More tree trouble

AMENIA — The Mechanic Street tree plantings have continued to be a point of contention among Town Board members as they look to close out business with ConTech Construction.

Councilwoman Vicki Doyle has reported that as many as eight of the original tree plantings had died or were planted incorrectly. After months of negotiations, the town is still holding on to more than $15,000 owed to ConTech. A contract was written stipulating that the company would replace the trees and the town would then send the last check to the company, completing the transaction.

However, at the Oct. 15 board meeting, town Supervisor Wayne Euvrard said that when he and other board members walked Mechanic Street on Oct. 12 to pick out the eight trees to replace, they had a hard time choosing which ones. Doyle was not present.

When ConTech arrived the next day with the trees, the company pointed out to Euvrard that the planted trees were not dead. They ended up replacing a tree that had been severely damaged when a car clipped it several months ago, and it was decided that the remaining seven trees would be planted at the Wassaic ball parks.

Euvrard was adamant during last Thursday’s board meeting that a check be written to ConTech and business be completed. However, Doyle, who has been ConTech’s primary critic during previous project discussions, felt that if a check was signed, the time and money spent writing up a final agreement with ConTech would be wasted. The company did not sign the document at their site visit on Oct. 13. She argued that the problem was not whether the trees were dead or not, but that they were planted incorrectly, violating the original contract with the town.

“I think [ConTech] has gone out of their way for us,� Euvrard persisted, saying there were inaccuracies in the document ConTech has yet to sign. “The trees are growing.�

Doyle replied that if the trees were not planted according to bid specifications and the contract drawn up by attorney to the town Michael Hayes is not signed “the town is unprotected in protecting the taxpayer’s investment.� She agreed to make the factual changes in the contract, and the board eventually voted that as soon as ConTech signed the document the check would be written.

Budget workshops continue

The next Town Board meeting will be held after Election Day. The board has scheduled another budget workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 5 p.m. to continue working toward a document to present to the public in time for a public hearing.

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