FEMA funds to be used for new generators
The Town Board at Tuesday’s work session decided to use federal money to pay for three new emergency generators for the town.
The idea of buying a generator for town buildings, upgrading the one at police headquarters and installing one at Justice Hall for emergency back-up has been around for some time.
One plan had been to install the police department’s generator at Justice Hall and buy two new ones for the department and town buildings.
Tuesday a consensus was reached to buy three new generators for the facilities.
Commissioner of Public Works Jay Card Jr. told the board the cost to the town would be reimbursed by 75 percent, using about $250,000 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds already available to the town.
The FEMA money comes from a bulkhead repair project the town had requested from the federal agency. That project was declined by FEMA but the town is still allowed to use the funds for any suitable mitigation project, which emergency generators would be.
As Mr. Card pointed out, 25 percent (the town’s share) of $250,000 comes to about $62,500.
In other business, Mr. Dougherty reported that mortgage tax revenue collected for 2012 was $236,000, with the town budgeting for $200,000 in revenues.
The board heard a PowerPoint presentation given by Town Attorney Laury Dowd on ethics. Ms. Dowd had attended a recent convention of the Association of Towns in New York City and sat in on a seminar on ethics.
Ms. Dowd’s presentation covered conflicts of interest, recusals, gifts to elected officials and other issues related to transparency in government and ethical conduct.
At the conclusion of the presentation, Ms. Dowd said it might be a good idea to look at the town’s three-member ethics board. She was concerned that for such an important role, the board was “inactive.” She noted that “some of them have been on [the board] for a long time and they’re not spring chickens.”
She added that ethics board members are “good people” but some are spending a lot of time in Florida.
Mr. Dougherty announced that the Third Annual Green Expo was set for May 18 at the Youth Center between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Mr. Card said the paper shredder, one of the most popular features of the Expo, would be scheduled for the event.
