Village meeting May 2

The Granville Village Board found federal money comes with a few snags as they approved spending as much as $75,000 to pay for an audit May 2. Village Clerk-Treasurer Rick Roberts explained the village is required to pay for auditing of four years of the village financial records as a consequence of using the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) money used to pay for the second phase of waste water treatment plant upgrades. The village received more than $1 million from the federal government when they had a ‘shovel ready’ project meet the government criteria. Roberts said the village accountant recommended a large accounting firm from Glens Falls who has the personnel to handle the job; the job was expected to take several weeks to complete. Roberts said the village also expected to be audited by the State Office of the Comptroller as well.

In other financial news, the village chose the First National Bank of Coxsackie for financing work on a portion of the water treatment plant. Roberts told the board the low bid, at 1.55 percent interest, saves the village about $5,700 per year on interest because they came in three-quarters of a percent lower than the only other bidder for the financing service.

In other news, the village board approved a new village fire chief and assistant chief. The new village fire chief is Granville Engine and Hose Co. No. 1 Chief Ryan Pedone and the new assistant chief is Granville Engine and Hose Co. No. 1 Assistant Chief Michael Zinn. The two fire companies who make up the village department Granville Engine and Hose Co. No. 1 and the Granville Hook & Ladder, vote for village chief and assistant at their annual meeting held in April.

The board considered buying a replacement for the finial, or top of the fountain, in Veterans Park. New board member Paul Labas volunteered to seek more information regarding a replacement for the pineapple stolen during the winter. The replacement cost for the lead and copper pineapple was said to be more than $3,000 and board members said they wanted to get something on the fountain before Memorial Day but hoped to spend a few hundred dollars in the hope the pineapple can be recovered.   

Board member Frank Caruso did not attend the meeting.