Playground Committee Requests Tree Removal
Playground Committee Requests Tree Removal
Ellicottville Village Board Discusses Proposed Playground, Parking Meters, Gazebo Damage; Among Other Topics at October Meeting
The Ellicottville Village Board gathered for their monthly meeting on October 8th. Mayor Burrell was given a warm welcome back, as he was unable to attend last month due to his presence at the NYCOM conference. With all members in attendance, the mayor called the meeting to order.
To start the meeting off on a high note, the Board was happy to share some recent good news. Deputy Clerk Erica Linderman has passed her 6-month probationary period and has been doing an excellent job with the village. Congratulations were made to her and her continued efforts.
The Washington Street light project has been finished and the new streetlights have been lit and are in use. Not only do they add such charm to the village, but they also provide safe and updated lighting to the area. In other construction news, the Elizabeth Street project is on track and aims for their December deadline.
The Board welcomed residents and their attendance at the evening’s meeting as they opened discussion from Business of the Floor. Present and representing the Ellicottville Playground Committee were Molly Timkey, Patti Snyder, and Kelsey Adamson. Together they gave the Board an update and status report on the project which aims to build an inclusive and updated playground for all in the area to enjoy. A proposal for the project would require the removal of three trees from the planned area and are shown in an overview that was provided. The Board informed the committee that their request would be better suited for the Village Planning and Zoning Board where they will be able to review the process of tree removal and any site concepts. The Ellicottville Playground Committee was then thanked by the Board for their time and hard work on this project, wishing them all the best and success to come.
Another presentation was made to the Board by Bill Bernatovich of Ber-National Automation, who prepared an overview of parking meters for the Village of Ellicottville. Within this proposal, details were made available that discussed a system that could be customized to the needs of the village, local businesses, and residents. An example that was made would be that residents could be given various times and days when parking would be free. With a lot to explore on this topic, the Village would need to reflect on what returns could be made from the cost, investigating the finer details, and hosting public hearings to allow for community input. For now, no action has been determined.
The mayor was happy to make an update to his monthly reports about his recent travels to the NYCOM event (New York Conference of Mayors). The event serves as a gathering to continue the education and information between municipalities. With the ability to connect to other areas, the hope is to share ways to best implement local laws, funding, safety, and improve the quality of life for residents. The mayor, alongside Clerk Hayward, were able to attend a combined 28 sessions that covered numerous topics including Budgeting, Finance, Administrative Roles, as well as Grant Funding and Partnerships within New York State. Each of these informative sit downs offer ways to benefit and improve our own Village of Ellicottville.
Going on within the mayor’s report, it was shared with the Board that a Village dump truck will be put on auction, planning for the end of October to early November. With winter preparations underway, the mayor and DPW Supervisor Mark Chudy feel very confident that this auction will bring a higher sale than previous auctions.
Another topic of discussion revolved around the 1887 building, which was recently toured by the mayor. The building, which holds a significant place within the village, needs extensive work but the hope is that the right buyer will soon present themselves and reinvest in the one-of-a-kind civic structure.
Lastly, the mayor made a final request to allow for his attendance to the NYCOM overnight Conference in Hamilton, NY. The Board went on to approve this request that holds no cost to the Village and is sure to be beneficial.
A new purchase is in the works led by the mayor and Mark Chudy through funding that must be used by December 31st of this year. With the monetary amount available, they requested the Board to allow from the AARPA funding the purchase of a bucket truck as well as a roller for the DPW. The budget would not be affected by this acquisition and would benefit future black-topping and construction projects. The Board approved the request without issue.
The Planning Department submitted their reports, headed by Greg Keyser. He requested to set a Public Hearing for November 19, 2024 for the Cannabis Local Law review. The request was approved by the Board and more information will be shared as it becomes available.
An unfortunate update by the Parks Department has been made and is being addressed by Village officials and the Board. There has been a recent string of vandalism to the Gazebo including the work done by the Alley Katz. The police are aware of this situation and have acted on acquiring additional surveillance. The Board also discussed and approved added monitoring equipment if needed.
Village Clerk Amy Hayward presented some updated information to the Board which included some information regarding policies, surveys, and fundraising. She started by addressing some new information that should be included in the Village Policy & Procedure handbook. The Fund Balance Policy was included in the Board handout and will be reviewed for feedback along with some other policy concerns that will be addressed at the November meeting.
A survey has recently been added to the Village website that involves Senior Transportation. This now available form will help the Interfaith Caregivers as well as the Bob McCarthy Foundation identify possible transportation needs and ways to potentially fund them. The timeline for the survey data will run until January.
A group of individuals wanted to share many thanks to the Board and Mayor Burrell for the use of the park storage space. They have been collecting donated goods and supplies to deliver to the Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts. With hopes of making one to two more trips, they will update the Village on their progress.
The Village Board of Ellicottville will reconvene in November to continue discussions and updates that present themselves. For November’s meeting date and agenda, go to ellicottvillegov.com.