Town Board - Regular Meeting

All right. Uh, I will call Tom board meeting to order at, uh, 8:08 p.m. Rev. Supervisor Marston. Uh, excused. Councilman Datti here. Councilman Kilmer here. Councilman Garcia here. Councilwoman Deal here. All right. Tonight's uh invocation will be from Jim Ellison from Trinity Church and the pledge will be done by Councilman Kilmer.

Good evening everyone. Let us open our hearts to the Lord. Dear heavenly father, we thank you for this opportunity this evening to hear from our town representatives along with the thoughts of the people regarding the matters before us. May you grant those speaking this evening to have the courage and wisdom to speak their thoughts on how we can have the best community possible for all of us who make up Grand Island. We ask that as the weather becomes warmer that you would keep our residents safe, our visitors happy, and keep them safe. and we protect us as we go out under the water that we all love so much that surrounds this island. We also ask you, Lord, to bless our volunteer firemen and firewoman who so graciously respond to our every need and emergency. Guide us, Lord, tonight we pray. We ask all this in Jesus name. Amen. All right. Uh item number four on the agenda, a proclamation for Grand Island pickle ball day. So, we've got a resolution here and it says, "Whereas pickle ball is a rapidly growing inclusive sport that blends elements of tennis, bad mitten, and table tenn tennis suitable for all ages and skill levels. And whereas the United States has designated April as national pickleball month to celebrate the sports health benefits, community camaraderie, and fun. And whereas the town of Grand Island, New York, is committed to providing recreational opportunities that promote high quality of life, physical activity, and social connections for our residents and neighbors. And whereas dedicated pickle ball players in our community deserve recognition for their passion. And new players are encouraged to experience this engaging, fast growing sport that

we are all fortunate to have locally available on Grand Island. And therefore, be it resolved, the town board of the town of Grand Island does hereby proclaim April 23rd, 2026 pickle day, pickle ball day in the town of Grand Island. And we've got a certificate signed by the town board here. Is there somebody here from one of our pickle ball places for you?

All right, come on up, folks. Uh-huh. All right. Uh item five on the agenda is for public comments and this is for agenda items only. If you have comments on a item that's not on the agenda, we have another public comment period at the end. So if you have any comments, please step forward. You'll have three minutes. Anyone? So there's nobody on mine. All right. Declare the public comment period close and we'll move on to item number six, minutes. So motion is in order for approval of the minutes of workshop meeting number eight, April 6, 2026 and of regular meeting number six also April 6, 2026. So move second.

Motion a second. Any discussion? And the clerk Garcia I deal I Kilmer I. All right. Item seven, the consent agenda. Motion is in order for approval of the consent agenda which includes uh building permits issued report from March 2026, zoning board of appeals meeting minutes from March 5th of 2026, Golden Age Center facility usage report from January 2026 and meeting minutes from the parks and recreation advisory board from their meeting on February 23rd of 2026. So move second. Any discussion? All right. Garcia. Hi,

Kilmer. Hi, Deal. Hi, Daddy. Hi. All right. Item eight from the supervisor, a special event permit for the uh Grand Island Moose Lodge 180 bicycle rider safety inspection set for May 30th, 2026 here at Town Hall. So, motion is in order to approve the special event earn application. So, moved. Second. Any discussion? I see Miss Chin here. Thank you. This looks like a great event.

Yeah, I'm here to here to answer any questions that you might have about it. Um the genesis of this really came about when I heard about our community policing um efforts that started last year um like started in earnest last year and I lived in a place where we had community policing and this type of event at my children's school and I personally learned a lot from it and I'm hoping that the islanders will come out young and old because there's information for all ages. We're going to be helping out with um educating on the updates to the ebike uh legislation. I I know the island is working on um their addendum or the the update for the island relative to the New York State law um and trying to trying to come up with the the more specific information about what is and isn't legal for riding here on the island, where you can ride. This information will be hopefully available um at at this event. I know uh Officer Pic has some handouts that he wants to give about the ebikes and we'll also have handouts for regular bikes. Uh we'll have a bike helmet safety check. That was something that I personally learned a lot from when I had that experience because I was wearing my helmet too loosely. Everybody wants to be comfortable, but comfort is not safety. Um, we're also going to have skills stations for the young ones. So, a little bit of an obstacle course right out in the parking lot. I'm very excited to say that we did line up the um car seat baby seat check. So, there'll be an opportunity for people to have our uh one of our certified officers come and check out car seats to make sure that they're installed properly in the vehicles. And the other thing we're going to be doing is a child ID. Um, so

this is the official non-driver identification document that can be generated. Um, it was something that officer Pickicket had talked to me a little bit about that. Um, it was a grant that was written by the town police to get this program on board. Typically, they're going to the schools, but we'll have this opportunity to do it here for the the general public as well. And the event is going to be on May 30th from 10 a.m. to 1 pm and we hope everybody comes out. Any questions? You going to create a flyer or some type? Oh, absolutely.

So, we can put that on social media for you and try to Oh, no. I forgot it. It's okay.

I've already got it on in the works. Um email. We'll make sure it gets posted on top. Yeah, we're going to um I'd like to have the I'd like to have use of the sign out in the park there. So, we'll create a banner for that and we'll have flyers that are going to be distributed in the schools um by the SRO's and uh I'll paper the island. I'll get to as many of the businesses and places that are willing to host um a flyer about the event. So, we're going to try and get it out there. I'm trying gonna try and get it in the dispatch. well paper formerly known as the dispatch and um we'll uh get some Facebook posts as well. Thank you. Sounds great. All right.

Thank you. Thank you everyone. Discussion on that one. Deal. I Garcia I Kilmer I.

All right. Item nine from Councilman Garcia. Our sidewalk res. Um, okay. Possing a resolution requiring the installation of connection of sidewalks along Grand Island Boulevard between 1700 and 1810 Grand Island Boulevard for public safety and transit access. Whereas the town board of Grand Island determined the pedestrian safety along Grand Island Boulevard is a matter of public health, safety, and welfare. The corridor between 1700 Grand Island Boulevard 1810 Grand Boulevard lacks continuous sidewalk infrastructure creating hazardous condition pedestrians. This segment provides access to commercial properties and public bus stop necessitate necessitating safe pedestrian connectivity. Whereas the town board finance continuous sidewalk connection is required to ensure safe pedestrian travel and access public transportation. Now therefore be resolved that the town board of Grand Island hereby requires the installation of sidewalks 1700 1810 Boulevard including connection of all existing adjacent sidewalk infrastructure. Further be resolved that all property owners within this corridor should be required to install, construct, and connect the sidewalks along the respective frontages in accordance with town code specifications and direction of the town engineer and park. And it be further resolved that such sidewalk installation and connection shall be completed within the time frame established by board and shall be subject to inspection approval by the town. and be further resolved that failure to comply with this requirement may result town undertaking the work and assessing the cost therefore thereof to the respective property owners as permitted by law. It further be resolved that the town building department is hereby directed to provide notice to all affected property me owners enforce compliance with this resolution and coordinate inspection as necessary. And it further be resolved that the resolution is adopted in the interest of public safety, accessibility and welfare particularly for pedestrians accessing public transportation and facilities. Further be resolved that this resolution take effect immediately.

Next time you can just say motion. You read them. Anyways, something any discussion? Well, this this background noise for some people don't understand that that that there was sidewalks put in by some of the new buildings that were there and it left people leaving the sidewalks, walking on the streets and back to the sidewalks. So, our town code requires it to be continuous. That's what this brought to our attention. Not made. All right. Garcia, hi. Kilmer. Hi, Deal. Hi.

Hi. All right. Next item 10 from our highway superintendent James Sadita got request permission to hire candidates below effective the date this town board meeting subject to completion of pre-employment approval process paper start dates will be determined completion the boarding process. So motion is in order to hire people as indicated. Second. Any discussion? Gar. Hi. Garcia. Hi. Daddy. Hi. Kilmer. Hi.

All right. Item 11 from the code enforcement side. First is local law intro number one of 2026 reszoning portion of SPL we'll call it 410 Lang boulevard from M1 to NBD and to set a public hearing refer to the planning board and Rhonda an application for reclassification has been filed by KOA for proposed lot split the reszoning of the half of half and new site plan lot is currently zoned M1 the proposed lot would be split west and east the west side is vacant and the remain M1 the east side would be reszoned to NVD to allow for office space and a resident unit for KOA manager. Both split and site plan would follow the reclassification. Please add this application next public the next agenda and refer to the planning board and schedule public hearing. So a motion is in order to uh refer this to the planning board set public hearing for May 4th at 8:00. So move second.

Any discussion? Karen. Garcia. Hi. Kilmer. Hi. Daddy. Hi. Deal. Hi.

All right. Number two from code enforcement office is award of the property maintenance bid contract PM2026-00001. Ron writes that bids were open on opened on April 15, 2026. a building office for furnishing equipment operators for grass cutting, laden landscaping services and cleanup for various vacant unmaintained privately owned properties in the town of Grand Island PM 20226-1 with the following results and he is requesting that the property maintenance bid contract be awarded to Granic Ratescape as they were the only complete bid package. So motion is to award the bid to grancape second. Any discussion?

Karen, Garcia, hi. Deal. Hi, Datti. Hi, Kilmer. Hi.

All right. Uh, item 12 from Thomas Cesar Ch Murphy. Item one from Tim Connor, request a split merge property at 1823 West River Road. And Jill advises that after review by the engineering department supervising code enforcement officer and zoning inspector the split meets bulk zoning requirements of the town code with no existing code violations and no objection and split will be effectuated upon approval by the town board and filing a deed with Erie County. So motion is in motion is in order to approve uh the paral subdivision as outlined. Second. Any discussion? Garren Deal. Hi.

Kilmer. Hi. Garcia. Hi. Pigetti. Hi. Item two, another uh request to split a parcel. This time St Road by Marcia Jeffrey Francis in the estate of Margaret F. And again after review by the town engineer, supervising code enforcement officer and zoning inspector, the split meet bulk zoning requirements. the town code with no existing code of violations and objection and it would be effectuated upon approval by the town board filing a deed with Erie County. So a motion is in order to approve the split of vacant land uh Staley Road. So move to second. Any discussion? Garren

Deal. I Garcia I Kilmer. Item 13 from parks maintenance crew chief Tom Cicery. Some new hires. Parks department requires permission to hire the candidates below affected the date of this town board meeting sub to the completion of pre-employment approval process. Official start dates determined upon completion of the onboarding process. Uh so motion is in order to hire the candidates identified in town's memo at the rates and dates therein. So move Second. Any discussion? Okay, we can read the role. Garcia, I deal I

Daddy. Hi. Kilmer. Hi. And also on Tom's is a request for a status change of an existing employee David Williams from uh season from part-time to seasonal effective May 4th of 2026. So motion's in approve the status change. So second discussion. All right. Garcia. I Datti. Hi. Kilmer. Hi.

Item 14 from the planning board. We have a special use application uh for Wendy and John McAffrey 4184 East River Road to operate a bed and breakfast. And the planning board writes that was a there was a motion to approve the special use permit. That was carried unanimously. So motion is in order for this board to approve that special use permit. So did you have a question? SL would have been in our agenda packed to second

discussion. I think we need to take a recommendation too. I've been saying this too. She recommended it. Uh, it was moved by Mr. Tier Stress to recommend approval of special use permits for bed and breakfast. It's um Oh, no. I'm sorry. I thought that she was recommending getting rid of these. I can't wait to get rid of all these special use. I thought that our new committee is trying stressing to get rid of these things. I I would love to limit the wound of special use from that like gas stations but I I diver I went off the demon. Yeah, but you weren't here for the amber with debacle. So you just say these are ones that

All right. So was that a motion to second with some discussion? Sorry. I just want them. Deal. I Garcia I Kilmer. Hi. Um, in item number two from the planning board, was there comments on uh the property maintenance code of the RFP? We discussed this pretty much at length during the workshop, so I think this one is just received in file. All right. Item 15, report of the audit committee.

Okay. I make a motion to pay vouchers 15229152418. Those will be paid from first the sewer fund $52,26845 from the water fund $41,51318 trust and agency fund $450 capital fund $165,744.73 lighting districts $1,900. That brings us to a total out of this um audit period of $462,48452.

Before I second it, we're the first page. We had to flip over the page for the first two for highway and general fund. We could just add general fund was $127,560.82. Highway is $72,47.34. Thank you. You just misspoke on the third one. It's $53,000. 53,000. I have my readers on and everything. We'll have to go and go surgery. Wear glass. No contacts. All right. Any more discussion on that? No. All right. Karen Deal I Kilmer I Garcia I

and before we go into public comments I would like to make a motion to susent rules to entertain uh setting public hearing for pass law make that motion when you want to make the motion to suspend the rules first oh second or I make the motion to suspend the rules I made it so the second one okay let's clear all on I Garcia I Kilmer I

Okay. Now I'll make a motion to set a public hearing for the battery and battery battery energy storage law for May 18th at 8:00. Second discussion I guess I'll just add pursuant to our discussion during executive I did circulate the revised draft to everybody uh after the workshop. So, we'll get that posted on the website, sent to advisory boards, uh, have the public hearing, see where we go from there. But we can get that thing across the whole line. Sounds good. Karen, you Garcia, hi. Kilmer. Hi, Deal. Hi.

All right. Public comments. So, anybody with comments on anything, please feel free to take the mic. Uh, three minutes. We need your name, not your address, though. John Chen, I watched some of the comments from the last town council meeting and I did follow the advice of downloading the storm water management plan and scanned through it, started reading some of it and I was very surprised to learn that flood was only found once in the entire document. And I thought usually I associate storm water also occasionally with floods, but it seems like on the public comment form, this is my comment on the comment form and the document itself in general is that it says its focus is on public education and on pollution, but it doesn't seem to have any focus or emphasis on floods which seems to be a rather common occurrence on this island. I wonder why that's not really part of the plan. So I ask that question and the second thing if it is focus on let's say pollution and I understand floods to spread the pollution around if it exists from non-point pollution whether it's oil spills changing oil washing cars as it's mentioned in this document um waste from pets whatever it might But I I thought of this and I thought

one other thing that seems to occur when I was picking up plastic bottles and other things in my backyard from the flooding that has occurred behind my house is that there's a lot of recyclables and garbage that gets blown around when we have a lot of wind. That's one thing when I relocated this area is I was very surprised that there's a lot of wind on this island. So much so that I've picked up my neighbors garbage cans that have gone hundreds of yards from one end to the other end of the street and almost going into the river. So I wonder when we do have garbage pickup, can we think about the possibility of suspending it on very windy days when people put out their garbage to be collected, especially light recyclables that it doesn't blow around everything. We have things about snow removal and not to park your cars and things like that possibly on the streets. Well, why don't we have that as a part part of public education is please don't put your garbage out on a very windy day. And by the way, we're not picking it up that day. So that's one comment. Thank you.

Anyone else with any public comments? Nancy Killian, I just heard about uh the property maintenance issue during the workshop and I'm just wondering if any of that will apply to vacant lots. How would that be? Not vacant without buildings, not uneven lots, but I mean, but now there are some big lots that are like in the woods. How would you maintain that? Are they affected? or any lot that would be between houses on a street but it's vacant. Just curious. Thank you.

Step up to the mic, please. Open mic. Oh, yeah. Thank you.

My name is Bill Daniels and my 13-year-old granddaughter was killed while crossing the street near Keaban School. on September 11th, 2024. She is my youngest granddaughter, youngest daughter of my youngest daughter. I've been dealing with the New York State Department for Transportation for over a year. Um, getting nowhere with them. I would like very humbly request that this town board have a resolution to for a traffic design uh study to the New York State Department of Transportation. Design study could include a roundabout. It could include narrowing it down from five or six lanes down to one each way. Two weeks after my granddaughter was killed, there was a serious injury in the same location. Another resolution I'd like them to consider would be to the New York State Department of Transportation, Office of Traffic Safety and Mobility. The manual of uniform traffic control devices was recently updated um in 2023. New York State has the opportunity now to make a New York State supplement. I request that this board make a resolution with a to the New York State Department of Transportation for New York State supplement for chapter 2B-17 which deals with traffic signals. Also, chapter 4 C06 warrant five, which deals with draft control devices near schools. Any questions?

This is what they sent back to me about the procedure. So, basically, I like a highway design study. Okay. There was petition of close to 2500 people asking for a four-way stop there was started by Mindy Joles who nearly got killed driving in that area with her son. So if you're any kind of public servant the way I am, you listen to the people. Okay. So there's a blinking amber light there. Um it would require a modification from the manual of uniform traffic control devices. to make that into a four-way stop. New York now has the opportunity to to make that adjustment.

Scan that was in an email. So again, I'll have a Sure. Or just leave a bus with so Yeah. I'll leave it. This is a letter that he sent me back on the procedure. I'm I'm a social worker by trade. Hang out till afterward. We can make it. Oh, thank you. Yeah. So, no, I'm a social worker. I had to learn all this in a very short period of time, you know. So, So, I'll make you a copy. Any questions about I'm what I'm requesting from the town. Thank you very much. Thank you. Like I said, please just hang out. I will. Thank you. And Mr. Can I speak with you afterwards too?

Anyone else? Wayne West, East Park Road. Um, I don't like to echo what Bill said, but also I wanted to get clarification on the sidewalk resolution. Um, the actual positioning that you read, I'd just like to make like the address. Yeah, it was there's a span from Burger King to the Burger Hotel. Now that they filled that I want I want the addresses in the resolution. They are 17.

The resolution is I've got some questions about it and we'll I'll address those more formally. But what were the what were the addresses 171?

I obviously was not good with numbers tonight. So So I'm going to look it up for you. It's in the resolution first thing 1700 1810 grand 1700 to 1810. Okay. First paragraph and I'm just going to leave a question for the council just how did we come up with those numbers? Yeah. But how do we come up with those numbers? Yeah. No, I think of the 123 locations on Grand Island Boulevard, how did we narrow it down to 1701?

Meeting we discussed this again workshop, it's because Burger King has a portion of a path. Then there are now two the car washed and the new building that were there that had to put sidewalks in that now go nowhere. And we stopped at the motel because when you get to the motel, there's acres and acres of vacant land. So that's why we stopped there. Okay.

We can now I'm I'm well aware of the area. I'm a material witness in this case and there's a number of most of Grand Island Boulevard does not have sidewalks. The code does not say that it's the responsibility of the owner to place in sidewalks. So I'm just kind of curious as how we picked that particular section. and how we went from now we're going to mandate the owner because it says in the code at time of I didn't even know that this was on the agenda so I wasn't ready prepared to talk about it but just knowing that I can talk to you

and and that's fine but like I said I'd like to I'd like the council to look at how that how that area came about and the rest of the boulevard is ignored I would Anyone else? All right, I'll declare the public comment period closed. And item 17 from the board, this deal. Mr. Daniels, I'm I'm very sorry. Every time I Every time I speak, it we have worked on it

and and um Mr. Chin, thank you for taking a look at that. One of the things I really liked about that section where the storm water is on the website is is the um educational pieces, especially I think about new homeowners and some of the tips it gave. I think we we know those things, but it's nice that that's there. And I remember the days when our recycle bins were yellow and this big and the wind really really did did some damage there. So, it is nice that at least we've progressed to the the covered container. But thank you for your comments. That's nice. I just wanted to show one thing. Again, I've talked about this several times. We've been working closely with the Family Justice Center this year. Um, we are working on a partnership with Grand Island Police Department and the Family Justice Center. The details of that will roll out later as we progress with them. But one of the things I did pick up um we needed to replenish them here at town hall are posters that go in um restrooms with um tear off numbers. So these will be in town hall, but if anyone worked someplace or owns a business that you would like to put these in your um restroom facilities, you can reach out to me or Family Justice Center. We'll be happy to get those for you. I've toured the facility several times and um it is a place of safety and um help and if there's someone that is experiencing any type of domestic violence or or violence um I feel very comfortable that you would be treated in in a very um professional but soothing way. So I just wanted to share that. That's all I have. Garcia. Uh the only thing other than Daniel.

Um but one happy thing is incredible win by the Sabres last night and hopefully tomorrow we get the same. At least that's something positive. I hope this lesson I don't watch your turn. Yep.

All right. I like to review what the what the residents bring to um to play. And when you talk about storm water and pollution, I'm going to help clear that up for you. storm the storm water pollution issue is that when we have storms that exceed the capacity of our wastewater treatment plant, there's an there's an outflow that goes directly to the river and it is a it is we get closely looked at DEEC. We get our hands slapped, but that's the pollution they're talking about because we have infiltration and problems with storm water that we we can't we don't have it directing properly to the river and getting rid of it properly. We have a storm water issue that's causing pollution because our plant can't handle the volume of storm water that actually goes to our sewer system that should not. So that's why the pollution is connected to the storm water issue. The other thing is it's spring, you're going to have motorcycles and kids on bikes. So keep your head on a swivel. Uh respect the motorcycles, respect people on their bikes. Uh they don't have the protection you do in your car, so be careful. and the no garbage on windy days. We contract our garbage collection with the and that contract is up this year. We can ask them if they have some kind of provision when it's 60 mph winds. But what's hard is to have private sector, you know, park their trucks, eat sandwiches all day and not pick up garbage and have to double pick up the next two days for a couple municipalities. I don't know how they would do that as private sector, but we can ask. If I'm not mistaken, since I've been here since 2020, I think there have been very few, but there have been instances where they have announced ahead of time they would postpone a day. Do you remember that, Tom? It's it's very very slight, but

I think there was been a couple of extreme situations. So, we can we can kind of address that because we are in garbage negotiations right now. We we the RP will be going out. We can kind of ask what do you do? Maybe we could put a certain mile per hour. What do you do for to keep the cans from flying all over the town? But again, thanks for bringing it up, but we can address it when it comes to contract. That's what I was thinking workshops involves public education too. Got to notify our job because it's it's going to blow everywhere.

And Mr. West, the issue that issue came up through code enforcement. lays on a code enforcement. What happened is a couple new buildings were built around there. They all put sidewalks in and what happened was it's diverting people from from sidewalk to road to sidewalk to road uh in the code. Okay. I'm just saying that we didn't invent the problem. It it kind of created itself through some new development in that area. But not say no says

that says that it must be address. So look at that if you look out some section at sidewalk provided by land. There are other by and so if you have a new development like car wash or at the hotel or the park they are required at the time of development. That's what your code says right. It does not say it implies that that the other properties are grandfather against it.

Yeah. I I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I'm not we're we're not supposed to do two-way. I'm just telling you why we got to the to where we are today. Uh and why as a town board it had to come to a resolution because it our code enforcement officer reads the code different than you do. and our legal bought it as far as so again we can read the code differently and we don't we haven't ruled out that if you can't get it done the town could put it in and we'll just add it to the taxes if you can't if if there's a that's enough debate over because it is exactly what I love right

I was just telling you why it got here I was being respectful to your question why it got here why we are where we are and and it just didn't pop out of nowhere that development Well, did there not talk about it? But don't insult me.

I'm not insulting. I'm telling you how how it got to the board. That wasn't insult at all. And the code says sidewalks will be required along the entire frontage of commercially zoned lots or parcels where deemed necessary pedestrian movement and public safety as the board shall direct, which is what the resolution did. Okay. Well, I guess we're in agreement about what says that. And then again, there was a watch. Wasn't that a public session workshop with Ron that we talked about? So, if you want to educate yourself, you can go take a look on YouTube and get the dialogue about how it came to us and why we determined that it was appropriate to go.

If you want to talk, you have enough. Otherwise, thank

uh for me, uh it is that time of year. I drove down the road the other day driving my son to school and there was what appeared to be maybe a 12 to 14 year old on a scooter driving down the middle of baseline at 8 a.m. in the morning. So, please be careful. Parents, please instruct your children on how to do things safely because I can say I wouldn't applauded my kid doing that. Um especially not at that time. So be cautious. There's lots of people out there. Weather's great. We're all eager to get outside. But let's be good neighbors to each other. Go Savers. I guess I'm glad the game fell as it was because I have tickets tomorrow and that game fell today. I've been here. Um all right. So motion is in order to adjurnn. So move

second. Second. Well, we'll adjourn, but we're going to go back to executive session. So I'll amend the motion to adjurnn, return to executive session for additional uh second legal services. Discussion. Karen Dugatti. Hi. Garcia. Hi. Kilmer. Hi. I

All right. And tonight we'll have memorial adjournment for Lewis Fab Fabiano, Viola Ginger, Gloria Brown, Peter Glor, Irene Smith, Walter Zeb, James Lynch, and Gregory K. Right. Gavj.