Tax rate projected to remain same
By Joshua Maloni
Managing Editor
The second phase of expansion at Hibbard's Original Frozen Custard was approved Monday by the Village of Lewiston Board of Trustees. The Hibbard family was granted a special use permit for a 24-foot-by-13-foot concrete pad and customer queuing area with overhang canopy. This waiting spot will be located directly behind newly enlarged serving windows, which were previously approved.
Construction work began Tuesday. Kristen Hibbard Trunzo said the renovations would delay the custard stand's opening this spring. If all goes well, she said Hibbard's would open on April 28 - about three-and-a-half weeks later than in 2017.
Architect Jim Fittante said the serving window will provide workers more room to serve product, while the concrete pad will be a more-efficient - and safer - waiting area for customers.
The nearly-80-year-old custard business is located at 105 Portage Road (corner of Center Street; across from Academy Park).
•Board members denied a request from Corey McGowan Productions and the Lewiston Council on the Arts to serve beer and wine in Hennepin Park during the popular "Blue Mondays" and "Summer of '69" concert events. Trustees expressed concern about crowd control - namely people wandering off with alcoholic beverages in violation of the open container law - as well as the possible impact of a mobile station and fencing on the park grounds and sidewalks.
•The Village Board approved a municipal code change reflecting notice of defect, while tabling a change that would allow the Lewiston Police Department to ticket, fine and tow automobiles on private property.
•Trustees met before and after their regular monthly meeting to discuss finances. At 5:30 p.m., they heard from accountant Pat Brown of Brown & Company on the potential benefits of placing fund balance monies into federal tax-free municipal bonds. He suggested investing between $1 million and $1.2 million of the $1.851 million total into short-term (30 days or less) bonds.
Brown confirmed the clerk's office research, which revealed the municipality could make upward of $20,000 in interest.
Following the board meeting, trustees held a budget meeting with Clerk/Treasurer Amy Salada, Deputy Clerk Edward Walker, Recreation Director Brendan McDermott and Department of Public Works Superintendent Terry Brolinski. Numbers are preliminary but, as of now, the 2018-19 budget is pegged at about $3.56 million, with a flat tax rate of $7.38 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. With revenue projected to be $3.33 million, the municipality would need to allocate about $225,000 in appropriated fund balance to make up the difference.
Once tax change residents can expect is an 11-cent increase in the water bill. This is to offset added expenses Niagara County has placed on the Village of Lewiston.
Trustees are slated to have three more meeting before adopting the budget. A public hearing is tentatively set for 6 p.m. Monday, April 2.
Construction work in front of Hibbard's Original Frozen Custard on Portage Road.