The Berne Town Board voted, 3 to 2, to approve a new labor union contract that guarantees a 10-percent raise by 2022 for the town’s highway workers, in addition to new longevity pay bonuses. 

The Westerlo Town Board voted, 3 to 2, to authorize Highway Superintendent Jody Ostrander to lay off two of seven highway workers at his discretion. The vote comes after three weeks of debate over where the town can make cuts to balance the anticipated loss of sales-tax revenue because of the coronavirus shutdown.

Berne Highway Superintendent and GOP Chairman Randy Bashwinger says proposed road evaluation is “yet another” political move by Democratic board member Joel Willsey.

Berne Highway Superintendent Randy Bashwinger said that the highway department followed the proper protocol when closing the section of Bridge Road where a vehicle recently upended itself, but Councilman Joel Willsey has written in a letter to the Enterprise editor this week that flaggers or barriers should have been in place to prevent an accident like this.

Agreements were made between the union representatives and the two Republican town board members; the three Democrats on the board were unaware of the months-old changes until last month.

A request for a speed-limit reduction was met with disappointment in Knox. But an expert believes speed-limit reductions are not always the answers for traffic safety.

The town now plans to hire a full-time, not part-time, planner.

A state grant could fund the majority of repairs to the Westerlo Highway Garage, a task that the town has struggled to complete due to residents’ concerns about high cost.

Guilderland’s town board approved sending a Planned Unit Development proposal on Winding Brook Road near the YMCA to the planning board for review. Another PUD for Hiawatha Trails Land Development is currently being considered by the planning board and faces stiff public opposition. ​

GUILDERLAND — Town highway Superintendent Steve Oliver said on Monday that he plans to retire soon. “I’ve been doing this a long time,” he said. “It’s time to go out and start exploring on my motorcycle a little more and spending a little more time with the grandkids, while I’ve still got my health.”