At its meeting on Monday, Nov. 16, the village of Springville Board of Trustees discussed a high-speed telephone communication service proposed by Police Chief John Fox that can deliver customized pre-recorded emergency messages directly to homes and businesses at a cost of $1 per person per year.
In a conversation with Mike Nolan, supervisor of the town of Elma, Trustee Jean Moncreiff said the town of Elma has the system which worked very well, especially during the “Surprise October” storm in 2006. “It’s incredible, it really is,” she said. “Mike thinks it’s just tremendous and he couldn’t say enough good things about it, so I thank John for bringing it to our attention.”
Through the use of the CodeRED system, emergency personnel will be able to target all known residents within a geographic area and/or from a defined call list, to provide fast notification of an emergency, including all necessary details and instructions. In addition, CodeRED’s mapping feature would allow the village to access a map of its community to select the area to receive an emergency message. “You can break it down into blocks and within three minutes everyone in that area is notified,” said Fox.
“It’s a small price to pay,” said Moncreiff. According to Nolan, she was told that the county had a similar system which was discarded. The state has a system, “but it’s terrible so Mike wouldn’t even recommend it.”
In other matters:
• Following a second Community Development Block Grant public hearing prior to the meeting, no comments were received regarding the proposed application for funds relating to the Rural Transit Service and the replacement of a water line on Eaton Street.
• Fox reported that the winter parking ban took effect November 10 at midnight with officers placing notices on all vehicles parked on village streets. The officers will only issue the notices until the end of November with tickets being issued effective December 1 unless there is a snow storm beforehand. In this event, vehicles will be ticketed and towed at owner’s expense. The sheriff’s department has been notified of this.
• The Springville Police Department will be conducting two commercial vehicle safety checks in December in conjunction with the New York State Department of Transportation.
• Officer Christian Parisi has been sworn in and is expected to commence his duties this week.
• Administrator Tim Horner reported that he has received a supplementary agreement from the state of New York Department of Transportation changing the amount of money to be received for over-runs relating to labor and materials for removal and reinstallation of electric utility lines along the easement of the 219 Expressway extension. The original agreement called for the reimbursement by the state of New York to pay the village $94,919 for reimbursement of work done to accommodate the utilities along the Expressway, but due to the additional work relating to the landslides at Scoby Hill Road, the amount to be reimbursed is now $110,617.
• Fire Department Chief Dennis Dains gave an overview of the revised “open fires” definitions, prohibitions and exceptions regulations effective Oct. 14. Prescribed burns may be performed but only in accordance with DEC regulations. Fire training burning activities are allowed with some restrictions on the use of acquired structures.
• The board approved the obtaining of parts for the repair of the failed transformer following the power outage at the substation on Nason Boulevard recently. The estimate received for repairs is in the amount of $36,450.
• Dains was congratulated by the Board on his re-election as highway superintendent for the town of Concord.
• “Now that we have an open high speed main line of travel, it could be a nasty winter for us,” said Dains, referring to the removal of the railway lines and ties in the Village, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m dead set against Rails-to-Trails and we’re going to have a mess this winter out there, I think,” referring specifically to snowmobiles. It was noted that the track is still owned by the railroad company and that use of it by others would be considered trespassing.
• Moncreiff said that Steve Frank has resigned from the Control Center and interviews will take place for a per diem replacement of this position.
• Trustee James Bentley gave an update on the Western New York Southtowns Scenic Byway (WNYSSB) saying that the organization has been given a $68,000 grant for signage but that matching funds will have to be found. One idea for raising revenues is to issue a discount card instead of a discount coupon book with all sponsors being listed on WNYSSB’s Web site at www.wnyssb.com. He also reported that the WNYSSB’s slogan is now “The Official Sponsor of the Four Seasons.”
• Information is available at the village office on West Main Street regarding the Belmont housing resource ECHO program which, among other things, provides information about assisting low-income individuals with housing, those at risk of becoming homeless and heating and utility bills.
The next village of Springville Board of Trustees’ meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 7 at the Franklin Street Municipal Building.