BY MAT CLOUSER
PITTSFORD— The Pittsford selectboard met briefly but efficiently on Wednesday, Sept. 21, to discuss the town’s survey regarding potential uses for its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, the finalizing a new financial policy, the finer points of its plans to fix the village sidewalks, and to celebrate nearing the end of the West Creek culvert project.
AARP fund ideas
The town has been surveying residents about ways to use its ARPA funds dating back to the Spring, following the full-time takeover of Town Manager Brenda-Fox Howard. Much of the online surveying responses focused on potential Recreation Department upgrades and possible water and sewer projects—which the board said they’d like to see new surveys sent out along with specific dollar amounts attached to those projects.
Additionally, the board heard from Chad Eugair of the Highway Department on Wednesday about several potential needs. Specifically mentioned was the need for an asphalt hot box for paving purposes that would allow the town to save money by keeping unused asphalt from paving projects warm from one application to the next, as well as the ability to recycle some of the older asphalt that was in decent enough condition. The box was said to be in the neighborhood of $38,000.
A used roller for the roads was another idea that might also help the town save money in the long run by helping to extend the life of newly paved roads, and a 2014 model was quoted at around $16,500 plus shipping costs.
A final item for discussion was the acquisition of a used Vallaincourt bucket truck with a 55-foot arm to be used in trimming trees and maintaining safe roadways. The truck would run approximately $23,000.
As the board was still in the ideas phase and not ready to make any decisions, the conversation was tabled pending future survey results.
New financial policy
The town has been hard at work updating its financial policy dating back to last month when it was made aware that the CDBG grant for the Pittsford Village Farm might potentially get hung up without a new one in place, although the board did acknowledge at that time the town was generally in need of updating it.
No details of the plan were provided during Wednesday’s meeting, and the board said that it would like to be made aware of what changes were being made so that it could review the policies side by side before formally accepting it.
New sidewalks
The town, which has been dealing with a number of outdated sidewalks for some time, will have to wait a little bit longer due to a “chain reaction” of delays with the bidding, road construction, and contractor availability. Ms. Fox-Howard called the delays a potential “blessing in disguise” as they would allow the town more time to find new ways to come up with the roughly $80,000 needed to replace the old sidewalks.
West Creek culvert
After months of delays, some of which caused tension and financial stress among residents of West Creek Road, the project is finally nearing completion. Rick Reed, who has led the construction of the project, was on hand at Ms. Fox-Howard’s request so that she could thank him for he and his crew’s hard work on the much-delayed project—delays caused primarily from bad initial plans, which the crew dealt with through no fault of their own.
“I wanted to formally thank him for all the work he did and to let him know that his crew did a great job. The state came out a let us know how thrilled they were with how it came out,” she said.
“It was a little bit hectic there for a while,” she added, saying that the guardrails were in place and the project was completely finished except for the paving of the road—something she mentioned might happen sometime in the next two weeks.
“It kind of got off to a rocky start, but it wasn’t your fault,” added selectboard member Joe Gagnon.
In other business, the board:
- Discussed what to do with one of its spare trucks after the new one arises. “We don’t need a junkyard,” said selectboard member David Mills, adding that the town should determine which of the two older trucks is in better shape and then sell the lesser of the two.
- Heard from Ms. Fox-Howard about the state Cannabis Control Board’s template for an “ideal” retail cannabis establishment, noting the board’s desire for an open, clean, and well-lit establishment.
- Tentatively set an October 19 date for a 5;30 p.m. dog complaint hearing pending the complainant’s approval.
- Discussed potential costs ($3-4,000) for automated speed signs and the town’s ability and desire to place them at the top of Slauson Hill near the Mobil station on route 7 and at the Route 7-Furnace Hill intersection.
- Discussed the need for repairs to a police vehicle after the catalytic converter overheated and the vehicle threw a road. The engine needs to be replaced at an estimated $5-6,000, but otherwise, the vehicle was said to be in good shape.
