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Adding leaders

Boards that have increased elected officials include: Brocton, Gowanda, Silver Creek, Sheridan, Hanover, Persia.

The Chautauqua County Legislature is currently debating if it should reduce its size from its current 25-member board. A Salary Review Commission earlier this year recommended the legislative body be reduced from 25 to 17 members.

Debating the size of the county legislature is actually nothing new. A number of proposals have been floated over the years, but none have been enacted.

But what about towns, villages and cities? Should those boards be reduced?

Western New York regional advocate Kevin Gaughan thinks so. He has been working to reduce the size of the municipal boards in Erie County. Gaughan insists smaller government boards would function more efficiently and effectively. In fact, Gaughan says the boards were actually much smaller to begin with, but have grown in size over the years. (See accompanying story "The upside of government downsizing.")

But what about in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus Counties? Should municipal boards in these areas consider reducing size? The OBSERVER contacted 21 governing boards to see if they had changed sizes.

In our research, we discovered that at least some municipal boards have, in fact, changed. Of the 21 municipalities in the OBSERVER's circulation, seven have changed its size, 10 have not changed and four were uncertain if a change had occurred.

Brocton increased its size in 1901 when it added two trustees. One trustee position was added to Silver Creek in 1899. Gowanda also added one trustee at the beginning of the 20th century. The Sheridan Town Board increased its size in 1924 from two council members to four.

In Hanover, there have always been five seats, but four justices were part of the town board. In 1978, the four justices were converted to council members. One town justice remains but the person is not on the governing board. The town of Persia, like Hanover, always had five seats, but two were justice seats. By 1980, the board was changed to its current form of a supervisor and four council members.

The city of Dunkirk has actually decreased its size. In 1880, the city had eight council members, two per ward. Today there is one council member per ward, plus an at-large councilman.

Populationwise, the village of Perrysburg is the smallest community with 383 residents. It also has the smallest governing board, with two trustees and one mayor. All other municipalities have five-member boards, except the city of Dunkirk and village of Fredonia, which both have six.

Cassadaga has the smallest population of any five-board member municipality. It has 632 residents. Forestville is second with 714 residents.

Below is a further look at each municipality's size, number of elected governing officials, along with what each official is paid.

Arkwright

The town of Arkwright has one supervisor and four councilmen. The supervisor receives an annual salary of $5,843 while each council member receives $840 a year. According to the U.S. Census, Arkwright had 1,110 residents in 2007. The town clerk said the board has been this size "for at least the last 30 or 40 years" but was unable to say if and when the board's size had either increased or decreased.

Brocton

The village of Brocton has four trustees and one mayor. In 1901, the village increased the number of trustees from two to four. The mayor is paid $5,000 annually while the trustees receive $3,523 each. According to village clerk Karen Ardillo, Trustee David Hazelton donates his time and does not receive compensation. In 2007, the U.S. Census estimates there were 1,447 residents in the village.

Cassadaga

The village of Cassadaga is lead by one mayor and four trustees. According to the U.S. Census, in 2007 the village had 632 residents. The mayor receives $2,100 annually, the deputy mayor receives $1,400 annually while the other three trustees receive $1,300. According to Cassadaga officials, the village has always had this number of leaders since it incorporated in 1921.

Dayton

The Town of Dayton has five elected board seats - one mayor and four councilmen - serving approximately 1,800 people. Each councilman receives $1,700 per year with no benefits, according to the town clerk. The size of the board has also never changed.

City of Dunkirk

There are five council members and each receives $7,500 per year for a total of $37,500 in council salaries.

When the city was incorporated in 1880, each of the city's four wards had two councilmen. Electors voted for only one candidate to represent their ward. The two candidates with the highest vote totals were elected to council. Electors alternated their years of voting with electors in the First and Fourth wards voting one year and electors in the Second and Third wards voting the following year. In this way there was never an entirely new council. The staggered elections continued after the 1909 charter until the procedure was changed in 1924.

The 1909 charter called for five councilman, all elected at large although, as today, the ward councilmen have to live in the ward they represent. The charter adopted in 1977 calls for council elections every two years with all council members elected in a city-wide voting. As before, all council members but the councilman-at-large must reside in the ward they represent. According to the U.S. Census, in 2007 the city had 12,127 residents, down from 13,131 in 2000.

Town of Dunkirk

The current town board consists of five members: four council members and a supervisor. According to officials, the number of board members has never been increased or decreased. Each board member receives a yearly salary of $4,788, with no benefits. As of the 2007 census, the town had a total population of 1,313.

Forestville

The current village board consists of five members: four trustees and a mayor. According to the village clerk, there have no changes to the number of seats on the village board in past 50 years, although she was unable to state if the village board had always been this size. As of March 30, 2007, salaries for board members were set as follows: The mayor receives a maximum yearly salary of $2,173; the deputy mayor receives a maximum yearly salary of $1,304; and trustees receive a maximum yearly salary of $1,086. Board members receive no other benefits. As of the 2007 census, the village had a total population of 714 residents.

Fredonia

The village of Fredonia has six elected board seats - one mayor and four trustees. The compensation each municipal board member receives, including benefits is $13,000 for the mayor and $5,500 per trustee. There were 11,049 residents in 2007, up from 10,706 in 2000.

Gowanda

The village of Gowanda has five elected board seats - one mayor and four trustees - serving approximately 2,600 people.

At the present time, according to the village clerk, the mayor receives $8,000, the deputy mayor receives $4,500 and the remaining trustees receive $4,000. No benefits are offered, although each make one day per pay toward New York State Retirement. Trustees who are already retired do not apply.

The village board last changed between 1900 and 1925, increasing from three trustees to four.

Hanover

The current town board consists of five members: four council members and a supervisor. There have been no changes to the number of seat on the town board, however in 1913 the board consisted of a supervisor and four justices. By 1978 the elected justices were changed to council positions. Hanover does still have a town justice.

The supervisor receives a yearly salary of $17,500. Council members receive a yearly salary of $6,250. The deputy supervisor receives a total yearly salary of $9,250, $6,250 as a council member and an additional $3,000 as deputy supervisor. Board members also have the option to receive health coverage through the town, contributing a monthly premium. As of the 2007 census, the town had a total population of 7,354.

Town of Perrysburg

The Town of Perrysburg has five elected board seats serving approximately 1,800 people. According to the town clerk, the town supervisor receives $6,000 per year and the councilmen receive $1,800 per year. The size of the board has not changed for at least 30 years. Further details were not available.

Village of Perrysburg

The current village board consists of three members: two trustees and a mayor. The number of board members has never increased or decreased to the village clerk's knowledge. The mayor receives a yearly salary of $3,150 and trustees receive a yearly salary of $1,730. Board members receive no other benefits. As of the 2007 census, the village had a total population of 383. Earlier this year, Perrysburg officials have discussed about dissolving the village, although nothing official has taken place.

Persia

The Persia Town Board consists of five members - four trustees and a supervisor. Prior to 1978, the town board consisted of a supervisor, two trustees and two justices. However, beginning in 1978, the board was changed to include a supervisor, three councilmen and a justice. Following 1980, the board was changed to its current form of a supervisor and four council members.

The supervisor receives a yearly salary of $8,689, plus an additional stipend of $950 to act as budget officer. Council members receive a yearly salary of $3,013. Board members receive no benefits.

As of the 2007 census, the town had a total population of 2,338.

Pomfret

The Pomfret Town Board currently has four council members and one supervisor. Officials with the town say this has always been the board's size. The supervisor receives $9,000, the deputy town supervisor receives $5,100 and the other three council members receive $4,500. Health benefits are also available for board members. Currently, two council members receives $2,269 for health insurance each, which is 60 percent of the premium. The town of Pomfret had 14,908 residents in 2007, of which 11,049 residents live in the village of Fredonia, or 74 percent.

Portland

The Portland Town Board has four council members and one supervisor. Officials did not respond to a question if the board has always been this size or not. The supervisor receives $7,000 annually and each councilman receives $2,400. There are 5,290 residents in the town, including 1,447 residents in Brocton, or 27 percent.

Ripley

There are five elected officials serving 2,649 people (in 2007) in the town of Ripley. The board is made up of one supervisor and four council members. The town supervisor receives $7,800 a year with no benefits, while each town councilman receives $2,160 a year, also with no benefits.

According to the town clerk, the board has always been this size.

Sheridan

The current town board consists of five members - four council members and a supervisor. In 1924, the town board was increased from two to four board members. Each board member receives a yearly salary of $3,000, with no benefits. As of the 2007 census, the town had a total population of 2,454.

Silver Creek

The current village board consists of five members: four trustees and a mayor. From 1881 until 1898, the village board consisted of four members, and in 1899 was increased to the current five-member board. The mayor receives a yearly salary of $6,790, while the deputy mayor receives a yearly salary of $5,165. Trustees receive a yearly salary of $4,625. Board members receive no benefits. As of the 2007 census, the village had a total population of 2,808.

Stockton

In the town of Stockton, there are four councilmembers and one town supervisor. According to officials, the board has always been this size. The supervisor receives $5,800 a year, the four council members receive $4,050 a year, while the deputy supervisor receives an additional $785 pay. In 2007, the town's population was estimated at 2,212 residents.

Town of Westfield

The Town of Westfield has five elected officials - one supervisor and four council members on its board - serving 5,076 residents in 2007. Of the 5,076 living in the town, 3,373 residents live in the village, or 66.4 percent. The town supervisor receives $15,600 a year and the deputy supervisor receives $5,700 a year and 15 percent of premiums for a single person health insurance plan.

The three other council members receive $3,000 a year and two of these three receive 15 percent of premiums for a single person health insurance plan. According to Town Clerk Tim Smith the board has always been this size.

Westfield village

The Village of Westfield has five elected board seats - one mayor and four Trustees who each have two year terms of office. According to the 2007 census, there are 3,373 residents in the village.

The mayor receives $11,000 annually for his services. The deputy mayor gets paid $2,600 per year and the three other trustees get paid $2,400 a year for serving on the Village Board of Trustees.

There are no additional benefits or compensation provided to the mayor or trustees; they simply get their yearly stipend in two installment payments, one in March and one in September.

"As far as I can determine, the village has always had this many village board members," said village clerk Vincent Luce.

Compiled by Assistant Managing Editor Gregory Bacon. Information used in this report was gathered by staff members Gib Snyder, Tim Latshaw, Michael Rukavina, Joel Cuthbert, Shirley Ibach and Joan Josephson. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com.