Police chief honored by town

The Town of Warwick honored Police Chief John Rader for his leadership during the recent wildfires. In a surprise presentation at the December 12 Warwick Town Board meeting, Supervisor Jesse Dwyer commented on Rader’s experience in emergency services and commended him for ensuring the safety of the public.

“I would not have wanted anyone else by my side,” said Dwyer. “I’m here to say Chief Rader goes above and beyond the call of duty.”

After accepting a plaque and pin denoting his service, Rader expressed his gratitude to Dwyer and the town board for surprising him with the honor. He acknowledged the support of his department, citing the many officers that worked overtime to keep residents and emergency workers safe during the fires.

Outdoor recreation

Work on Transformation Trails, a planned arboretum to include pollinator meadows and sculptures, continues at Wickham Woodlands, DPW Supervisor Ben Astorino reported at the meeting, sharing that his team will be spending much of the coming months clearing the large amounts of debris in the area. During the meeting, Dwyer shared that the grant-funded bike/hike trail, which will connect Cascade Road and Cascade Lake Park with the Orange County Park at Hickory Hills, is underway. In addition, the town will be using grant money to purchase new playground equipment and handicap-accessible matting for Airport Park and is hoping to complete the new pool installation at Mountain Lake Park by Memorial Day of next year. Dwyer noted that if the pool cannot be done entirely by that point, the project will be postponed so as not disrupt enjoyment of the park during the busy season.

Sewer, water

Dwyer spoke about the town’s efforts to improve the Wickham Sewer District, despite challenges in receiving grant money. The Supervisor explained that the town was denied a grant via the states’ Water Infrastructure Improvement (WIIA) program, which was expected, as the town’s median household income is higher than other communities, despite the Wickham Sewer District only serving a portion of the town residents.

Dwyer said he is working with Warwick Water and Sewer Deputy Director Matthew McPherson, town engineers, and the DEC to take proactive measures to keep the Wickham Sewer District operating safely. In addition, the Supervisor said the town will reapply for the WIIA grant and to others as they become available.

McPherson updated the board on the status of the Pine Island well, noting that his department is waiting for a response from the county health department for final approval to connect the new well to the water district. Dwyer shared that the town will be working on a long-term solution for Pine Island’s water treatment plant and storage facility in 2025.

Other business

During the meeting, a member of the public questioned why the town was engaging the services of a grant consulting firm, when, as he claimed, this was historically handled by the town supervisor. The town approved a resolution authorizing the town to employ Millennium Strategies, whose cost and services will be shared with the three villages. Earlier in the meeting, Dwyer said that with rising costs for infrastructure improvements and other needs, obtaining grants is vital to ensure that the burden isn’t passed on to the taxpayers. The commenter questioned the need for this firm, when previous supervisors took on the responsibility of grants themselves.

He also commented on the board’s resolution giving the town supervisor and others the ability to use town vehicles outside of resolution – use of vehicles outside of Town Hall or regular duty hours, including storage of vehicles and driving to and from private residences. He said that the town supervisor position was always a part-time position and never warranted use of those vehicles.

Dwyer responded that while previous supervisors did expense their mileage, it was more cost-efficient for him to use an older town vehicle. He also shared that he has a more hands-on style, which has him going around the town to different departments, different parks and meeting with constituents.