The Peru Gazette

Capitol Confidential » Cuomo: In dollars, Sandy was worse than Katrina.

Adirondack rafting guide pleads guilty in drowning – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com

Babbie Museum saves Goshen Store » Local News » Press-Republican.

Stormy future for state budget after Sandy | The Poughkeepsie Journal | poughkeepsiejournal.com.

CCRS named top area school in academic performance » NEW TODAY… » Press-Republican.

North Country remembers former Rep. Martin (update) – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com

Local mom works to build new life » Local News » Press-Republican.

Former US Rep. Martin of NY dies in W. Va. at 68 » Breaking News » Press-Republican.

Nova Bus wins $48 million contract » NEW TODAY… » Press-Republican.

By Adele Douglas

Town employees Mike Hanlon and Rob Wright installing the new sign for the Town’s new park.  Thanks to Kris Bruno for volunteering  and building this impressive sign.  The post was designed and manufactured by John Trombly of Modern Mechanical Fabricating in Champlain.  The design elements represent both saw blades and log sections, to reflect the almost 100 years that this site was home to the A. Mason and Sons Lumber Mill.

Highway Superintendent Mike Farrell takes a phone break while building the additional trail section along the edge of the Little Ausable River.  Now complete, the park hosts a nice 1/3 of a mile circuit around the perimeter of the park for walkers, joggers, cyclists and strollers.  So if you’re looking for a place to learn how to ride a bike, or looking for a place to walk or jog in a car free environment, this is it.  Thanks to Niki LaPlante for helping lay out the additional trail segment.

There are some beautiful sections of the Little Ausable River in the Park and the Town’s working to increase access to, and visibility of, the river.

The 1836 Heyworth Building under a rainbow.  Ann Wilke snapped this and the following photo.  Thanks to Ann and Lynn for cleaning-up trash along the connector trail to Little Ausable Park, keeping an eye on the park, and watering the newly planted shrubs, which was a pretty demanding job through the heat of this summer.

Bucky Beaver hasn’t been seen in the past couple of months but was seen daily for most of the summer. There were also a number of kids who played in the river.  One reported that a fisherman caught a nice brown trout in this stretch, pretty amazing considering how low the water was most of the year.

Thanks to partial funding from the State through a Parks grant, the bulk of the work was performed  last year by Fuller Excavating.  Over the summer  the finishing touches  were put on the Park by local, mostly volunteer efforts. Don and Adam McBrayer cleared a connector trail to Little Ausable Park.  Peru Lions and Kara McBrayer planted the gardens.  Town Park crews installed benches, interpretive signs, a garbage can and picnic tables. Don and Kara McBrayer, with guidance from Bob Gallinger, installed edging around the gardens  and planted 100 lilies.  Town Supervisor Pete Glushko and councilman Brandy McDonald kept an eye on the park with regular patrols while Councilman Jim Douglass kept all the various improvements  moving along.

Next year’s plans include improving the connector trail between Heyworth/Mason Park and Little Ausable Park under the Rte 22 bridge.  This with improve the connection of the new park to the hamlet and allow users to avoid having to cross busy Rte 22.

At the back of the park Mike Farrell has built the connection to the beginning of the Little Ausable River Trail.  It is anticipated that this 1.5 multi-use trail to Sullivan Park will be built next year.  While awarded partial Federal funding in 2006, it took until this year to develop a design plan that was acceptable to DOT and FHWA.  Over that period the proposed budget has increased so the Town is pursuing additional grant funds.

Medicare sets cap for hospital therapy services » NEW TODAY… » Press-Republican.

The Keeseville-Peru Ecumenical Choir will be performing two concerts.  The first concert will be Saturday, December 15, 2012, at St. Augustine’s Church in Peru at 7:30pm. The second concert will be Sunday, December 16, 2012, 7:30pm at St. John the Baptist Church in Keeseville.  The choir is directed by Jeanette Woodruff and accompanied by Carol Bachand.  The 66 member choir will be performing a variety of sacred and secular Christmas music. Admission is free.

Small Business Saturday has impact » Columns » Press-Republican.

Love and grief not dimmed by months or miles » Local News » Press-Republican.

CCC faces layoffs in 2013-14 » Local News » Press-Republican.

Ski fever – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com |

Saranac Lake broker sanctioned for fraud – AdirondackDailyEnterprise.com

NY21: What in the world happened to Bill Owens? « The In Box.

The news and the public good « The In Box.

As Editor of the Peru Gazette I have to ask: Based on the poor public attendance at government meetings do Americans really care about how their government functions? Most Internet visits involve crime and scandal stories, not news coverage of government. 

By John T. Ryan

Counselors approved the Town of Peru 2013 budget at a November 15, 2012 Special Town Board meeting. Water users will be subject to an 82% tax increase with rates increasing from $1.71 to $3.10 per thousand dollars of assessed value.  The cost of the town’s ongoing $3.2 million water system improvement project is the major reason for the tax increase. Annual interest on the $3.65 million bond totals $176,868. Combined with previous borrowing, the water system’s annual interest payments total $238,924.

A water user with a home assessed at $100,000 will pay water taxes of $310.00 plus metered usage charges.  Water users with a $200,000 house will pay taxes of $620.00 plus metered usage charges. A homeowner with a $300,000 home will pay $930.00 plus metered usage charges. Assuming an average home has metered charges of $400 annually, water costs will total approximately $710.00 annually for a $100,000 home, $1020.00 for a $200,000 home and $1,330.00 for a $300,000 home.

The general budget tax rate will increase from $1.91 per M to $1.93 per M. The highway department tax rate will increase from $2.35 to $2.37.

Counselors Jim Douglass, Susan Polhemus, Kregg Bruno and Supervisor Peter Glushko voted in favor of the budget. Counselor Brandy McDonald was excused and was not present.

Click here to review 2013 Preliminary and Final  Town Budget

Click here to review the historical Peru tax rates

Peru – The Peru Free Library will host the North Country Potter’s Guild with a reception, show and sale on Friday, November 30, 2012 from 5 to 7 PM at the library on North Main Street. Click here for details – Library Potters

Senior Patrol Leader Hunter Sartwell (Left) led the Eagle Scout Circle of Honor for Thomas C. Gwinn Jr. (Right)

By John T. Ryan

Peru – An impressive ceremony on Sunday, November 11, 2012, climaxed a five-year journey for Thomas Gwinn Jr. In 2007 Gwinn achieved the Boy Scout Tenderfoot rank. Last Sunday he was awarded Boy Scouting’s highest rank – Eagle Scout.  Gwinn’s Court of Honor ceremony was conducted at St. Augustine’s Parish Center as Gwinn’s parents, Thomas and Jennifer Gwinn and over 100 family members, friends, Scouts and Scout leaders looked on. Senior Patrol Leader Hunter Sartwell led the ceremony.

L-R Troop 49 Scout Master Thomas Gwinn Sr., Thomas Gwinn Jr. and Mrs. Jennifer Gwinn

Two hours prior to the Eagle Scout ceremony, Gwinn and other Troop 49 Scouts participated in Veterans Day ceremonies at the Veterans Park on the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base.  Troop 49 Scout Master Thomas Gwinn Sr. said, “My son Tommy has always been interested in the military.  He’s helped maintain the Veterans Park so it wasn’t surprising that his Eagle Scout Project involved the park.”   Gwinn Jr. planted a strategically-placed hedge which should reduce or eliminate the damage resulting from runners and dogs passing through Veterans Park.

Since joining Peru Troop 49 Thomas Gwinn Jr. has earned 29 merit badges, received the Kayak and World Conservation Awards and participated in leadership training and as a Boy Scout camp staff member.  In 2011 he attended the National Scout Jamboree.

The program handed out at the Court of Honor included two very appropriate quotations which Thomas Gwinn Jr. has obviously taken to heart.

“A Scout is clean, but he is not afraid to get dirty.”

“We must change boys from a ‘what can I get’ to a ‘what can I give’ attitude.”

(Click here for more ceremony photos) 

The Town of Peru will be holding their 26th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday November 30th at 7:00 PM at the Town Gazebo.  Everyone is welcome.

There will be Christmas carols and the arrival of Santa Claus!  Refreshments will be served at the Peru Community Church Fellowship Center.

AGENDA TOWN BOARD SPECIAL MEETING, November 15, 2012 – 6:30 PM

1. Call Meeting To Order
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Roll Call
4. MOTION/RESOLUTION:  Adopt 2013 Final Budget.
5. MOTION/RESOLUTION:  Adopt Employee Benefit Handbook.
6. MOTION/RESOLUTION:  Town Acceptance of Denali Drive.
7. Other Business
8. Motion to Adjourn

Planning Board approved October minutes