Grievance Day quiet

in the Village of Gowanda  

by Mary Pankow

     Apparently assessments are acceptable since no one came to grieve Tuesday. Gowanda residents had a four-hour window of opportunity to air their complaints/concerns to Assessor George Stark and the village board. This is the first time in recent years that no one appeared. This lull, Feb. 21, gave the board a chance to discuss business matters in depth as they held their regular meeting.

     Ironically, the scheduled public hearings also failed to attract an audience. On tap were proposed ordinance amendments for Chapter 45, Water Service; Chapter 60, Traffic and Vehicles; and Chapter 30, Zoning Wording Change.

     Discussions got under way, with minor changes suggested by board members. The board subsequently adopted a negative declaration for each of the ordinances — iricluding a previously discussed animal control ordinance — but adopted only two into local laws at this time: the one concerning water service and the other regarding traffic and vehicles.

     In an unrelated matter, the board was approached by firefighters Nick Crassi, Don Offhaus and Steve Raiport, who stated that the fire department would like to purchase the Montgomery Fire Department’s rescue truck for $49,999. This would replace the old rescue truck that the department would like to designate for use in Zoar Valley rescues.

     Raiport explained that the old Gowanda 7 truck would be outfitted and ready to go when a call came in for Zoar Valley. The new truck would then be ready to roll when emergency calls came in. Raiport added that another fire company is interested in the Cascade System (bottle-refilling station) off the old truck, which would help offset the cost of the new truck. The department may be able to sell other equipment off the old truck as well.

     The board agreed to retain ownership of old Truck 7 for Zoar Valley rescues. The firefighters will look into selling the old equipment.

     In addition, the board decided that a Notice of Intent will be published in the newspapers stating that the money to be expended for the Montgomery truck will come from reserve funds, subject to permissive referendum.

     The firefighters then said they hoped to build a new Emergency Disaster Center on land next to the wastewater treatment plant on Aldrich Street. Plans for the facility include housing for fire department apparatus, disaster command center, kitchen, activities hall, conference room and the ability to act as a disaster center for victims, such as when flooding occurs. Grant funding would help in the construction of such a facility.

     A newly formed committee of firefighters considered a number of sites to locate the disaster center, deciding that the land north of the sewer plant would best serve the purpose. That property is not in the flood zone and is already off the tax rolls.

     Gowanda Fire Corporation would need to acquire a two-to-three-acre parcel from the village. If nothing came of the disaster center plan, the land would revert back to the village.

     Trustee Dale DeCarlo, also a Gowanda firefighter, noted that the current fire hall is too small, the police department needs a secure area to conduct arrests, storage space is currently at a premium and the village offices could then expand, utilizing former fire hall space.

     Crassi, Offhaus and Raiport concurred, noting that the fire hall, as it is, is not handicapped accessible. (The meeting room is upstairs with no elevator access.) The current facility is not user-friendly in times of disaster either since the kitchen is located on the second floor, as are rest rooms.

     Crassi added that years ago, the fire department had well over 100 members. Today there are fewer firefighters to carry the burden and do the work even for a fund-raising dinner. Again, the prepared food must be carted down flights of stairs, or dinners must be held upstairs, limiting access to some individuals.

     Training has also become an issue. With just inches to spare inside the fire hall, a group of firefighters cannot get a hands-on learning experience of the equipment they need to operate in an emergency. Today’s equipment is larger than that of yesterday, when fire trucks had simpler designs. Today’s firefighter faces challenges that didn’t exist years ago either, and must have the equipment necessary to protect the public from a variety of hazards.

     The board agreed that a change is needed, but Mayor Dick Klancer explained that the board needs to consult the village attorney before any decision is made. The village board will then sit down with the fire department representatives to further discuss the matter.

     In other matters, the board:

   •  Agreed to compose a strongly worded letter to county legislators expressing their dismay over the discontinuation of the Empire Zone designation program. Many areas are no longer considered Empire Zones, not only in Gowanda, but in other communities as well. Only certified zones, such as Gowanda Electronics, retain their designation. The decision of the state to “pull the rug out from under communities” is especially negatively impacting small towns and villages.

     This decision by the state legislature also affects the Healthy Community Alliance’s Academy Place project.

   •  Heard Police Chief Joe Alessi’s report that indicated his department logged 174 complaints, made 26 arrests, issued 39 traffic tickets, and responded to seven domestics and six motor vehicle accidents.

     Chief Alessi commended all the officers in his department who came to the aid of fellow officer Jason Miller, who was injured in the line of duty after being assaulted when effecting an arrest.

     In addition, Officer Dave Hock and K-9 Ambo tracked the fugitive on the railroad tracks and, while tracking, Officer Hock fell in a hole and severely sprained his ankle. After going for x-rays, Hock insisted on “working his tour.”

     Trustee DeCarlo noted that he witnessed the altercation involving Officer Miller and noted how professional all the police officers were during the incident.

   •  Agreed to set up a meeting with the Planning Board and concerned parties regarding the proposed Tim Hortons Restaurant. The restaurant’s representatives asked to have the meeting to go over site plans, etc.

   •  Decided to set up a meeting with the Gowanda Free Library Board of Directors to discuss the funding situation.

   •  Approved the purchase of a motor for the compost screen at the sewer plant from Buffalo Tractor & Implement for $4,275.

   •  Agreed to go to bid for chlorine and ferric chloride for the sewer plant.

   •  Approved the purchase of a new hydraulic pump for the highway department’s street sweeper from Elgin for $2,300.

   •  Announced that Assemblyman Jack Quinn will hold Community Outreach in the Municipal Building on Saturday, May 20 from 1 to 3 p.m.

   •  Received $17,235, multi-modal funding for the Caroline Road/Allen Street storm sewer project.

   •  Received $41,093.44 from Cattaraugus County for fourth-quarter sales tax.

   •  Received $16,233.52 from Erie County, returned taxes.

   •  Received $246.56, insurance claim for the Buffalo Street trees.

   •  Received $63.98 from AT&TCommunications for gross receipts tax.

   •  Received $15.44 from IDT Corporation, gross receipts tax.

     The next Village of Gowanda Board meeting is Tuesday, March 14 at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building, to be preceded by a workshop at 6 p.m.