ELDRED, NY — Business was brisk at the Highland Town Board. The meeting, held at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, had been rescheduled from the previous night due to inclement weather. 

The meeting, which included a nine-minute executive session for litagation and personnel issues, clocked in at 41 minutes. Councilwoman Kaitlin Haas had another meeting at 9 a.m. and supervisor Jeff Haas announced the meeting would be moving quickly.

Following the executive session, the board voted unanimously to engage the services of attorney of the town Michael Davidoff to represent the town in a lawsuit that has been filed by Highland resident and former constable Marc Anthony on March 13. (See related story, page 3.) 

In other business, the board announced:

• that the town’s investments, held by NYCLASS, a muncipal investment company, are 100 percent collateralized, and have yielded $16,444 as of February. The town had anticipated an annual return of $9,000 in its 2023 budget;
• that the Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP), a municipally funded, pension-like benefit for volunteer firefighters, will continue uninterrupted. The New York State certificate has been transfered from the American Legion Post Ambulance Service to the newly formed Highland Ambulance Service;
• that the New York State DOT permit for the Kate Project has been received; and that
• there is nothing to report on the progress of filling the empty positions of highway superintendent or town council member.

The board also took the following actions:

• engaged town engineer Joseph Gottlieb to prepare an updated site plan for the preparation of the Stormwater Protection Plan, the last documentation necessary for the final release of state funds for the salt shed project;
• appointed Steve Stolte to the Zoning Board of Appeals and John Marciano Sr. as alternate, named Andy Boyar as the Litter Leader for the UDC’s annual cleanup; 
• took no action on the motion to withdraw the designation of the River Reporter as one of the official newspapers of the Town of Highland; and
• set a public hearing for 6:45 p.m. on April 11 for a local law that will permit videoconferencing for public bodies.

The board meets the second Tuesday each month at 7 p.m. at the town hall. Workshop meetings are held on the first Tuesday.