Rouses Point power surges underground

Oct. 27--ROUSES POINT -- The village crew here is installing the final underground power lines in a project that has taken decades.

"The last street," Mayor George Rivers said with pride on Monday -- "they're pulling the wire now."

Few overhead wires can be seen in the village, an aesthetic factor but a practical one as well.

"The (1998) Ice Storm clinched it," said Rivers, recalling how the areas of Rouses Point served by underground power lines didn't go dark in that weather disaster, which left many without electricity for weeks.

As the final lines get threaded through along Chapman Street, residents in a village known for pleasant pedestrian and dog-walking outings are enjoying newly completed sidewalks on both sides of Pratt Street.

The walkways come from the power project, too, as the old ones had to be removed to make way for the electric installation.

It took about three years from start to finish for that part of the work, the mayor said.

It would be nice to, at some point, eliminate overhead lines along Route 2 on the northern edge of the village, he said.

"It all depends on money and time," he said.

HYDRO POWER

Meanwhile, Rivers is hopeful that his village will see an extension of the cheaper electric rates it has been able to provide through its own municipal power plant.

At the recent annual meeting of the Municipal Electric Utilities Association of the State of New York, which he attended with Chief Lineman Eric Miller, Rivers learned that the all-important hydro contract that Rouses Point and other municipals (including the City of Plattsburgh and villages of Lake Placid and Tupper Lake) depend on, may be extended another 15 years, to 2040.

The mayor expected to learn more about that later this week at a New York Municipal Power Agency meeting.

DOG PARK

Also in the works may be a dog park.

"Several residents have come forward and are interested in spearheading such a park," Village Administrator Jean LaBombard told the Press-Republican.

Casual discussion has put the possible location somewhere on the grounds of the Village Recreation Center, she said.

As of now, dogs are not permitted there at all.

At a recent meeting, Trustee Brad Martin noted the board was continuing to look into having a place for canines to play and had received some ideas on design and regulations from the village's insurance carrier.

"We're still going through that and the legalities of it," he told the Press-Republican.

NEW HIRES

The village has had a number of retirements in recent months, LaBombard said, which has resulted in new hires.

Matt Inhelder, David Carter and Scott Anthony came aboard at the Water Treatment Facility, each with the job title of full-time laborer, and are in training to become water plant operators. Each has a six-month probationary period.

Employee Danny Guay transferred to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, where he is training to become a wastewater plant operator.

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OTHER ACTION

In other Rouses Point Village Board business:

CROSSING GUARDS: Cindy Robert and Angela Robert were both approved as substitute crossing guards for children who walk to and from Rouses Point Elementary School.

IN MEMORY: The board granted permission to a group of residents to paint the dugout at Amy Gallagher Ball Field purple and to hang a plaque there, both in memory of former community softball coach Glenn Gerson, who recently died.

SURPLUS CAR: The Rouses Point Volunteer Fire Department's 2002 Crown Victoria was put up for bid and sold to Tom Batha for $347.50.

CPR TRAINING: Just one village employee has cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification, Martin pointed out at the September meeting. After discussion, he told the Press-Republican, it was decided that Rouses Point Fire Department First Assistant Chief Walter Laramie will be putting on classes to boost that number.

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