Village Board Meeting

Ellicottville Village Board Meeting

The July meeting of the Ellicottville Village Board started with Business From the Floor, where the challenging party in the September Mayoral Election, William Coolidge, had six questions for the Board. 

The questions are listed as received by the Village Board in an email from Coolidge, and the Board’s answers follow.

Coolidge: Why is it that Finnerty’s is utilizing the parking spaces still when there is inside dinning allowed? Is the Village responsible if someone gets injured or worse? I know you all know I am very much against those spots to begin with as are many village residents.

Village Board: Restaurants are only at 50% capacity and are still allowed to use their approved outdoor seating. The liability is on the driver of the vehicle if someone is injured and advising on a hypothetical scenario has its inherent difficulties. (The Board advised they are not the governing body over restaurants and their procedure and should be taken up with the governing body - State Liquor Authority - if there are perceived violations.) Coolidge responded, “So you want me to blow a village business in?” (To this, Village Board member Greg Cappelli reiterated, “If they are violating their approved layout, the liability would be on the business owner and the driver in a hypothetical accident.”

Coolidge: Why are we paying Niles still when he’s serving for the Coast Guard? Why are we not letting him go and filling his spot if that’s what is needed? $1,000 a week is a lot of money to pay someone that’s remotely working. Also, is it a conflict for him to be doing both?”

Village Board: Niles Pierson (Town/Village Engineer) is working remotely as the Town and Village navigate the interviewing process. He will be let go when the transition has been made. The pay for the Town/Village Engineer is split between both municipalities. It is not a conflict of interest as Pierson cleared this with his commanding officer.

Coolidge: I would like to know what is happening with the Burrell Cutlery property. Why do we own it and are we responsible for the toxic cleanup? Also, are we responsible for the back taxes? There are a lot of questions regarding this property. Also, is it a conflict as well?

Village Board: The former Burrell Cutlery building was owned by JB Capital Management for nearly ten years when the Village acquired the property. The sitting Mayor was not involved with this company and the acquisition was spearheaded by Deputy Mayor Cappelli. The back taxes associated with the former owners were forgiven by the County because the plan is to tear the building down and create Village Municipal Parking, something that is needed and a demand in the village. There is not a conflict because the current mayor was not associated with JB Capital Management. 

Coolidge: Why are we paying overtime to DPW full-time guys to come in and water the flowers over the weekend? I was told that the lesser paid part-time workers do the work of the higher paid guys during the week so we save money and it’s more cost efficient that way. So are the higher paid workers not working? Are we not paying them still? Yes it’s confusing but that’s how it was explained to me.

(Clarification was asked by the Board to the nature of the question. Coolidge asked to explain how the duties are administered and why part-time help doesn’t perform these smaller tasks all week. Mark Chudy fielded this question and advised there is a rotating schedule for employees who work weekends and extended hours. Chudy also advised that the one part-time summer employee would not want to come in 7 days a week nor would any full-time employee. That is why there is a rotating schedule.)

Coolidge: Garbage is not getting picked up properly. I have seen many instances when garbage bags rip open and it’s everywhere. They leave it on the road as well. I’m not opposed to the garbage rate increase but I believe we should be what we pay for. 

Village Board: Currently today we are addressing a new Refuse Law that will give “teeth” to enforcing the garbage problem the village has. 

Coolidge: I would ask that the Village make Rockwell a no heavy truck street. Semis come up and down the road and can’t make the turn at either end so they cut the corner and either take out the sign on Mill and Rockwell or they go over the catch basin at Park and Rockwell. Trucks have a perfect and safe route from Mill to Maple and can turn around on Park and head back the same way.

(The Board advised they would look into this matter and get some answers for Coolidge.)

Coolidge thanked the Board for their time and advised he had to sign off for another meeting and would be looking into any questions he had further.

Next, Caitlin Croft (author) spoke outside of her reporting duties, as a village resident, to thank the Board in regard to the work the engineering department has done. Over the years she saw how forming a standalone engineering department freed up functionality of the Board and allowed for better budgeting as Nussbaumer & Clarke was not charging for services per project. She also noted how from a Planning perspective, the GIS program and project Pierson spearheaded is invaluable for future projects. 

The meeting continued with the Public Hearing on the new Refuse Law, Local Law No. 2-2020 (Solid Waste Management). There were no comments from the public or written comments received. 

There was a motion to approve the minutes of the June Village Board meeting with minor corrections; a second and ayes were carried.

Engineering Report: Currently the Town/Village Engineer is working remotely, while serving in the Military, until a replacement is found. The initial interviews have been conducted and the field has been narrowed. 

Special Events: The Village Board is working on finding a new Board member to serve as the head of the special events committee since former Trustee, Spencer Murray’s resignation.

Old Business: There was a motion to close the Public Hearing on the Refuse Law. There was a motion to approve Local Law No. 2-2020; a second and ayes carried. There was a motion to extend the moratorium on Short Term Rentals through 12/31/2020; a second and ayes carried. 

New Business: There was a motion to accept Joe Nosbisch’s resignation from the Village Zoning Board of Appeals; a second and ayes carried. There was an inquiry to host a tournament at the Village baseball fields but they are not ready for use. 

There was a motion to close the meeting; a second and ayes carried. The next meeting of the Village Board will be held virtually on August 18, 2020 at 6:00pm. Contact the Village Clerk for information on how to connect.