OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen Arkwright Supervisor Brian McAvoy, left, and Councilman Larry Ball, right, both stated that the late night noise law could be amended in the future if the Town deems it to be necessary.

ARKWRIGHT — In an effort to protect the quality of life for residents of the town of Arkwright, the Town Board unanimously passed a local law to prohibit excessive noise late at night. Local Law No. 1 of 2026, titled the Late Night Noise Law, was passed at a recent meeting following a public hearing with no objections.

Supervisor Brian McAvoy said the law was necessary “because people have lost respect for one another.” One property in particular has become a thorn in the side of its neighbors due to excessive noise through all hours of the night, as well as allegations of violence on the property and reckless driving.

The local law prohibits excessive noise Monday through Friday from midnight until 5 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 2 a.m. until 5 a.m. Excessive noise is considered to be any noise that can be heard from beyond the property. “If your neighbor can’t hear it, then it’s not too loud,” McAvoy said.

Exclusions to the law include agricultural machinery or animals, including livestock or domestic pets; legally permitted hunting; emergency work or repairs; road work and snow removal; and public utility work.

First-time offenders of the law face a $50 fine in Town Court. Subsequent offenses carry a fine of up to $500 per offense. Failure to comply can lead to additional civil and/or criminal penalties.

“We’re getting started with this. We took our first shot at it. I think something is better than nothing,” McAvoy said. Both he and Councilman Larry Ball stated that the law could be amended in the future, if necessary.

The Town Board also passed a resolution for a bond anticipation note in the amount of $273,544 for the purchase of a 2026 International Highway plow dump truck for the Highway Department. The Town has pushed off paying for the truck to utilize its funds on hand toward the new Town Hall project.

The Town of Arkwright is evaluating the possibility of building a salt shed in the future. The Town is currently unable to store salt for use by the Highway Department. More discussion will be had over the next year to target a solution in 2027 or beyond. The Town is also still awaiting completion of the siding and roofing of the old section of the Town Garage.

During the month of December, the Town Clerk’s office collected $276, stemming from 14 dog licenses, 12 copies of death certificates, two marriage certificates, and two building permits. For the year, the Town Clerk’s office issued 96 dog licenses, 50 copies of death certificates, five marriage licenses, two birth certificates, and 15 building permits, for a total of $1,147.33 in revenue. The Town Court collected a total of $350 in the month of December, stemming from 13 vehicle and traffic law cases.

Regarding fire inspections in the Town, no fee will be issued upon first inspection. Any subsequent inspections required to remedy issues that are uncovered in the initial inspection will be $50 per inspection.

The Town Board also expressed interest in renewing its agreement with Solar Liberty to continue its supply of electricity generated from solar panels. The Town leases solar panels from Solar Liberty to serve the Town’s electric needs at a cost of roughly $100 per month.

The next meeting of the Arkwright Town Board will be held on Monday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Town Hall.