Town of Stamford Gets Organized

HOBART – Organizing for the new year is pretty routine for local town boards, but Stamford Town Board members had to begin the new year in the dark last Wednesday. Wind and rain took a tree down, just before the town board meeting on Jan.10, causing a power outage in the village of Hobart. The lights were back on before the meeting was adjourned, but it did impress the need for a backup generator.

Jacob Sackett was present to introduce himself as a candidate for appointment as town attorney. Another candidate is expected to attend the February meeting. Sackett is an attorney with Hinman, Howard and Kattel, with offices in Oneonta and Binghamton. He said is familiar with the region, growing up in Stamford and attending South Kortright Central.

Official appointments and designations held no surprises, with the board holding off on the appointment of a town attorney and a new planning board member. Andrew VanBuren resigned his position as town attorney with the election of his wife, Ruthanne VanBuren, as town clerk. Art Turner, who was chairman of the planning board, resigned last month, leaving a vacancy on the planning board. 

Board members also discussed an overrun of the sewer budget and a motion was approved to move $15,000 from the general account to cover the bills and then reimburse the general account once the money is received from the city Department of Environmental Protection. The cost overrun, which was substantial, was due to repairs that were unanticipated in last year's budget. 

Town Justice Jackie Lamport  announced she will not run again for her seat as town justice. With petitions due in February, she wanted people to be aware she isn't running, in order to allow them to file a petition. She will, however, stay on as town bookkeeper. Her term as town justice runs until Dec. 31,2024.

Board members also discussed roads to be considered for Consolidated Highway Improvement Program funding in the new year. They include Murphy Road (near the village of Stamford) and Cross Road (in the hamlet of Bloomville). The expenses are estimated at $207,915. If funding remains the same for this year, the town is eligible for $254,177 in CHIPS funding.

Roxbury Mountain Road and the problem of vehicles going over the embankment there was again discussed. Guide rails will further narrow the roadway. During last week's bad weather, there were two vehicles off on the Stamford side of the mountain and two off on the Roxbury side of the Mountain. One of the accidents occurred just after the town had been on the roadway. Highway Superintendent Jon Ballard attributes it to the steep, curvy roadway and the failure of people to use caution to negotiate it when conditions are  bad, such as a storm. There is already signage cautioning drivers.

Board members approved appointment and designations, as follows: Diane Grant, first deputy town clerk: Mountain Eagle, official newspaper; Delaware National Bank of Delhi, Wayne Bank, Community Bank, The Bank of Cooperstown and the Bank of Greene County, official depositories.

Appointments for 2024 include, the following: Eleanor Lamport, deputy town clerk; Daniel Deysenroth, deputy supervisor; Kevin Rinehart, deputy highway superintendent; Charlie Ferris, assessor chairman; William Sechrist, planning board chair; John Rice, chairman of the Assessment Review Board; Kelly Chien, town historian; Barb Rockefeller, court clerk; Tomi Tompkins, building inspector; Ann Barr, dog control officer; John Kosier and Dan Deysenroth, budget committee, 

Mike Triolo, fair housing officer.

Ruthanne Van Buren was appointed registrar of vital statistics, with Diane Grant as deputy.

A new appointment was the 607 Riders Club to be responsible for regulating  All Terrain Vehicle annual permits for town roadways.

Town board meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Stamford Town Hall.