Harpersfield To Amend Communication Tower Law

HARPERSFIELD  –  The town of Harpersfield will amend its 2001 law governing Communication Towers, by providing a waiver option for members of the town planning board. They heard a report on the three-town shared ambulance service and discussed the process of collecting paint at the shared transfer station, during their regular meeting on June 12.

A project to replace deteriorating concrete at the shared transfer station will be done with help from Delaware County and is receiving funding through a grant from the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation. Highway Superintendent Russell Hatch said they will need to rent specialized equipment to saw through the concrete and equipment to help erect the steelwork. The project is being split five ways and includes the towns of Harpersfield, Kortright and Stamford and the villages of Hobart and Stamford. The exact cost of the project will be known at the July meeting. The grant to do the work is $25,000.

The town will receive another $35,000 for stone and oil of town roadways. There are tentative changes being made to highway repairs at the state level for the next budget season. Hatch reported that all of the town roads are currently in good shape and its possible the state Department of Transportation (DOT)  will decrease the time frame for repairing roads already upgraded through the Comprehensive Highway Improvement Program. He said he would have more specific figures at the July meeting for the road repairs planned for this season.

Board members discussed the collection of paint at the transfer station. A separate storage area will be needed and the cost of a shipping container versus an Amish shed will be researched. Residents will be limited to two gallons per day in the beginning. The paint will be recycled. Old and dried up paint may be placed in the construction and demolition area and not recycled.  Only usable paint will be collected. There is an insurance cost to handle the paint, which will be done through Paint Care. The insurance costs are expected to be $12,800 annually and will include coverage for the highway garage. The cost for Paint Care will be $2,800 per year, divided between the five municipalities. The town will be reimbursed for the cost of the storage facility from Paint Care.

Supervisor Lisa Driscoll reported Summer youths will be hired to help with mowing and at the highway department.

The local scouts will be fixing up their bottle collection area. 

Ray Baker, director of operations for Headwaters EMS provided an update on the service, which now has its own certificate of need and was recently approved as an Advanced Life Support (ALS) provider. He is in the process of hiring additional paramedics and at this time only four days provide ALS coverage.

Board members then moved into an executive session to discuss personnel.