Tonight (2021-10-18) was a meeting of the Mendon Town Board.
Between candidates being in the audience and comments on the budget, the upcoming election had a number of tangential impacts on tonight’s meeting. Personally, I think it’s great for candidates to show up to meetings before the election. Shows they are paying attention to the existing process and issues. Of course, I think more people should show up to meetings in general.
The Lima ambulance is having difficulties covering their area. Not the first time this has come up. Probably won’t be the last. Unfortunate, as medical assistance is a useful service.
Both the Supervisor and Deputy Supervisor will be out of Town in the near future. Thus the Clerk will be ‘acting supervisor’ for that time. Realistically, due to our communication infrastructure, doesn’t really mean much. But it can be fun to joke about the trouble he will get into.
During the public comment portion of the meeting concerns were raised about the Deputy Supervisor being a paid position next year. Concerns over how government spends money are always valid, as it’s the public’s money being spent. In this case, the explanation was that this would be temporary to assist the transition between Town Clerks. Much as was done for Finance Director and Code Enforcement Office. And as was pointed out, there is no reason the Board can’t decide on January 1 to toss this idea out entirely. Depending on how the election turns out.
That aside, the Town’s budget for 2022 was approved. Sounds like there were a few minor tweaks from the preliminary budget, but substantially the same. There will, of course, be transfers during the year, as there are every year. But this puts a plan in place for next year.
The November 8 meeting is being bumped to November 15. For those of you that will be attending, make sure to adjust your calendars accordingly. I’d rather they stuck to the 8th, as much like tonight, I’ll have to decide which of two places to be. Not a great dilemma, more of a pet peeve.
The Town is having 1383 Pittsford-Mendon Rd and 3808 Rush-Mendon Road appraised. As I understand it, there is reason to believe the current owners are considering selling the property to the Town. And the Town is considering using it to mitigate some of the parking and septic issues in the hamlet. Or not, this step doesn’t commit to anything. But it is apparently required before anything could be committed to.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the October 18, 2021 meeting of the Mendon Town Board.
Link to agenda on Town website.
In the interests of full disclosure, I continue to provide technical support to this group, and thus wasn’t exactly in the audience. For whatever that is worth…