Island Dispatch, 2000-05-19

              Island DISPATCH Rotary page 8 Earth Day page 12 Food Drive page 20 MAY 19. 2000 56 Years As the Voice of Grand Island Award Winning Newspapers - 20 pages 65 c Founded 1944 • Complete Community. Coverage The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island and the Grand Island School District Vol. 56 No. 4 (716)773-7676 | WATER FUN - Don b*-s,s of Grand is'anri una ow-.b: -it GPb.O t_:fis> fur. ail dbmiiie: Sony rao.ny ins r".vilioplano. Don has hoen racing over CO -AV.rr. and participates ■n touinamc-'its Ihiuiiuhon; il:t> United Slates .J.r,cl Canada Don inherited his passicr. for fiom r.'S father v.hc also was 3 beat racer. Less' son ;n law Ken LJrodle Jr. of Giocnw-joJ N.J. races the hydroplane .,GP5G> Loss lakes part in the races ar;d makes the lacny clocks >n his spare time Less' latest p:0|£T.t i*.as a di-jitai clock for the tao-es. Pictuieti from icft: Gf'50 and Ken Biocim Jr. dunnj piacuee lasl week. Less and Brodie will be takm-.i part in the Hydromar.ia 2000, July ?9 and 30 on the Niagara River sponsored by Unite:! way of The lonawandas. Alvin Road re-zoning pursued by Fucillo Chevrolet by Kelly N. Gast Fuccillo Chevrolet, which currently is in a lease agreement with Island Chevrolet on Whitehaven Road, is looking to construct a new dealership on Alvin Road. The company has plans to build a 20,000 square, foot building to house Fuccillo Chevrolet, which will employ 40 workers, 12 more workers than they presently employ. At Monday night's Grand Island Town Board meeting, a public hearing was held regarding the rezoning of 23.7 acres of Alvin Road fromß-lAtoB-2. Speaking on behalf of Fuccillo Chevrolet was attorney Bob Scalione. He said that Fuccillo now operates 13 dealerships in four states. The new building will cost $2 million to build and will take around four months to complete. The state of the art facility will feature a body shop which would provide service to more vehicles. Many residents and Alvin Road property owners spoke in favor of the re-zoning. Rus Thompson believes the road should be rezoned to commercial stating that "the Island needs something like this." Gene Ryshkus, owner of the Grand Island Garden Center on Alvin Road, also supports the rezoning. He feels it will draw more people to his business. Mike Sendlebeck stated that he is happy to see that a business is interested in Grand Island and that they should be welcomed and accomodated.Mike McDonough feels that the Fuccillo facility would be a great asset to the community, as well as being practical. Resident Granson Geis is in favor as well as Larry Playfair, who sees this as an opportunity to utilize the land correctly along with providing employment opportunities for Island residents. Joe Marino, a Kenmore resident, owns the adjacent property to the projected site and Charles Lambert, who owns three acres on Alvin, both support the Alvin re-zoning. Bud and Ellie Pritchard, property owners on Alvin Road, submittted a letter to the Town Board also supporting the re-zoning. Although most people spoke in favor of the re-zoning, there was opposition. Attorney Bill Costello who represents Island Chevrolet, stated that Hoyt/Coppola secure $125,000 in emergency aid for Grand Island Assemblymember Sam Hoyt CD- Grand Island, Buffalo) and Senator Al Coppola recently announced that they secured $125,000 in emergency economic assistance for the sfaigi of Grand Island. "The Town of Grand Island has suffered severe economic hardship as a result of the ongoing land claim by the Seneca Nation of Indians. This emergency aid is meant to provide some financial assistance to the taxpayers of Grand Island," Hoyt said. The Town of Grand Island continues to report a steady decline in new home construction since the Seneca land claim began. Prior to the land claim, Grand Island had an average of 135 new homes annually. Currently, that number has decreased to the low forties. With the three-year tax rate average of $16 per thousand, the cumulative loss in anticipated revenue is well over $500,000. These numbers give an indication as to the severity of the devastating economic impact on the loss of tax revenue due to the stagnant tax base. "Grand Island is a wonderful community, and I will continue to do all I can to help see the Town through this unsettling time. This emergency aid is truly needed, and I am glad that Sam Hoyt and I were able to help," said Coppola. Hoyt and Town Supervisor Peter McMahon have met on several occasions with senior members of Assembly Speaker Silver's staff to inform them of the steady decline in new home construction on Grand Island which has resulted in considerable loss of. tax revenue on the Island. Peter McMahon said, "I thank Assemblyman Hoyt, Senator Coppola and Speaker Silver for recognizing the economic hardship caused by this land claim and for once again Coming to the aid of Grand Island." In last year's budget, Hoyt was able to procure $50,000 in emergency aid for Grand Island. Quay Street in Niagara Falls named for John B. Daly Governor George E. Pataki announced this week that Quay Street in Niagara Falls will be named John B. Daly Boulevard, honoring one of the Niagara Frontier's most important and influential officials of all time. "John Daly, who I was fortunate to call my friend, served the people of the Niagara Frontier and the entire state with distinction and grace," Governor Pataki said. "John was an extraordinary man - a man with all of the wonderful qualities that you look for in a close and loyal friend. His devotion to his family, his friends and the people he served was truly inspiring." "John Daly was a man who placed a premium on results," the Governor said. "He produced many results for the people of Western New York and the entire state during his time in public service - lasting results that made our state a better place. As we deliver an improved gateway, to Niagara Falls - a project funded in part with the historic federal funding he worked hard to secure - it is only fitting that we honor the man who has done so continued on page 2 continued on page 14