Chester Town Board instates fee for opting out of new cellular water meters

The town of Chester voted to establish a $20 per quarter fee for residents opting out of the new cellular endpoint water meter reading system at its April 22 board meeting.

Councilman Tom Becker said the cost of the software to run the old billing system is $2,000 per year. At $20 per quarter, if 25 residents opt out that would cover the cost of maintaining the old system. The town water department has already begun installing the new cellular endpoints, which send four texts a day reporting water use.

Some residents had raised concerns that the cellular technology would create harmful EMF waves. The board found this fear to be without basis but acquiesced to the public’s outcry and voted to allow an opt out of the new technology. They still had not established how much the opt out fee would be until the April 22 meeting.

“We’re meeting residents in the middle by creating the opt out and making the opt out fee only $20 per quarter. I think it’s fair,” Supervisor Brandon Holdridge said.

The fee passed 3-1 with Giuesepe Cassara voting against it and Stephen Diffley absent. The board faced two public commenters who opposed the opt out fee – Chris Maurer and Merryl Newler.

Maurer claimed the money saved by the town not having to install the meters and maintain them was actually more than the cost of opting out and residents who opt out should not be penalized at all. She said it will cost approximately $200 to install each meter.

Newler questioned the need for the new meters. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” she said. She complained that water rates had already gone up. She also said the lithium ion batteries used by the new meters would need to be replaced eventually.

The billing cycle the opt out fees will first be applied to is July 1 through September 30. There are 1049 homes in Sugar Loaf’s water districts. Many other residents have wells.

Concerns about fines for false alarm responses

During public comment resident Brian Ross complained about the fines for police responding to a false house alarm. The first offense is $50. The second offense within six months is $100. And the third is $200. Ross said he had to pay $100 recently and felt that the burden of this cost on a senior citizen like himself was too much. He said he had received six summonses in his eight years as a resident.

Town attorney Liz Cassidy noted that he had the right to protest the fine to the town clerk’s office. Ross said he was already aware of this policy.

Other business

During reports Town Clerk Linda Zappala noted that the PBA carnival at Chester Commons is taking place April 29 – May 2. She also noted that the Kiwanis 5K is on May 23 and the paper shredding event at town hall is on June 12.

Holdridge said he is working with grant writers to apply for the annual Community Development Block Grant, seeking to resurface the Carpenter Field parking lot. Holdridge also said he is working with Congressman Pat Ryan’s office to qualify for a $1.25 million grant for the Walton Lake Estates water district. Lastly, he said he is expecting the town to appoint a new highway superintendent in May. Superintendent John Reilly was convicted in the shooting of a Door Dash driver and had to resign.

The board voted to refund $2,125 to West Side Story trip guests. The outing was canceled due to low attendance. The board also voted to refund $220 for two Statue of Liberty trip guests because they cannot make the event.

The board voted to advertise ADA walkway project bid documents for a $95,500 Carpenter Field grant from 2025. The board also voted to advertise bid documents for the Surrey Meadows culvert project.

The board voted to accept the “MS4 report” from the town engineer.

The board voted to put two items up for auction – an unused vending machine taking up space in the basement of town hall and a 2021 Ford police interceptor.

The board approved a Memorandum of Agreement for work from IBT Local Union 445. It is a $250 per week stipend for highway department assistance to the foreman.

During new business the board voted to hire part-time police officer Michael Christiano. They voted to waive the fee for the PBA carnival at Chester Commons park.

The board passed Local Law 284 giving the highway departments authority to start the road maintenance program.

The board approved an expense of up to $2,000 for the cost of an estimate on work on the lighting system at Carpenter Field. They expect the price to be far less than that.