WALES
Health care for volunteers is approved
The Town of Wales may become the first town in Erie County to meet the state mandate on health care for volunteer firefighters, emergency medical service and ambulance workers.
The Town Board approved an agreement Tuesday with BlueCross BlueShield to provide coverage through the town for the volunteers, who will pay the premiums themselves. The volunteers’ rate will be the same as for town employees.
Councilman Michael Simon, who volunteered to get the town in compliance by Jan. 17, reported that BlueCross BlueShield told him Wales is the only town so far that has asked for such coverage.
Highway Superintendent Mike Zywar, who also is Wales Center fire chief, told The Buffalo News he has no volunteers who want coverage through the town. Councilman Donald Butcher, a South Wales volunteer firefighter told The News that about 5 percent of South Wales volunteers may be interested.
In other business, a resident at 1144 Warner Hill Road, who wants a variance on a flag lot or open space development, asked board members to come out to his property to see for themselves his need for more room.
“It is a quality-of-life issue,” he said. Councilmen said they would be out when the weather breaks.
Back-to-back public hearings are scheduled for 7 p. m. Jan. 27 for special-use permits for Kenneglen Nature Preserve and Camp Aloha. Supervisor Rickey Venditti urged the board to begin drawing up conditions for the permits.
The board held its annual organizational meeting, approving salaries and reappointing all of its officers for another year.
Named to vacancies on the Zoning Board of Appeals for a five-year term were Glenn Goerke and Merlyn Hudson. Planning Board chairman Charles Lynch was appointed to a seven-year term. Susan Warfle was given a five-year term on the Conservation Advisory Board.
Sharon Marfurt was appointed secretary for the Zoning and Planning boards.
It was agreed that the town will pay a maximum of $40 a month for cell phone use to court clerk Christa Dake and code enforcement officer Walter Raichel, Supervisor Venditti and Highway Superintendent Zywar because they are on call around-the-clock.
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