Island Dispatch, 2008-01-18

              Island Dispatch ¥or Home Delivery of the Island Dispatch Call 773-7676 S Niagara Frontier Publications proud publishers of Island Dispatch Lewiston-Porter Sentinel Grand Island Penny Saver Niagara-Wheatfield Tribune www.wnypapers.com 773-7676 $1.00 Vol. 63 No. 44 January 18/2008 20 Pages MOG Offers Fitness for Youth page 7 DECA Winner page 9 Captivated by the Cup page 13 Inside The Dispatch Business 7 School 8 Sports 12 Classifieds 15 Crossword. 16 Service Directory 19 Picture Page 20 Leaders decry toll increase by Larry Austin Bridge tolls are crushing the Grand Island economy, members of the Island business community said Thursday, and the problem is only worsening. At an afternoon meeting held at Erie County Hall to discuss the economic impact of bridge tolls on the local economy, representatives of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce and Grand Island Economic Development Advisory Board told the legislature that they've received significant negative feedback to recent toll increases, and the tolls are hurting economic development Tolls are problematic in multiple ways, speakers said: They discourage business traffic, raise the costs of goods and services, and make attracting and retaining quality employees more difficult John Bonora, president of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, told the legislature that tolls have created an unfair playing field for Island businesses and noted that to stay competitive, one Island trucking company even rents a warehouse in Buffalo to service his trucks without bringing them to the Island and incurring a toll cost "In many ways that I can think of, this toll is just cutting us off at the knees, and ifs getting worse," he said. Town Supervisor Peter McMahon said the current structure creates a "significant disincentive" for customers to choose to do business on the Island. Robert Ratajczak of the Economic Development Advisory Board said tolls make it difficult to attract quality employees to existing businesses on the Island. Even the perception of high tolls, which discourages businesses relocating to GI, "is Wiling us," he said. Developer Carl Paladino, a longtime toll opponent called the tolls "double taxation." He said federal highway fund money raised through a gasoline excise tax is returnedto the state to pay for operation and maintenance of .interstate bighwaps. Hie federal money, however, re- mains in the state general fund. In effect travelers on the Grand Island bridgesjray twice for their upkeep, once through an excise tax and twice in a toll, Paladino said. Legislator Michele lannello hosted the meeting and called the tolls and their double taxation "an insult to us as Western New Yorkers." She pledged to intensify the pressure on the state for their removal. Above, John Bonora, president of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce. Below, Grand Island Town Board members Mary Cooke and Peter Mc- Mahon speak with Legislator Michele lannello. (photos by Joe Eberle} Greenway Commission backs GI plan by Joshua Maloni The Niagara River Greenway Commission unanimously endorsed all 11 plans put forward in the first round of project submissions. At the board's meeting on Tuesday, 10 commissioners and chairman Robert Kresse signed off on proposals rang- ing from maintenance at Old Fort Niagara to the reconfiguration of green space on Grand Island. Speaking on the quality and diversity of the projects presented for Greenway funding, Lewiston .Mayor Richard Soluri, commission vice chair, said, "I thought it was exceptional; there was a lot of thought put into this." As part of its reMcensing agreement last year, the New York Power Authority agreed to provide $450 million over 50 years to seed ventures in keeping with the Greenway Plan. Four standing committees -Tone each for-Magara and Erie counties, state parks and ecological interests - will determine which projects receive funding. Grand Island received a favorable opinion on its request for funding Fisherman's Park Supervisor Peter McMahon submitted a request for $499,667 to "rehabilitate and enhance" the waterfront property. "■ 'We're very gratified," he said. "We think it meets every one of the criteria for a Greenway project Scenic Woods, Bicentennial Park plans discussed at public session by Alice E. Gerard Security, wildlife and dogs without leashes were among topics brought up by Island residents attending a public information meeting on the proposed Bicentennial Park and Scenic Woods trail development held Jan. 15, at Grand Island Town Hall. Tom Robinson, a landscape archt tect with EDR, the Rochester-based firm that was hired as a consultant to design the trail system on the approximately 279 acres of land that the town acquired in 1999, said the input from the public is a necessary part of developing a master plan. The master plan is expected to be completed by mid-2008. "This is a consensus-based community plan. If s not a set of constructionconstruction drawings but hopefully, it will lead to that" Robinson said. "What we want to do is to create a clear vision for what the town wants to see on the property." Robinson explained that the town-owned land under discussion is at the northeastern quadrant of Grand Island. East River Road is the eastern border and Ransom Road is at the northern border. Also adjacent to the proposed park are "developing residential areas," a golf course and a marina. "The properties that we are looking at are currently zoned open space. And, of course, the Niagara River is on the east side," Robinson said. Andy Bolton, a neighbor of the proposed park, talked about the wildlife that he has observed in the area. "I have lived here 19 years, and we have turkeys, deer, fox and coyotes." According to Robinson, the project is designed so that it will not disturb the animals' natural habitat "That is what this plan is responding to. There are no playing fields, no programmed recreation activities. Its a well-designed system of footpaths." Robinson said that the consultants currently project a 6.64 mile system of primary, secondary and tertiary footpaths and boardwalks through the town parcel. He described the area as flat with "quite a bit of wet conditions." Of the 279 acres, 67 acres are considered to be wetlands, some of which are also federally protected wetlands. Gun Creek, also located within the parcel, is a protected stream corridor. Robinson said that a wildlife biologist who walked the area and mapped the site, found nine separate ecological communities within the parcel. "Its a very nice amount of diversity in terms of environmental assets." In addition to the town-owned land, there are approximately 37 acres of state-owned land off East River Road between the cemetery and Bicentennial Park site that could potentially be used for the proposed trail system. The proposed series of walking trails are being designed to conform to standards set by the SEE GREENWAY, continued on page 2 SEE ROBINSON, continued on page 12 Find out everything you need to [ LindlSbach 'liß fgl , j*&""""~1| 1 ''''''"""^"flliMßlCT'^^ ' about your Hometown! - 628-1719- /tf&'faftfel r"*" m IiBBBffIHHHH f^l'l 773-2573 IWXI ! u!"*l* §mtim i I" *J ' ' JlHHwiliiiiHml '• 1 ® NIAGARA FRONTIER PUBLICATIOHS Masaandbfart-M. fla / J^rH^m*I , ■ -| Niopro-Wheatfield Tribune • Lewiston-Porter Sentinel (Iftl||. tILJHB / sf*!fa# l/„tfa I  Island Dispatch » Grand Island Penny Saver www.lindakutabeeh.com / / ■i^^fflHt^^^^^Mßiii^^^^ Each office independently Tbi,,. . " Q~?h(£t'Q JT i^^^^^'^^^^^fflfla^^f^^^^fl^^^Q^^^^^^^^mUHiMi^E BHai l~"j I M |' Morth owned % operated