KNOX—Knox town workers are getting a pay raise.

At its monthly meeting last Tuesday, the Knox Town Board voted unanimously to allow Supervisor Michael Hammond to sign a new three-year contract with town employees.
"It’s a good contract for the workers and a good contract for the town taxpayers," said Councilman Joseph Best, who, with Councilman Nicholas Viscio, negotiated the contract.

Employees will get an immediate 50-cent raise, retroactive to January 1. That’s a 3.5 percent increase over the previous contract, the town board said. Salaries will increase 10 cents in each of the next two years.

For the first time, town employees will contribute to their health-insurance policies. This year, workers will pay 10 percent of their policies; they will then pay three 3 more in each of the next two years of the contract.
"It’s been a long road because there were some tough issues in there with insurance, but we can do it," Viscio said.

Also under the contract, town employees with more then 20 years on the job will receive a vacation extension.

Other business:

In other business at the June 14 meeting, the Knox Town Board:

—Authorized Hammond to petition the Albany County Highway Department to extend the 45-mile-per-hour speed limit on Bozenkill Road (Route 253) past where it currently ends at Bell Road.

Hammond said he received complaints from residents who live in the Bozenkill area. Route 253 climbs into Knox out of Altamont and Guilderland.
"It’s a real roller-coaster ride," Viscio said;

—Passed a resolution for the town to complete a pre-application for a state grant for municipal waste reduction and recycling products. Hammond hopes the grant will pay for half the cost of the recent purchase of a truck for the town’s transfer station.

In order to get the grant, Hammond said, the truck needs to be used for recycling at least half of the time. Highway superintendent Gary Salisbury said it was; and

—Considered a request from the Knox Youth Committee for an overnight trip to Washington, D.C. next spring. Councilwoman Patricia Gage asked what the town would be liable for on such a trip.

The town board asked for more specific details, including the ratio of chaperones to youth.
Remembering an overnight ski trip he once chaperoned, Hammond said, "You don’t sleep that night. I’ll tell you that right now."