ELDRED, NY —A couple of physical details at the new highway barn still needed to be ironed out last week, but Highland Supervisor Jeff Haas said that, “Hopefully, by the end of the month, we might be able to be in there.”

The $1 million project has had construction delays, which pushed back the earlier May estimate for completion. Haas reported on July 9 that councilman Fred Bosch and code enforcement officer/clerk of the works Dave Preston had delivered a final punch-list to building contractor Verticon Construction.

One of the final physical issues was the installation of the shop’s new air compressor, which arrived on a pallet, too tall to go in the mechanical room. The top-heavy configuration of the compressor made moving and installing it difficult, so the town board opted to pay $1,759 for the provider’s crew to install it to avoid any chance of compromising the warranty. “Our guys looked at it but were reluctant to move it… It’s important that the startup be done [by the provider] for the sake of the warranty,” Preston said.

Financial issues are holding up the other portion of the project, the new 80-by-88 foot salt shed. The overall width is expected to be 135 feet with the addition of gambrel roofs at either side, however, consultant Laberge has not returned proposals.

Haas said the shed was moving forward in terms of preliminary and administrative meetings, but the town has been waiting for seven weeks for payment of NYS Department of Environmental Conservation grant that is funding the shed.“We need to satisfy contractors. Our backs are up against the wall,” he said.

In other business, councilman Jim Hanson complimented Carol Sundholm on her floral design work in Eldred and for the summer season.
The board noted that Sullivan County will hold a public information meeting in the hall on July 23 at 7p.m. to detail plans for the replacement of the small bridge at the base of the hill on CR 33, near the driveway for the Methodist Church. The work will create single-lane traffic delays and is expected to last two to three weeks.