CASSADAGA - Plans for the celebration of Cassadaga's 200th anniversary are moving along according to reports at Wednesday's village board meeting.

Trustee Rodney Waite said criteria for the lawn decorating contest have been established with the theme being a history of Cassadaga dating back to its early times.

Trustee Rudy Abersold has charge of the beard growing contest with entries and the lawn contest scheduled to be judged Aug. 29 and 30.

Waite is also scheduling a movie containing copies of old-time films he has collected of Cassadaga's past. Tentative plans are to show the movie at the village beach complete with popcorn.

The beach has come alive this summer with more than 60 youngsters signing up for the beginners lessons. Advanced courses are also being offered with pre-life guarding lessons available. The beach is now open, free of charge, to anyone living in the Cassadaga Valley Central School district.

Mayor LeeAnn Lazarony said she has been asked to keep the beach open past the 6 p.m. closing hour established for this year's operation.

"We are very pleased with the number of people who have come to the beach to take part in our eight week program," she said. "If there are people there who wish to remain past 6, we will consider keeping it open."

In other business, the board discussed limiting parking in front of the Maple Avenue post office.

"There are people who have trouble getting around who have to park away and walk a distance to the post office," Trustee Jeff Frick noted.

He said he has had several people approach him about the parking problem and he asked village attorney Michael Norris to look into establishing limited parking or posting a handicapped parking sign.

He and Public Works Superintendent Tom Fetter commented on illegal dumping at the Alden Road compost pile. Bags of garbage were recently found there. It is meant for leaves, branches and grass clippings, nothing more.

"We have signs posted warning people not to dump garbage and yet it still happens," Fetter said.

Guilty parties will be subject to fines.

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