Firewood program to expand

Weekenders now excluded from the March-only firewood collection program on town woodlands will soon get the chance to bolster their winter firewood supply for free. All they need is a chain saw and the willingness to do a little work in the woods.

Public Works Commissioner Jay Card, now in his first month as an elected official, asked the Town Board Tuesday to expand the program from one month to the entire winter season and allow wood collection on Saturdays, not just weekdays. He said he’s received requests for a broader program.

Fallen limbs and damaged trees from storms have left the town woodlands a jumble of dead wood and dying trees. It would be healthier for the woods if all the detritus were cleaned up; an expansion of the firewood program would help do that, he said. Highway workers would fell any damaged trees “and the people can come in behind them and take the wood.”

A permit would have to be obtained at the town clerk’s office. Mr. Card said only one particular area should be open to collection at a time to allow highway workers to prepare them for the wood pickers.

For some years now, the town has allowed residents to obtain a permit to cut wood from damaged and fallen trees that have been marked as available by Highway Department workers at Ice Pond Park, Sachem’s Woods, the Recycling Center property, Overlook II and the Nursery on St. Mary’s Road. The program was limited to the month of March so there would be no conflicts between deer hunters and wood collectors but Mr. Card wants the program extended all season, including Saturdays so weekenders can participate. Hunting “shouldn’t be an issue,” he said.

“I can’t imagine” anyone would find any objection to the proposal, Deputy Supervisor Christine Lewis said. She ran Tuesday’s work session in Supervisor Jim Dougherty’s absence. He was away on a vacation, she said.

The board members appeared to favor the proposal and agreed to vote on the idea at the Friday, January 13 regular Town Board meeting.