The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

“It’s a space issue, isn’t it?” remarked Peru Town Attorney Donald Biggs at the Peru Town Board’s August 25, 2014 meeting following a contentious discussion between town counselors and Judge James Kirby. The counselors voted to change the time Peru Town Court convenes disagreeing with the points made by Judge Kirby. A temporary pay increase for Judge Kirby was also on the Board’s agenda. The increase was not approved.

Peru Town Court proceedings have been convening at 2 p.m. with defendants, attorneys and family members often entering the room at about 1:30 p.m. At the same time, members of the public come into the Town Hall to pay water/sewer bills, taxes or to transact other business. Some residents have been uncomfortable when they have encountered inmates in handcuffs and town employees have had to contend with court being conducted just a few feet from their workspace. Changing the time when court convenes has been discussed in the past but no action was taken previously because Peru’s Court is held at the same time as the Town of Plattsburgh Court. According to Judge Kirby some attorneys represent clients in both courts and convening court at 2 p.m. was begun to assist them. Attorneys typically come to Peru first and then go to the Town of Plattsburgh to represent other clients.

Supervisor Glushko suggested convening court at 3 or 3:30 p.m. Judge Kirby responded that the August 25^th meeting was the first time he had heard about the Board’s concern about court hours. He said convening court at 2 p.m. has worked well and that a later start time could mean court ending at 9 p.m. or later. After some discussion the Board decided the Court would convene at 3:30 p.m. for a two-month trial period. Kirby told the Board that in the future he wanted to be directly informed of any matters concerning his office.

A second spirited discussion involved a proposed local law which would have given Judge Kirby a 50% temporary pay raise for the period October 1, 2014 to December 31^st. Read more »

The Empire State Development (ESD) Board of Directors met today in New York City and approved $20.4 million in funding for 30 projects that are spurring economic growth and opportunity in all 10 regions of New York State. The projects will directly create 30 new jobs and enable the creation of hundreds more while also retaining more than 2,200 existing jobs. These targeted investments will leverage over $41.3 million in private and other public funding to support business expansions and regional tourism efforts, and projects that are building a strong foundation for future economic growth and job creation.

“The funding approved today stimulates local communities from Long Island to Western New York – carrying momentum that initiatives like the Regional Economic Development Councils and Buffalo Billion started just three years ago,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Kenneth Adams. “By investing in these projects, we are fostering opportunity for New Yorkers by providing essential tools to improve business operations and create new jobs. With more than 17,000 new private sector jobs created in July alone, New York’s economic progress continues to move in the right direction, supported by the lowest business and middle class tax rates in a generation and important State investments that are working.”

The Board approved the following Regional Economic Development Council award grants: Read more »

L-R Johanna Meyer, Sam Perkins and Brenda Brelia

By John T. Ryan

Shawn Perkins is a man of many qualities. His peers recently selected him as the Peru Volunteer Fire Department’s 2014 Firefighter of the Year. Ironically those same peers also presented him with their annual Goat Award, an award which recognizes “silly” things such as forgetting to shut of a blue light, losing a pager or being absent-minded. Obviously Perkin’s outstanding qualities predominate. He has been a Peru firefighter for just over 4 years.

Former Chief Brian Westover presented Brenda Brelia with the 2014 Chief’s Award in recognition of her dedication to the department. Brelia has belonged to the Peru Department for three and one-half years.

Johanna Meyer was chosen Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Provider of the Year. She is a three-year member of the department.

Control of cable at issue – Times Union.

In case you haven’t heard the August 2nd RIDE FOR THE ROOF and PIG ROAST to benefit the Peru Community Church Fellowship Center’s maintenance update program was a tremendous success raising $5,225. Congratulations to Faith Long, Rick Lawrence, Kathy and Phil Madore, Pete and Polly Lake and all those who supported this very important effort. Click here to read the Peru Gazette’s original story about the rebuilding effort. 

Temporary Town Justice Pay Increase

Old Stone Barracks plan brews interest – Press-Republican: Local News.

Here is the Peru Gazette’s October 14, 2013 story. 

City Police investigating stabbing death – Press-Republican: News.

Regular Mtg Agenda 08252014

4th Annual Kids Fair and Festival at the Babbie Rural & Farm Learning Museum– September 6-7, 2014 – Hours 10am – 4pm. Old time games including hopscotch, sack races, corn box, bobbing for apples, egg races; stagecoach rides; pony rides; face painting; catch a fish. Kat’s Catering will be present
518-643-8052 http://www.babbiemuseum.org/

Peru Central School’s Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet will be held at Livingood’s Restaurant on Saturday, September 27, 2014. This year’s nominees are John Rock (68), Travis Angevine (88), Nicky Viti-Duprey (98), and Jennifer Goette (92).

A 6:30 p.m. social will be followed by a 7 p.m. dinner. The cost is $20 per person. Checks should be sent to Cathy Phillips, 4 Vista Drive, Willsboro, NY 12996. Phone 963-7963. Make checks payable to Peru Athletic Hall of Fame and please include the names of the people coming.

The annual Run For Jon was held on Saturday, August 23rd at Forrence Orchards on the Mannix Rd. in Peru. There was a great turnout for this wonderful charitable and family event. Congratulations to the Evans family and everyone who work so hard each year to make the run a success.

In 1990, 13 year-old Jon Evans was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Soon after his diagnosis, two long time friends of the Evans family, Mark Elmore and Scott Woodward, organized the first Run for Jon to raise money to help pay for expenses. Just two weeks before the 2nd Run, Jon passed away. Since Jon’s passing the money has been used to assist families of local children with serious medical problems and to honor the memory of Jon Evans. Last year the Run For Jon raised $5,000. Click here for our Peru Gazette Photos in a slideshow format with music.  Unfortunately we had to leave immediately after the start of the last run category, so we don’t have photos of the closing festivities. Click here for a photo by photo view.

The presence of dogs may be a thing of the past at sporting events at Laphams Mills and Sullivan Parks. In response to a serious July 30^th dog-biting incident at Laphams Mills Park, the Peru Town Board directed Town Attorney Donald Biggs to draft a local law that would prohibit dogs, even on a leash, during sports events at town parks. Dogs would be permitted at other times. The Board will schedule a public hearing prior to enacting the local law. Counselor Donald McBrayer did not agree with this approach. McBrayer favored enforcing the existing dog ordinance that requires that dog owners always have their animal under control. Personal safety, especially child safety, was the counselors primary concern. Other counselors expressed the viewpoint that outright prohibition would be the best way to guarantee safety. The dog involved in the July 20^th incident was on a leash.

No matter what the Board decides to do Peru resident David Drollette will be involved. He is the Town of Peru’s Dog Control Officer effective August 12th. His pay rate will be the same as his predecessor Kelly Allen who resigned from the position – $817.00 per month. Drollette will be subject to a 90-day probationary period. He can be reached at 643-5076 (home) or 578-2217 (cell). Five individuals applied for the position.

It appears certain that Comcast will be replacing Charter Communications as Peru’s cable television provider. The Board passed a resolution approving the transfer of service from Charter to Comcast with the provision that Comcast will maintain all existing services. The Board does not have many options in the matter. The switch would include all of Charter’s Clinton County customers.

In other actions the Town Board:

Established 9 a.m. as the official opening hour for the Town Hall. Doors will be open to the public at that time.

Rescinded their July 28^th resolution to give Town Justice James Kirby a temporary 50% pay raise. Kirby has been handling the Town’s entire court workload since illness forced Judge Jack Lawliss from the bench. The Board still intends to give Kirby the pay increase, but the action will require a public hearing and passage of a local law. The public hearing is scheduled for August 25^th at 6:30 p.m.

City Hall Auditorium, 41 City Hall Place, Plattsburgh, NY, 7:00 – 9:00 PM, Free Admission: Co-sponsored by the Lake Champlain Committee, Adirondack Council, Adirondack Mountain Club, and the Center for Biological Diversity.

Experts will discuss risks to the environment, schools and communities from transport of explosive Bakken crude oil on rail lines between Montreal and Albany.

Hear about federal spill-response plans; threats to fisheries and drinking water; risks to local schools, homes, and businesses; and the potential for additional risks if trains start shipping tar-sands crude as well as Bakken oil.

Find out what you can do to help local, state and federal officials protect our communities, farmland, tourism, wildlife and water. Lake Champlain, local rivers including the Saranac, Ausable and Boquet; and, the Adirondack Park, which contains 100 miles of rail corridor, are all in harm’s way.

The Champlain Valley has become a conduit for trains laden with explosive Bakken crude oil. How well are our communities prepared to deal with a tragedy on the scale of that which devastated Lac Megantic, Quebec just over a year ago? What ecological impacts would result from a derailment on the shores of Lake Champlain?

Learn more about the risks oil trains pose to the North Country and steps community, state and federal governments need to take to respond to and prevent disasters.

This Saturday at 5 p.m., you can have some great family fun, get some exercise and support an important cause. The Run For Jon at Forrence Orchards on Mannix Road in Peru (off Route 22B) is a wonderful community event celebrating its 24th year helping families who have children with serious medical needs.

Each year, the run draw hundreds of spectators and participants of all ages: running, walking or pushing baby joggers. Anyone can participate. There is a kids fun run, a 1.25-mile walk and a 2.5-mile cross-country race. There are team, baby jogger and individual awards (ages 0-70+) and numerous door prizes for participants. Over the 24 years of this event, literally raised tens of thousands of dollars for these deserving and needy families. Last year’s race raised nearly $5,000. Registration begins at 3:30 pm. Due to health regulations, pets are strictly prohibited from the site.

The event started out as an effort to help the family of Jonathan Evans, who died of cancer after a long struggle, deal with the overwhelming expenses associated with their son’s care. The Evans family and many volunteers have continued the event to assist other families in similar circumstances.

The 2.5-mile run is a really great race, sanctioned by USA Track and Field. The course is challenging and beautiful. Some past participants have gone on to the Olympics, national rankings and state championships.

By John T. Ryan

Additional Highway Department garage roof repairs, a delay in Safe Routes to School upgrades, appreciation to Town Justice James Kirby, a land offer, dead trees and comments about the new Town Hall steps were the primary subjects at the Monday, July 28, 2014 Peru Town Board meeting.

In summary the Board:

Approved additional repairs to the Highway Department Garage roof in the amount of approximately $19,000. Several roof panels will be replaced and new screws and washers will be installed in another roof section. These repairs are in addition to the already approved $145,000 roof repair project.

Rejected bids for upgrading pedestrian and bicycle access to the Peru Central School campus. Bids on the federally funded Safe Routes to School project came in $45,000 higher than projected. Over the next several months the Board will confer with the Peru Central School Board of Education to ask if they might be able to help fund the project. Reducing the scope of the project will also be explored.

Approved a salary 50% stipend for Town Justice James Kirby for the months August through December 2014. Kirby has been the Town’s only Town Justice since Judge John Lawliss resigned in late June. Subsequent to this meeting Supervisor Peter Glushko learned that passage of a Local Law was required for such a stipend.  Scheduling a public hearing for a Local Law will be voted on at the Board’s August 11^th meeting.

Listened to Winfried Holdereid who was present to offer the Town of Peru 23 acres of property in the vicinity of the town’s sewage treatment plant. Holdereid was willing to sell or gift the property to the town. Holdereid is the owner of the Tops Plaza, Peru’s primary retail shopping area.

Discussed a complaint from a property owner residing at the corner of Pleasant and School Streets who alleged that the work done to the School Street sidewalk damaged four trees on his property. Highway Superintendent Michael Farrell will investigate. Farrell reminded the Board that the town has a fifteen-foot right away from the edge of any town highway.

Board members expressed general satisfaction with the recently completed Town Hall entrance steps. Counselor Brandy McDonald was concerned with the slope of the top step, while Counselor Kregg Bruno didn’t think the steps were deep enough. Everyone appeared to be satisfied with the steps’ overall appearance. The project cost approximately $95,000.

Supervisor Gluhsko reported that five individuals were interviewed for the Dog Control Officer’s (DCO) position.  The Board’s decision will be announced at its August 11th meeting.

By John T. Ryan

It appears the Town of Peru will have a race to fill its open town justice position in the November elections. The Democratic Party caucused on July 31^st and unanimously selected Karen Glushko as their candidate for the position. On August 8^th the Town of Peru Republican Committee announced that it unanimously endorsed Larry Cabana for the position. The Republicans will caucus on Tuesday, August 19^th at 7 p.m. If Cabana is successful at the caucus, he will face Glushko in the November 4^th election.

The town justice position opened when Town Justice John Lawliss resigned in late June citing health reasons. Lawliss served nine years in the position. Judge James Kirby has been handling the court workload for several weeks.

Peru Central’s Board of Education launches its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at 6 PM at the school district’s Community Room, adjacent to the main entrance of Peru Jr/Sr High School. An executive session associated with particular personnel matters will take place immediately following the 6 PM start. The school board is slated to reconvene for public session business at approximately 7:00 PM. Anticipated topics include:

• An update on summer projects
• Appointment of various personnel
• The tax levy and tax rate
• Community calendar

By Adele Douglas

The crane was late and the weather threatening but despite those challenges Fuller Excavating did a great job of placing the bridge over the Little Ausable River, as part of the Town’s Little Ausable River Trail project. Watching the whole operation unfold, from the set-up of the crane, to the maneuvering of the large trucks transporting the bridge, to the pinpoint placement of the structure was a lesson in organization, efficiency and precision.

The project is wrapping-up nicely. The trail should be paved starting the week of August 18^th and will hopefully open to the public in mid-September. Stay tuned!

Setting up the crane at the site of the bridge crossing. From CCS of Vermont, the crane can lift 275 tons.

The second of two 50’ bridge sections is raised off the truck that brought them up from Pioneer Bridges in Alabama.

The two bridge sections have been bolted together and make their way into place as the bolts on the abutment are cleaned-up. The bridge weighs about 19 tons.

Almost there.

Operations Manager Doug Hesseltine asks the crane operator to lower the bridge. It’s a perfect fit onto the bolts of the abutment.

On the bridge Site Superintendent Noah Rounds, Foreman Alan Fuller and Doug Hesseltine prepare to remove the crane cables. From start (when the crane arrived) to finish the placement of the bridge took 5 hours.

The boardwalk approach over wetlands to the bridge from the Route 22 side of the trail.

By John T. Ryan

Over the past few days The Peru Gazette received two phone calls asking if we had seen the beautiful work done by Lauren Lawliss for this week’s Vacation Bible School (VBS). When the program’s 162 students descended the Peru Community Church’s Fellowship Center stairs to the VBS classrooms, they passed through a multitude of Lauren Lawliss’s artwork that traces the life of Moses through the Bible. Manna and the quail, the Passover, the parting of the Red Sea, Moses and the Amalekites and receiving the Ten Commandments are beautifully depicted.

The daughter of Michael and Lisa Lawliss and soon to be a Peru High School 10^th grader, Lauren Lawliss illustrated the VBS theme for the 3^rd consecutive year. She began working in June and estimates that it took her over 100 hours to reach her goal. She explained, “I attended the Vacation Bible School from Pre-K through the 6th grade and I loved it. I want to give back to the community and I love seeing the faces of the children when they walk down the classroom hallway.”

Lauren Lawliss also volunteers to assist in the VBS classroom. Today she was working with 1^st graders. She’s just one of 82 volunteers who are working to make the program a success. Students return year after year because the program is focused on being educational and fun.

St. Augustine’s Church and the Peru Community Church jointly sponsor the Vacation Bible School. Children from many faith traditions participate in the five-day program.

Charles Remillard, of Peru, NY, was one of 50 SUNY Oneonta student-athletes named to the State University of New York Athletic Conference All-Academic Team and Commissioner’s List for the Spring 2014 season.

To qualify for the All-Academic Team, a student must be varsity athlete who has completed the entire season and earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.3 for the semester in which they competed. In addition, to be named to the Commissioner’s List, the student athlete must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3 based on three semesters at the institution. (Does not have to be consecutive semesters). Remillard, who is majoring in Secondary Education, was a member of the Track & Field team.

A liberal arts college with a pre-professional focus, SUNY Oneonta features outstanding and accessible faculty, students committed to academics and community service, exceptional technology, a modern Field House and athletic facilities, and a beautiful campus. The college enrolls 6,000 students in its 70 undergraduate majors and 15 graduate programs. Athletes compete on 21 teams at the NCAA Division III level, and the college is a member of the SUNYAC conference.

A liberal arts institution with a strong focus on undergraduate research, SUNY Oneonta consistently gains recognition for delivering excellence and value. The college has been named to Kiplinger’s list of “100 Best Values in Public Colleges” for eight consecutive years, was ranked No. 2 on the 2014 Kiplinger’s list of “10 Best Public Colleges With Lowest Debt at Graduation” and sits at No. 16 on the 2014 U.S. News and World Report list of the best public institutions in the region.The college enrolls 6,000 students in its 70 undergraduate majors and 14 graduate programs.

The following Peru, NY students were named to the dean’s list at Paul Smith’s College during the spring 2014 semester. Each earned a semester average of 3.3 or higher to receive this distinction:

Emily Brosseau of Peru, N.Y., who is majoring in hotel, resort and tourism management.

Grace Mayhew of Peru, N.Y., who is majoring in environmental sciences.

Marijuana debate heats up in U.S. and Canada « The In Box.

Rob Duquette, a resident of Peru, N.Y. was one of 93 SUNY Potsdam student-athletes to earn a spot on the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) All-Academic Team for the spring semester, the conference announced Tuesday, July 29.

Duquette is a Senior member of the SUNY Potsdam Men’s Basketball team. Players named to the all-academic team have a minimum of a 3.3 GPA for the Spring 2014 semester.

About SUNY Potsdam:

Founded in 1816, and located on the outskirts of the beautiful Adirondack Park, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges. SUNY Potsdam currently enrolls approximately 4,350 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its handcrafted education, challenging liberal arts and sciences core, excellence in teacher training and leadership in the performing and visual arts. To learn more, visit http://www.potsdam.edu.