In split vote, Knox Town Board hires Quay for town post
GOP’s Gage says job candidates should be interviewed



KNOX — The Knox Town Board appointed David Quay to be a transfer-station attendant, despite Councilwoman Patricia Gage’s recommendation to interview candidates before appointing.

William Salisbury, who has worked at the transfer station for 17 years, is retiring at the end of the year. His son is the highway superintendent, Gary Salisbury. There are three transfer station attendants.

David Quay, who has worked for Albany County as an operator, sent a letter to the town listing his qualifications and experience, and stated his interest in the position. Gage said Linda Carman was also interested in the post.
The board deliberated, and Gary Salisbury said that the two remaining transfer station attendants, John Oliver and Richard Dexter, move up by seniority. Salisbury said his biggest concern is moving Oliver inside. Salisbury also said the work at the transfer station is "really tough."

Councilman Nicholas Viscio, a Democrat, made a motion to appoint Quay to the transfer station, not as Salisbury’s replacement.

Gage, a Republican, then asked if the board is obliged to interview candidates before making a decision, and added that it wasn’t fair not to give both people a chance.

The board voted 4-1 to appoint Quay, with Gage the sole dissenter.
Supervisor Michael Hammond asked the board to thank William Salisbury and wish him good health. He said that Salisbury was a "very good employee" and, that, while he was at the transfer station, "everything ran smoothly."

Though William Salisbury is scheduled to stop working at the end of the year, his son doesn’t know whether he will last that long on the job.
"I don’t know if he’s going to make it to the end of the year," Gary Salisbury said, adding that his father has been very sick.

Other business

In other business, the town board:

— Held a public hearing on the town’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program for next year. Terry Ray, of Section 8 Rental Assistance in Schenectady, told the board that Knox currently has 16 families in the federally-funded program, and two are on the family self-sufficiency program.

Joseph Mastrianni told The Enterprise yesterday that, of the 16 families, 12 still reside in Knox. Knox has been participating in the program since 1995, he said. There are 20 slots available to the town, and Ray expects the remaining four slots will soon be occupied.

Knox receives $106,000 annually in government grant money to pay the subsidies, Mastrianni said;

— Heard from planning board Chairman Robert Price that the meteorological tower, located on Middle Road, measured the average wind speed for October at 17 miles-per-hour. The tower was erected to gauge whether a commercial-grade municipal wind farm would be feasible in Knox. Price was encouraged with the initial data;

— Set its annual re-organizational meeting for 9 a.m. on Jan. 1;
— Heard from Helene O’Clair, who would like a committee to "do the legwork" for the construction of a new town hall. Knox planned to expand its town hall a year ago, but, after plans came back, the board determined it was cost-prohibitive.

O’Clair told The Enterprise that, when the town planned for construction, the board didn’t talk to townspeople.

O’Clair’s husband is handicapped and cannot enter town hall, she said. O’Clair recommended using the town’s new website to ask for interested residents from the community.
Hammond said, "We have a lot of investment here, and it’s served us well." When the town planned for the town hall expansion, he was "shocked into reality."
"I don’t like being in debt," Hammond said.
O’Clair asked if the board would revisit the topic in January, and Hammond said, "Yes"; and
— Heard praise from Albany County Legislator Alexander (Sandy) Gordon. Gordon commended Hammond on budgeting for 2007, and "holding the line." Gordon said the operation of the town funds "shows experience."