The Town of Shawangunk is expected to approve a new three-year contract for the Town Police Department at its next Town Board meeting on December 21.

Supervisor John Valk said he just received the memorandum of agreement before the December 7 meeting.

“So, it’ll be on the agenda at our next meeting to approve the contract,” Valk said.

Although there was no comment by the four board members in attendance about the police contract at the December 7 meeting, Valk told the Wallkill Valley Times after the meeting that the three-year contract is two years overdue.

“It should be quite attractive to the police officers,” Valk said. “We’re making a lot of adjustments. We’re paying for experience.”

In other news, the board unanimously approved a bid of $240,000 from Wittcon Construction of Circleville to make repairs to the town’s pump station. The board voted 4-0 to approve the bid. Councilman Robert Miller was absent.

“There were a lot of bids on that project,” Valk said. “Seven or eight.”

Valk said the work at the pump station is to replace equipment that is over 40 years old.

“We’re making repairs so we won’t have sewage going into the river,” Valk said. “I have to say our plant is state-of-the-art. We’ll be upgrading everything.”

The board also approved increases in rates at the town’s Transfer Station, Recycling and Compost Center at 267 River Road in Wallkill.

Residential permit fees for the first vehicle increased from $30 to $32 and from $7 to $8 for a second vehicle.

Daily access permit fees increased from $15 to $18.
Senior citizen permit fees remained $20.
Punch cards for garbage (12 punches for a 35-gallon can) increased from $54 to $60.

At the end of the meeting, Valk announced that since he had a family commitment on December 21 he would not be able to attend the meeting.

“So that being said, this will be my last meeting as Supervisor,” said Valk, who will be retiring as Supervisor after serving in that capacity since January 1998. “I would like to thank everybody for the many years of cooperation. I always found all the board members easy to work with. Not that we always agreed, but compared to some towns where nothing gets accomplished, I believe that’s why we get so much accomplished because we communicate well.”

Valk also thanked the residents of the Town of Shawangunk for “my years here.”

Valk said he looked forward to working with Ken Ronk Jr., who will take office on January 1, 2024.
Looking directly at Ronk who was seated in the audience, Valk said, “I think you’ll hit the ground running with new ideas.”

Valk then asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting for the last time. He received an ovation from board members and the town residents in the audience.