Fulton Aldermen OK Borrowing to Finish Gas Station Cleanup

by Contributor | April 8, 2011 7:45 am

Fulton city officials this week took the last action needed to complete the cleanup of a former gas station on the city’s west side.

Members of the Common Council voted to borrow $39,000 to pay for the excavation, cleanup and repair of the former Valero gas station on West First St.

The city took over the property because of unpaid property taxes and, just as it was finding a buyer for the land, discovered that it had assumed responsibility for the underground fuel storage tanks on the property.

That killed the sale. The state Department of Environmental Conservation threatened to fine the city if it did not clean up the property.

A contractor performed the cleanup over the winter, digging out the tanks and removing the gas pumping stations.

The project was completed “quite a ways under budget,” said Mayor Ron Woodward. He said the state has told the city that no further cleanup is required. Woodward said the city has begun to try to sell the property again and will patch the blacktop torn up during the cleanup as soon as the asphalt plants open for the summer construction season.

Members of the Council unanimously agreed to borrow the money, which will be paid back over 10 years.

Also this week:

• Council members agreed to seek bids for top soil, hydroseeding services, and gasoline and diesel fuel. These bid requests go out every year at this time, Woodward said;
• Woodward noted the letter of disclosure from Fulton firefighter Edward Kasparek, who he said sells some equipment to the city. Disclosure letters are required when there is a potential conflict of interest;
• Woodward noted the appointment of Ethel Canfield to the city’s Planning Commission;
• Council members voted to allow Woodward to sign contracts with the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau for operation of a summer parks and recreation program and for operation of a DARE stranger danger program;
• The council approved acting as the lead agency for a brownfield opportunity area in the city. Brownfield areas are former pollution sites that can be made available for development.

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