Village to Split Clerk/Treasurer Job

RFH 2010, Cover Stories, Village Board News

Wed, Sep 14, 2011

The Village Board of Trustees is dividing the duties once held by Ronda Winn, who last week resigned after a long career with the village.

Winn had served as both village clerk and treasurer. The board is splitting those duties and has started advertising for a treasurer.

The change was discussed at the board's regular meeting Tuesday night.

The board also continues to seek to find a way to hold onto another key employee: HPD Chief Rick Gifford, who may have to resign at the end of the month because the state is strictly enforcing regulations regarding how much money can be earned by those who are receiving state pension payments while working. Gifford is a retired police officer, and sought a waiver of the rules, something that was common practice until recently.

Mayor Margaret Miller said the village continues to talk with Gifford about finding a way to keep him in his post. The board met in executive session after the regular meeting to discuss the police chief position.

In other action Tuesday night:

* the board learned that Wendy Fisher has been hired as a part-time clerk for the village court at $10 per hour for no more than 10 hours a week;

* the village is applying for a $27,000 grant to make further improvements to the courthouse;

* heard that Colgate has committed $50,000 and Community Memorial Hospital $5,000 toward the field studies of what it will take to bring natural gas to the village;

* a state Transportation Bond Act grant for $300,000 is being sought to create more hangar space at the airport;

* the village and the union representing the Municipal Utility Commission workers will appear before a mediator to settle the dispute over the current contract offer;

* Trustee Sam Cooper told the board that a program is being developed to reach out to high school seniors and juniors to encourage them to take training to become volunteer firemen;

* members of the Municipal Utility Commission's workforce assisted NYSEG in the Mount Upton area during recent major power outages;

* Mayor Margaret Miller praised Ben Barrett for the quality of the car Cruise Ins held on East broad Street throughout the summer;

* a new bike rack is being installed on Broad Street near Whole Foods;

* work is almost complete on the building to house equipment to make the salt brine used by the DPW on streets during the winter;

* and the board discussed the possibility of charging for amplified sound permits, but took no action.