The Hamilton Town Council was pleased to welcome Earlville Trustee Shari Taylor to the meeting.
Highway Superintendent Jason Florenz reported on the department’s spring work–ditching, laying gravel, road repair, storm damage clean-up, and the installation of driveway pipes to control flooding. The crew finished work on Morse Road to accommodate new residents. A full-time seasonal worker position is being opened to assist with the work. The Town received $171,420 in State CHIPS funding which will be used for general road repairs.
Town Clerk Sue Reymers attended NYSTCA conference and ZBA overview training. Clerk Reymers and the Town Council look forward to working with another Upstate Institute fellow from Colgate University who will assist with website development. Thanks to Professor Pattison’s ENST Colgate class for creating a Greenhouse Gas inventory for the Town. The work will assist the town in satisfying elements of the Comprehensive Plan as well as the State’s Climate Smart Communities program.
Councilor Holcomb reported on SOMAC. With the collegiate year drawing to a close and many student volunteers leaving, our ambulance service will most likely need to scale back on transfers. Volunteers are a vital resource, especially during the summer months. Please contact SOMAC if you are interested in volunteering – https://www.somacambulance.org.
The Partnership for Community Development is accepting applications for small business and home improvements grants. Town of Hamilton Residents applying for the housing grants will be given priority during the first 6 months of the application process. ttp://www.thisishamiltonny.com/work/pcd/grant-programs/pcd-home-improvement-grants.
With the advent of large-scale commercial-sized solar projects increasing in central New York, the Town of Hamilton is assessing its readiness for such projects. Projects created to produce electricity primarily for offsite use are not addressed in the town zoning, and concerns about siting, permitting, and decommissioning need to be addressed. The Town is considering a moratorium to study the issue and amend the zoning in a way that allows such solar projects while minimizing negative impacts to landowners and the community.
Madison County is taking comments on a proposed plastic bag ban. The bags have become both a litter problem and an issue with the recycling equipment. Public comments are being taken through June – solidwaste@madisoncounty.ny.gov.
The Hamilton Town Council meets on the second Thursday of the month at the village courthouse in the Village of Hamilton at 6:30 pm. Our next meeting is June 8. We invite and encourage you to join us. For more info visit www.townofhamiltonny.org.