Island Dispatch, 2002-10-04

              Island DISPATCH Local Student Wins Scholarship PageS Highlights From Sesquicentennial Bali Page 12 & 13 The Farmer's Almanac [ predicts: /. I '-.'■■' Phone: (716) 773-7676 * lax: (716)773-7190 • E-Mail: NFPNewsCfclmail.com Founded 1944 • Complete Community Coverage 57 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 : Vol. 58 No. 32 October 4, 2002 24 Pages -Bsp ■.-■-. Ramming named superintendent of school district The G rand Island Central School District Board of Education is pleased to announce that Dr. T ho m as Ramming has been appointed as superintendent of schools effective Nov. 25, 2002. The initial contract between the board and Ramming expires on June 30, 2006. Ramming is a highly respected administrator in New York State. He presently serves the Williamsville Central School District as the assistant superintendent for human resources. Prior to joining Williamsville, he worked in the West Seneca Central School District as director of personnel. Ramming began his career as a social studies teacher and later became and administrative assistant at the Royalton-Hartland Central School District. He is also an adjunct professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo and Niagara University. The. board had been in search of a permanent superintendent since the end of the 2001-2002 school year. Last May, then district Superintendent Dr. Paul Fields announced his retirement effective the end of the school year. The board, with the help of Fields, brought in Dr. Vincent Coppola in late-May to serve as interim superintendent. As part of his duties, Coppola quickly began the search for a permanent superintendent.After months of interviewing numerous candidates and narrowing the field down, Coppola's search came to an end with the hiring of Ramming. Ramming is married and has a daughter, Julie, a recent graduate of Canisius College. His wife, Kate, is an elementary teacher in the Royalton-Hartland Central School District. Shortly after his arrival, the board of education will host a reception for Ramming that will provide an opportunity for the staff and community to meet him personally.Swanick presents $6,000 to Grand Island Jr. Football BrrnT_hßnniii_ »i_-_i-_ii_-i_ii-iiin_i__.ii iin.iiii.niiifcwiiniii riiifcMiffiwii^■_» iji_.ii nuni i^ii_nrTß____i.l ■ T_i_Mii_i^__iiiwii__iii_»iiiiii_iiiti.wiMirii>iiiiiiiM_i-iiiiiiitm__wi-_-i___ii__iwiiHMiymmain_niiMi_iuffi_iji_ii_i_i_ii_r_tn__rrfr Erie County Legislator Charles M. Swarick iD-Kenmore Grand Island) attended a recent home game of the Grand Island Junior FooIDpII league to present players, coaches, administrators, and Grand island Supervisor Peter A. McMahon with an Fiie County grant in the amount or $3,000 "Youth involved in sports learn important lessons about teamwork, discipline ana leadership that young people i;arry witn them throughout their lives." said SwaniCK. "I am pleased to picsent this funding which will assist the league in continuing their successful program and protect tho players through th-r. purchase o' new safety equipment." The county doliars are earmarked for the purchase of new equipmeni including approximately 50 new helmets, 100 pairs ot football game pants and 30 sets of protective knee and thigh pads. 'Football is a physical sport, and to ensure the kids' safety, equipment must be replaced otten, saic Mark Miles, president of Grand Island Jr. Football Inc. "Tho money provided by Mr. Swanick's office will go a long wav toward easing these costs. Thank you Mr. SwaniCK." 'Once again, we a>e haopy to have Chuck's support, particularly for a cause that benefits the young people of Grand Island." said McMahon. McMahon releases 2003 supervisor's recommended budget by Jon Sandino There might not have been a Grand Island Town Board meeting this past week, but Supervisor Peter McMahon has been busy - especially when it comes to the supervi-" sor's recommended budget for 2003. McMahon was required by law to file his recommended budget plans with town Clerk Nancy Samrany this past Monday. A day later, on Tuesday, the budget was made available to the media. Here is a closer look at the budgets:: In the general fund, department head appropriation requests totaled $5,431,899. McMahon recommended that the appropriations total $4,942,039. This would mean the proposed tax rate would be $2.6.56. per $1,000 of assessed value, which is an increase of 5.7 percent over the current year. According to McMahon, there are significant increases in appropriations for the retirement incentive including buybacks ($148,481). It is estimated that health insurance premiums would increase at 15 percent ($100,948) and general insurance premiums would rise by 20 percent ($22,000). The proposed budget contains a 2.5 percent increase in wages. "On the general, fund revenue side, we're proposing very modest increases in sales and mortgage tax revenue," McMahon said in a statement released to the media. "Other revenues are projected at current levels." As for the highway fund, the recommended appropriations total $1,659,830 that would require a tax rate of $2.34 per $1,000, which is a 3.4 percent increase over this year. The highway fund appropriationsappropriations show increases for retirement costs and the same level of increases for insurance coverage. These three items total $95,148. Highway fund revenue projections remain unchanged. Then there is the sewer fund tax rate which is being recommended at $4.71 per $1,000 (based only on the land value). The current tax rate is $5.26. The tax rate McMahon is recommending is down 55 cents per $1,000 or a 10.5 percent decrease. Sewer rates remain unchanged at $3.70 per 1,000 gallons of water used. In addition, the water fund tax rate has been recommended at $5.63 per $1,000 of land value. According to McMahon, that compares with a tax rate of $6.28 in the current year. The recommended decrease in the water fund tax rate is 65 cents per $1,000 or 10.4 percent. Water rates remain unchanged at $2.45 per 1,000 gallons used. Residents should take into consideration these are only the first set of continued on page 18 ew Week at a. Giance f Monday | St. Stephen's 5th Annual 1 Golf Outing I ' River Oaks Golf Club, ! 201 Whitehaven Rd. | Registration at 10:30 a.m. with j tournament at noon - 1 1 For more information call 773-5254 I - Tuesday I Home Bureau II Meeting 1 Island Presbyterian. Church, I . 1822 HuthRd., 10 a.m. 1 Wednesday J Women's Club of Grand Island I Monthly Luncheon | Roycroft Inn, East Aurora L Guests welcome For more information call MARTY'S TOWING, INC. TFTJSgW=:«S%j 1 ■ . "2K!""qmqwVlOWlMS™JL~"'""~™ii*"" • NYS INSPECTION. AUTO mH< BRAND NAMI TIKIS- BATTERIES * , "' " ' ,! « . >'*^i#%CL &*W ¥V ■ L-U ¥¥ IH U TRIMMING I 24 hr. Emergency ••*!**■ mXmmW&mWm&h Imm^l^^Residential Contract fm removal i Ro?4_??'Xiee%Ree^_!Bry ■ '>"-.,*-* lmrm Or Pay Per Plow iMini *f?__ih# incurori1 1741 Baseline Rd. , „_,, „„~<* ~.***- :/ |-*pw wr ray rer r/uw. mG*wmm ruiiy insured % 773-35 is ,5Ff [Grand 0r444^5917 j