New Wastewater Treatment Structured To Be Installed in Jewett

By Michael Ryan

JEWETT - Taking their cue from Jiminy Cricket, government leaders in Jewett wished upon a sewer system star and their dream came true.

Town supervisor Greg Kroyer, at a meeting last week, reported that a new wastewater treatment structure will be installed at the municipal building, located along Route 23C.

The facility includes town offices, the highway department and the meeting place for the Meals on Wheels program, providing warm food for elderly and homebound residents across the mountaintop.

An underground septic tank is not exactly what Geppeto had in mind when he longed for his wooden puppet Pinocchio to become a real live boy.

But going beyond what town officials and local taxpayers ever imagined, the modernization will cost the community nothing. Zilch. Zero.

“The Catskill Watershed Corporation will pay for the whole thing,” Kroyer said, noting the savings could be between $70,000 and six figures.

“They have a replacement program [for entities and individuals within the watershed]. We decided it would be crazy not to go for it and we got it.

“We found the system, they came and pumped it out and declared it was failing. It has never backed up but it is definitely old,” Kroyer said.

The current septic tank and leechfield are located behind the three-building municipal complex, not far from the Townhouse Brook.

It is hoped that soil testing will begin this spring, completing the design and construction with the two-year window for spending the grant dollars.

“That’s the dream,” Kroyer said. “They will change the location because trucks have driven over it for years, compacting it.

“The engineers have factored how many people are in the building on any given day with the highway department, the town officials and the lunch program which brings in many more.

“A lot of planning has gone into this, of course, coming up with the right size and the right spot. The town is very appreciative of the CWC assistance. This will serve the community for a long, long time,” Kroyer said.

In a separate but related matter, the Greene County Legislature, at a recent meeting, approved an agreement between the town and County Department of Human Services.

The one-year pact is a rental renewal for the use of the municipal hall as a senior service center for senior citizens and Meals on Wheels program.

Negotiations between the town and county resulted in a slight rent increase to $1500 per month, the legislature resolution states.

The county’s payment includes the cost of garbage removal and internet service. The town is responsible for heat, water, lights, electric, propane, pest control and normal wear and tear on equipment.

Also, the town, “ensures that the grounds, structure, building and furnishings, including the water purification system (i.e. ultraviolet) are maintained in good repair and free from any danger to health and safety,” the resolution states.

Further, the town “ensures that the building complies with all applicable laws regarding, but not limited to zoning, building, health, and sanitation and fire safety,” the resolution states.

And, “in the event [the county] is unable to use the facility for any reason, [the county] obligation to pay a monthly consideration will be cancelled until such time that [county] uses the facility for the purposes as set forth.”

The agreement “can be terminated by either party upon ninety (90) days written notice,” the resolution states.

In another matter, Kroyer reported the town’s Code Book is being updated following approval given by the council, last month, to invest up to $5,600 to accomplish the task.

“I didn’t want to spend the money but when anyone goes online now to look at the books there are twelve amendments not there,” Kroyer said, explaining why the upgrade was necessary.

Several officials, including the town supervisor, town attorney, town clerk, sole assessor, planning board, zoning board, etc., as well as the public, access the Rules on a regular basis.

The job, expected to be finished within 6 to 8 weeks, consists of an electronic version on the town website and eight hard copies.