The Town Board has approved the spending of $6753 from the Town of Cornwall’s Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) budget for the purchase of 17 snowflake lights for Main St. They took the action at the August 20 board meeting.

The lights will decorate Main St. through not only the holiday season, but much of the dark, winter months, Supervisor Josh Wojehowski said the town’s Main St. Committee hopes. The lights, approved unanimously, were on sale in August, and the purchase will include three different styles of snowflakes.

“The Highway Department will borrow a bucket truck to install the brackets and fixtures, and then the snowflakes,” Wojehowski said.

Councilwoman Virginia Scott pushed back a little on the purchase before voting yes, saying that the total cost for the lights was really “up to $23,000” because the town had to have work done on the utility poles to “electrify” the lights.

In something else to watch Main St. – and Hudson St. in Cornwall-on-Hudson – for in the year ahead are ‘Hometown Hero’ banners. Wojehowski and Mayor James Gagliano are working with the American Legion and the Greater Newburgh Rotary Club to start the program, like many area communities have done. The Rotary Club has offered to administer the program, Wojehowski said.

Wojehowski said people like recently deceased Medal of Honor recipient Paul Bucha and former Cornwall Local editor Ken Cashman will likely be in the first round of 15 banners, as would late state senator Bill Larkin. The two are hoping to have banners in place by Veterans Day in November, with the project expanded in 2025.

The poles that would be used for these banners would not be the poles the snowflake lights will go on, Wojehowski said. “We’re currently working to identify where they will go,” he added, “and working on determining the criteria for those who will on the banners.”

In one other matter pertaining to things on local streets, at the public comment section of the meeting, former Supervisor Richard Randazzo asked the board to keep an eye on lawn signs along roads and on private property.

“We spent a lot of time and money on beautification, and these have become an eyesore,” Randazzo said. “They’re really out of control.”

He was speaking of the small signs advertising area businesses. “They clutter up the roadways, and, even on private property, we have zoning that controls signs. Pick them up.”

Attorney Steve Gaba said on private property, the town’s building inspector would have to cite the property owner for commercial advertising on private property. Randazzo said he believes the Highway Department can pick up the signs along the roadways.