Lewiston Town Board session busy and brief
by jmaloni
Sat, Jul 31st 2010 08:00 am
by Terry Duffy
Lewiston Town Board members managed to cover a wide range of
issues -- all in under an hour's time -- at their Monday monthly regular meeting.
Following a brief public hearing on the town's new flood
prevention law -- one that saw no comments on what the town viewed as a routine
matter with no significant changes to Lewiston's tentative floodplain maps
issued earlier by the Federal Emergency Management Agency -- the board moved to
procedurally adopt the measure.
Actions covered in the regular session included the town approving
the acquisition of replacement digesters for the Lewiston Water Pollution
Control Center. "They're replacements that we can use," WPCC administrator Tim
Lockhart said of the slightly used equipment he would be acquiring from the
Dansville waste waster treatment plant. The cost is $55,000.
Noting the current equipment at the Lewiston WPCC is 35 years old,
Lockhart said the purchase would allow the plant to maintain "a high level of
efficiency" in its operations. The request was approved with Town Budget
Officer Mike Johnson informing he would be pursuing a loan through the town's
fund balance to cover its cost.
On a related matter, Lockhart requested board approval to submit
WPCC spec plans developed by Conestoga-Rovers & Associates to the
state Department of Environmental Conservation, as per the process towards an
upcoming improvement project at the plant. "We're at the point where we have to
submit this to DEC to get it rolling," said Lockhart of the $300,000
engineering study.
In other news:
- Town Councilman Ernie
Palmer reported Lewiston Police Department and the town reached "an acceptable
conclusion" with neighboring residents of the LPD firing range on Harold Road.
The town and LPD earlier announced renovations to address the noise and
shooting activity, and a new policy that comes Jan. 1 will see the firing
range's use limited solely to LPD and outside agencies removed. "The residents
were satisfied," said Palmer. Supervisor Steve Reiter said "the issue is
settled" and the remaining session planned with the group is now suspended.
- Police Chief Chris Salada
said the Lewiston Police has seen its workload increase this year with the
Artpark concert schedule, but that LPD officers are handling it. "We're getting
busier and busier," he said of the Artpark concerts, which have seen large
crowds at Artpark Tuesdays, plus a number of Thursday shows in the Mainstage
Theater. "We're getting used to the crowds; it's still a challenge, but we're
getting a handle on it."
- In old business, the board
approved placement of Jake Brake signage at selected locations in the town
frequented by Modern and CWM trucks. The signs, to be installed by the state
Department of Transportation, would advise truckers of guidelines on brake
noise not to exceed 90 decibels. The matter was approved with Highway
Superintendent Doug Janese to advise DOT of requested locations.
- The board approved a
transfer of $8,000 in New York Power Authority funding to the Village of
Lewiston for a sewer inspection study. The three-day survey, to be done by
Sewer Services Specialists on portions of Mohawk, North Second, North Third and
North Fourth streets, is intended to further reduce village inflow and
infiltration to the town's WPCC facility.
- The session closed with Janese informing that mulch is again available
for delivery to town residents at a cost of $25 for three cubic yards. Contact
the Highway Department at 754-8218 for more information.