leaving the building inspector post. Credit: R. A. Hermans
The Pine Plains Town Board approved the preliminary 2024 budget and approved a contract for the Pine Plains Police Dept. to patrol and respond to emergencies in Stanford at its Oct. 19 meeting.
In addition, Drew Weaver, who has been the town building inspector/zoning compliance officer for 20 years, announced he will resign at the end of November. He received a round of applause for his service.
The town is now seeking Weaver’s replacement. Anyone interested should send a letter of interest to Town Supervisor Brian Walsh or Town Clerk Madelin Dafoe. The town is also looking for a person to serve as town assessor.
The board discussed the status of Willow Roots’ flea market. Because of the consistently rainy weekends the past two months, Willow Roots has had to cancel many of its planned flea markets but is planning a final one of the season in November at the lot adjacent to the town parking lot on North Main Street. The town’s agreement with Willow Roots is on hold while Willow Roots considers alternative locations that would allow weekly markets and the town board considers whether or not to continue to allow the use of the Main Street property.
Board member Matt Zick noted that the town bought a kennel to serve as the town dog shelter and that it will be kept at the Highway Department garage. The kennel was needed because the Pine Plains Veterinary Hospital did not renew its contract with the town for housing animals needing shelter.
The board did not decide who will water the barrels of plants in town that the Pine Plains Garden Club told the board in September it can no longer handle. It was suggested that business owners could take responsibility for the plants in front of their establishment.
As a result of a question from resident Gail Mellow at the town board’s workshop meeting on Oct.17 and an okay given at the regular town board meeting by town attorney Warren Replansky, the way has been cleared for a monthly town financial report, given to board members, to be posted on the town’s web site. The monthly report will give interested citizens a more transparent picture of the flow of funds in the town compared to the once a year snapshot that comes with the presentation of the town budget.
The next town board meeting will be on Nov. 16. It will begin with a public hearing on the budget at 7 p.m.