Middleburgh Town Board Welcomes Wu, Discusses Other Business

MIDDLEBURGH - New York City investor Da-Lai Wu may have moved past obtaining Maranatha's $5.3 million physical fitness complex, but he hasn't given up on the idea of opening a gym in Schoharie County. On Wednesday evening he apprised members of the Middleburgh Town Board on his intentions to possibly open up a facility on Route 30 in the vacant Grand Union. 

Explaining that he would like to rent the building for six months to begin with and then bring exercise equipment in to test his business model, Mr. Wu looked toward expanding the center to include several tennis courts in the future. Courts that he hopes will be used to host youth tournaments, and keep local players in Schoharie County year round. 

Middleburgh Town Supervisor Jim Buzon expressed the board's sentiment by stating it would be, "wonderful to see [Grand Union] in use again." The Supervisor would go on welcome the investor into the community and offered to speak at next month's planning board meeting in support of his proposal. 

In other business, the Middleburgh Town Board:

• voted unanimously to re-approve a two-year contract with MEVAC. In addition, Mr. Buzon informed board members that he included funding for the emergency squad in his requests to New York Rising, stating that the town, "appreciates all the work."
• voted unanimously to set fire inspection fees at $20 per year/$60 per three-year period for commercial properties, while exempting non-profit/religious institutions.
• heard from Town Assessor Robert Mann Sr. that the town provided cell phones offered little to no reliable coverage, and that there was confusion over what numbers to call by the public. Town Councilman Frank Herodes motioned, and board members voted unanimously in favor of returning town phones to Mid-Tel provided land lines. 
• voted unanimously to re-appoint former Town Councilman and Village of Middleburgh Mayor William Ansel-McCabe as a Marriage Officer for the Town of Middleburgh.
• voted unanimously to set a public hearing on Wednesday, March 13th at 7:15 pm to consider the 2014 Village Fire Contract. The hearing will take place during their regularly scheduled March meeting.