Revised Comprehensive Plan Okayed in Town of Somers
For the first time since 1994 the Somers Comprehensive Plan has been updated.
The town board voted unanimously to approve the revised document on February 11 after the board closed the adjourned public hearing, during which no residents commented.
Frank Fish, a consultant hired by the town, worked with Town Planner Syrette Dym to update the document. They used much of the information compiled by the former Master Plan Committee, which volunteered its efforts from 2003 to 2008.
Supervisor Rick Morrissey thanked the previous committee for its efforts. He also thanked residents who recently provided comments on the document. “We had a lot of input,” he said.
The Comprehensive Plan was formerly known as the Master Plan. A Comprehensive Plan is “a vision for the overall town” for a period of about the next decade, Fish said at a previous town board meeting.
The revised Comprehensive Plan can be read on the town’s Web site (somersny.com).
Traffic concerns
At last week’s meeting the town board referred the concepts of potentially creating a roundabout at the intersection of Routes 100 and 35 and the possibility of reducing the speed limit on Route 100 from Route 202 to Plumbrook Road from the current 50 miles per hour to 35 miles per hour to the town’s fire, police and highway departments and the Somers School District for their comments. Both moves would increase traffic flow and reduce accidents, Morrissey said.
A roundabout would have to be approved by the state Department of Transportation, Morrissey said.
Teamsters contract okayed
Also at last week’s meeting the board voted unanimously to approve a new contract with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 456, which represents 14 employees who work in the Highway Department.
The contract was negotiated on behalf of the town by Morrissey and Councilman Richard Clinchy.
The workers will receive salary increase of 1.75 percent in 2016, 2017, and 2018 and pay hikes of 2 percent in 2019 and 2020.
“It was a very good negotiation,” Clinchy said.
