Marine Corps Veteran Robert McIntosh.

RIPLEY — After nearly a decade of attempts to establish a State Veterans Cemetery in Ripley, NY, retired Marine Corps Veteran Robert McIntosh will again apply to the State, asking that the “Gateway to New York” become the home of the burial ground.

At their meeting on March 11, Town of Ripley board members received a brief review of McIntosh’s efforts to establish a State Veterans Cemetery in Ripley. McIntosh told board members that in 2009, the decision was made to establish a State Veterans Cemetery. He has been spearheading the effort to have the cemetery located in Ripley since 2012, when he attended a public meeting with U.S. Senator Charles Schumer and representatives from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

McIntosh and other Chautauqua County veterans began an application process for the cemetery in 2013, he told the board. They began with several letters and three meetings with then County Executive Vince Horrigan. Land for the burial site had already been donated along Route 5 in Ripley, he said. “I asked, ‘Why can’t the Gateway to New York have a cemetery when there are 40 acres of land available strictly for that purpose?”

McIntosh told board members that, after applying in 2014 and 2015, the State shut the idea down because there was no money for maintenance. At that time, McIntosh said he was informed that, even though the Federal Government would build the cemetery, there would have to be 15 years of perpetual care costs set aside first. “They told me I had to come up with $8 million,” McIntosh said at that time. “That was more than I had in my cookie jar.”

McIntosh told the board that, in February, the State opened the matter again. He said the parcel on Route 5 would provide room for 30,000 grave sites. He told the board that the State would own the cemetery but they are not asking for $8 million set aside for care costs at this time.

McIntosh asked that the board update the resolution which they passed in 2015, authorizing him to apply with the State. “There are at least seven other applicants,” he said. Board members updated the resolution and encouraged McIntosh in his efforts.

In a related matter Town Supervisor Doug Bowen told board members that he received letters from Robert McIntosh and Julie Rice, both expressing an interest in being on the Town Planning Board. The board subsequently chose McIntosh to fill the position.

In other business, board members awarded a bid for work on the town water storage and reservoir at Belson Dam to H & K Services of Leon, NY for $158,200. Bowen noted that all but $16,000 would be funded by a grant from the USDA, RD.

Bowen also reminded board members that the Town had received the bid for the project to H & K Services last fall; however, the bid at that time was over budget. “We made some changes and they were able to come down on their price a bit,” he said.

Council members also approved a revised Host Community Agreement with Love’s Travel Stops and Country Stores. Bowen noted that Love’s has applied for financial assistance from Chautauqua County and that the Host Community Agreement has been proposed as part of their application.

Annual payments will be made by Love’s to the Town, Bowen said. It was agreed that the allocation of said funds will be determined by the Town Board.

In another matter, the Board approved the firm BWB for additional audit services. Bowen told board members that any time a municipality spends more than $750,000 in Federal money, a financial audit is required. He said that the firm of Buffamante, Whipple, Buttafaro, PC conducts the audits for Ripley and the payments to BWB for their services are as follows: $14,000 in 2021, $15,000 in 2022 and $16,000 in 2023.

Bowen also told the board that he received a note from Assessor Jason Jones requesting an amendment to local law 4-84 to bring the rate of tax exemption for veterans up to date. The current tax exemptions of $6,000 for a war veteran, $4,000 for a combat zone veteran and $20,000 for a disabled veteran have not been changed since 2002.

Jones recommended a 50% increase in the tax exemption. This would bring the exemption for war veterans to $9,000, for combat zone veterans to $6,000 and for disabled veterans to $30,000. The board approved the changes.

In other business, Bowen told board members that ConnectGen has requested a meeting to be held with the Town of Ripley and it’s consultant’s. Attorney Ben Wisniewski proposed an in-person meeting, perhaps in his Rochester office, which is centrally located between Albany and Ripley. He said that he, council member Mike Rowe and Attorney Ben Wisniewski will attend the meeting. The Town will post a link to view the meeting via webcast, he said.

During public comment, Ripley resident Katherine Galbraith asked where the Town would post the information of the special meeting with ConnectGen. Rowe answered that, in addition to being posted in the building, “we can put it on our Facebook page.”

Also during public comment, McIntosh announced that on Thursday, March 25, at Noon, there will be a ceremony to update the Veterans Valor Memorial.