Menands trustees approve transfers and fire-equipment purchases, authorize Simmons Lane bid and OK shared-services MOU

At their regular meeting, Menands trustees approved routine minutes and warrants and acted on a package of fiscal and capital items.

Finance and transfers: The treasurer presented a cash-flow plan that included using internal savings to avoid short-term commercial borrowing. Trustees discussed a larger interim loan concept (the treasurer referenced a $200,000 figure in the explanation) but the motion moved at the meeting authorized the treasurer to transfer $12,000 from the sewer savings account to the general checking account, to be returned with interest by May 31, 2027; one trustee recorded opposition to that motion on the floor.

Fire equipment: A fire-department representative, David, requested three purchases: 10 pagers via a New York State contract (total $3,588 at a reported 35% discount), a battery-operated smoke ejector ($5,471.85) to avoid reliance on scene power, and $260 to repair/upgrade emergency lighting on an apparatus. Trustees authorized the purchases from a fire-equipment savings account (reported balance roughly $7,000–$9,000) but agreed to table a separate proposed vehicle/truck purchase until the board can review account history and the timing of transfers.

Simmons Lane paving: Trustees discussed Simmons Lane’s severe deterioration and the high cost of full reconstruction (estimated in the transcript at the low hundreds of thousands). The board authorized the clerk to solicit bids for a 3-inch milling and binder resurfacing as a temporary 3–5 year fix, and discussed pursuing contributions from the county and local commercial users for a later full rebuild and a possible local-law weight restriction for trucks.

Shared services and operations: The board approved giving the mayor authority to enter a memorandum of understanding with the neighboring city (referred to in the transcript as the city of Waterloo) to share DPW equipment, employees and supplies when needed; arrangements were described as typically limited to fuel and routine costs.

Other administrative items included scheduling a budget hearing for April 20 at 6 p.m., a payroll-vendor review by staff and trustees, leaf-vacuum dates (April 13–16), AED installations funded by a Perma grant, and an upcoming lead-service-line outreach program that will include offering free water pitchers and filters to affected households.