Lately, you may have seen your Village Public Works guys plowing sand off Village streets and then utilizing street sweeping. We reported conversion from calcium chloride (salt) to sand/salt mixture for this past winter season. This is less expensive for snow removal but more labor intensive for clean up as we enter the spring season. We have received resident comments about dust residue from the sand. We will work to keep it to a minimum until clean.
Sandy Kasmarcik and the Village Planning Board are working toward Comprehensive Plan update. One of the plan concerns is; tree planting at Trout Ponds and other strategic points to contain or stabilize creek bed erosion. The Boards concerns are well founded. We did contact Lydia Brinkley from the Upper Susquehanna Coalition. At a point in the near future, various type tree and bush planting activity at the Trout Ponds will take place. Your Public Works Department did remove much fallen and dead limbs, trees and bushes from our creek side and around the ponds. Tell us what you think. Thank you to the Village Planning Board.
We do wish to report west side of Whig Street sidewalk update. Bid opening will be in early July so the information we present now are estimates for this 1,931 linear feet of walkway replacement. Project cost estimate is $275,893 while our estimate for grant approval almost two years ago was $265,585 at eighty percent aid. The aid is $212,468. We will host neighborhood meetings in late spring before bid openings. At that time we will present the landowner costs for that walkway. We believe the project will be complete this current year.
Trustee Cliff Alexander, Public Works Supervisor Bill Foster, and Village resident Rachel Smith will eventually present to your Village Board a plan for new and expanded playground equipment for the Trout Ponds. This project is at a preliminary stage so not much more can be stated at this point. We all know the importance of the Village Parks and the year round usefulness. The current equipment is aging and we do wish to make our Park a destination. Great Job, to Cliff, Rachel and Bill!
The New York State Comptrollers Office is visiting and reviewing your Village finances, techniques and operations. Our financial picture and cash positioning is not what it was before the $4.1 million new reservoir/distribution system, $400,000 Municipal Building exterior renovation and other successful projects. Those things were partially funded by USDA and NYS Park and Recreation and by YOU the Village taxpayer. We attempt to somewhat mitigate those investments by sharing of services with neighboring communities. We believe the Comptroller will have thoughts and ideas to better serve our community. Your tax dollars continue to financially subsidize the Tappen-Spaulding Library, Summer Youth, Holiday Magic, Spring Fling, Newark Valley Days and Music at the Park. We maintain and improve the Village Green and Trout Ponds for your pleasure. It is not in our Village DNA to reduce or eliminate these commitments; however YOU must tell us what you think. Remember; you can contact us on our webpage or Facebook. Be vocal; so we know your desires for the future.
We no longer have the Inter-Municipal Code Enforcement Agreement with Berkshire Town. The joint Code Enforcement person resigned from your Village, which ended this joint investment. We immediately turned to Scott Kasmarcik for Code Enforcement and Dennis Leibe for Fire Inspection. These two guys have successfully served you in the past and now, once again.
This winter our Newark Valley UCC hosted the first Drug Awareness Night. The information, conversation, and discussion were insightful and thoroughly necessary to share. The second Drug Awareness Meeting is Wednesday, May 11, at 7 p.m. at the Church on Main Street. I think of the importance of this future meeting when I pick up used needles (very carefully) at various spots at the Trout Ponds. I have learned more than I care to; but it is life. We urge you to attend and thank you to Cathy Kuntzleman for your education enthusiasm.
The Village Board meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Our thanks to Trustees Cliff Alexander, Pat Beck, and Doug Card; and to Deputy Mayor Mike Reynolds.
I did contact the office of New York State Senator Fred Akshar for an evening of meet and greet for our residents at the Noble Room. Watch for more information.
We wish you a safe and secure spring!
