The Town of Concord, at its Board meeting on Thursday, Nov. 12, agreed to set a public hearing on its proposed new local law pertaining to outdoor furnaces.
According to the draft law, there will be regulation of the installation, operation and maintenance of outdoor furnaces within the town which is intended to ensure that such furnaces are utilized in a manner that does not create a nuisance and will not be detrimental to the health, safety and general welfare of the residents of the town.
“By the way, this does not pertain to any existing outdoor furnace,” said Town Supervisor Gary Eppolito. “It’s just for any new wood-burning outdoor furnace.”
New furnaces will require a permit from the town following the presentation of an application and a site plan. Existing furnaces will not require a permit unless a valid written complaint is received, at which time the owner will be directed to make the necessary adjustments to correct the problem. Following this, a permit will be issued at no cost, providing the owner can prove that the furnace existed before the enactment of the local law.
Some requirements which, if not adhered to, may generate complaints relating to the burning of treated lumber, the detection of air contaminants outside the owner’s property, harmful emission, damage to vegetation or the burning of trash including plastic, paper, oil products, paint and unseasoned firewood, among many other things.
Two notices will be published in the Springville Journal announcing the public hearing which will be held at 6:40 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, at the Concord Town Hall.
In other business:
• Mortons Corners Volunteer Fire Department has taken possession of a new fire truck.
•Councilman Jim Krezmien congratulated Highway Superintendent Dennis Dains on his re-election. “The numbers show he does a fine job,” he said. Eppolito commended Dains on his work with FEMA following the August 9 storms. “He has really taken a load off my office,” he noted.
• On behalf of the Springville Volunteer Fire Department, Fire Chief Dennis Dains reported there were 21 calls for the month of October with 357 calls year to date.
• Dains reported that servicing of trucks, plow, sander equipment and blower has been completed in preparation for the winter season and that all summer equipment has been serviced and prepared for winter storage.
• Appropriate documentation has been submitted to FEMA for payment relating to the tree and brush debris removal at the town park; ditching and surge stone placement on Chaise Road and White Street; shoulder repairs in the Crane Ridge area and ditching work on Kern Road. Requests for proposals will be sought for debris removal in the Crane Ridge area next week.
• The Board approved waiving the usual $15 fee for the use of the Town Hall for a dance sponsored by Dream Katchers for developmentally disabled children on April 24. Dream Katchers’ application for a Chinese auction to be held on Oct. 2, 2010 was also approved.
• Two bids were received for a park tractor from Lamb & Webster and Z&M Ag & Turf in the amounts of $10,125 and $10,871 respectively. These amounts included trade-in of the existing tractor. The Board awarded the bid to Lamb & Webster.
• Motion was made, seconded and carried to accept, with regret, the resignation of Steve Schunk from the Planning Board.
• The Board approved an insurance buy-out policy for town employees contingent upon approval of the labor relations consultant. The proposal would give full-time eligible town employees the option of additional remuneration of $1,200 per calendar year, paid quarterly, in lieu of receiving health insurance coverage.
• Four bids have been received for the replacement of the Hulbert Library boiler. The lowest bid was awarded to RP Mechanical of Springville in the amount of $16,666.
• Town Clerk Beth Bolt said that this year’s Concord Country Christmas event being held by the Historical Society and the Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 12 will take place between noon and 6 p.m. The event sponsors have asked for permission to use the side lawn on Mechanical Street for a snowman building contest. The board approved this request.
• Councilman Bill Snyder reported that the Library sewer has backed up again through the floor because the trap was clogged. “We might want to think about snaking it out every year,” he said. The Board agreed with his suggestion.
The next Town Board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10 at the Concord Town Hall.