Porter Town Board session brief but busy

by Terry Duffy
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, June 23, 2007

Porter Town Board members reviewed a host of items, ranging from planned improvements and restorations of town facilities to shared services and future projects at its somewhat brief session earlier this month.

•Leading off, they approved a bidding procedure towards the anticipated repair work on up to three water towers in the town. Eyed for work are restorations to the Balmer Road water tower, and if funding permits, painting work on both the Ransomville and Youngstown water towers. Bidding took place on June 21 and the board was expected to review the items en route to approving a plan that could involve work on all three, depending on final cost, according to Supervisor Mert Wiepert. Further action is anticipated at the board’s next session on Monday, July 9.

On a related note, the board announced a public hearing on July 9 to consider using funds from the town’s Water Reserve account to pay for the purchase of 1,000 Orion water meters for residents and for the aforementioned repair work on the town water towers.

It also approved a request that night by Wiepert to renew the town’s Lake Road Waterline Bond Anticipation Note in the amount of $670,000 to cover ongoing work.

•Next up came discussions on the issue of shared services with municipalities, as Town Highway Superintendent Scott Hillman briefed the board on a recent trip to Albany where he spoke of new desires in that area. “There’s a big push in the governor’s office on this,” says Hillman.

Board member Nancy Orsi pined in, telling board of an earlier trip to Batavia with the Youngstown Village Trustees to review the issue. “I went with the village to see what we can consider,” says Orsi, noting that such shared services topics as the Highway Department, town courts, and code enforcement matters were discussed. “The state is encouraging these projects,” Orsi added.

On a related note, Hillman apprised the Board on the state’s intentions of employing a Uniform Traffic Control Device manual to replace an existing Niagara County manual. “It’s being used to reflect international applications” on such devices as stop signs, road hazard and information signs, traffic signals and the like, says Hillman.

•In water and sewer department areas, Hillman submitted and was approved for a request to purchase an Aries Seeker Lateral camera at a cost of $6,365, and another to purchase an Envirosight Quick View Manhole camera at a cost of $12,775.

Hillman also announced he was seeking bids for generators for each Lakeshore transfer station, and would have a further update for the board at its July 9 session.

In other news and notes:

•Wiepert reported that all new hires for the town’s Summer Recreation program have been approved and the program itself will get underway Wednesday, June 27 and continue to Wednesday, Aug. 8. He said registration will be held at the Stevenson Elementary gym in Ransomville on June 27 and 28, and that program offerings will begin in earnest on July 2.

•Bill Choboy of the town’s Master Plan Committee reported that consultant Peter J. Smith and Co. Inc. will again visit Town Hall on Monday, June 25 to review the sessions held earlier this month in Porter and Youngstown, which aired residents’ concerns relating to current zoning codes and any desired changes. The meeting is open to the public and begins at 7 p.m.