Island Dispatch, 1999-05-07

              Island DISPATCH  —Complete Community Coverage Golden Girls Page 12 Frentzel Endorsed Page 3  G.-L. Music Man Page 14 The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island \ and the Grand Island School District 54 Years As the Voice of Grand Island Award Winning Newspapers MAY 7, 1999 20 Pages 65c Vol.55 No. 4 (716)773-7676 DISPATCH RECOGNIZED FOR 55TH ANNIVERARY - Island Dispatch Publisher Skip Mazenauer receives a proclamation from the Grand Island Town Board on Monday for the Dispatch's 55th Anniversary this year. From left, Councilwoman Andrea Moreau, Deputy Supervisor Michael Heftka, Supervisor Peter McMahon, Skip Mazenauer, Councilman Dick Crawford, and Councilwoman Mary Cooke. Five proclamations were bestowed that day. See page 7 for more details. GI schools use state money for new electronic security system by Larry Austin Two stories from the headlines, the Columbine High School shooting and the Seneca land claim lawsuit, intersected Friday, April 30, when the Grand Island school district presented a new security system.The school has spent $150,000 of state money on a new security and communication system. State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt garnered the $150,000 to help offset tax revenue losses associated with the Seneca land claim. Hoyt visited the school April 30 along with Town Supervisor Peter McMahon and Grand Island School Superintendent Dr. Paul Fields to announce the completed project. Hoyt also pledged to continue seeking assistance for Grand Island residents until, he said, the "dark cloud" of the Seneca's suit is removed. McMahon said the Seneca land dispute has caused a yearly decline in the number of new home starts and home purchases on the Island. New home starts; which once stood at 135 a year, have declined" to approximately 40,. primarily because of fears the Senecas may win their suit. "Perception is reality," McMahon said. "The bottom line is, it's happening." And that bottom line is hurting the town's revenue, McMahon stressed. He cited a recent newspaper article that showed Erie County's new single-family housing starts for 1998 increased an average of 16 percent from 1997 while Grand Island's housing starts decreased 18 percent over the same period. Grand Island was one the only municipality to experience a significant decline, he said. McMahon calculated that if the town experienced the same growth in housing starts since the Seneca lawsuit that they had in the period before the Senaca lawsuit, the town and school would have received $3,300,000 more in tax revenue. The $150,000 has helped the school install an enhanced communication network with security cameras inside and outside the school buildings, Dr. Fields said. He noted that the old public address system was antiquated and in need of replacement. "I think this is. an example of a town and school district and the state working together for a common goal," Dr. Fields said. The security system's upgrade was in the works prior to the school shooting that occurred recently in Littleton, Colo., but the overall issue of school safety was on the minds of those present at the project's announcement. "We're not immune from acts of vandalism, encroachment, and Town Board splits on giving retroactive raises by Larry Austin A matter of principal, not a matter of politics as usual, caused a 3-2 split decision at Monday's Grand Island Town Council meeting. The Council voted 3-2 along party lines to pass pay rate increases for some town employees. Republican councilmen Richard Crawford, Andrea . Moreau, and Mary Cooke voted for passage of the pay increases while Democrats Michael Heftka and Supervisor Peter McMahon voted in opposition.Heftka objected to raises, retroactive to January 1, that would bring the part-ime/seasonal clerks in the recievers of taxes office in line with the pay of the deputy town clerks. "They do not have the same duties and responsibilities," Heftka said of the positions. The part-time jobs in the receiver of taxes office, Heftka explained, mostly wait on taxpayers, while the deputy town clerks must be trained to handle the essential jobs of the elected town clerk. McMahon said later he voted against the proposal on principal, noting that the added money the town would pay, perhaps $300 for each employee, was not the issue. The other positions involved inequities that required correction, but Such was not the case with the part-timers in the receives of taxes Grand Island joins weekend Motorcade by Deanne Bartha Supervisor Peter McMahon may have been alone on the ride to Exit 41 to meet the Motorcade headed to Albany last Saturday, but on the steps of the State Capitol Building, he" noticed a few Grand Islanders who had made the trip themselves. More than 300 cars, including 18 wheelers and motorcycles, traveled to Albany to protest the Indian land claims experienced nationwide. Participants - came from as far as Michigan, and one from California who reached Chicago and suffered departure delays from O'Hare Airport faxed her statement which was read by an understanding colleague, McMahon noted. Richard Planavsky, GOP candidate for supervisor, also attended the Motorcade. "I learned a lot," Planavsky said. "What struck me most was when the Secretary of State got up and talked, about negotiating a settlement. The crowd responded angrily against the idea. I think the representative was taken aback by the crowd's reaction." Planavsky was referring to comments made by Secretary of State Alexander Treadwell. Immediately after Treadwell spoke, a Central New York landowner got up and explained why the people felt that way, Planavsky said. "He said they (the Indians) have got $350 million and three or four state parks, and they want more," Planavsky said. "He raised his arms and indicated that their position is that the Indians get zero." The crowd was enthusiastic, McMahon said, compiled of many who were "anti-land claim." "Most of the speakers felt the federal government should ratify the treaties," McMahon said. "That would make them legal and stop all land claims. It would eliminate the question of ownership. They could settle on the cases they need to." Ratifying the treaties was widely agreed on with the crowd, Planavsky noted. The Indians have been able to accumulate large amounts of money and take land off the tax rolls, he said. It's hurting the communities greatly, Planavsky said, and now the Indians are making large donations to politicians. It's come down to our votes versus Indian money. "This is affecting the whole country," Planavsky said. "What Grand Island can learn is to take a stand. There's no reason to settle. If we have to, let's go right to court." Planavsky added a sign to his car that read: Veterans for Ratification. Many of the participants, McMahon added, were anti-casino, however, ratifying the treaties is "not likely — there's not much Safety concerns spur Town to clean up West Park Court duplex by Larry Austin A duplex disguised as an eyesore at 10 West Park Court will be boarded up to prevent juveniles from entering the premises and potentially hurting themselves. Town Supervisor Peter McMahon informed the Town Board Wednesday at an 8:30 a.m. special meeting that he had inspected the property the previous day at 6:30 a.m. with Councilman Richard Crawford, Town Engineer John Phillips, and Town Attorney William Wiles. The trio concluded the vacant duplex constituted "a clear and imminent danger to life and property," McMahon wrote in a memo to the board. The board then voted unanimously to take two immediate steps rec- ommended by McMahon: clean the exterior of the property, including the removal of debris, tires, and four propane tanks; and secure the building inside and out to prevent further damage and vandalism. "There is a clear fire hazard," McMahon told the board. During Monday's regular Town Board meeting, neighbors of the property had implored the board to take continued on page 3 continued on page 4 continued on page 3 continued on page 3