Island Dispatch, 1999-02-26

              Island DISPATCH Oppenheim Zoo? Page 3 Top Agent Page 5 Corner Page 6 .Complete Community Coverage Award Winning Newspapers 54 Years As the Voice of Grand Island FEBRUARY 26. 1999 24 Pages 65c _ Vol. 54 No. 46 (716)773-7676 GOP endorses Giambra for County Executive by Deanne Bartha In one of the earliest, endorse-. ments ever for the Erie County Republican party, County Republican Chairman Bob Davis called an Executive Committee meeting yesterday to endorse City Comptroller Joel Giambra for Erie County Executive. "The Republican Party wants to endorse early for County Executive to give our candidate as much time as possible to wage an aggressive campaign against the 12 year incumbent," Davis said. The announcement was made at the Statler Towers followed by a news conference at 6 p.m. Giambra also was scheduled for Thursday as the featured speaker at the Grand Island Republican Committee's Patriots Day Reception at the Buffalo Launch Club after his endorsement. Local GOP members couldn't be more pleased with the news. "I think Joel Giambra will bring professionalism and integrity to this campaign, and his thinking toward economic revitalization for the future of our county through Regionalism are ideas that need to be highly considered and bring us . out .of the economic turmoil we currently have," Councilman Dick Crawford said. Crawford also referred to the Kiplinger Report that shows the area to be one of the most highly taxed. "We need to make drastic changes. There hasn't been a lot of ideas presented to bring us to a new direction," Crawford said. "Joel will allow for new ideas to get into the millennium and jump start our economy. I believe all levels of government have to buy into the concepts- and ideas in order to strengthen our economy." "Our party has searched for a candidate for County Executive for over two years," Davis said. "We have reached out to many government, business and community leaders who had expressed an interest in challenging the 12 year incumbent." "Joel Giambra has aggressively pursued our Party's endorsement since becoming a Republican last year," Davis added. "Just as Patrick Gallivan did two years ago, Joel Giambra has joined our party because the Democratic Party continues to advocate policies of yesteryear,yesteryear, promotes an agenda that produces stagnation and is more interested in maintaining a status quo which is lead by the same people who have directed the decline in this commjjnjty for generation after generation. The, Democratic Party represents the past, and Republican Joel Giambra has a plan for tomorrow." "Joel is an outstanding public servant who has a vision for a better Erie County. He recognizes it is time to address the crippling property tax burden families and businesses face every year. He knows the size of government must be reduced and taxes cut-if we are to be economically competitive in the Joel Giambra j THURSDAY SPECIAL AT SIDWAY - The children at Sidway School have a special treat every Thursday when their principal. Frank Cannula serves pizza for lunch. The children are thrilled to see their principal on the other side of the lunch counter. This not only gives Cannata the opportunity to talk informally with the children but he also enjoys singing to them as he serves their lunch. Somebody should tell him to keep singing bLvatisc apparently the whole school is excited about the new lunch server and rumor has it that pizza sales are up! .  Chamber hires Executive Director Sifting through more than 20 applicants, and coming down to the final., few, the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce this week hired an Executive Director to oversee multiple tasks that include marketing and public relations. Beginning on March 9, Peter M. Jehrio, a North Tonawanda consultant, will fill the newly-created part time position. "As Executive Director, I will be the 'point person' who handles quite a few projects," Jehrio said on Thursday. Jehrio has an extensive"background in local business, community and political affairs, and consulting. He has expertise in administration, marketing and public relations. He taught business at Buffalo State College, has coordinated marketingmarketing efforts for several major corporations, and is the author of four books and several published articles. He is currently working on two new books, including one that details his 24,000 mile trip across America by train. Jehrio ■ has a Master of Administrative Science degree, Magna Cum Laude from John Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in English, Cum Laude from SUNY at Buffalo. Jehrio is currently Vice Chair, North Tonawanda Charter Revision Committee. In 1997, he was a candidate for the Niagara County Legislature, Ninth District, securing 47 percent of the votes. Watch for more information on Jehrio in next week's issue of Dispatch. School board invites residents to help with budget process by Rick Forgione The Grand Island School Board has once again begun the process of "managing school reform and quality education with fewer resources" as they build the 1999-2000 school district budget. On Monday night, they made it clear they would like the public to offer input. "We encourage anyone who wishes to comment or make recommendations for next year's budget to contact us," said School Board Vice President Tony Brindisi, who noted that several people had addressed the board with questions and concerns very late in the budget process last year. "We would like them to talk to us now while we are still early in the process." During the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Paul Fields gave a visual presentation outlining some of the challenges the district faces for the new millennium. A future that consists of regents mandates, higher diploma requirements, Part 100 regulations, and a Governor's proposal that calls for reductions of $530 million in aid — in short "no funding for higher standards." Fields, who has consistently presented a reasonable budget that has addressed the main concerns for the students, said that this year's process is going to be harder than ever. "We're going to be a part of a J balancing act and we got our work cut out for us," Fields said. "However I'm up for a challenge and I believe the students of Grand Island are as well." In his report, Fields said that in the past 13 years, state money has dropped from 50 percent of the budget funding to 36 percent and that property taxes have been raised from 38 percent to 47 percent.With the governor's proposed budget calling for such major reductions, including a $104 million reduction of BOCES aid, it appears that this trend will continue.As a result of the massive reductions in aid, Fields explained that several pertinent programs will be affected including the elimination of Teacher Centers and no funding for the Special Education Program and Teacher Mentor Programs. In ' addition, funding of charter schools will have to be taken out of the regular education budget. Fields did have some good news for Board Members and those in attendance as he presented the Music Department, Connor Middle School and Itaegehein Elementary budgets for next year. With the exception of the Music Department, the budgets reflect, a slight decrease from this year's costs. Kaegebein's proposed bud. get was down $47,000 or three percent and Connor Middle School's continued on page 4 continued on page 4