Island Dispatch, 1993-12-10

              ISLAND DISPATCH Countdown To Christmas: 15 Days! SERVING THE GRAND ISLAND COMMUNITY SINCE 1944 wher The Grand Grand Island 50 ¢ 28 PAGES voL 50 NO 26 L—J K Breakfast With Santa An Annual Treat Fdren and their parents enjoyed a special breakfast at St. Timothy's Saturday, Dec. 4, when the church held its annual pancake breakfast with Santa, iah, Kyla and Melinda Christie were among the many children who enjoyed talking with Santa while enjoying a hearty fare of pancakes and syrup. Photo by Mary Stewart Split Voting Causes Town Board Friction THE TOWN Board Monday in 3-2 voting appointed Andrew Liesenfeld dog control officer and Dorothy Westhafer to a vacancy on toe Conservation Commission, but not without strong objection from the "nay" voters. Supervisor James H. Pax and Councilman James R. Sharpe. Both Republican officials said they wanted more time to decide on the appointments approved by the three Democratic board members: Gail Lazenby, Marion Fabiano and PaulKkxk. The board January first will be ruled by a 3-2 Republican majority as a result of the November election. Liesenfeld will replace Wayne Howard who was dismissed from the dog control officer position in another 3-2 vote. Lazenby, who asked for the dismissal, played a tape in which Howard is said to have informed phone callers to leave their "names and numbers at the beep", explaining "a resolution by Mr Lazenby has limited my time and taken away my assistant" and that dog control services would be curtailed "until November 27. Sorry." "Obviously, Howard's tape shows willful disregard for the entire board that had voted 5-0 to restructure the dog control office," Lazenby said. "If be cannot work with us, he certainly should not work for us." Sharpe called Monday's voting "railroading" on the part of the Democratic majority. But the Democrats denied political motivating, and claimed complaints about Howard were an on-going issue. MEK Mesmer Dairy Clean-Up Completed THE CLEAN-UP of the former Mesmer Dairy plant on Love Road is now clearly finished and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) expects to remove the hazardous waste from the site next week. The DEC has spent $100,000 to remove hazardous materials, including ammonia, solvents and various petroleum products from the area. According to Erie County 10th District Legislator Chuck Swanick, "The DEC has informed me thai once they complete their work, the only remaining problem will be the natural gas well on the property. "There will also be miscellaneous trash and debris on the property, but nothing else of a hazardous nature." Town Supervisor Jim Pax stated, "We were fortunate to get this cleaned up. We have been able to resolve something that potentially could have created a lot of problems for the Island." WEATHER: The Old Farmer's Almanac says - Dec. 11--14: Freezing rain, then clearing, cold. Dec. 15-16: Light snow. Dec. 17: Sunny, cool. Public Hearing To Air Proposed Political Sign Law A LOCAL LAW to limit political advertising signs in the town will be considered at a public hearing Monday, Dec. 20, in the Town Hall. To be known as the "Political Sign Law" if approved, it was presented to the Town Board Monday by Councilman Paul Klock who researched similar action in other towns. Its intent is focused on display of political advertising by candidates for elective office, political parties or causes and the failure to remove signs after the election involved is past The law would not apply to signs or displays inside any building, placed where they would not attract the attention of the public traveling along a public highway nor the display of bumper slickers on any motor vehicle. Violators would be subject to a fine or imprisonment or both. MEK