Grand Island Town Board: Town hires 6 police officers

Six new part-time police officers were hired by the town at the Grand Island Town Board meeting on Feb. 4.

On the recommendation of Grand Island Police Department Officer in Charge Christopher Soluri, the board hired six part-time police officers at grade 5, step A on the non-union salary schedule, effective Feb. 5.

The list of new officers includes three Islanders: Albert Liberatore, Thomas Dewey and Thomas Doctor. Michael Haynes and Lee Richard, both of Tonawanda, and Lisa Marrone of Niagara Falls were also hired.

Also at the meeting, the board made seven appointments to the Community Emergency Response Team, with terms to expire Dec. 31, 2013: Dorothy Bitner (Traffic Safety Advisory Board), Michael Duff (ham radio coordinator), Kevin Koch (chief, Grand Island Fire Co.), Nicole Gerber (emergency services), Christopher Soluri (officer in charge, Grand Island Police Department), and Stephen Stouter (chair, CERT leader), with Councilman Richard Crawford as liaison to the Grand Island Town Board.

The board held three public hearings to take citizen input. One concerned a bond resolution for an increase and improvement of the Park Place/Whitehaven Farms Sewer Improvement Area. Metzger Civil Engineering prepared a revised map, plan and report for the construction of the sewer improvements, according to the resolution. The improvements will consist of installation of approximately 1,235 feet of 18-inch gravity sanitary sewer along Whitehaven Road, the replacement of a manhole at the intersection of Whitehaven and Harvey roads, the routing of the existing 12-inch force main into the first manhole at Bonnywoods Crossing, and the abandonment of the existing force main, as well as other improvements. Increases in manpower and material has resulted in an increase of the estimated maximum cost from $181,129 to $300,000.