Boston recreation director Bonnie Clesse resigns

BOSTON –– After working with the town of Boston for almost 10 years, Recreation Director Bonnie Clesse allowed the Boston Town Board to formally announce her resignation at its meeting on Aug. 1.

Clesse began her work in Boston in 1993 and will officially take leave from her duties on Dec. 31, when her resignation takes effect. The board waited until the summer program was underway to make Clesse’s plans public.

“I have thoroughly appreciated the opportunity to serve the people of Boston for a combined total of almost 10 years,” said Clesse, through a letter to Town Supervisor Martin Ballowe.

“I have enjoyed working with the dedicated town staff and officials, the summer and winter recreation staffs and almost all the children and families in town,” she continued, adding that, while she enjoyed performing her job with the town, she now wishes to spend more time with her four children and five grandchildren, who are located all over the country.

“In February, I told you of my retirement plan,” she said. “Thank you for agreeing to let me wait until camp is fully in operation before formally announcing my resignation. It enabled me to dedicate myself and organize everything for a smooth transition to incoming recreation directors.” She said that she has been preparing a “computerized project plan” for all of the town’s recreation programs, to smooth the transition for the next recreation director.

“I will also remain available to help in any way I can,” she said. “Thank you all for allowing me to [be] part of your lives and of our wonderful citizens of Boston.”

Councilman Jay Boardway, who, “with regret,” seconded the motion to accept Clesse’s resignation, said, “As the recreation liaison, I have had the opportunity to work with Miss Clesse for three years now. She essentially turned that program around, from being on the verge of threads to now a department that keeps these children happy, occupied [and] busy during the summer.

“It keeps them challenged, and, on top of that, the budgetary part of that she’s put together has taken that department from a $30,000 deficit before we came in here to a dead even. We make no profit, but we lose no money on this. So again, it’s going to be very sad to see her go.

“She’s assured me she’s going to stay on and assist with training the recreation director which will be appointed,” he added.

In other board matters:

– In addition to Clesse, there was another resignation announced at the board meeting. Kathleen Telaak, assistant to the town supervisor, will remain on board until only the end of the month, as her resignation takes effect on Aug. 31.

“It has been a pleasure working with you and serving the town of Boston for the past few years,” she said, in a letter to the board. “Thank you for the opportunity.”

“She’s been my right hand,” Ballowe said. “I will truly miss having her there. You don’t realize how much you depend on that second person there until they’re gone, but I regretfully will accept her letter of resignation.”

– Donald O’Bryant, president of the Boston Emergency Squad, wrote to thank the board “for allowing the squad to utilize the talents of grant writer Connie Miner to assist [it] in submitting a [Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance to firefighters grants] application requesting funding for replacement radio equipment.”

The request is to allow the squad to purchase two ultra-high frequency mobile radios, 12 UHF portable radios and 40 UHF pagers, which are “all needed to comply with new [Federal Communications Commission] narrow banding standards, dispatching upgrades and field communications interoperability.”

O’Bryant said, “Connie took on the project with a limited window of time, prior to the July 6 submittal deadline, and completed same, providing email updates over the holiday week. Her composition skills and focus to detail is to be commended.”

– Tom Winters, having “completed the mandatory fire-police training course required of New York state,” was appointed “to carry out the duties of fire police officer for the Patchin Fire Company.”

– The board approved “an additional accessory building for storage” to Jacob and Penelope Karb. According to Code Enforcement Officer William Ferguson, “The accessory building size and location meet the requirements of the Boston Zoning Code.” The same was said of Steven Walker’s request for “an additional accessory building for animals and storage,” which was also approved by the board.

– A special permit application from Boston Valley Auto for a 500-gallon propane tank was referred to Ferguson “to verify if [the application] should go to the planning board or the [Zoning Board of Appeals] and makes sure this [proposal] agrees with [the town’s] zoning,” according to Councilman Jeff Genzel.

– The board scheduled a bid opening for the Eighteenmile Creek streambed project for Aug. 28 at 10 a.m. “The trees list and they fall into the creek constantly and they need to be cleared out,” said Councilman Larry Murtha. “Trees have been marked from Zimmerman, the bridge there, to approximately Old Orchard. There’s also a section south of the Hillcroft bridge that needs work too.” The bid openings will be at the clerk’s office.

– “Meals on Wheels needs volunteers,” said Ballowe. “We do reimburse them for their mileage, for helping our community. The group we have now is an excellent group. They really get in here and deliver anywhere, I think, from 19 [to more than 20] meals a day to people in our community, so we do need volunteers for that.”

– A blood drive will be held in the community room of the town hall from 2:30 – 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 14. A coupon for a small pizza at Bella Pizza will be given to all donors.

– Hunting licenses go on sale Aug. 13 in the clerk’s office. “From Aug. 13 – 31, my office will be open at 8 a.m. to accommodate those people who like to come in early for licenses,” said Town Clerk Jennifer Mule’.

– “We’re always looking for quality members,” said Genzel, regarding the planning board and ZBA. “Please submit a letter of request to the clerk and we’ll forward it on to the appropriate board.”

– Highway Superintendent Robert Telaak reported that brush pickup will begin on Sept. 1 and continue until the end of October. Also in October, leaves will be available. “Anybody in town looking for leaves, we’re looking for places to dump leaves,” said Telaak.

The town board will reconvene on Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the town hall, located at 8500 Boston State Road in Boston.