On the last meeting of the year, the Lloyd Town Board presented Larry Hammond with a Certificate of Outstanding Service for his 35 years as a volunteer on the Planning Board and on the Water & Sewer Advisory board.

In a subsequent interview with the Southern Ulster Times, Hammond said once he got on the planning board, “I enjoyed it and it was just a good part of life.” He said members serve on the Planning Board in 7 year terms and he is retiring now at the end of his 7th term. He said he made up his mind a year beforehand in a similar way when he retired from teaching.
“I enjoyed my last year and walked out happy,” he said.

Hammond said many who appeared before the board had been students in his Industrial Arts class, a position he had for 37 years. He will turn 85 in the spring and wants to spend more time with his family, who all live in Highland.

Hammond recalled that one of the first projects to come before the board was Bridgeview Plaza, which prior to development was an old farm.

“There was a beautiful old stone house and there was an uproar because they wanted to take it down, but some things have to go with progress,” he said.

Hammond said to see the town move forward was rewarding, “and seeing things that helped the town.” He feels the town has a very good planning board and his retirement leaves room for new perspectives from the next generation.

Hammond summed up his take of the present planning board.

“You have avenues and different likes and dislikes and backgrounds but everybody seems to work together and are all working for the betterment of the town,” he said.