New year, new meeting in Wheatfield

by Susan Mikula Campbell
Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, January 7, 2010

Change in Wheatfield was evident Monday as new Supervisor Robert Cliffe ran his first reorganization meeting, followed by the first regular meeting of the year.

Noting that he planned to have the meetings “a little more businesslike,” Cliffe not only started the meeting on time, but had people on their way out the door before 9 p.m.

Among the changes that allowed the early departure (previously meetings have finished up as late as midnight) was Cliffe’s directive that the public will be allowed to speak at the front microphone prior to the meeting and after business is concluded. In the past, audience members have been allowed to comment from their seats at any time during the meeting, often straying into non-relevant issues, including personal problems and even personal attacks.

Regular meetings will be held at 7:30 p.m. on the fourth Monday of the month, instead of the third Monday. On the second Monday of the month a work session will be held before the board convenes for bill-paying and any business that needs immediate attention.

Among items to be discussed at the February work session will be possible new charges for use of town recreation facilities. The board also has asked for a full report on the cost of having LCTV tape and broadcast its meetings. Councilman Larry Helwig pointed out that the cost is $175 per hour, and with past lengthy meetings, may have cost the town $800 or more per meeting.

Cliffe said he had a difficult time justifying this cost when he is in the position of having to lay people off, so it was decided not to tape the upcoming 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25 regular board meeting, and await a full report on the actual cost.

In other matters during the regular portion of the meeting:

•The board set a public hearing for 6:45 p.m. Jan. 25 to discuss changing 11.5 acres of land on Shawnee Road near Captain’s Way back to R-2 zoning, which primarily permits single family and two-family housing. The pastor of Church at Shawnee Landing, for which the land was rezoned R-3, has said the church will be moving elsewhere.

•A public hearing also was set for 7:15 p.m. Jan. 25 to amend the town’s policy for procurement of goods and services.

•Former Supervisor Timothy Demler was in the audience, but did not speak. At the end of the meeting, Cliffe publicly thanked Demler for 14 years of service to the town.

However in the parking lot after the meeting, Demler and some of his supporters were talking about a possible lawsuit. Cliffe’s layoffs included eliminating one clerk and reducing another to part time. The new part-time clerk is the wife of the GOP committeeman who became a campaign issue. Demler has said he wasn’t having an affair with the woman at the time (although photos were made public of the two visiting Jamestown), but that the issue did bring them together. Both Demler and the woman are separated from their spouses.

•Many appointments were made during the reorganization portion of the meeting, including several new ones. Ed Mongold, comptroller for the Town of Tonawanda, was named budget director. Walter Bissett was named historian. Paul Collins was named animal control officer, with Joshua Berner as his assistant. Chris Haas and Dan Maerten were named dog control officers, and Craig McDonnell, Lawrence Caldwell and Chris Gurnett were named dog enumerators.

•Among wages set at the reorganization meeting were:

Supervisor, $36,592; councilmen, $12,843 (except deputy supervisor – Kenneth Retzlaff, reappointed – $16,238.08; town justice, $21,908.38; supervisor’s secretary (Francine Boore, reappointed), $20.52 per hour; budget director, $24,000; assessor, $52,612; town clerk, $59,184; attorney, $45,544.72; bingo inspector, $3,288; dog control, $5,000; animal control, $3,000; constables $13.18 to $11.82 per hour; highway superintendent, $61,654; building inspector, $54,184; recreation director, $59,951; senior citizen leader, $12.02 per hour; historian, $2,000; Planning Board chairman, $3,857; Zoning Board chairman, $3,530; water/sewer supervisor, $55,796.