Island Dispatch, 2005-12-02

              Island Dispatch /y£\>, Niagara Huh"  In pj Frontier proud publishers of Niagara-Wheatdeld tribune Island Dispatch Lewiston-Porter Sentinel Grand Island Penny Saver www.wnypapers.com December % 2005 24 Pages V01.61 No. 37 $1.00 for Home Delivery of the island Dispatch Call 773-7676 'Great Wolf' to make a splash page 14 Vikings win in hockey page 17 Dancing in Telethon page 24 Robillard votes 'no' on fire, wastewater budgets by Karen Keefe Councilman Dan Robillard, whose term ends Dec. 31, Is using his waning days in office to make a statement about good - and bad - practices in town government, as he sees it. He served up the only "no" votes on the wastewater and fire district portions of the 2006 budget that the town approved at its Nov. 21 meeting - along with criticism he later voiced over the way he says the two departments have been run. The councilman lost his bid for re-election to a second term. Fire, Wastewater Budgets Criticized Robillard said the wastewater budget, itself, contains waste and fraud. On the fire budget, while he had nothing but praise for volunteer firefighters, he criticized the current building project at fire headquarters as more than what is needed to house a new piece of fire equipment. "Hie front line guys do a great job - EMS, firefighters, all of that. My vote was against some of the business practices they're taking on," Robillard said. "They put on that addition. Half a million dollars to put a $25,000 truck lira:"' Fire Chief Greg Butcher countered with: "I truly believe his criticism is an indication of his lack of being informed." Butcher said the fire headquarters expansion is needed to provide service for a growing community. "We're trying to provide fair and equitable protection to all the residents of Grand Island." j Butcher said the building project cost $500,000, which was obtained through a tax-exempt loan. The ladder truck, that the new addition wOl \ house, was purchased at a cost of less than $10,000. Butcher said it is | a 1971 truck, which will eventually need to be replaced. A new ladder i truck would cost $500,000 to $750,000, he said. \ Butcher said the fire headquarters addition is "a working truck bay ' Dan Robillard A $500,000 construction project underway at Grand Island Fire Company Headquarters is expected to be completed by Jan. 1. The addition provides two bays for equipment, including a ladder truck that was purchased on the advice of the insurance service company that rates the fire company. The photos show an earlier phase of construction this fall, and how the project looks as of Thursday of this week. The construction was criticized by Councilman Dan Robillard and defended by Fire Chief Greg Butcher, (photos by Barbi Lore and Dispatch staff.} Thompson: Island GOP broke law by Karen Keefe [ Unsuccessful county Legislature j write-in candidate Rus Thompjson has filed a complaint alleging Election Law violations by the Republican committees of Grand Island and the county Legislature's 10th District. The Grand Island resident's com- plaint was filed with Erie County's Republican and Democratic elections commissioners. Thompson said the committees broke the law with improper campaign contributions and illegal signs, leading up to the Sept 13 primary election. Alleged 'criminal offenses' "There's not supposed to be any financial help or public promotion" by the political parties before the primary, Thompson said. "According to the law, they're actually criminal offenses." But according to Bruce Kaiser, a registered Conservative who won the GOP primary, Thompson's allegations are baseless. Despite securing the GOP and Conservative lines. Kaiser lost the 10th District seat to Democrat Michele lannello in the Nov. 8 general election. The seat is now held by Chuck Swanick, a 25-year veteran of the Legislature who did not run for re-election. GOP: 'Nothing illegal done' Kaiser said there was nothing illegal or improper done in his campaign.Grand Island Republican Committee Chairman Richard Planavsky said: "Our committee is very careful to abide by all election laws and rules, and I'm confident that we did that in this case." Thompson, a registered Republican,Republican, contends that he might have won Hie seat, if not for illegal behavior by the Kaiser campaign and the Republicans. "I beat him in every part of the district but Grand Island," Thompson said. He pointed out $1,500 in . pre-primary monetary contributions from the Island GOP committee, as well as promotions of Kaiser as part of its team, all of which he said were unlawful. "That could very well have had an effect" on his loss, he said. Lawyers examined all Kaiser counters, "I think he's just unaware of the real timeframes." He said, "We had our lawyers look at (everything) very carefully," to make sure the filings properly met the law and the deadlines. In reviewing Kaiser's pre-primary campaign finance records, Thompson said he found five violations of the law. Money and publicity •Specifically, Thompson charges that the Grand Island GOP committee,committee, in care of Chairman Richard Planavsky, made a cash donation of $1,000 to the Kaiser campaign on July 5, violating the provision that prohibits contributing money to primary campaigns. •Also, he alleges that a $500 contribution was made to Kaiser's campaign on Aug. 23 by "Friends of the Chairman." •And, he claims that illegal signs were put up at Staley and Baseline roads and at Grand Island Boulevard and Webb Road 10 days before the primary. He said the violation is that the signs promoted primary candidate Kaiser for Legislature as part of the Republican team. Parade sign challenged •Thompson also said that in the Jury 4 parade on the Island, the town GOP committee pulled a billboard on a trailer that promoted Kaiser as part of the Republican team. "This billboard was also displayed at all their party/committee functions thereafter," Thompson's Rus Thompson continued on page 2 continued on page 2 Monday Madness LARGE CHEESE PEZA $T95 | 2131 Grand Island Blvd. Kutzbachfßlf Associate Broker  #1 Island Agent Wj^Bl #1 Company in WNY 628-1719 Q* So you need to buy or * sen a home? A • Call Linda Kutzbacn, •••she knows how and would love to help yen.