NORWICH – Last Thursday afternoon, Mayor Joe Maiurano met with a small group of city residents at the Caboose Diner, 26 East Main St. for an informal, hour-long question and answer session – the first installment of The Evening Sun’s “Talk of the Town” series.
Evening Sun reporters plan to travel across the county throughout the summer for similar gatherings.
Jan Myers, who attended the session with her husband Drew and son Andrew, questioned the mayor on the lack of solar and other alternative energy sources being utilized in the city, as she was under the impression that city officials were supportive of such efforts. In Pendleton, Oregon, officials have instituted a program that offers low-interest loans to businesses and homeowners for the installation of solar panels. She wondered if the city had ever considered such a program and asked about the city’s future plans for renewable energy.
In response, Maiurano said he and other city officials have continued to promote the Renew Norwich website – www.renewnorwich.org – where people can find a wealth of information on renewable energy. In addition, city residents with an annual household income of less than $106,000 can apply for a free energy audit on the site, which launched in October. He did add, however, that he like the idea of low-interest loans as an incentive for “green” technology.
According to Myers, the program was extremely successful in Pendleton and she wondered why she hadn’t seen anything similar since moving to the area in 2005. Both she and her husband are currently enrolled at the Morrisville State College Norwich Campus, where they’re taking a renewable energy course.
“You’re going to see a huge demand for this as time goes on,” she added.
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Richard Givens, an avid walker and cyclist, asked the mayor just who exactly decides between a four-way and a two-way stop at intersections throughout the city which have no traffic light. He said he’s nearly been hit a number of times and added he found the irregularity of the stop signs confusing. In several areas throughout the city, Givens said the two-way and four-way stops are inconsistent, such as those found at the intersections of Guernsey, Fair and Henry; Eaton Avenue, Elm and Hayes and Silver, Mechanic and Mitchell streets.
“This is the Traffic Commission’s area and I’ll certainly put it on the agenda; they’ll look at it and see what changes should be made,” stated the mayor. “We’re aware of the problem and it’s all about safety.”
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Diana Walters said her dog has been attacked several times while she’s walking it at night, due to other, unleashed dogs within city limits. She asked the mayor what, if anything, could be done about the situation.
“There is a leash law in the city but people need to report these situations,” responded Maiurano. “We’re going to be conducting a dog census in the near future and this is something the city is addressing at this point in time.”
The mayor said, since the state forced local governments to take over the dog licensing process, the city’s Code Enforcement and Police Department had done their best to pick up the slack when it comes to unregistered animals.
Walters then asked about the possibility of a dog park in the city, an idea that city officials have discussed, said Maiurano. While no decision on the location of such a park has been made, the mayor said there are several options and the idea is under consideration by the Parks Commission.
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A concerned Phil Jones, who lives on Chenango Lake in the Town of Norwich, asked the mayor why the recent floodwaters had not receded from properties around the lake. In 2005 and 2006, similar flooding quickly drained off of his property. This year – a month after a series of heavy storms dumped a large amount of rain on the area – the waters have yet to recede from his yard.
The mayor said he and Public Works Superintendent Carl Ivarson had looked into the problem, primarily a twelve-inch drainage pipe which was thought to be blocked. However, the pipe is functioning properly, according to Maiurano, and it’s simply a matter of mathematics – there’s more water going into the lake than there is coming out.
“We received record amounts of rain and this isn’t just happening at Chenango Lake, it’s happening all over the state,” said Maiurano. “It’s just a matter of time at this point and we’ve done everything we could possibly do. An extraordinary amount of rain has fallen so far this year.”
Maiurano admitted that his answer to the question was probably unsatisfactory, but reiterated that there is nothing more the city can do.
“I’d come up there with buckets if I thought it would help,” he added.
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Steve Rosa – who submitted his question via e-mail – wished to know if the city could provide weekly or monthly leaf and tree-trimming pick-ups throughout the summer, rather than the single pick-up it currently offers in the spring. He said he believed this would encourage homeowners to beautify their properties and would be a good “green” initiative as well. Many communities across the state offer a similar service, he added, including the Village of Delhi, which could be contacted for details.
“I think that is something we can definitely bring up with the Department of Public Works,” said Maiurano. “It’s something we can look into and possibly expand.”
The mayor did add, however, that the department already has a number of duties to perform throughout the summer which could make such an expansion of services difficult.
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The next installment of The Evening Sun’s “Talk of the Town” series will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14 at Hoppie’s Ice Cream Parlor, 2 Lafayette Park in Oxford. During the hour-long session, Randy Squier, superintendent of the Oxford Academy & Central School District, will field questions on the district’s proposed Phase II capital project, which will go to vote on June 23, and other topics pertaining to the school system. Those who are unable to attend can submit questions to Melissa Stagnaro at 337-3071 or mstagnaro@evesun.com.