Arboretum Plans New Pathway
Arboretum Plans New Pathway
Gas Station Project Moves Forward; Bid for Town Center Floor Project Awarded
The Ellicottville Town Board gathered on Wednesday April 16th to discuss the most recent events surrounding the past month. Supervisor Matt McAndrew called the evening to order and began discussions.
To start the evening’s agenda, the Board reviewed the March Meeting Minutes as well as the most current Financial Report. Board members went over the necessary information, and each report was passed without issue.
Next to present were the Department Heads from the Engineering, Planning, Highway, and Building with current projects and updates in motion. The Clerk’s and Police Department’s Reports were accepted without attention for discussions.
HIGHWAY REPORT
The Highway Department, led by Scot Brumagin, presented their monthly March report to the Town Board. They have been shouldering and ditching the roads to support traffic needs. The department also included that they expect to start work on High Meadows Road and Bryant Hill Road beginning next month.
Discussions shifted to a possible new partner with BOCES. Board member Steve Crowley has opened communications with BOCES with the hopes of offering potential internships in the departments of Engineering and Highway. Also, Brumagin has taken on the needed steps to be able to offer CDL Training to employees. As talks continued, the Highway Department is looking for ways to attract and maintain new employees. Seth Pullen, Town Attorney, is looking into the promise of incentives and what could be offered in certain standings. He will also be working on a Highway Policy Document which will serve to supplement and supersede the general Employee Handbook. Updates on these matters will continue at the May Town Board meeting. You can follow along on the Town’s official website for the latest in job postings under Announcements at https://www.ellicottvillegov.com.
PLANNING DEPARTMENT
The Planning Department was next to present to the Board. Hazard Mitigation was the first topic to be discussed from the monthly report. The Cattaraugus County Hazard Mitigation Plan, following updates and review, has been submitted as of March 26th and anticipates its finalization.
Greg Keyser, Head of the department, informed the Board on the Town’s status in securing a .GOV domain. The official submission has been made as they expect to hear back in the next 1-3 months. With an extended date of compliance by the State of New York, Keyser will work with the appropriate teams to freshen up the Town’s website.
An update has been made involving the Granicus Proposal. An initial meeting began between the community support platform and the Planning Board involved in the beginning phases of identifying short-term rental properties as well as removing commercial properties from the database. These categorizations will allow for the Town to better serve the issues revolving around short-term rental properties and where they can determine the problems are stemming from. A press release can be expected for the public with specific mailings being made out to those involved in the soon to be established market.
Lastly, the Short-Term Rental Agreements that were applied for this year will follow through to February 28, 2027.
The Town Board accepted the Planning Department’s April Report without issue.
ENGINEER’S REPORT
The Town Board then moved on to the hear from the Engineering Department, led by Ben Gross. First to be brought to attention, a bid was made for the Town Center Floor project. Dineen Painting Inc. will professionally handle the needs of the auditorium floor, including grinding, removing faults, and coating with the necessary paint and primer to allow for a polished finish. The Town Board agreed to the plan and accepted the bid. The project will now move forward, planning for a start date.
The Arboretum is planning a new pathway on the property. Gross has been preparing a variety of workups to show some visual options and continues to prepare for the upcoming needs of the project.
The Town is still working with residents regarding customer notification letters surrounding lead service inventory. There have been no findings of any identified lead services within the system, however the State of New York mandates the Town of Ellicottville to show progress in updating any findings. The Town hopes that residents who have yet to send in their responses, may do so in a timely fashion.
In other noted topics, the HoliMont Drive waterline will resume its repairs in two weeks. The Engineering Report was accepted by the Town Board.
BUILDING DEPARTMENT
Discussions continued with Kelly Fredrickson of the Building Department. Some of the updates included in the report were of Short-Term Rental applications, which have been submitted, and inspections have begun to evaluate the properties.
The Gas Station project is continuing to move forward in its projected plans. The current estimation has been put at eight months, barring any complications.
A final walkthrough of the Solar Farm has been planned as the project comes to completion. Comments that were made included that the visuals of the solar farm are sight unseen from the road.
Finishing up within the report, the Board was notified on the current standings of the abandoned property at 6515 Donlen Drive. On May 13, 2025, the property will go up for auction, allowing for the Town to be in a better position to enforce current building codes and regulations.
The Building Department’s report was accepted by the Board.
NEW BUSINESS
The Town Board continued in the evening’s agenda by addressing some New Business that was brought to their attention. A presented plan involving Peak Performance Benefits was discussed, including an employee assistance program insurance plan. The proposed benefits would cover full time employees’ financials, retirement planning, and additional medical benefits to a certain point. The Board agreed that more information was needed to fully discuss the proposed plan and will table discussions until further reviews can be made by Council.
Next, the Town’s IT consultant informed the Board on the possibilities of a Fiber Optic Grant. As presented, the best option for the Town and Village internet needs would be to centralize service and opt for fiber optics. An available grant through the State of New York would allow for 100% of the cable implementation to be made within the Town and Village facilities. Any dead areas could then be incorporated into the project and once set up, the Town and Village would own and take responsibility for any needed maintenance. The Town Board agreed to provide a letter of support for the application of the grant.
Old Business was last to be discussed, with talks around the current Employee Handbook. A consideration has been proposed to allow for employees to take sick leave if an immediate family member required medical care for an illness. Town Attorney Pullen, will continue to work with the Board’s suggestions on how to best incorporate a drafted proposal to review at the May Board meeting.
The EVGV Trail has scheduled a 5K fundraising run for May 4, 2025 at HoliMont Ski Resort. The Board will work with the EVGV Trail to further discuss the details of an easement for the event’s course.
As talks surrounding the evening’s agenda came to a close, the April Town Board meeting was called to adjourn. The Town Board of Ellicottville will reconvene on Wednesday, May 23, 2025.