The Peru Gazette

The Peru Lions Club will be hosting its 36th annual John P. Adams Memorial Turkey Trot on November 28nd, 2013 (Thanksgiving Day). Pre-register by going to perulionsclubnewyork.org Click “Register for Events”. Select Turkey Trot and chose one of the registration/payment options. Same day registration starts at 7:30 a.m. at the Peru Intermediate School gym. To ensure a 9:00 start, registration will end at 8:15, sharp. The 1-mile fun run/walk begins at 8:45 a.m. and the 5 & 10K races shortly afterward. Entry fee for 5 & 10K events is $15 if pre-registered online before Monday 11/25 at 10 a.m. Bib pick-up and last minute pre-registration can be done at the Peru Intermediate gym on Wednesday the 27th from 4-7 p.m. On the day of the event, the fee is $20. The 1-mile fun run/walk fee is $5. Trophies are awarded to male and female winners of the 5 & 10K races. For more information contact: Lois Roberts @ 643-2213 or Jen Boyer @ 562-0528.

From the Office of Congressman Bill Owens 

WASHINGTON—Representative Bill Owens will hold a telephone town hall on Tuesday, November 12, 2013, in a continued effort to hear from constituents across the more than 16,000 square miles of New York’s 21st Congressional District. Representative Owens will give a quick update on the economy and his recent activities in the district during the November district work period. The event will occur from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. this Tuesday evening. Read more »

Story Updated and Corrected 11/8/13 12:00 PM (Our original story did not differentiate between the civilian and military ballot receipt dates)

By John T. Ryan

The name of Peru’s new Town Councilperson will not be known until at least November 18th. That’s the date when non-military and military absentee ballots will be counted. As of November 8th the Clinton County Board of Elections had received 82 ballots from registered Town of Peru voters.

Both absentee and military ballots must have been postmarked no later than November 4th. Military absentee ballots must be received 13 days following Election Day and non-military votes within 7 days. On Election Day, November 5th, only twelve votes separated Donald McBrayer who garnered 729 votes and Lana Knight who received 717 votes.  Jim Douglass garnered 987 votes. Two Town Council seats were up for election.

From the Office of Congressman Bill Owens  

PLATTSBURGH, NY—For Veterans Day, Congressman Bill Owens thanked veterans and encouraged them to hand salute the flag during the national anthem and other flag ceremonies. Many veterans are unaware that in 2008 Congress authorized veterans out of uniform to hand salute the flag at appropriate events, including the playing of the national anthem at sporting events.

“Thank you to all Americans who served our nation and all of their families for their support and sacrifices,” Congressman Bill Owens said. “I encourage all veterans to salute the flag during the national anthem. Seeing veterans rising among the crowd to salute sends a powerful message to all in attendance.”

Prior to 2008 U.S law only allowed veterans wearing a uniform to salute during flag ceremonies and the national anthem. Veterans wearing American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars caps were approved, but that meant many veterans attending public events like professional sporting events were not authorized to salute the flag.  Read more »

Peru voters agreed with their fellow New Yorkers on Tuesday, November 5th voting “YES” on five of the six propositions to amend the State Constitution. As might be expected local voters overwhelming favored the land exchange proposed by NYCO in Willsboro.

Prop. 1 Most forms of gambling are illegal in New York — except the lotto, horse racing, bingo, and games of chance. This proposal would amend the state constitution to legalize gambling, but limit the total number of casinos statewide to just seven.

Peru – Yes: 851 (67%) No:  416 (23%) 

Statewide  Yes: 57%, No: 43%

Prop. 2 Veterans who take the civil service exam are eligible for 5 extra points the first time they take the test, and 10 extra points if they are disabled. This proposal would make it easier for disabled veterans to get extra credit points if they are certified disabled after they take the test for the first time.

Peru – Yes: 1015 (83%) No: 209 (17%)

Statewide – Yes: 84% , No: 16% 

Prop. 3 This proposal would allow towns, cities, and counties to dispose of their waste without fear of exceeding their debt limit. Legislation excluding “sewer debt” from debt limits was first enacted in 1963, but only for a certain number of years. This proposal would extend the practice through 2024.

Peru – Yes: 770 (65%) No: 410 (35%)

Statewide – Yes: 62%, No:  38%

Prop. 4 This proposal would settle a number of land disputes that have persisted for more than a hundred years in Hamilton County. If passed, the state would relinquish its old claim on land in exchange for new forest land to be added to Adirondack Park. 

Peru – Yes: 891 (74%) No: 312 (26%)

Statewide – Yes: 72%, No:  27% 

Prop. 5 This proposal would give 200 acres of Adirondack Park land, and permission to mine that land, to the private mining company NYCO minerals with the understanding that NYCO would give the same amount of land to a forest preserve, and would also restore and return the 200 acres to the state upon completion of mining.

Peru – Yes: 1013 (82%) No: 222 (18%)

Statewide – Yes: 53%, No: 47% 

Prop. 6 Supreme Court justices and Court of Appeals judges are now required to retire at age 70; this proposal would extend the age of mandatory retirement to 80.

Peru – Yes: 432 (35%) No: 795 (65%)

Statewide – Yes: 39%, No: 61%

By John T. Ryan

These are the Peru 2013 candidate vote totals, not including absentee ballots. It was a very low voter turnout, even for an off-year election, with only 1,366 (33%) voters casting ballots. Absentee votes will increase that total slightly.  The winner of the second open Town Council will be announced after absentee votes are counted.

State Supreme Court Justice

Mark L. Powers – 531

Thomas D. Nolan – 843

Stan L. Pritzker – 732

District Attorney

Andrew Wiley – 978

County Treasurer

Kimberly Davis – 511

Susan Polhemus  – 818

Town Supervisor

Peter Glushko – 880

Kregg Bruno – 378

Town Councilperson

James Douglass – 987

Donald McBrayer – 729

Lana Knight – 717

Town Justice

Jim Kirby – 834

John Lawliss – 940

Town Clerk/Tax Collector

Kathleen Flynn – 996

John Facteau – 344

James Douglass easily won reelection to the Peru Town Council with 987 votes, however, the race for the second open seat is too close to call.  With absentee votes still to be counted, Donald McBrayer tallied 729 votes, twelve votes more than Lana Knight who garnered 717 votes.

The Peru Gazette will update with the other totals shortly.

Club President Lois Roberts and the Lions Club Lion greet everyone!

L-R Dan Hickey, Nap Light and Larry Ewald

The Peru Lions Club has been hosting an Election Day Spaghetti Dinner for at least 30 years. This year’s dinner was served in the Lions Club tradition of hospitality, laughs, youth participation and great food!  The Peru Gazette thanks all the members of the Peru Lions Club for all they do to enrich our wonderful community!  During our visit we snapped a few photos of some of the people who make the dinner a great event.  Click here to view all our photos. 

DMV lets you renew license online | Star-Gazette | stargazette.com.

Diane Haight (Right) supervises a voter’s sign-in

Peru – Election Day, November 5, 2013 – As of 1:25 PM 662 voters had cast ballots in Peru, 16% of the community’s registered voters. Voters have until 9 PM to cast ballots at the St. Augustine’s Parish Center, 3030 Main Street. Voting is traditionally heaviest in late afternoon and early evening. In 2010, also a non-presidential election year, 2,006 voters cast ballots.

Peru Election officials worked very hard to make voting as easy as possible with sample ballots for the candidates and the Constitutional Amendments on display.

Peru has 4,124 registered voters including:

• 1,640 – Republican
• 1,204 – Democrat
• 896 – Blank
• 312- Independence
• 37 – Conservative
• 26 – Working Families
• 9 – Green

Bob Manchester and Judy Twining are longtime election workers

The Peru Lions Club will host its annual Election Day Spaghetti Dinner today at the Peru Community Church Fellowship Center. It will be served from 4:30 PM to 7 PM. Adults $7; children 6 to 12, $4; under 6, free.  The Lions do a lot of great work in the Peru community and this is one of most important functions!  The Peru Gazette will be there!

The Peru Town Board will conduct a Public Hearing on the Town’s 2014 Preliminary Budget on Wednesday, November 6, 2013 at 6:30 PM. The Board will accept comments on the budget.

The Peru Gazette hopes to provide more information on the budget prior to the Pubic Hearing if time permits.

Click Here to Review Preliminary Budget 2014

Regular Mtg Agenda Nov4 2013

Town of Peru 2013 Sample Ballot 

Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2013.

There are also six NYS Constitution Amendments to be voted on. Please review them carefully. They are very important to several communities and New York residents.

Six Amendments to the NYS Constitution

Note that although his name appears on the ballot Democrat Kregg Bruno has indicated that he is not interested in being Town Supervisor.  He did not sign the required paperwork to officially withdraw. Both the Peru Gazette and the Press Republican reported his declaration of non-interest in the office. Click here for our previous story.

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Tax Collections and Spending Below Projections through Mid-Year

Zoning Board Agenda of 112013

         New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens invites fifth graders to showcase their artistic talents and help to increase public awareness about trees in New York by participating in the annual national Arbor Day Poster Contest. “Trees play a vital role in the lives of New Yorkers and are a vital part of our ecosystem,” Commissioner Martens said. “Whether someone is tapping a maple tree in early spring or relaxing in the shade of a tree on a hot summer day, trees are integral to our quality of life.  I encourage fifth graders to join in our celebration of trees by drawing, sketching or painting their favorite trees and showcasing why trees are important in our daily lives.”

           Read more »

AuSable Forks man killed in Fla. crash » Breaking News » Press-Republican.

Main Street prior to the May 18, 1921 fire; current Peru Hardware on left

Main Street following the fire.

May 18, 1921 Peru, NY – “Almost an entire block of residences, stores, garages and barns in the Peru Village were burned to the ground early this morning…” These were the first words in a Plattsburgh Daily Press story that described the tragic fire that destroyed almost all the buildings in the block between today’s Main Street, Pleasant Street, Mason Street and Elmore Street. When the fire subsided only what is today’s Peru Hardware and an adjoining small building remained standing.  In 1921 it was known as the Clough Store. Peru Volunteer Department did not exist at this time; Peru relied on the Fire Department from Plattsburgh. Click here to see a larger presentation of the photos.

Here is the account of the fire that appeared in the 2003 printing of History of Peru, New York authored or edited by Lincoln Sunderland. 

The pictures presented here were part of the “Peru’s Busy Past” exhibition at the Clinton County Historical Museum.  The Peru Gazette thanks Peru Historians Ron and Carol Allen, The Clinton County Historical Association and Lincoln Sunderland for their cooperation.

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