Penn Yan, Dundee schools apply for $500K grant

DUNDEE—The village of Dundee will support the Penn Yan and Dundee schools in applying for a $500,000 Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) federal grant to improve health, nutrition, and physical activity in the community.
Jen Hutches, Dundee school physical education department chair, spoke to the village board about the grant, Tuesday, April 26. She explained she asked for the board’s support because the grant encourages applicants to connect with other area agencies and municipalities. According to the state education department, applications with such agreements are given more preference in the selection process.
Hutches said if the grant is awarded, funds would be spent on new equipment and shared with the village’s summer recreation program. She said the Our Town RoCKS program and Yates County Public Health are also involved.
If the schools get the grant, Hutches explained they would be required to gather health data from the students over a three year period. Students will need to maintain a certain activity level.
The grant deadline is May 13.
In other business:
• Highway Superintendent Andy Howell reported that someone vandalized the Seneca Street Park gazebo, knocking out four spindles. He said it had to be deliberate based on the force required. Clerk Chris Sutherland said the Yates County Sheriff’s Office did some checks the last time there was vandalism and it stopped for a while.
• The board approved Howell to purchase 60 tons of cold patch for road repairs and the remaining parts to fix a storm drain on Water Street. Howell initially proposed buying 100 tons of cold patch because the village used more than 60 tons last year. However, Mayor Fred Cratsley Jr. said Barrington is the only municipality in the area he knows is making cold patch. He added Barrington said it would not be able to haul more than 60 tons for Dundee.
• Permission was given to the Dundee marching band to use Harpending Avenue for practice in the evenings. The village board got a letter from Dundee School Superintendent Kathy Ring. Cratsley explained a resident complained about the marching band practicing on Harpending, but the board ended up getting a petition with many of the street’s residents supporting it. The board discussed how the marching band has used Harpending Avenue for practice since at least the 1950s.
• The village will repair a retaining wall next door to the village hall at the New York State Trooper’s barracks. Howell said the materials would cost $3,250, including the stones for the wall. He added the troopers would move an antenna they have at the site before work starts. Cratsley explained the state troopers are covering the cost, but it’s Dundee’s responsibility to do the labor.
• Fire Chief Ray Miller was approved to buy new headlights for the 1994 fire pumper at $150 a piece. He said he ordered one to see if it fit, and it did. Miller said he only wanted to order three more at this point.
• Miller was also approved to purchase a new portable pump, not to succeed $5,600. Miller explained pumps are used to fill tankers with water from lakes or ponds. However, he added the smaller pumps take too long to fill the tanker. The funds were appropriated from last year’s budget.
The next village board meeting is Tuesday, May 10, at 7 p.m. There will be a public hearing for the Community Development Block Grant at 6:30 p.m.