GLOVERSVILLE - After the vote on a local law to regulate the use of outdoor wood-burning boilers in the city wound up in a tie, 6th Ward Councilman Ray Hindes Jr. made some additions to the proposed law and plans to bring it up at the next council meeting.
Hindes brought the proposal back to the council Tuesday and changed the dates on the months of operation. The new proposal states that an outdoor wood-burning boiler shall be operated between Oct. 1 and April 30.
Hindes, 1st Ward Councilwoman Robin Wentworth and 4th Ward Councilwoman Ellen Anadio voted for the proposal, while 2nd Ward Councilman John Castiglione, 3rd Ward Councilman James Robinson and 5th Ward Councilman Matthew Myers voted against it at the July 28 meeting.
Councilman-at-Large James Handy was absent.
"I think it's important that if anybody has any other changes they would like to see to express them before we put it up for a public hearing," Wentworth said.
Robinson questioned a provision in the law that says an inspection of an outdoor wood-burning boiler can take place at any time. The council agreed to change that to between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Castiglione continued to voice his opposition to the proposal, stating the houses in most parts of the city are too close to each other to allow for wood-burning boilers. Smoke from the boilers has caused widespread concern.
"I just think we're asking for problems, healthwise, if we allow this," he said. "If people want to burn wood, let them get a wood stove in their house or a pellet stove or something of that nature, which we know is pretty safe."