The Feb. 9 meeting opened with a discussion concerning the town insurance policy, which will be renewed in April. Insurance agent Jim Kearns, of Markham-Bixby Agency, will visit the clerk’s office to explain the policy in detail. The contents of the policy are now on CD. The cost has increased $230 from last year, and the policy covers $40,000 on the contents of the town hall with a $1,000 deductible.

     Town Councilwoman Gloria Tomaszewski turned in her resignation to the assessment review board, as the position was a conflict of interest.

     Code Enforcement Officer Mel Shaw has a draft of the New York State Housing and Urban Development regulation books; the books will be completed by March. New York State will not pay for these new regulation books.

     The HUD grant came through for the Healthy Community Alliance and will begin at $2 million. Shaw mentioned looking for additional funding. Due to this grant, construction for the Center Street School project will likely begin in the late summer of 2007. The new construction will include low-income housing and new office space.

     According to the code enforcement officer report, permits for Merl Wilkins, John Gibbs, Jeff Menoff and Kirk Trumpore are still pending. Also, the NYS and HUD standards are changing for manufactured home installation and re-installation standards are changing. People now must be certified to install them and do repairs.

     The board approved the payment of the highway bills, bills from R.A. Mercer & Co. and general fund bills.

     The court has been approved for a grant for new filing cabinets; however, the grant has not yet been received. The court requested that the town cover the cost until the grant is received.

     The court also requested permission to attend schooling for justices at Houghton College in May 2006.

     Assessor Mary Bailey reminded the board that the deadline for all exemptions is March 1. The sequence of the tax roll is still being corrected, and Bailey would like to begin numbering the vacant properties within the town.

     According to representative R. Swanson, HSBC can now offer the town additional features such as on-line bill payments, which would eliminate check writing and postage. In addition, town employees would receive a gift (George Foreman grill) with the opening of a new account at HSBC at no additional cost to the town.

     The board received the Association of Towns certificate; the cost is $120 to renew membership.

     The board agreed to apply for an extension for the $26,000 study of Point Peter Road. During the spring of 2004, heavy rains caused a portion of the area to slide away and fall. It remains a very sensitive area, and there has been some discussion of shaving the bank back to prevent a similar occurrence.

     The next regular meeting of the Persia Town Board will be held on March 9 in the town hall.