ANCRAM–The Town Hall sparkles with a new coat of white paint, and the town made a little green in the process.
The town hall painting project, supervised by local painting contractor Jane Moore, was completed in record time last month by 17 residents–all of whom volunteered their time and elbow grease.
Ms. Moore was publicly thanked and the names of her volunteer crew members were read aloud at the April 17 Town Board meeting.
During their first day on the job, painters were sustained by a free lunch provided and delivered by The Farmer’s Wife.
The cost of the paint–$1,355, according to Supervisor Art Bassin, was paid for and then some by $1,700 in donations received from 43 people.
The extra $345 will be used to repair or replace some small areas of the wood siding. Supervisor Bassin estimates the cost of the needed wood at about $1,000–making the total cost to the town for beautifying the hall exterior $655.
That figure compares to the $23,000 the previous Town Board was ready to spend on the installation of vinyl siding until a public outcry against the move, a petition drive and the board’s failure to follow proper legal procedures sent the vinyl plan packing. Three members of the previous board were voted out of office last November.