Town Board Meeting
Town Board Meeting
Proposal would place Ellicottville in one of three regions with separate executives to divide New York
Town resident Vicky Conner says it would be a good idea to cut New York into three self-supporting "autonomous" regions: (from West to East) the New Amsterdam Region, the New York Region and the Montauk Region.
She told the Ellicottville Town Board, during its Sept. 15th meeting, she thinks farmers, city dwellers, downstate residents, and many others including our state elected representatives also like the idea because of regional differences. A key promoter of the idea is an organization called Divide NY, and 147th District Assemblyman David Dipietro (R-East Aurora), who proposed the plan in Assembly bill A4446 several years ago. Conner told the Board the idea that would place Ellicottville in the New Amsterdam Region is also favored by the area's state representatives.
She asked the Board to join a handful of other municipalities who have already adopted Divide NY's sample "home rule" resolution supporting Dipietro's and a Senate version S4541 now in committees. The two bills outline procedures for a state constitutional convention and amendments to form three regional governments, among other things. At the same time, organizers are attempting a grass roots coalition of local and county governments to challenge the Legislature if it doesn't vote to divide up New York.
Conner told the Councilmen that a staffer for 148th District Assemblyman Joseph Giglio (R-Olean) told her the senator likes the idea but doesn't think A4446 would pass. District 57 Senator George Borrello (R-Jamestown) is a sponsor of the companion bill S4541. She pointed to Democrats' majority in both executive and legislative branches despite the Republican Party's dominance in Western New York. The division would remove the governor's power and a locally-controlled autonomous government could keep businesses open during a pandemic, cut taxes, sidestep debt, unemployment and unfunded mandates.
Board members expressed appreciation for Conner's presentation but asked for details behind the plan, with Town Supervisor Matthew McAndrew commenting that he struggles to grasp the concept. He reminded her that voters in three Democratic-led cities of Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse would outnumber rural Republicans in a New Amsterdam Region. He said it's "debatable" whether a region could support itself without the state funding formulas now in place.
The Board members received Divide NY's fill-in-the-blank resolution, but told Conner they were not prepared to vote on it. They suggested Giglio and Borrello bring meaningful numbers to a town board meeting and explain how a partition could work.
"Do you see New York State has a new governor who got her start on the Hamburg Town Council?" Councilman Steven Crowley asked. "Do you think that will be helpful?"
Conner said she wasn't aware of Hochul's Western New York origins and her husband, Scott Conner, commented, "I think New York City has enough to govern by itself ... Is (Governor Kathy Hochul) going to be able to handle both (upstate and downstate needs)?
"It would be interesting to see, before you divide the state, what kind of money could be allotted to counties and towns," said Councilman John Zerfas, who said he is eager to hear what residents think as he prepares for a re-election bid.
Town resident Sharon Mathe, who was present, questioned the proposal and expressed doubt about the viability of a divided state. Her research concluded that 66 percent of the state's income tax revenues originate in New York City, and Westchester, Suffolk and Nassau Counties. That money, she said, is shared with upstate for community services, nonprofit organizations and health care and she questioned whether an upstate region could pay these costs by itself.
"The idea was to collaborate and save costs but now that would be torn down," said Mathe.
The 24-page bills were not discussed in detail, but can be found on the state Senate and Assembly websites. Each prescribe a host of state government changes to splinter off, shrink or eliminate current state agencies, while re-establishing smaller versions of executive and legislative offices and boards to be responsible for each region and resident-constituents.
One provision allows large landowners to attract 20,000 residents and form new towns that might be described as sovereign. The State Comptroller's office would remain intact with some oversight powers but Medicare and Medicaid, public pensions and education would see an overhaul. The Board of Regents would be eliminated, SUNY colleges would be divvied up, and so would debt obligations. Public infrastructure administration and maintenance would be the responsibility of the region where it is located, theoretically supported by the local tax assessments and revenues, as well as a state thruway tax and other provisions.
The Conners told the Board that regions will take care of themselves and a governor would be powerless over them. The focus would be on local needs, boost the demand for farmland and family farms, and "upstate New York will have a chance to meet its full potential."
Before getting down to routine business, the Board set up work sessions to begin drafting the 2022 budget with department heads before the end of September. They also decided to review the town noise ordinance at the Oct. 15th meeting with Police Officer in Charge, Don Auge, in response to complaints about noisy entertainment and large gatherings outside the village, extending later than the 11:00pm limit.
Supervisor McAndrew referred to communication from a resident who called the police about a loud band at a Route 242 residence on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 9th. Another party at the same location lasted until 2:30am Saturday, Sept. 11th. He said the dispatcher told the caller officers were busy and asked for a call back after 9:00pm. Without providing identifying details, he said officers were not dispatched and the resident did not call again.
"The Police Department says no complaint was filed so they can't act on it," McAndrew said was the repeated response he was given from police officials.
Board members noted callers fear repercussions and often won't sign documents, while police have "certain dynamics" to decide when to respond. The Board members agreed that 911 calls and excess noise should be verified with a police response anyway, and the property owner should be notified. They noted the problems once common in the village's short-term rental neighborhoods seem to be extending out into the rural parts of the town.
"People shouldn't have to fear repercussions," said Councilman Kenneth Hinman, asking whether police are not obligated to investigate "excess noise."
"Isn't there respect?" he added. "Common courtesy is harder to come by in a transient neighborhood."
Also in response to a citizen communication, Board members agreed to send a letter to the Department of Transportation requesting a speed reduction on Route 219 North. They also postponed action to approve appointment of the village's Joint Fire Commission candidate Mark Marino to give him time to submit his resume and introduce himself at a Board work session or upcoming meeting.
The Board voted to approve a new contract with the SPCA and a retainer agreement with Richardson, Pullen and Buck.
Other discussion centered on the ongoing arrangements and prevailing wage standards for asbestos removal contracts at the Town Center and lease provisions for the Cattaraugus County Cornell Cooperative Extension; and the recent finalization and submission of the two $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant proposals.