OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen
Highway Superintendent Jeff Feinen was authorized by the Sheridan Town Board to proceed with the purchase of equipment to replace what was stolen in a recent theft.
SHERIDAN — After being victimized by thieves of heavy machinery earlier this year, the town has replaced its stolen equipment.
The town authorized purchases for the Highway Department of a New Holland 37B mini excavator and a Moritz 14K tilt trailer to replace the stolen equipment. The mini excavator costs $60,145 and the trailer costs $9,500. The Town received insurance reimbursement for the stolen equipment, which was applied to the purchase of the new equipment.
The Town Highway Department equipment was stolen just after 11 p.m. on June 18. A truck was seen on security cameras swiftly hooking the trailer to its vehicle and driving away within minutes. Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone acknowledged there have been several similar incidents in the county in recent months, including similar crimes in Hanover and Gerry.
As a result of the recent incident, the Town of Sheridan approved the purchase of higher quality security cameras to be placed at the Highway Department building at a cost of $3,881.40. The existing cameras will be repositioned to the Town Court and Community Center.
Also of note, after consulting with Town Attorney Jeff Passafaro, the Town has amended its previous approval for improvements to the Sheridan Community Center. Last month, the Town Board approved an agreement with Professional Contractors, owned and operated by Sheridan resident Norm Struzynski, for indoor and outdoor improvements to the Community Center. The interior renovation cost was $16,128, while the exterior renovation cost was $21,624.
The Town requested quotes for the work, which was split into two separate projects, and Struzynski was the only one to respond. The Board approved both projects unanimously, with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to be utilized for each project. However, Passafaro urged to combine the work with another planned renovation, restroom renovations at the Community Center, as one overall project.
At Passafaro’s recommendation, the Town Board passed a resolution to accept the proposal from Christopher J. Cooke Architecture to create a comprehensive design for the upgrades to the restrooms, refinish the interior of the Community Center meeting space, and to upgrade the exterior of the building. Cooke will receive $4,870 with a retainer of $2,435, and an hourly rate of $155 for additional services.
The next Town Board meeting will begin at 6:45 p.m. on Sept. 11, as two public hearings will precede the regular meeting. The public hearings will pertain to a local law banning the installation, placement or construction of battery storage systems in the Town, followed by the formation of a new water district, known as Water District 4.