Stamford Town Board Organizes for the New Year

By Liz Page

HOBART – Stamford Town Clerk Ruthanne VanBuren made her pitch to replace the town's copy machine and to install an automated phone system, prior to board members running down the list of official appointments and designations last Wednesday. It followed a request from Stamford Mayor Robert Schneider for the town to approve a few feet of right of way to accommodate a bridge repairing the village of Stamford. (See separate story.)

She said a new downgraded copy machine will provide the same quality with the same functions of the current copy machine, at a lower cost. The automated phone answering system will cost $550 to install, but will not increase the cost of services. The only difference is the justice's fax will not be separate from the town fax number. The new system offers menus to direct callers to the correct department and voicemail.

That led to a discussion of the email and the difficulty the clerk and others sometimes have in having their emails received. Board members agreed it should be rectified.

Official appointments and designations were made, as follows: bank depositories include the Delaware National Bank of Delhi, NBT, Community Bank, The Bank of Cooperstown and the Bank of Greene County and Wayne Bank; Mountain Eagle, official newspaper; Yvonne Wayman-Shaw deputy town clerk; Dan Deysenroth, deputy supervisor; Kevin Rinehart, deputy highway superintendent; Charles Ferris, chairman of the assessors; John Rice, chairman of the Assessment Review Board; Bill Sechrist, planning board chairman and Jackie Lamport, town bookkeeper.

Also appointed, were: Kelly Chien, historian; Tomi Tompkins, building inspector; Kim Kanarak, effective Jan. 19, court clerk; John Kosier and Dan Deysenroth, budget committee; John Kosier, fair housing officer; 607Riders Club as responsible for regulating ATV annual permits for the use of town roadways.

Town Clerk Ruthanne VanBuren was appointed registrar of vital statistics, Dr. Richard Ucci was appointed to a four-year term as health officer and Yvonne Shaw, deputy registrar of vital statistics.

Town board meetings will continue to be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Stamford Town Hall.

Board members also approved the annual contract with the Delaware County Planning Department and approved the contract with Headwaters EMS.

Kevin Rinehart, deputy highway commissioner, said the crews have been plowing "nuisance snow", had one major breakdown and a few smaller breakdowns, but, for the most part, everything was running smoothly. He said the Comprehensive Highway Improvement Program reimbursement was received in December.

Town board members then went into an executive session to discuss personnel.