Richmondville Town Board Passes 20 Reorganizational Resolutions

The Richmondville Volunteer Emergency Squad is doing pretty well financially, squad President Steve Swenson told the Richmondville Town Board at the Jan. 8 meeting. Photo by Chris English.

By Chris English

RICHMONDVILLE — A busy meeting on Thursday, Jan. 8 saw the Town of Richmondville Board approve 20 Reorganizational Resolutions for 2026 and also discuss and take action on other business.

On Reorganizational Resolutions all approved by the board, Town Clerk-Tax Collector-Registrar Maggie Smith appointed Joan Radliff as Deputy Clerk-Tax Collector. Radliff was also appointed Deputy Registrar of Vital Statistics.

Superintendent of Highways Brian Manchester appointed Glenn Thurber as Deputy Superintendent of Highways. Town board meetings will again be the second Thursday of the month at 6 p.m., with the exception of November, when it will be the first Thursday.

Appointments made were Town Supervisor Jeffrey Haslun as Service and Budget Officer; Smith as Registrar of Vital Statistics, Zoning Bookkeeper, Planning Secretary and Zoning Board of Appeals Secretary; Marvin D. Parshall Jr. as Town Attorney; Christopher Tretter as Bookkeeper; Paige Bulmer as Town Court Clerk; Joy Musella as Town Court Deputy Clerk; Gabriel Simeon as Town Court Security Officer; Jennifer Larrabee as Dog Control Officer; Michael B. Ferguson as Recycling Operator; James O'Neill as Deputy Recycling Operator and Gloria Slater as Deputy Recycling Operator.

Salaries for elected and appointed officers were set for 2026. Jeffrey Haslun will earn $7,871; Manchester $65,000; Smith $51,500; Councilmen Eric Haslun, Todd Sperbeck, Harry Rode and George Horning $2,624 each; the Town Justice $23,092; Assessor $35,973; Dog Control Officer $5,231; Code Enforcement Officer $16,000; Town Attorney $9,642 and Bookkeeper $15,521.

Mileage allowance for town officers and employees using their own vehicles for official town duties and travel was set at $0.725 per mile for 2026. The Bank of Richmondville Cobleskill and Richmondville branches were named the primary town depository, with secondary depositories NBT Bank (Cobleskill branch); KeyBank NA (Cobleskill branch); Community Bank NA (Cobleskill branch) and New York Cooperative Liquid Assets Securities System.

The Mountain Eagle was designated the official town newspaper for 2026. Smith was appointed Marriage Officer and Jeffrey Haslun and Sperbeck Compliance Officers. Jacob Lockwood was appointed to a five-year term on the Town Planning Board ending Dec. 31, 2030.

Delores Benedict was designated Zoning Board of Appeals Chair for 2026 while Robert Reed was again named Planning Board Chair. Lockwood was reappointed to the Board of Assessment Review until Sept. 30, 2030. Lisa Crapser was appointed to the Town Zoning Board of Appeals for a term to expire Dec. 31, 2030.

During other business at the Jan. 8 meeting, Richmondville Volunteer Emergency Squad President Steve Swenson reported during Privilege of the Floor that the squad is "doing pretty well financially" with $64,000 in the bank.

In addition, the squad was able to make the final $13,000 payment on its 2023 ambulance that cost $148,000, using $10,000 from a grant and $3,000 of squad money. Swenson was very happy the squad was able to pay off its ambulance so quickly.

"We applaud you for pulling together over the years and getting into a better financial position," Jeffrey Haslun told Swenson.

Manchester said during his Highway Superintendent's report that he should soon be able to get a "roundabout figure, nothing set in stone" on a second new plow truck for the town.

Manchester and his crew have been very busy with snow removal. The department went through 1,500 gallons of fuel last month and so far this winter have used 1,500 tons of sand. A recent break in the weather allowed for cleaning and repair of trucks, he added.

Jeffrey Haslun reported that the U.S. Congress should soon be coming through with another $1 million for the town's upcoming $12-13 million sewer improvement project. He added that, hopefully, bids for the project can be awarded in March and work starts soon after, as soon as the weather breaks.

An addition to Town Hall just off Podpadic Road is essentially finished, Haslun said. An informational meeting on the town's possible application for a $3 million New York Department of Transportation grant will be held at the town board's next regular meeting on Feb. 12.

If the grant is applied for and received, it would be used for a multi-modal pedestrian trail along the new sewer line that's part of the sewer improvement project, and related improvements. The town has already applied for $4.5 million from the NY Forward Program that, if received, would be used for the same purpose.