Ellicottville Town Board Meeting Recap July 16, 2025
Ellicottville Town Board Meeting Recap July 16, 2025
From fire safety concerns and police staffing to broadband expansion and zoning updates, the Ellicottville Town Board covered it all at its July meeting.
The Ellicottville Town Board met on Tuesday, July 16th to cover a wide range of topics including road maintenance, short-term rental permitting, and future broadband expansion. Supervisor Matt McAndrew presided over the meeting, with all board members in attendance, along with representatives from the police, highway, planning, and code enforcement departments.
The meeting opened with a public hearing on Local Law No. 2-2025 - a local law to override the tax levy limit for fiscal year 2026. Officials clarified that the proposed legislation would not actually override any existing laws but would allow the Town the flexibility to do so in the future if necessary. The hearing was closed and carried without public opposition.
Hydrant Requests and Fire Protection Concerns
During the privilege of the floor, HoliHuts Oliver Hazard and Jeff Whalen - resident and representative of the HoliHuts community, respectively - raised concerns about fire safety, specifically the lack of a functioning hydrant near Easy Street. They asked whether an old snowmaking line could be repurposed and if a new hydrant could be installed further up the road for better coverage.
Supervisor McAndrew clarified that while the Town could potentially carry out the work, any new hydrant on private HOA property would need to be funded and maintained by the HoliHuts community. Hazard and Whalen were encouraged to open a dialogue with the Town’s Water Department supervisor to explore their options further.
Police Department Staffing and Bike Patrols
Officer-in-Charge Jim Bouchard gave a positive report on police activity. “The guys have been really busy,” he said. “I want to commend them for the great job they’ve been doing.”
Officer-in-Charge Bouchard reported that two newly hired officers are adjusting well, bringing the department close to full staffing. With personnel levels improving, bike patrols—previously postponed due to staffing shortages—are set to resume soon. The department was able to purchase two bikes using grant funding.
Highway Department Battles Weather and Road Projects
Highway Superintendent Scott Brumagin reported that crews have been tackling flood damage and preparing for upcoming oil and chip work. Bryant Hill Road was recently drained and prepped for resurfacing, which is expected to be completed within three weeks.
“We’re still working on Poverty and Irish Hill Roads - patching, pulling shoulders, and dealing with culverts,” Brumagin said. He added that recent heavy rainfall - up to two inches in half an hour - has caused multi-day setbacks.
STR Permits Slow; Gas Station Progressing
Code Enforcement Officer Kelly Fredrickson reported that short-term rental (STR) application volume is finally starting to slow, with 120 applications processed so far.
He also noted that the Crosby’s gas station under construction at the corner of Routes 242 and 219 is progressing well. The gas station will include four islands and eight pumps, and the company is aiming to be open by Fall Fest. EV charging stations are included in the plans, however, they will most likely take longer to install. Infrastructure is in place to support them in the future.
Planning and Broadband Updates
Planning Department head Greg Keyser, who will complete his certification as a Building and Safety Inspector this week, said zoning activity has been quiet, with one notable proposal by Jake Northrup to build 40 storage units on the far side of Northrup Construction. That project will need zoning approval and infrastructure upgrades, including bridge widening. The project will head to the Zoning Board.
Keyser also mentioned several grant and RFP initiatives:
A comprehensive plan update grant is due at the end of the month.
An RFP for new network servers and managed IT services will be released next month.
Another RFP is in progress to extend fiber broadband coverage to underserved areas. Quotes will be solicited from both Spectrum and Armstrong before seeking state funding.
Keyser noted that the eight-year Agricultural District review period has begun. A 30-day comment period is currently open, and letters have been sent to all properties within the district.
Engineering and FEMA Updates
Engineer Ben Gross informed the board that public feedback on planned road closures for 2026 construction has been minimal so far. He also said that revised drawings for the municipal door project have been submitted, with installation expected by late summer.
Gross added that FEMA is currently reviewing newly proposed floodplain maps, which include recommendations made by the Town during the public comment phase.
New and Old Business
Under new business, the board discussed a request from the county for a letter of support and resolution endorsing a countywide comprehensive plan update. Supervisor McAndrew was authorized to sign the resolution. The board also took action on a tax levy law, though details were not elaborated upon during the meeting.
In old business:
The employee handbooks approved in May have been printed and distributed.
Upcoming meetings for the EVGV Trail were announced: August 5th at 4:00pm, and a Southern Tier regional trail meeting on August 6th at the Town Center.
Work continues on revisions to the Town’s noise and alarm laws.
The meeting then went into executive session. The Town Board will hold their August meeting on Wednesday the 20th at 6:00pm upstairs at Town Hall, 1 W. Washington St. The public is welcome to attend.
