Island Dispatch, 1989-09-08

              ISLAND DISPATCH With The GRAND ISLAND NEWS GRAND ISLAND. NY • 773-7676 VOL. 46 NO. 26 • Sept. 8, 1989 24 PAGES 35* First day Jitters Teacher Beth Boron coaxes a reluctant lad into her classroom on Bridge Reprieve Eases Back-To-School Traffic GRAND Island commuters were given a reprieve Tuesday as the north and south bridges exiting the Island continued to be open. The reprieve was particularly welcome Wednesday as school buses rolled and teachers and administrators added to the morning traffic flow. According to Thruway Authority official Leonard DePrima, work on the northbound north bridge, scheduled to be closed Sept. 5, is delayed awaiting contract approval which could be completed any day. The southbound south bridge will be closed on or about Sept. 12. Again gaining various levels of approval and signatures makes it difficult to pin down an exact date. However, it looks like both bridges will close sometime next week. Work on the bridges will cap a four year construction project on the four GI bridges The northbound north an< southbound south bridges are the oldest spans at 55. The southbound north bridge was built in 1964 and the northbound south bridge went up in 1962. DePrima, Wednesday, also said that the Thruway repairs on the Island portion will probably not begin in earnest till Spring. It was hoped that construction would coincide with the bridge closings when Island traffic would be at a minimum. Thruway officials believe that the simultaneous bridge closings will benefit Island commuters because through Island traffic will be doubly discouraged. At any rate, Islanders should enjoy the reprieve for now. Officials To Study Town Hall Plan THE TOWN board Monday agreed to study a recently completed plan for renovating the town hall and consider funding for the project when the 1989-90 budget is prepared in fall. The report, prepared by Ducherer Oberst Design, is the result of a series of meetings with elected officials, department heads and town hall personnel, and Councilwoman Marion P. Fabiano. chairman of the renovation committee. Its recommendations are based mainly on future use of space soon to be vacated when the Grand Island Memorial Library moves from the town hall into the new library building on Bedell Road. The renovation committee also recommends elimination of constructing a storage/garage facility at this time; phasing renovation to permit all town hall departments to operate during the reconstruction period and bonding the entire project to eliminate duplication of fees involved in that process. Other members of the committee are Town Clerk Rita DeGlopper, Engineer John Phillips, Building Inspector Harold Doerr and Town Accountant Leo Moser. Although specifics of the proposed renovation were not CONTINUED ON PAGE 7 Weekend At A Glance FRIDAY ED Z GOLF TOURNEY, for Sr. Citizens. Beaver Island State Park, 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. FUNDRAISER FOR PAUL KLOCK, councilman candidate. X of C Hall. Whitehaven, 7:30-11 P.M. SATURDAY X OF C ANNUAL SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT, 773-1648 SUNDAY X OF C ANNUAL SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT. 773-1648 HISTORICAL SOCIETY ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW, River Lea, Beaver Island State Park, 1-4 P.M. Mail To: