Village Board Meeting
By Jim Gill (09/12/2008)

Mayor Charles Coolidge called the regular monthly Village Board meeting to order this past Monday September 8th.

Present at the meeting were: Trustees Sherman Wilkens, Patra Lowes, Bob Brogcinski, Bob Kaine, Village Planner Bob Miller, Constable Howard Gifford, Department of Public Works Supervisor Harold Morton and Village Clerk Mary Klahn.

Mayor Coolidge opened the meeting with some good news announcing the village had received a $20,000 grant for the new water meter project. The village has a total of approximately 500 meters many requiring replacement or refurbishing. In some cases where the entire meter requires replacing the cost is $170.00 per meter, others requiring only the head replacement would cost the village $80.00 each. A motion was later made to transfer an additional $50,000 from the water surplus funds into the Telemetry account.

Supervisor Morton presented his monthly report to the board:
Removed trees from creek
Replaced sidewalk at M&T Bank
Milled out bad spots on various streets in village
Started repainting light poles on Washington Street
Removed brush from around village
Micro paved Monroe Street
Started installing new drainage on Monroe Street, the work is expected to be completed by the end of September.
Morton requested and a motion was accepted to purchase at a cost of $340.00 new reflective signs and metal poles to mark the fire hydrants in the village.

Signs at the main intersection of the Village between Rt. 219 and Jefferson have become a problem with too many being posted, some illegally placed on utility poles and on, or around the monument on the town hall lawn. Discussion centered on amending the ordinance that allows temporary signs, this will be discussed at a later meeting, in the meantime Mayor Coolidge requested people refrain from placing any signage on or near the sacred ground where the Veteran’s Monument used to be. The Ellicottville soldiers gathered and marched from the corner to the train station to depart for war. Therefore, with respect to the American Legion he requests everyone refrain from putting signs in that area of the Town and Village Hall lawn.

A motion was also passed on the expenditure of $350.00 for a sign depicting merchant outlets on the northern section of Monroe Street. The sign will be located on the n/w corner of Washington and Monroe.

Following Constable Gifford’s monthly report discussion centered on home alarms, in one particular instance one home located on Grier Hill went off 3 times on a Friday evening and 3 more times the next night requiring an emergency call by law enforcement. The problem is centered on the type of alarms that are not connected to an emergency number that could handle the call. Mayor Coolidge responded by mentioning that his office is gathering a list of the residents with the alarms causing the problem, they in turn will be notified and possibly issued a summons should a situation arise such as the one on Greer Hill.

The Engineering Report covered the Monroe Street project that is currently in line with the budget, completion of the lateral work, testing and clean-up is scheduled to be completed by the end of this month. There is one change order being negotiated with the contractor for water line interference on Monroe Street that will be presented next month.

A sewer committee meeting was held on 9/5 and discussed at length the proposed tap-in fees for water services and the revised sewer agreements.

The Telemetry project is moving ahead. The bonds and insurance are reviewed and approved requiring Mayor Coolidge’s signature on the Notice to Proceed to get the contract moving. A preconstruction meeting will be held in the near future.

Patra Lowes gave a Special Events Report on the Golden Oldies weekend and the upcoming 2008 Fall Festival. For the Golden Oldies a motion was passed regarding food vendors, the Kettle Corn booth and the Rotary Club of Ellicottville hot dog stand will be the only ones allowed.
The issue of sign coverage at days and was discussed and all signs must be covered after the car show by 8: pm. The Fall Festival Committee is holding a meeting on September 11th to discuss some of the logistics for the weekend. On the agenda will be vendors insurance coverage, safety issues, police sub station, street closures and parking. It was also announced that the Open Container Law will be enforced with a zero tolerance level; in addition all vehicles illegally parked in restricted areas will be ticketed and towed.

Shortly after 8:00 pm the board went into an Executive Session.