Island Dispatch, 2000-08-11

              Island DISPATCH  The Fair page 3 Steam Launch page 5 nHHHBMi IWM Winpage 11 56 Years As the Voice of Grand Island  Award Winning Newspapers  The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island and the Grand Island School District Founded 1944 * Complete Community Coverage AUGUST 11, 2000 20 pages §ss_ei Vol. 56 NO. 15 (716) 773-7676 Rod & Gun Club contribute to Neighbors Foundation ! In' '■ i: :!lil M.iild l<-id i\. I mil ( U'\- l.ay iin'iii:, di'iMiL-d >!0!)(i!,. I .iK- Nuihi.Ms I'unii.iii.-n !"rv i K'lilki.i'.l.'M IS .111 <-\clllslW C'l.!!kl ; 1-i.iUv.: ■'!'.' iiii.'.:i!"i'' ih.ir lu-lp- i."..)i ■ mi n.'a:. i<i'd A. < jihi Cluh Sv",')n>s \ iv' i !i-c ( "lln-lil. s.uJ 'li.ll ihc ' ;:,'i-;ip .livs Ujiiiit jisi'ij' .ukl i!'i'i.iii:-.. j-..i:n"i".' the pi'-cc'd* t<i . jiimii- 1 (iiiind Is!.m:l cjum's ' "W- I'.n.' d.'ii.su-d ii>.-iu-\ I" 1 ilk* fiic ilcpariiiie:!!. ,:i'.d i Vl1 \-ii! i\' d.n'.,ii:i:_: to i!k' lif. . Si mils Si in!! We ilk, tc klV|> l!':-. 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J.'.ure .-Uii'i-.ssiii!l\ cinipliMcd .ill !'.);-'lc  ;ci]iiiicii'icnts. and ii.;>-cii the Mnjid U'-\u-iv hM l-.i;.''c Seoul Hi' is a iiknilvi- if Hm Si,.;n limip SIJS. -■■I'Mis'-icii It. ihi- Chinch ii I iiucr D.'.i S.nr.'.s 1 ,i!i.'si-.i|.:iv. si shel i-niu-i Middle Schii.>l -A.is .mil o! ilie i-r-iiecis ih.u uie.Ji' .la\me l*lijmMc tin hi.s :.mts iice.vdnig in SupeiMsi.j- IVie Me\ljh..n. Nathan is ihc Vkii".:Vs; iii -j\ eluidii'ii lie has ihice .'liiei bii-'.lieis ttl:.' arc .ii>.o I'a;;lc Sci:i» diC'id:rw :ii el-isc !ni r.d i '.-Liik i! mciiiiici M.nv ( ..like Lawsuit protection bill aired at public hearing By William O’Connor A hearing for proposed Local Law Intro #7 of 2000 - Indemnification of Town Officers and Employees led the agenda at the Town Board Meeting on July 17. The new law's intended purpose is to protect Town employees from lawsuit penalties that resulted from doing their jobs. The law would not protect employees from penalties for .intentional wrongdoing or reckless behavior. It is an amendment to Local Law 26-A 'of the' Town Code, which protects employees from paying legal expenses but not damages. Gail Lazenby of Sandy Beach Rd. spoke in favor of the law. He felt it would be good to protect Town employees from punishing lawsuits as long as they were doing their jobs. He noted that when he worked for the Town he had no such insurance :"As long as you kept your nose clean, you had nothing to worry about. Times have changed and employees face a greater risk of losing "thousands or even million-dollar lawsuits," while performing their responsibilities according to Lazenby. He noted the law was not retroactive and it doesn't cover employees involved in "negligence or malfeasance." For those reasons he supports the law. Rus Thompson and Leo Hopkins spoke against the proposed law. _ The Jaw "encourages abuse" according to Thopmson, who said he carries insurance for his business incase there's an accident. But,"When one of my employees gets ticked off and throws a hammer through a. window, I make them pay for it". Supervisor Pete McMahon clarified that "willful" violations would not be indemnified. Leo Hopkins made a point of asking what benefit the law would have for Grand Island taxpayers; demanding an answer from Town Board members, riot the Town's Lawyer Peter Godfrey. Town Board Member Dick Crawford and Supervisor Pete McMahon said it would make it easier for Town employees to go about their jobs (without the fear of a devastating lawsuit) and thereby make them more efficient. Hopkins then asked about the Sendlbeck - Long zoning violations case, that is now. pending. Crawford and McMahon reiterated the law was not retroactive. For that reason it would not cover lawsuits filed before it is filed with the State. Council Member Mary Cooke invited anyone interested in the proposed law to read it. Copies are available for viewing at the Town Clerk's office in the Town Hall M - F, B:3oam to 4:3opm. The Board then tabled the law future consideration. $50,000 Scenic Woods grant approved, another possible By William O’Connor The Town Board announced, at its meeting this Monday that an application for a $50,000 grant has been approved by the Fish and Wildlife Service division of the US. Department of the Interior. The Grant is a reimbursement for the Town's open space purchase of 206 acres on Ransom Rd. (known as Scenic Woods). The Town is sending the Department an invoice for the funds according to Council member Mary Cooke; who gave high praise to Environmental Conservation Commission member Tom Burke. Burke did all the Seneca Land Claim  -Summary judg-  ment to have  "significant impact" by Christopher Marquis A summary judgment by a district court judge could foreshadow the eventual outcome of the Seneca land claim to Grand Island. Oral arguments and a motion for dismissal will be made on August 17. With a summary judgment, the presiding judge will make a determination of the strength of the plaintiff's case. The judge will then determine whether the case warrants dismissal. For the past several months, the Seneca tribe's claim that the Island was taken illegally from them by New York State has caused various problems for town residents. Local officials have said that commerce and housing sales have been adversely affected by the issue. The tribe argues that New York State acquired the land without congressional ratification, as was required by a 1790 federal law. State and county officials believe that they have a-strong enough case to have this claim dismissed. The land claim, while unlikely to displace Grand Island residents, still has local officials concerned. "We've been told that no one is going to lose their homes. Hopefully, the representatives, won't let that happen," said Grand Island Councilman Richard Crawford. Last month, it was announced that the U.S. Justice Department had offered $90 million to the Seneca Indians to settle the agreement. The settlement offer was, criticized by both the State and the tribe and was consequently rejected.While a ruling in favor of New York State and Erie County on the 17th may not cause the case to be thrown out, "it will significantly impact the case," according to Erie County Legislature Chairman, Charles Swanick. The State and Continued on page 7 continued on page 2