To the Editor:

With a real old-fashioned Northeast winter, Ken Weaver and the Berne full- and part-time highway workers deserve our thanks!

They are our lifeline so our children can get to school safely and we can get to work safely. Their work also allows our fire and emergency medical services to help our friends and neighbors in their time of need.

Truly, without them, what would we do?

We hear and read rumors of consolidation of services. I say, leave our highway department alone!

Fact: The state contracts to Albany County to plow state roads first. Then the county would plow its roads and the town’s would be last!

We, by population, have the least votes in the county so therefore do not believe your elected officials saying this would not play out.

This is not political, be you Republican, Democrat, Independence Party, Conservative, or Workers’ Family Party. It would affect you and your family. I am not saying this is happening but is being talked about.

Again, thank you, Berne Highway Department.

Thomas Cavanagh
Berne

Editor’s note: In the last Berne election, none of the candidates advocated consolidating the town and county highway departments.

Mary Rozak, spokeswoman for the Albany County executive, said the county does have an agreement with the state to plow some state roads but it does not specifically require state roads to be plowed first. Plow routes are made to be efficient and follow traffic patterns, she said, so state roads may be plowed on the way to county roads.