SHERBURNE – An election to fill an unexpired term for a Village of Sherburne trustee will be held March 15. Petitions are due to be filed between Feb. 1 and 8 in the Village of Sherburne office. Voting takes place in the town building, 1 Canal St.
Village Mayor William Acee appointed Jack Staley to fill Trustee Stephen M. Dunshee’s position in June when Dunshee left office to become Chenango County Assistant District Attorney. Staley said he would be filling out a petition to run for the remaining term.
“It’s been fun. I’ve enjoyed it,” he said. There were no indications of other potential candidates for the position, according to the village office.
Staley, who lives on Chenango Avenue, said he would like to see through a project to overhaul his very bumpy roadway, and put in sidewalks. Chenango Avenue is the only street in the village without sidewalks.
Currently, paving Chenango Avenue is on hold because village and highway department officials determined that the cost to do so would be too high when considering the poor condition of the road’s base layer.
“The cost to repair the base layer and pave is very expensive, but would allow for longevity,” Mayor Acee said. “It is my hope, too, that we can work out a plan that will either be a phased approach in order to get longevity out of any repair to this road.”
In other Sherburne news, Mayor Acee said the village would be taking applications to hire up to 15 part-time paramedics to staff its ambulances daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The evening hours will continue to be covered by volunteers, including volunteer drivers. The village has two ambulances currently, and is currently accepting bids for a new one to replace the older of the two in its fleet.
Acee said he would “ideally” like to see either Chenango County, a municipality such as the City of Norwich, or a not-for-profit entity consolidate ambulance coverage for the whole county.
“It would be the most efficient way for all of us to handle this, rather than have ambulances in New Berlin, Sherburne and everywhere else,” he said.
In addition, the Fire Department took delivery of a new tanker last year and is awaiting delivery of their new pumper/rescue truck.
The village’s Streetscape Committee, under the leadership of Joyce Steward, has spearheaded a four-phase plan to revitalize the downtown area. Steward has applied for grant monies from local foundations and has been successful in obtaining the majority of funding to complete the work, Acee said. The first phase, which will occur this summer, will be to repair the sidewalks and streetlights in the area on the north side of West and East State streets. The Department of Public Works will work on Streetscape projects in addition to regular paving.
The mayor said work at the village’s business park continues this year, with a groundbreaking for an Electric and Public Works Department building hoped for in the spring. Roads, water and sewer lines and drainage systems were completed last year.
Sherburne is one of 47 municipalities in the state that operates its own electric department, an “important advantage,” said Acee, for enticing businesses. The mayor said the newly-expanded Big M on North Main Street wouldn’t have been built without that savings advantage.
However, property taxes in the village have presented a difficult obstacle to both potential businesses and residents. Acee said new retirees are leaving the area due to high taxes and lower home values.
The Village Council voted to raise taxes 30 cents per thousand to $7.50 per thousand of assessed valuation. The hike, for example, would amount to $30 per year on a home assessed at $100,000.
“This increase should forestall future increases,” said the mayor.
The village kicked in an energy efficiency program last year that offers rebates for appliances and thermostat purchases. Buyers of digital set back thermostats, for example, are eligible for a $25 rebate each.