NEW LEBANON–The Town Board met January 4 at the Town Hall for the annual organizational meeting, the first such meeting conducted by newly elected Supervisor Coleen Teal.
The appointments of significant town offices and employees included two openings on the town Ethics Board, and because there were more than two applicants, those appointments were tabled until the next meeting.
Appointment of a town attorney was also tabled for the next council meeting.
The rest of the appointments went through without delay despite a few reservations expressed by Councilman Dan Evans.
Information packets that included proposed resolutions were readily available to the public and community members were encouraged ask questions or voice comments at each step of the proceeding. That led to bantering between the council and the community members as issues were discussed.
The resolution on salaries and wages for elected and appointed town offices passed without objection. town supervisor to receive an annual sum of $17,000; town clerk will receive $35,922; highway superintendent, $59,095; tax collector, $10,600; and town justices, $10,716 each, with other salaries stated in the packets provided. There was a concern voiced from the audience about park employees receiving more money for their work, but after a discussion between the council members, it was determined that a 2% raise had already been granted to the employees, and the council moved to the next item. Salaries or wages rates for all town position are listed on the town website, www.townofnewlebanon.com.
The council agreed to meet on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m., with the fourth Tuesday of the month reserved for special meetings.
Supervisor Teal then proposed that The Eastwick Press be designated as the official town newspaper. That led a community member to voice a concern about this change. It was then proposed that The Columbia Paper be included as a second official paper. Councilman Mark Baumli said that the two papers together would reach the desired audience that one could not on its own. With the amendment designating both publications, the resolution was passed.
Other resolutions endorsed the customary policy for highway labor and equipment to be traded to the neighboring towns of Canaan, Chatham and Stephentown when it benefits the Town of New Lebanon and authorized sanding places of public assembly such as the Lebanon Valley Protective Association driveways at New Lebanon and West Lebanon, and the driveways for Walter B. Howard Elementary school and New Lebanon Jr./Sr. High School at the discretion of the highway superintendent.
Final resolution had to do with a council member attending the annual meeting of the New York State Association of Towns in New York City. Council-member Chuck Geraldi agreed to attend, with Mark Baumli as a backup attendee. With that resolution adopted the meeting drew to a close.
The next Town Board meeting was scheduled for January 12 at 7 p.m. when the said it would discuss the tabled issues from last week’s session.
