Deputy assumed new title at Monday’s Town Board meeting
It’s been about two months since Town of Highlands Police Chief Frank Basile retired; Deputy Chief Joseph Burns has been running the department since then. As of Monday, though, Burns is no longer ‘deputy’ — he was promoted to Chief at Monday’s meeting of the Town Board after successfully completing a probation period as deputy and gaining Orange County Civil Service approval.
It was a unanimous decision to promote Burns.
In three other police matters from the meeting: the board also hired a part-time police officer, Michael Pitt, retired out of the City of Newburgh PD; accepted the resignation of Officer Katherine Otero; and okayed Burns’ request for the town to begin using the LexisNexis software to provide electronic accident reports to both insurance companies and individuals. That is at no cost to the town, Burns said.
Also at the meeting:
— The board acknowledged the payment of $140,122 in bills. The larger amounts, Supervisor Bob Livsey said, were: $32,836 to Rockland County Solid Waste; $31,346 to NYS Municipal Workers Comp – for insurance; $11,857 to Orange & Rockland; $10,000 to New Windsor Ambulance Corps for recent coverage; and $7878 to Rider, Weiner & Frankel for legal fees.
— The board voted unanimously to settle a lawsuit from William Salerno, who said he had his towing license improperly revoked, causing him to “sustain damages”. The settlement is for $13,286.
— Livsey said, after a request from the town’s judges, they will be considering increasing the salaries of certain clerks throughout the town’s employment at budget time, later this summer.
— Fort Montgomery’s Greg Madigan was on hand to tell the board of good work he observed by the Town Crew in removing dead trees. “Keep up the good work,” Madigan said. Livsey agreed that the crew “does a damn good job” at everything they do.
— Councilmen Tyrone King and Joe DeWitt thanked town employees, first responders and volunteers for being prepared to help in the community during both the recent heat wave and strong storms.
— Councilwoman Nancy Sporbert noted that the Town of Highlands Ambulance Corps (with the assistance of the New Windsor Ambulance Corps when both ambulances were out of service) was able to respond to 53 of 54 calls in May.
— For Deputy Supervisor Rich Sullivan, DeWitt congratulated Building Inspector Phil Hannawalt for recently scoring a 90 on the next level of Civil Service test in his field, putting him #4 on the Orange County List for Building Inspector 3.
The board meets next on Monday, July 8.
