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The Altamont Enterprise - Thursday, July 27,2006 ;i \* «f 1 Editorial Rough road to change can be worth the trip Old ways die hard. Last week, Rudy Stempel, who has lived in Berne all his life, wrote us about the outstanding job the highway department has done over the years. We agree that the Hilltown roads have been kept in good shape and we always feel safe driving there, even in winter. We know how hard highway crews have worked, especially in the midst of snowstorms, often sacrificing their personal lives to toil for long hours in difficult conditions. But it is important not to confuse the idea of merging services with the thought that it is somehow degrading the work of local highway crews. Under the leadership of its supervisor, Kevin Crosier, and highway superintendent, Ray Storm, the town of Berne is devel- oping a plan to consolidate its highway department with Albany County's department of public works. Savings through efficiency is at the center of the merger plan. Crosier and Storm have found that currentsnowplow routes are not efficient because of the network of town and county or state roads in Berne. In some places, there is no way to get from one town road to another without using county roads, which is a problem for snowplows that have to clear just the town roads, Crosier said. Forty-seven percent of the miles driven by town trucks on the snowplow routes are on county roads, according to a report on the consolidation put together by the town of Berne and the county of Albany. Part of the expected savings detailed in the report reflects this; it estimates fuel savings at $14,000 annually. Other savings listed in the report include equipment, esti- mated at $40,000; road materials, estimated at $12,500; utilities for the buildings, estimated at $6,600; and personnel, estimated \We need to look at ways to keep taxes down.\ — Ray Storm, Berne highway superintendent at $89,920 initially and $220,550 in the future. Crosier\ has promised no jobs will be lost, that the seven town highway workers will join the 10 county workers, with similar salaries and benefits. The savings in personnel, Crosier said, would come from cutting part-time posts and overtime pay. Other big savings for the town would be $300,000 for a salt shed and $44,000 for a fuel-storage facility; the county would save because it wouldn't have to replace its field office, estimated at $50,000. Some highway workers, both from the county and from the town, have understandably objected. \There's a lot of gray area,\ said one, and he's right. But the gray areas will never be made into black and white if those involved put on the brakes now. Both further exploration and further explanation is needed. We surveyed the leaders of the other towns in our coverage area and found that one — Supervisor Ed Clark in New Scotland — was interested enough in the idea that he has already asked his town's highway superintendent to look into it. Another — Supervisor Jost Nickelsberg of Rensselaerville — called it a bold experiment and said it's a possibility for his town. There can be economy in consolidation. All of us tend to like things as they are; change is hard to embrace and even harder to make happen. Towns in the east, with long and proud histories, evolved as strong separate entities. In the west, counties hold sway. If other towns would consider consolidation, there would be a chance at some sizable savings. Ray Storm is a man who, one would think, stands the most to lose if his department merged with the county's. He's a respected, elected official who runs Berne's highway department well. But he's willing to change the system because he sees a real benefit for the town. \We need to look at ways to keep taxes down,\ Storm told our reporter. The cost of materials has gone up 25 to 40 percent and the county gets cheaper prices than the town on some materials, like stone and salt, because it buys in such large quantities, he said. \The easy thing to do is ask the board for more money,\ said Storm; he'd rather look into money-saving strategies. Sometimes the harder road is the better one. We commend the leaders who have come up with a plan that, if carried out, would be the first in the state. We urge the highway workers — the men who know the roads and what the job demands better than any of the rest of us — to consider the prospect with open minds. For example, Joe Welsh, a-torfg^time and dedicated Berne highway worker who opposes consolidation, told our reporter, \We don't drive over a county road without plowing it.\ He said, if the road is dangerous, \Of course we're going to drop our plow.\ In other words* common sense and common decency already inspire merged tasks. Why not travel down that road a bit further and consider/ formalizing those actions into a shared .plan? It could resultiii a better ride for all of us. \Lowering the bridge\ \j4o%jp*%*£W*> Bus garage on Route 85 would be a bad mistake To the Editor: Where will a new bus garage be located, if the Voorheesville Elementary School is planning to renovate its present bus garage space into classrooms? I have heard a rumor, and I want to stress the word \rumor that the empty Saab building [on Route 85] is being considered for such use. I would be very much against such a plan. First, it would take off the tax rolls a potential taxable, enterprise. Second, it would add yet another vehicle parking lot to the vehicle-type harnesses along the road, including the repair shop, Stewart's gas station, and two big-machine rental places along Route 85. Adding such another concen- tration of vehicles would con- tinue making the commercial space along Route 85 look more and more like the sections of Central Avenue where vehicle businesses dominate the strip. Third, it would encourage other vehicle businesses to locate along the road because similar businesses gain from clustering. Fourth, the lands along Route 85 are not only characterized by their historical and agricultural nature, but also comprise beauti- ful views of the vistas, including the Berkshires and the Helder- bergs. These vistas ought to be enjoyed by people, not by buses. I am reminded of East/North Greenbush's commercial development along Route 4. I used to live in a house on top of the highest hill in Defreest- ville, and every evening, my husband and I ate dinner while watching the awesome view of the sun setting over the Hudson River and Albany's skyline. What did the towns do? In- stead of allowing residential building or businesses such as eateries or artists' studios with windows facing Albany to be developed along Route 4, the town welcomed big box stores. Now, garbage bins, delivery entrances, and the stores' blank walls \appreciate\ one of nature's most inspiring sights. I believe that not taking ad- vantage of one of Route 4's greatest assets was an egregious error on the part of East/North Greenbush. Of course, it was all about money. I hope that this rumor about the Saab building becoming the new Voorheesville Elementary School bus garage is just that — a rumor. I hope that we can learn from other towns' errors, if we are serious about main- taining the unique qualities of the town of New Scotland. Edie Abrams New Scotland No need to add elementary classrooms for at least the next 5 to 7 years To the Editor: I am writing in response to an e-mail from Edie Abrams that recounts a rumor that the Voorheesville Board of Educa- tion will be purchasing the pro- perty at the vacant Saab building in order to erect a new bus garage. I appreciate the fact that Edie has prefaced her concerns with her realization that this is a rumor. First, I would like to dispel this rumor. The board has only talked about this possibility to support the future idea that, if there is a substantial increase in the elementary student popula- tion, rather than build a new school, the board may propose to add classrooms in the Current footprint of the elementary school by redesigning the current bus garage space. The board is not considering replacing the bus garage with classrooms in the proposed pro- ject and has no plans for this change on the drawing board. As I stated previously, the district is only in the discussion stage of any additional changes that the district, may need if the student population increases. At the present time, we have sufficient space to support the anticipated enrollment increase for at least the next five to seven years. The current proposed capital project was outlined very nicely in this week's Altamont Enter- prise. The major part of the project is focused on the heating and ventilation system at the elementary school, a much- needed improvement. The remainder of the project focuses on health and safety needs at the elementary schopl with a small portion of the project addressing items at the middle-high school that were not included in the previous construction. The board has thoughtfully and responsibly prepared a plan that will support our current school facilities for many years to come. They should be com- mended for their fiscally con- servative approach to pre- serving the taxpayers' invest- ment in our schools. Linda Langevin Superintendent Voorheesville School District
