Village Board reorganizes
Marra appointed deputy mayor

by Joshua Maloni
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, July 14, 2007

At a special organizational meeting Monday, the Village of Lewiston Board of Trustees filled out its roster for the 2007-08 fiscal year. The starting lineup includes:

Deputy clerk – Amy Salada; deputy treasurer and budget officer – Karen Goodman; registrar – Anne Welch; deputy registrar – Salada; historian – Pam Hauth; fire inspector – Blair McEvoy; building inspector – Ken Candella; zoning officer – Nick Conde.

The Planning Board was reappointed for a two-year term. Members include Pat McCue, Bruce Sutherland, Karl Terryberry and Kristin Gamble. Vic Eydt will remain as chairman of this board.

Likewise, John Ritter will return as chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals. His committee – Peter MacLaren, Michael Swanson, Bart Klettke and Ed Finkbeiner – will serve for five years.

Denise Mess was selected to head the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Board for the next year. She’ll be joined by Maureen Castiglione, Conde, Gerald Mosey, Beth Kraft and Curtis Stuart.

Most notably, Trustee Michael Marra was appointed deputy mayor. Last year, village mayor Richard Soluri announced he intended to select a new board member each year to serve as his backup. In 2006-07, it was Bill Geiben. This time around, he said, “Mike stepped forward, which I think is great.”

Marra was pleased with Soluri’s decision.

“I appreciate the appointment and the mayor’s confidence in my ability,” he said. “He’s seen that I take my responsibilities seriously. Hopefully, I can do well at them.”

The Village Board will hold work sessions in the Red Brick Municipal Building at 6 p.m. on the first Monday of each month, from October through May, and on the first Tuesday of September. Regular meetings will be held at the same time and place on the third Monday of every month, save February, when trustees will get together on the third Tuesday.

News and Notes

•The board will hold a public hearing on Monday, July 16, at 6 p.m., to discuss a resolution that calls for Garden and Primrose lanes to be dedicated as streets. The two roadways, which are part of the “Gardens at Oxbow” development, are between Mohawk Street and Oxbow Lane.

•Parts of Center, Ridge, Fourth, Fifth and Seventh streets will be closed next month to accommodate the Historic Lewiston Jazz Festival. Center, from West Seventh to East Fourth, will be closed from 6 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25, until 7 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 26. Fifth Street, from Ridge Street to the KeyBank drive-through, will be closed from 7 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 24, until 7 p.m. Sunday.

•For the past two months, board members have been debating the merits of allowing organizations the right to collect funds on Center Street – so-called “bucket brigades.” Trustee Bill Geiben said Monday, “I’m not in favor of them. They inhibit the traffic flow; they’re a risk factor.”

In an attempt to streamline collections, trustees Marra and Terry Collesano created a list of criteria that will determine which groups are granted permission, and which will be redirected elsewhere. Those seeking a spot on Center Street will be required to meet the following conditions: their group is recognized and charitable; the collection itself is for a specific, charitable cause; and the group’s collection agents must be adults. Also, the event will not be allowed on a day when there is heavy traffic in the village – such as Artpark Tuesdays – and groups will be asked to provide an insurance rider.

At the board’s meeting this week, three contracts were approved enabling bucket brigades to proceed. The Kiwanis Club and its Peach Festival queen were granted permission to collect money on the corner of Center Street and Portage Road on Monday, July 23, from 4 to 7:45 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the “Buddy Walk,” which is one of the service organization’s major fund-raisers each year.

The Kiwanis Club will also be collecting money for Women and Children’s Hospital on Saturday, Aug. 11, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“It helps them; it’s a good cause,” Soluri said.

Finally, the Christopher J. D’Angelis Memorial Scholarship Fund committee will solicit donations from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 19.