The Milan Town Board voted Monday, May 19, to appoint Justice Dennis Buchal to the town court, filling a vacancy left by the late Judge Edward Burns. The appointment came during a meeting that also included discussion of traffic concerns near Route 199, approvals for building upgrades, and a new lease agreement for cell tower access.
Buchal, a retired state trooper and current judge in the Town of Stanford, will begin his Milan term on June 7 and serve through December 31. He will earn a prorated annual salary of $21,735.
“He deals with all the same kind of tickets that we deal with,” said Town Supervisor Alfred Lo Brutto. “He’s a retired state trooper and he gets along with the troopers. It’s gonna be a good fit.”
A town election in November will determine who fills the seat for a full four-year term beginning January 1. Candidates must be residents of Milan.
Earlier in the meeting, the board read a letter from restaurant owner Stephanie Fitzpatrick urging action at the intersection of Field Road and Route 199. “I sit here each day and see people fall out onto 199 and Field Road in front of cars going west,” she wrote. “I would love to see that be a one way road.”
“I don’t know if that’s practical,” said Lo Brutto. The town engineer suggested a review: “I’d suggest you have an engineer take a look at it. You’re gonna want traffic counts, because if you stop people from coming out that way, you have to consider where they’re gonna go.”
Officials discussed prior efforts to lower the speed limit near the intersection. Despite past setbacks, the board agreed to revisit the issue with state officials. “Maybe we can contact the state about it,” said the supervisor.
The board also approved a $5,850 contract with LaBella Associates to monitor the town landfill and report findings to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. “They do a great job with the report,” said Lo Brutto.
A proposal to upgrade the fire system in town hall was approved for $8,700.
In other business, the board voted to list 100 used landscape pavers for sale, salvaged from a retaining wall, for $1 apiece.
Exterior lighting at the town hall will be upgraded following a revised $71,940 bid from CDE Electric Inc.
The board also approved a host community agreement with Fork in the Road Solar LLC and signed a tower site lease agreement dated May 14 with T-Mobile, which will co-locate on the Pataki Road tower.