Penn Yan trustees awarded a $701,500 contract for North Main Street water main improvements and moved to expand the village Police Department during a wide-ranging Aug. 18 meeting.
The Village Board also approved major utility and paving contracts, renewed Spectrum's cable franchise, advanced planning for an annexed Route 14A parcel and created temporary and permanent police positions. Each recorded action passed 6-0, with Trustee Kevin McLoud absent.
Water and infrastructure contracts move ahead
The board awarded the North Main Street water main project to Nardozzi Paving & Construction LLC, the lowest bidder, and authorized the mayor to sign the agreement. Public Works Director Melissa Gerhardt said construction must begin in early September.
Trustees also approved a $173,680 amendment with GHD Consulting Services for the design and bidding phase of improvements identified in the minutes as “CT Improvements.” The amendment completes the consultant's scope and associated design costs.
Northline Utilities received a five-year electric substation maintenance contract totaling $299,642. The board also approved a final change order reducing Casinella Excavating LLC's contract by $200,784.32 to reconcile unit-price quantities and the cost of remaining stored materials.
For street work, the board awarded a $98,432 Commercial Avenue grading and paving contract to Seneca Stone, the lowest bidder. Gerhardt said notices had been sent to homeowners about paving on Commercial and North avenues and would be sent for the North Main Street water main work.
Village crews are expected to begin paving work in September, with the largest project planned for North Avenue. Preparations are scheduled for September and additional work for October, while the Town of Jerusalem will assist with patching and a skim coat on Clinton Street. The minutes say no changes are planned for right-of-way parking on North Avenue.
Gerhardt also reported that crews had completed a water-leak repair at Liberty and Main streets. Trustees approved sewer-bill credits of $156.11 for 134 E. Main St., Apartment 1, after a water-heater failure, and $197.73 for 167 Main St. after an outdoor hose broke; in both cases, the lost water did not enter the sanitary sewer.
The board accepted payment agreements totaling $10,946.62, authorized village representatives to attend utility conferences in Skaneateles and approved three employees for free laboratory training in Canandaigua. A broken cast-iron air compressor was declared scrap.
Police staffing and safety concerns draw action
After an executive session, the board created a temporary police chief position and authorized recruitment. The minutes do not specify the reason for the temporary position or a timetable for filling it.
Trustees also created another full-time police officer position and approved the appointment of Kacey Berggren as a full-time officer at Step 1, paying $34.30 per hour effective Sept. 8. The appointment includes a 90-day proof-of-residency requirement and a one-year probationary period.
The board retroactively awarded a $39,745.94 contract to Main Motorcar, the lowest bidder, for a 2025 Dodge Durango police vehicle. Trustees declared a 2021 Dodge Charger surplus for sale through Auctions International, authorized disposal of four flip phones and 13 found bicycles, and approved free transportation-law training for officers in Livingston County.
Police Chief Thomas Dunham reported that the department handled an average of 659 calls in July. He also recommended investigating parking conditions on Benham Street after the mayor received a resident's letter, saying parked vehicles may make it difficult for a school bus or fire truck to pass.
Code Enforcement Officer James Marshall reported that the owner of 245 East Main St. was convicted July 27 of violating village code and received a conditional discharge. The property must be cleaned to Marshall's satisfaction by Oct. 31 or the owner could face a fine or incarceration, according to the minutes.
Spectrum renewal passes as abandoned-vehicle law remains under review
Following a public hearing, the board approved Resolution 58-2026 accepting a renewal of Spectrum's franchise agreement. Village Attorney Ed Brockman said the agreement requires at least 30 days' notice before development that affects Spectrum and 10 days' notice before Spectrum is placed on a Village Board agenda.
Brockman also said a provision would allow Spectrum to lower its franchise rate if the village grants another provider a rate below the 5% currently owed to Penn Yan.
A separate hearing focused on a proposed abandoned-vehicle law affecting repair shops in districts where junk vehicles are permitted. Trustees Teresa Hoban and Ronald Dailey asked about enforcement, and Brockman and Marshall said violations could be handled through the village's standard code process, including a violation notice and order to remedy.
Officials said the proposal is intended to allow repair shops to retain vehicles used for parts without permitting them to operate as junkyards. The minutes document the hearing but do not record final adoption of the proposed law.
Annexation, grants and village operations advance
The board authorized Brockman to ask the Village Planning Board for a recommended zoning classification for an annexed parcel on Route 14A tied to the IDA/McFetridge Farm annexation. Brockman said settlement terms were still being finalized and that the Village Board would make the final zoning decision.
Trustees also discussed a Town of Barrington proposal for a moratorium on data centers and artificial-intelligence computing facilities. The minutes cite potential effects on land and natural resources as the main concern but record no Penn Yan action on the Barrington proposal.
Clerk/Treasurer Holly Easling reported that the village received two $25,000 SECURE grants, one for the water treatment plant and one for the wastewater treatment plant, to develop cybersecurity assessments. The board also authorized the mayor to sign a commitment letter for a NYSERDA funding application that could support energy-efficiency upgrades for property owners.
Personnel actions included the retroactive hiring of Charles Senack as a Group V heavy-equipment operator at $28.71 per hour effective Aug. 17, with a one-year probationary period. Mary “Katie” Tomlinson and Easling were appointed sub-registrars effective Aug. 19 through April 2028.
The board created two ad hoc groups: a Human Resource-Personnel Committee that will report to the Administration Committee and a Finger Lakes Tourism Building Committee that will report to Public Works. Officials said the tourism-building committee would evaluate the potential gift of the building at Red Jacket Park and determine its use and needed upgrades.
Trustees approved a warrant totaling $956,766.91, including $436,585.37 paid before audit and $520,181.54 in the current audit. They also approved a budget transfer to resolve negative balances in accounts with open purchase orders so the 2025-26 fiscal year can be closed.
The board moved its next regular meeting from Sept. 15 to Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. and scheduled special meetings for Aug. 28 at 8:30 a.m. and Sept. 11 at 8 a.m.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to news@fingerlakes1.com.