Island Dispatch, 1993-06-11

              The Dispatch Has A Temporary New Address: 1854 C Whitehaven Rd. J (behind Rockwood Bros. Collision) SERVING THE GRAND ISLAND COMMUNITY SINCE 1944 ISLAND DISPATCH With The GRAND ISLAND NEWS GRAND ISLAND, NY (716)773-7676 50tf 20 PAGES VOL. 50 • NO. 11 JUNE 11, 1993 Town Board Argues Over Master Plan Status by Elizabeth Watz THE QUESTION of whether or not a planner should be hired to work on the Grand Island's Master Plan in addition to naming lead agency sparked some controversy among Town Board members Monday. Councilman James Sharpe, Master Plan committee chair, both advocated a planner be hired to help with the final revisions and wanted Master Plan Committee involvement until finaJtzation. But in a 3-2 vote, the Board named the Planning Board as lead agency and denied the planner, allowing for only five hours of expert input. The Master Plan Committee was appointed by Supervisor James Pax to sit in on the planning board meetings where final shape of the plan will take place before being presented for public hearings that precede formal adoption. Sharpe, who worked for three years on the plan that will decide future development of Grand Island, felt the snubbing of the Master Plan Committee by the Town Board vote was purely political. The 3-2 vote was along party lines - Fabiano, Klock and Lazcnby versus Sharpe and Pax. But Planning Board members clearly felt the Master Plan was their domain and Sharpe's insistence on involvement beyond this point was inappropriate. Prompted by a letter from Kaegebcin PTA President Sally Goris, the condition of Kaegebcin playground equipment was discussed. Safety and the replacement of old equipment became the concern of board members. The Recreation Director will be putting out bids for new equipment working with a current budcet of $10,290. Councilwoman Marion Fabiano spoke about re-submitling her resolution calling for the taxation of slate-owned land on Grand Island. Fabiano also spoke of a voluntary grass recycling program titled Just Mow It, involving nothing more than leaving grass clippings on the lawn in order that they may reabsorb into the soil. While the lawnmower may need to leave the clippings a little shorter and homeowners cut the grass a little more often, it would help reduce some of the 10% land fill space used for grass clippings. If the program is successful, it could also reduce the amount of money the Ken Green Returns For Keith Classic Coming directly from the Canadian Open, where he reigned as the 1988 champ, PGA touring pro Ken Green auctions off his own tour bag and iron at last year's Keilh Classic Memorial. He'll be back again this year for the 6th edition of the benefit golf tourney. See page 13 for more. USEPA Asked To Suspend Pipeline Permit IN A LETTER dated June 4, 1993 to Acting Regional Administrator William Muszynski of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USFPA), Legislator Charles Swanick requesied suspension of the US Army Corps 404 permit relative to the Grand Island and Wheatfield segments of the Empire State Gas Pipeline. Also, to initiate 404 (c)/40 CFR 231 procedures to resolve permit deficiencies and /or veto the permit which the Corps issued to limpire. As one of the NY Coalition of Elected Officials against the proposed route, Swanick stated that concerns of the USEPA have not been conscientiously addressed by ihe Corps of Engineers and cited as the most serious transgression of the Corps' obligations under the Clean Water Act the deferral of the critical aspect of wetlands mitigation to a later date. "We cannot imagine the Corps issuing a permit for a minor driveway construction against a wetland without mitigation being approved beforehand, yet here we have a $200 million construction project with an incomplete 404 application being given an incomplete permit on an expedited basis." Enclosed with his letter were recent reports completed by Universal Ensco Inc., Earth Dimensions, Inc. and Buffalo Museum of Science which contain important information which the Corps failed to elicit on its own initiative or to obtain from Ijnpire. The letter also requests a meeting with the USEPA al the earliest opportunity. Town Meetings Monday, June 14: Planning Board Meeting, 8 PJvf., Town conference room. Monday, June 14: Park & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting, 8 P.M., Administration building, Nike Center. Thursday, June 17: Drug Abuse Prevention Council Meeting, 4:30 P.M., Help Center Nike Base. CONTINUED ON PACE 3