Town Board talks trees, neighborhood watch

AMENIA — Not all the recently planted trees on Mechanic Street have had the best summer, as was discussed at the Town Board meeting last Thursday, Aug. 13.

Five trees have died since being planted by Con-Tech Construction this spring. They have since been replaced by Twin Brooks Garden Center in Millbrook.

“They look like they’re doing well,� said town Supervisor Wayne Euvrard. The town is currently trying to have the cost of the new trees reimbursed by Con-Tech.

Councilwoman Vicki Doyle reported that a black SUV went off the road on Sunday, Aug. 9, and completely destroyed another one of the trees on Mechanic Street. She added that a piece of black vinyl from the plastic bumper was found at the scene, and tire tracks indicated that the vehicle was heading towards Depot Hill Road.

The town does have insurance, but there is a $250 deductible for the $500 tree. Euvrard wondered whether the town should pay the $250, and gamble whether insurance premium costs would rise, or “eat� the cost of the tree.

Doyle replied that there has been an increase in insurance premiums every year, and she did not believe that $250 would affect those prices at all. When the insurance company inspected the site of the damaged tree, Doyle reported that it appeared that the contractor, Con-Tech, did not plant the tree according to the specs in the town’s contract.

“It makes sense to go after the automobile [that hit the tree],� Doyle said, “and then the contractor if they owe us money for an incorrectly planted tree. We have to protect the taxpayer’s investment if he did not meet the specs as per contract.�

More suggestions

for public safety

Neighborhood watch member Ernie Lowell updated the board on the success of a bake sale he held at the Freshtown Plaza the previous weekend, which raised $155. All donations and proceeds went toward paying for informational booklets to be distributed to residents around town.

“A lot of donations I got were from people in Sharon,� he said, adding that he found many new contacts including a resident willing to spearhead the neighborhood watch program in Wassaic.

Lowell asked about the possibility of returning speed bumps to Broadway, claiming that too many vehicles speed down that road. Councilman Joel Pelkey said that speed bumps were illegal on public roads. “Child at Play� signs have been installed on the road, however, by Highway Superintendent Stanley Whitehead.

Lowell also suggested the town install sandwich board crosswalk signs, similar to one located in the center of Millerton, on Route 343 by the Cumberland Farms and across from Mechanic Street. He offered to look into getting the signs, as well as putting them up and taking them down every day.

“I think it’s a good idea,� said Doyle, who pointed out that painting the crosswalks hasn’t helped. “It’s time to go a little further.�

Euvrard said it was a state law for vehicles to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, however too few people knew about the law. He asked Lowell to look into the cost of crosswalk signs.

Deep Hollow to be

partially paved

Finally, Whitehead reported on the poor shape of Deep Hollow Road.

“Every time we get a rain we have to fix it,� he said. “It’s time to put down blacktop, and put in a berm [to help with water drainage].�

Euvrard agreed, adding that maintaining dirt roads was costing the town three to four times as much as paved ones.

“I think in the long run it’s going to save us money,� he said. “We waste money on it every year trying to grade [unpaved roads].�

Approximately the first 1,700 feet on Deep Hollow, up until the first bridge on that road, is now scheduled to be paved. Whitehead said he hoped to start in a few weeks, and that CHIPS (Consolidated Highway Improvement Project System) money, from the state Department of Transportation, would hopefully come through for the project.

The next Town Board meeting will be held tonight, Thursday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.