Island Dispatch, 2001-04-20

              Island DISPATCH ifcitmg;^lledalists page 13- ■y-'-'/ '~ Coloring Contest Winners page 3 Founded 1944 • Complete Community Coverage Vol. 56 No. 49 APRIL 20,2001 • 20 pages 65 CENTS I The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island and the Grand Island School District 56 Years As the Voice of Grand Island Award Winning Newspapers Friday Rain Hi 58 Lo 49 ; Details on pg2o\ \ i ~ Entertainmcnt:£a^^^ No new tenants for plaza Despite the rumors and speculations flying about what business is going in to the open space in Tops Plaza, Town Supervisor Peter McMahon and Tops Operations Manager Lisa James stated that no new tenants have been acquired for the plaza. The construction is part of a contract with the Town that Top's made, in which they agreed to make all store fronts in the plaza uniform with the new construction to their store, McMahon said. "We gave them a year, the year is up and so they're doing the work," McMahon said. (Photo by Paul Lane) School board candidates to run unopposed Myrna Blair and Jeri Schopp, both incumbents, will run unopposed for the two seats available in this year's school board election. Theirs were the only petitions filed by Tuesday's deadline according to Nancy Standord, district clerk. Blair, who will be elected to her second full term, also served for two years filling unexpired terms. Schopp will be elected to her sixth term, having first run for the board in 1986. In addition to electing trustees, Islanders will be voting on the 2001-2002 budget and for the purchase of three 60-passenger replacement buses, plus a wheelchair bus, for a total bond proposition of $308,659. The purchase will not affect this year's tax rate. The annual school district vote will take place Tuesday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the high school gym. Copies of the budget will be available in all schools on Monday, April 30, and a budget hearing will be held Tuesday, May 1 at 7 p.m. in the Middle School Little Theater. To request an absentee ballot application, call 773-8801 or write the District Clerk, Nancy A. Standford, Grand Island Central School District, 1100 Ransom Rd., Grand Island, NY 14072. Ballots must be returned before 5 p.m. on the day of the election. Invitrogen to host on-site job fair to fill 40 positions Invitrogen Corporation, a global leader in molecular biology research and services, will host an on-site job fair on Saturday, April 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the company's atrium, 3175 Staley Rd., Grand Island. The company is looking for qualified people to fill over 40 immediate, full-time positions for customer service representatives, bilingual customer service representatives, distribution/warehouse technicians, telesales representatives and quality/process engineers. Future employment opportunities will be available in manufacturing. Interested candidates should bring a resume and be prepared to complete an application and a screening interview. Invitrogen, under the GIBCO brand, is the leading supplier of cell culture products, services and technologies for research.and biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Councilman says memorandum will open up government for the people by Cassandra Fallacaro Thanks to a newly adopted memorandum, residents may have even more access to their local government.At the April 16 meeting of the Grand Island Town Board, Councilman Kevin Rustowicz proposed the preparation of a memorandum summarizing the requirements for conducting public meetings, as set 'forth in the Open Meetings Law. This memorandum, approved 4-0 by the board in Councilwoman Mary Cooke's absence, will act as a basis for all advisory boards, committees and subcommittees to determine the standards by which they make their meetings public and private. "The Town Board has an interest in requiring that all Town employees understand and comply with the. New York State Open Meetings Law," Rustowicz said in a written resolution to members of the town board. Rustowicz believes that all local government should be required to adhere to the standards for conducting public meetings. "Too often the perception that people have of their government is that they have something to hide," Rustowicz told the Dispatch. "This will let residents know that we work for them." Rustowicz believes that the adoption of the memorandum will be beneficial for all involved. It will clear up confusion, giving town government a written standard to adhere to, it will also "open up government" and give resident more exposure to the daily workings of their local officials, "This is a good thing," Supervisor Peter McMahon told the Dispatch. McMahon stressed that the action that the board took on the issue was not in reaction to any wrong doings, but was merely to reinforce practices, that already exist. "I'm not aware of any committee not already following the Open Meeting Law," McMahon said. "This will reinforce the Town Board's wishes that all meetings that should be held public are." The memorandum has been, given to the town's attorney's to be drafted and upon completion it will be given to the Town Clerk for distribution to all advisory boards, committees and subcommittees. TOWN CLERK'S WEEK - The week of April 29 through May 5 was named as Town Clerks' Week at the Grand island Town Board meeting on Monday. Present to acknowledge the proclamation were (from left) Councilman Kevin Rustowicz, Councilman Mike Heftka, Supervisor Peter McMahon, Deputy Town Clerk Robin Swedish, Deputy Town Clerk Betty Lantz, Deputy Town Clerk Peggy Butler and Councilman Richard Crawford. (Photo by Cassandra Fallacaro) continued on page 2 m* Weekend at a Glance S Friday. Saturday and Sunday j POMONA GRANGE j FLEA MARKET i Hamburg Fairgrounds, Grange Building, j 5600 McKinlcy Pkwy., Hamburg j 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. < Sundax OPEN HOUSE" Grand Island Historical Society River Lea. Beaver Island State Park 2 lo 4 p.m. EARTH BAY CELEBRATION QUALITY QUEST ENVIRONMENTALRiverside Salem United Church of Christ. 3449 West River Rd. 2 p.m.