Island Dispatch, 1997-08-08

              Island DISPATCH  SHOWCASE FAMILY RE6TAURANTS 2352 Grand Island Blvd. FRESH FISH FRIDAYS We feature a different fresh catch each and every Friday, along with our famous Haddock fish fry. Take-Out Available 775-3211 w-4 years "As the voice of Grand Island"  20 Pages August 8,1997 Official Newspaper for the Town of Grand Island & the Grand Island School District (716) 773-7676 650 Vol. 54•N0. 16 Town Center Park needs definition, Sharpe says by Christopher Caile At Monday's Grand Island town board meeting there was a request to set up a dedicated space in the town's accounting system for donated funds for the new Town Center Park. But discussion quickly expanded to bring up a whole range of questions. The Town Center Park Planning Committee had asked for the special fund designation in which to deposit funds following a citizen's $65 donation to the Park. Supervisor James Pax said he felt people will step forward to give money if there is a dedicated fund. Councilman Jim Sharpe, however, asked that the request be tabled until the town board reviews and votes to accept the project. "I'm not opposed to the project but the town board has not voted on it, to sanction or not sanction it," he said. Pax said he just wanted a place for donations. Sharpe replied that he appreciated it, but under the circumstances the town board needs to define its focus and intentions. He noted that two parallel processes were happening and that both affected the area. One was the Park. The other was the need for added parking, as well as possible expansion of the Court building. "I'm for it (the Park) but we need to get expectations laid out, as well as a plan, and I feel the town board should sanction and vote for it." Council woman Mary Cooke then said the Town Park Committee had discussed a lot of this information and was surprised that Sharpe hadn't attended the meeting, noting that he had been notified. She then said to Sharpe that if he really truly believed what he was saying, he should get some movement going and communicate with the Park Committee. But Sharpe replied that he was not talking about things at the Town Park Committee level. "The questions are at the Town Board level," he replied. Cooke had said she had heard Sharpe talk but not seen a communication about it. Sharpe said, "I'm asking for a meeting right now. I'm asking to table the fund request and get a meeting to discuss it. We need to know what various donations will be applied to. We need to look at a long range plan and the long range project that will develop into a passive park, but also understand the possible expansion of parking and court facilities. We have a possible clash of intentions and L would like to resolve the issues right now." Finally it was decided to modify the original motion to establish a special fund for the town park with the understanding that the town board meet to discuss the whole area and that no funds be spent until the issues were fully discussed and resolved. At the end of the meeting candidate for Councilman Gail Lazenby said that three years ago while he was a Councilman he had asked about such a park and "You said (Pax) that nothing could Judge asks for custody of businessman's file by Christopher Caile The ongoing controversy over file security in the Town of Grand Island spilled over into court proceedings Wednesday night when Town Justice Francis Pritchard said he would move to have the court secure the Town's Building Department's file on Andrew Chambers, owner of Chambers's Radiator Repair at 1765 Grand Island Boulevard. The move was a response to a request by Attorney C. Donald O'Conner representing Chambers. Chambers was appearing before Pritchard charged with a variety of zoning violations. The court action taken against Chambers by the town's Zoning Officer Dr. Sam Long has also angered many local businessman who felt that the issues involved had been settled by an agreement and schedule for clean up that had been reached between the town board and Chambers. The charges against Chambers include: operating a business without a site plan; operating a M-l business in a B-2 zoned district; open storage, and litter and dumping matter on his property. O'Conner told Judge Pritchard that when certain documents had been found missing from Chambers' file during a previous court case he had attributed it to poor record keeping "but then I read this," he said, showing the judge several local newspaper articles that talked about the issue of disappearing file documents. One article stated that documents had been removed from Chambers' file during the previous court case. "Frankly, I was shocked," said O'Conner. "The least we can do now is to arrange to get the file in court custody. If you fooled me once that's fine but I don't want to foe fooled twice." Judge Pritchard, although voicing some reservations about the situation, said, "Let me say this. I will insure, if at all possible, Mr. Chambers' file by asking that it be brought in and if they (the town) objects, I will call you (O'Conner) and you can proceed with a motion to get a court order to take custody of the file." Chambers has had a history of zoning violation citations, court appearances and, according to Chambers, continued incidences of harassment and unequal treatment under the law. In a town board workshop on THE CHAMBERS STAND BEFORE THEIR NEWLY CLEANED UP BUSINESS ON GRAND ISLAND BOULEVARD - Although a little late in completion of a five step clean up plan agreed upon with the town board Chambers Radiator located at 1765 Grand Island Boulevard looks almost new. Andy Chambers, his brother Tim, and sons Andy,, Jr., and Brian Michael stand before their newly painted building. New fences have also been added to the sides the building, (by Christopher Caile) TOWN PROCLAMATION DECLARES AUG. 14-16 WHITE CANE DAYS ON GRAND ISLAND - Supervisor James Pax reads a proclamation to Lions Club White Cane Chairman Art Ellsworth and to Councilman Dick Crawford before Monday nights' town board meeting, (by Christopher Caile) continued on page 16 continued on page 5