7:50 PM. Ayes 4 Nays 0 Motion Carried

_________________________Supervisor _________________________Councilman

_________________________Councilman _________________________Councilman

Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday, March 31, 2018

Bring your basket, there’s 10,400 eggs to be found!

Come and meet the Easter Bunny while collecting as many eggs as you can.  Open to all “hunters” up to second grade. Separate hunting ground for ages 3 and younger.

Time: 10:00am Sharp

Place: CVPH Front Lawn

Cost: Free!

Parking: Medical Office Building lots (Cornelia Street Entrance)

Contact Info: Michelle Senecal at (518) 314-3359 or msenecal@cvph.org

Can’t make the event?  You can follow it LIVE on Facebook!

Special thanks to Texas Roadhouse for providing 400 free kid’s meal cards

Source: Watertown seeks to build a culture of success in anti-poverty campaign | NCPR News

From the Office of NYS Senator Betty Little

The State Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Senator Betty Little that will allow out-of-state health care professionals to provide services for athletes competing in this year’s Lake Placid Ironman events.

Licensed professionals from out of state, including massage therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors, podiatrists and athletic trainers, would have to be in good standing within their state or territory and would be required to be appointed by World Triathlon Corporation to provide services to competitors.
 
“The intense nature of these competitions require access to health care services for the safety and recovery of the athletes,” said Little.  “This legislation assures an adequate number of health professionals are available.”

Ironman Lake Placid is scheduled to be held on July 22 and Ironman 70.3 Lake Placid will be held on September 9, 2018.

A companion bill is sponsored by Assemblyman Dan Stec.

Please note that the meeting/workshop/forum originally scheduled for 3/13 and postponed to 3/20 has now been postponed to Tuesday, March 27th.

The Peru Free Library Board of Trustees will hold their monthly meeting tomorrow, March 20 at 7pm. The public is always welcome.

Source: Criticism of Cuomo’s opioid surcharge mounts – Times Union

Assemblyman Jones: Assembly budget proposal increases education funding, promotes school safety

Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay) announced that he helped pass the Assembly’s 2018-19 state budget proposal, which includes a significant increase in education aid as well as measures to make schools safer and more inclusive.

“A good education opens the door to limitless possibilities for students, helping them become our state and our country’s future leaders,” Jones said. “Our region’s children deserve to be challenged in the classroom and feel safe and accepted.”

The Assembly budget proposal allocates $27.1 billion in education funding, a $1.5 billion increase – or 5.9 percent – over last year. The plan increases Foundation Aid by $1.2 billion. Foundation Aid is particularly crucial for the North Country, as many school districts have a limited tax base and rely heavily on state assistance to ensure they can provide a quality education to all students, Jones noted. The Assembly budget proposal also includes a multi-year phase-in of Foundation Aid, ensuring that all school districts would receive full funding by the 2021-22 school year.

In recent weeks, North Country students and residents have been subjected to racist and anti-Semitic rhetoric in and around local schools, which is incredibly appalling and disheartening and conflicts with our region’s commitment to inclusiveness, Jones noted. One incident involved a racist message on a social media platform at SUNY Plattsburgh.[1] In another instance, anti-Semitic flyers were posted in Plattsburgh, including near a local middle school.[2]

To combat hate and promote inclusivity, the Assembly budget proposal includes $7 million to establish the Supportive Schools Grant Program to help districts foster a positive and welcoming learning environment. It also implements the Dignity for All Students Act, providing the state’s public elementary and secondary school students with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment and bullying.

“Our schools are diverse places where people from all walks of life come together to receive a quality education and develop lasting friendships and key skills to prepare them for the next chapter of their lives,” Jones said. “No student should be afraid to go to school or be made to feel like they don’t belong.”

To further address the issue, Jones recently hosted a roundtable discussion on school safety, bringing together teachers, administrators, counselors, building staff and law enforcement. One issue raised was the state’s delay in release of state funding to assist schools in their safety upgrades. Jones is advocating for a quicker release of funding from the Smart Schools Bond Act so local schools can implement security enhancement projects. As of Feb. 1, there were 243 pending applications for funding related to the Smart Schools Bond Act.[3]

“We cannot afford to drag our feet when it comes to school safety,” Jones said. “Students must feel protected every day when they walk in the door and parents should feel safe sending their kids to school.”

Source: Horse show leader mourned | News, Sports, Jobs – Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Source: School Resource Officers – Mountain Lake PBS

Excellent program that aired last night.

Source: MLJ Community Forum: Dairy Farms in Crisis – Mountain Lake PBS

Source: Avoiding Conflicts With Adirondack Coyotes – – The Adirondack Almanack

North Country Harmful Algal Bloom Summit

The third regional Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Summit will be held on March 20 in Ticonderoga. The summit includes an evening session open to the public from 6:00 – 8:00 at the Best Western Ticonderoga, 260 Burgoyne Road, Ticonderoga, NY 12883. Background information about HABs will be provided, including talks by experts, a panel discussion and an opportunity for local residents to share recommendations and ideas. The session can also be viewed online via Livestream.

Source: Chlad: Comparing Executive, One-House Budgets – – The Adirondack Almanack

Source: Prell indicted by grand jury | Local News | pressrepublican.com

“Former Clinton Correctional Facility employee Denise Prell has been indicted on charges alleging inappropriate behavior with an inmate.”

L-R Harrison Matthews, Quinn Atwood, Mrs. Jennifer Dyer, Isaac Mitchell

By John T. Ryan

Peru – Peru Middle School students Isaac Mitchell, Quinn Atwood, Harrison Matthews and Olivia Baldwin have something in common – They all love math. (Olivia Baldwin could not be present for our interview)

On February 10th they participated in the 35th Annual MATHCOUNTS competition at Clinton Community College. MATHCOUNTS is a nationwide mathematics competition. It’s founding sponsors include the National Society of Professional Engineers, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the CNA Foundation.

Thirty-six students from five area schools participated in the local competition. Isaac Mitchell finished second. This Saturday he will compete in the New York State MATHCOUNTS Competition at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy.

Math teacher Jennifer Dyer has led MATHCOUNTS at Peru Middle School for the past eleven years. She loves the program. She explained, “It fosters curiosity and shows the students that math is nothing to fear. It’s about problem solving. Math has a stigma of being scary, when it can be fun. The kids get excited about it. It’s not physical, it’s mental. It’s showing their strengths.”

The participating students were all volunteers. Eighth grader Isaac Mitchell explained, “It’s stressful, but fun at the same time. I figured it would be a good way to see how I place against other people in my community.” Seventh grader Quinn Atwood said, “I thought it would be a fun experience. I’ve always been very good at math. I knew how to multiply in the first grade.” Seventh grader Harrison Matthews had a practical reason. He said, “I love math and there are many jobs with math involved.”

All three students have an idea what they’d like to be someday and not so surprisingly the jobs require math skills. Isaac said, “I’d like to be an anesthesiologist or a forensic scientist.” Quinn responded, “I’d like to be a robotics engineer and computer scientist.” Harrison said, “I’d like to be an architect.”

Jennifer Dyer and Isaac’s family will travel to RPI to watch Saturday’s competition. The Peru Gazette wishes Isaac the best of luck and we congratulate Mrs. Dyer for her extra effort to help her students grow their love of mathematics.

Competition at Clinton Community College

By John T. Ryan

The Main Street Revitalization will proceed with a planned completion date of summer 2018. The Board passed a resolution (4-0) at its March 12, 2018 meeting to proceed with the first phase of the project. Supervisor Brandy McDonald noted the project workshop that preceded the meeting was generally characterized by a spirit of compromise.

Peru’s Walking Trail continues to be a regional resource. Two to three thousand people enjoy the trail each month. Ciara Nussbickle of the Clinton County Health Department reported that nature walks are taking place on the trail in conjunction with the Peru Free Library, C.V. Tech is using the trail for tree identification field trips, and the Health Department is developing an instructional video on how to use all the equipment along the trail. Participants in the morning workout classes at the Peru Community Church and Peru Central School students will participate in the video.

Beth Spaugh-Barber, who operates Rehoboth Homestead on the Jabez Allen Rd. and a farm stand on Route 9, addressed the Board regarding fluttering/moving banners which Peru’s zoning law prohibits displaying on a long term basis. She noted that one of the purposes of zoning law is to promote business. She said, “Having a flag that catches attention is important for business. The zoning law from a business prospective needs updating, recognizing that the issue of not having everything fluttered, density issues, etc.” She suggested forming a collaborative working group to discuss amending the zoning law. Adele Douglas, a former member of the Comprehensive Planning Committee commented, “When we developed the comprehensive plan we did want to encourage small farmers. Maybe there’s a gap in the zoning law when it comes to signs.” After discussion it was decided to recommend that two members of the Zoning Board, the Planning Board, the Town Board Liaison to the boards and the Town Attorney meet with the interested members of the business community to discuss the issue.

The Board accepted the resignations of Paul Sarbou and Robert Wright from the Highway Department and approved hiring Lloyd R. Provost as a motor equipment operator at an hourly rate of $18.25. One open Highway Department position will be filled at a later date.

A resolution to make the Town the lead agency for State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) for replacement of a culvert at the intersection of Telegraph Rd. and Sullivan Road was approved. A deteriorating 10 ft. x 180 ft. metal pipe would be replaced by a 18 ft. x 180 ft. precast pipe. The size increase is required by Fish and Wildlife regulations. The Town is applying for a a NYS grant to fund the project which has been estimated at approximately $900,000. The project will be delayed if the grant is not acquired.

Sprint Corporation was granted permission to install larger transmission equipment on the Town’s water tower . It will pay an increased monthly rental fee of $250. Sprint will also pay for a tower safety inspection prior to installation of any additional equipment.

The Water/Sewer Department installed antennas on the Town’s water tower. The antennas permit Supervisor’s office personnel to control and monitor the Town’s electronic sign, security and camera systems. Vandalism has dramatically decreased since cameras were installed at the Little Ausable River Park. Click here for February Dept. Head Reports

Source: Silence, signs and empty chairs | Local News | pressrepublican.com

Source: Trial raises questions about many Cuomo practices – Times Union

The United Way of the Adirondack Region, Inc. held its Annual Meeting and Recognition Dinner on Saturday, March 3rd, 2018 at the Butcher Block-The Adirondack Room on Booth Drive in Plattsburgh, NY.

There were two new board members elected to the Board of Directors. They were Anna Walls, Vice President, Regional Northern Manager of Glens Falls National Bank & Trust Co., and Andrew Wylie, Clinton County District Attorney.

The following officers were re-elected:, Ed Davis, Vice President of Northern Insuring Agency, as President of the board, Sylvie Nelson, CEO of Workforce Development, as Vice President, Chris Mazzella, High School Principal at Peru Central School, as Secretary and Joyce Rafferty, Retired from University of Vermont Health Network- Champlain Valley Physician Hospital, as Treasurer.

The moose (Alces alces) is the largest member of the deer family and the largest land mammal in New York State. DEC staff, in collaboration with other groups, are currently conducting aerial distance sampling for moose across the Adirondacks. During this multi-year research project, the team will obtain information on the status of New York State’s moose population, health of the moose, and factors that influence moose survival and reproduction. As part of the study, twelve moose were captured in the Adirondacks in January 2015, fitted with GPS radio collars, and released. Another nine moose were captured in January 2016 and five more were captured in 2017. The movement of the moose are being remotely tracked. The goal of the Adirondack moose study is to create a moose management plan for New York State based on the data they collect.

If you see a moose in NY, please fill out a moose sighting report.

Source: Law firm demands names of North Country’s abusive Roman Catholic priests | NCPR News

Source: Invasive Alewife Spreading In Champlain Basin – – The Adirondack Almanack

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