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To support of the 100th year anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Town Board of Grand Island proclaimed 2018 as the `Year of the Bird` on Grand Island. At its meeting Tuesday in Town Hall, the board noted the town is home to `some of the most critical land and water resources in the Niagara River corridor that provide effective and life sustaining stewardship for the bio-diverse avian community.` In making the proclamation, the board said the Niagara River corridor has been officially designated a Globally Important Significant Bird Area on the basis of its biodiverse habitat that supports more than 300 different bird species. Further, the proclamation stated the town's nearshore waters and wetlands together with unique habitats of the Niagara River are critical to the life cycles and survival of native and migrant species including neo-tropical birds, shorebirds, colonial wading birds, waterfowl and birds of prey. Pictured, Island resident Nicole Gerber accepts the proclamation from council members Bev Kinney, Jennifer Baney, Town Supervisor Nathan McMurray, and council members Mike Madigan and Pete Marston. (Photo by Larry Austin)
To support of the 100th year anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the Town Board of Grand Island proclaimed 2018 as the "Year of the Bird" on Grand Island. At its meeting Tuesday in Town Hall, the board noted the town is home to "some of the most critical land and water resources in the Niagara River corridor that provide effective and life sustaining stewardship for the bio-diverse avian community." In making the proclamation, the board said the Niagara River corridor has been officially designated a Globally Important Significant Bird Area on the basis of its biodiverse habitat that supports more than 300 different bird species. Further, the proclamation stated the town's nearshore waters and wetlands together with unique habitats of the Niagara River are critical to the life cycles and survival of native and migrant species including neo-tropical birds, shorebirds, colonial wading birds, waterfowl and birds of prey. Pictured, Island resident Nicole Gerber accepts the proclamation from council members Bev Kinney, Jennifer Baney, Town Supervisor Nathan McMurray, and council members Mike Madigan and Pete Marston. (Photo by Larry Austin)

Fall Father's Day Spectacular Sept. 15

Sat, Sep 8th 2018 07:00 am
The Fall Father's Day Spectacular will take place Saturday, Sept. 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Veterans Park, 1717 Bedell Road.
Formerly held on the West River Parkway on Father's Day, the event has move to Vets Park.
•The Mary Dunbar-Daluisio Memorial Lawnmower Race will start at noon. Registration will begin at 9 a.m. A testing of mowers begins at 11 a.m.
•The Kevin Doring Memorial 1K Walk in the Park will start at 10:15 a.m., with registration at 9 a.m.
•A car show will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
•Music, food, a kid zone, and raffles will keep spectators entertained.
Speaking of lawnmowing, former councilman hired to cut grass
Larry Austin
Island Dispatch Editor
Town Supervisor Nathan McMurray blasted the hiring of a former town councilman to a seasonal parks maintenance job saying it was another example of a "cycle" of politically motivated appointments.
McMurray objected to a request from the town's Parks Maintenance Crew Chief Tom Dworak to hire former Councilman Gary Roesch as a parks senior worker at the rate of $12.25 per hour.
The matter was up for a vote at the board's Aug. 20 meeting, when McMurray first raised his objection, but the board delayed making a decision until it next met Tuesday.
 McMurray asked the other four council members "why this has to be done?" Councilman Pete Marston replied, "I would ask why not? It's Tom's call. I'm not particularly interested in who cuts the grass as long as it gets cut."
"I am, McMurray said, adding that he wants the town to follow and open hiring process.
Councilman Mike Madigan said the hiring of Roesch was for just a couple weeks of work, explaining that the job opened at the end of the summer season after other seasonal workers had returned to college. Madigan cautioned, "We can't be micromanaging at that level."
 McMurray said, "I see a cycle at this point." He reminded the board of the hiring of former Councilman Ray Billica to a town job as well as the hiring of former Deputy Supervisor Liz Wilbert to a job at the Golden Age Center shortly before McMurray took office.
Councilwoman Jennifer Baney, Madigan, Marston, Billica and Wilbert are all Republicans. Roesch is a Conservative. McMurray is a Democrat.
"I am not comfortable going forward any further with merely saying, 'I found a guy,'" McMurray said.
Marston said in hiring Roesch, he "would hardly consider it a golden parachute."
Dworak's request passed 4-1, with McMurray the lone "No" vote. The supervisor then asked that all future hiring be done with open posting on the town's website and Facebook page. His idea passed 4-1, with Councilwoman Baney voting no. Baney was the lone "No" vote to delay a decision on the hiring at the Aug. 20 meeting as well.
Baney said "we haven't talked to department heads about this" policy and cautioned that a new hiring policy might hurt the board's relationship with the town's department heads.
Roesch's job took effect Sept. 5.

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