Wheatfield meeting hits bumpy roads

By Benjamin Joe

Tribune Editor

Al D’Angelo of the subdivision, Country Meadows, in the Town of Wheatfield made a plea to the Town Board to repave his street. The long-time resident who said that he was asked to represent his neighbors, noted he has been lobbying for years, but keeps getting the same answer from Highway Superintendent Paul Siegmann: “There’s no money in the budget.”

Siegmann said later in the Town Board meeting, one thing he could do for the D’Angelo was to take out the islands in the streets where the subdivision began as they were often hit by plows in the winter, provided that D’Angelo and his neighbors write up a petition.

“I usually don’t complain unless I have a legitimate gripe,” D’Angelo said. “All the people on our streets are very upset, and I know a few of them have called, and they always come to me, ‘Al, see what you can do!’ Well, I came to you, I went to the highway superintendent, and all I get is, ‘There’s no money in the budget.’ Then I read the newspaper and I see the town wants to put a bid-in for a school? To buy a school? It’s going to cost the taxpayers more money. You’re going to have to maintain that building, and everything else! Let private enterprise buy that building and put it on the tax rolls! … Let’s get our priorities, keeping our streets in good condition.”

D’Angelo was thanked by the board for his opinion.

Other issues brought up by Siegmann concerning his department included the limited use of the chipper. Siegmann said as soon as the leaves start falling, the chipper was going back into the shed.

“I can’t have two crews doing leaves and another crew doing chipping, we’ll get nothing else done,” he said. “If you got brush to put out, after Columbus Day, we won’t be out, because my guys will be doing leaves.”

Siegmann said he was also willing to help Bergholz Fire Co. with digging the blacktop out from its bay doors at the firehouse.

“As long as it’s OK with the board,” he said. “Art sounds like he wants to do it before the snow flies.”

After a brief series of questions, the board resolved to allow Siegmann to help the fire company.