Middleburgh Faces Sand Shortage

By Joshua Walther

MIDDLEBURGH - The Middleburgh Town Board convened last Thursday to receive a highway report from Steve Kowalski and hear an update on biosolid fertilizer.

Highway Superintendent Kowalski began by noting that the department has gone over-budget on their sand and salt lines, and said that their stockpile is growing worryingly thin.

“The sand shed is pretty much empty, when it should be three quarters of the way full for next year by now,” he explained.

He also said that the Town is forced to wait up to a week for one load, and when the Board suggested sharing with the Village, Superintendent Kowalski elaborated that the Town uses sand while the Village uses salt for different roads, so there’s not much overlap between the two.

“Hopefully the weather holds off and winter will go to bed for the season,” he concluded. He finished his report by saying that his men are working on cutting brush this week, and that a used vehicle may be arriving soon.

In other news, Fred Risse and Angelica Diller of the Planning Board attended the county’s agriculture advisory committee earlier in the month to learn more about biosolid fertilizer.

The fertilizer, which is meant to be made from the treatment of domestic sewage, has caused a few problems in the Town, as residents have seen it bubbling into a white foam when placed on frozen ground that then slides into nearby water sources.

Mr. Risse said that one of the companies that produces the biosolids was present at the meeting, and they had volunteered to hold an instructional presentation for consumers and municipalities alike.

Mrs. Diller believed that the problem did not directly lie with the company, saying “It’s not that the company isn’t educating, it’s that there’s more questions than answers.”

“We need to educate ourselves better with more scientific data,” she continued, and welcomed the chance to hear one of the presentations be given in Middleburgh.

Supervisor John Youmans was less enthusiastic, saying “I’m all for companies coming in and explaining, but I don’t want the ones producing the stuff to tell me because I don’t trust them.”

When discussion concluded, Mr. Risse noted that Albany County has placed a moratorium on biosolids, and said that the agriculture committee was thinking about doing the same.