NIAGARA COUNTY LEGISLATURE
Lawmakers look to cut their ranks
LOCKPORT — Although nothing can legally be done until 2011, the Niagara County Legislature appears poised to cut its ranks.
A resolution that sponsors say would commit the county to reducing the number of legislators from 19 to 11 was introduced into the Legislature on Tuesday.
It was referred to the Administration Committee for a Sept. 23 meeting, which will discuss whether 11, or some larger number, should be the new figure when the Legislature’s district boundaries are redrawn following the 2010 census.
The resolution was co-sponsored by Legislators John D. Ceretto, R-Lewiston; Danny W. Sklarski, D-Town of Niagara; and Gerald K. Farnham, R-Lockport. “I think starting the discussion process at this time is not premature,” Sklarski said. “County government in general has been reducing.”
Niagara County’s work force has fallen every year but one in this decade, from 1,866 in 2002 to 1,544 now, not counting seasonal help.
On another matter, the Legislature tabled for two weeks a $6.7 million bond issue to borrow money for an assortment of construction projects and equipment purchases.
It includes $2 million for a vehicle and evidence storage building for the Sheriff’s Office and $1 million for continued planning and design work on the proposed new Public Works Department headquarters and garage.
Minority Leader Dennis F. Virtuoso criticized the allocation of $450,000 to upgrade or replace the county’s payroll and financial computer software. He said the county shouldn’t borrow any money until it knows which route it will follow.
Virtuoso, D-Niagara Falls, also said the $1 million for the Public Works project was “excessive.”
He also complained about borrowing $200,000 for repairs to buildings and the purchase of two dump trucks, saying those items ought to be in the regular budget.
Vice Chairman Clyde L. Burmaster, R-Ransomville, recalled that the county had given nine trucks away to the cities in 2002, when it bought nine new ones all at once with tobacco bond revenue. “I said some Legislature in 2010 was going to have to buy nine trucks all at once. We’d better buy the two, Dennis, because we’re going to have to buy seven more,” Burmaster said.
The Legislature also scheduled a public hearing for 6:45 p. m. Sept. 16 on creation of a commission to improve recycling participation in the county.
Also approved was $10 million worth of bonding authority for Ashland Advanced Materials, an Ohio company planning to reopen the former SGL Carbon plant in Niagara Falls, with the anticipated creation of 50 jobs.
The Legislature passed contracts for three projects. Bergmann Associates of Rochester was awarded a $555,113 contract to design the reconstruction of Lincoln Avenue in the Town of Lockport.
Greater Niagara Mechanical of Wheatfield was hired for $126,300 to replace heating and air-conditioning units on the roof of Trott Access Center in Niagara Falls. And Abate Associates of Cheektowaga received a $55,235 contact for engineering work on the repairs to the Wilson-Burt Road bridge.
