Independence Day

In the City of Dunkirk, a three-day festival kicks off at 9:00 a.m. Saturday with the Marauder Trotter Run/Walk 5K at Wright Park. The rest of the festival takes place at Dunkirk Memorial Park on Route 5 with live music and food vendors. Fireworks will take place at dusk on Monday, July 4.

Cherry Creek will host an Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 2. The celebration from 1:00 to 10:00pm will feature rides, a parade at 5:00 p.m., a car show, chicken barbecue, music, and more. A fireworks show will take place at 10:00 p.m.

Bemus Point will hold its fireworks display at 10:00 p.m., Sunday, July 3. The show will be visible from on-shore and on Chautauqua Lake.

In the county seat of Mayville, the Monday, July 4 Celebration starts at 10:00 a.m. with a grand parade down Route 394. Festivities continue at Lakeside Park with face painting, a petting zoo, live music, food, games, and more. The celebration concludes with a fireworks display at 10:00 p.m.

The Village of Lakewood marks the return of the July 4th Summerfest and Fireworks at Hartley Park. The Lakewood Family YMCA’s Firecracker Run starts at 9am Monday followed by vendors on Chautauqua Avenue from noon to 10:00 p.m. Live music will be performed in Hartley Park from 6:00 p.m. until the fireworks display at 10:00 p.m., Monday.

And in Findley Lake, a Fourth of July Celebration takes place from noon to 10:00 p.m. on Monday, featuring a chicken barbeque, duck race, boat parade, and fireworks at 10:00 p.m.

The suit contains a letter from October 2020 from the State DEC saying a permit hasn’t been granted as the request for the stage and attached docks is not consistent with the Local Waterfront Revitalization Plan, or LWRP, The letter said the area including the stage not being a water dependent structure, that the event will limit access to the waterfront because it’s a ticketed event, as well as limiting access to water-related activities.

The Chautauqua Lake concert series is currently scheduled to start this Saturday, July 10th.

The Health Department and Village of Mayville are ordering all customers to please limit their water usage by 50% to reduce the draw on the well until further notice. This water conservation order will be in effect until a treatment system is installed on Well #1 to filter out perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). This is the contaminant that forced the village to shut down the well in December 2020. The treatment system is expected to be operational by the end of July, which will allow the village to meet its high summer water demands.

Village water customers can reduce water use by taking the following actions:

• Do not use any water outside of your home or business including filling swimming pools, washing cars, and watering lawns and gardens.
• Limit washing clothes during this period or use a commercially available laundromat.
• Use paper plates and disposable silverware to reduce washing dishes. Only run automatic dishwashers when completely full.
• Use less water for baths and take shorter showers.
• Do not let the water run unnecessarily such as while brushing teeth or shaving.

Village water customers needing more information can call the Village of Mayville Public Works Superintendent at (716) 269-4801, or the County Health Department at (716) 753-4481.

These orders were needed so that the Village could install a permanent water pump in a new well to replace the temporary pump installed in December 2020 during a water emergency.

Earlier today the village began installing a permanent water pump in a new well to replace the temporary pump installed in December during a water emergency.  Once this work is complete, the well will be disinfected and then turned back on to feed the village.  Anytime this kind of work is done, water samples must be collected to ensure there were no harmful bacteria or microbes introduced into the well.  Since this well is critical to providing water to the village, it must be turned on before water sample results are available from the lab, prompting this boil water advisory.

Water for drinking, cooking, making ice and brushing teeth must be brought to a rolling boil for one minute then cooled prior to use. Do not drink the water without boiling it first or use bottled water until further notice.  Water customers may also choose to fill clean, food grade containers with tap water before 1:00 PM on May 11 for later use during the boil water advisory.

Mayville water customers will be notified as soon as sample results show the water is safe. If all goes as planned, this advisory will be lifted by the end of the week. Any questions about this can be directed to the Village of Mayville Public Works Superintendent at (716) 269-4801, or the County Health Department at (716) 753-4481.

The Board of Elections will act as the chief election officials for all villages this year except Sinclairville and Cassadaga.  These two villages are continuing to use their respective village clerks as the chief village election officer and will be counting votes by hand.  All other villages will vote on the county owned optical scan paper ballot system.

Villages with contested races include Brocton, Cherry Creek, Forestville, Lakewood, Mayville, Silver Creek and Westfield.

Villages with uncontested ballots include Bemus Point, Cassadaga, Falconer, Panama, Sherman and Sinclairville.

Village elections will be held at their normal November poll site for village voters who have an election, except the Bemus Point elections will be held at Bemus Point Village Hall.

All village poll sites will be open today from Noon until 9 p.m.

COMPLETE LIST OF VILLAGE ELECTION RACES

NY Governor Andrew Cuomo released his 2012-13 Budget on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled his 2012-2013 Budget yesterday afternoon, calling for no increases in spending from the current year.  The $132.5 billion spending plan, which needs to be approved by the Legislature, is likely to set off a tough fight with unions representing state employees and teachers.

The plan includes the creation of a new and less-generous pension tier for new public employees that’s anticipated to save state and local governments $83 billion over the next 30 years. The retirement age would be raised from 62 to 65; employees would be required to make increased contributions, going from the current 3 percent to 4, 5 or 6 percent depending on an individual’s salary level; the pension multiplier that determines an employee’s final payout would drop; and overtime would be excluded from the formula that determines final salary.

Cuomo likened the current pension system to a person with high cholesterol, saying the state is allowing cholesterol to build up and warned that it would become a terminal problem if lawmakers failed to rein in costs immediately.

The state’s largest public employee unions reacted negatively. Civil Service Employees Association President Danny Donohue called it “an assault on the middle class and a cheap shot at public employees,” while Public Employees Federation President Ken Brynien said it was “similar to the misguided proposals for reforming Social Security proposed by former President George W. Bush.”

Democratic lawmakers in the Assembly, seen as labor’s most powerful ally in the Legislature, were noncommittal.

Governor Cuomo also continued his push on education reform, which would have much more immediate consequences for school districts: He announced that districts that fail to implement a new teacher evaluation system won’t receive any of the 4 percent increase in funding that will be distributed in the coming fiscal year. Districts that take that action by Sept. 1 will earn “bonus points” for competitive grants; the final deadline is Jan. 17, 2013.

The Governor also elaborated on economic development plans to use $1.3 billion in state funds to fertilize as much as $25 billion in private-sector investment, federal outlay and spending by authorities.

(source: Times Union)

SENATOR YOUNG ENCOURAGED BY CUOMO’S PROPOSED SPENDING PLAN

ALBANY – Legislative leaders generally praised Cuomo’s presentation, while hoping for more details on many of the particulars. Locally, Senator Cathy Young said Governor Cuomo’s proposed budget is a good starting point, and she looks forward to building on his priorities.

The Olean Republican added that, as always, the devil is in the details, and now the state Legislature will begin the full review and negotiation process. She said until lawmakers can look at the numbers and read the budget language, it is difficult to assess the full impact, but added it was heartening to hear the Governor’s focus on fiscal responsibility, Medicaid reform and student achievement.

WINTER FESTIVAL TO TAKE PLACE WITH OR WITHOUT CASTLE

MAYVILLE – Although questions linger about whether ice on Chautauqua Lake will be thick enough for an ice castle to be built this year, plans are under way for Presidents Day weekend’s Winter Festival. That’s according to a report today in the Jamestown Post-Journal, which says the lake froze this weekend but ice on it is only 1 to 2 inches thick. That means crews can’t get on it to take ice out of the lake with which they build the castle. Typically, 10 to 12 inches are needed before blocks of ice can be cut out of the lake, which are used to construct the castle.

While there is still a question about whether the castle will be part of the festivities, the event will go on either way. The castle’s lighting is planned for Friday, Feb. 17, along with opening ceremonies.

Those wanting more information or wanting to become sponsors are asked to call 753-3113.

WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PUBLIC MEETING SET FOR JAN. 25 IN CELORON

CELORON – The Village of Celoron is sponsoring a public meeting for its Waterfront Revitalization Plan. The meeting has been scheduled for 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at the Community Center – 47 Dunham Avenue, Celoron.

According to village officials, the Waterfront Revitalization Plan is an opportunity for residents and stakeholders to help shape the future of the community. The plan provides a revitalization strategy for the future of the Village commercial district, Lucille Ball Memorial Park and the former Celoron Amusement Park site.

On January 25th the Village wants residents and stakeholders to provide their input on the draft Waterfront Revitalization Plan.

The meeting is free and open to the public and the public is encouraged to attend. For more information call Shirley Sanfilippo at (716) 487-4175.

MAYVILLE – The Chautauqua County Home will be on the market starting January 1. That after the Chautauqua County Legislature approved a resolution last night 13 to 11 to enter into an agreement with the Marcus and Millichap firm to market the potential, sale, lease, or other disposition of the County Home. Following the voting session, County Executive Greg Edwards commended those who helped to pass the resolution.

“We are scheduled beginning January 1 to lose over $10,000 a day at our county home,” said Edwards. “I want to thank those leaders that agreed to do just that – lead, because you can’t turn a blind eye to a problem, you have to address it, and they did.”

Edwards added that under the agreement with Marcus and Millichap, the county will not pay any money to the firm unless a deal is struck with a potential buyer…

“We’re going to get all of this at no cost to the tax payers by having this done by Marcus and Millichap,” explained Edwards. “We will pay nothing unless a successful deal is brought to the legislature, approved by 17 votes of the legislature, approved by me as well and then goes forward to a successful closing.”

The county will also be able to establish various stipulations regarding the sale of the county home to any perspective buyer.

LAWMAKERS TAKE EACH OTHER TASK FOR VOTING ON COUNTY HOME RESOLUTION

MAYVILLE – To some members of the county legislature, the effort to act on the Marcus and Millichap resolution came as a surprise, considering it was tabled last month with the understanding it would be revisited in January with the arrival of eight new legislators. Keith Ahlstrom of Dunkirk even chastised some of his colleagues for bringing the measure back to the floor last night.

“We have some legislators here tonight that are leaving after distinguished careers as legislators and I would be embarrassed to have one of my last actions be something as dishonorable as this,” said Ahlstrom. “That we are looking at taking the voice away from a good segment of our workforce and from a good segment of the county.”

While Ahlstrom’s was quick to voice his disapproval of how the process was handled, Legislator Larry Barmore of Gerry defended to move.

“You talk about dishonor. Dishonor would be passing it along to the new guys coming next month instead of handling it yourself,”said Barmore. “We are not voting to sell the county home. We are voting to look into the options.”

Barmore was one of the 13 to vote in favor of the measure. Others who supported bringing Marcus and Millichap on board were outgoing legislator Rudy Mueller of Lakewood and Jamestown’s Chuck Nazarro.

To hear more from various lawmakers and individuals on the county home marketing resolution, tune in to Community Matters tonight at 6 p.m. right here on WRFA.

MOTION TO AMEND HUNTING LAW IS KILLED BY LAWMAKERS, TWO OTHER MOTIONS PASS UNANIMOUSLY

MAYVILLE – The legislature last night also killed a measure to amend the county hunting law. A motion that was sponsored by Mueller and Sheridan’s Bob Duff and tabled last month did not receive enough votes to come back to the floor last night. As a result, it was killed and will have to be redrafted and re-introduced at a future date.

Lawmakers also unanimously approved two motions that will be sent on to Albany. One involved requesting the state provide Medicaid relief to the Chautauqua County, eventually taking over all costs within an eight year period. The other was a request that the state cover any local health department costs involving ground water testing associated with hydro-fracking gas well drilling.

ANTI-BULLYING SEMINAR IS TODAY

JAMESTOWN – Local youth and adults who work with young people will be at the Gateway Center today in Jamestown to attend an Anti-bullying seminar. The “End the Silence, Spark the Leader” Anti-bullying seminar will involve two workshops and include discussions, music, food, and give-a-ways – plus a keynote speech from life coach Jerry Ackerman, who will share several tools with those in attendance. The event is being held in an effort to address traditional bullying along with the ever growing problem of cyber-bullying.

The first session is being held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and the second session running from 4 to 7:30 p.m.

JAMESTOWN PUBLIC SCHOOLS SEEKS REPLACEMENT BOARD MEMBER

JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown School Board has started the process of finding a replacement for outgoing board member Barbara Piazza. Anyone interested in filling the empty seat for the remainder of this term should contact any member of the Board of Education. Interested persons would be able to run in the upcoming elections as well if they wish to continue serving on the board. There will be two seats up for a 3-year term and one seat up to complete the 1-year remaining on the open seat’s term.

Piazza was charged Friday with third-degree grand larceny after an investigation revealed she allegedly took more than $19,000 in cash between 2007 and 2011 while employed with Jamestown Area Medical Associates. Piazza began serving on the Jamestown Public School board in July 2010.

For more information regarding filling or running for the open seat, contact the Jamestown Public Schools district clerk at 483-4420, or email BOE@jamestown.wnyric.org.