Lake Pleasant thanks Speculator Ambulance Corps

LPTB July 6 2020

Lake Pleasant thanks Speculator Ambulance Corps

By PETE KLEIN

LAKE PLEASANT—When the Lake Pleasant Town Board met on July 6, it passed a resolution recognizing Speculator Volunteer Ambulance Corps for 50 years of service to the Town of Lake Pleasant and Village of Speculator.

The resolution reads as follows.

WHEREAS, Speculator Volunteer Ambulance Corps Inc. was created 50 years ago by Richard Jaquish, Donald Leadley, Philip Mulleedy, Leon Nadon, and Edward Perkins, the original incorporators (Board of Directors); and

WHEREAS, Speculator Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded to its first call April 27, 1970; and

WHEREAS, the corps provides emergency medical care to those within the Town of Lake Pleasant and the Village of Speculator, and provides mutual aid to surrounding towns; and

WHEREAS, SVAC has now responded to over 8,000 calls for help, and

WHEREAS, the corps has been from the beginning a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) corporation; and

WHEREAS, thanks to the generosity of donors within the community, Speculator Volunteer Ambulance Corps Inc. does not and has never received any local tax money; and

WHEREAS, the corps has ever since being founded held an Ambulance Service Operating Certificate issued by the New York State Department of Health, and operates under the oversight of the Adirondack - Appalachian Regional Emergency Medical Services Council; and

WHEREAS, Speculator Volunteer Ambulance Corps members provide care around the clock, 168 hours a week, despite being volunteers and regardless of personal plans; and

WHEREAS, the corps serves a year-round population of about 1,000 and a summer daily population of about 11,000, including three state campgrounds, three children’s camps, and a large family resort.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Lake Pleasant Town Council joins the Village of Speculator Board of Trustees in declaring July 13, 2020, as Speculator Volunteer Ambulance Corps Day in recognition of and with gratitude for the members, both past and present, whose dedication has enabled the corps to reach this milestone.

Supervisor Betsy Bain wanted to let the public know that the Ambulance Corp does need drivers mainly during the week. If anyone is interested, please contact Ken Khurt.

HIGHWAY

Highway Superintendent Randy Lavarnway informed the Board that paving would start on sections of Old Page Hill and Page St. this Wednesday and the crew are also working on getting Hamilton Lake Road ready to be paved in the next few weeks.

There was no replacement piece of siding at the Library to repair the burned spot, Lavarnway will get the name and color from the original contractor.

Lavarnway will be receiving 2 estimates to revamp the stone pillars at Fish Mt. Cemetery as soon as he gets them, he will report to the Board. The stump dump has a larger than normal pile this year, probably from all the Storm damage, so Superintendent Lavarnway would like to have the grinding done this year and not wait until next year. This cost is approximately $2,700 which he usually splits the trucking fee with Arietta ($800).

OLD BUSINESS

No response from H2O on Blenis RO repair and the future of retesting contaminated wells.

BST audit: Nancy Seifts reported that she has been contacted by Paul Goetze from BST about the paperwork he will need from the Town to complete the Audit by the end of August.

Supervisor Bain reported that she received an email from Pyramid Network Services stating that they are in the process of having the agreement signed by Verizon but their Counsel brough up a concern with the existing APA permit the Town received for the construction of the salt shed. It specifies any additional land use required APA approval. So now Pyramid Network Services is now working with the APA to get approval. They do not fore see any problems.

Councilperson McGovern reported that the July 4th celebration was a huge success. The parade had over 170 cars drive by. There were generous donations made to the Parade Committee for next year’s celebration. There were lots of boats that were in Lake Pleasant, Lake Sacandaga and Oxbow Lake boat parades. McGovern is hoping that the ring of fires can be done for a Labor Day celebration with the drone taking pictures.

Personnel Committee met to go over some errors that were made on some employee’s time, they were discovered by the Treasurer’s office, they were corrected.

NEW BUSINESS

Supervisor Bain and Town Clerk Deborah O’Rourke did a walk through at the Primary Care building looking at the condition of the flooring both tile and carpet. The flooring is 20 years old and needs some replacing. Supervisor Bain asked the Board if she could reach out to some flooring company’s for estimates, the Board agreed.

BUDGET TRANSFER

The board passed the following resolution to create a budget transfer to pay county treasurer for bookkeeping.

WHEREAS, the Hamilton County Treasurer’s Office has contracted to do the Bookkeeping Services for the Town of Lake Pleasant,

WHEREAS, this service was not budgeted in the 2020 Budget, it is necessary to create a budget line, entitled “Bookkeeping Services” A.1220.402 to pay the cost of this service.

WHEREAS, it is also necessary to fund this new Budget Line in the amount of the contract with the County of Hamilton in the amount of $7875 for 2020.

WHEREAS, A Budget Adjustment transfer should be made in the amount of $7,875 from the Account Clerk Line Number A.122.101 to the newly created budget line number A.1220.402.

BE IT RESOLVED, the Town Board hereby creates and funds the new budget line to pay for the new County Bookkeeping Services.

ROUNDTABLE

Councilperson Braunius told Highway Superintendent Lavarnway that the bench that was repaired at the Pathway needs more attention.

There will be more discussion with the Treasurer’s office on putting savings and reserves into investments with more return. The Town used to do this, but the interests rates got so low they stopped. Supervisor Bain has been in touch with Congress Women Elise Stefanik about getting NBT Bank open and the Speculator Branch might be the first to have a walkup window.

The Town has received Anita Foley’s certificate of insurance which runs July 7 2020-July 2021

PUBLIC COMMENT

Mayor Jeannette Barrett would like to thank the Board for updating the emergency services plan and would like to request that the Town emergency planning and updates be coordinated with the Village and emergency service providers in our area.

Councilperson McGovern was contacted by people who were turned away from the Public Beach. He informed them that was a Village issue, not the Towns.

This article is based upon minutes provided by Deborah O’Rourke, Town Clerk.