I was informed recently that the Town of Webb is considering a fee for anyone attempting to go up and work on the communications tower at McCauley Mountain. This, to me, goes beyond disappointing to appalling.
Over the years, the antennas for the Emergency Services has been moved to the bottom of the tower to the point that the trees are higher than they are.
We have finally secured the funding to erect a second tower to be dedicated to emergency services and police. The necessary legislation has been signed at the state level, and the only opposition that is being encountered seems to be from the town.
There will be no cost to the town, and this tower will serve to greatly improve the communications in the area.
It will do this by getting the antennas away from the clutter associated with its current location. It will also raise the antennas to where they should have been to begin with, thus giving greater coverage.
We need to ask what the problem is.
I am also wondering, “What is the plan to resurface Route 28?” As for timeframe, I have heard “this fall,” “next spring” and “there is no plan at this time.”
Crews came up and milled the top of the road off last spring and made it better.
Yet, the road is still not good. What is left is already starting to break up. Once the water gets into the cracks and freezes, it has the potential to be worse than last spring.
Maybe we should start pushing to repair it before it becomes dangerous. It is just a thought.
In closing, I would like to mention the health care situation here in the Town of Webb.
A few years ago, the Webb Property Owners Association (WPOA) pushed to close the Health Center as it was set up, and the town board negotiated a contract with St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Utica.
There was a committee set up to look into it, which had no representation from the Emergency Services (even though three of us requested it) and very little input from the Medical community here.
The town got what they requested and negotiated.
The point I am getting at is: If you are disappointed or unhappy with what transpired, would you please refrain from calling the Doctors office and yelling and cursing at the personnel that work there?
They are doing the best they can and you have an aging, overworked Emergency Services Corps that is doing its best to pick up the slack.
Your actions would be better directed to the Town of Webb Supervisor, board members or to St. Elizabeth’s.
And positive suggestions work much better than tyrannical complaints.
That’s about it for now… but if I can think of anything else, I will let you know.
David W. Berkstresser
Old Forge