The villages of Skaneateles and Duk Payuel, South Sudan, are officially on the path to becoming sister cities after the Skaneateles Village Board of Trustees approved the relationship at its Nov. 29 meeting.

The action was requested of the board by the Rev. Dr. Craig Lindsay, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Skaneateles and secretary of the board of directors of the John Dau Foundation, in a Nov. 21 letter. The letter explains the history of the already decade-long relationship between the two villages, mainly through volunteers, donations and other assistance to the Duk Payuel primary health care clinic.

“By committing to this ‘Sister-Village’ relationship, the village board recognizes the ongoing hard work and dedication of all these persons, and extends the possibility of the Village of Skaneateles and the Village of Duk Payuel each coming to better know the outside world,” Lindsay wrote.

Lindsay, who was present at the board meeting, said that if approved, the adopted resolution concerning the sister city relationship could be brought to the Duk Payuel village chiefs and administrators next week when local residents travel to South Sudan to assist with eye surgeries at the health clinic.

The trustees all agreed this was a “wonderful idea,” as Mary Sennett said, and unanimously voted to approve the sister city relationship.

Mayor Marty Hubbard said the village would print an official response and resolution of the new relationship and have it ready by Dec. 9, when the next volunteers and missionaries from Skaneateles travel to Duk Payuel.

Also at the meeting:

—Mayor Marty Hubbard apologized to village residents for the late leaf pickup this year. He said the village DPW crews have been busy with numerous projects that have been taking precedence, but “next year we’ll do better.”

Director of Municipal Operations Bob Lotkowictz said that since last week he has had two crews working on leaf pickup to try to make up for lost time. He also wanted to remind residents that the village leaf machine cannot pick up sticks and residents must separate sticks and leaves into separate piles at the curb. “It would help the process,” he said.

—Lotkowictz said the Prentiss Drive pedestrian path is “done for the season” and urged board members to take a walk on it. He said he had not received any feedback, positive or negative, from Prentiss Drive subdivision neighbors about the path’s renovation, which all the trustees agreed meant that people are probably satisfied with the work.

Lotkowictz also gave the board a report on his presentation to the Town Planning Board concerning his letter of concern about water use issues and the proposed Victory Sports Medicine sports campus. “It really was uneventful,” Lotkowictz said, adding that he just read his letter out loud and the board agreed to consider his concerns. He told the trustees that he would continue to attend the planning board meetings on the VSM project.

—Hubbard announced that the pre-bid conference for the new village hall renovation work was held last week at the Fennell Street building and “went very well” and was well attended. Village DPW crews had cleared out all the debris and old wires and other extraneous materials from the old fire station so contractors could get a better idea of the space and the work that was required. Bids for the renovation work will open this month.

—The village board unanimously voted to hire Apple Roofing Corp., of Syracuse, to repair the main roof of the village wastewater treatment plant at a cost of $22,293. Of the four estimates obtained for the work, Apple’s was the lowest price. The money has been budgeted in the village budget, Hubbard said.

—The village board voted to reinstate longevity payments for non-union, full-time village employees. They payments, which affect three department heads, will replace the yearly bonuses given from 2004 to 2010, which are now defunct. Prior to 2004 department heads received automatic longevity payments, which all union employees of the village also receive per their labor contracts. The payments, which are based on years of service, are made to recognize the department heads’ commitment to the village of Skaneateles.

Jason Emerson is editor of the Skaneateles Press. He can be reached at [email protected].