Kortright Talks About Water

BLOOMVILLE  – A water project in the hamlet of Bloomville occupied a good deal of Monday's discussion for members of the Kortright Town Board, with three members present. Jacindra Shareski, a program coordinator for the Western Catskills Community Revitalization Council, opened the meeting as part of a public hearing to close the $350,000 home repair grant for the town.

She said they did work on five homes, falling three short, due to costs. The repairs included everything from entryways and new furnaces to new roofing and foundation repairs. None of the homeowners were displaced by the repairs and there are still eligible homeowners remaining on the list.

Supervisor George Haynes asked when the town could apply for another grant. The current grant must be completely closed out and there is a wait time between grants, according to Shareski.

Bids were opened for highway materials and Seward Sand and Gravel received the bid for screened sand at $8.65/yard.

Henry Lamont was present from LVDV to review a quote to provide water plant services to the hamlet of Bloomville. The proposal is higher than that of Cedarwood, who already has the contract to manage the water plant. However, they have not communicated well with the town. Lamont said the bottom line would be better if the town could locate a local water tester for a couple of days each week. The town will also seek a quote from Cedarwood, utilizing a local tester. However, Lamont pointed out there are people from Cedarwood passing by the plant daily, which is why they could offer a better quote. Paying someone to travel daily to test the water, as required by the state Department of  Health (DOH) is costly. Board members also did not understand the condition in Cedarwood 's quote to have a new well on line by August of  this year.

Lamont said they could engineer the system, which the town needs in order to seek grants and funding they will need in order to add the new well. The town may have to consider a hike in water rates.

The town already owns property where a spring and two wells are located. One of the wells is no longer producing and DOH has said the hamlet needs a backup source. The town has been looking at a nearby location but it needs testing to allow them to know if it is a feasible location to dig a new well.

Haynes was going to check on Cedarwood's condition that a new well site be prepared by August.

A town resident, who gave her name as Rose, said she is asking the board if there is anything she can do to get a neighbor to clean up buses and tractors that are creating a problem with water on her property. The issue will be turned over to the town's code enforcement officer. "I know I sound horrible, but it is my home that is being affected," he said.

The town will look to have additional repairs made to gravestones at local cemeteries over the summer. Haynes said he had been contacted by the company to see if they had any additional monument repair project. Haynes will get pricing.