Town of Ripley Justice Vera Hustead announces the reception of a grant.

RIPLEY — At their meeting this month, Town of Ripley council members learned from Town Court Justice Vera Hustead that a Justice Court Assistance Program Grant for $2,522 has been awarded to Ripley.

Hustead told council members that she filed for the grant in October. The funds will be used to finish replacing 50-year-old filing cabinets, as well as to purchase a new judicial robe for her co-justice.

Hustead told council members that the town has received six grants since 2009, totaling more than $51,000 from the JCAP program. “We are very appreciative that the government, throughout the years, has provided these funds,” she said.

In other business, council members approved a motion to reduce the number of large trash days to two, which will be at the town highway building.

Ripley Supervisor Laura K. Pless called for a discussion on the matter, after receiving a letter from the South Ripley Fire Department, which has always hosted the third day of trash pickup at its location. The letter stated that the department does not want to host the large trash day because they just paved their parking lot.

Pless offered two options for discussion. The first would be to manage with only two days of large trash pickup The second would be to host the third day at the highway building.

Council member Phil Chimera noted the third day has never received as much trash as the other two days. “Why pay for another day?” he said. “Let’s try two days this year, and we can always put the third day back in next year.”

Council member Cal Janes agreed that the town should consolidate the days. Later in the meeting, council members unanimously approved the change.

In another matter, Pless updated council members on the South Ripley Solar Project. The project is currently on hold because of the escalation of costs associated with the construction, she said. Also, it has become more difficult to find contractors who can do the work because this field has become more competitive.

Two representatives of Repsol Solar were present at the meeting. Alex Spiridakis said that they were expecting to obtain a contractor over the next few weeks, which may open the way for them to begin the project.

Pless noted that Repsol has more than $30 million invested in the project already. “They will continue to look for ways in which we can move forward with this project,” she said.

Pless also shared a request from Ripley Library to enter into a collaborative agreement with the town regarding the care of its grounds. “It would only involve mowing a little piece of property and tending their shrubs,” Pless said. “They estimate it to be one to two hours a week during the summer, at the most,” she added.

Pless said the town would charge them at a mutually agreed upon rate for the service. She also noted that the town attorney said to make sure the agreement is worded so it does not set a precedent for this kind of collaboration.

In another matter, council members approved a motion to set a public hearing regarding the abandonment of Klondyke Road. The hearing was on March 24. The road has been unused for many years and is co-owned by Ripley and the towns of Sherman and Westfield and Mina, which are also seeking to abandon it, Pless said. If abandoned, the road would revert back to the property owners.