Highway Department update

NORTH EAST — Highway Superintendent Bob Stevens gave an update on his department to the Town Board at its monthly business meeting on Thursday, Nov. 10. He spoke before a full house. One of the first issues he addressed was storm cleanup, and how the town fared after the late October snowfall.“We’re just about done with the storm cleanup,” Stevens told the board. “Now we’re stockpiling sand and gravel for the winter.”Stevens also gave an update on the town’s inventory, especially on those items that will help with both the needs of the present fall season and the future winter season. He said the 2005 and 2006 plow trucks went through New York state inspections with no problems, and that other equipment did as well. The wood chipper, he added, is the perfect size for the town’s needs. Stevens also told the board that his workers have been busy mixing sand and salt and patching cold mix in preparation for winter.Town Supervisor Dave Sherman mentioned the need for the town engineer to inspect the site for the salt shed, which will for the time being be installed on the town garage’s parking lot. He described it as “one thing hanging in the fire,” and suggested the board meet to address the matter (it did so on Tuesday, Nov. 15). The town has already agreed on ordering a cement block base and sturdy tarp top, akin to the state’s salt shed on Route 22, to install at the garage site. It typically takes between four to six weeks between ordering and delivery. Sherman said he believes that time could be expedited for an additional cost.“This board can decide if they want to pay extra bucks to get it delivered sooner,” he said. “We don’t want to have it dropped off until we have the site cleared.”Councilman Dave McGhee said the town should dismantle the existing shed, which stands at the same site, and “take it down to the dump.”Stevens then discussed with the board the need to fill a vacancy within his department, which will then be followed by a temporary vacancy, a situation made even more difficult by the fact that it’s almost winter. He said, however, that he has “a perfect person” to fill one of the vacancies.“Jim Horton,” Stevens said, adding he will work to cover for someone suffering from an illness. The board agreed to the suggestion and voted in favor of it unanimously.“While we’re at it, do you want a temporary just for the winter months?” McGhee asked.Mike Segelken, already a motor equipment operator (MEO), was said to be interested in the position.“Typically for storm situations [we need a stand-by MEO] as needed during the winter,” Stevens said. McGhee asked if that position should be advertised in the paper, but it was agreed that process could take too long.“Mike [Segelken] was a full-time MEO at one time,” said Stevens, recommending he be hired once again.The board then unanimously agreed to do so, at a rate of $16.70 per hour. The last matter of business the Town Board settled with the highway superintendent related to the maintenance of county and town roads this winter. The town was recently contacted about what county roads within the town the county expects the town to take care of, as per past agreements. The town typically tends to Indian Lake Road, Sharon Road, Rudd Pond Road and Boston Corners Road. The town gets compensated for doing so.Councilman Carl Stahovec made a motion to authorize the supervisor to sign a contract with the county to maintain those county roads. The motion was approved by the rest of the board.

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