NEWSTEAD
Panel to seek new senior center director
A five-member committee will seek a successor to Theo Abraham, who will retire June 30 as director for the Akron/Newstead Senior Citizens Center.
Supervisor David Cummings said at Monday’s Town Board meeting that he and Abraham will serve on the committee, which will include Councilman Harold Finger, plus Donna Doll and Judy Geyer, members of the center’s board of directors.
The Town Board agreed to advertise for the position, which has an annual salary of $40,000.
Cummings said the town will use the job description for director of senior services as prepared by the Erie County Personnel Department.
In other business, the board voted 3-1 to approve the site plan for a 9,000-square-foot special events building at Kelly Schultz Antiques/ Pumpkin Farm at 11187 Main Road. The building, which primarily will be used for auctions, had won unanimous approval from the town Planning Board. Wendel Duchscherer Architects & Engineers, the town’s engineers, also recommended approval.
The Town Board stipulated that four parking spaces for the handicapped be designated on the site. Code Enforcement Officer John Good said the spaces will be on the east side of the Western New York Events Center, which will be adjacent to the new building.
At a public hearing April 27, several residents who live across from the site expressed concerns about traffic, parking and noise from the Western New York Events Center, which is not owned by Schultz. Good told them that their complaints should be directed to his office.
Councilman Justin Rooney voted against the measure because the site plan did not include the handicapped spaces. “We have required others, even smaller businesses, to submit new site plans” when changes were requested, he said. “We need to be consistent.”
Cummings, who said he shared “concerns about the way this was handled,” voted for approval along with Finger and Councilwoman Cheryl Esposito. Councilman Thomas George was absent from Monday’s meeting.
The board also approved site plans for a 2,520-square-foot pole barn planned at 12690 Main Road by Michael Shields, who operates a used auto sales business. Approval followed a public hearing at which no one spoke.
Site plans by Noco Energy Corp. to replace an 18,000-gallon propane storage tank with a 30,000-gallon tank at 13613 Main Road were also approved. A safety survey conducted by Duck Harbor Energy Consultants concluded that the plan meets or exceeds all required safety standards.
The board also set the annual salary of the town disaster coordinator at $1,500 and that of the assistant at $900.
The board also approved a motion setting the town assessor’s work week at 20 hours, down from 24, because no revaluation program will be undertaken this year. Her hours, which include a lunch break, are 8 a. m. to 4 p. m. Monday; 8 a. m. to 4:30 p. m. Tuesday; and 8 a. m. to 2 p. m. Thursday. The change will take effect May 26 and continue through the end of the year. The assessor may work additional hours as determined by the supervisor.
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