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RIPLEY -- The record high U.S fuel prices, including diesel, are not just impacting truckers, but municipalities as well, Town of Ripley council members learned at their meeting this month.
Highway Superintendent Jason Jones told council members that the Town of Ripley used 53.49 gallons of gasoline and 1275.34 gallons of diesel fuel in the month of September. He added that the total cost for upcoming winter prep includes $26,709 for road salt and $7,700 for sand.
Town Supervisor Laura K. Pless told the board that Ripley is being impacted by the price of diesel fuel, which is more than double the price it was a year ago. She added that the price of road salt has also doubled since last winter.
According to CBS news, “Municipalities in New York and elsewhere face higher fuel costs for vehicles and equipment that run on diesel. The impact is most acute in service areas with high diesel dependence, and without intervention, it can lead to reduced service levels, higher costs for residents, and tighter budgets.”
Jones, also said in his report that, while September’s cost for repairs was minimal, there will be expenses in October. “October will have a repair for truck 10 for the approximate amount of $14,000 due to injectors being replaced and an amount to be determined for the loader,” he said.
In other business, Pless noted that Quarter 3 billing for water/sewer will be mailed out at the latest on Oct. 9, and no payments will be accepted after the due date. “Quarter 3 will not receive penalties but all unpaid amounts after the due date will be relieved onto the property,” she said.
In her report, Town Clerk Ryleigh Enterline told the board that the Rabies Clinic that was held on September 12 was very successful. A total of 54 dogs and 24 cats received their rabies vaccines at the Highway Department Building. “Most everyone seemed happy to be there,” she said. “It is a wonderful opportunity. It is free, easy, and you don’t even need to leave your vehicle.”
Enterline also said there is a possibility of letters being mailed to all dog owners, reminding them that dog licenses are required for all canines. She noted after the original purchase of a dog license, a preprinted dog license renewal form is mailed each year to each owner. “The Town of Ellicott did a dog mailing and it resulted in more than 130 more dogs being licensed,” she said. “It’s just food for thought, but I think it would help us.”
In the Parks & Recreation Report, Councilman Cal Janes said that the summer help is done for the year. “Right now, we’re just going through the Christmas decorations and getting ready for the holidays,” he said.
In another matter, board members approved a resolution to extend the Ripley Water District TTHM Violation Policy. TTHM stands for Total Trihalomethanes and is a group of four disinfection by-products formed when chlorine reacts with natural, organic matter in water.
The resolution states that anyone whose water exceeds the TTHM limit will have to be addressed. “We’re in the process of doing repairs to our water system,” Pless said. “Passing this resolution allows us to bypass some of the red tape involved in those repairs.”