Board approves sewer rate increase, tables Greenway vote

by Joshua Maloni
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, February 24, 2007

With discussions still underway between the Niagara Power Coalition and Niagara River Greenway Commission, the Village of Lewiston Board of Trustees on Tuesday tabled its vote on the draft Greenway Plan. It is expected that the final version of the proposal – complete with an addendum addressing public comment, as well as the NPC’s position – will be presented at Tuesday’s Greenway meetings. Those events will be held at 5 and 7 p.m., at Beaver Island State Park.

“The consultant (Wendel Duchscherer Architects and Engineers) is trying to pull everything together,” Greenway Executive Director Rob Belue said Friday.

Samuel Ferraro, staff to the NPC, did not respond to a message left for him with his secretary earlier in the week.

Sewer Rate Raised 17.9 percent

As the board indicated it would, trustees voted to approve a 17.9 percent sewer rate increase. Village residents will pay $3.95 – up from $3.35.

Deputy Mayor Bill Geiben broke that figure down, saying 8 percent would go into offsetting the village’s 26 percent deficit; 6 percent would be applied to paying the Town of Lewiston for sewer services; and 3.9 percent would go toward restoring the fund balance, which is depleted. In 2006, an emergency sewer repair cost the municipality $11,000 – representing money that was not in hand at the time.

At a public hearing prior to the vote, Oxbow Lane resident Larry Waggy expressed his dismay at the increase. It was stated inaccurately at a previous meeting that the sewer rate had not increased in five years. As Waggy pointed out and trustees noted, however, there was a 12 percent increase one year ago. In total, the rate has increased 30 percent in a little more than a year. “When you get these double-digit increases … it sends up a red flag,” Waggy said.

Trustees all expressed dismay at the increase, but said it’s necessary. Ken Kenney said the current increase might be the start of something greater.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said. “We’ve got big problems with our sewers.”

He indicated troubles range from overall pipe leakage to the need for manhole inserts, and increasing grease trap seepage.

“We’ve got to do a lot of work,” he said.

The board is working with restaurants in an effort to upgrade or more properly maintain grease traps. Village Attorney Paul Grenga said eateries are required to have efficient grease traps in place. He said trustees favor a policy of allowing these establishments to voluntarily cooperate. However, if they refuse, necessary action will result, including notifying the County Health Department.

Paddle Shack Progress

While the board tabled a motion to lease Niagara Paddle Shack a portion of Lewiston Landing below the staircase to store kayaks, Brett Bersani, operator, was granted time to update the board on his progress. He has incorporated the business, copyrighted the name and begun the insurance process. More importantly, he has received approval from the U.S. Coast Guard and Border Patrol to run canoe and kayak trips on the Niagara River, from Lewiston to Youngstown and back. What’s more, the Youngstown Village Board has already approved a spot for Bersani: a building on the north dock.

The Lewiston board expressed reservation to the project with regard to parking, first and foremost, and also inquired about a fee returning to the village from the operation. Bersani said he anticipates 200-plus families per week will take part in his recreational endeavor.

Trustee Terry Collesano questioned where Bersani’s clients would fit in along Water Street, an area in high demand in the summer thanks to thriving restaurants, fishing and boating activities.

“We have limited parking,” Collesano said.

Addition Receives No Vote

A motion to approve a development plan at Tops received no vote. Trustees were presented material detailing the addition of a front bottle area to the Center Street supermarket. The proposal was previously approved by the Planning Commission, but that board’s input was not received by the Village Board until prior to Tuesday’s meeting.

Without adequate time to review the plan, trustees Collesano and Kenney voted “no” on the proposal.

“They don’t bring the thing to us until the meeting,” an upset Kenney said.

Trustees Geiben and Mike Marra voted “yes,” thereby creating a no-vote split. The plan will return to the agenda next month.