NEWS
John Wyckoff Appointed New Highway Chief In Gilboa
GILBOA - Photos and story Liz Page
GILBOA — A new highway superintendent was sworn into office and the Gilboa Town Board organized for the new year Jan. 4.
John Wyckoff was appointed town highway superintendent following an interview process and the Town’s year-end meeting on Dec. 27. His appointment was effective Jan. 1 and runs through Dec. 31, 2017. He must run for election to the post next fall and replaces Lester Parker, who retired after 32 years of service with the town highway department, effective Dec. 31.
Wyckoff provided town board members with a report on his first three days in office, which included his recommendation to reappoint highway crew member James Dymond as deputy highway superintendent.
It was one of a long list of official appointments and designations made in organizing for 2017. Council members had to table a few motions until they have a larger quorum present. Although Supervisor Tony VanGlad recommended Councilwoman Dot Pickett for reappointment as deputy supervisor, it was tabled as Pickett wasn’t able to vote on the motion as one of just three board members present.
There was a similar situation in a motion to advertise in the Maple Festival booklet and the nomination of VanGlad to serve as a member of the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) Board of Directors.
All of those motions will be settled with a phone call vote including the two board members, Max Stryker and Norwood Tompkins, who were absent from the meeting.
Board members did approve purchase of a new computer through Schoharie County for Wyckoff to use at the highway garage. The existing computer is not functioning properly and he said previous superintendent, Parker, had been using his personal computer. A motion was made to go ahead with the purchase, unless it exceeds $1,000, in which case it would to come back before the board.
In his written report, town Code Enforcement Officer Brian Caron indicated he had attended various training sessions, amounting to the 24 hours of credit required by the state.
In his supervisor’s report, VanGlad said the CWC must replace Mike Brandow on its board of directors, as Brandow is no longer an elected official. The towns of Gilboa, Conesville and Jefferson will be asked to nominate someone to succeed Brandow. VanGlad accepted the board’s nomination, however, if he is elected, it would leave a void on the Coalition of Watershed Towns board on which he currently serves. VanGlad had to abstain, thereby tabling the nomination.
A “No Dumping” sign will be placed at a spot where town, county and state highway departments have been dumping fill. It is located in the flood plain and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has indicated no more dumping should take place in that area.
VanGlad read a thank you note from Rich Tait who enclosed a check for $300 to the town for its help in offloading and erecting trusses for the new pavilion at the Gilboa Museum and History Center.
Pickett reported that a Colorado Blue Spruce tree will be planted near the town hall as a community Christmas tree and that Gardens by Trista will plant the tree. The total cost is $300. A motion passed to ask Trista Wyckoff to plant the tree at her convenience later this year. The tree will grow to 12 or 15 feet high at the most, according to Pickett. It will be used for a community tree lighting ceremony. An outlet for lighting the tree was installed by Parker when the new lighted sign at the town hall was installed recently.
The new sign is operating and flashes several messages, including congratulations and best wishes to Parker on his retirement. The sign will be used to announce town meetings, events and other community-related items.
The new highway superintendent said town crews plowed and sanded on his first day, and on Jan. 2 he held a meeting with the entire crew. They also replaced plow edges and adusted them and on Wednesday they sanded and changed oil in the equipment. He also reported the 2007 International is still in Albany with recommendations expected to be forthcoming to repair the catalytic converter.
Walter Wyckoff was reappointed to another five-year term on the town planning board, with his previous appointment ending at the end of December. He will serve until 2021. In the official appointments, he was also reappointed chairman of the planning board.
Other appointments and designations, included:
Linda Wyckoff and Alicia Wyckoff appointed deputy town clerk/collector; Janette Reynolds, town historian; Joseph Moore Jr., dog control officer; Brian Caron, code enforcement officer, floodplain administrator and fire inspector; Joanne Darcy Crum, town attorney and Mary Wyckoff, registrar of vital statistics.
They also established meetings to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. and The Mountain Eagle and Times Journal, as official newspapers.
Other resolutions included various polices, reimbursements and monthly reports.
GILBOA — A new highway superintendent was sworn into office and the Gilboa Town Board organized for the new year Jan. 4.
John Wyckoff was appointed town highway superintendent following an interview process and the Town’s year-end meeting on Dec. 27. His appointment was effective Jan. 1 and runs through Dec. 31, 2017. He must run for election to the post next fall and replaces Lester Parker, who retired after 32 years of service with the town highway department, effective Dec. 31.
Wyckoff provided town board members with a report on his first three days in office, which included his recommendation to reappoint highway crew member James Dymond as deputy highway superintendent.
It was one of a long list of official appointments and designations made in organizing for 2017. Council members had to table a few motions until they have a larger quorum present. Although Supervisor Tony VanGlad recommended Councilwoman Dot Pickett for reappointment as deputy supervisor, it was tabled as Pickett wasn’t able to vote on the motion as one of just three board members present.
There was a similar situation in a motion to advertise in the Maple Festival booklet and the nomination of VanGlad to serve as a member of the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) Board of Directors.
All of those motions will be settled with a phone call vote including the two board members, Max Stryker and Norwood Tompkins, who were absent from the meeting.
Board members did approve purchase of a new computer through Schoharie County for Wyckoff to use at the highway garage. The existing computer is not functioning properly and he said previous superintendent, Parker, had been using his personal computer. A motion was made to go ahead with the purchase, unless it exceeds $1,000, in which case it would to come back before the board.
In his written report, town Code Enforcement Officer Brian Caron indicated he had attended various training sessions, amounting to the 24 hours of credit required by the state.
In his supervisor’s report, VanGlad said the CWC must replace Mike Brandow on its board of directors, as Brandow is no longer an elected official. The towns of Gilboa, Conesville and Jefferson will be asked to nominate someone to succeed Brandow. VanGlad accepted the board’s nomination, however, if he is elected, it would leave a void on the Coalition of Watershed Towns board on which he currently serves. VanGlad had to abstain, thereby tabling the nomination.
A “No Dumping” sign will be placed at a spot where town, county and state highway departments have been dumping fill. It is located in the flood plain and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has indicated no more dumping should take place in that area.
VanGlad read a thank you note from Rich Tait who enclosed a check for $300 to the town for its help in offloading and erecting trusses for the new pavilion at the Gilboa Museum and History Center.
Pickett reported that a Colorado Blue Spruce tree will be planted near the town hall as a community Christmas tree and that Gardens by Trista will plant the tree. The total cost is $300. A motion passed to ask Trista Wyckoff to plant the tree at her convenience later this year. The tree will grow to 12 or 15 feet high at the most, according to Pickett. It will be used for a community tree lighting ceremony. An outlet for lighting the tree was installed by Parker when the new lighted sign at the town hall was installed recently.
The new sign is operating and flashes several messages, including congratulations and best wishes to Parker on his retirement. The sign will be used to announce town meetings, events and other community-related items.
The new highway superintendent said town crews plowed and sanded on his first day, and on Jan. 2 he held a meeting with the entire crew. They also replaced plow edges and adusted them and on Wednesday they sanded and changed oil in the equipment. He also reported the 2007 International is still in Albany with recommendations expected to be forthcoming to repair the catalytic converter.
Walter Wyckoff was reappointed to another five-year term on the town planning board, with his previous appointment ending at the end of December. He will serve until 2021. In the official appointments, he was also reappointed chairman of the planning board.
Other appointments and designations, included:
Linda Wyckoff and Alicia Wyckoff appointed deputy town clerk/collector; Janette Reynolds, town historian; Joseph Moore Jr., dog control officer; Brian Caron, code enforcement officer, floodplain administrator and fire inspector; Joanne Darcy Crum, town attorney and Mary Wyckoff, registrar of vital statistics.
They also established meetings to be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. and The Mountain Eagle and Times Journal, as official newspapers.
Other resolutions included various polices, reimbursements and monthly reports.