OBSERVER Photos by Braden Carmen
Town of Hanover Supervisor Lou Pelletter discussed the latest holdup in the water main replacement project along Routes 5 and 20 at a recent meeting.
HANOVER — The Town of Hanover water main replacement project along Routes 5 and 20 is moving along slowly but surely.
At a recent meeting of the Town Board, Hanover Supervisor Lou Pelletter was authorized to sign the additional documents pertaining to the project, including a letter addressed to Rural Development. A week earlier, a special meeting was called for the Town Board to address other matters regarding the project.
Pelletter has been pushing for the project to move along for months, and now, the latest holdup has come from Rural Development.
“Rural Development will not authorize the start of construction until they have all the items on their checklist,” Pelletter stated at a recent meeting. “… Basically, we have to wait for Rural Development to approve what we already passed last week.”
The Town is looking to approve a contract with the contractors of the project in the coming weeks. Pelletter said the Town is willing to call a special meeting in the coming days to address any matters related to the project to push the construction forward.
Hanover already waited several months for approval from the State Department of Transportation to proceed with the project, as it pertains to the same area the State is planning to undergo a lane reduction project.
“It’s moving along, we just have to wait for one more step. Then, I think we’re good to go,” Pelletter said.
The Town Board also approved a rate increase with the WNY Teamsters to account for a monthly increase of dental and vision benefits. A Memorandum of Understanding from the Teamsters Union will be forthcoming to update the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The services are at a cost of $71.47 per month for employees who wish to participate, approximately five dollars per month more than the current year.
In addition to two public hearings at the next regular Town Board meeting regarding the budget and fire contracts, the following meeting, Oct. 28, will also feature two public hearings. The Town will discuss a rezoning of an area off Routes 5 and 20 from residential to commercial properties as recommended by the Planning Board, as well as a site plan review also suggested by the Planning Board.