The Village of Pelham Manor Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday to accept a $90,480 bid from Fred. A. Cook Jr. Inc. for smoke testing of the sanitary sewers.

“This is something that we have done periodically through the years,” said Mayor Jenifer Monachino Lapey.

“The sanitary sewer smoke testing is a practice to assess how your sanitary sewer system is operating,” said Village Manager Lindsey Luft. “When you have any large-scale infrastructure, you go through this long process of maintaining, improving and asses multiple times. There will be smoke testing village-wide.”

Montrose-based Fred A. Cook Jr. Inc. has done the work for the village several times in the past and currently cleans the Manor’s sewer basins. 

“Cook knows our system well, which is why they were able to come in,” said Luft.  

Ashok Seecharran was acknowledged by the board for his hard work in achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. 

“We are thrilled that he is the second in his family to become an Eagle Scout,” said Monachino Lapey. “We watched him grow and add arrows to their quiver and contribute to the community, and we are thrilled that he has provided a community benefit at Highbrook Highline. I can’t think of anything better.”

Seecharran created steps that provide an alternative path to safely ascend and descend a challenging steep slope to and from the community trail at Highbrook Highline, a two-acre park built from an on old railroad bridge that crosses Highbrook Avenue in the Village of Pelham. The platform steps leave enough space for strollers and bikes and includes a perimeter of pressure-treated wood with gravel poured into each one and topped with a thin layer of mulch to enhance the visual appeal. 

“What Ashok has done has improved this area and made it aesthetically pleasing, and he has remained mindful,” said Monachino Lapey. “All of us can concur that he has remained mindful of young parents with gear like strollers.”

• The village boards and the town council make decisions that affect Pelham’s residents. The Pelham Examiner brings the discussions, the policies and the votes that impact taxes and neighborhoods. Donate to support our nonprofit community newspaper.