BY ADAM ATKINSON

North Country This Week

CANTON — The Canton village and town boards recently authorized the village mayor and town supervisor to sign off on several shared services agreements between the two municipalities, but held off giving the nod to an agreement on the recreation program until fall when a budget for the program would be developed.

The agreements outline how various services, resources, equipment, manpower, facilities, departments and technology are pooled or used conjointly between the village and the town, and how the costs of services are shared.

The agreements would normally be reviewed and signed by the first of the year, but the pandemic had delayed the annual approval by the boards, said Village Trustee Carol Pynchon at a joint meeting of the town and village recently.

The boards reviewed the following shared services agreements between the municipalities: assessor, historian, municipal building, recreation department, economic development and certain aspects of the town court.

Pynchon said the municipalities have traditionally shared services, but often under hand-shake agreements or understandings between various officials, who then retire or move on or leave office.

“So it became important for us to get these in writing every year,” she said.

The boards reviewed several of the agreements, proposing a few changes, but opted to hold off on the recreation department agreement. The Canton Recreation Program is in a state of transition and redevelopment of programming and final costs of what will be offered and developed have yet to be determined. Proposed costs for the program are not expected to get down to brass tacks until fall when the recreation committee will have developed a new budget. Traditionally the town and village split the cost of the program.

Members of the boards were reticent to authorize the mayor and supervisor to sign the agreement as it stands currently until the costs were known.

“It seems like a fools errand to agree to pay half of something that you don’t know what it is,” said Town Councilman Bob Washo during discussion. “In the position I’m in, that’s not good stewardship of the town taxpayers money, to sign off on an agreement that I don’t know the details.”

“That’s fair, I don’t disagree,” said Pynchon. “I think its completely fine to table and wait.”

Pynchon said she would like to get the shared services agreement for recreation approved by both municipalities by the end of the year however. She said the town and village have not had a shared services agreement for recreation since she had been on the board. “Its a can that has been kicked down the road just repeatedly,” said Pynchon.

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