Towns help with Dundee water line

DUNDEE—A horseshoe was one of the items found during work on the new water line on Water Street in the village.
During the Oct. 12 meeting of the Dundee village board, Mayor Fred Cratsley Jr. said he thinks it was a lucky find.  Cratsley thanked four county municipalities for their assistance. Milo loaned an excavator; Barrington an excavator, dump truck and tools; Starkey, a dump truck and manpower; and Torrey provided three men for the work. Cratsley thanked the towns for their assistance and commended village crews for their efforts on the project. He said it was a good example of shared services.
In other business: Passed the Road Preservation and Repair Law after discussion.  Cratsley said the law was created to protect municipalities against road damage. Cratsley said he had spoken to representatives from Barrington and Milo about the law. Barrington was worried that if there was no law in place, something could move in fast and nothing could be done about it. Trustee Greg Wright said it looks like it’s singling out energy companies. Wright asked if the village had the right to do that. Cratsey said heavy vehicles and high traffic are the only known threats now. Cratsley assured the board that the law could be amended after it is adopted.
• Streets Superintendent Andy  Howell reminded village residents that brush pickup for the year ended on the third Monday in September. He said village crews cannot pick up brush now because they are working on other projects. Residents may take their brush clippings to the village property on Dundee-Glenora Road.
• Trustees discussed the lease between the village and Dundee Baptist Church. The village uses the lot for Memorial Day, Christmas in the Park, and summer concerts. The church requested the village square up the lot.  The church would pay for materials. Howell said the lot is not getting larger, just being squared up. He said village crews had hoped to have the work done before now, but there was a paperwork delay. Howell said it might not get done until spring due to other projects on the schedule.
• Village Clerk Christine Sutherland reported the estimated increase of local contribution to the state pension fund will create approximately four percent increase in taxes. The current estimate of the amount that will be due is $18,721.
• Trustees approved $1,500 for a grant application for the wastewater treatment plant.  Larson Engineers is writing it. The maximum grant available is $600,000. Applications for the Green Initiative Grants are due on Dec. 3.
 • Howell said he has called the NYSE&G supervisor in Hammondsport about upgrading some of the pole outlets for Christmas lights. He has not heard back as yet. There is $1,000 in this year’s village budget for Christmas lights, but estimates received for three new decorations are $1,286. Trustee Judy Duquette said she will request funds from the Yates County Chamber of Commerce to assist with the cost.
• Tree removal bids will be opened during the board meeting on Nov. 9.
• Cratsley said he will meet with Dundee Central School District Superintendent Kathy Ring about  the Water Street crosswalk in front of the school.
• Cratsley and Howell will meet with Jim Merritt, New York State Department of Transportation representative.  The village wants to ask the state to put in a 15 miles per hour school zone on Route 14A. They also will ask what steps are needed for the state to put a red light at the corner of Route 14A and Dundee Himrod Road.
• Trustees approved purchase of a pipe locator for the water department. Assistant Highway Superintendent Doug Jayne said he had tried out five locators.  He said the one available from Volvo Rents was the easiest to use and operate. The cost is $2,338. Jayne plans to delay purchased of some budgeted items until next year. This will provide the needed funds for purchase of  the locator this year.
• Health Improvement Project coordinator Lauren Snyder said the group is looking for unsung heroes in the Community. She said the Everything Dundee project in Crocodile Dundee is going very well. The project is up to 20 local vendors and a total of 27 storewide. Applications are still being accepted for micro enterprise loans. The farm market season is winding down and it will return next year. Snyder said the Scottish Festival was a success. Trustee Judy Duquette said the attendance was in the 1,200 to 1,500 range. Ticket takers stopped counting at 750. The date of the second annual Scottish Festival is Sept. 17, 2011.
The next meeting of the Dundee village board will be at 5 p.m. on Oct. 26.