North East eyes grant potential for wastewater system

MILLERTON — The North East Town Board on Thursday, Sept. 12 discussed a potential grant for Millerton’s wastewater system.

“It is not a final grant yet, but the U.S. Senate voted to approve $3.2 million for wastewater projects in the town,” said Supervisor Chris Kennan. “That still has to be negotiated with the House of Representatives, that is not the final number.”

The Town of North East has no public sewers, yet 17 of the 28 parcels in the Town sewer district are able to have public water service available through the Village of Millerton Water Department. The 11 without that access will be given a metering system for their wastewater.

“There is a long way to go before that agreement between those two houses, but it is encouraging that it’s in the Senate’s budget,” Kennan continued, “That will be added to the about $900,000 we got courtesy of Pat Ryan’s recommendation. Bit by bit, we are getting funding for the wastewater.”

According to the Town’s sewer plans online, the anticipated capital cost for construction of the water resource recovery system will be $9,514,000, which includes three years of escalation at 3% per year. This total is not what it will cost for the system to be in place to create clean water for the Village and the Town.

Landfill methane solution

The federal Environmental Protection Agency is giving out $3 million in grants for greenhouse gas reductions for landfills.
“We are one of 14 different towns that have closed landfills that are seeping out methane,” Kennan said, “We are going to put biofilters on top of those ‘candy canes,’ and it is amazing what that does for methane.”

Nearly all — 93% — of the emissions produced by the Town of North East come from its landfill. The filters will be piles of mulch and woodchips containing methane-eating bacteria. By next year, the town is hoping to get the venting hooks covered by mulch, sending the emissions directly into the bacteria.

Kennan said, “It was really our initiative that led to this being put together.”

Beilke Road and State Line Road will have a new stencil to remind drivers of the upcoming stop sign. The Town is planning to put a white stripe before the stop sign, along with the words “stop ahead” written on the ground to catch drivers’ attention.

After talking with residents of both roads, Kennan was able to offer a selection of options for the homeowners.

“We have made a proposed sign that does not have to be approved by the state and something we can get done very quickly,” said Kennan, “We will seek a speed reduction on State Line Road and Belike from 40 down to 30. We have a resolution that is required to go to the state, we send it to the county, and they send it to the state.”

Before placing any signs, the town board hopes to meet and hear from the residents to gain insight into where the best placement would be for both of these roads.

Residents’ concerns

Tyler Graham, a resident of Cooper Road, voiced his fears at the meeting about recent activity around his home.

“Everyone on this road has been complaining about gunfire, ATVs, trespassing with guns on people’s property, damaging the road, reconstructing the road,” Graham said, “I have heard it from other people.” Graham, a father of two children, a 6-year-old and a 2-year-old, said he does not know if his kids will be able to ride their bikes on the road five years from now.

Ed Covert, another Cooper Road resident, expressed similar concerns.

Kennan and the town board members are preparing a response to the residents’ concerns that they raised during the meeting.