Gilboa Seeks Speed Reduction on State Highways

Above photo: WITH GILBOA MEETING Gilboa Town Councilmember and Mountain Eagle columnist Dottie Pickett was surprised with early birthday wishes during the last Gilboa Town Board meeting

GILBOA – Members of the Gilboa Town Board approved a resolution to reduce the speed or add signage along state Route 30, learned that tax payments for some may be charged a late fee due to new rules by the US Postal Service and discussed the work on the town's salt/sand shed with remedial considerations is not yet underway during their regular meeting on Monday. They are also developing a list of land to swap with the city's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

The speed zone request will be passed on to the Schoharie County Department of Public Works (DPW) and then the state Department of Transportation (DOT) at the request of a resident who has a blind driveway at the top of the hill between Road 7 and the hamlet of Grand Gorge. In discussing the speed zone, Councilman Max Stryker said he should request one along state Rt. 990 V where he said traffic flies in front of his house. His request will be added to the list, although some cars indicate it is already a 40-mph zone. If it is, Supervisor Terry said, there is no signage indicating the speed zone.

Town board members are also compiling a list of properties to switch with the New York City DEP, a new criteria in the latest negotiations of the Memorandum of Agreement with DEP. It allows municipalities that need property to develop projects for critical or important services, such a land for a sewer plant or other needed municipal services, to be able to swap acre for acre with land already acquired by DEP. Council members came up with at least two and as Supervisor Alicia Terry reviewed the process, invited the town board to come up with other possibilities as well.

Councilman Les Parker said the town should switch the town-owned parking area DEP is plowing on South Gilboa Road  with the front yard of the Gilboa Town Hall. There has been discussion to erect barriers to protect the town hall and post office from damage from vehicles failing to negotiate the curve. One vehicle has already struck the post office building. If the town owned the property, rather than DEP, which has a police headquarters directly across the roadway, they could erect what they need to protect the buildings. Supervisor Terry asked board members to develop a list to be discussed at the March meeting. 

A plea bargain with the person who struck the building did not yield any restitution to the town for the damage to the building. Council members had asked last month that restitution be sought.

In her report, Town Clerk Linda Wyckoff, said changes in USPS regulations may cause some taxpayers to receive a late fee due to the postmark, unless they request it be hand-stamped at the post office where it is being mailed. She has posted the following notice on the town's website:

"Official change to Postmark Processing –  In Nov. 2025, the federal government formally and quietly finalized changes to postmark procedures, which went into effect on Dec. 24.2025. What does this mean in short? The date that the postal service first takes possession of the mail piece may not align with the date on the postmark. Taxpayers still can request that the postmark be hand stamped at their post office counter to ensure it is the actual date it is mailed. This is important as time sensitive mail. Town’s can not legally waive penalties. Taxpayers should be sure to request hand stamped cancellation at the USPS retail counter when mailing their payment near the deadline. Delayed postmarks can and are triggering late payment penalties. For more information, please contact or ask your local USPS retail counter for more information."    

In her report, Supervisor Terry said the town has filed with the EPA as an intervener with the proposed Constitution Pipeline. She said the filing does not mean the town is in favor or against the pipeline, it merely provides all the information and filings to the town. The exact route of the 30-inch diameter natural gas pipeline is not yet determined. Schoharie County has also filed intervener status 

A letter from Oorah Inc.'s The Zone was read by Supervisor Terry, announcing the two local camps, one in Gilboa and the other in Jefferson, both in Schoharie County, plans to seek approval from the state Department of Health (DOH) to operate a Basic Life Support transporting ambulance service with its primary operating territory limited to its two campuses and their ingress/egress roadways. The certified BLS rig would be staffed by state certified EMTs, operating 24/7 during the summer season and for overnight programs and events. The letter invites written comments, support or concerns within a 30-day window from the Jan. 27 date of the letter. Supervisor Terry said she plans to reply with a letter to the regional council and to Oorah.

The letter was also sent to the town of Jefferson and Schoharie County.

In her report, the town attorney said the issue of the roof at the salt/sand shed was resolved with a plan to do remediation to ensure the roofing is completed, with some considerations for the aesthetics. She expected the work to be done immediately, but it may have been delayed by the weather. She will research why the work has not been restarted. A stop work order was placed last November when it was discovered the pieces were not aligning correctly.

There was discussion of the roof on the post office and a buildup of ice that occurred recently. There is concern that chunks of ice slid off the roof and into the parking lot and the possibility of damage to vehicles. Possible solutions will be researched.

In other business, board members approved another clothing exchange, the date to be discussed next month, discussed the sale of the Fork in the Road schoolhouse.

Supervisor Terry said she is continuing to work with the county DPW on Flat Creek Road, hoping to extend the work period to get the necessary work completed and announced there sill a Cyber Security Training on April 13 for anyone who has anything to do with using town emails or computers.