The town of Hurley secured a lease at 43 Basin Road for a temporary Highway Department garage and offices while officials decide on a more permanent location. The move to new temporary quarters will take place in the near future.
The current building on Dug Hill Road next to the Hurley transfer station is in disrepair and was cited by the state for numerous violations. It was also the subject of numerous complaints from the highway workers’ union and the town’s insurance company.
Decades of deferred maintenance has caused problems and poor installation of insulation trapped moisture and created an ideal environment for mold growth. The electrical wiring is not up to code and the heating system is inadequate, noted Hurley town Supervisor Melinda McKnight.
The town also grappled with methane gas getting into the building. It was originally thought the gas was coming from the former landfill, but the Public Employee Safety & Health Bureau, or PESH, determined it was coming from a wastewater tank that lacked a drainage trap. A sensor alerted employees to the methane by sounding an alarm.
“We look forward to getting the Highway Department into a safe temporary home while we tend to the business of building a highway garage for the 21st century,” said Councilman Gregory Simpson, who negotiated the temporary location with Highway Superintendent Mike Shultis and the union.
McKnight said estimates to refurbish the old highway building came in at several million dollars, so, she suggested, it may be more prudent to build a new headquarters.
Dug Hill Park gets new playground
A new playground at Dug Hill Park has replaced outdated equipment with safer, modern items and will be wheelchair accessible when completed.The playground is made possible through a grant secured by Assemblyman Kevin Cahill’s office.
McKnight addressed some safety concerns by noting a state inspector questioned the grading of the ground and that it may need to be re-graded to meet ADA standards.
Highway Department employees made repairs to a train that children could sit in, part of the old equipment, but, McKnight said, it does not comply with new standards and probably has to be removed.
Old playground equipment was piled up at the far end of the park, prompting concerns about children climbing on it and getting hurt. That has since been removed, McKnight said.
She thanked Deputy Supervisor Peter Humphries for his work in getting the playground upgrades completed and noted it is still a work in progress.
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