ELDRED, NY — Not even the thunder and lightning that accompanied a deluge of rain could dampen the spirits of those present at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Highland highway garage on July 27.

Due to the rain, the crowd assembled at the Highland Senior Center adjacent to the site of the new garage. Supervisor Jeff Haas summarized the chronology of the project, which was first discussed in 2004. The original plan called for a joint project with the Eldred School District bus garage. In 2008 the plan was amended to include the highway garage only, but grant monies were not sought until 2015. Haas said with a wry smile that on January 1, 2016, his first day as supervisor, the news of the denial of the grant was disclosed.

In 2016, new grant monies were sought through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Climate Smart Communities initiative and official notification of the grant award in the amount of $498,700 was announced in February 2017. Shortly thereafter the town hired Laberge Group to administer the grant and provide architectural and engineering oversight to the project. In mid-2017 additional grant money was sought and received through the help of Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther. Bids were awarded for four phases of construction earlier in 2018, leading up to the groundbreaking.

Gunther noted that the project was a long time in coming and that she was glad to assist in the town receiving its fair share of grant money for the construction. She said that as a resident of neighboring Forestburgh, coming to Highland is like being with family.

Mark Lowrey of the DEC stated that Highland is the first town in New York to break ground for a construction project that qualified for grant money under the Climate Smart Communities program, for which it qualified by relocating the existing highway garage away from a flood-prone area. The project also includes several energy-saving initiatives. 

Also present was Andy Boyar, who was the town supervisor during much of the initial planning for the project. He said that the groundbreaking was a momentous day in the history of the town. 

Jim Clarke of the Laberge Group said that construction will begin as soon as the metal superstructure materials arrive on site. The project was, by law, broken down into four prime contracts, with Verticon acting as general contractor and plumbing contractor; and DJ Heating and Air Conditioning and Schuler-Haas handling the HVAC and electrical work, respectively. Code enforcement officer Dave Preston will provide day-to-day oversight of the project. The project will cost $1.7 million and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

As an omen of good fortune at the ceremony on July 27, the skies cleared in time for the groundbreaking to proceed.