Syracuse Designates Women’s Suffrage Centennial Week
August 20, 2020 at 2:06 a.m.
By Denise Federow-
Mark Knecht, president of Chautauqua-Wawasee, was present at council chambers and said, “We’re excited. This is a very significant event – it was a decades-long challenge to get women the right to vote. We’re very proud to raise awareness and create fun activities.”
Aside from the scheduled events, Knecht told the council that Congresswoman Jackie Walorski agreed to come to the ice cream social at 11:30 a.m. but would only be able to stay about 15 minutes.
After some discussion about how it would be funded, the council approved an engineering task order for $137,700 with Commonwealth Engineers for the expansion on Brooklyn Street.
Jeremy Hardy, of Commonwealth, was present through video-conferencing and said he and Town Manager Mike Noe met with Polywood officials. There are two intersections that need improving – Main and Railroad, which will require coordinating with the railroad company and where they want to install a turn lane; and Brooklyn and Main, they want to widen the road to allow increased truck traffic, which would mean tearing a house down and they want to widen the road enough for trucks passing each other.
Hardy said the $1.2 million project should qualify for the Community Crossing 75/25 matching grant, freeing up cash for the ball field. However, the program is suspended for this year. He thought he heard it may open in September, but it may not be available until January.
Noe said they need to start the survey quickly so they will be ready for design and bid if they get the grant and working with the railroad can take awhile.
That uncertainty had Councilman Larry Siegel concerned and he wanted to know how it would be funded if invoices come due before BANs and bonds are available. When asked, Hardy said Commonwealth would be paid in phases as tasks are completed. Town Council President Paul Stoelting said they may be able to use Economic Development Income Tax funds and then reimburse EDIT when bond money is received.
Siegel said, “Somebody needs to plan out the project so we have cash flow to play bills.” He said he was concerned because the cost of the ball field doubled in price. He approached State Sen. Blake Doriot and State Rep. Curt Nisly, both of whom said they would be willing to write a letter in favor of the town’s receiving the Community Crossing grant but no one can say it’s going to happen.
Hardy said they could hold off within reason on receiving payment until the bonds come in.
Along with that task order, the council also approved a task order reducing the amount on the Medusa Street project by $32,900.
Town Marshal Jim Layne informed the council he’d be losing a police officer – Gary Clark – on Aug. 27. Clark has been with the department for five years. Layne asked the council to waive the educational training reimbursement as Clark couldn’t get to the academy until a year after he was hired and he is five months short of fulfilling requirement. Layne said it is a little over $1,000 they’d be waiving.
The council approved waiving that reimbursement requirement. Layne also said he is accepting applications for a new officer.
In other business, the council:
• Passed an ordinance for additional appropriations from the local roads and streets funds for the Community Crossing Grant project for $255,376.12.
They also authorized the clerk-treasurer to pay the current Community Crossing Grant project invoices using those funds before the next council meeting.
• Approved repairs to a piece of equipment in the wastewater treatment plant at a cost not to exceed $12,000 from Middlebury Electric.
• Approved replacing a furnace for $9,593.15.
• Approved Economic Development Agreements with two new businesses – Legacy Wood Creations and Aluminum Insights that the Redevelopment Commission approved at its prior meeting.
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Mark Knecht, president of Chautauqua-Wawasee, was present at council chambers and said, “We’re excited. This is a very significant event – it was a decades-long challenge to get women the right to vote. We’re very proud to raise awareness and create fun activities.”
Aside from the scheduled events, Knecht told the council that Congresswoman Jackie Walorski agreed to come to the ice cream social at 11:30 a.m. but would only be able to stay about 15 minutes.
After some discussion about how it would be funded, the council approved an engineering task order for $137,700 with Commonwealth Engineers for the expansion on Brooklyn Street.
Jeremy Hardy, of Commonwealth, was present through video-conferencing and said he and Town Manager Mike Noe met with Polywood officials. There are two intersections that need improving – Main and Railroad, which will require coordinating with the railroad company and where they want to install a turn lane; and Brooklyn and Main, they want to widen the road to allow increased truck traffic, which would mean tearing a house down and they want to widen the road enough for trucks passing each other.
Hardy said the $1.2 million project should qualify for the Community Crossing 75/25 matching grant, freeing up cash for the ball field. However, the program is suspended for this year. He thought he heard it may open in September, but it may not be available until January.
Noe said they need to start the survey quickly so they will be ready for design and bid if they get the grant and working with the railroad can take awhile.
That uncertainty had Councilman Larry Siegel concerned and he wanted to know how it would be funded if invoices come due before BANs and bonds are available. When asked, Hardy said Commonwealth would be paid in phases as tasks are completed. Town Council President Paul Stoelting said they may be able to use Economic Development Income Tax funds and then reimburse EDIT when bond money is received.
Siegel said, “Somebody needs to plan out the project so we have cash flow to play bills.” He said he was concerned because the cost of the ball field doubled in price. He approached State Sen. Blake Doriot and State Rep. Curt Nisly, both of whom said they would be willing to write a letter in favor of the town’s receiving the Community Crossing grant but no one can say it’s going to happen.
Hardy said they could hold off within reason on receiving payment until the bonds come in.
Along with that task order, the council also approved a task order reducing the amount on the Medusa Street project by $32,900.
Town Marshal Jim Layne informed the council he’d be losing a police officer – Gary Clark – on Aug. 27. Clark has been with the department for five years. Layne asked the council to waive the educational training reimbursement as Clark couldn’t get to the academy until a year after he was hired and he is five months short of fulfilling requirement. Layne said it is a little over $1,000 they’d be waiving.
The council approved waiving that reimbursement requirement. Layne also said he is accepting applications for a new officer.
In other business, the council:
• Passed an ordinance for additional appropriations from the local roads and streets funds for the Community Crossing Grant project for $255,376.12.
They also authorized the clerk-treasurer to pay the current Community Crossing Grant project invoices using those funds before the next council meeting.
• Approved repairs to a piece of equipment in the wastewater treatment plant at a cost not to exceed $12,000 from Middlebury Electric.
• Approved replacing a furnace for $9,593.15.
• Approved Economic Development Agreements with two new businesses – Legacy Wood Creations and Aluminum Insights that the Redevelopment Commission approved at its prior meeting.
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