Town business update

PINE PLAINS — The Town Board had a full agenda at its business meeting, held on Thursday, Sept. 16. In addition to adopting  new subdivision regulations, the board also took care of a number of other municipal matters.

ZBA alternates

One issue the board has been discussing for a number of months is the appointment of an alternate to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). It was mentioned that both residents Mike O’Neil and Kathleen Augustine are interested in the position; they have expressed their interest in the ZBA previously and discussed it with the Town Board. The board agreed unanimously to appoint both O’Neil and Augustine as alternates to the zoning board.

Dog licenses

The board then discussed the issue of dog licenses. All municipalities must now pass new local laws to keep in line with state laws, through the state’s Department of Agriculture and Markets. There are now stricter regulations, which still require all dogs be licensed, for which they must be current with their vaccines and rabies shots — that much hasn’t changed.

Attorney to the Town Warren Replansky said that in adopting the local law “there are certain decisions that have to be made by the Town Board.�

Replansky said he will review the state regulations with Town Clerk Judy Harpp, who is responsible for issuing dog licenses, and then decide what to recommend to the board.

Highway update

Highway Superintendent Barry Hay gave an update on his department. His crew just completed work on Myrtle Avenue, where the damaged and decrepit sidewalk was removed. Last year residents along the street presented a petition to the Town Board requesting the sidewalk be torn out, as it could be hazardous to pedestrians and cyclists. Those residents have sent letters of thanks and praise to Hay and the town for a job well done.

Town Supervisor Gregg Pulver then contributed to the highway report, saying that the school district has recently milled its parking lots, which leaves “cookies.� Cookies are the remnants of the torn up pavement.

“We get to screen the stuff that’s left over, and it’s some of the nicest roadable [sic] material,� Pulver said. “It saves us on material. We won’t need to buy 600 yards of material now and it’s actually the best material we can use. It’s better than gravel.�

“It’s the best stuff you can get, and we saved all around,� Hay said. “And we don’t have to truck in that extra gravel.�

The conversation was then steered toward winter and salt.

“If we’ve committed to 800 tons of salt, then you have to take 75 percent of it whether you use it or not,� Pulver explained to the rest of the board and those in attendance. “We’re taking in now what we didn’t use last winter. So we’re on the right track. We’re going to use that 300 tons [that we saved in ‘09-’10] but will use it in ‘10-’11.�

“It worked out pretty good for us,� Hay agreed.

Special meeting

The board concluded its meeting with an announcement that it will hold a special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 30, at 7:30 p.m., at Town Hall. The purpose of the meeting is for a public hearing on ideas for the town’s Community Development Block Grant application, and possibly to address a few miscellaneous items as well.