WRFA-LP 107.9 FM https://www.wrfalp.com A listener supported, non-commercial, low power FM radio station in Jamestown, NY. Tue, 20 Dec 2022 12:00:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 https://i0.wp.com/www.wrfalp.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/wrfa-favicon-54e2097bv1_site_icon.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 WRFA-LP 107.9 FM https://www.wrfalp.com 32 32 58712206 Celoron Receives State Funding to Build New Playground at Lucille Ball Memorial Park https://www.wrfalp.com/celoron-receives-state-funding-to-build-new-playground-at-lucille-ball-memorial-park/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=celoron-receives-state-funding-to-build-new-playground-at-lucille-ball-memorial-park https://www.wrfalp.com/celoron-receives-state-funding-to-build-new-playground-at-lucille-ball-memorial-park/#respond Tue, 20 Dec 2022 12:00:59 +0000 https://www.wrfalp.com/?p=48846

Lucille Ball Memorial Park. Celoron, NY (Google Maps)

The Village of Celoron has received $165,000 from the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative toward a new playground at Lucille Ball Memorial Park.

The grants from the Environmental Protection Fund are administered by the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Mayor Scott Schrencengost said the current play structure at the park is 25 years old and is unsafe.
He said at a public meeting in July that Consolidated Funding Grant from the state requires the village to come up with a 25% match.

The village will use the funding from the state to building an accessible playground with inclusive equipment. They also will use the monies to further improve the park with site work and plantings, including new trees and benches

The town of Sheridan also is receiving EDC funds in the amount o $421,725 to upgrade the Sheridan Bay Campground located on Lake Erie. A new accessible bathhouse will be constructed, campsite electrical hook-ups upgraded, and the pavilion and check-in office will be replaced.

In addition to those upgrades, the town will be preserving lakefront green space while ensuring the continued use of needed campsites.

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Celoron To Hold Tree Lighting December 10 https://www.wrfalp.com/celoron-to-hold-tree-lighting-december-10/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=celoron-to-hold-tree-lighting-december-10 https://www.wrfalp.com/celoron-to-hold-tree-lighting-december-10/#respond Fri, 09 Dec 2022 12:03:57 +0000 https://www.wrfalp.com/?p=48614 The Village of Celoron will be holding its annual tree lighting on Saturday, December 10.

The “Lights in the Park & Annual Tree Lighting” will take place from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Lucille Ball Memorial Park.

The free event will include children’s crafts, music, hot cocoa, and a visit from Santa.

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Three Local Municipalities Receiving $1.7 Million Toward Housing Rehabilitation https://www.wrfalp.com/three-local-municipalities-receiving-1-7-million-toward-housing-rehabilitation/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=three-local-municipalities-receiving-1-7-million-toward-housing-rehabilitation https://www.wrfalp.com/three-local-municipalities-receiving-1-7-million-toward-housing-rehabilitation/#respond Wed, 23 Nov 2022 12:00:36 +0000 https://www.wrfalp.com/?p=48277 Three Chautauqua County municipalities will receive a total of $1.7 million in Community Development Block Grants toward housing rehabilitation.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced over $33 million has been awarded to dozens of municipalities for local infrastructure improvement and housing rehabilitation projects. The grants are designed to help communities provide decent affordable housing and safe living environments primarily for low- and moderate-income residents.

The Village of Celoron will use $500,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance to low-income homeowners.The Town of Ellington will use $700,000 for a manufactured housing replacement program. And the Village of Silver Creek will use $500,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance to low-income homeowners.

The Community Development Block Grant program is a federally funded program administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal that helps counties, cities, towns and villages with projects that improve communities and benefit residents across the state.

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Celoron Receives $500 Toward New Playground https://www.wrfalp.com/celoron-receives-500-toward-new-playground/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=celoron-receives-500-toward-new-playground https://www.wrfalp.com/celoron-receives-500-toward-new-playground/#respond Mon, 25 Jul 2022 10:54:43 +0000 https://www.wrfalp.com/?p=45735 The Village of Celoron has received a $500 donation toward the construction of the new playground in Lucille Ball Memorial Park.

Celoron West Ellicott Seniors presented the donation to the Village Board at the Board of Trustees Meeting on July 11.

The village is submitting an application for a New York State Consolidated Funding grant to replace the current 28 year-old playground with a new playground that will be handicap accessible and serve all age groups.

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Celoron Officials Asking for Public Support for New Playground at Lucille Ball Memorial Park https://www.wrfalp.com/celoron-officials-asking-for-public-support-for-new-playground-at-lucille-ball-memorial-park/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=celoron-officials-asking-for-public-support-for-new-playground-at-lucille-ball-memorial-park https://www.wrfalp.com/celoron-officials-asking-for-public-support-for-new-playground-at-lucille-ball-memorial-park/#respond Wed, 06 Jul 2022 11:36:18 +0000 https://www.wrfalp.com/?p=45425

Village of Celoron public input meeting on new playground for Lucille Ball Memorial Park

Celoron officials say public support may be the key to success in the Village’s grant application to New York State for a new playground at Lucille Ball Memorial Park.

The village held a public input meeting Tuesday night that was attended by a little less than a dozen people.

Mayor Scott Schrencengost said the current play structure is 25 years old, “It’s been built in a pit. It’s full of water every Spring. Nobody can enjoy it. We have such a large usage of this park all Spring, Summer, and Fall that we just have to have something that’s better for the kids.”

Schrencengost said the current quote for a project is $150,000 and that the Consolidated Funding Grant from the state requires the village to come up with a 25% match.

He added this is the seventh time the village is applying for the state grate for the playground project and that state officials recommended the village hold a public input meeting to gauge support, “We can take support letters from anybody, even outside this area. I think that makes our application even stronger. It shows we have multiple people using this, other than residents.”

The village has petitions that can be signed by those supporting the project and anyone who wants to write a letter of support is asked to submit those by July 25th to: Village of Celoron, PO Box 577, Celoron, NY 14720-0577.

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Public Input Meeting Scheduled for Tonight on New Playground in Celoron https://www.wrfalp.com/public-input-meeting-scheduled-for-tonight-on-new-playground-in-celoron/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=public-input-meeting-scheduled-for-tonight-on-new-playground-in-celoron https://www.wrfalp.com/public-input-meeting-scheduled-for-tonight-on-new-playground-in-celoron/#respond Tue, 05 Jul 2022 10:55:32 +0000 https://www.wrfalp.com/?p=45393

Lucille Ball Memorial Park. Celoron, NY (Google Maps)

The Village of Celoron is holding a public meeting tonight to get input on replacing the playground at Lucille Ball Memorial Park.

The Village is considering applying for a Consolidated Funding Grant from New York State to replace the play structure.

The public is invited to review and give input on plans. The meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. in the Community Center at 47 Dunham Avenue.

Those who are not able to attend and would like to support this project may send a letter of support to: Village of Celoron, PO Box 577, Celoron, NY 14720-0577.

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Ellery Refuses to Sign Chautauqua Lake Management Agreement https://www.wrfalp.com/ellery-refuses-to-sign-chautauqua-lake-management-agreement/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ellery-refuses-to-sign-chautauqua-lake-management-agreement https://www.wrfalp.com/ellery-refuses-to-sign-chautauqua-lake-management-agreement/#respond Wed, 17 Apr 2019 13:32:24 +0000 http://www.wrfalp.com/?p=29651 ELLERY – It appears one local municipality will not be supporting a Memo of Agreement involving the Chautauqua Lake Weed Management Consensus Strategy.

The Jamestown Post-Journal is reporting that that the Town of Ellery won’t sign be signing the MOA presented by Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello last month. The unwillingness to sign the document is primarily due to it restricting herbicide treatment to only the southern basin of the lake during the next two years. A portion of the Town borders the northern basin of the lake and Ellery officials say residents may want to treat that area with herbicide if weeds get bad during the summer months.

Of the 16 agencies and municipalities that were requested to sign the MOA, Ellery is the only one that will not. Even the Chautauqua Lake Partnership, which voiced reservations earlier this month, eventually signed off on the document.

Borrello has already said that the MOA will not be altered or changed for at least the first two years it is in place. But he did say it could be changed in 2021 following a review by stakeholders and the county.

Ellery’s unwillingness to sign the MOA also jeopardizes their chances of receiving outside funding for lake management efforts they endorse. That’s because Borrello had said that organizations should sign off on the MOA if they wish to qualify for funding.

“Any funding from the county, and from many of the local foundations, for efforts dealing with in-lake projects will flow through the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance. The executive board of the Alliance has preliminary agreed to only fund those organizations who participate in the Consensus Strategy by the signing the Memorandum of Understanding,” Borrello said during his State of the County Address in February.

The consensus strategy was developed through a collaboration of the County Executive’s Office, Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development, representatives from the Chautauqua Lake & Watershed Management AllianceNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), and the consulting firm, Ecology and Environment, Inc. (E&E).

A copy of the MOA, along with the 24 tenets, is available on the County Executive’s website.

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Chautauqua Institution Signs MOA Regarding Chautauqua Lake Consensus Management Strategy https://www.wrfalp.com/chautauqua-institution-signs-moa-regarding-chautauqua-lake-consensus-management-strategy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chautauqua-institution-signs-moa-regarding-chautauqua-lake-consensus-management-strategy https://www.wrfalp.com/chautauqua-institution-signs-moa-regarding-chautauqua-lake-consensus-management-strategy/#respond Fri, 05 Apr 2019 12:55:29 +0000 http://www.wrfalp.com/?p=29486

Chautauqua Institution President Michael E. Hill poses on Thursday with Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello, moments after Hill signed the memorandum of agreement for the Chautauqua Lake Weed Management Consensus Strategy on the Institution’s behalf.

CHAUTAUQUA – Chautauqua Institution has signed on to the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Chautauqua Lake Weed Management Consensus Strategy.

The MOA is a document that was finalized and put forward by Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello last week. It was unanimously approved by the Chautauqua County Legislature on the same day it was made public.  The document seeks to bring together lake stakeholders so they can more effectively work together to manage invasive aquatic plants, nuisance native vegetation, and hazardous algal blooms in the lake.

Chautauqua Institution President Michael Hill said the MOA represents a comprehensive and scientifically sound approach for Chautauqua Lake conservation.

“I proudly signed this memorandum on behalf of Chautauqua Institution because it represents the comprehensive and scientifically sound approach for Chautauqua Lake conservation that we’ve been advocating for many years,” Hill said. “We are hopeful that all other agencies and municipalities will join us in signing the MOA and supporting this incredibly important strategy. We thank County Executive Borrello for his resolute leadership on this crucial issue. While Chautauqua Lake faces many challenges, we’re confident that with an independently sourced, science-based comprehensive approach and the support and leadership of a consensus of stakeholders, we will save and preserve Chautauqua Lake as the source of so much of our livelihood in Chautauqua County.”

The consensus strategy was developed through a collaboration of the County Executive’s Office, Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development, representatives from the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), and the consulting firm Ecology and Environment, Inc. (E&E). E&E, which is headquartered in Lancaster, New York, facilitated three meetings earlier this year, where it met with key lake stakeholders to discuss their most pressing issues and concerns surrounding the management of weeds and harmful algal blooms in Chautauqua Lake. These stakeholders included representatives from Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua Fishing Alliance, Chautauqua Lake Association, Chautauqua Lake Fishing Association, Chautauqua Lake Partnership, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, Town of Busti, Town of Chautauqua, Town of Ellery, Town of Ellicott, Town of North Harmony, Village of Celoron, and Village of Lakewood. Other input, which was also considered in the development of the MOA, was communicated to the county executive during informal meetings and in written form.

As part of the information-gathering phase for the consensus strategy, Hill and Chautauqua Vice President of Campus Planning and Operations John Shedd accompanied Borrello and several other county officials and leaders on an October trip to Lake George, New York, to learn about a successful model for lake conservation. In just five years, Lake George stakeholders have united behind a consensus strategy that uses sound, validated science to spur decisions, greatly and demonstrably improving the health and water quality of a lake with challenges similar to Chautauqua Lake.

Last year Chautauqua Institution led an effort to sue the state, saying it didn’t follow proper procedure when approving an application to use herbicides in certain areas of the lake. That challenge took place in Erie County Supreme court and was dismissed near the end of December.
But the lawsuit was just one example of the infighting that has taken place in regards to lake Management and it lead to Borrello to call for a “cease fire” amongst the various stakeholders, via the consensus document.

The Institution is one of the first stakeholders to sign off on the MOA for the consensus. The deadline to sign on to the MOA is April 17.

Those that do not are in jeopardy of missing out on funding for projects they support to battle the weeds and algal blooms that have been occurring more frequently on the lake in recent years.

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Memo of Agreement for Lake Weed Management Finalized, Signed by County Executive https://www.wrfalp.com/memo-of-agreement-for-lake-weed-management-finalized-signed-by-county-executive/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=memo-of-agreement-for-lake-weed-management-finalized-signed-by-county-executive https://www.wrfalp.com/memo-of-agreement-for-lake-weed-management-finalized-signed-by-county-executive/#respond Thu, 28 Mar 2019 14:07:05 +0000 http://www.wrfalp.com/?p=29380

Pictured above from left to right: Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development; George Borrello, Chautauqua County Executive; Dave McCoy, County Watershed Coordinator; Pierre Chagnon, County Legislator and Chairman of the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance; and Tom Heins, P.E., Principal of Ecology & Environment, Inc. (Image courtesy of the County Executive’s Office, Chautauqua County).

MAYVILLE – An effort to get all Chautauqua Lake stakeholders literally on the same page when it comes to managing invasive weeds and other nuisances has taken a major step forward.

On Wednesday morning Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello unveiled a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the Chautauqua Lake Weed Management Consensus Strategy.

According to Borrello, the MOA brings together lake agencies and organizations, as well as the municipalities located around Chautauqua Lake, so they can more effectively work together to manage invasive aquatic plants, nuisance native vegetation, and hazardous algal blooms on the lake while being considerate of man’s uses and the environment.

“There are many agencies and stakeholders around Chautauqua Lake that are committed to improving the quality and usability of the lake,” said Borrello. “The differences of opinion regarding how this should be done have resulted in a contentious environment where little forward progress can be made. This consensus strategy will help bring everyone together as we work toward our common goals of addressing and controlling the weeds in Chautauqua Lake while protecting its ecology.”

Borrello says the consensus strategy was developed through a collaboration of the County Executive’s Office, Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development, representatives from the Chautauqua Lake & Watershed Management Alliance, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC), and the consulting firm, Ecology and Environment, Inc. (E&E).

“Working closely with E&E, we were able to identify essential issues and concerns of the primary stakeholders associated with weed management in Chautauqua Lake,” said Mark Geise, Deputy County Executive for Economic Development. “With this input, we identified key topics, as well as consensus positions for each of these themes, which are important to these stakeholders. These essentially became the 24 tenets of the strategy’s MOA, which will help guide future weed management initiatives.”

Borrello said the plan will involve all of Chautauqua Lake but will immediately address concerns in the lower end of the lake near the Burtis Bay area between Lakewood and Celoron. He said it will call for a multifaceted approach to dealing with the weed problem that has plagued that area of the lake the past few years.

“This is going to be the first opportunity for us to combine the use of herbicides along with creating some strategic buffer zones, essentially. Using the natural weeds that are there to trap  a lot of the fragments while having channels through those weeds to help with navigation. I believe that over the long-run we’ll be able to do this and use this as a model for other areas as well,” Borrello said during a Wednesday morning press conference.

Key lake stakeholders also offered input. They included the Chautauqua Fishing Alliance, Chautauqua Institution, Chautauqua Lake Association, Chautauqua Lake Fishing Association, Chautauqua Lake Partnership, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, Town of Busti, Town of Chautauqua, Town of Ellery, Town of Ellicott, Town of North Harmony, Village of Celoron, and Village of Lakewood.
The MOA was approved by the county legislature in an emergency resolution last night and other stakeholders are expected to sign off on it in the coming days.

A copy of the MOA, along with the 24 tenets, is available on the County Executive’s website.

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