No salt shed after all?


By CORY ALLYN


Staff Reporter


 

AMENIA — Discussion at the Town Board meeting Thursday, Feb. 19, concerning the town’s possible acquisition of the Amenia Elementary School building from the Webutuck Central School District led to talk of overall costs and repairs the town would need to endure in the future.

"I think we should really encourage a capital improvement plan," said Councilwoman Vicki Doyle, "to have an overall look at the town’s needs. Where are we at with long-term planning? How is all this financing going to be handled?"

The topic then narrowed to the Highway Department’s need for a new salt shed. At the previous meeting, it was announced that a $50,000 grant for construction was awarded in 2000. Of that $50,000, $15,000 has already been spent by the Highway Department for non-related items. If construction hasn’t begun by June, that $15,000 will need to be returned.

At the last meeting, town Supervisor Wayne Euvrard said that he would be looking at a potential piece of property for the salt shed with Highway Superintendent Stanley Whitehead. That had yet to happen, and Euvrard seemed less than hopeful that anything would come to fruition.

"I just don’t see how we’re going to do that in time," he said.

The cost to build a new salt shed has risen dramatically from 2000, when the grant was awarded. The cost has risen from $100,000 to closer to $400,000, according to Whitehead.

"It’s going to cost us $15,000," Doyle pointed out. "We need some concrete info on what is available today."

"Right now, there’s nothing," Euvrard replied, saying that even if a property did present itself, he didn’t see the practicality of spending $365,000 to save $35,000. "There’s no way we’re going to be shovel-ready."

Mike Hagerty, the town’s grant writer, said he would write a letter to the state asking for more time on the grant.

"I’ll explain what has happened," he said. "The worst case scenario is that they’ll say no."

He added that he believed the town could show the state they had made some progress.

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