The meeting started with George Johnson explaining the town’s insurance to the board members and making necessary changes to the policies.  Mr. Johnson presented the board with a check for $1,257.00.  The way I understood the explanation for this check was it was a dividend check and the town should receive one for the next couple of years.   Mr. Johnson also suggested to the board as a result  of recent incidents in other towns that the board increase the policy on “Employee Dishonesty” from $10,000 to $25,000.

A motion was made to transfer $1,598.00 from Contingency to the Garage Contractual to cover the overage on the new garage doors that were installed last month.  This passed with no opposition.

Supervisor Howard then went on a tangent about how he wished someone would please explain the town budget to him and what all the accounts are.  Michelle did a very good job explaining to him that the State sets the accounts and that all of these figures have to be reported to the state not only by her but also by the Town Superintendent.  There is a purpose for all of these accounts.  Curt Rung then proceeded to explain to Mr. Howard the difference between contractual and salary. SCARY!!!

A motion was made by the board to close the Steuben Highway and General savings accounts and transfer them to the MBIA where they would earn interest.

The board approved the Town Clerks report but on a side note I would like everyone to know that this is the 6th YEAR that the taxes did not balance and as of the date of this report they are still not balanced with the County.  The tax collectors balance their taxes with the County the first week in April.  For anyone that is not familiar with the collection of taxes, these are computerized now..   When a tax payment is received the tax collector brings up the tax bill on the screen, tax collector marks it paid.  At the end of the day, the tax collector would then print out a report of that days payments.  That report should match your deposit.  Boom you are done. At the end of the tax season all your deposits should match her totals from

Curt has turned in a CHIPS claim of $35,029.88 to the state for reimbursement and has gone through 11-tons of cold patch so far this year.

Alice stated that the she received a letter from the state and the town is at 100%.  The Enhanced Star is $60,100 and the Basic Star is $30,000.  Grievance day is Tuesday, May 26th from 5 to 9.

Mike Scott reported he spoke to the lawyer handling the Mosher property and it is still in the hands of their lawyer.  In the mean time, another month of paying to have the septic tank pumped at the town hall.

The town board hired Clark Patterson Engineers to handle the paperwork for the Windmills.  There will be a public hearing in July on this project.  I will let you know of the date.

Motion was passed to give the donation of $400/each to the Summer Soccer League and the Youth Program at the Library.  This money is already in the budget for these programs.

It was also suggested that they give the museum the $500 that is budgeted for them.  Mr. Howard seemed to have a problem with this money going to them.  He felt that the town was giving away too much money and that this appropriated fund should go to Don Cady instead for mileage.  For anyone who isn’t aware, Don Cady is the Town Historian though I’m not sure when he was actually appointed.

I hope everyone has a great and safe Memorial Day Weekend!!!!!

Supervisor: Jonah French
Town Clerk: Azariah Randolph
Commissioner of Highways: Joseph Allen
Collector: Abner B. Cole
Commissioners of Common Schools: Edward Wightman, Calvin Wheeler, Sheldon P. Stanton
Overseers of the Poor: Ezekiel Johnson and Chauncey Axtell
Inspectors of Common Schools: Clark Rogers, Pliny Evans, Ezekiel R. Clark
Constables: Abner B. Cole, Alan Stanton, John Truman
Sealer of Weights and Measures: John W. Jordan

Minutes of the first meeting were read as follows:

Resolved: That the annual meeting be held the first Tuesday of March each year.
Resolved: That we elect officers as listed above.
Resolved: That we raise as much money as the law will allow.
Resolved: That the meeting stand adjourned.

Old ledgers record that the annual meetings were usually held at the homes of the officers until March 4, 1854 when the meetings were held at the Forrest House.

During the years 1863, 1864 and 1865 any special meetings were called for the purpose of procuring Volunteers for the War Between the States.

December 23, 1863 at a special meeting it was-

Resolved- That the Town of Wirt shall pay to each volunteer, who shall enlist under the President’s call of October 17, 1863 or have enlisted, who shall apply on said call when mustered into the service of the United States the sum of $300.00 to be paid in bounty orders bearing interest from date as follows; the sum of $100.00 the first day of March 1866 and $100.00 the first day of March 1867. Said orders to be payable to the order of the Supervisor of Said Town.

William Withey, Town Clerk

Nine additional meetings were called for the procuring of Volunteers and moneys appropriated for them.

Fourteen men from the Town of Wirt joined the Union Army at the beginning of the War Between the States. Others volunteered from time to time. Fourteen died on the battlefields while six died in Andersonville Prison.

Cassius Maxson Post GAR was established in Richburg at the close of the war and flourished for any years, but ceased to function when the men who wore the blue, one by one, passed away. Crandall Lester, Richburg’s last GAR veteran passed away in 1924 at the age of 84. He served with the 160^th regiment, New York Volunteers as Sergeant. He was honorably discharged October 17, 1864.

Taken from “The History of the Town of Wirt and Village of Richburg”