Island Dispatch, 1999-05-21

              Island DISPATCH  1 Don't Smoke! Page 5 125 C for 25 Years | PfIOTP: f, Spring Training Page 15 .Complete Community Coverage 55 Years As the Voice of Grand Island Award Winning Newspapers The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island i and the Grand Island School District (716)773-7676 Vol. 55 No. 6 MAY 21". 1999 24 Pages 65c TIME TO GRIND - Skateboarders like those above can now use an area of Veterans Park thanks to the town and M&T Bank. The town has taken old playground equipment and welded it into rails so skateboarders can practice "grinding," or sliding along the rail on the underside of their skateboards. A donation of $500 from M&T Bank has helped make the park possible. SKATEBOARD PARK - Grand Island Supervisor Pete McMahon, far right, and Recreation Director Linda Tufillaro, second from right, took time to check out the area for a skateboard park. Highway Department workers are presently putting together pipes and ramps for skateboarders, like those above, to use at a 40x20 lot at Veteran's Park. Bid to dismiss claim fails; lawsuit will move forward by Deanne Bartha Wednesday's announcement that New York State lost its bid dismiss the Seneca Indian Nation land claim came as no surprise to Grand Island Supervisor Peter McMahon. On Thursday, he spoke to the media and several residents and explained that the case will move forward. "It isn't a surprise," McMahon said, "and it isn't a milestone for the Senecas. We would have expected this." The U. S. Court of Appeals denied New York State's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Under the 11th Amendment, the state claimed that the Indian cases should be thrown out due to the state's immunity from suits by Indian nations in federal court. The Senecas claim that the lands were taken in violation of federal law because the transfers weren't ratified in Congress. At the town board meeting on Monday, McMahon and the town board supported a resolution that stated: The Town Board of the Town of Grand Island does hereby request Congress to ratify the treaties entered into between the State of New York and Indian Tribes in the State of New York as authorized by Chapter 70 of the Laws of 1795;.. news appeared to have little effect on Monday's town board motion. The lawsuit is on schedule in the discussion phase, McMahon noted. Both sides of the issue are proceeding with filing pre-trial motions. He estimates that the case could take one year when it gets to court in December, which would feasibly take it into the year 2001. McMahon expects that after that, an appeal would add more time to the Voters pass school budget, capital project bond by Rick Forgione With a strong showing at the polls, Grand Island voters overwhelmingly approved three propositions and re-elected two incumbents for the Grand Island School District on Tuesday. The 1,711 voter turnout, which was the largest since 1994, resulted in a nearly twoto-one margin of approval for the following items: •The 1999--2000 School Board budget of $31,271,883' passed 1,113 to 567. The budget reflects a one percent increase in expenditures for the district and calls for a 2.85 percent increase in school taxes (about 73 cents per thousand). •By an impressive 1,091 to 581 margin, voters approved the purchase of four, 72-passenger, replacement buses at an estimated cost of $72,200 each, and a wheelchair bus, estimated at $66,100, for a total cost not to exceed $354,900. •Perhaps the biggest surprise of this year's vote was the lopsided approval of the proposed capital bond project, which passed by more than a two-to-one margin (1,137 to 541). The $18.4 million capital bond project, which will be 75 percent state aided, will focus on hundreds of improvements needed at all the school district's buildings. The improvements will cover such areas as programs and technology updates; electrical and mechanical concerns; roof, structure and site problems; and several energy saving ideas. *With three candidates running for two board seats, incumbents Michael Dlugosz and Susan Gill were re-elected to three-year terms each. Gill, who was elected to her fourth term, led the three candidates with 956 votes. Dlugosz fol- lowed with 904 and challenger Michael Dallessandro came in a very close third with 870 votes. Superintendent Dr. Paul Fields said that he was elated of the results of the three propositions and was pleased with the large turnout of voters. "I'm taking it (the turnout) as a vote of confidence," Fields said, and reminded that the school board's job is not over yet. "We don't take the voters for granted; now it's time to live up to their expectations in us." Susan Gill Michael Dlugosz continued on page 4