Chester to change bidding policies, energy rates

The Chester Town Board held a special meeting at 11:30 a.m. May 1 in between their regularly scheduled board meetings on April 24 and May 8.

During the meeting the board approved the closure of Kings Highway in Sugar Loaf for the spring fair on May 4 and 5, as well as use of the front lawn of the SLPAC. The road has been transferred from county to town ownership, so this is the first time the town has been tasked with approving its closure.

Town bids

The board approved changes to its procurement policy to match state law requiring any purchase over $20,000 to go out to bid and any labor over $35,000 to go out to bid. The board also said they are in the process of changing from a voucher to a requisition system for processing expenses.

Official officiation

Supervisor Brandon Holdridge said he had been asked to officiate a wedding, however, he had not been given credentials to do so yet. The board voted 4-0-1 with Holdridge abstaining to name him an official marriage officer.

Energy rates

Town Comptroller Neil Meyer said he was negotiating new energy rates for town properties. The rate through November had been 12.36 cents/kilowatt hour, with it fluctuating since the end of that contract. He said the town could: go by the market rate and start at 7.5 cents/kilowatt hour, which could be subject to month-by-month marketplace changes, sign an 18-month contract at 10.1 cents; or sign a 24-month contract at 10.6 cents.

The 7.5 cent option would be half “green” and half “brown” energy; with the other rates the town would buy 100% “green” energy. The rates are typically higher in the winter because there is less sunlight fueling the solar panels used in the green energy grid.

Other business

The board voted 5-0 to approve $2,552 to hook up a new pump at the Sugar Loaf well and voted on the low bid of $27,163 to install an adapter at the old Sugar Loaf well, which is going back in service.

A Parks and Recreation Department employee asked whether the town should deny the permit request of a group that had three times defied the town’s permit rules at Carpenter Park. The employee said things got “heated” between town officials and the group, which was not named.

The board decided, due to the group’s past behavior, they should be denied a permit even though they applied for it properly this time.